Artesia’s Clubhouse and Recreational Activities Are Like No Other!

If you like to lead a social lifestyle, it’s hard to beat what owning a condo or townhome at Artesia in west Sunrise has to offer.  ‘Villa Artesia’… the magnificent new clubhouse at Artesia, officially opened it’s doors in late June 2007 by hosting an open house for real estate brokers in the Sunrise, Florida area.  The event was well worth attending as we were amazed at the range of fitness, recreational and social activities the palatial clubhouse and outdoor amenities have to offer the residents of Artesia.

Artesia truly brings the resort lifestyle to West Broward. This new home community features a vast plaza with shimmering pools and fountains… including a Grand Canal. Stroll along the brick-paved walkways and enjoy the lush landscaping throughout. Take a dip in one of three pools! Sip a drink by the tropical poolside tiki bar or have a bite to eat in the charming Fountain Cafe. Try your hand at pool in the ultimate billiard club room (complete with sports bar and flat screen TV) or take a class in the Art Room. Get in shape in the state-of-the art Exercise Center, or play a game of basketball or tennis, then get a massage at the spa. The Sunrise Room is available for hosting social gatherings.  There’s even a tot lot and waterworks area for kids! All this and much more is available for you at Artesia… South Florida living at it’s best!

::  View a Virtual Tour of Artesia’s Clubhouse & Amenities!  ::

This new home community is located in the Sawgrass area of Sunrise, Florida.  It’s an area that has seen a great deal of activity in recent years not only because of the new construction of condos (including Tao) but also because of new local shopping areas (IKEA’s Sunrise store & Sawgrass Landings, where you’ll find LA Fitness, Starbucks, Panera Bread, Quizno’s, Kinko’s & more).  Let’s not forget the additions to the Sawgrass Mills Mall (the Colonnade Outlets at Sawgrass, Grand Lux Cafe & PF Chang’s to name a few).

If you haven’t visited any of the models at Artesia yet, but are thinking of going, be sure to call me first to find out how you can qualify for a $1,000 rebate at closing (one of the conditions is that I must register you as my customer).  By the way… I don’t bite.  Really!  If you’d like to view Artesia condos for sale on the South Florida MLS, click here then choose “Broward County” and enter “Artesia” next to “Complex Name” and click on the search button.  At the time this post was published, there were 23 Artesia condos for sale varying in price from $293,000-$549,000.  I’m offering the rebate on resale condos in Artesia as well as new construction units (call 954-846-1600 for details).

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Plum Bay Homes in Tamarac, Florida

The single-family home community of Plum Bay features a lakeside pool with spacious sun deck, cabana baths, covered patio, two tennis courts (one of which doubles as a basketball court), a fishing pier and a boat launch ramp next to the fishing pier/dock.  Homes in this South Florida neighborhood were built between 1995 and 1999.  Plum Bay offers one- and two-story homes, some with lake or golf course views.  Certain floorplans include a loft area, an ideal spot for a small home office, media center or play area.  Prices currently range from the high-$200’s to the high-$300’s and the community maintains a low monthly HOA maintenance fee.

Residents of Plum Bay can enjoy nearby parks including Sunset Point Park (11000 W. McNab Rd.) as well as the Caporella Aquatic Center (across from Challenger Elementary School and Millenium Middle School on NW 94th Avenue).  The main entrance to Plum Bay is located a block north of the N.E. corner of Commercial Blvd. and Nob Hill Road providing for easy access to the Sawgrass Expressway.

:: View a Virtual Tour of Plum Bay! ::

Call Leanne Paynter at 954-846-1600 to find out how you can qualify for a $1,000 rebate if you want to purchase a home in Plum Bay.  You can search the MLS for listings of homes for sale in Plum Bay here.

Tamarac Florida – Recent Home Sales Prices

Tamarac originally drew many retirees but has experienced a considerable change in demographics over the past 15 years, with more younger families moving in.  Anyone looking for affordable single-family homes in western Broward County will find quite a lot of them here.  There are also some very nice high-end homes in the country club/golf course communities of Woodmont and Woodlands… many of them with 3,000+ sq. ft. of interior living space.

For over 32 years, the city has also been home to University Hospital and Medical Center.  Tamarac was a winner of the national “Livable Communities for All Ages” award in 2005 and has proudly earned the National Arbor Day Foundation’s annual “Tree City USA” designation 14 times.

Below is a sampling of recent home sale prices* in Tamarac, Florida (sold/closed sales over the past three months through the date of this post).

