Dennis Handa

Boca Raton
Boca Raton is Palm Beach County's southernmost city. It is located 17 miles north of Ft Lauderdale, 215 miles south of Daytona Beach, 192 miles south of Orlando and 42 miles north of Miami, on the Atlantic.
The City is growing rapidly. Its open-air shopping and dining districts, combined with a strong arts scene plus sports activities ranging from boating to tennis have helped establish it as a stylish area.

In addition to those amenities, it enjoys a strong business community. In fact in 2004 it was voted the number 4 best place in the country for working, per the Job search site at
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsbystate/a/bestcities.htm
Some statistics

5 miles of coastline
Population is approximately 75,000 within city limits
Approximately 125,000 in the unincorporated area
Total Area: 27.14 square miles within the city limits. Slightly over five miles at widest point.
Average Annual Temperature: 74.7 degrees; low: 66.6 degrees, high: 82.9 degrees
Average Annual Rainfall: 60.75 inches
Average Household income: $62,594
Median Household Income: $62,800
Median Age: 42.9
3 colleges in Boca Raton
2 major hospitals
31 parks
36 Golf courses
It has a Museum of Art and it’s own orchestra (Boca Pops)
As of Sept 2005, per an MLS search the least expensive 2/2 was $310,000
A good site to get more information is the Boca City site at http://www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/
The cost of living here is approximately that of Palm Beach-ranging towards 110
However on comparison with other parts of the country it is still a deal.
http://www.eflorida.com
See comparable Florida statewide CGI’s below:

Monroe 112.43
Dade 106.28
Broward 15.80
Pinellas 103.74
Sarasota 102.90
Palm Beach 102.69
Collier 100.99
Hillsborough 100.86
Seminole 99.48
Manatee 99.22
St. Johns 99.18
Orange 99.04
Brevard 97.92
Lee 97.80
(Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

New York, NY 364
Long Beach, NY 340
Palo Alto, CA 268
Menlo Park, CA 265
Los Altos, CA 261
Saratoga, CA 261
Boston, MA 240
Malibu, CA 233
San Francisco, CA 217
Greenwich, CT 215
Cambridge, MA 211
Santa Monica, CA 197
Keystone, CO 194
San Rafael, CA 192
Weston, CT 192
Darien, CT 192
Wellesley, MA 192
Fort Lee, NJ 189
Arlington, VA 184
Honolulu, HI 184
Washington, DC 181
Princeton, NJ 180
Vail, CO 178
Chicago, IL 166
Sunnyvale, CA 164
San Mateo, CA 163
Marathon, FL 161
Ridgewood, NJ 159
Mystic, CT 159
Key West, FL 149
For a complete list go to http://verticals.yahoo.com/cities/categories/costofliving.html

Transportation-The same roads 195 and the Florida turnpike connect Boca north and south.
Airports

Palm Beach International Airport, the primary commercial passenger serve airport in the northern portion of South Florida's metropolitan area, is just 25 miles north of Boca Raton and serves more than 5.8 million passengers.
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Just 20 miles south.
Miami International, 47 miles south of Boca Raton,
Trains

AMTRAK
561/USA-RAIL, 800-872-7245
Metrorail
305/770-3131
Tri-Rail
800/TRI-RAIL
In conclusion, this area tends to be expensive. But in return it has all the amenities of a suburban life style yet you’re close to Miami and Ft Lauderdale and all they have to offer.

.©2006. Florida Real Estate Network Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Hollywood
Hollywood sits on Florida's Gold Coast, just south of Ft Lauderdale and just north of Miami. The population estimate for 2003 was 143,400. The median age is 39.

The weather averages 77 degrees year round and that combined with miles of waterways makes it a great place to enjoy all types of water-sports. There are 46 parks, 7 golf courses and professional sports nearby including the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins, Miami Heat and the Florida Panthers. There's also Gulfstream Racetrack, Caulder Racetrack, Hollywood Greyhound Track and Dania Jai-Lai
Hollywood is easily accessible from the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and 1-95 or the Florida Turnpike. Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami are less than twenty-five miles away.

The area has substantial educational opportunities, including Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, the University of Miami and a number of smaller private universities, colleges, and a community college system.
Hollywood has seven miles of sand beaches and Florida's only Oceanfront Broadwalk (a 27-foot wide path where no cars come between you and the beach).
The boardwalk is dotted with restaurants, music and shops. Personally, I’ve found that spending an evening at the boardwalk is really a great way to relax and take in the “Florida Lifestyle.”

In addition to the beaches, there are art galleries, festivals, restaurants, hotels and nightlife in a downtown with a European atmosphere.

Economic data:
Hollywood, though very distinctive, is just one of several small towns and cities within the Boca Raton-Ft.Lauderdale-Miami metropolitan area, so it is difficult to break out economic data that is explicitly Hollywood.
If you are considering starting a new business, or relocating an existing business to Hollywood, you should know that there are important incentives available. You can find these summarized at this online link: http://www.hollywoodbizcouncil.org/incentives.htmLocal taxes

For other related and relevant information please consult:

The city’s Website is at http://www.hollywoodfl.org/
Another very good site covering general information is: http://www.hollywoodfl.org/living_hollywood.htm
In conclusion
Hollywood has it’s own identity. Just driving into the beach area or the downtown will tell you that. In other words although it’s close to Miami and Ft Lauderdale, Hollywood has its own ambience. There are few places in Florida with such a distinctive identity.
So if you want easy access to the big city life but want to retreat to a quieter area, Hollywood could be the perfect spot.

