Carol Clawson

Home prices in Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, North Palm Beach, Jupiter and Juno Beach continue to drop as the 2008 season draws to a close.

By early May most of our seasonal residents will be on their way back north, leaving their winter residence on the market. Some have already purchased homes for next season, taking advantage of falling prices. Others will return in late spring or early fall to purchase their winter home.

But we do expect more homes to be placed up for sale as we enter late spring and the summer months. And those truly wanting to sell are lowering their prices.

In Palm Beach Gardens/West Palm Beach's Ironhorse Country Club there are currently 37 homes the market, withy two now under contract. Four Ironhorse homes have already sold this year. Of the 35 active listings, 16 sellers have reduced their original listing prices. There are homes on the market from $349,900 for a three bedroom, 2.5 bath 2500 square foot home with a pool and golf course view to a seven bedroom, 11,000 square foot home with pool also on the golf course for $2 million.

Looking at those homes that sold this year, the average price was $174 per square foot, so it is easy to conclude that prices are still falling.

The Weiss-Clawson Team includes a resident expert in Ironhorse Country Club. If you are interested in exploring homes in this unique community, please contact us.

Homes are beginning to sell in Palm Beach Gardens premiere estate community of Steeplechase at a pace greater than 2007 sales. Four Steeplechase homes sold during the first three months of the year, putting sales at an expected level of 16 for this very unique and upscale community. This would be slightly higher than the 10 homes sold in Steeplechase during 2007.

Prices in Steeplechase continue to drop.

The four homes sold in Steeplechase averaged $273 per square foot, down from $297 in 2007, a decline of about 7%. There were no foreclosed or "short sales" in Steeplechase during the first quarter of 2008. Foreclosed or "short sales" tens to bring down prices in a community

There are some wonderful homes on the market in Steeplechase -- all on an acre of land or more. Thirteen properties for sale ranging in price from $599,000 to $2,890,000.

HAS THE MARKET BOTTOMED?

Many of our clients are asking whether the market has bottomed yet as home buying activity increases. While we wish we had that crystal ball and could say "yes," there may be further erosion in home sale prices as the season ends and more homes come on the market.

Yet it is an outstanding time to buy with prices throughout Palm Beach County still declining.

Home prices in January 2008 were 12 percent lower than in January 2007 and prices in February 2008 were 8 percent lower than in February 2007. While many potential buyers state that they are waiting for the prices to reach the bottom, we encourage them to act now, since it is impossible to "peg" the bottom of the market.

The Weiss-Clawson Team includes a Steeplechase resident experts, but we serve clients throughout the region, selling property from Ft. Lauderdale to Sebring. We look forward to working with you, your friends and relatives and deeply appreciate all referrals. Please contact us for all of your real estate needs.

WE WANT YOUR BUSINESS .............

Homes are beginning to sell in the West Palm Beach/;Palm Beach Gardens community of Ironhorse Country Club at a pace greater than 2007 sales, but prices continue to decline. Four homes sold in Ironhorse during the first three months of the year, putting sales at an expected level of 16 for the year. This would be slightly higher than the 11 homes sold in Ironhorse during 2007.

However, prices in Ironhorse continue to drop making this a wonderful buyers' market

The four homes sold in Ironhorse averaged $174 per square foot, down from $191 per square foot in 2007, a 9% price decline. One of the homes sold was a "short sale" meaning the owner accepted a price that was less than the amount owed to the lender. Short sales and foreclosures tend to cause price declines within a community.

There is still a large inventory of homes on the market in Ironhorse - a total of 38 properties for sale ranging in price from $360,000 to $2 million.

HAS THE MARKET BOTTOMED?

Many of our clients are asking whether the market has bottomed yet as home buying activity increases. While we wish we had that crystal ball and could say "yes," there may be further erosion in home sale prices as the season ends and more homes come on the market.

Yet it is an outstanding time to buy with prices throughout Palm Beach County declining.

Home prices in January 2008 were 12 percent lower than in January 2007 and prices in February 2008 were 8 percent lower than in February 2007. While many potential buyers state that they are waiting for the prices to reach the bottom, we encourage them to act now, since it is impossible to "peg" the bottom of the market.

The Weiss-Clawson Team includes a resident expert in Ironhorse Country Club, but we serve clients throughout the region, selling property from Ft. Lauderdale to Sebring. We look forward to working with you, your friends and relatives and deeply appreciate all referrals. Please contact us for your real estate needs.

WE WANT YOUR BUSINESS .............

WE'LL EARN YOUR TRUST

It is a great time to buy a home in Palm Beach Gardens'/West Palm Beach's Ironhorse Country Club.

There are more than 35 beautiful homes on the market in this wonderful community, and prices are down significantly from the high point in 2006. In 2006, the prices of homes sold in Ironhorse averaged $226 per square foot. By 2007 with with sales and prices down, the average price of homes sold was $191 per square foot. By mid-March 2008, just one home sold this year and that property closed at $176 per square foot.

That amounts to a 22 percent decline in Ironhorse home prices over the past two years.

Yet, the community remains vibrant and exciting. The club house and championship golf course were refurbished within the past three years and activities abound. There is an active tennis program, well equipped fitness center and community swimming pool.

Homes on the market in Ironhorse range in size from two bedrooms plus den to seven bedrooms on a large estate lot. Many homes have swimming pools and all residents are social members of the club. Prices today range from the mid-$300,000 up to $2 million. The community is home to a variety of residents including seasonal snowbirds and year'round families.

The Weiss-Clawson Team has represented more than 50 percent of buyers and/or sellers in this unique community of just 324 homes. And the Weiss-Clawson Team includes a resident expert in Ironhorse. Please contact us for further information about Ironhorse Country Club or any neighborhood in Palm Beach County.

WE WANT YOUR BUSINESS ... WE'LL EARN YOUR TRUST

If you are looking for a country club home at a value price, now is the time to explore Ironhorse Country Club.

Located in West Palm Beach/Palm Beach Gardens, Ironhorse is a small, intimate yet full service club with outstanding golf and tennis facilities. With just 324 homes in the community, it provides a hometown and friendly environment for seasonal or year 'round residents.

Located just south on Jog Road from the Bee Line Highway, Ironhorse is centrally located to the PGA shopping corridor in Palm Beach Gardens as well as to City Place in West Palm Beach. The community abuts the Loxahatchee Nature Preserve and benefits from the abundand natural environment. Many homes have backyard views of the preserve, marsh or golf course.

Homes in community range from small two bedroom plus den hideaways to large family mansions. There are currently 37 homes on the market in Ironhorse ranging in price from $375,000 for a three bedroom plus den/two and a half bath home to $2 million for a seven bedroom/nine bathroom family compound. You can see them all on our main website by clicking here.

The Weiss-Clawson Team has represented more than 50 percent of the buyers and/or sellers in Ironhorse during the past three years and includes a community resident expert. We look forward to working with you in Ironhorse or in any Palm Beach County community. We have successfully worked with buyers throughout Palm Beach County. Please contact us to begin your home search.