IN NEED OF HELP! W Boca vs Parkland vs NW Coral Springs vs W Boynton? Where to buy!!! (Boca Raton: real estate, crime)

[phasezero]

Hey everyone!

I was recommended this site by a friend that moved to Charlotte, NC about a year and a half ago. He and his wife found good advice here and eventually moved to a nice community up there. Since then I have also become a city-data addict.

My wife and I have been looking for a home in Boca Raton (mostly West of Glades or north of Glades), Parkland, NW Coral Springs (Coral Ridge Dr), NE Coral Springs (Wiles & 441), Boynton Beach (just online - but west of Turnpike). We have been in the market for about 6-7 months. We both have good jobs and have enough for a 10% down. We are looking in the 350K - 500K range for a 4+ bedroom house. Good schools are a must ... of course.

We are torn on what area to buy in. It's a crazy market and Boynton Beach, Coral Springs, and some of W Boca are offering good deals right now. However, we really love Parkland. We love Weston and that feel and look. Weston is just too far south for our needs right now.

Your help is needed and appreciated.

[Bette]

I have lived in South Florida since middle school. East Broward. We now in Boca Raton as does some of our family. I know Coral Springs, Parkland, Boca but tell me about your family and what is important. Schools, work commute distance, etc. Waterfront or not? Large home, cookie cutter type neighborhood, HOA, golf, tennis, etc. Friendly or not?

Newer neighborhood? What were you in in Charlotte?

[joanie55]

Don't know much about Coral Springs but the schools in Boca are the best. You can definately get a nice house there in your price range. Also, if you like Weston you'll probably like Boca. They are similar in terms of being very manicured. Boca has an older population than Weston, however. West Boynton is safe, nice newer housing, but it's an old population - older than Boca I would say. You will get more for your money in housing there but when the market comes back you're better off buying in Boca - it's always going to be a favored area - location, location, location.

[PBCboy]

Originally Posted by joanie55

Don't know much about Coral Springs but the schools in Boca are the best. You can definately get a nice house there in your price range. Also, if you like Weston you'll probably like Boca. They are similar in terms of being very manicured. Boca has an older population than Weston, however. West Boynton is safe, nice newer housing, but it's an old population - older than Boca I would say. You will get more for your money in housing there but when the market comes back you're better off buying in Boca - it's always going to be a favored area - location, location, location.

Actually, Parkland's schools perform better than Boca's. And the city is superior to all of the ones listed. Boca Raton's people are not too friendly, West Boynton is too damn boring and generic, and Coral Springs is nothing special. I'd go with Parkland out of the ones listed by far.

[GypsyFL]

Head to Parkland and if not Parkland check out Coconut Creek (Winston Park area). Boynton is ok. We lived there for a few years on the west side and quite honestly, they overbuilt the area. I wouldn't move back.

Since moving to Coconut Creek 5 years ago, we still love it down here. And I wouldn't recommend moving to Coral Springs. It used to be nice about 15-20 years ago. Now it's over populated and old. Class of people moving there has gone down and there is a major (youth) gang problem. Nothing less appealing than middle class brats acting gansta.

[jbuck]

I worked in home health care in South Florida since 1995. So I have been all around Boca, Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek. Our office was in Boynton Beach on Corgress near BB Blvd. I lived in Coral Springs, near University Drive and Sample Rd, from 1991 til last July. I always heard how bad the gang problem was, but never once had any crime problems or altercations. Started there being single. Lots of restaurants to go to with friends. Now married with 3rd grader. Schools are A rated where I lived. City is built out, like others. So there is traffic. Its a buyers market there, like many other places in South Florida. I'm selling a 4 bed 2 bath home now. Prices are way down from 2 years ago. But, still able to sell for much more than I paid for it 17 years ago. Even with the traffic its pretty easy to get to places South and North/East on the Sawgrass Expressway. People were always as friendly to me as I was to them.

[rkumar3]

I have been all of the above areas and would suggest Coral Springs or Parkland over boca/boynton. You can certainly find one heck of a nice home for that price in this market. I would say probably something with 3000+ sq ft of living space, lake, pool etc.

Disclosure: I am a active FL Realtor.

[U120]

rkumar3....whats your reasoning for choosing Coral Springs/Parkland over Boca? I can understand Boynton, but Boca? Why?

[rkumar3]

I find Boca to be more uptight (some call it upscale), expensive and more snobby... not to mention since we are talking about Real Estate here I find better bargains in Broward than Boca...

Of course that is my personal opinion, I know lot of people prefer Boca over any part of Broward.

[itsajourney]

i was also going to suggest Coconut Creek. I stayed there when I was going to school in 2007 and I really liked it. Not quite as congested as some other areas. I am considering going back down to S. Florida--and if so, I would definitely put Coconut Creek at the top of my list.