Jupiter Farms, the rise of sustainability

Jupiter Farms, described on one website as "the hidden jewel of Palm Beach County" is a dedicated equestrian area on the western side of Jupiter. Like Palm Beach Country Estates to the south and The Acreage and Loxahatchee to the southwest, the Farms homes are on sites of 1.25 acres or multiples thereof, 2.5, 5, 10 & 20 acres. Jupiter Farms is separated from Palm Beach Country Estates by the C-18, a canal project that drains the western properties into the Loxahatchee River and then into the Jupiter Inlet and on into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Farms were originally a separate town named ROOD, for the Rood family that settled there. Later, the Rood family with 11 children moved to Tequesta on the north side of the Jupiter Inlet. The early settlers in the Farms (if I can use that word) were Pratt Whitney engineers who moved here in the 1970's. The Pratt Whitney facility and Sikorsky Helicopter plant is only a couple of miles to the west.

Other early residents were people who wanted the peace and quiet of the area and no Condo Commandos or nosey Homeowner Associations. Or they wanted to stable and ride horses.

At its westernmost point, Jupiter Farms is still only about 20 minutes from the beach and unlike Palm Beach Country Estates, has a western exit to Seminole Pratt Whitney Road which runs south to Loxahatchee and north into Martin County and further west is the Beeline Highway, (710) which connects West Palm Beach with Indiantown and Okeechobee. It is also the only place in Palm Beach County where there are exits for both the Florida Turnpike and I-95 and they are side by side.

When I moved to the Farms 12 years ago, people considered it "way out west". Then, Toll Brothers built the Jupiter Country Club and Riverbend Park opened and suddenly people began to notice how great the Farms is and realized it is not so far out after all.  In fact, in March 2012 the median price of homes for sale in the Farms is $450,000 which is much higher than in town.

Now, as sustainability gains favor, people are finding that in Jupiter Farms, they can feel a little more secure with some land and try a garden and/or chickens and maybe a pig or two.

When I first got my chickens 5 years ago, I knew of no others in the area. Now, I know of 9 people who keep them, mostly for the eggs. Of course, kids love them. Chickens are great family pets and love to interact with the kids. Our little flock gives up around a dozen eggs per day.

A family garden is also a big hit with the kids. I have a large one where after supplementing the garden with shavings and manure from horses all summer we are growing tomatoes, papayas, mustard greens, collard greens lettuce, eggplant and several kinds of peppers. I've had a garden for several years and have learned that each season has its own ups and downs. A crop that does well one year may not do well the next. I share the plants and crop yield with friends to help them along whether they need plants or food. In addition to the garden, we have key lime, grapefruit, calamondin, Honeybell and Valencia oranges and mangos.

Burt Reynolds is Jupiter's most famous son and had a production facility in Jupiter Farms at one time. The property is now abandoned. His nephew owns Town and Country Feed where we all get our farm supplies. Its a great, old-fashioned building where the smell of wooden floors still permeates the air and during the summer you can always find a cat or two sacked out on the counter unable to move until the cool air of dusk finds them. One interesting thing is the sign always posted as to the availability of certain types of hay. It doesn't mean much to me since I don't have a horse, but I always find it entertaining.

If peace and quiet are appealing to your life, you can see all Jupiter Farms homes for sale by visiting me at Coastal Florida Real Estate.  Every home listed for sale along with every picture is there in real time.  No other site has any more or more current data.  Or reach me at coastalflrealestate@gmail.com.

Year end thoughts on the real estate market in Jupiter

So here we are in 2010 and a Happy New Year to all of you!

Jupiter, Tequesta and Coastal South Florida have always been and will continue to be fabulous places to live. We have a mild climate, abundant natural beauty, miles of beaches, clear warm water, low crime, good schools and no blighted inner cities. You can choose any lifestyle that suits you here:

Multi-million dollar condos directly on the ocean on Singer Island. Or smaller oceanfront condos on Singer Island, Jupiter Island or Ocean Trail in Jupiter.

Waterfront homes directly on the ocean in communities like Lost Tree Village, Seminole or Jupiter Island.

Waterfront homes on the Intracoastal Waterway in communities like Admirals Cove, Jonathan's Landing and Frenchman's Creek. Or others along the Intracoastal that are not in gated communities.

Riverfront homes with ocean access in Jupiter and Tequesta.

Exclusive club communities like The Ritz-Carlton and The Bear's Club.

Other exclusive clubs like Frenchman's Reserve, BallenIsles, Old Palm, Mirasol and Old Marsh.
Every home size and style imaginable in PGA National and Abacoa.

Equestrian lifestyles in our western communities like Jupiter Farms, Trailwood, Old Trail, Tailwinds, Ranch Colony and The Links on home sites from 1.25 acres to over 20 acres.

Mid-level communities in Jupiter like Egret Landing, The Shores of Jupiter, Maplewood, The Colony, Abacoa, Ocean Walk, Botanica, Clocktower Hammock, Pennock Point, Mystic Cove, Palm Cove, North Fork and Cypress Cove.

People will always need to buy and sell and it does not snow here. Stage your home right, price it right and it will sell.

Interest rates are at historic lows and you can sell you house quickly. I sold one this summer in Jupiter in just 17 days.

Interest rates are at historic lows and with good credit you can buy a house quickly.

The short sale has gained notoriety but is really a headache and a frustrating experience. And even when successful takes away the thrill of buying a new home. But, there are millions of hidden short sales that cannot be counted yet and are waiting to come on the market as the seller's circumstances change.

Counties in Florida have now automated the foreclosure auction process to deal with the huge numbers of homes.

The strategic default is now poisoning the market. We will certainly see more of this.

The print media will continue to decline as the Google led charge onto the Internet continues.

Due to the economy, foreclosures are being stripped of anything of value.

Flippers are moving back into the economy buying up foreclosures. In Port St. Lucie there a 3 year old homes of 2600-3000 square feet, never lived in, selling for just over $ 100,000.

This is a great time to buy a home if you are looking for value.

This is a great time to sell a house if you are serious.

All the best in 2010!