Waterfront Properties | Real Estate Blog - Real Estate 101

Urban Farm in Boynton Beach Readies for Re-Planting

Chef Phillip Herman, of the Secret Garden Café, shows off the cauliflower patch at the Urban Farm in Boynton Beach. Photo by Janis Bucher

Seeds will be sown Sept. 7 at the Urban Farm in downtown Boynton Beach as part of a program initiated by the nonprofit Taste History Culinary Tours of Historic Palm Beach County.

The organization that sponsors trolley-led tastings through restaurant-rich Delray Beach and other South Florida communities has adopted the farm and is recruiting volunteers in preparation for the new harvest season.

The Urban Farm is on a swatch of land on Southeast Third Street, near Boynton Beach homes on the Intracoastal Waterway. It promotes the local food table and practices sustainability techniques. The Boynton Beach Community…

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INVENTORY OF HOMES DROP AGAIN…HOME PRICES RISE

A June report by the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches is reporting the inventory of homes for sale in Palm Beach County has dropped again!  This low inventory of homes is pushing levels below a five months’ supply leaving very few properties to show to eager buyers. The report indicates findings of only 5,766 single family homes on the market last month; this is a 48 percent drop from this time last year!

The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index is reporting, “home prices continue to rise in South Florida” from a year ago.  It’s the 16th consecutive increase”  and that the “home price index for Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade counties rose 13 percent in April from a year ago.  It’s the 16th consecutive jump.”

The Case-Shiller index covering 20…

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Dinosaurs Descend on Downtown at the Gardens

Northern Palm Beach County’s popular open-air restaurant and retail center, Downtown at the Gardens – best known for its modern shops and trendy eateries – has stepped back in time. Way back.

A pair of wayward dinosaurs has made their way to Downtown Park, grazing amid an abundant supply of tropical trees and plants. The dinosaur duo took a detour on the way the Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, where they will star in a whimsical dinosaur garden created by Ashem, a landscape-design firm in Delray Beach, to entertain sick boys and girls.

Those with an interest in seeing the prehistoric creatures need not fear, as the two on display resemble the brontosaurus and the triceratops – both herbivores. They…

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Sunshine State Tops in Best-Places-To-Retire List

Sunny Florida landed seven out of the 15 locations across the country deemed by industry analyst RealtyTrac as the most ideal for retirees.

Those living out their golden years should do so in Naples, North Fort Myers, Punta Gorda or Venice, all in the southwest region of the state; Orange City, near Jacksonville; or Sun City Center, east of Tampa. That’s according to the “15 Best Retirement Hot Spots for Real Estate Investing” list released in July of 2013.

Among the categories RealtyTrac used to rate each municipality were percentage of population of retirement age; average temperature; cost of living index; and median sales price. In all of the cities on the list, at least one-third of the population is retirement age.

While southeast Florida did…

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Summer Camps in Full Swing at Maltz Jupiter Theatre

The popular regional theater right around the corner from Waterfront Properties and Club Communities’ headquarters in Jupiter has a summer full of surprises for Palm Beach County youths interested in acting.

Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s series of summer camps offers something for children and teenagers from kindergarten through 12th grade. The magic unfolds in the Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Performing Arts and includes acting, dancing, improvisation, prop-making, singing and storytelling. Each camp concludes with a special show.

Aladdin Jr. camp will run July 8 through 26, with a performance scheduled the last day. Other camp opportunities: Dr. Seuss camp July 29 through Aug. 6; Dance Intensive camp July 29 through Aug. 9; and Super Sea…

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Northern Palm Beach County Golf Course Receives Makeover

The long-awaited completion of the famed Fazio links at the Tequesta Country Club will take place during the summer of 2013, pleasing both amateur golfers and Tour professionals who have memberships there when it re-opens in November.

Tom Fazio II began the project a few years ago with the goal of creating an enhanced natural setting, using plants that require less maintenance. The entire course will be re-sodded.

The project also lengthened the course by 350-plus yards, to 6,850, included new bunkers and involved the installation of a new pump system for irrigation.

Those with memberships will be able to take advantage of reciprocity partnerships set up with other golf communities in Palm Beach County.

The course originally was designed in…

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5 TIPS FOR GETTING THE QUICKEST OFFER ON YOUR HOME

1.    AMP UP CURB APPEAL:  Does the outside of your home make them want to see the inside?  The first thing the buyer sees is the outside of your home.  Make it as appealing as possible.  Maintain the yard, a clean driveway and an inviting porch.  Drawing the buyer in wanting to see more, it is a good start.  Touch-up or repaint exterior.  Plant fresh annual flowers, keep porches swept, and gutters clean.  Showing that the exterior of your home is well kept will lead buyers to the assumption that the home is well kept in general.

2.    SIMPLIFY, CLEAN, and DE-CLUTTER:  Do a deep clean or hire a professional cleaning service to make sure your home looks its best.  Keep beds made and carpets vacuumed.  Rooms will look larger by removing clutter. Over stuffed…

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PROPOSED BILL…CANADIANS TWO EXTRA MONTHS IN U.S.

Canadian snowbirds may soon be able to spend two extra months nesting in their favorite spot, the sunshine state!  Each year Canadian snowbirds find their way to sunny south Florida. Currently, Canadians, aged 55 and older have a 182 day annual limit to stay in the U.S. without a visa. Winding its way through Congress is a provision that would extend that limit to 240 days – about eight months total.

Canadians represent a major boost to the economy in the U.S., particularly southern states such as Florida.  Florida recently dropped the requirement of an international drivers permit after strong objections from the Canadian Lobby.  Canadians are flocking to the sugary sand beaches of the Jupiter and Tequesta areas.   The surrounding areas are well known for…

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Historical Society of Palm Beach County To Present Free Activities on Armed Forces Day

The Historical Society of Palm Beach County will welcome the troops to the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum in West Palm Beach for Armed Forces Day on May 18.

The free event will entertain and inform all ages and will honor local U.S. Armed Forces, veterans and the nation’s military history. Visitors will learn about the county’s role in past wars and its local battle sites.

To help guests interpret Armed Forces Day at the museum, docents will lead them through an authentic front-line camp, to interact with characters from the Seminole War to the Vietnam War, and to inspect Army vehicles. Cards also can be decorated to be mailed to soldiers overseas.

Twin food trucks will be onsite for lunch, and guests can picnic on the…

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ITS NOT AS EASY AS YOU THINK...

Getting a house to sell takes much more than just listing it in the paper or on the internet and letting it get gobbled up, it simply doesn’t work like that. Today’s successful agents are tenacious, proficient and skilful and they aren’t a dime a dozen. Agents and brokers of today are a new breed. With the market being more challenging than ever, the task of selling a home or finding your buyer their dream home isn’t just a snap of your fingers. It takes effort, hard work and dedication! 

Several years ago when the market was bustling, homes were selling like hotcakes and the market was flooded with buyers and sellers. Consider the nation’s economic standing; the economy is struggling, banks aren’t lending nearly as much and buyers don’t have the…

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