FLORIDA IS NUMBER ONE STATE FOR RETIREES TO MOVE TO

Florida is the most desirable state for retirees, according to a new report.

Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, SmartAsset determined which states that retirees are leaving and flocking to, analyzed by MarketWatch.

Enlarge

The top five destination states for retirees are Florida, Arizona, South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina.

The report cites Florida's warm weather, beaches and the fact that it is one of seven states that doesn't tax individual income.

The states retirees are leaving in the highest numbers are New York, Illinois, California, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

LOOKING FOR A CHANGE?

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL AT JONATHANS LANDING IN JUPITER

·       3 golf courses (Tom Fazio, George Fazio, Arthur Hills), golf fitness assessment, reciprocal program with other golf clubs

·       Non-mandatory membership and a variety of membership choices

·       full service Loggerhead Marina in well-protected harbor, yachting- private and community docks,

·       Ocean access with no fixed bridges

·       10 Har-tru tennis courts, pro-shop, clinics, tournaments

·       Chose from single family homes, condos and townhouses, panoramic water views from many homes, nearby beach and ocean

·       Fitness, exercise, yoga, pilates, personal training, spa, cardio and strength training. Group classes

·       Physical, occupational and speech therapy services: Jupiter Medical Center Outpatient Rehabilitation

·       Clubhouse dining, sports café, many  social events

·       Nature trails, Quiet, pastoral setting with lush landscaping, freshwater lakes and canals

Choose from 16 properties available today ranging from $339,000 ofr 3 bedrooms, 3 ensuite baths + one half bath, 1767 living sq ft, 2 car garage, freshly painted, all updated and upgraded to $2,495,000 for a 5 bedroom,  4 ½ bath, 4675 living sq ft extensively renovated single family home with two car garage, pool, deep water dock for boat 40’ to 60’.

MARILYN KNOWS THE COUNTRY CLUBS... LET'S GO LOOK!

TWO OF THE LARGEST HISTORIC HOMES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE IN PALM BEACH

WHITEHALL and MAR-A-LAGO

­SOUTH PALM BEACH ESTATES 1928 HISTORIC HOME IN ANTIQUE DISTRICT

 

1928 Classic Mediterranean with 3 bedrooms, 1 ½ baths, private fenced lush garden with deck

·       Updated and restored

·       1536 living sq ft, NO HOA, no restrictions, pets OK - $375,000

·       Lush Garden view, decked outdoor area, easy to maintain

 

 

 

·       East of US -2 blocks to intracoastal waterway

·       Large upstairs office/bonus room

·       Pecky cypress ceiling downstairs, fireplace, in living room, sunny lanai

 

 

 

 

·       Carport attached, covered, washer & dryer

 

 

·       Tile and laminate floors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Relish living in restored, updated home with "old Florida feeling

Relax on backyard deck, private fenced area, lush plantings

Entertain - great flow in house

Walk in Antique District, 2 blocks to Intracoastal Waterway

NO HOA, NO RESTRICTIONS, PETS OK

Call Marilyn at 561-513-6180 for showings

 

 

 

UPDATE ON ARDEN, NEW WEST PALM BEACH COMMUNITY

If you’ve recently driven west on Southern Boulevard past the Lion Country Safari turn, you’ve no doubt seen the construction site for Arden, a massive housing community.  It is across from a wildlife refuge.  Amenities map is below.

The 2,000-home project will span 1,200 acres and builders are expecting to complete some model homes by the beginning of 2017. It’s located in unincorporated Palm Beach County, west of Wellington and Loxahatchee Groves.   Location is 12 minutes from world-class equestrian competition, many shops, restaurants, and event venues. The workers are currently burying power lines and building more than six miles of utility and drainage piping.

Plans for the community include 19 miles of walking and biking trails and 176 acres of lakes, giving it a natural feel. The central lake will be one mile long.  Sweeping lake vistas and shady nooks are around the lake. The community will also have a functioning 5-acre farm that will have harvesting events for the residents. This will be in keeping with the area’s rich agricultural history.    Residents can attend seasonal cooking classes, harvest events and farm-to-fork meals. After the utility work and building a guard house, workers will move their attention to the clubhouse, which will have pools and private cabanas.  Most homes will backup to a park, greenway or nature trail. Community emphasis is on healthy living and outdoor life.  A wifi café and community clubs will be available,  clubs will be available, 4 Har-Tru tennis courts, and multiple playfields.

Bass fishing, bird watching, kayaking, fishing and epic picnicking are featured.  The clubhouse offers an outdoor patio and resort-style pool on two levels. The upper pool has private cabanas in a peaceful environment.  The lower pool has an interactive splash pad and multiple fountains. The Hub, within the clubhouse, will offer tea and coffee, a great place to relax with friends.

