Job offer in Boca Raton (Miami, West Palm Beach: real estate market, apartments, rental)

[sudevs]

Hi guys, I just got a job offer in Boca Raton. I live in San Francisco bay area. I am still renting as I can't afford a house here. How is Boca Raton? Is it very costly? WHat about schools and crime scene? Please send me some information.

[SunnyDog]

Originally Posted by sudevs

Hi guys, I just got a job offer in Boca Raton. I live in San Francisco bay area. I am still renting as I can't afford a house here. How is Boca Raton? Is it very costly? WHat about schools and crime scene? Please send me some information.

Boca is expensive but not as expensive as the Bay area, median single family house price is around $400K. It's an affluent city overall, schools are good and crime is low. Remember to consider that FL has no state income tax, but incomes on average are much lower than in the Bay area.

[MrTudo]

Put it to you this way, if the bay area KNEW what opportunities existed in Boca, there's be a lot more empty houses in the bay area.

[sudevs]

Originally Posted by MrTudo

Put it to you this way, if the bay area KNEW what opportunities existed in Boca, there's be a lot more empty houses in the bay area.

This means given the other factors are in favor, it should be a good move. I am only a bit concerned about the weather and hurricane, how bad it gets in Boca during the peak hurricane season? Some people tells me that Boca is a vacation town, is that so, although I don't have any problem with that, but I am thinking a long term stay, thats the reason I am asking.

[bale002]

Hi.

I live on the border of Boca Raton and Delray Beach, the next town to the north. As someone has already mentioned, Boca is expensive, but not nearly as the Bay area. Try renting first (prices unlikely to go up and may come down significantly in the next 24 months).
The price range depends on your budget and your interest. There are some upscale rental communities with 1-2 bedrooms ranging from around $1200 to $2100: you can consult online sources for details. I can help with URLs on another venue if you need.

If you prefer to rent a house and budget is an issue, the best thing to do is to drive around neighborhoods and scout out "for rent" signs (just avoid neighborhoods around the railroad tracks unless you like intermittent episodes of thunderous noise). That's how I found a decent, though oldish, house to rent, near the beach, at a sane price. I suppose you can also look in local newspapers, meet with the owners, and negotiate the price.

There is an issue of east Boca vs west Boca, and perhaps other posters can delve into the differences. In short, I view east Boca as more "cosmopolitan" and west Boca as more of a suburban environment. East Boca is generally more expensive, featuring luxurious high-rise condos, but there are also neighborhoods west Boca with sizable luxurious houses.

Between Boca Raton and Boynton Beach, there is a whole range of shopping choices, from malls and big chain stores to independent art galleries, shoppes, and boutiques, not to mention ethnic food stores.

Most beaches in Boca are pristine, surrounded by parks. The best beach in Delray is off Linton Blvd, not Atlantic because of crowding, unless you go further north towards Boynton.

The following comments are based on my experience and personal opinions.

There is no US city that compares to San Francisco in terms of architecture. Boca Raton does have some attractive Spanish-Mediterranean architecture, but it is mostly dispersed. One concentrated area in this sense in Mizner Park and Plaza Real in east Boca, also a shopping, restaurant and entertainment center, along with downtown Delray Beach (only 10-15 minutes further north), one of the more pleasant places to stroll in the US, like a real human being, besides San Francisco and a few neighborhoods in New York and Boston.
There are apartments for rent in Mizner Park, pricey, but if budget is not an issue, worth it for the location and in some cases the view of the Plaza and/or the beach.

The Town Center Mall is also pleasant (I wrote an essay on it, if interested please contact for URL), but the Boynton Beach Mall, though more modest, has better food outlets. However, there are many fine restaurants in Boca Raton, including some in the Town Center complex, and the range of cuisine spans the globe. Obviously the better the quality, or at least reputation, the stiffer the price (and they will stiff you).

As you probably know, like all of southern Florida, Boca Raton weather can be oppressively humid during at least six months of the year, from June to October, basically hurricane season. Some feel that the oppressively humid season lasts nine months of the year, the only pleasant ones being January to March, so-called snow-bird season. The difference in traffic during that period is definitely noticeable.

Perhaps most people don't know that the Boca Raton economy features some elements of diversification. For example, several different types of high-tech firms have headquarters or major branches there, both manufacturing and sales, servicing domestic and international customers. Some foreign high-tech firms are also present, like Deutsche Telekom. I imagine that you received a job offer in one such firm.

As some one mentioned, there are no state income taxes in Florida, however property taxes are high and homeowner's insurance rates have become an issue in the past two years, sky-rocketing in tandem with house prices, property taxes, and boosted into orbit by the hurricanes.
The message: earn your income in Florida, but don't be a property owner. Wait a year or two, at least, until you get a lay of the land, so to speak (geographically it's flat as a pancake), a sense of how your job is going, and of the direction of the real estate market (likely stagnant or down).

In either case, you definitely need a good income to enjoy the best that Boca Raton has to offer, perhaps double the national household median, but coming from San Francisco you probably already understand that.

Boca Raton is equidistant between the Ft. Lauderdale and the West Palm Beach airports, about 25 minutes either way, and Miami airport is twice the distance south, making most national and international travel a question of a few hours or at most a one-day affair.

As for schools, private better than public any day, any country.

I hope this helps.

[MrTudo]

Originally Posted by sudevs

This means given the other factors are in favor, it should be a good move. I am only a bit concerned about the weather and hurricane, how bad it gets in Boca during the peak hurricane season? Some people tells me that Boca is a vacation town, is that so, although I don't have any problem with that, but I am thinking a long term stay, thats the reason I am asking.

Just bring your platinum card and you should be OK

[sudevs]

Originally Posted by MrTudo

Just bring your platinum card and you should be OK

'll sure do, I got a diamond one as well BTW, where do you spend all the money in Boca? No Offence but, I have been there for one day and all I can see is a small subarban town with handful of people? And thats what I liked most, after spending almost all my life in big cities -- PEACE !!

[MrTudo]

Originally Posted by sudevs

'll sure do, I got a diamond one as well BTW, where do you spend all the money in Boca? No Offence but, I have been there for one day and all I can see is a small subarban town with handful of people? And thats what I liked most, after spending almost all my life in big cities -- PEACE !!

Peace would be a good thing and freedom would be also.

What do you mean where to spend money? On what?

If you think Boca is nice you might want to go a little further and check out the Hypoluxo area.

[rkumar3]

Boca is nice, elegent and expen$ive... However it has more jobs than other surrounding cities. I would suggest living in Delray/ Boynton since they offer slightly cheaper housing and decent prices for everyday items such as gas, restaurants, shopping etc. You would still be able to drive to your job in 10 - 20 minutes.

I personally live in Delray and love it. It is very cental, the downtown is booming and has tons of restaurants, night life, shopping, arts etc. It is kind of like a hidden gem with all the amenities without the name 'BOCA'

Feel free to PM me if you want idea on how far your housing $$$ will go here. Good luck on the move