Recent Single-Family Home Sales Prices in Tamarac, FL:

• Calico Country – 3BR/2BA/2CG – $265,000
• Heathgate – 3BR/2BA/1CG/Pool – $268,000
• Isles of Tamarac (55+)- 2BR/2BA/1CG – $202,000
• Lakewood (Woodmont) – 3BR/2BA/2CG – $320,000
• Les Jardins (Woodmont) – 2BR/2BA/2CG/Pool – $274,400
• Plum Bay – 3BR/2BA/2CG – $350,000
• Sunflower – 3BR/2BA/1CG/Pool & Canal – $255,000
• Woodlands – 2BR+Den/3BA/2CG/Pool & Golf Views – $489,000
• Woodmont Estates – 5BR/5BA/2CG/Pool – $650,000

Recent Condo Sales Prices in Tamarac, FL:

• Banyan Lakes – 2BR/2BA – $201,000
• Captiva – 2BR/2.5BA/1CG – $225,000
• Catalina Place – 2/2.5BA/1CG – $235,000
• Exeter (Kings Point) – 3BR/2BA/2CG/Lake – $310,000
• Plum Harbor – 3BR/2.5BA/1CG – $255,000
• Sandpebbles – 2BR/1.5BA – $167,000
• Sanibel – 2BR/1.5BA – $205,000
• Spyglass – 2BR/1.5BA/1CG/Canal – $175,000
• Tuscany – 3BR/2.5BA/1CG/Canal – $257,000
• Villas at the Gate – 3BR/2.5BA/1CG – $217,000

*As reported on the South Florida MLS. <– Find South Florida real estate for sale!

The Tequesta Trail at Forest Ridge in Davie, Florida

Part of the Tequesta Trail can be found in the residential neighborhood of Forest Ridge in Davie, FL.  At one point along the winding road that is shaded by a canopy of live oak trees just past Forest Ridge’s grand main entrance, there is a sign marker that is sponsored by the Archeological and Historical Conservancy which reads:

“The Tequesta Indians and their ancestors inhabited Pine Island from circa 3000 BC through 1500 AD.  The Tequesta inhabited southeast Florida from Boca Raton southward to Key West.  Historians estimate that as many as 20,000 Indians may have lived in South Florida before they became extinct from diseases contracted from Europeans.

On August 31, 1989, archeologists unearthed during road construction the remains of a Tequesta Village at this site.  Near this sign are the remains of an ancient Tequesta settlement that is at least 2,000 years old.”

Resources worth checking out:

• The Broward County Parks and Recreation Divison offers opportunities for us to experience some of Broward County’s natural and historical areas.
• The Town of Davie has put together some interesting information about Westridge Park and the Pine Island Ridge Trail, including points of interest and a map.

Weston FL Homes with No Homeowner Association Fees

The third in my series of posts on South Florida neighborhoods with no homeowners association (HOA), this one focuses on the City of Weston.   Unlike my previous two installments to this series, this one will be considerably shorter because only one neighborhood of single family homes in Weston is not governed by a homeowner association.

Although the Bonaventure Lakes neighborhood is HOA-free, there is a requirement of membership at the Bonaventure Town Center Club, a recreation and community center for the residents of the community of Bonaventure in Weston.  The club is located at the SW corner of Saddle Club Road and Bonaventure Blvd. and membership is currently $270 per year.

The majority of Weston’s Bonaventure Lakes homes have 3-4 bedrooms and 2-3 bathrooms as well as a 1- or 2-car garage, though there are a few homes that offer as many as 5 or 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.  Most homes feature a swimming pool and some offer canal or lake views.  Almost all homes here were built between the late 1970’s and early 1990’s and all are one-story homes.  Within the Bonaventure Lakes neighborhood there are two tennis courts and two basketball courts for residents to enjoy.  You’ll find Bonaventure Lakes homes ranging in price from $339,000 to about $625,000.  So, if you’d like to live in Weston and prefer not to live in a community with a homeowner association, this community may be just what you’re looking for!

Sunrise Florida – Recent Home Sales Prices

The City of Sunrise is conveniently located in the heart of the tri-county area with easy access to all major highways in Broward County.  Some of the larger neighborhoods in Sunrise include the Residences of Sawgrass Mills, Welleby and Sunrise Golf Village.  Two new developments — Artesia (condos and townhomes) and the Tao Condo towers (two 26-story high-rise buildings that are the tallest structures in west Broward) are currently in various stages of construction.

