BallenIsles, Mirasol, Old Marsh, PGA Nat Marc Blasi

Old Marsh

For those of you that are looking for the absolute best in golf / country club living...

Old Marsh Golf Club is a private, gated 456 acre community limited to only 180 luxury homes and less than 300 Equity Memberships.

While Membership is not required to live in Old Marsh, I can't imagine anyone not wanting to be able to use the phenomenal Pete Dye designed course that runs through the middle of the property.

The 7,021 yard course winds through 456 acres of marsh and was crafted to blend with nature, not to overpower it. As Mr. Dye says: "...I believe there's a real tempo about the course that tests and measures the players much in the same way they are tested on the old Scottish courses."

Another plus (or 2) - when you want to play, you play - no tee times are required and the Caddie Program is considered to be one of the finest in the South.

Just west of Jog road, Old Marsh is minutes from the best shopping and dining in Palm Beach Gardens as well as being just a short drive from the beach.

Currently there are 14 properties listed for sale from $985,000 to $4,995,000.

I think the Club's literature says it best: "For the fortunate few, Old Marsh offers a special privileged quality of life that is simply unequaled."

To see any of them and get a tour of the 22,000 sq ft Clubhouse call me at 561-282-7406.

Open House on 4/19/2009 at 113 San Marita Way in BallenIsles-

Just give the address to the Guards at the entrance and you'll be let right in.

This fantastic home features:

- 5 Bedrooms, 6 Full and 1 Half-Bath and an office

- 2 car garage plus a separate garage for your golfcart

- Crown molding and trey ceilings, plantation shutters, custom built-ins and marble floors with decorative inlays

- Formal dining room with custom mirrors and decorative wall niche

- Master Suite with his and her walk-in closets, private view of the 10th Hole of the South Course and pool area

- Covered lanai with column assets, freeform 'salt-water' pool, summer kitchen and spa

- Impact windows and accordian shutters

View BallenIsles - 113 San Marita for Sale - Palm Beach Gardens in a larger map

I'll try to keep today's post simple-

Yesterday, 4/9/09, President Obama talked about the record low interest rates available for home loans and how this is a great time for millions of homeowners to refinance.

Quite a few news sources criticized him for sounding too much like a salesman - but hey, they have to have something to complain about....

Regardless, the fact remains that interest rates on mortgages are STILL available below 5%.

So if you're looking to change your adjustable-rate loan to a fixed, or just get the rate dropped on your current fixed-rate home loan, NOW would be a great time to do it.

Or, like so many people are inclined to do, you can wait and wait - until rates go up again and you can start with the "I wish I would have" game.

Call me if you're ready to refinance -

So, you have real estate in Palm Beach Gardens and you want to (or have to) sell it-

More than anything else PRICING the home properly is going to determine when/if the property is going to get viewed and eventually sold.

A recent article by Amanda Gengler of Money Magazine makes many good points, but the following really stands out:

"Stop deluding yourself. Ignore list prices and base your asking price on what similar homes in your area have actually sold for in the past three months."

Short and to the point.

Palm Beach Gardens is filled with Agents/Brokers that will do anything to snag a listing - including agreeing to a listing price that they know will NEVER work.

Why?

Just to get the listing - then once they have it they start beating you down on the price until you get to where you should have been in the first place!

It's idiotic, but I see it every day. Too many people hear nothing but price when talking to the Agents that they interview.

Case 1: The Agent provides ample proof of why the home should sell for, say $500,000.

Case 2: The next Agent brings zero proof of how they arrived at the price - but they're sure that they can get you AT LEAST $750,000!

You know where this is going..... All too often the Homeowner goes with the second Agent, even though they have presented no facts to back up their claims.

Then the house sits and sits and sits......

Oh - and can you say 'appraisal'?

The results are in for the 1st quarter's sales in BallenIsles, Mirasol and PGA National.

(This may be 4/1, but this report is no joke.)

So for all of you that keep insisting that 'nothing' is selling, take a look at the following:

These are the actual CLOSED sales for 1/1/2009 through 3/31/09

BallenIsles

144 Isle Drive

120 Palm Point Circle #20-C

108 Island Cove Way

106 Coconut Key

30 Somerset Drive

209 Grand Pointe Drive

6 Sales from $370,000 to $1,640,000

Mirasol

120 Andalusia Way

131 and 132 Casa Grande Ct

157 Isle Verde

128 Olivera

138, 144 and 230 Porto Vecchio

128 Via Condado

200 Via Emilia

131 Via Florenza

110 Via Paridisio

121 and 139 Viera Drive

120 Villa Nueva Place

11510 Villa Vasari #27

16 Sales from $278,000 to $1,550,000

PGA National

There were 41 sales ranging from $59,000 to $739,000

Sorry - I'm not typing all of that out!

If someone tells you that nothing is selling in Palm Beach Gardens......... ask them to explain the above results.

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