The Palm Beaches – Great Options for Home Buyers
Palm Beach County, with Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, make up the tri-county area of South Florida. The county boasts 47 miles of coastline with several scenic barrier islands, 29 beach parks and numerous protected ‘natural’ areas including the 147,392-acre Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge.
Palm Beach County may well be the perfect mix of highly developed urban and suburban low-density communities co-existing in unspoilt natural surroundings.
The main residential areas of the Palm Beaches are 39 towns dotted along the Atlantic coastline with miles of beautiful, well-kept sandy beaches. In contrast, the central and western areas of the county include the Everglades Agricultural Area - the 10th largest agricultural area in the country – is considered rural Florida heartland. Forty percent of this area is actively farmed, growing sugar cane, rice and winter vegetables. The area is a major hydroponic grower of tomatoes and other economic activities include agricultural processing plants and nurseries.
The Palm Beaches saw steady real estate sales during 2020 with homes selling for very close to listed prices. There was a modest increase in single family listings and a slightly better showing for condo and townhomes listings. However, new builds in all categories; condos, single-family, townhomes and over-55 communities provide a wide range of new options for home-buyers.
Boca Raton is the southernmost city in the county and one of the wealthiest. But as well as the gated country club enclaves and waterfront million-dollar properties, there are many beautiful communities with affordable single-family homes, and villas and condos for active over-55 residents. These communities feature a mix of public and private schools, places of worship, shopping and restaurants.
Boca Raton has a vibrant cultural calendar supported by the Boca Museum of Art, Florida Atlantic University’s School of the Arts and Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music. Mizner Park’s stylish lifestyle center, with residences, shopping and restaurants, is also home to the Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center which features local and international music and theatre events. The city has four universities and a variety of sporting and cultural centers, making Boca Raton an excellent choice for families relocating to Florida.
Delray Beach is a coastal city with pristine sandy beaches, the go-to place for snorkeling and scuba diving. With a population of only 69,451, Delray Beach is a good example of the appeal of South Florida for those relocating from northern and mid-western cities. It has all the amenities - a wide range of real estate, cultural and sporting facilities, shopping and restaurants- without the crowds and stress of high-density cities. And of course, the year-round warm, sunny weather.
The city has a range of enjoyable cultural and sporting amenities. The Pineapple Grove Arts District is a bustling downtown neighborhood with bistros, art galleries, salons and boutiques. Artists Alley is home to working artists showcasing their work and the Arts Garage features live entertainment. The city is also home to the Delray Beach Tennis Center which hosts national and international tennis tournaments. Delray Beach has a mix of real estate options; reasonably-priced and high-end single-family homes in gated communities, villas and condos for active seniors and luxury waterfront condos and residences.
West Palm Beach is the largest city in the county with a population of 100,000. It is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida, incorporated in 1894, two years before Miami. It lies adjacent to Palm Beach which is on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. With in-migration from the north and migration from South America, Europe and Canada fueling sales, the uber-luxury waterfront properties of these two areas continue to be in high demand
West Palm Beach has several historic districts, many, like Bel Air and El Cid were originally pineapple plantations. Close to downtown and the beaches, these districts, with their Mediterranean mission-style architecture, give the city a distinctive charm and add to its attractive real estate options.
There are newer communities with affordable single-family homes, town-homes and condos and active senior communities with senior-friendly, ADA compliant designs, such as single-floor living and wide doorways for wheelchair access. A new development for seniors being built by Watermark –waterfront condos and assisted living facilities which will provide…”an urban, walkable environment.” This type of development marks a departure from the typical retirement communities set in extensive, impeccably landscaped suburban acreage.
The Palm Beaches provide a very diverse palette of options for home-buyers. The natural beauty of the area, warm, sunny weather, and high quality of social, educational, cultural, sports and commercial amenities make for a beautiful environment for all ages to enjoy optimum quality-of-life.
To find your new Florida home call me today at: 954-295-9282.