.©2006. Florida Real Estate Network Inc. All Rights Reserved

Fort Lauderdale - Hollywood - Boca Raton Home Page
Blessed with a semi-tropical climate and outstanding cultural and recreational opportunities, Ft Lauderdale is indeed a great place to live, work, play and raise a family.
Ft Lauderdale offers a vibrant business environment, good jobs and a great quality of life. From Fortune 500 companies to small Art galleries,

Ft Lauderdale is one of the fastest growing areas in Florida. It is also home to a largely upscale, diverse, multiethnic population that helps create its cosmopolitan, international flavor. Its own major international airport connects it to the world. Technorati ProfileIf you never went anywhere else in Florida, Ft. Lauderdale would suffice – it’s that good!

“The Venice of America”
More than 300 miles of navigable inland waterways wind through Ft Lauderdale, accommodating boats of all sizes. Lots of sun and great weather. Take a water taxi, bus service downtown to shop or your favorite restaurant. For schedules and stops go to http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLMap.Asp

Ft. Lauderdale is also frequently regarded as the yachting capital of America, at least the East Coast USA variety. It’s a boating “jumping-off” place for cruising the Bahamas, as well as the fabulous American Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), which you can take through protected inland water, all the way to the Keys or the Carolinas.

The Hinterlands
Nobody really thinks about a Ft. Lauderdale “backcountry,” but there is one: the fabulous Everglades National Park. The Park and the preserve areas north of it provide opportunities for hiking, biking, airboating, and driving adventures.

There are even Indian reservations and casinos! And while Miami probably wouldn’t be regarded as a hinterland (!), it is if we’re talking about Ft. Lauderdale. Miami complements Ft. Lauderdale’s own impressive list of cultural and nightlife offerings, and adds the dimension of major league professional sports with the NBA football and MLB baseball.
Finally, the Florida Keys and Key West are an easy drive south.

General Information.

Located in the east-central portion of Broward County, 23 miles north of Miami and 42 miles south of Palm Beach. Fort Lauderdale is the seventh largest city in Florida
Area in Square Miles 1285
Average Temperature 76°F
Average Annual Precipitation 53 in
Average Rain Days 131
Population projection 2005 -1,793,500
Average home cost-June 2005-$378,000
Cost of Living-103-3rd in the state
Median age-25-44 years old or approximately 1/3 the population
Major Employment by Industry in order of numbers

Education, Health, Social Services
Retail Trade
Administrative, Waste Management Services
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation, Food Services
Professional, Scientific, Management, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing
Construction
Manufacturing
So, if you’re interested in life in a Metropolitan area mixed in with great weather, and you like the outdoors, you should check out Ft Lauderdale.

Stuart, Ft Pierce, Port St Lucie and Martin County Cost of Living

The cost of living index is based on the composite price of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, clothing and entertainment.

Cost of living indexes will generally be higher in areas that offer access to beaches, culture, arts and recreation. In addition areas, that offer a wider variety of services such as health and education will run higher due to higher wages, and increased quality of living.

Cost of living indexing explanation
A figure of 100 points is used as an average both for the USA and Florida. For example:
Boise Idaho is ranked at a 99
Boston Mass is rated at 240
San Francisco at 217
Statewide, Florida cities come in from a low of 90 and up.
One way to compare Florida areas to salary requirements
For example-If you were relocating from Portland Oregon (whose rate 1s 120) to Orlando, and you currently make $50,000 per year, the formula is as follows
Take the destination index, in this case Orlando-104.2 and divide by Portland’s index-120, then multiply by a salary of $50,000. This will give you a figure of $43,416.00 which would be required to make in Orlando to have the same quality of life.
See comparable Florida statewide
* Re cost of living--in some areas Real Estate has went up dramatically however costs that factor in such as food, transportation, rents etc have not increased at the same rate-so in some areas, even though housing is expensive, the overall rating may still be low
2006 Fourth quarter stats per ACCRA and Council for Community Economic Research

Bradenton-100.6
Cape Coral-Ft Myers-108.0
Ft Lauderdale-117.0
Fort Walton-Destin-97.3
Jacksonville metro-96.3
Miami metro-115.0
Orlando metro-104.2
Palm Coast-Flagler-98.5
Panama City-96.6
Pensacola metro-96.0
Sarasota-107.0
Tampa 98.5
St Pete-Clearwater-99.9
Vero-Beach Indian River-103.4
West Palm Beach metro-117.5
(Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

(Population Weighted-State Average=100
See national comparisons
Cost of living (100 = nationwide average)