Sunrise, Florida, is home to Sawgrass Mills (Florida’s largest retail and entertainment complex) as well as the Bank Atlantic Center – the second largest arena in the country and home to the NHL’s Florida Panthers ice hockey team.  Residents of the City of Sunrise can enjoy several amenities, including a world-class tennis club, golf courses, a soccer club, playgrounds and municipal swimming pools. Come see the lifestyle Sunrise can offer you! 

Below is a sampling of recent home sale prices* in Sunrise, Florida (sold/closed sales over the past 3+/- months through the date of this post).  You can search the South Florida MLS if you’d like to see listings of homes and condos currently for sale.

Recent Single-Family Home Sales Prices in Sunrise, FL:

• Hampton Lakes – 3BR/2.5BA/Lake – $330,000
• New Providence – 4BR/2BA/2CG/Pool & Lake – $415,000
• New River Estates – 3BR/2BA/2CG/Pool & Lake – $375,000
• Residences of Sawgrass Mills – 4BR/2.5BA/2CG/Pool – $450,000
• Riverbend – 3BR/2BA/2CG – $310,000
• Sawgrass Preserve – 4BR/2.5BA/2CG – $420,000
• Sunrise Golf Village – 3BR/2BA/1CG – $268,000
• Welleby – 4BR/3BA/2CG/Pool – $375,000
• Welleby Isles – 4BR/2BA/2CG/Pool – $357,500
• Westbridge – 3BR/2BA/2CG – $285,000

Recent Condo Sales Prices in Sunrise, FL:

• Allegro – 3BR/3BA/1CG – $295,000
• Artesia (condo) – 2BR/2BA – $360,000
• Colony Courts – 3BR/2.5BA – $230,000
• Fairway Isles – 2BR/2BA/2CG/Canal – $265,000
• Kingsley Commons – 3BR/2BA – $235,000
• Nob Hill at Welleby – 3BR/2.5BA/Lake – $268,000
• Park Terraces – 3BR/2.5BA/1CG – $286,000
• Waterford Crossing – 3BR/2.5BA/1CG – $237,000

*As reported on the South Florida MLS. <– Find homes for sale in South Florida!

Davie FL Homes with No Homeowner Association Fees

Today’s installment is the second in my series of posts on South Florida neighborhoods with no homeowners association (HOA) and this one focuses on Davie, FL homes.  The bulleted list below represents just some of the subdivisions in Davie, Florida that are HOA-free.  

Additional Davie neighborhoods that are not part of a homeowners association include CCC Ranches, Crooked Oaks, D & M Acres, Davie Farmettes, Davie Heights, Davie Little Ranches, Everglades Land Sales, Fla Fruit Lands, Griffin Park Estates and Hiatus Ranchettes.  Never heard of these?  Well, that’s probably because they don’t have entrance signs!  Other communities that you’re not likely to recognize and have no homeowner association include Lakeshore Ranches, Lauderdale Little Ranches, Lychee Woods, Marlboro Estates, Martha Bright Farms, Mecuda Estates, Miele-Simonson Estates, Newman’s Survey and North Acres.  Additional Davie, FL neighborhoods with no HOA include Orange Acres, Palm Garden Park, Paradise Farms, Rio Ranches, Sequoia Estates, Silver Lake, Strong Park, SunnyLane Farms and Zinner Park.

Next to each neighborhood’s name, I’ve included the price range of homes you’ll find in that neighborhood as of the date this post was published.  Click through if you’d like to learn more about a particular community.

• Arrowhead Country Homes and
  Arrowhead Golf and Tennis Club homes (mid-$300’s to mid-$400’s)
• Driftwood Estates (high-$200’s to mid-$300’s)
• Flamingo Groves (high-$500’s to $1.5 million)
• Grove Estates (high-$700’s to $1.3 million)
• Hiatus Isles (mid-$500’s to mid-$700’s)
• Lawson Isles (low-$500’s to mid-$800’s)
• Majestic Groves (high-$500’s to $1.1 million)
• Nova Homes (high-$200’s to high-$300’s)
• Oak Hill (high-$400’s to $1.5 million)
• Orange Tree Homes (low-$300’s to low-$400’s)
• Playland Village (high-$100’s to mid-$200’s)
• Rolling Hills Lake Estates (high-$300’s to high-$700’s)
• Stirling Lake (mid-$200’s to mid-$300’s)

If you’re looking for a home in Broward County that’s in a community that is HOA-free, be sure to check out my previous post which focused on Plantation Florida neighborhoods with no homeowners association.

