The Polly Earl award, named after the late executive director of the Preservation Foundation of Palm beach, awards a Palm Beach property owner for outstanding service to the preservation of historic Palm Beach homes. 

At the conclusion of the annual trustees meeting Lisa and Claes Wahlestedt were awarded this years Earl Award for their property on Australian Avenue.

The Wahlestedts landmarked historical home is one of the oldest homes on the island.  Its located within the original Royal Park Addition neighborhood, originally platted in 1911 by Cap Dimick, Palm Beach’s first mayor. This area predates Town Hall.

The couple purchased the home in 2004 in pretty shabby condition. Taking careful measures to update the home without destroying its historic appearance the Wahlestedts expanded the home by about 1000 sq. ft. creating a new kitchen and family-dining area. Otherwise the floor plan did not change.
 

Included is the Sales Data as mentioned in the Palm Beach Real Estate Guide.

This historical home has been recently renovated throughout with special care to maintain its classic charm. The former home of John B Ford and his wife Mary Holland Ford; designed by renowned Palm Beach architect John Volk in the 1960’s. This luxurious oceanfront estate comprises of main house with 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 3 powder rooms plus a separate staff or guest apartment over the detached garage.  The house was renovated so that all of the major rooms offer a panoramic view of the ocean with all the finest amenities available.  This spectacular historic home is currently listed for $25 million. Contact Scott Gordon Realty at 561-533-5888 to schedule a showing.

Ask anyone why Florida remains so popular and opinions will vary wildly.  Most people will generally mention the many beaches, the sunny weather and the attractions that exist throughout the state such as Walt Disney World.  If we move down to the South Florida region, we already know Miami Beach is a major contributor to Florida’s appeal but it’s Palm Beach that arguably caters to the widest age demographic, among other cities.

Palm Beach real estate is popular with the older generation and boasts widely recognized names like Donald Trump while also offering beachfront properties for the young professional and investor wanting to live near the beach.  A few years ago however, most people found living in Palm Beach—and everywhere else in Florida—a little too much on the expensive side which subsequently drove many people to move elsewhere.

Baby boomers were among the groups of people who decided Florida was too expensive.  And while Florida can still be considered a little on the pricey side, the real estate market plunge it’s experiencing has made things substantially more affordable for people wanting to own beachfront condos in Palm Beach or a single family home by the water.  Baby boomers are looking for a place to spend their golden years and since prices in Florida have dropped so drastically, a lot of them may soon be calling it their retirement home.  While it may require some legwork, retirees can find very good deals on beachfront condos for over fifty percent less than its original asking price.

Palm Beach realtors would surely appreciate a surge in demand from baby boomers in order to help get them rid of all the existing property for sale but there is a potential problem that could arise if such a trend were to take place: as more and more young immigrants come into South Florida.  The large gap in age may cause public services to be spread too thin.  Chances are by the time a situation like that threatens to become a problem, there will already be a solution in place.

Prices and values for South Florida homes have generally seen an “across the board drop”, with some markets experiencing more drastic percentage drops than others.  The Palm Beach real estate market is actually one of the markets where prices and values are still doing significantly better in comparison and is therefore slightly less of an investment and/or buying risk than markets where prices continue to fluctuate.

On top of that, the state of Florida also seems to be eyeing Palm Beach with more confidence.  It recently bestowed the county’s local governments with its State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) program, an $8.9 million dollar fund which, much like the name implies is intended to further develop programs and grants in order to boost homeownership among those with lower income and tackle foreclosure prevention by continuing to fund programs designed to assist distressed homeowners.

Receiving the SHIP funds does entail a few prerequisites however.  Programs designed to assist first time buyers and existing homeowners must already be in place and no neighborhood can have inflated mortgage rates that are higher than thirty percent of what the median value of homes in the neighborhood are currently at.  This removes the need to start from scratch and ensures that the funds are being used as effectively as possible.

The money does (and can) go beyond foreclosures and first time home buyer assistance.  Assuming the requirements have been met, governments may also choose to use the money to construct additional beachfront condos, take care of costly repairs or create additional assistance programs of some sort.

The more that can be done to help those people who don’t have six figure salaries or the homeowners drowning in mortgage debt, the better the chances of improving the country’s real estate market situation and SHIP can only work in favor of these buyers and homeowners.

The Importance of Selecting Your Real Estate Agent

~Scott Gordon Realty Inc.

Working with the right Real Estate agent can save you hours of hard work, difficult negotiations and possibly heartbreak. Educated Realtors like those at Scott Gordon Realty and Exclusive Estates assist in the buying process ensuring a smooth transaction by negotiating with the sellers, keeping track of deadlines and due dates. In cases of multiple offers on a home, one missed deadline and your dream home could slip away.

With many years working with buyers and sellers a good Realtor can help point you in the best direction for your home purchase. You may possibly be in need of a single family home for your growing family, a vacation home or a condo to accommodate your busy lifestyle. An educated Realtor knows about local market conditions, neighborhood locations or other specialized factors that are important in the decision making process. A good Realtor takes the time to listen to your needs and adjust the home search accordingly.

One of the first things to consider when searching for a Realtor is the kind of home you are looking for. An agent specializing in acreage and horse farms would probably not be the best suited to help you find your vacation Beachfront home or condo. When searching for your new home or vacation home in Palm Beach County Scott Gordon Realty and Exclusive Estates agents are the best in the industry and have the experience and expertise in Oceanfront and Country Club properties to assure a smooth transaction.

Start your search for an agent utilizing several different routes: ask friends, family or associates for their personal recommendations, talk with the Realtors at well known and respected agencies like Scott Gordon Realty or Exclusive Estates and finally look at what agencies are selling the homes in the niche you’re searching for.

Set up interviews with a few agents, listen to your gut feeling; searching for a home can sometimes be a long process and you want to feel comfortable working with your agent. Avoid high pressure agents, explain what you’re looking for and ask what they feel the best strategy would be. Their concern and dedication to your home search is crucial.

Experience is also important but do not discount a newer agent with a higher level of motivation and commitment. A bonus to using a new excited agent is you can be sure if they don’t know the answer, they will go the extra length to find out.

Look for an agent with a strong team and supportive Broker behind them.  Scott Gordon Realty’s sales team in Manalapan is supported by Broker Scott Gordon. Exclusive Estates managing partner and Realtor Jeffrey Ray supports the Palm Beach office.

Always make sure you’re working with a licensed REALTOR- A realtor is a member of the national association of Realtors (NAR). These agents agree to be held to a higher standard of practice known as the REALTOR Code of Ethics.

Best of Luck in the Search for Your New Home!

You can locate Scott Gordon Realty at

255 S Ocean Blvd * Manalapan, FL 33462 561-533-5888 www.scottgordonrealty.com