A Realtor®’s Guide to Boca Raton FL Real Estate
Learn all there is to know about the Boca Raton FL Real Estate Market with Elyse Berman, PA of Best Connections Realty, Inc. If you are looking to buy a pet-friendly condo or a house in a gated community, all ages or 55+, Elyse is your girl.
Not only is Elyse a dog owner and pet lover, she’s been selling real estate full time in Boca Raton for the past 14 years. She is fully aware of the difficulties and challenges you may encounter. Or, if you are looking to sell a home in Boca Raton, let Elyse’s 14 years and huge internet presence work for you!
And, by the way, she works with people who have no pets, as well!
All about Boca Raton
Boca Raton, Florida is the southernmost city in Palm Beach County, Florida. Boca Raton is a very cosmopolitan city with theaters nearby, art galleries, culture, restaurants galore, world-class shopping, with many of the same stores you would find back home. When you come to Boca Raton or Delray Beach, Florida, you aren’t moving to the the middle of nowhere, so to speak. You’re coming to an urban, semi-urban, gated communities, semi-suburbs and more, but all still close to everything.
We are half an hour from the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach where they have some fabulous shows, We are approximately 45 minutes from Broward Center for the Performing Arts. We have local theatre, Arts Garage, Pineapple Grove, Mizner Park and more. So much more! There are a few convention centers nearby, which host shows from time to time, as well as local Green Markets on weekends.
Boca Raton Florida encompasses 8 zip codes! That’s quite a large area and there are a lot of different types of communities, both gated and non-gated, single family homes, condos, villas and townhouses to choose from.
Located in Palm Beach County, Florida, Boca Raton Florida was incorporated back in 1925 during the land boom and is home to nearly 100,000 residents today. Don’t let that scare you, as Boca (as it’s commonly referred to) is spread out. You can live within the city of Boca, central or in unincorporated Boca Raton, and all are still referred to as Boca Raton FL.
It was Addison Mizner who really put Boca Raton on the map. Addison Mizner is virtually synonymous with Boca Raton. He was an architect (1872-1933) and what was termed a “social architect.” He liked to build expensive homes for the wealthy. According to the Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum , he created fabulous Palm Beach Mansions, unlike mansions up north. It was his design for the Everglades Club that introduced Mediterranean style architecture to the resort.
Addison Mizner had grand plans to make Boca Raton a wealthy playground. He built The Cloisters, a hotel which has morphed into the famed Boca Raton Resort & Country Club today. There is an area in East Boca called Old Floresta, where, according to legend, he built homes for his friends and workers. You will notice that many things in Boca are either called Addison or Mizner. And, now you know why!
Being a local resident who enjoys shopping, great food and entertainment, I can easily head down to Royal Palm Place, Mizner Park and Town Center mall, all great shopping destinations with hair salons, food stores, health food stores, juice bars and, of course, the beach.
Royal Palm Place and Mizner Park are outdoor mixed-use plazas, but Town Center is the real deal as far as malls are concerned with anchor stores like Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Saks, Nordstrom and Macy’s, along with 200 or so other stores. You can get pretty much anything you want or need in Boca.
There are also many major businesses in Boca Raton. It is home to Office Depot and ADT, as well as Evert Tennis Academy owned by world-famous tennis champion Chris Evert. We have our own private airport. Boca Raton is still growing from the sleepy little town I arrived in 24 years ago to the sophisticated city it is today.
With so much to offer, Boca Raton FL is a great place to live and live the good life. To top it off, the weather is picture perfect!
BOCA RATON FL REAL ESTATE
If you’re looking to buy Real Estate in Boca Raton FL or thinking of relocating, or becoming a snowbird ,or even a snowflake ( yes, we have those too!) you will find a wide variety of housing options to choose from.
Whether you’re looking for a condo in Highland Beach or Delray Beach, single family house, townhouse or gated community in Boca Raton, I can help. I am a Boca Raton REALTOR® that can find exactly what you’re looking for.
Boca Raton is known for gated communities and there are many different ones – all age communities, affordable communities and luxury, upscale gated communities. There are also houses on streets that have no homeowner’s associations.
When I say Boca Raton, I am including the surrounding cities of Highland Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Deerfield Beach – all a stone’s throw from each other. We are located on the east coast of Florida, on the Atlantic side, just minutes from the beach.
