Moving To Palm Beach County (Miami, West Palm Beach: for sale, renters, insurance)

[missyw]

Good Afternoon Everyone,
I am new to this forum so I not sure how this works, but I am looking for some 'inside information' in regards to the suburbs of West Palm Beach. I currently live in South Dade-the Homestead/ Kendall area. My husband and I are looking to relocate to the western suburbs of palm beach county- we are primarily looking at Royal Palm Beach.
I was wondering what you could tell me about that area. Iam flying blindly here as I am not too familiar with Palm Beach County as a whole. My husband and I can afford $300-$350 home.
Also, besides Royal Palm Beach- are there any other areas in Palm Beach County you would recommend. We have 2 small children so schools are important. Thanks

[rkumar3]

Royal Palm Beach and Wellignton are your best bets since they both offer very good schools... There is a nice mall, tons of shops, restaurants other everyday necessities in the area. Most of the housing in the ares is new... in fact most of the communities are gates so you will much better there. Since we are still in a buyers market there are tons of homes in the market for sale, so you have a good variety to choose from. Please feel free to PM me if you want more specific information and I will try to do my best to answer..

[Need_affordable_home]

I live there, youll probably prefer Palm Beach over Miami but I dont like either locations. I would be looking into Port Saint Lucie, youll get a better house for the same money as well as a bigger lot. Also Port Saint Lucie has like a third the crime of Miami and Palm Beach!

[JimKing]

Check out Tequesta, Jupiter, and Palm Beach Gardens. Great schools, nice places to raise children.

And don't believe that it is a 'buyers market'.....yet. It is a renters market, so many rental houses to choose from and easy to negotiate a great deal.

It will be a buyers market in a year or so, right now too many sellers are in denial and keeping their prices way to high.

Also, Port Saint Lucie does not have a third of the crime as Palm Beach County. Maybe downtown West Palm Beach, sure. But Tequesta, Jupiter, Juno Beach have very, very low crime. Even Boca Raton's crime rate is pretty low.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

I live there, youll probably prefer Palm Beach over Miami but I dont like either locations. I would be looking into Port Saint Lucie, youll get a better house for the same money as well as a bigger lot. Also Port Saint Lucie has like a third the crime of Miami and Palm Beach!

STOP equating the cluster of crime that happens in Riviera Beach and other such locations with "Palm Beach!" Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach and Boca Raton are completely different areas than the crime ridden areas!


As far as the area being a "buyers" market or not, that's a tough call, really. South Florida is about to be "built out," geographically limited on 3 sides. Prices may come down, but not by as much as I think people think they are going to. What you SHOULD do if you want to buy is find a home that's been on the market for a while, check out what the owners paid for it, and then offer a reasonable low blow offer. You never know, you may catch a desperate seller.

[marteck]

Originally Posted by JimKing

Check out Tequesta, Jupiter, and Palm Beach Gardens. Great schools, nice places to raise children.

And don't believe that it is a 'buyers market'.....yet. It is a renters market, so many rental houses to choose from and easy to negotiate a great deal.

It will be a buyers market in a year or so, right now too many sellers are in denial and keeping their prices way to high.

Also, Port Saint Lucie does not have a third of the crime as Palm Beach County. Maybe downtown West Palm Beach, sure. But Tequesta, Jupiter, Juno Beach have very, very low crime. Even Boca Raton's crime rate is pretty low.

I agree. I was born and raised in Homestead and miami. The is nothing like the crime down there. Jupiter and Palm beach gardens are both nice, a little to pricey for me. The acreage, and royal palm is nice and "country" like with alot of dirt roads ,but is still within minutes of nice schools, malls, movie theatres, etc.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by marteck

I agree. I was born and raised in Homestead and miami. The is nothing like the crime down there. Jupiter and Palm beach gardens are both nice, a little to pricey for me. The acreage, and royal palm is nice and "country" like with alot of dirt roads ,but is still within minutes of nice schools, malls, movie theatres, etc.

Royal Palm Beach is a good choice in your price range, then. A little less "image conscious" than Wellington, Boca, or Jupiter. Good schools as well. I say go for it! Do a Realtor.com search to see what you can find, then remember you can PROBABLY negotiate a price down 10-20K+ in this market!!

[JimKing]

Prices will come down, way down. Use some common sense.

Wages have stayed flat for decades. Utilities are higher, property taxes way higher, insurance way higher, personal debt service such as credit cards is higher.....people will have less money to spend on housing going forward.

People can afford LESS house than they could in 2001, before the price run up.

Prices will eventually drop BELOW 2001 prices.

Realtors are still playing the denial game. Hold out people, it may take years but prices will come way, way down.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by JimKing

Prices will come down, way down. Use some common sense.

Wages have stayed flat for decades. Utilities are higher, property taxes way higher, insurance way higher, personal debt service such as credit cards is higher.....people will have less money to spend on housing going forward.

People can afford LESS house than they could in 2001, before the price run up.

Prices will eventually drop BELOW 2001 prices.

Realtors are still playing the denial game. Hold out people, it may take years but prices will come way, way down.

You simply will never be able to buy a newer 3/2/2 in Palm Beach County in the low 100s ever again. PERIOD. Unless the town is hit with a category 6 and blows to pieces. Prices will deflate, but the average buyer knows The only thing that will make prices drop WAAAAY down would be an increase in the interest rate for borrowers.... which would simply mean people pay the same mortgage for smaller prices.

And there will ALWAYS be people who see advantage in home ownership for tax advantages.

[FloridaDude]

TriMT7...could'nt agree with you more.