Boynton Beach - Anyone familiar with Casa Costa or Marina Village? (Miami: apartments, rent)

[CaptainLou]

Hi all,

Winters here in NJ just too brutal. Semi-retired with a group event planning business (cruise industry) that's run mostly online. So we can really live anywhere at this point, within means of course. We have many friends in South Florida. Last winter, we spent a week checking out all the beach front towns from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach and saw these two luxury condo complexes on Federal Highway 1 overlooking the water, 10 minutes north of Atlantic Ave Delray and 20 minutes South of West Palm. Casa Costa and Marina Village in Boynton Beach. Seems ideal. And more affordable than WPB or FLL. A 10 minute walk over the bridge / Intracoastal to a beautiful beach. Concerned about crime from accross the tracks, as well as the management and stability of these properties, community, culture, etc. Anyone familiar with these? Would you try before you buy by renting first? Any other advice? Will still keep our place up here, and be young snowbirds (in our 50's) Much appreciated.

[ByeByeLW]

I have never been able to figure out Casa Costa. Looks nice from the outside. For awhile they were selling well, then nothing- even long after the financial crisis was over.

It used to be called Promenade but was bought up and rebranded. It’s hard to tell just how occupied it is from the Federal Highway side. It was really dead and empty a few years ago.

There are storefronts on the first floor. I think there’s a Jamaican restaurant in one.

I ride by but no longer pay attention so I’m not much help.

There are new apartments diagonally across the street so I guess the area is on the upswing.

I would definitely rent first though. Homeless people hang out in the area (and at the CVS and bus stop across the street) . That’s not a terribly uncommon issue in South Florida, unfortunately. You may love your condo enough to disregard it, like many do.

It could be that many of the condos are rented out because many South Americans and Canadians make investments here as it’s cheaper than Miami, but don’t necessarily live here.

[SusieComet]

I lived in Casa Costa for a year on the tenth floor corner, view of the ocean. Plusses... loved the pools, hot tub, gym and locker rooms. Gorgeous lobby, safe and secure, nice apartment and great view. Minuses... management kept changing, rules kept changing. Someone hit the gate that secures the garages upper floors, and our bicycles got stolen because it took them months to fix. Of course they wouldn’t do anything about it. You only get one secured parking spot so if you have more than one ca4 you have to park in the public parking. Was paying $1,800 for a 2/2, they raised the rent to $2,290 the second year and I bailed. They sold the unit for $465k shortly after.

I’m glad I lived there for a year, but don’t think I would like it long term.