Plantation Florida – Recent Home Sales Prices

You’ll find a variety of architectural styles when viewing homes for sale in Plantation, FL.  Single-family homes are currently available in various price ranges (from $127,500* to $3.5 million for single-family homes) to fit almost any budget.  If you’re searching for a new place to call home, you’ll probably find something you’ll like in Plantation. 

Below is a sampling of recent single-family home sales prices** in Plantation, FL (sold/closed sales from 7/1/07-8/24/07).  If you’d like information on homes for sale in any of the following Plantation neighborhoods, click on the link and let us know the specifics of the home you’re looking for.

• El Dorado Estates – 5BR/3BA/2CG/Pool – $430,000
• Fountain Spring – 4BR/3BA/2CG/Pool & Lake – $425,000
• Fountain Spring – 3BR/2BA/2CG/Lake – $345,000
• Fox Run – 3BR/2BA/2CG/Pool – $390,000
• Hawks Landing – 4BR/3BA/3CG/Pool & Lake – $840,000
• Jacaranda Lakes – 4BR/3BA/2CG/Pool – $485,000
• Lakes of Newport – 3BR/2BA/1CG – $290,000
• Marcano Estates – 4BR/2.5BA/2CG/Pool & Canal – $360,000
• Mayfair – 4BR/3BA/2CG/Pool & Canal – $429,900
• Plantation Acres – 5BR/4.5BA/3CG/Pool & Canal – $850,000
• Plantation Golf Estates – 5BR/3BA/2CG/Pool & Canal – $600,000
• Plantation Landings – 3BR/2BA/2CG – $367,500
• Quatraine at Jacaranda – 3BR/2BA/1CG – $270,000
• Royal Palm Estates – 4BR/2BA/2CG/Pool – $408,000
• Sawgrass Plantation – 4BR/2.5BA/2CG – $425,000
• Sunset Cove – 3BR/2.5BA/2CG – $335,000
• Village Gate – 4BR/2.5BA/2CG/Lake – $407,000
• Westport – 4BR/2.5BA/2CG/Pool & Lake – $619,000

* This includes single-family homes in 55+ communities.  Single-family homes in non-55+ communities in Plantation, FL, currently start around $199,000.
**As reported on the South Florida MLS. <– Search for South Florida real estate for sale!

Google Maps of South Florida Can Be Useful to Home Buyers

If you use Google Maps you may have noticed that they seem to have recently updated their maps of South Florida (satellite/hybrid aerial maps).  How can I tell?  Well, because now when I use Google Maps, I see lots of roofs with blue tarps on them… something we saw everywhere throughout South Florida for many months after Hurricane Wilma blew through Broward County as well as other surrounding counties.  Even now… almost two years later, you’ll still ocassionally see homes with a blue tarp on the roof.

If you’re a home buyer looking at homes in South Florida, this may be a good way to tell if the home you’re considering buying had roof damage.  In fact, the aerial maps even reveal which South Florida neighborhoods had roofs that weathered the hurricane better than others.  

Of course, Florida home buyers should always ask the home seller to provide them with a copy of the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS) which is designed to assist home buyers in evaluating the property being considered.  In Florida, a home seller is obligated to disclose to a buyer all known facts that materially affect the value of the property being sold and that are not readily observable.

Plantation FL Homes with No Homeowner Association Fees

This is the first in a series of posts listing South Florida neighborhoods that are HOA-free!  Today’s installment focuses on Plantation, FL neighborhoods with NO homeowner’s association. 

As is typical of cities in western Broward County, the majority of neighborhoods with no homeowners association can be found on the eastern half of those towns since new construction mainly happened from the coast inward and HOAs have become commonplace only in recent decades.   Plantation is no exception and most of its neighborhoods with no homeowners association are located east of University Drive.  Next to each neighborhood’s name, I’ve included the price range of homes you’ll find in that neighborhood as of the date this post was published.

