Need Advice Re: Boynton Beach & Pine Tree Community (Miami: real estate, house)

[Don Juan de Smith]

Hi,

My family might be relocating to the WPB area. We are a family of 4 and came across the Pine Tree Golf Community homes located b/n Woolbright Rd and W Boynton Beach Blvd. The homes inside this community look amazing esp for the money. My family's budget would be in the $700K range for a home and found this community to offer great homes.

However, we began to wonder if this is too good to be true. In other words is there something we don't know about the community itself or the surrounding area in general. I've read some good and not so good things about Boynton in general but keep in mind that I'm coming from Miami, so traffic, crime, etc, is something we see or hear about often. Of course, I would like to think that Boynton is better than Miami as a place to raise a family.

Thoughts, advice, observations, and clarifications would be much appreciated!!

[garyhitchcock]

Sorry can't help you on that neighborhood but in general from my experience people don't buy in Boynton Beach for the best public schools, so I think you are on the right track, what seems too good to be true, usually is. School districts drive resale value here.

Another choice for buying in that price range is Parkland, which borders Boca Raton to the south and abouty a 50 minute drive from Miami vs 90 minute drive to Boynton. Boca is more of a retirement community for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous ! LOL! Whereas Parkland/Coral Springs have very little retirees and many more families. Parkland schools were rated #1 by Forbes magazine for bang for the real estate buck! Boca has pockets of good schools but in Parkland every neighborhood goes to the same high school, top 1 percent in the US. Parkland leads this area in resale value mainly because of the schools. Parkland is a small town 25,000 people with large lots, gated or non-gated communities. There is no crime. If you have school age children, my wife teaches AP American History and her kids get into all the Ivy League schools and I would say that their parents bought in Parkland to save the money for grad school instead of North Broward Prep, 15 minutes away. Glad to help we've lived in Parkland since 1987 and raised 2 boys from kindergarten to college. We feel they got a private school education for a public school price!

[Don Juan de Smith]

But the job will be located in WPB. Wouldn't the Boynton or WPB area make more sense? Parkland is about 30 miles south of Boynton.

[skylinet]

Yes, Boynton, parts of Boca, Jupiter would all be much closer choices, have good schools and great options in your price range. Parkland is a nice area but will be a long drive to get to work everyday depending on where you will be working in West Palm.
Pine Tree is a nice community, you may want to look into the schools and see if they'll work for you.
If you are looking to stay in Boynton in that price range and like larger lots Equus could work well. The Canyons doesn't have as big of lots, but would have some great options for you as well.

[Bette]

It's a very nice community. How old are your children? Are schools a concern?

Public schools would be Crosspointe Elementary, Congress Middle and Boynton Beach High.

I could be wrong but I would bet a lot go private and go to Kings Academy.

[Don Juan de Smith]

I'm not looking to stay in Boynton per se, I just came across that community and was amazed by the amount of house you could get for the money. We really don't need that much land. That being said, we also don't want a yard with a pool and fence and no yard. I've heard and read about the gang issue in Boynton. How prevalent is this and should I be concerned and look elsewhere i.e Delray?