convince me...please.. (Pompano Beach, Boca Raton, Century Village: sale, lease, homes)

[Swimmom32]

I have to disagree with you..Boca's income to where we lived in NJ and what my DH and our friends were making in NY and well there is just about the same here if not more and they do NOT have a lower cost of living.my car insurance here is less than NJ and they have the worst rates in the country for car insurance..our property taxes were 13k and going up and not down..Its all relative..

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by DaniellaG

I am from up north where the average income is much higher then Boca Raton and is so much more affordable,safer,etc.I can think of many other similar states up north that have higher incomes/lower cost of living.

I am not for or against FL but to say that cheaper is not better really depends on the siutation a person is in. For a person who does not make adequate income they will not be able to have the same opportunity in parts of FL where they would in other states.

Boca Raton's average income is very high, even compared to "states up north."

For example, in Boca, the median income for a household in the city was $67,531, and the median income for a family was $92,057. In a random city up north, Farmingdale Long Island, median income for a household in the village was $58,411, and the median income for a family was $68,235.

According to this link, at least, Farmingdale is 16% more expensive than Boca:Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed


In my hometown in NE NJ (Kearny), it's 3% more expensive than Boca, and median income for a household in the town was $47,757, and the median income for a family was $54,596.

[SAKIRAV]

Originally Posted by DaniellaG

I am from up north where the average income is much higher then Boca Raton and is so much more affordable,safer,etc.I can think of many other similar states up north that have higher incomes/lower cost of living.

I am not for or against FL but to say that cheaper is not better really depends on the siutation a person is in. For a person who does not make adequate income they will not be able to have the same opportunity in parts of FL where they would in other states.

Where up north is the average income higher and also affordable? Honestly would love to know. We searched for this (NYC Res) for 12 years. I'm NOT KIDDING.

Where is this place?

[DaniellaG]

Well I am from Bloomfield Hills MI. The average income is 114,000 and the household is 200,000. I have 2 family members one in Boca Raton and one in BH similar homes. I would say the one in Boca is 2 million more for the same.
I know many areas in FL are super wealthy but I still feel the cost of living to get a safe and upscale home and area is more then some places. I am not talking about CA or NY.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by DaniellaG

Well I am from Bloomfield Hills MI. The average income is 114,000 and the household is 200,000. I have 2 family members one in Boca Raton and one in BH similar homes. I would say the one in Boca is 2 million more for the same.
I know many areas in FL are super wealthy but I still feel the cost of living to get a safe and upscale home and area is more then some places. I am not talking about CA or NY.

Bloomfield Hills? Wikipedia says that 49% of the homes in that town are worth over 1 million dollars..... not sure how that qualifies as affordable by any stretch!

Florida is NOT as cheap as Michigan.... but, then again, it's called supply and demand!

[DaniellaG]

1 million not in this market I can tell you that for a fact. Still many place in Boca it can be a couple of million plus HOA and equity. Also the average income is double in BH

[SAKIRAV]

Lots of supply in BH? Boca (IME), not so much.

[Swimmom32]

Originally Posted by DaniellaG

1 million not in this market I can tell you that for a fact. Still many place in Boca it can be a couple of million plus HOA and equity. Also the average income is double in BH

Again I will disagree...our friends bought a home here for 875k same sq footage as the their home up north..Property Taxes 4k less here...and you say not including CA or NY well when you speak of Up North that does consist of NY, NJ, Pa and CT...so the fact that alot of NYker's NJ, Pa and Ct people are moving here the point is? Not all the Homes in Woodfield where your family lives are millions of dollars anymore...People we know are getting a great deal in there even with the equity...and I can get a beautiful home in there right now for a reasonable price...HOA is all relative when you pay the taxes u do up North...my uncle is looking for a home between 2.5 and 4 million he has a condo on Hillsboro mile that he well for argument sake very expensive as he has 3 views of the Ocean and the Intercoastal and he found some beautiful homes on the Intercoastal that were a million or so because people are negotiating...I have been looking with him and I see what is out there...Boca right now is a Very Very Good Deal...

[SAKIRAV]

Originally Posted by DaniellaG

1 million not in this market I can tell you that for a fact. Still many place in Boca it can be a couple of million plus HOA and equity. Also the average income is double in BH

So then you agree that Boca Raton is obviously more desirable? If people (with apparently LESS money than in Michigan) are willing to pay top dollar with less HHI?

Must be a pretty beautiful place to live then

[DaniellaG]

No I actually disagree. If I had a choice and especially if had a family I would raise them in Bloomfield Hills. It is one of the safest,up scale, yet affordable,family oriented places with great schools.
I am not for or against Boca. I think overall it is ok. It takes more money to live here in a nice area. I have lived in Boca when I was not able to afford as much and it was not fun.When I was in that time and in no way was I struggling to make bills but just did not live in as nice I often thought how in other states how I could be living much nicer for a similar price.
There are many other cites in US that though may not have palm trees I think have more affordable,safe,good schools. We are comparing high income places but what about areas with average income yet safe schools and affordable? What about a family of 4 who lets say makes an average living. Many areas of PBC are not afforable and would not give them the best opportunity. There are many cities in different states that could.
Now for Woodfield or other similar there is no way one could call it affordable. Even with the small homes when you have the large equity,dues,hoa,plus home insurance,tax it would not be called affordable or a good deal. That is why there are so many for sale. When a person purchases a small home it makes the equity/hoa seem that much more in comparison to the home purchase price
This has gotten off the op. To the op I think like everyone said there is no perfect and you have to find the best in your families situation. Then with the negatives try to change the way you view them or do things in a different manner to make them easier to deal with.