Boca Raton is about half an hour south of Palm Beach, half an hour north of Fort Lauderdale and approximately one hour from Miami Beach and South Beach.
Boca Raton FL has a lot of waterfront houses with docks. These are single family homes on a street versus in a gated community, but which have docks in their backyards. This is huge for a boater looking for a single family house in Boca Raton who may not want to be in a gated community and may not want to pay monthly fees associated with dockage. If the dock comes with the house, there is no monthly charge for it!
There are also communities with boating where you can rent a dock if your house or condo is not on the water. You can buy a condo, townhouse or house and not be on the water yet still enjoy boating. This has some advantages, as they tend to be less pricey than those directly on deep water.
Boca Raton is home to many condos, both on and off the water. Some are on the beach; others are on the Intracoastal and some are inland. We have more condos centrally located, as well as many condominiums in downtown East Boca Raton. Several new buildings have gone up in the past few years within walking distance of shopping, nightlife, Starbucks and more. These tend to be in the price range of $ 750,000 and up with a few being lower.
Some people prefer townhouse communities and villas. We have those, too. There are new and old ones – 2-story and 3-stories, with some having elevators and even fenced-in backyards.
It’s easy to see there is no shortage to the type of housing one may find in Boca Raton Florida. Most people love the area, as it is easily accessible to downtown Delray Beach in a matter of minutes, as well as Fort Lauderdale and Miami – half an hour and approximately an hour respectively. I
If you live in Boca Raton, you have access to 4 airports – West Palm Beach International Airport, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Miami International Airport and Boca Raton’s Private Airport.
HOUSING & POPULATION STATISTICS
The median price of a home in Boca Raton FL is $ 325,000 while the median price of a condo, villa or townhouse is $ 170,000. Houses rose 3.4% in the past year while condos, villas and townhouses rose 13.3% from one year ago. According to the US Census for 2010, the population estimate for 2016 was 96,114. The median gross rent for 2016 was $ 1550 for a one bedroom apartment, and the average persons per household was 2.32. Population per square mile in 2016 was 2.877.2.
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
The climate in Boca Raton FL can vary. Despite the fact that Florida is the southernmost state in the United States, winters tend to be mild with an average of 76 to 85 from October through May. Summers are hot in Boca Raton with averages of 89 to 91 from June to September. We get approximately 27.31 inches of rain per year.
Living here 24 years, I can tell you the weather varies. The winter of 2018 was a cool and beautiful one. We had temperatures down at 39 degrees some mornings and it was cooler than average during the day with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. The sun shines a bright blue about 231 days per year, and tropical foliage and flowers bloom all year. Florida is humid with an average of about 70%. Again, it varies. Some days tend to be more humid while others are not humid at all.
Hurricanes, yes, we get them. That being said, it’s my opinion, that pretty much wherever you live in the United States, you get something – blizzards, Nor’easters, earthquakes or tornadoes. The good part about a hurricane is that they know in advance it’s coming to give you time to get prepared or leave. I’ve lived in the Boca/Delray/Boynton area for 24 years and we’ve gone through two bad hurricane seasons.
LOCAL ECONOMY
The unemployment rate is 3.9% with 4800 jobs added in leisure and hospitality in January. The sales tax rate is 7.00% and Florida has no state income tax. Income per capita in Boca Raton is $ 48,918. The median household income is $ 71,867.
POPULATION BY OCCUPATION
- Management, Business, Science and Arts, Professional 48%
- Service 15.9%
- Sales and Office 27.6%
- Production, Transportation and Materials Moving 4.1%
- Service 15.9%
- Natural Resources, Construction and Maintenance 4.4%
BOCA RATON, FL SCHOOLS
Boca Raton falls within Palm Beach County Schools. Palm Beach County Schools mission statement is: “The School District of Palm Beach County envisions a dynamic collaborative multicultural community where education and lifelong learning are valued and supported, and all learners reach their highest potential and succeed in the global economy.”
Boca Raton Florida is home to 14 elementary schools, 4 middle schools and 4 high schools. There are also charter schools and private schools. Boca Raton is known for its A+ Rated schools. Remember I said there were 8 zip codes in Boca Raton!
According to the Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach County spent an average of $ 9179 per student, which stood above Florida’s 13 largest counties in 2012-2013 school year.
COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES IN BOCA RATON FL
Boca Raton FL is home to three universities:
- Florida Atlantic University
- Lynn University
- Palm Beach State College
EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS
- 95.9% High School Graduate or Higher 2012-2016
- 52.4% Bachelor’s Degree or Higher 2012-2016
BOCA RATON DEMOGRAPHICS COMPARED TO FLORIDA STATE AVERAGE
- Median household income is above the state average.
- Median house value is significantly above state average
- Renting percentage below home ownership
AREA PARKS & LAKES
- Patch Reef Park
- Spanish River Park
- Greater Boca Raton Beach District
- Sugar Sand Park
- Sand Pine Park
- Red Reef Park
- Silver Palm Park
- South Beach Park, Boca Raton
- James A. Rutherford Park
- Daggerwing Nature Center
- Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park North
Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park- Blazing Star Preserve
- Weekend Dog Beach
- Hidden Lakes Park
- Parque Placido
BOCA RATON DOG PARKS
- Mizner Bark
- Canine Cove Dog Park
- Park Bark Dog Beach
HOSPITALS/MEDICAL CENTERS IN BOCA RATON AND NEARBY
- Boca Raton Regional Medical Center
- West Boca Medical Center
- Delray Medical Center
- Bethesda Medical Center
- University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center
- Bascom Palmer Eye Center at University of Miami
TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUTE
Major highways in Boca Raton include Interstate 95 and the Florida Turnpike. There is rail service on Tril Rail, but you really need a car to get around.
BOCA RATON FL RESTAURANTS
There are too many restaurants to list in Boca Raton – well over 100. You can pretty much enjoy any type of food from ethnic to healthy food in Boca. If you like to cook, that’s great because we have a lot of grocery stores including Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Fresh Market, 4th Generation, as well as traditional grocery stores. But, if you like to eat out or have it delivered, you’ve come to the right city! The “Delivery Dudes” will bring you pretty much anything.
BOCA RATON FLORIDA REALTOR®
If you’re thinking of buying or selling a house, condominium or townhouse in Boca Raton FL, please allow my years of experience to make the transaction as easy as possible for you. I like happy clients!
When you hire a REALTOR® today, whether to help buy a home or help sell your home, it’s an important decision. It’s one of the biggest purchases or sales you will likely ever make. Not all REALTORS® are created equal.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when looking to buy a home is to call the listing agent or go directly to a builder. Big mistake! Huge! Reason being is that the listing agent, or builder’s agent, has a contract with the seller or builder to get them the highest price possible.
Buyers do not save on the commission – that’s a myth. What happens, in reality, is that the seller’s agent will collect a double commission. So, do yourself a favor when looking for a resale or new construction in Boca Raton, hire a true Accredited Buyer’s Representative accredited through REBAC and the National Association of Realtors. It won’t cost you a penny!
I have an uncanny knack for matching people with properties. Once I’ve met them, I can easily find you your dream house whether you are here or not. Please read what others have said.
Considering selling your house in Boca Raton FL, your home will be found in all the top places most buyers would be searching for because I have a huge internet presence. I make sure to dot all my i’s and cross all my t’s. I spend time on Social Media and search engine optimization. Facebook, Googe+, Linked In, Zillow, Trullia, MLS and Active Rain are just some of the places.
A little bit about me:
- Graduated with a degree in Court & Conference Reporting – worked as a Court Stenographer in New York City
- Full-time Realtor for the past 14 years servicing south Palm Beach County and north Broward County including Boca Raton FL
- Member of National Association of Realtors
- Member of Florida Association of Realtors
- Member of Realtors of the Palm Beaches + Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors
- Member of Grievance Committee RAPB + GFLR – 2018
I have been helping people buy and sell homes in and around Boca Raton Florida for the last 14 years. Call/text or send me an email so we can discuss how I can best serve your Boca Raton Real Estate needs!
Thank you.
Elyse Berman, PA
REALTOR®, CRS, ABR, GRI, e-PRO
Best Connections Realty, Inc.
8177 Glades Rd, Suite 200
Boca Raton, FL 33434
(561) 716-7824
[email protected]
Connect with Elyse’s Real Estate profile on Facebook
See all Boca Raton FL homes for sale at this link.
Related articles for Boca Raton pet lovers:
- Pet friendly condos in Boca Raton and Highland Beach
- Pet friendly gated communities in Boca Raton
- Pet friendly 55+ Active Adult Communities in Delray Beach
Realtor® Boca Raton FL | Real Estate Agents Boca Raton