Carol Clawson

Sales of homes in Palm Beach Gardens and throughout Palm Beach County are increasing as prices continue to decline, according to the most recent home sale statistics released by the Florida Association of Realtors.

More than 700 single family homes sold in May, 2009 throughout the county, an increase of about eight percent over the number of homes closed in April and a five percent increase over May of 2008.

But home prices continue to fluctuate and may not yet have reached a bottom from which to begin rising. The median Palm Beach County single family home price for May was $232,000, the same as it was in January and about one percent lower than it was in April. But the price is 30 percent lower than the median single family home price of May, 2008 which stood at $330,900.

Single family home prices in Palm Beach County are about where they were in the spring of 2003.

This is a tough story for home sellers, especially those who bought their property during the past five or six years. But it is a bonanza for buyers. Experience from the front line is that homes are selling if they are priced right and if buyers believe they are getting a good deal. There are still sufficient homes on the market so that buyers will compare homes against each other.

The Weiss-Clawson closely follows real estate sales in most Palm Beach Gardens and West Palm Beach communities. Here is a picture of homes on the market and sales in several communities:

In Ironhorse Country Club today there are 36 homes on the market with five currently under contract. Those under contract range in price from $375,000 up to $675,000. Two of the homes are short sales. There have been three homes sold in Ironhorse between January and June 2009, two priced in the $300,000's and one in the $700,000's

In Ibis Country Club there are 203 homes on the market today with 17 under contract. There were 41 homes sold in Ibis through June with 25 priced below $500,000 and 16 priced above $500,000.

The homes that are selling are often the lower priced properties in a community. About 62 percent of the homes sold in May throughout the county were priced at or below $300,000. Home sales in the higher brackets are stagnant.

In Steeplechase there are 19 homes on the market today and none are under contract. Only one house has sold in Steeplechase through June and that was a foreclosure which was purchased for $435,000.

In San Michele there are 17 homes on the market with just one under contract. Through June only one home in San Michele sold. It had been on the market for nearly 600 days, was originally priced at $1,149,000 and sold for $832,000.

The Weiss-Clawson Team has sales information available for every community throughout Palm Beach County. If you are interested in buying or selling a home, or have friends or relatives interested in local real estate, please contact The Weiss-Clawson Team.

Home prices are holding steady in Palm Beach Gardens' Mirasol indicating the market may be approaching its bottom point. For buyers, it could be the right time to get off the fence and start looking for the house you've been waiting for.

A spot check of three bedroom homes sold in Mirasol during the first five months of 2008 revealed eight homes closed during the period at an average of $239 per square foot. The first five months of 2009 showed 13 three bedroom homes sold at an average of $238 per square foot.

In total, 70 homes sold in Mirasol during 2008 with many closing below market price.

Today there are 133 homes on the market in Mirasol and a look through those available show there are still some very good deals to be had in the community. The lowest priced home on the market in Mirasol today is priced at $425,000 and the highest exceeds $3 million.

Mirasol is a full amenity country club community located in the heart of Palm Beach Gardens, convenient to restaurants, shopping and major roadways. Both new construction and resales are active.

The Weiss-Clawson Team researches all communities throughout Palm Beach Gardens and Palm Beach County to provide the most up to date information to our clients. If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Palm Beach County we would like to work with you. Please contact The Weiss-Clawson Team directly for more information.

We look forward to hearing from you and to working with you.

Prices of homes in Palm Beach Gardens' area Ironhorse Country Club are holding steady so far this year compared with sales in 2008.

The pace of sales in Ironhorse is about the same in 2009 as in 2008 with 2 homes already closed and four more under contract. Two of the four under contract are short sales which takeconsiderably longer to conclude than a conventional sale. During 2008 there were 11 homes sold in Ironhorse.

Prices of Ironhorse homes that sold so far reflect $171.50 per square foot, about the same as the $172 per square foot average for the 11 homes that sold in 2008.

Ironhorse homes are doing slightly better than the county average as prices throughout Palm Beach County have declined a few percentage points since the beginning of the year.

Ironhorse Country Club is a small intimate community of about 324 homes most surrounding the championship Arthur Hills golf course or the spectacular Loxahatchee Nature Preserve. All residents are social members of the club which includes tennis, fitness center, swimming pool, clubhouse activities and the restaurant. Golf members pay a small initiation fee and annual dues for unlimited use of the golf course.

There are currently 34 homes for sale in Ironhorse, ranging in price from the mid- $300,000's up to $2 million and from two bedrooms up to seven bedrooms. There is something for everyone in this very special community.

The Weiss-Clawson Team includes a resident expert in Ironhorse properties. We welcome your interest in the community and would love to show you homes in Ironhorse or any other community that meet your needs. Please contact The Weiss-Clawson Team directly for your real estate needs.

We look forward to hearing from you and to working with you.

The number of homes on the market in Palm Beach Gardens has declined about 20 percent since the beginning of the year as savvy buyers complete their purchases.

There are now about 1,600 homes for sale in Palm Beach Gardens, down from 2,000 in January.

And homes are more affordable today than they have been for years. Of the 1,600 homes for sale, 63 percent are priced under $500,000 and 44 percent are priced under $300,000. If you have been thinking about buying a home in Palm Beach Gardens, this may be the time to get off the fence and start looking.

Short sales are foreclosures are still dominating the market as these properties seem to sell first. About one third of the homes on the market in the under $500,000 category are listed as short sales.

But short sales are not just among the lower priced homes. In the over $1 million price category there are 257 homes on the market with five of those listed as short sales. These can be found in the leading country club and upscale communities of BallenIsles, Mirasol, San Michele and Frenchmans Reserve.

The Weiss-Clawson Team researches housing market trends in communities throughout Palm Beach County to bring the most up to date information to our clients. If you are interested in buying or selling real estate, we would like to work with you. You can contact us directly or you can utilize our website, www.palmbeachcountyhomes.com, for additional information.

We look forward to hearing from you and to working with you.

If you are considering buying a vacation home or permanent residence in one of Palm Beach Gardens area country club communities, consider Ironhorse.

With 34 homes in Ironhorse on the market there are 10 residences priced at or below $400,000. These include homes with views of the golf course or the preserve as well as very private interior lots. Some homes have pools while others may come with a hot tub. There are both two and three bedroom homes priced under $400,000 and just about every residence includes a den.

Ironhorse Country Club is located just south of the Beeline Highway on Jog Road, convenient to the Veterans Administration Hospital, the Florida Turnpike, and world class shopping and restaurants along the PGA Boulevard corridor.

Ironhorse is a small intimate community with just 324 homes surrounding a championship Arthur Hills Golf Course and abutting the Loxahatchee Nature Preserve. All residents are social members of the club, which includes tennis, fitness center, community swimming pool, dining facilities, clubhouse and social activities. Golf members residing in Ironhorse pay a one time initiation fee of $20,000 plus very reasonable annual dues.

The Weiss-Clawson Team includes a resident expert in Ironhorse. In 2008 we represented the buyer, the seller or both in 70 percent of the homes sold.

We welcome your interest in Ironhorse or in any other community in the Palm Beach Gardens area or throughout Palm Beach County. If you are interested in buying or selling a home in this area, please contact The Weiss-Clawson Team directly. We look forward to hearing from you and to working with you.