A short ride east will take you to downtown West Palm Beach and City Place, the Convention Center, and Palm Beach.  There are endless choices in the area of activities in the area to enjoy.

5 Kitchen Design Trends to Take From PULTE'S Model Homes

5 Kitchen Design Trends to Take From Model Homes

The model homes of builders are known for showcasing the latest interior design trends in trying to appeal to home shoppers. So what’s trending when it comes to the kitchen?

PulteGroup’s Interior Designs Team is merchandising about 425 model homes in 2016. The kitchen is a big area that gets a lot of the design team’s focus too.

“Today’s home buyers are willing to spend more in the kitchen – from energy-efficient appliances to quartz countertops,” says Janice Jones, PulteGroup’s national vice president of interior design. “We continuously conduct consumer focus groups to best understand what they want in their kitchens and are constantly refining our kitchen designs and its elements to ensure it delivers on functionality, creative design and easy maintenance across all our buyer groups.”

Jones cites five kitchen trends in 2016 that they are reflecting in many PulteGroup model homes lately. These trends also can serve as inspiration for home owners planning renovation projects or wanting ideas for easy updates, Jones notes.

1. Contrasting materials

Materials are getting mixed in the kitchen. Contrasting colors and styles are combined to create a more unique space. For example, mixed marbles and metals in a space can help highlight gray wood tones.

2. Decorative lighting

Bold and oversized lighting choices are popular choices. “Decorative lighting is key in the kitchen and adds dramatic flair as well as functionality to the kitchen, especially over the kitchen island,” according to PulteGroup’s Interior Designs Team.

3. Transparency

Switch out some cabinet doors with glass doors. It can help you extend visual boundaries while also allowing home owners to display some of their favorite things and add more personalization to a space.

4. Storage

Home owners are always looking for more storage, especially in the kitchen. Double-stacked cabinets that extend to the ceiling can help maximize storage space.

5. More drawers, less doors

Having plenty of kitchen drawers can add more functionality in storage. Home owners are showing preferences toward more drawers over extra cabinets. Bold hardware can then added to the drawers to add more design appeal, PulteGroup says.

brought to you by MARILYN JACOBS, REALTOR

from REALTOR MAGAZINE

www.FloridaLuxuryCountryClubHomes.com

PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION REMAIN TOP GOALS IN PALM BEACH

PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION REMAIN TOP GOALS IN PALM BEACH

The Society of the Four Arts has an upcoming $12mm renovation of the King Library.  Designed by Maurice Fatio and opened in 1938, a new 2-story addition is planned for the north side of the building.  Former Palm Beach Architectural Commission Chairman Bob Vila, whose late in-laws the Library is named for, has advised on the design.

Architect Thomas Kirchoff has twice received the Preservation Foundation’s Robert I. Ballinger Award for a historically sensitive restoration and twice received its Elizabeth L. and John H. Schuler Award for new architecture in keeping with the traditional style of Palm Beach. Four Arts has raised over $4mm and will kick off a $12MM capital campaign in November.

This week renovation plans will be presented to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for informal review of this cherished historic building which serves as the town’s library.   The Town Council will soon review the plans for variances, a special exception and site plan review.  Very little has been done to update the building, though 2 additions were made in 1956 and 1979 on the north side.  If all is well, construction would begin in May and take about 18 months to complete.  The new two-story addition will be consistent with the height of the original building and will replace the two additions.

The new design solves moisture problem where some is seeping in, improve traffic flow, links the first and second floors and create offices and a staff work room.  Changes include:

·      ...new elevator and front entrance ramp

·       ...The rare book room will be moved to a more protected area with a better climate control system

·       ...New plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning systems will be installed

·       ... The cozy reading room on the first floor remains

·       ...On the second floor, the stage will be removed and the space redesigned to include a multipurpose event area and reading alcoves

·      ... Cypress beams that were part of the original design and are now covered by an acoustic tile ceiling will be exposed.

·      ... The main entrance door on the west side will be moved to the center of the porch and lined up with a window and French doors on the east to provide a view through to the gardens.

·       ...The murals will be conserved and Fatio-designed architectural details on the exterior restored. The addition will have similar but simpler exterior details.

·       ...The main entrance door on the west side will be moved to the center of the porch and lined up with a window and French doors on the east to provide a view through to the gardens.

·       ...The murals will be conserved and Fatio-designed architectural details on the exterior restored. The addition will have similar but simpler exterior details

“The goal is to restore the building, one that everybody loves, back to what it was and provide an addition that looks like it belongs,” said architect Kirchhoff.

front of 159 Australian

New Porte Cochere

Newly built master suite replaces former suite

in back, upstairs guest suite replaces former garage

Kirchoff recently completed a total redo of 159 Australian Avenue, a 1920’s era historical bungalow that was listed for $5.45MM and just sold.  Buyer, amount of sale, closing date to be announced.  This property won this year’s Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach’s Polly Earl Award for small-scale renovations.

