Mission Bay Home Prices Up

20396 Hacienda sold for $515,000. Built in 1994, the house has 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths in 2500 square feet. It sold in September 2016 after being on the market for just under 3 months. Image by Google.

Home prices rose in Mission Bay last year, including houses, townhouses. The average for single family homes broke through the $400,000 level rising to $412K from $390K in 2015. Measured in dollars per square foot the increase was nearly 9% over the previous year.
The increase was more dramatic for townhouses (including villas) with the average rising to $271K, up 15% from $235K in 2015, though it was only 8% up when measured in dollars per square foot.
As we are seeing with a lot of other neighborhoods, the low end is rising. In 2015 there were six single family transactions at $300K or less. In 2016 there were only two. There was movement on the high end as well but the difference was not as dramatic.
Single family home transaction prices ranged from $255K to $565K. The $255K house was an anomaly, with the next transaction at $295K. The four highest prices were all in the gated Isle of Mission Bay subdivision and the top 9 were all on the north side of Glades Road.
Townhouse and villa prices went from a low of $232K (2 units) up to a high of $307K. Unlike 2014 and 2015, two units sold for over $300K and no units sold for less than $200K.
10410 Lake Vista in the Reflections subdivision sold for $307,400. The end unit townhome has 2 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths in 1660 sq.ft. and a gorgeous lake view. The larger but landlocked 10471 Mateo sold for $305K, showing the value of a lake view.

Mission Bay homes are zoned for Sandpiper Shores Elementary, Loggers’ Run Middle, and West Boca High School. The sections north of Glades Road are in zip code 33498, while the southern part is in 33428.
Map showing Mission Bay and surroundings. Image and map data by Google.

There were no REO or short sale transactions in 2016. We excluded those in previous years from our analysis. We looked at condo transactions but there were only a few in the past 3 years and none in 2016, so we left those out as well.
Want to buy or sell a home in West Boca? Call Warren at 888-733-5299.

Mission Bay was one of the few communities to respond to our inquiry about updates and improvements:

The Mission Bay Community has undergone a major transformation throughout its property during the course of 2016. The Board of Governors, staff and volunteers took on this monumental project that began at the clubhouse and continued with most of the major structures within the community. Looking to upgrade their beautiful facilities, they consulted with a designer who helped them create a vision.
The Board wanted to create a dramatic effect as you enter the covered walkway to the Clubhouse and accentuate the columns with ledgestone. This added depth and color leading to the pool area.

The Club patio was completely redone and redesigned with wood and pavers. New outdoor furniture that include, 2 gas grilled fire pits were purchased in order to give the residents a more enjoyable place to take advantage of the great views of the lake by a fire. The pool patio was enlarged to offer additional seating for its residents. The lounge chairs by the pool were re-strapped to blend with their new color scheme and more umbrellas were added to give the residents more options around the resort style pool.

The once screen enclosed game room was revamped and now features an open air bar with flat screen TVs on every wall. The bar was created with a vision to offer residents 21 and older a place to meet and have a few beverages while enjoying the pool and patio.

The Mission Bay board began offering Friday evening “Happy Hours” for those 21 and older. In addition Mission Bay offers both family friendly and adult parties throughout the year. They have even implemented “Football Sundays” for residents to enjoy a “sports bar” environment during NFL season! These parties have become very popular events and attendance is usually very high. All of these Country Club amenities are offered to residents without charging country club prices.
All Mission Bay monuments have been updated and refurbished. The stonework and color scheme were carried out throughout the whole community including all Directional signs. Their main monuments located on SR7 and Glades Rd. are an important structure of West Boca. Both Mission Bay residents as well as all persons living in neighboring communities enjoy the view of the beautiful building standing on the North side hill. For this reason, it was important to the Board to upgrade and accentuate this structure for the Community. New reverse channel lettering was installed, stone was added to the pillars and the building, and iron gates were placed in the archways. All this in order to highlight the architecture and the pillars. Landscaping was also added to enhance the area.
Another major change Mission Bay residents saw this year was in a new Cable Television service. Residents now enjoy both cable and high speed internet service paid through their Mission Bay HOA dues. This now allows everyone to access free internet while at the playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, gym and pool area.
In order to keep the community safe at all times, Mission Bay hired a security company to patrol all ten villages and common areas 24 Hrs. a day, seven days a week. This added security ensures that families continue to live in safe place.
Beginning in January, the workout facilities will be remodeled and the gym equipment completely replaced with the latest machines available in the market. Once the renovations are complete, the aerobics classes will include new spin classes as well as the current body sculpting, Zumba, Boot Camp and Yoga classes that have always been offered.

Boca Greens Homes Rise to $400K – Up 10% Over Two Years


Boca Greens is a recent bright spot in West Boca real estate. Prices in the gated community rose to just over $400,000 in 2016, a substantial increase from the 2015 average of $378K. Compared to the $365K average from 2014, prices are up roughly 10% in two years.

10513 Milburn Lane sold for $550,000. That is the highest price we have seen in Boca Greens in the past 3 years. The 2700 sq.ft. 4 bedroom, 3 bath home has substantial upgrades including a new roof and a marble driveway. Yes, marble. Image and map data by Google.

Three houses in the neighborhood broke the $500K barrier, which no house did in the previous two years. The low end was also higher with one transaction at $260K. Only three others were below $300K. All of those were smaller 3 bedroom houses with 1-car garages.
Looking in terms of dollars per square foot shows similar growth. The average for 2016 was $188/sq.ft., up from $177 in 2015 and $169 in 2014, more than 10% in that two year span.