* New York, NY 364
* Long Beach, NY 340
* Palo Alto, CA 268
* Menlo Park, CA 265
* Los Altos, CA 261
* Saratoga, CA 261
* Boston, MA 240
* Malibu, CA 233
* San Francisco, 217
* Greenwich, CT 215
* Cambridge, MA 211
* Santa Monica, CA 197
* Keystone, CO 194
* San Rafael, CA 192
* Weston, CT 192
* Darien, CT 192
* Wellesley, MA 192
* Fort Lee, NJ 189
* Arlington, VA 184
* Honolulu, HI 184
* Washington, DC 181
* Princeton, NJ 180
* Vail, CO 178
* Chicago, IL 166
* Sunnyvale, CA 164
* San Mateo, CA 163
* Marathon, FL 161
* Ridgewood, NJ 159
* Mystic, CT 159

For more information about cost of living go to Accra's site at http://www.coli.org

The cost of living across the city areas in Florida's Treasure Coast averaged only 98% of the national average or 20th in the state of Florida, With housing, Real Estate prices substantially below the national average,
Stuart and Martin County is a great place to live, work and play.
MARTIN COUNTY

Ad Valorem Millage Rates (2004):
Government 5.6020
Schools 7.5920
Special 1.0692
Total 14.2632
Ad Valorem Tax Exemption: Yes
Retail Sales Tax (Local Option) 0.0
Local Communications Service Tax 1.8
As of 2004, the total Cost of living index was 99.82
Above stats from http://www.eflorida.com/profiles/CountyReport.asp?CountyID=67&Display=allSee For more information about cost of living stats go to http://www.coli.org

Housing. Minimum two bedroom single family homes in Martin/St Lucie Counties.
As of August 2005, the median sold price is $267,600
Utilities.
For water and sewer go to
Indiantown Company
City of Stuart Water Dept.
Martin County Utilities & Solid Waste Dept.
South Martin Regional Utilities
Hobe Sound Water Company
Hydratech Utilitie
For electric go to Florida Power & Light
Gas Companies:
TECO/People's Gas
Tri-County Gas
Martin County Petroleum & Propane
In conclusion, with the recreational and job opportunities and the quality of life, mixed in with low housing costs, the Treasure Coast is a great option.

What if you never had to go back from your vacation? You can! You can live the vacation.

Stuart and Ft Pierce and Port St Lucie Arts and Culture
Stuart its surrounding areas are definitely not a metropolis, but due to their strong economy and tourist base, the Arts are a primary here are definitely a primary part of the culture.
Stuart is home to

55 antique shops
72 art galleries
14 museums
15 live theatre, playhouses.
For upcoming events go to http://www.historicdowntownstuart.com/events.html
The art Council for martin county is at http://www.martinarts.org/resources_local.asp
Performing Arts

Treasure Coast Performing Arts Center
772 335-1887 1666 SE Port St Lucie Blvd
Port Saint Lucie, FL
Sunrise Theatre for the Performing Arts
772 461-4884 210 S Depot Dr
Fort Pierce, FL
Martin County High School and Performing Arts. Visual Arts, Band, Chorus, Drama. Martin County High School 2801 South Kanner Highway Stuart, Florida 34994
Lyric Theatre
772 286-7827 59 SW Flagler Ave
Stuart, FL
Indian River Community College: Performing Arts Academy
772 462-7695 Fort Pierce, FL
Art Centers and museums in Stuart and within 25 miles

Stuart Heritage Museum
161 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL 772-220-4600
Maritime & Yachting Museum
3250 S Kanner Hwy, PO Box 1448, Stuart, FL 772-692-1234
Art War & Peace Museum
2000 NE Jensen Beach Blvd, Jensen Beach, FL 772-225-3200
Elliott Museum
825 NE Ocean Blvd, Stuart, FL 772-225-1961
A E Bean Backus Gallery
500 N Indian River Dr, PO Box 3411, Fort Pierce, FL 772-465-0630
Lighthouse Center For the Arts
373 Tequesta Dr, Tequesta, FL
561-746-3101
Loxahatchee River Hst Museums
805 N Us Highway 1, Jupiter, FL 561-747-6639
UDT Seal Museum Assn Inc
3300 N Highway A1a, Fort Pierce, FL 772-595-5845
Burt Reynold's Museum
100 N US Highway 1, Jupiter, FL 561-743-9955
Hibel Museum of Art
1200 Town Center Dr, Jupiter, FL 561-622-1380
Hibel Museum of Art
5353 Parkside Dr, Jupiter, FL 561-533-6872
Hibel Museum of Art
5353 Parkside Dr, Jupiter, FL 561-622-5560
Music and arts

Treasure Coast Symphony
P.O. Box 4169
Fort Pierce, FL 34958
Information 561-465-0497
Trasure Coast Opera Society
1309 Indiana Avenue
Fort Pierce, FL 561-465-6204
In conclusion, the Treasure coast of martin and Port St Lucie counties have lots of cultural and artistic opportunities. The relaxed atmosphere and ambience of the area is attractive to creative pursuits.
If you are the creative type such as a writer, actor, musician, photographer, painter or just want to make sure there are good cultural opportunities around you, Stuart and its areas have the answer.