When a  South Florida homeowner wants to renovate his/her home in the hopes of increasing its value, it is wise to know which renovations will enumerate their financial expenditure. Be cognizant that the average garage addition can cost more than $50,000, an  average bathroom remodel can cost more than $16,000, and adding a master suite or second floor can easily cost six figures, according to the National Association Remodeling Industry.

If the kitchen is over 15 years old, upgrading the appliances, cabinetry and flooring to contemporary ideals will net you more money at time of sale.  The kitchen is the “heart “of the home and a simple updating can increase the value.  Do not put in Wolfe or Sub Zero appliances if it is not warranted.…

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Admirals Cove is one of South Florida’s premiere yachting and golf addresses.  Winding through Admirals Cove is six miles of inland waterways offering direct ocean access and residential back yard docks.   Additionally, The Club at Admirals Cove features a 72-slip marina, marina store and marina café. Residents with memberships enjoy uncrowded golf play on redesigned Von Hagge designed 18-hole course with intense elevations or 27 holes on a traditional style course.

Take a glimpse behind the gates of this prestigious community and tour a magnificent residence on the market. The palatial property is located at 146 Spyglass Lane in Jupiter. The home is a six bedroom, five full and two half baths estate with 100 feet of waterfrontage!  It features…

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Easter Egg Hunts are all the rage with the kids this spring season and Southeast Florida does not disappoint.  Easter falls on Sunday, March 26, 2016 and kids are gearing up for the bunny’s arrival.

The word Easter has an interesting history of origin.  To some it is the celebration of spring’s arrival.  To others it is a religious holiday signifying deliverance.  

The Easter egg came to be based on fertility lore.  The egg was a symbol of spring.  The folklore then stuck and the Easter egg came to the United States. The bunny had its origin in folklore too.  The bunny never had religious symbolism.  He was used as a symbol of fertility.

Easter egg hunts are popular games where decorated eggs are hidden in various places for children to…

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Tax laws are constantly shifting, lots of ebbs and flows.  There are no major new tax legislation changes for 2015, but tax laws are still always changing.  Some changes for 2015 may affect you.  Thank goodness, Florida does not have a state tax!

The 2015 tax bracket refers to the top 1 percent of high-income earners.  This means high-income earners will be paying 39.6 percent income tax on gross taxable earnings.

The IRS is cracking down on IRA rollovers. It was easy to “borrow” money set aside for retirement for up to 60 days.  As of 2015, one can only do that once in a 12-month period.  If you wish to move IRA assets, you may do so by using “trustee to trustee” transfers.

The Health Insurance penalty for not having health insurance has…

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Local, organic, seasonal and sustainable are current “buzzwords” used a lot lately.  To be truly helpful to the environment one must know the differences between and similar implication of these words. If you are a health conscious foodie, you probably want your food or other agriculture products to be local, organic, seasonal and sustainable.

Local food means food that is grown within a certain range.  That radius can cover a few miles or hundreds of miles of your area.  It generally is a good idea to ask if the product is from your town, county or state so you are clear on what local means in that particular instance.

Organic refers to the method food production. Crops that are grown without artificial fertilizers, artificial pesticides, not…

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Everyone who is in the market to sell his or her home is looking for maximum dollar. The real estate market wavers each year regardless of whether you live in South Florida or another part of the country.  Spring and summer have proven to be the most advantageous time of the year with winter being slightly slower.  Palm Beach County real estate market seems to favor spring as the “selling season” with perfect weather, flowering plants and wonderful days at the beach.

Springtime is the beginning of selling season. There is an increase in new listings at this time.  The momentum from spring selling season overflows into the summer season, making summer the second best time of year to list your home.

Homes listed toward the end of the workweek,…

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Although the weather here in Palm Beach County is picture perfect, sunny and 75 degrees, other parts of the United States do not enjoy the same climate. Approximately a half million people journey to South Florida for the winter, avoiding the ice, snow and bitter cold.

Millions of people flock to South Florida for vacation and spring break.  Year round inhabitants of the Sunshine State face many challenges when the visitors and seasonal residents arrive. 

Some tips for residents to manage snowbird season:

Be Tolerant. Anticipate slower traffic, the out of state driver is not familiar with the highways and streets as residents.  Give yourself a few extra minutes to get where you are going.

Be Cognizant. The out of state driver may not know…

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It is abundantly clear as why people move to Palm Beach County to raise a family, enjoy the fruits of their labor, or retire in paradise.   For anyone who loves year round warmth and constant sunshine Palm Beach County offers south Florida lifestyle and highly sought after real estate. Palm Beach County is home to elite areas like Palm Beach and Jupiter Island. Many of the residences on these islands stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Intracoastal Waterways. Within the county, you will discover charming seaside towns of Jupiter, Tequesta, Juno Beach, Delray and Boca Raton.

Hundreds of volunteers assisted the Palm Beach County Food Bank, local food pantries and West Palm Beach Rotary Club distributes 100,000 meals on March 12 for the “3rd…

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The Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals come to the Jupiter community of Abacoa for spring training and each year flocks of people migrate to Abacoa’s Main Street.  Main Street is just adjacent to Roger Dean Stadium, and a pleasant area to walk and enjoy dinner al fresco.

There is a lot more to Abacoa than just spring training baseball.  This quaint, brick lined street hosts a variety of shops, restaurants and taverns.  Top places to eat in Abaco are plentiful ranging from brewery/pub to casual French bistro. 

Civil Society Brewing Company located at 1200 Town Center Drive, is a brewery and bar, which pours craft beer to spring training fans.  One of the owners of the brewery is a retired major league pitcher for the Miami Marlins, Chris…

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With its 1,400 golf courses, Florida is truly the golf capital of the world.   Palm Beach County is home to some of the most unbelievable golf courses across the globe. It is the premiere destination for the ultimate golf trip.

The Honda Classic just wrapped up at on the Championship Course at PGA National Resort and Spa, P.G.A. National, Palm Beach Gardens.  The tournament draws the preeminent professional golfers to the area to compete for the multimillion-dollar purse.  The “Bear Trap” is a very well known demanding stretch of golf spanning three challenging holes.

The Palm Beaches features over 160 golf courses.  The State of Florida offers a specialty plate and personalized tags for an annual fee of $25.  Revenue from the proceeds of the…

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