Nestled between Jupiter and Stuart, the city of Hobe Sound offers a wide array of beautiful beaches, parks, and championship-caliber golf courses. Lovely views along the Indian River, Loxahatchee River, and St. Lucie River provide a beautiful sparkling backdrop to many residential communities. Marine life, such as dolphins and manatees, are commonplace, with the area embracing wildlife at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, spanning 11,000 acres and housing over 140 species of birds.

 

Now that the housing market has steadied after more than a decade of difficulties, this could be the perfect opportunity to invest in a home. It is said that South Florida is an earmarked real estate market and it’s driving the prices of real estate up. 

The Case-Shiller 20 City Index noted that home values rose 5.7%.  Leading economists think prices will continue to rise, at least in the interim. Nationally, Miami is considered one of the top 20 metropolitan cities with highest growth forecast.  Topping the list is another South Florida city, Tampa. 

The National Association of Realtors is forecasting a 4.4% increase in existing home prices and in 2017 an increase of 3.4%.  According to Miami Board of Realtors, “South Florida housing…

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Image Courtesy of Turtle Beach Construction.

One of the first things many South Florida homebuyers look at when purchasing a new home is the kitchen. The kitchen can "make or break" a home.  In the Palm Beaches, indoor/outdoor living is paramount and the kitchen is the most trafficked room in the house. An upgraded kitchen can make your home stand above others and make it irresistible. 

If considering a kitchen renovation, building a new home, or just an update to your existing decor, take a look at the current design trends for 2016. Some of the hottest trends in kitchens these days, according to Forbes Magazine,  include hardwood floors, transitional styling and white in the kitchen. As a general rule of thumb, spend between 6-10% of the total…

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Calling all art enthusiats,The City of Murals Art Tours are a must try! Tour through the city of Hobe Sound charming and quiet streets. The city is known for its atisinal and quaint lifestyle. Since 2009 the town has been under a “paint the town initiative” which is a project to paint the town with beautiful murals upon the buildings. Lead by professional artist, Nadia Utto, this project has given over 40 artists and 100 residents and visitors the chance to express their personalities through art. 

The Hobe Sound Art Tours are two hour-long tours and are led by a professional artist giving you all of the inside scoop on local art and history. While on the tour there are fun treasure hunts and educational games to keep the tour fresh and interesting.…

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Photo Courtesy of Riviera Beach Maritime Academy

Palm Beach County divers have a new underwater landmark to discover. The new reef will honor a local three-time breast cancer survivor, Andrea Torrente. “Andrea's Reef”, a 60,000-pound mermaid honoring the valiant woman, has established a home just 3/4 miles east off the Lake Worth Inlet, submerged under 75 feet of water. The sculptures for the reef were deployed off Ocean Reef Park on Singer Island, August 11, 2016.

Thomas McDonald, sculptor, found the inspiration to model his mermaid after the local woman who has survived breast cancer. McDonald started work on his commissioned sculpture during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month last October. He said in a release, "I work at a women's health…

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paddle Bring your kayaks, paddleboards and canoes for The Club Scrub River Paddle II & The End of Summer Jupiter Sandbar Party planned for Saturday, August 27, 2016. The event starts at 8am at Jonathan Dickinson State Park (JDSP) Swim Beach River Area. This fundraiser will benefit JDSP Camp Murphy Mountain Bike Trails maintained by Club Scrub, a Sub-Committee of The Friends of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, a 501(c)(3) Organization.   Paddle the Loxahatchee River from Jonathan Dickinson State Park to the Jupiter Sandbar and back. Visit the floating refreshment stops with drinks and snacks to refuel along the way. There will be a stop at the Jupiter Sandbar for "Paddle Party" with lunch and beer. Paddle back to Jonathan Dickinson State Park. See sights…

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Most people associate learning with formal education at school, college, university etc.  We are all told, from an early age, that we should ‘get a good education’.  However, ‘schooling’ is only one type of learning. There are many opportunities to further your knowledge you will need throughout life.  There is no age limit on learning.  Lifelong learning can enhance ones understanding of the world around us, provide additional and enhanced opportunities and improve our quality of life.

Florida Atlantic University  Lifelong Learning Society is “dedicated to enriching the intellectual and social lives of adult learners by offering stimulating educational opportunities, taught by outstanding university faculty and guest lecturers, designed to…

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andrew red harris

Local area foundation, the Andrew Harris Foundation received a significant donation from the No Shoes Reefs Project.  Jupiter resident, Andrew “Red” Harris, was a talented young man.  He was struck while snorkeling June 8, 2014.  This partnership between Building Conservation Trust, Coastal Conservation Associations’ National Habitat Program, and Country Superstar Kenny Chesney and ENGEL Coolers will be known as  the Andrew “Red” Harris No Shoes Reef project of 2016.

The foundation will donate 15 of the "lagoon coral head" modules to Palm Beach County for placement on the popular Phil Foster Park Snorkeling Trail.  There will be numbered plaques, which will help “snorkelers navigate the trail, avoid the channel and improve safety.”  This reef…

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Welcome to South Florida summer sunshine.  Summer is the warmest season of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.  Summer season runs June through August. So during these bright and cheerful summertime months, everyone throughout the United States experiences warmer temperatures. 

Warmer temperatures means we’re all using more energy to keep our homes cool.Florida, Power and Light  states, "Because A/C units run twice as long in the summer than during cooler months and account for more than half of your energy bill, you likely will notice your summer bills are higher than normal. Now is the time to take control of your energy use, because forecasters predict August to be another extremely hot month."

You can not control what you cannot see, so…

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South Florida's MIAMI Association of Realtors (including Jupiter/Tequesta to South Miami areas) celebrates a "milestone 90th anniversary and illustrious history of success and achievements."

 As a client of a Realtor, you can expect honest and ethical treatment in all real estate transaction-related matters. Using a professional Realtor is well advised and advantageous. They are competent members of the National Association of Realtors and here in South Florida, they are members of MIAMI as well. Realtors are not just agents. According to RealtorMag.com, Realtors make a significant difference for home buyers/sellers:

      "1). An expert guide. Selling a home usually requires dozens of forms, reports, disclosures, and other technical documents.…

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If you intend to sell your home, it might be a good idea to do a couple of renovations before listing it.  It is also wise move if you have not updated the home in several years.

Remodeling Magazine publishes an annual “Cost vs. Value Report”. The 2016 report disproves most people’s first assumption – kitchen or bathrooms being the remodels that yield the most resale value. According to this report, adding fiberglass attic insulation is the best return on investment.  This simple improvement yielded 117%. 

Renovations that are at the top of the list are:

-         Add fiberglass attic insulation with a yield of 117%.

-         Replace bottom siding on the bottom third of the house with stone veneer at 93%.

-         Exchanging garage…

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