State ordered to pay for healthy citrus trees they cut down

When I was a kid growing up in South Florida, a large citrus tree was a real prize and in the winter we always had extra fruit to share with friends and neighbors.  In fact, sending Florida citrus to our frozen friends and relatives in the north has been going on for decades.  Florida citrus has been the pride of the State although many groves were abandoned before being sold to developers who wanted to build more suburbs.


Florida citrus in Jupiter Farms

When Citrus Canker was discovered on backyard citrus the State began an 11 year battle to eradicate the disease since it causes blemishes on the fruit and reduces their marketability and it was felt this was a threat to the commercial groves.  Armed with chain saws, they mercilessly leveled healthy, mature citrus trees up and down the coast.  They ended up cutting down 66,493 trees in residential yards and a total of  16.5 million trees, commercial and residential, and spending $ 1.6 billion dollars in Federal money.  So, after 11 years of destroying trees Hurricanes Francis and Jeanne, which came through the area in 2004, spread the disease over the entire State and the project was eliminated.

As an attorney for the homeowners said, “The whole case is an example of what is wrong with our government – oppressive and wasteful bureaucrats who are out of control and trampling upon our most fundamental property rights,” Williams said. “It is time for some accountability.”

So if you are looking for a home in this area and it still has some citrus trees on it, count your blessings.  Florida oranges, grapefruit and tangerines are some of the finest around and provide excellent eating during the winter when the fruit is the sweetest.

Looking for a home in this area?  Unlike many Realtors I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations.  Contact me at 561-762-4073 or rsites@bellsouth.net.  Use Skype?  Find me at rsites.  Want to search yourself?  The fastest MLS search results available are at Coastal Florida Real Estate.


Richard Sites, Realtor


Cyber Monday: Can you adopt this idea to get your house sold?

Cyber Monday?  What does this have to do with selling a home?  Well, the idea behind Cyber Monday was started in 2005 when it was reported that 77% of online retailers noticed an increase in their sales on the Monday following Black Friday.

Now, I have posted before that the key to presenting your home for sale lies in it's Internet presence, not print media.  If you have seen the dazzling pictures on today's tablets like an iPad or Galaxy 10.1 or HD laptop screens, you have to believe that a small 1" X 1", black and white picture of your house taken from the street is not going to capture a buyer's imagination.  So if you are trying to sell, face the fact that you are courting the Internet buyer.

People simply want to "let their fingers do the walking" over the Web, not in print.

So what does this mean to you?  If you are selling, go online and look at your house.  Not sure how to find it?  Contact me at rsites@bellsouth.net for some tips on how and where to find your home.  Once, when I was taking over a listing that had not sold, the sellers were shocked to find that the agent had posted pictures of their pet turkey online.  True story!  We left the price where it was but changed their Internet presence and had an offer of 94% of the listing price in 3 weeks.

In addition to a Virtual Tour or video, make sure the pictures are good, high quality pictures.  Here is what you don't want your house to look like online:




So if you are selling your home, take a hint from online retailers.  After all, they are spending a fortune to find out what customers want and are happy to share it with you...if you know what to look for.   Having trouble selling your house?  Contact me, Richard Sites, at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites.  Of course you can text or call me at 561-762-4073.  We can get your home sold quickly and smoothly.  Want to search for a house yourself?  Use www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.


Richard Sites, Realtor


Tyrion the sea turtle set to go today in Juno Beach

Juno Beach is home to Loggerhead Marinelife Center.  Here, injured sea turtles are rehabilitated and returned to the wild.  The latest release is scheduled for today.

Tyrion, a small guy, has been nursed back to health and today at 2 he will swim free again.  There is always a big crowd on hand when they are released, including the television news cameras.  Releases take place just south of the famous Juno Beach Pier. Juno is famous as a small, oceanside town south of Jupiter where condos sit right on the ocean.

You can see all Juno condos for sale by all brokers by contacting me at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites.  Unlike many Realtors, I have lived here 22 years and can show you the best values and locations.  Or you can search for a home yourself using the fastest results available by visiting Coastal Florida Real Estate.
Richard Sites, Realtor

Ban the banners in Palm Beach County

Okay, this blog is supposed to be about our great lifestyle here.  I know, and we really do have the best of all worlds.  But, I sometimes wonder where local governments dredge up the crabby, crumbmudgeons in the Code Enforcement  or Zoning offices.  Why?

Well, you know what feather banners are right?  Here's an example:


And they are pretty popular right now.  A little color and motion to attract the eye as you drive by.  What's wrong with that?  Well apparently, something since a local government is now drafting legislation to restrict their use.  Would someone please explain this to me?  There must be some crabby people riding around in gov't cars just looking for things to regulate or prohibit.  Don't they have enough to do?  Or maybe they just have a knot in their knickers.  How could they be so crabby?

To get around all this, merchants have a live person hold a sign beside the road and their antics and gyrations attract the attention of passers-by.  Why aren't they prohibited?  Well, I asked Zoning.  Because they are not a fixed sign so no rules apply.  Next thing you will need a permit, a license and have to have your feather banners inspected.  It's like the rule that says if you live in Jupiter Farms and want to build a fence you will need a $125 permit....only if you live on a corner.  If you live one house in you don't.  Go figure.