Thinking of buying or selling a home in West Boca? Contact Warren to get help.
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It’s not clear why prices are up, but one insider suggests a possible cause: An influx of orthodox Jews who want to live within walking distance of the new Chabad in Boca Greens Plaza. The other interesting detail is that volume is down. There were 39 transactions in 2016, lower than the burst of 53 deals in 2014, though more than the 32 from 2015.
Boca Greens is a gated community on the west side of US-441 between Yamato and Glades. The community includes an 18-hole golf course but membership is not required. We have attended many events at the golf course’s clubhouse. The neighborhood is zoned for Sunrise Park Elementary, Eagles Landing Middle, and Olympic Heights High, all excellent schools. And of course residents can walk to a variety of stores and restaurants in Boca Greens Plaza, including Stella’s Pizza, KPB Pharmacy, and Hair Therapy.
As usual we excluded distressed sales (REO and short sale) out of our numbers.

Home Prices Up in Lexington Estates, But …

Houses in Lexington Estates sold for more in 2016. The average transaction price rose to $459,000* from $427K in 2015. This is a little misleading as the homes sold in 2016 were larger on average. Measured in dollars per square foot the average works out to $167/sq.ft., which is a very slight increase over 2015 and 2014.

Transactions ranged in price from $377K* for a 2100 sq.ft. 3-bedroom house up to $515K for a nearly 3000 sq.ft. 4-bedroom house. The best “bargain” in the neighborhood was 22147 Braddock. It sold for $512K with 5 bedrooms in 3300 square feet, including waterfront, a pool, 3-car garage and numerous upgrades in immaculate condition, all at only $153/sq.ft.

Lexington Estates is a gated community with just over 200 single family houses on the west side of US-441 (aka State Road 7) south of Palmetto Park Road. The location is convenient for commuters and shoppers but may be perceived as uncomfortably close to lower priced neighborhoods nearby.

*Excluding foreclosure-related transactions. With those included the lowest transaction for 2016 was $327K and the average was $446K.

Saturnia Prices Flat

19551 Saturnia Lakes Drive has been on the market for well over a year but has not sold yet. Currently listed at $850K, the house has 5 bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths in over 4700 square feet. It’s a bargain compared to the house that sold next door (below). Call Warren at 888-733-5299 if you want to see it. Image copyright Warren Redlich 2016.

Home prices in Saturnia were flat in 2016 when compared to 2015. After removing foreclosure-related transactions the average price was $636,000, slightly below the 2015 and 2014 averages of $638K for each year.
19557 Saturnia Lakes Drive was the largest Saturnia transaction in 2016. The house sold for $801,500. The ranch home has 4 bedrooms and 3 baths in 3200 square feet. The house has major upgrades and the price works out to nearly $250/sq.ft., far more than the community average. Image and map data by Google

On the bright side prices were up four percent on a dollars per square foot basis, rising from $180/sq.ft. to $188/sq.ft.
In 2015 the smallest transaction was at $500K. That slipped in 2016 with three houses going for less, and the cheapest all the way down to $455K. 2015 was an unusual year with more transactions (30) and a tighter price range ($500K to $790K). In 2016 there were 23 transactions with a broader range, and 2014 was even wider with one house going for over $1M.
19084 Skyridge sold for $455K. The four bedroom, three bath house has just over 2600 square feet of living space. Image and map data by Google.

Saturnia is a gated community at the far west end of Yamato Road. It is across the street from highly rated Eagles Landing Middle School and Sunrise Park Elementary, and it is zoned for Olympic Heights High. The west side of the neighborhood borders the Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge and the land to the north is unlikely to ever be developed. South County Regional Park is to the east. Most houses range in size from 4 bedrooms in 2600+ square feet up to 5 or 6 bedrooms with some over 4000 square feet.
Saturnia satellite image and map data by Google.

2016 Home Prices Flat in The Shores at Boca Raton


On raw numbers home prices in The Shores fell 1% in 2016 from the 2015 numbers. The 2016 average transaction came in at $471,000, down from $477,000. As we saw with nearby Boca Isles, the average was distorted by a larger than usual number of “REO” homes sold after foreclosure.

11146 Sandyshell Way sold for $580,000, the highest price in Shores in 2016. The 5 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath house was on the market for just over 2 months. Built in 1999, the house has nearly 3600 square feet under air.

Taking the REO deals out of the data leaves an average price of $489,000 in 2016. Measured in dollars per square foot, prices were still flat at $164/sq.ft. Houses in The Shores took much longer to sell in 2016, averaging 77 days compared to only 36 days in 2015.
18628 Sea Turtle sold for the most for its size. With four bedrooms and two and half baths in 2300 square feet, its sold price of $435K works out to $186/sq.ft.

The Shores at Boca Raton is a gated community of single family homes located at the far west end of Yamato Road. Typical home prices range from $400K to $600K. Most houses have four or five bedrooms though there are a few with three bedrooms. The neighborhood is zoned for Sunrise Park Elementary, Eagles Landing Middle, and Olympic Heights High, all excellent schools.
The Shores responded to our request for information about updates:

Over the last year we have done many major improvements.
Upgraded security system with new cameras, RFID Stickers, Key Fob at the clubhouse, new gates as well as a new third gate barrier. Also purchased new Security database where residents may update their guests list via internet and mobile app.

  • Renovated clubhouse exterior with a new roof, paint, pool furniture, and pool landscaping
  • Completed a new Playground
  • Renovated the gym. Purchased Cybex treadmills,Cybex arc trainer, Cybex all-all-in-one functional trainer, and Octane Elliptical trainers. Carpet replaced and walls painted.

There are several projects in the works

  • Re-design of the front entrance
  • Renovation of the children’s clubhouse to include new carpet, furniture and paint
  • New sidewalk installed to create better traffic flow to the playground, childrens playroom, and the pool.