Boca vs. Delray (Sunrise: houses, luxury, school districts)

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by justNancy

Strange that you have that reaction to my post.

Well, because it doesn't make any sense to me. Even if I were concerned about it as a neighbor from an angle of property values, I can't imagine thinking that anything anyone could have in their yard is unpleasant, bothersome, etc. to look at.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder

Well, because it doesn't make any sense to me. Even if I were concerned about it as a neighbor from an angle of property values, I can't imagine thinking that anything anyone could have in their yard is unpleasant, bothersome, etc. to look at.

When I was out canvassing before the election one Saturday, one of the homes on my list had a dead dog on the lawn. I guess you wouldn't find that "unpleasant or bothersome" as well?

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by justNancy

When I was out canvassing before the election one Saturday, one of the homes on my list had a dead dog on the lawn. I guess you wouldn't find that "unpleasant or bothersome" as well?

The owner had that set out as a decoration you mean? Was it laminated?

(That might be an oblique way of suggesting something about contextual relevance.)

[lallekotte]

Hi,
My name is Lisa, married with a 4 year old. We were considering the same. We love Delray for the social evening, restaurants, music & art events and the beach. We bring our little boy to the dog parade, arts festivals, outside events, beautiful outside playground. I find Delray to be cool, artsy trendy and funky but no good schools. (unless you want to go prrivate).

We live in West Boca, less expensive, more ground, excellent schools and friendlier neighbors, water park, outside ampitheatre, dog park and great playgrounds. Some of Boca people living closer to the "mall" can be cold and unfriendly..

Delray is 15-20 minutes from West Boca. You could look into Mission Bay or Loggers Run. More bang for your buck and you may be able to rent a house.

Hope this is helpful. first time registered and posting. Let me know if I can be of any additional help.

Lisa

[keweke00]

Wow, I have lived in Fort Lauderdale for 15 years, then moved back to MI temporarily and am in the process of moving back to FLA.

I am buying right now in Delray. Why? Well, Boca has lots of gated communities, with very high HOA fees, and mandatory membership fees to the local golf courses, and believe me, do your research, the properties taxes are quite extensive. You must review all the possible fees before buying in Boca. The earlier posts that the people are rude, .....is 100% correct. I know people who buy there just for the address, they can't even afford furniture but they have that address. Status is everything, and friends are hard to come by. If you have property there that you have had for ages, great, but buying in Boca can be a test on the nerves, I should know, I looked there. Nazi-associations aside, I found that the neighbors were very interested in you the moment you pulled up to look at the houses, do you get my meaning?

So I refocused to Delray. If you have kids, I would rather see you live in a quieter, calmer less trendy part of FLA, like Delray, where instead of dumping your money in membership or HOA fees, you can send your children to a good private school. Honestly, the public schools are all a disaster in FLA. They are getting better, but an A school in FLA is a B- to a C anywhere else. Also, you will hear people mentioning gang activity in the public schools. Like I said, it is getting better, but most of the people I know are going private, so they have control over their kids education, and know what they are getting for the bargain. I am not rich, and neither are my friends, but they know that to insure their kids get the best education, you have to research the issue.

Personally, no kids for me, so why Delray? Calmer, less mean people, you will actually know your neighbors, and all those retirees that were earlier mentioned, well you couldn't ask for a more quiet neighborhood. I personally don't like being up to 3am listening to the parties next door. And I wouldn't need to live in a gated community to feel safe. Unless you are buying east of 95 but west of US 1, you have nothing to fear, it is as safe as it gets. If you like small town living but within a stones throw of activities, this is the place. Oh, and my taxes this year were $2400, verses $3600 if I had purchased in Boca.

Boca is beautiful, great shopping and etc, but I love Delray.

[DaniellaG]

Good luck with your move. I am from MI and just moved back to FL a few weeks ago to Boca. I am renting a condo though in gated community that I really like. I heard Delray has a cute downtown but just like a lot of FL there are good and bad areas. Good luck on your move.

[bocamom]

Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder

Well, because it doesn't make any sense to me. Even if I were concerned about it as a neighbor from an angle of property values, I can't imagine thinking that anything anyone could have in their yard is unpleasant, bothersome, etc. to look at.

On the intracoastal, in Boca, I encountered my first (and hopefully last) example of a neighbor with things in his yard I was not ok with. He was selling used cars, salvaged ones, with no title from the yard. I could have lived with this, but he also really enjoyed revving up the ingines of his old car for no apparent reason, and I had to stop leaving my windows open because the smell made me sick. but to look at? no problem. WHO CARES?

when i ran and was elected to the homeowners assoc. i had promised to do nothing with regards to enforcing rules. there was actually a homeowner who was so pissed about a huge house built next to him (a big trend in my neighborhood was to tear down the little bungalow intracoastal home and build a mcmansion) he pained his home purple and put up clotheslines and graffitied his fence i was proud to do nothing about that

[bocamom]

I lived in Boca most of the time from 1979 to 2007. My friends are not snobby.

Most people from Boca are nice.

Boca ENDS at Military Trail for the most part. Whatever it is west of 95, it isn't Boca, and it isn't fair that the people out there give US a bad name.

Most of the people I know from Boca are professors, artists, musicians and entreprenuers, or they got involved in contracting/real estate or finance. They tend to be well travelled, interesting, and environmentally aware.

Many don't live in Boca anymore because hey got priced out. I had a party this weekend and seven of us who went to Boca High got together and we are a bunch of artsy hippies with smart kids and a heck of a lot of perspective.

[bocamom]

So, my point is, Boca is not bad. All of Boca is nice.

Now, the area west of Boca, can be awful unless you like status cars, designer casual wear, and golf.

Some single moms love that stuff, and love the cliquish feel of it.

I would rather live east of 95 in Delray than west of 95 in Boca. There are CUTE apartments near the downtown area and it is safe enough.

The Intracoastal to the ocean area is awesome near Atlantic in Delray, I would LOVE to live there.

The schools west of 95 in Boca do seem pretty good, overall. Knowing what I know about the area, though, I had to admit that even though the school might be good, I would not fit in in my hybrid with my organic clothes and dislike of shopping, plastic, and ridiculous social mores.

[bocamom]

PS; does anyone have thoughts on Banyan Creek elementary in DElray?

It is A rated, fwiw, and I keep hearing great things about it.