Living-Moving-Relocate to South Florida (West Palm Beach, Pompano Beach: for sale, rentals, HOA)

[maconnelly]

I would like to purchase a nice TH(2-3/2.5) in south Florida within the next 6-12 months. But I keep reading the following:......"I have been living here for 18 years and it still stinks!".....IF that is the case...."why are YOU still there?"....If everything is so high(taxes, COL, traffic, temps, etc.).....then why are there over 18 million people living in Florida???

I currently live in Central Virginia where it is GREAT!!! We have four seasons(tons of snow this year???)....great warm/hot/humid summers, cool springs/falls......BUT....I love hot weather!!! I have been riding my indoor spin bike for over 3 weeks now!!! Boring!!!!

So....with that being stated....could some provide a "list" of top 5-10 "areas" NEAR the ocean....NO! I do not like/want the "lake"....ie.....gulf coast! Been there....it is GREAT....but I love waves(have beach home in OBX now!)....but love being outdoors, very active(cycling!)!!!!

Price is an issue but will probably pay cash for new place. Would like to lease out during my down time....if possible.....long term RE investor here.

Employment/traveling/commuting is NOT an issue.

Thank you in advance!

[DaniellaG]

Can you give more a price range? When would you lease it out? In Boca there is a lot for sale and you could get something by the ocean depending on price. For a rental property in season you could charge a high rent as so many snowbird end up in Boca. Jupiter is also another nice area I have heard. I know when I was looking at rental properties there were also for sale near the ocean too and seem more affordable then Boca.

[Reedsmit]

I have lived in the Jupiter / Tequesta area for over 30 years. (originally from western PA / eastern OH) I love FL and can't see myself living back in OH.
It will come down to the following: What type of home are your looking for and what is your budget.
Northern Palm Beach Co. have some wonderful communities as well as homes that are not in a HOA.
Palm Beach Gardens north to Tequesta - US1 to the east and just past the turnpike to the west. I would estimate you have at least 100 different communities in a large variety of prices; including very high end properties that sell for $10,000,000.00.

There is also Wellington to the west, Boca Raton, Delray Beach to the south. Some areas of West Palm Beach are not as safe as the other other area I have mentioned.

But you found a great place with lots of helpful people that can give you their opinions.

[maconnelly]

Before the Summer of 2009....I would have stated somewhere between 0-350k in price....NOW...with the way things are here(can't sell anything!)...leasing only....hard to flip properties and make some quick cash! No matter what people are saying...banks are tighter than bark on a tree!!!

All the places that youse guys stated....seem to be "THE" places....Albacoa, Wellington, Jupiter, etc.....When I stayed in Pompano Beach a couple of December's ago.....I road(cycled) north to Palm Beach and back on the A1A...I absolutely loved it all....hard to tell what was what....it all seemed the same to me(no offense!).....but when I road through/by Boca.....I could tell that I wasn't in Kansas any longer......

As far as a property or property type....I prefer a SFR but I understand that Condo's/TH's are the "thang" in Florida.....

Anyway.....Up here(central Va.)...ALL of my properties are "leased"(+>1 year)....rentals are considered under one(1) year.....samee/same.....

Not big on HOA stuff(we have them here but like for instance...my personal HOA dues are 112 a quarter....YES!...Quarter!)..... but we get NOTHING for that money....absolt. nothing!!!

What I was thinking was either buy a niche joint(TH) near(east of us 1?)...with at least 2 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms.....where I could either lease/rent to a snow bird(0-4/5/6 months) and then do whatever the rest of the time....my current "beach" home in the OBX....rents "week to week"....ie.....the "season" starts normally after Memorial Day and last through Labor Day....we get $950/week for a 3/2.5...900 feet(1 block) from the water(actually putting your toes in the water-Atlantic Ocean!)....no HOA's!!!! My unit is completely furnished with all utilities...people supply their own linen, food, etc.

This would be an ideal situation....if I could find the same/same thing in SE Fla......I don't care what people say....I loved it there!!!!

I thought it was moving quickly, lots of activities, good eats, stores open, etc.........funny....I love the beach!!!! but NEVER made it to the beach!!! funny!!!! The OBX has over 110 miles of uninterrupted beaches and they are real...not imported like Hawaii & such.....

Anyway.....this is what I am looking for....it seems as though values are way down and I think NOW is my time....please respond. Thank you!!!

[skylinet]

The Bluffs (in Jupiter)would be a nice area and sounds like a good fit for you. Across from the beach and you should be able to pick up a townhome, maybe even a sfh in your price range.
There's a variety of other communities though in the area.
This area is pretty easy to rent out rather seasonal or long term.
If you go further inland (10 minutes from the beach) there are some real nice newer townhomes for fairly reasonable right now.

[maconnelly]

Tx Sky!!! I'll put that on my watch list!!!

[DogLoverInBoca]

Besides Boca, you might also try Deerfield and Hillsboro. Most of the condos in south Florida will make you hold them for a year or longer before being able to rent. There are a few exceptions to that, but not many.

I deal with this every day as a realtor in this area. The condo associations put that rule into effect to discourage investors. If you can make it past the year, you're okay.