Our Palm Beach is looking better and better!

A GOOD MOVE: IMPROVING THE DETERIORATING BUILDINGS ON ROYAL POINCIANA WAY IN PALM BEACH

A positive development is brewing in Palm Beach that will have appropriate eyes on re-development issues.  A decade ago the Testa family, restauranteurs, sought to change zoning restrictions, especially the town’s on-site parking requirements which the Testas said discouraged others from investing in the deteriorating buildings, including the restaurant they owned. The town has approved redevelopment by purchasers of the Testa property into a new restaurant, shops and luxury homes with underground parking. 

Adjacent properties have been purchased from a Saudi prince that encompass about 30,000 sq ft of rentable restaurant, retail and office space  and a 1400 sq ft apartment, all within about an eighth of an acre.  Included are Classic Collections (landmarked), Evelyn & Arthur (landmarked), Nick & Johnnies (façade is landmarked), and The Palm Beach Bookstore.  The properties were sold to generate funds the seller plans to reinvest in other capital projects, almost all of it planned to stay in the U.S.  According to news reports, the new owners have talked to other owners of adjacent properties, who don’t want to sell… YET!

This area is just north of “downtown Palm Beach” and The Breakers Hotel on a street with a pretty median, open views and royal palm trees, and some parking. The new owners of the properties are focused on re-energizing the street, improving its walkability, adding the needed underground parking, and stopping the inevitable deterioration and blight. Along with preserving the “small town appearance and character,” and adding upgraded or new businesses, the expected result will be new jobs, new residences and new patrons will come to the area.

The community has members who want to protect the street’s small-town character from over-development. The proposed new underground parking area will counter complaints about anticipated congestion and bring new people to the area.  As this development comes about, we will watch it grow and be proud. The Preservation Foundation (your editor is a member) recently played a large part in restoration in the Royal Poinciana Plaza area, caddy-corner and a bit down the block from the Testa property.  It would not be surprising to find the Foundation involved in this project.

The anticipated soon-to-be owners have engaged an architect who is a member of the Landmarks Preservation Commission “to work with us on the landmarked buildings… to properly restore and protect the site’s historically significant buildings.” This should counter objections about the appearance of the street when the area is redeveloped. 

Most (perhaps all) of the buildings they purchased are wood frame, dating to the early 1900’s, and are suffering decay from roof leaks and water damage, mold accumulations and wood rot, termite infestation and structural failures. Electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems require complete upgrades or replacements.  Estimates for costs may be equal to or exceed the $10.35mm cost of the properties.

In the US of A, you can’t stop progress, thank heavens. 

MARILYN FARBER JACOBS

Luxury Property Specialist at Heath & Joseph Real Estate

FOUNTAINS VOTING ON SELLING 3RD GOLF COURSE TO GL HOMES FOR APARTMENTS AND HOMES

The Fountains Country Club was developed in the 1970’s on 865 acres with 19 separate residential communities and 1,763 homes.  This includes single-family homes, villas, townhouses and condominiums. The property is bordered by Lake Worth Road on the north and Lantana Road on the south.

With the population aging, and interest in golf declining, The Fountains’ Board is voting on selling one of its three golf courses to GL Homes, 40-44 acres on the north golf course, next to the west golf course GL Homes would build 150-200 single family homes ranging from $400-$600,000.  Nearby they would build 250-300 apartments on about 18 acres.  This will be the first apartment community GL Homes will build, and it is in the center of Palm Beach County.  Closing this course would save The Fountains about $250,000 per year. 

Appearing to be a national trend, it is particularly happening in Florida, which has a plethora of golf courses, right now.  The club would use the funds to pay off a loan and build a resort-style pool and add other amenities.  Recently seven Fountains communities opted out of mandatory membership and this was approved by the courts. Average price right now of all properties for sale is just under $150,000, and average price of properties sold was just over $80,000.

For GL Homes properties to come, buyers of the new single-family homes are required to become “sports members” of the Fountains club and pay about $200 a month in dues. But they do not have to join the golf club as equity members. Apartment owners are not required to buy a membership but they can if they wish to, or cannot use the amenities.

 this deal with GL Homes by June 20. If members give the OK, after about a year to get county approvals on the land, and then another year to build, new homes could be ready by 2018.

To read complaints of those against the sale plan, seehttp://www.fountainsnetwork.com/.

With less and less land available to build communities, golf courses are being considered.