Looking at homes for sale in Jupiter?  I can show you all homes listed by all brokers in this area.  Contact me at 561-762-4073 or rsites@bellsouth.net.  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.

Richard Sites, Realtor

iPad beats iPhone on the blog

I have been writing this blog for a couple of years and when taking a look behind the scenes, I'm always surprised at what Google stats say about it.  For example, when Tiger Woods crashed his car, a post I had on Tiger received over 4,000 visits that day.  And I didn't even write about the crash.

Last year, I did a post on Rickie Fowler, the PGA Tour player, and that post has been viewed over 5,000 times.  And the total visits to this blog are approaching 30,000.  My other popular blog has received nearly 100,000 visits.

Well, you know Google analytics is watching your every move on the web.  So one of the statistics they provide is what sources visitors come from when visiting this blog.  I was surprised today to see that 17% of the visitors come from iPads which is much more than the iPhone at a lowly 4%.

This really surprises me since the iPhone has been around so much longer and there are so many other tablets out there right now.  I guess that's the point of studying the data.  As they say, the numbers don't lie.

Richard Sites, Realtor
Looking at Jupiter homes for sale?  Unlike many Realtors, I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations.  Contact me at 561-762-4073, rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites.  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.

Jupiter homes can get real tropical, real fast with pothos

Homes in Jupiter can add a quick tropical look by adding pothos to the trees.   Here's an example of what it looks like when attached to a pine tree.

Pothos
This shot was taken in my yard in Jupiter Farms.  Pothos is not the Latin name for this plant but rather it is the common name.  It is part of a large family of tropical climbing plants whose best known member is the Philodendron.  Most of the members of this family are native to Central and South America however, pothos comes from the South Pacific.

Pothos
The leaves remain small until the plants attaches itself to a host and begins to climb.  Once this happens, hormones are released that trigger the increase in leaf size.   The plant comes in plain green or a variegated form with yellow variegation.  When viewed with the sun on the leaves, they are very dramatic.

Pothos
So how do you get pothos started growing on your trees?  Well, like most vines it will grow quickly from cuttings and so if you live in South Florida you may see some cut off trees and waiting to be picked up with the trash.  This is where I got mine. Otherwise, you can buy a hanging basket or totem at any store or nursery and just plant at the base of any tree.  The pothos will take over from here.  You don't need to do anything except give it water when it first goes in the ground.  It is a tough plant and tolerates nearly anything.
In one growing season it can add a lush, tropical feel to your home.

Looking at Jupiter homes for sale?  Unlike most Realtors, I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations.  And there are some great opportunities out there if you know where to find them.  Contact me, Richard Sites, at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites.  I can show you all listed homes by all brokers. Or text/call me at 561-762-4073.  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.
Richard Sites


Jupiter is a great place to grow papayas!

Homes in Jupiter can support many tropical plants even though you don't see many planted here.  We have some flowering shrubs like hibiscus and bougainvillea, but not nearly enough tropical fruit trees.  It's interesting though that people who are selling homes with tropical fruit or citrus trees always make a note of it in the MLS listing.  Hey, I would too.

One of the easiest trees to grow is the papaya.  The papaya is noted for its soft, fleshy fruit, high vitamin & mineral content and enzymes that are great for digestion.  I have many of these trees in my yard.  Like this one.
Papaya in Jupiter Farms

All my trees came from seeds given to me by Cash Cashion, The Swamp Gardener here in Jupiter Farms.  Each year I wage a campaign with the squirrels to see who gets the papayas when they are ripe.  So far this year it's HUMANS 1   SQUIRRELS 1.  But, they did get the only watermelon I have been able to grow.
Here is a close up shot of the fruit on one tree this year.

Papaya fruit in Jupiter Farms

Each year, some of this fruit falls to the ground and so I have small trees coming up all the time.  They transplant very easily so they are easy to relocate to a suitable spot.  So I ask:  Does this look like a great place to live?  YOU BET IT IS!

If  you are looking for a home in this area,  unlike many Realtors, I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations.  Contact me at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites or you can still use the phone at 561-762-4073.  I can show you all  the listed Jupiter homes for sale by all brokers  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.
Richard Sites, Realtor

Washingtonian Palms add towering drama to Jupiter homes

When it comes to adding dramatic height to your Jupiter home, few palms can match the stately Washingtonian palm.



There are two species of this palm commonly used around South Florida homes and landscapes.  The one above is W. Robusta and the "petticoat" of dead fronds continue to hang on unless they are blown or trimmed off and this species does not get as tall as the other.  Here is a shot of them towering over my house.



If you are looking for a way to add drama to your Jupiter home, these palms can do that!  And they are quite cold tolerant so you don't have to worry about winter weather hurting them.

