The property located at 16133 Jupiter Farms Road in Jupiter has a lengthy past. The 150+-acre ranch is alleged to have been a hideout for crime boss Al Capone and his associates in the 1920’s. The notorious Chicago gangster built the original home in 1923.  Capone also took the name of Al Brown and lived in a tiny home in West Jupiter off Italian Farms Road (now Jupiter Farms Road).  West Jupiter and West Palatka were the moonshine capitals of the world when Capone was in Jupiter.  Capone preferred spending time in Miami, near the action and the beach.  The Chicago mob boss moved south to Miami in 1928 and acquired a beachfront home.  Capone died in South Florida in 1947.

In the 1980’s, well-known actor Burt Reynolds purchased the West Jupiter…

6849 Views, 0 Comments

Photo Courtesy of Eduardo Buschin, Jupiter.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is the largest environmental film festival of its kind in North America. On April 9, 2016, the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, Jupiter is presenting the film festival. This commanding international series of short films are a call to action! Soul-stirring stories and comprehensive views will offer a sense of what it means to be responsible curators of the planet.  

Each year, Wild & Scenic draws top filmmakers, celebrities, leading activists, social innovators and well-known world adventurers to the area. The films powerful short motion pictures help to raise ecofriendly sustenance by highlighting the graphical challenges that the Earth has to face. It also opens…

4944 Views, 0 Comments

As you know not one state offers everything you dream of.  The Sunshine State has lots to offer and as they say “life’s a beach”!  There are many pros and cons of living in South Florida.

South Florida is warm and sunny the majority of the time.  With that comes living in flip-flops and shorts.  However, in order to respectably wear flip-flops, one MUST commit to impeccable foot maintenance.  It is one of the menaces of living in the sunshine state! No one wants to be exposed to unattractive feet, so unless you have time for a pedicure each week or every other week please wear closed shoes.

Florida is the “Golf Capital of the World”.  Prepare to see fairway after fairway; South Florida has more golf courses than beaches. Your golf game better be…

8542 Views, 0 Comments

When a  South Florida homeowner wants to renovate his/her home in the hopes of increasing its value, it is wise to know which renovations will enumerate their financial expenditure. Be cognizant that the average garage addition can cost more than $50,000, an  average bathroom remodel can cost more than $16,000, and adding a master suite or second floor can easily cost six figures, according to the National Association Remodeling Industry.

If the kitchen is over 15 years old, upgrading the appliances, cabinetry and flooring to contemporary ideals will net you more money at time of sale.  The kitchen is the “heart “of the home and a simple updating can increase the value.  Do not put in Wolfe or Sub Zero appliances if it is not warranted.…

8194 Views, 0 Comments

Admirals Cove is one of South Florida’s premiere yachting and golf addresses.  Winding through Admirals Cove is six miles of inland waterways offering direct ocean access and residential back yard docks.   Additionally, The Club at Admirals Cove features a 72-slip marina, marina store and marina café. Residents with memberships enjoy uncrowded golf play on redesigned Von Hagge designed 18-hole course with intense elevations or 27 holes on a traditional style course.

Take a glimpse behind the gates of this prestigious community and tour a magnificent residence on the market. The palatial property is located at 146 Spyglass Lane in Jupiter. The home is a six bedroom, five full and two half baths estate with 100 feet of waterfrontage!  It features…

7732 Views, 0 Comments

Easter Egg Hunts are all the rage with the kids this spring season and Southeast Florida does not disappoint.  Easter falls on Sunday, March 26, 2016 and kids are gearing up for the bunny’s arrival.

The word Easter has an interesting history of origin.  To some it is the celebration of spring’s arrival.  To others it is a religious holiday signifying deliverance.  

The Easter egg came to be based on fertility lore.  The egg was a symbol of spring.  The folklore then stuck and the Easter egg came to the United States. The bunny had its origin in folklore too.  The bunny never had religious symbolism.  He was used as a symbol of fertility.

Easter egg hunts are popular games where decorated eggs are hidden in various places for children to…

5490 Views, 0 Comments

 

Tax laws are constantly shifting, lots of ebbs and flows.  There are no major new tax legislation changes for 2015, but tax laws are still always changing.  Some changes for 2015 may affect you.  Thank goodness, Florida does not have a state tax!

The 2015 tax bracket refers to the top 1 percent of high-income earners.  This means high-income earners will be paying 39.6 percent income tax on gross taxable earnings.

The IRS is cracking down on IRA rollovers. It was easy to “borrow” money set aside for retirement for up to 60 days.  As of 2015, one can only do that once in a 12-month period.  If you wish to move IRA assets, you may do so by using “trustee to trustee” transfers.

The Health Insurance penalty for not having health insurance has…

45074 Views, 0 Comments

 

Local, organic, seasonal and sustainable are current “buzzwords” used a lot lately.  To be truly helpful to the environment one must know the differences between and similar implication of these words. If you are a health conscious foodie, you probably want your food or other agriculture products to be local, organic, seasonal and sustainable.

Local food means food that is grown within a certain range.  That radius can cover a few miles or hundreds of miles of your area.  It generally is a good idea to ask if the product is from your town, county or state so you are clear on what local means in that particular instance.

Organic refers to the method food production. Crops that are grown without artificial fertilizers, artificial pesticides, not…

5701 Views, 0 Comments

Everyone who is in the market to sell his or her home is looking for maximum dollar. The real estate market wavers each year regardless of whether you live in South Florida or another part of the country.  Spring and summer have proven to be the most advantageous time of the year with winter being slightly slower.  Palm Beach County real estate market seems to favor spring as the “selling season” with perfect weather, flowering plants and wonderful days at the beach.

Springtime is the beginning of selling season. There is an increase in new listings at this time.  The momentum from spring selling season overflows into the summer season, making summer the second best time of year to list your home.

Homes listed toward the end of the workweek,…

5008 Views, 0 Comments

 

March is a wonderful month in South Florida.  In Palm Beach County the sun is shining, people are bustling and the weather is perfect to be outdoors.  This weekend, March 17 – March 20, 2016, our area hosts a number of outdoor events for everyone young to young-at-heart.

The 31st Palm Beach International Boat Show, Downtown West Palm Beach Waterfront, March 17 – 20, 2016 is four full days of exhibitions of the finest yachts and boating accessories.  There are hundreds of boats, flats boats, sportfish, center consoles, and super yachts and much more on display.  The Palm Beach International Boat Show is one of the five top boat shows in the United States exhibiting over $1.2 billion worth of boats and accessories from the leading watercraft…

4190 Views, 0 Comments