Lake Worth (Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Jupiter: real estate market, rentals, crime)

[Kellhashc]

Can anybody give me their take on Lake Worth? I'm relocating to the South Florida metro area and it seems to be affordable compared to many other areas. I'm 29 and moving down with my girlfriend, a young professional, and want to be in a place that would potentially be ok to raise a family. Another point is that I'm coming from New Orleans, so I think nearly anywhere is going to be a big step up in terms of crime, healthcare, schools, etc.. I've read about how bad crime is in West Palm Beach. I'm actually curious to know what its really like because I do have a real hard time believing its anywhere near as bad as the crime in New Orleans. Are there any other good areas to consider? I'm most concerned with getting the most bang for my buck in a good area, but I am a native Floridian and prefer to be within a few miles of the beach (east of 95 preferred), and most likely would be working in Fort Lauderdale or Boca. It does seems like Boca and Fort Lauderdale have some affordable housing now that the real estate market has crashed as well.

[Capo]

Basically...

Most of Lake Worth on the East End (around I95) has gone way down hill in many ways. I would suggest you stay away from most of it.

If you go out in Western Lake Worth, around the Turnpike, you should be fine.

There is definitely crime there and the area has gone down hill... but, to each his own. If you are fine living in such an area, then go for it - just make sure you know what you're getting into.

Good luck!

[TriMT7]

The Northeast part of Lake Worth is very nice (College Park) A lot of the city South of Downtown Lake Worth, however, is not nice and should be avoided.

[skylinet]

Except for the communities right on the intra-coastal you East of 95 in Lake Worth is a fairly rough area. West of 95 it gets better for the most part. I showed some nice units today though in a gated community in the $100k range so there is definitely some great deals there. It all depends on what you are looking for but I would probably recommend going a little further south to Boynton.

[StarlaJane]

If you want to be near the beach, and will be commuting to Boca or Ft. Lauderdale, I would suggest Delray, or farther north (Palm Beach Gardens, Juno Beach, Jupiter) for safe areas that offer beach access. I would not live near downtown Lake Worth. No, the crime is not as bad as New Orleans but there is still crime.

[Bugnubs]

My daughter is a professional in her early 30's. She lives in Lake Worth east of I-95 and loves it. There are a few dicey streets there, but they tend to be clustered in a small area. Houses in the "alphabet" streets near the Intracoastal are mostly charming older homes within walking distance to shops, cafes, bars, etc. It's not an expansive area, but it's lively and trendy and many houses on some of the funkier streets are being regentrified by more pioneering spirits. It's definitely not a cookie-cutter subdivision place to live, and it offers a lot.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Bugnubs

My daughter is a professional in her early 30's. She lives in Lake Worth east of I-95 and loves it. There are a few dicey streets there, but they tend to be clustered in a small area. Houses in the "alphabet" streets near the Intracoastal are mostly charming older homes within walking distance to shops, cafes, bars, etc. It's not an expansive area, but it's lively and trendy and many houses on some of the funkier streets are being regentrified by more pioneering spirits. It's definitely not a cookie-cutter subdivision place to live, and it offers a lot.

The Parrot Cove area? I love that area.

[Bugnubs]

I'm not certain if her neighborhood has a name.....she's on an "alphabet" street, but one of the more modest ones where there's a mix of income levels, rentals, renovated homes, retired folks, young first-time owners, etc. There's an organised group of neighbors in her immediate area that donate time to clearing alleys, trimming & planting public areas, and even neutering & rehoming stray cats. It's not a fancy street, but it's very neighborly and safe.

[Just-Sayin]

Southeast West Palm into East Lake Worth until the downtown section is charming and lots of great bargains in Lake Worth right now.
They are really making strides with the crime in that area and since the Sheriff's office took over it's a lot better.
You won't be exposed to the blatant poverty that you may see in NOLA as much but there are some run down houses here and there, especially in this horrid economy.

Take a drive through and talk to people on the street. I ride my bike through the area all the time and people seem friendly.

(of course I wear a beanie with a propeller on top)