Carol Clawson

Savvy buyers are making very good deals on homes in Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Juno Beach and throughout Palm Beach County as homes prices fall for yet another month.

There were 408 single family homes sold in Palm Beach County in January, 2009 compared with 369 sold in January 2008, a nine percent increase. Yet prices continue tracking downward. The median single family home price in January was $232,100, compared with $246,000 for the median price in December, 2008, a six percent decline.

The condo market felt significant gains in number of sale jumping 24 percent in January 2009 compared with January, 2008. There were 374 condos sold in January. 2009 compared with 303 sold in January, 2008. While prices continued to fall, the decline was not as steep as in previous months. The median price for a condo in Palm Beach County in January was $108,900 compared with $112,900 in December 2008, a four percent decline.

There are wonderful deals to be had in Palm Beach Gardens and through Palm Beach County. Hundreds of homes remain on the market in leading communities throughout the area, such as Ironhorse Country Club, Steeplechase, Mirasol, BallenIsles, Ibis Country Club, Frenchmans Reserve, San Michele, PGA National and many more.

The Weiss-Clawson Team has expertise in these communities and many more throughout the area. You can begin your search directly from our website. We have helped hundreds of our clients achieve the best price for their dream home. Contact us directly for more information about real estate interested in Palm Beach County.

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

With more than 1800 homes for sale in Palm Beach Gardens it is an excellent time to buy that vacation home or new permanent residence.

It may be a one bedroom condo that you're searching for or perhaps it's a large family estate home on an acre of land. There are homes for everyone on the market today. The large inventory has caused prices to drop substantially and we are now seeing many homes selling for prices we haven't seen since 2003.

So get off the fence and come look!

You can start your search right at your computer through our website, www.palmbeachcountyhomes.com. We feature an easy to use search feature which enables you to look for a home by neighborhood, by community or by map. And you can enter important criteria such as number of bedrooms, baths, price range and square footage. Our search features pulls homes from the realtors' multiple listing service so you can have up to date information on homes for sale.

Or, we can do the search for you. Just e-mail The Weiss-Clawson Team with relevant information about the home you would like and your contact information. We will call you and provide information to you about homes on the market that meet your criteria. You can contact us directly and we will respond within a few hours.

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

More than 30 percent of the homes for sale in Palm Beach County will not cover the mortgage owed when the property sells or the property is already owned by the bank.

There are about 29,000 homes for sale in Palm Beach County through the realtors' multiple listing service with more than 7,000 of those being short sales plus an estimated 2,000 - 3,000 properties already bank owned. A whopping 44 percent of these Palm Beach County homes for sale have been on the market for six months or more.

A short sale occurs when the property is being sold for less than the owner owes on the mortgage. If a buyer is found for the property, the bank holding the mortgage frequently requires the seller to sign a note for the difference between what the bank will get from the proceeds of the sale and some or all of what is owed on the mortgage. If the seller refuses to sign the note, the sale is cancelled and the property will likely go into foreclosure. But the seller could get another year or two in the property before the bank forecloses so many just wait for their final notice.

Few communities are spared among the country club communities, gated communities or condos and townhomes of Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, North Palm Beach, Jupiter and Juno Beach. Throughout the county, these properties are glutting the market and bringing prices down to levels not seen since 2003.

Here are examples of market reality in some of Palm Beach Gardens leading communities:

Steeplechase: 19 homes on the market with six in preforclosure or bank owned. Prices start at $549,900

Ironhorse Country Club: 32 homes on the market with eight properties in preforclosure or bank owned. Prices start at $299,000

Ibis Country Club: 182 homes on the market with 15 short sales listed. Prices start at $160,000.

San Michele: 14 homes on the market with no short sales listed. Prices start at $1,149,000.

PGA National: 260 homes on the market with 17 short sales listed. Prices start at $79,900.

Mirasol: 132 homes on the market with four short sales listed. Prices start at $484,000.

Landmark at the Gardens: 13 homes on the market with six short sales listed. Prices start at $299,000.

Frenchmans Reserve: 68 homes on the market with six short sales listed. Prices start at $375,000.

Mirabella: 32 homes on the market with three short sales listed. Prices start at $284,000.

The Weiss-Clawson Team will research any community throughout Palm Beach County to provide the most up to date market information for our clients. Please contact us directly for information about these or any communities in Palm Beach County. We look forward to hearing from you and to working with you.

Prices of single family homes in Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Juno Beach, North Palm Beach and throughout Palm Beach County leveled in December as the number of home sales increased 30 percent compared with November. If this trend continues, it could signify that the real estate market is bottoming in our region.

We do expect Palm Beach County area home prices could stabilize somewhat earlier than other parts of the nation since our real estate prices fell faster and further than was experienced in other areas. And our price decline began ahead of most other regions.

In December 2008, the median price of a single family home was $246,000, just a smidgen less than the November price of $247,400. At the same time, the number of sales soared to 638, compared with 450 in November, a 29 percent increase.

The condo market did not fare as well. While the number of condo sales increase 32 percent in December compared with November, prices continued to decline. The median price for a condo in Palm Beach County was $112,900 in December compared with $123,900 in November, a 9 percent decline.

So if you have been waiting for prices to stabilize, this could be your time to buy.

There are more than 29,000 homes on the market in Palm Beach County. Have a look at Palm Beach Gardens country club communities, gated communities or condos and townhomes.

The Weiss-Clawson Team would like to work with you. We do extensive research for our clients to ensure they get the best price on the home they select. Please contact The Weiss-Clawson Team directly for further information.

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

With nearly 600 homes for sale in Palm Beach Gardens area country club communities, savvy buyers have fantastic opportunities in today's market.

Over the past week, this blog profiled Mirasol, Ibis Country Club, Frenchmans Reserve and BallenIsles noting the number of properties on the market in each community and documenting price declines.

Today it's time to take a look at Ironhorse Country Club, a small intimate full amenity community abutting the Loxahatchee Nature Preserve on the fringe of Palm Beach Gardens.

There are 32 homes for sale in Ironhorse ranging in price from $299,000 for 2532 square foot three bedroom, two bath home to $2 million for a large family estate on the golf course. And there are four short sales in Ironhorse.

As in every other community profiled prices in Ironhorse are down, providing wonderful opportunities for interested buyers.

For example, in 2006 a three bedroom, two bath 2469 Encino model sold for $532,500. Today a similar three bedroom, two bath Encino is on the market for $419,000. In 2006 a 2600 square foot, three bedroom, three bath home sold for $564,000. Today there is a four bedroom, four bath custom 4400 square foot home on the market for just $585,000.

The Weiss-Clawson Team includes a resident expert in Ironhorse Country Club. During 2008 we were involved in selling about 70 percent of the homes in Ironhorse by representing the seller, the buyer or both. You can contact The Weiss-Clawson Team directly for information about homes available in Ironhorse or in any Palm Beach Gardens area country club community or any other community.

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