Palm Beach Gardens Luxury Homes

Palm Beach Gardens was planned in 1959 around golf and open space, and its communities today split into private-club neighborhoods in the east and a very large master-planned district, Avenir, in the west.

How the city was planned, and why it still matters

The City of Palm Beach Gardens explains on its own history page that on March 20, 1959, a landowner announced plans to develop about 4,000 acres with housing for 55,000 people. The first choice of name, Palm Beach City, was refused, so the developer settled on Palm Beach Gardens to match a “garden city” plan. Churches were the first buildings, and the city says streets and construction were directed around trees that had been growing there for many years, such as the banyans.

Golf was part of the plan from the start. The same page says the PGA moved into its clubhouse in the city in March 1965, hosted tournaments there in 1971, and left in 1972 for a property now known as BallenIsles. In 1999 about 14,000 acres were sold, including about 5,000 acres inside the city, which is the land behind much of the newer development in the west.

Because the city grew from a plan rather than from an old village center, the community you buy into says more about daily life than the street or the ZIP code does. That is why this guide compares communities instead of listing the city’s roads.

The city at a glance

The city’s published city overview gives these figures.

The two area figures differ inside the same city document, so treat the size as roughly 59 to 62 square miles rather than a single exact number.

Established club communities compared

These clubs describe themselves on their own websites as follows. None of the pages states membership terms or fees, so each of those questions has to go to the club.

Read the table as a starting filter. Mirasol and BallenIsles describe a full residential country club on a single campus, while Frenchman’s Creek splits its offering between an inland club and a separate beach club, which affects how you would use it day to day. PGA National is organized around a resort and tournament course, so the surrounding neighborhoods differ in type and in how much resort activity you live beside.

Avenir, the large master-planned district

Avenir’s community website describes a 4,752-acre community at Northlake Boulevard and Avenir Drive in the west of the city. It lists more than 2,400 acres of restored natural lands in the Avenir Conservation area with walking trails, dedicated golf cart paths, lakes and waterways, a resort-style clubhouse and fiber-optic internet to each home. A working farm, dog parks and more trails are described as planned rather than built. A town center is approved for 400,000 square feet of retail and 2,000,000 square feet of offices.

Homes are built by several companies, and the site names WL Homes, GL Homes, Toll Brothers, Kolter Homes, DiVosta, Akel Homes and Kenco Communities. Each builder sells its own neighborhood with its own plans, so compare the neighborhood rules and not only the community name. Our new construction versus resale guide covers how that choice changes inspections, warranties and timing.

What to verify before you commit

Association and membership paperwork. Under Florida Statute 720.401, a buyer in a community with a mandatory homeowners’ association must receive a disclosure summary before signing the purchase contract. The summary covers mandatory membership, recorded covenants, assessments and special assessments, possible liens, and any fees for recreational facilities. If it was not provided in time, the buyer has a right to cancel within three days of receiving it or before closing, whichever comes first.

Special districts. Under Florida Statute 190.048, an initial sale contract inside a community development district must carry a bold notice that the district may levy taxes or assessments in addition to county and local charges. Ask in writing whether a specific lot sits in such a district.

Club terms. Confirm whether membership is mandatory or optional, equity or non-equity, the initiation fee and who pays it at resale, annual dues, pending assessments and any waiting list. Our guide to sequencing a home purchase and club membership sets out the order of decisions.

Property tax mechanics. The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser states that a homestead exemption requires permanent Florida residence, title and residency as of January 1, and an application by March 1 of the year the benefit applies. Assessed value on a homestead can rise by no more than 3 percent a year, or the Consumer Price Index change if lower. A buyer moving from another Florida homestead should read the Property Appraiser’s portability page, which allows transfer of up to 500,000 dollars of accumulated benefit and sets March 1 as the filing deadline.

Flood zone. FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center lets you look up the official flood map by address. Check it for every property you seriously consider, and ask the seller for any elevation certificate.

A practical way to narrow the list

Start with how you want to use a club. If you play golf several times a week, a single-campus club like Mirasol or BallenIsles may suit you. If beach access matters, Frenchman’s Creek and its Beach Club may. If you want a new house in a large planned district with trails and conservation land, Avenir is a different kind of choice. Choose the community first, then compare homes inside it.

Continue reading

• New construction versus resale
• Sequencing a home purchase and club membership
• Jupiter
• Wellington
• West Palm Beach
• Boynton Beach

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to join a club to buy in Palm Beach Gardens?

It depends on the community. Some tie membership to the home and some make it optional. Ask for the membership type, initiation fee, dues, any pending assessments and any waiting list in writing. Florida law also requires a homeowners’ association disclosure summary before you sign a contract in a community with mandatory association membership.

Where is new construction in Palm Beach Gardens?

Much of it is in the west of the city. Avenir describes a 4,752-acre community at Northlake Boulevard and Avenir Drive with several builders, a clubhouse, golf cart paths and more than 2,400 acres of conservation land.

How many golf courses does PGA National have?

The resort’s course page lists five courses: The Champion, The Palmer, The Fazio, The Match and The Wee Bear. Its headings say both five and six, so confirm the current count with the resort.

Which clubs have a beach club?

Frenchman’s Creek lists a Beach Club in Juno Beach with waterfront dining, an outdoor heated pool, cabanas and beachside services. Check with each other club for any reciprocal or off-site facilities.

How do I check the flood zone of a property?

Use FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center to look up the official flood map by address, and ask the seller for any elevation certificate.

When you are ready to compare specific communities, start a private buying conversation with LPE Realty.