Some of the eastern side of Plantation’s neighborhoods that are HOA-free include:

• Breezeswept Park Estates (mid-$200’s to high-$300’s)
• Country Club Estates (low-$300’s to high-$400’s)
• East Plantation (high-$200’s to high-$300’s)
• Golf View Heights (low-to-mid $300’s)
• Historic Plantation (mid-$500’s to $1.5 million)
• Lakeview Estates (mid-$400’s to mid-$500’s)
• Lauderdale Golf Estates (mid-$200’s to high-$300’s)
• Marcano Estates (high-$300’s to low-$500’s)
• Mirror Lake Estates (low-$300’s to low-$400’s)
• Plantation Gardens (low-$300’s to low-$500’s)
• Plantation Golf Estates (mid-$400’s to low-$800’s)
• Plantation Harbor (mid-$400’s to high-$700’s)
• Plantation Hills (high-$300’s to mid-$400’s)
• Plantation Isles (mid-$300’s to mid-$700’s)
• Plantation Landings (high-$300’s to mid-$600’s)
• Plantation Park (mid-$200’s to mid-$500’s)
• Plantation Point (low-to-high $200’s)
• Plantation Secluded Gardens (high-$300’s to high-$400’s)
• Plantation Sunrise Heights (mid-to-high $200’s)
• Royal Palm Estates (high-$300’s to high-$400’s)
• Royal Palm South (high-$300’s to mid-$500’s)
• Tropical Estates (low-$400’s to mid-$500’s)

In the western side of Plantation, only a few HOA-free neighborhoods exist, including:

• Melaleuca Isles (low-$300’s to mid-$500’s)
• Nob Hill Estates (low-$300’s to mid-$400’s)
• Plantation Acres (high-$300’s to over $2 million)

If you’re a home buyer looking for Plantation FL homes for sale, let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll do our best to help you find it.  The current inventory in the above-mentioned neighborhoods is plentiful.  Let us show you the ones that match your criteria and see for yourself why Plantation, Florida is a great place to live!

Living Free of Homeowner Association Fees and Constraints

With an eye towards helping homebuyers save money and perhaps find more affordable housing, tomorrow I’ll introduce the first in a series of posts that will highlight neighborhoods that are HOA-free!

Every so often a home buyer will let me know up-front that they’re not interested in looking at homes in any neighborhood run by a homeowner association.  The most common reasons I hear are that they either don’t want to pay a homeowner association fee or they simply don’t want to live by other people’s sets of rules.  Most homeowner associations (HOAs) have rules and regulations that anyone purchasing in that neighborhood has presumably been made aware of by the previous homeowner via the HOA documents.  Among other things, maintenance fees pay for the upkeep of a community’s amenities… regardless of whether you use them or not.  Many homeowner associations have protocols which residents are supposed to abide by.  This can include completing an application to be submitted to the Architectural Review Committee if the resident wants to make any modifications to the exterior of their home, which is not necessarily limited to the structure as it oftentimes includes major landscaping changes.

On the flip side, there are advantages to living in a community that has a homeowner association.  One of the benefits is that you don’t need to worry about such things as living next to a house whose owner painted it purple or some other color that doesn’t blend with the rest of the neighborhood homes.  Another benefit (which some will dispute) is that it keeps property values up by forcing residents to keep their homes and its landscaping in good condition.  However, this works best when the HOA has some “teeth” (for example: the ability to charge fines when a homeowner breaks the rules).  Homeowner associations also allow residents to share in the costs of maintaining common areas and any amenities available within the community (examples include a pool, spa, clubhouse, exercise room, tennis courts, children’s playground, lighting, gated entries, etc.).

Throughout Florida, homeowner associations did not start to become popular or commonplace until about 20-30 years ago so you’re more likely to find more neighborhoods that are not governed by a homeowners association closer to the coast than further inland.

Southwest Ranches FL – Recent Home Sales Prices

If you want to live in Broward County and enjoy a semi-rural lifestyle, then the town of Southwest Ranches may be just what you’re looking for!  The majority of homes sit on 1+ acre lots and horses are permitted.  Sidewalks and streetlights are few and you won’t find any condos or townhome communities here.  If you’re an equestrian and want to live in Broward County, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another community as horse-friendly as Southwest Ranches.

Below is a sampling of recent sales prices* of single-family homes and vacant land that have sold/closed over the past few months.

Recent Single-Family Home Sales Prices in Southwest Ranches:

• Green Meadows – 3BR/2BA/2CG on 1.15 acres – $650,000
• Sunshine Ranches – 3BR/2BA/2CG/Pool & Canal on 1 acre – $747,000
• Sunshine Ranches – 5BR/3.5BA/2CG + 1BR/1BA Guesthouse on 2.35 acres – $1,025,000
• Rolling Oaks – 5BR/4BA/3CG/Pool & Canal on 2.5 acres – $1,300,000

Recent Land Sales Prices in Southwest Ranches:

• Sunshine Ranches – 1.57 acres – $575,000
• Rolling Oaks – 1.98 acres – $665,000

*As reported on the South Florida MLS. <– Search for South Florida houses for sale!