Most people define a treasure as a small, undiscovered jewel that surprises and delights. The 3-story Jupiter Townhome I just saw at 4119 Parkside fits that description to a T. Built in the classic style of a metropolitan East Coast townhouse, this one combines traditional design with Florida creature comforts.

Enter on the level of a spacious den, with a half bath and easy access to the enclosed 2-car garage.

Step up a flight to a great room with a great open kitchen (complete with corian counters, oak floors, tumbled marble tiles) open onto the living room. Just out of sight … a separate dining room, laundry closet, and half bath.

Step up again to the 3^rd floor with its huge master suite with a high recessed ceiling, stunning fan, and light pouring in the skylight window.  Two more bedrooms and two full baths complete the picture.

In all, 2200 square feet of well designed, private space tucked away on a quiet street next to a community park, in close proximity to the Antigua Clubhouse and pool.

At $245,000 this little gem is perfect for two … or as a vacation retreat, which is what it’s current owners had in mind. Lucky for you, they rarely appeared.  So, though delightfully furnished, it has barely been used. Kind of like finding a small, low-mileage, BMW convertible at a ridiculous used car price!

Hurricane season is upon us once again. And if you were the least bit unsure, all you have to do is take note of the sudden violent downpours that mark the beginning of summer, because with it come the big tropical storms. So Floridians are once again bracing for whatever Mother Nature has in store. Everyone is stockpiling food and water, replacing batteries, checking generators, keeping cash on hand. That’s pretty common procedure in South Florida this time of year, especially in the coastal areas.

What’s not common is the pronounced sense of relief so many buyers are expressing in the Jupiter & Palm Beach Gardens communities. These communities are built with underground utilities. And new homes here are built to strict codes that include impact glass to withstand strong winds. Thanks to this kind of forward thinking, several years ago when South Florida was badly hit, Jupiter had electricity back up and running within 2 hours…while Miami suffered without it for several weeks. In fact, many Miami natives came up here to stay, to weather the aftermath. They sought refuge in Jupiter where, oddly, life just carried on!

Pros & Cons

If you make a side-by side-comparison about whether to rent a home or buy one, it can be a tough call. Ownership means a big tax write-off on mortgage interest, a predictable stable payment (with the right mortgage), a sense of stability and pride of ownership.

It also means responsibility for property taxes, maintenance, and HOA dues (depending on where you buy). And if you’re still undecided … there’s also the appreciation vs. depreciation question, since you can’t be certain whether this market has bottomed out and prices are on the way up. There is no easy answer.

But if you make your personal list and decide that, for whatever reason, it’s best for you to rent right now … here are a few pointers to keep in mind.

Rental Tips

1.  There are some amazing homes for rent out there right now…furnished and unfurnished. But rentals go quickly. Some people are just coming out of short sales and foreclosures and need a place to land. Some are relocating and want to get a feel for the market before they buy. So while it’s not a great market for real estate investors who want to flip homes quickly … it is a great market for landlords who want to hang onto their investment properties and rent them out.
2.  As a tenant, expect to pay first and last month’s rent plus a security deposit (typically a month’s rent). That’s standard operating procedure. Often you can negotiate a lease with an option to buy. That way if you fall in love with the home and want to stay there, you’ll have first right of refusal.
3.  But be careful when renting! Have a trustworthy Realtor^® scope it out for you. Some owners are renting homes that are already in foreclosure. Pocketing the deposit and leaving the tenant to the mercy of the Sheriff … who shows up to evict them before the sale date stipulated by the lender.

Great Locations

I personally represent some remarkable rental properties … like this 5-bedroom home in Tuscany at Abacoa in Jupiter. …within walking distance of the community pool, town center and baseball stadium. Just call for details. Jupiter is a great place to live and love life.  And I ought to know … because I live here and love it!

Everyone has them. Those moments when something strikes you a certain way, alters your perception, changes the outcome.

Take Florida summer rains, for example.  They’re particularly impressive. The sheer heaviness of them. The electrical violence of lightening streaks and thunder booms that stun any new transplant. Dangerous. Dramatic. Run-for-cover rain that makes you pull off the Turnpike, duck off the golf course, head for shore in a small boat. Deluges that turn everything even greener. Refill our water supply. Refuel our ecosystems. And give everyone the chance to hide inside, snuggle up, take time out.

Summer rains in Florida offer a dramatic change of perspective. And if you’re looking for a new home, they make you pause…and consider things like hurricane glass. Lots that won’t flood. Landscaping that’s safe. Not getting soaked financially. Finding a Realtor that won’t leave you high and dry.

Yes, watching a summer storm will send your thoughts racing. And if they happen to run to real estate, turn on your computer and give me a click call. That single action could be a watershed moment that alters more than your perspective.