Lennar Homes in Jupiter

[flguy123]

We were thinking of buying in this neighborhood but ultimately decided not to. Lennar does seem to have a good reputation, and their homes in Rialto do seem like a good "value" but these were some of things that ultimately held us back: 1) 1.75% builder fee, this is out of pocket money you pay at settlement that does nothing more than line the developer's pockets and vastly increase the amount of money needed at closing 2) the neighborhood will take years to build out so you really never know who your neighbors are going to be, and you would be living in the middle of a construction zone with lots of strangers and temporary workers coming and going 3) we would never in a million years let our kid walk to the elementary school from Rialto even though it's not far distance wise, sorry but it's a ghetto back there where the school is 4) proximity to 95 is great if you have a commute that requires you to drive the highway, but it is not a selling point of this neighborhood down the road...the homes that back directly against 95 will drag down the values of the other homes around them, see Egret Landing 5) with the clubhouse finished, HOA fees are now almost $300/month, but they are likely to go up at the developer's whim and especially if/when they put a person at the gate, see Evergrene...$500/mo there for similar services, 6) community pool is NOT heated, major disappointment, and finally 7) most of the lots currently available in the new Estate section back up against the wall that is direct opposite the park, and with the park lights on at night (every night) it is extremely bright, so much so that I'm afraid it would light up the whole inside of the house, especially if you have a two-level home. Anyway, those were some of our concerns. It looks nice overall, but the devil is in the details. These builders are always selling an "idea" that your life will be perfect if you just pick their community. Then reality sets in a few year later when the newness has worn off. We've been down that road before. Better to wait a few years until build-out is closer to completion and find a better deal with a re-sale home. There are already re-sales in there for significantly less than the builder's base price. Not sure what that means.

[rusty78]

tks....flguy....so where are you considering now...we have thought about Kolter homes in Jensen Beach...but the wife has her heart set on Jupiter...not necessarily Rialto...but somewhere in that area...

[marmsd1]

I've been over there once or twice. Nice...but not a fan of being wedged between the park and 95. Noise, the lights that have been mentioned...

I'm still looking for what might be the perfect spot. I'm in Mallory Creek now and like it a lot. But my young kids are a primary driver of what I like in a neighborhood.

[rusty78]

We looked into Windsor...being built by DiVosta...really like the houses but the high school left alot to be desired...

[flguy123]

Originally Posted by rusty78

tks....flguy....so where are you considering now...we have thought about Kolter homes in Jensen Beach...but the wife has her heart set on Jupiter...not necessarily Rialto...but somewhere in that area...

We decided to stay in Orlando. We found a fantastic home here for an incredible price and couldn't resist. We come down to Jupiter every month to visit family so we feel like we will continue to have the best of both worlds, although personally I would still rather live in Jupiter.

Paseos was the other neighborhood we were seriously considering. The homes are smaller, but the styles are great and the neighborhood is just so nice, a perfect little enclave in my opinion with a heated community pool, and reasonable HOA fees at only around $100/mo. Everybody has pride in that neighborhood and it shows. Everybody is settled there. Most of the newer neighborhoods tend to be very transient which is bad if you want to put down roots. Canterbury across the street from Paseos also turned out better than expected, but couldn't get excited about it, too much mixed use I think, and tiny community pool. Valencia is also really nice but too expensive and I've heard mixed reviews on the quality of construction that went on there.

We did not look at any other "new" developments, they all seemed either too ugly (i.e., Divosta @ Windsor Park) or the homes were too small (i.e., Paloma). There is that new Toll Brothers golf development just on the west side of 95 but it's expensive and definitely for golfers and retired types, can't really see families living in there.

[marmsd1]

I've got a lot of friends in Paseos, and it is a very nice neighborhood.

[Synergy1]

When we had our home custom built in Port Saint Lucie we didn't think twice about getting a screened in pool. We did have a home in Ft Lauderdale for 22 years and they work for small and large bugs and animal varmints including dangerous snakes.....

We wanted a large screened area so it is attached the screening to the rear of our home, the width of the home and goes 8' past the pool. We have a few friends that do not have a screend in pool and their good times outside have turned into a just OK time with a lot of sweeping maintenance. Even if you have a screened in pool some tiny pests will still enter....

I guess the screened pool now costs around $15-$18k because our neighbor had hers taken down by a hurricane and a new one erected. The new ones will take a beating like ours did and remained intact.

Good luck and you can get one built after your home/pool is completed without complications. Just be sure to get a reputable dealer and never pay in full before it is completed. We see on TV that criminals do seem to run rampid in Florida and they believe the old guys like me and my neighbor will fall for the oldest trick in the book which is pay up front.... Please never, never pay in full before the job is finished to your satisfaction...

[rusty78]

Synergy...Thanks for the tip...but I always...always...do my research before I hire a contractor to do any work for me...and like you say...I never pay up front for anything...but you are right about the criminals out there trying to give us a screwing...I always remember my god-mother who paid $265 for a 9-Volt battery...the clown told her he had to re-program her unit...went up on a latter and all...and at that price he even re-programed her vehicle remote for free...what a great guy...he hated the phone call from me...but that's a whole other story...

[whitmeyer]

Originally Posted by flguy123

There are already re-sales in there for significantly less than the builder's base price. Not sure what that means.

It means that a used home with a few upgrades is worth less than a brand new one with no upgrades.