Thinking of moving to the Jupiter area?  Unlike many agents, I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values, locations and opportunities.  Contact me at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites or call/text at 561-762-4073.  I can show you homes listed for sale by all brokers.  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.
Richard Sites, Realtor

Allamanda, Thanksgiving blooms for Jupiter homes

Homes in Jupiter can add nearly year round color by adding the flowering Allamanda to the landscape.  This tropical climbing shrub thrives easily in our climate but is not given it's rightful place in the landscape since few know where to locate it or how to trim it.  Remember, it is a climbing shrub, not a vine. 



This plant above is growing on my front fence in Jupiter Farms.  So what is the difference between a vine and a climbing shrub?  Vines have tendrils  (little fingers) that grab and hold on.  Climbing shrubs simply need support, like my fence, to hold them up as they grow.  Another popular climbing shrub is the bougainvillea.  Climbing plants live in the tropics where they snake their way up through the trees and lie on the upper canopies of trees.

Allamanda is also a great choice since it is pest free, requires no fertilization or irrigation and is very cold hardy.  It will even grow back if the cold weather kills it all the way to the ground.  Homes for sale in Jupiter can add a dash of color quickly by installing an allamanda and flowering plants are one of the easiest ways to spruce up your house for the market.

If you are looking for a home in this area, unlike many agents I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and all homes listed for sale by all brokers.  You can contact me at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites.  If you still like the phone or prefer to text, use 561-762-4073.  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.
Richard Sites, Realtor
 

Jupiter Farms, sword ferns used for beds

Homes in Jupiter Farms are blessed with enough room to grow tropical plants.  I mean, what is the point of living in sub-tropical South Florida if you can't enjoy the plants that can and will grow here?  But in many cases, you need space around your house.  And space is something that is lacking in our zero lot line neighborhoods.

I have lived in Jupiter Farms for 11 years and brought my knowledge of and love for tropical plants here to my 1.5 acres.  In addition to many citrus trees, I have many tropical plants like bromeliads and staghorn ferns.  One plant I have used to make big beds is the Fishtail Fern.


These ferns are members of the Nephrolepis family of ferns, the best known of which is the Boston Fern.  The hanging Boston Fern has been a staple of indoor plants since Victorian times.  But in Florida, they can be used in the yard.  This variety, the Fishtail, is a larger, more robust variety.  In Miami, these plants can grow to 5-6 feet.  The trouble is that most landscaper maintenance companies don't know how to maintain them properly.  They trim there into square blocks.

If they are used in a place with room for them to spread, all they need is to be contained.  If they get damaged by the cold they should be cut to the ground so they can sprout back. 

Does this look like a great place to live?  YOU BET IT IS!  If you are looking for a house in this area, unlike many Realtors I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations.  You can see all homes for sale by all brokers by contacting me at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites or call/text 561-762-4073.  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.

Sea Turtle, Tyrion, will not be released from Juno Beach

Juno Beach is ground zero for the sea turtle lovers in this area.  And the main attraction is the Loggerhead Marinelife Center located on US One.  Here, injured sea turtles are nursed back to health and then released again into the wilds.  Injuries include amputations from powerboats, attacks by sharks and the last couple of years, very cold weather.  The turtles get great care and when ready they are transported across the beach road just south of the Juno Beach Pier, carried down to the water and released to the thunderous applause of the waiting crowd.  It's easy to get a good view from behind the ropes unless one of the news cameraman decides to stand in front of you.


Saturday's release of Tyrion has been canceled due to rough waves.  What, you may ask, does the rough weather mean to a turtle?  Well, they are vulnerable to begin with so a delay of a day or two might make all the difference in their survival.  You can see a couple of videos on sea turtles and Loggerhead Marinelife Center on my You Tube channel at www.youtube.com/richardsites.

Homes for sale in Juno Beach offer some great locations and proximity to the ocean.  I can show you all homes listed by all brokers in Juno Beach, Jupiter or Palm Beach Gardens.  I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations.   Contact me at rsites@bellsouth.net, on Skype at rsites or by phone or text at 561-762-4073.  Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.


Richard Sites, Realtor

Philodendron "Speciosum" adds tropical beauty to Jupiter Farms

Homes in Jupiter Farms are blessed to have plenty of land to grow some of our great tropical plants.  The philodendron family includes some large species and one of the largest is P. Speciosum.  This "self heading" variety is usually found growing on the ground (as in the pictures) but if encouraged or allowed will attach to a host tree and climb up the trunk.


In sub-tropical, South Florida these leaves can get to 6 ft. in length and are gorgeous.  I think they are very more attactive than their more well-known cousin the P. Selloum.  Selloum is widely overused by landscapers when these other varieties are available.  But the tissue culture growers decide what they will grow for common use so landscapers have to choose from what is available.  Jupiter Farms real estate is the perfect spot to try out some of these big beauties since they need space to really show off their leaves.

If you are looking for a home in Jupiter Farms, there are many on the market and some great opportunities are out there.  I've  lived here 15 years and can show you the best values, locations and all Jupiter Farms homes for sale listed by all brokers.

Contact me, Richard Sites, rsites@bellsouth.net, on Skype at rsites or by phone or text at 561-762-4073. 
Richard Sites
Or you can search for a home yourself using the fastest search results available at Coastal Florida Real Estate.