Jupiter Florida Lifestyle

Elin Nordegren walks the beach today

2012-01-23T07:13:00.002-05:00

Life here along the Jupiter to Palm Beach Gardens corridor is full of celebrities and it is not uncommon to run into them. Once at the South Florida Fair, I found Andres Galarraga, The Big Cat, standing in the shadows holding a stuffed bear he won on the midway (maybe throwing baseballs?). And, I used to run into the Nicklaus boys, Jackie and Gary, quite frequently around Palm Beach Gardens.

Around the Jupiter Inlet, Alan Jackson showed up at the Square Grouper and filmed a video there with Jimmy Buffett who lives on the island of Palm Beach. Greg Norman used to travel through the Inlet aboard his sport fishing boat, "Aussie Rules". And Alan Jackson keeps his fishing boat, "Hullbilly" close to the Inlet for fast getaways.

While visiting on Jupiter Island one day, I was surprised to see Lee Trevino working on his golf clubs in the garage next door while his caddie, Herman, sat on a cart and I listened as they talked about the behind the scenes happenings on the PGA Tour. Joe Namath must like Burger King since I have bumped into him there a few times.

Other golf notables in the area include Nick Price, Briny Baird, Steve Marino and Rickie Fowler.

So when Tiger Woods scooped up $ 38 million dollars worth of Jupiter Island real estate to begin building his compound he joined the crowd who discovered our paradise before him. After his marriage crumbled, Elin Nordegren (ex-Mrs. Tiger Woods) began to hunt for a home and settled on a $ 12.3 oceanfront mansion in Seminole Landing. Ben Hogan once said that if he could only play one golf course for the rest of his life it would be Seminole. And Sean Connery has popped in for a round.

The house she purchased was reportedly not economically feasible to restore and since the value was really in the land, it was demolished after she donated $ 300,000 worth of furnishings to Habitat for Humanity in Martin County. All that's left is the real estate and the trees.

Today I found her walking the beach near the new home site with a couple of friends, her two kids and their two dogs. Yogi, the black and white dog seen in past Woods family pictures, came over to visit for awhile after he found something cool in the seaweed. I took this shot of the group returning up to the construction location.

So, even in an area filled with celebrities it is always a kick to run into another one. I hope Elin, Tiger, the kids, his mother along with Yogi and his buddy find this area as wonderful as we do.

Looking for a home in this area? I have lived here 22 years and can show you the best locations and some great opportunities. Feel like searching for that home yourself? Try Coastal Florida Real Estate for the fastest MLS search results available. Personal service is always as close as the phone at 561-762-4073.

Bubba Gump makes the scene in Jupiter

2012-01-22T09:32:00.002-05:00

Life here in Jupiter is great! Dine at Bubba Gump right across from the Lighthouse and watch the boats go by! Looking for a home in this area? You will find the fastest MLS search results available at Coastal Florida Real Estate or contact me at 561-762-4073. Unlike many agents I have lived here 22 years and can show you the best values and locations.

Need Freedom? Jupiter Farms is the answer.

2012-01-22T07:39:00.001-05:00

Most people only think of Jupiter Farms as a dedicated equestrian area but the Farms really means FREEDOM! Watch this video and you will know why.

Looking at homes for sale in Jupiter Farms? I have lived here for 12 years and can show you the best locations and some great opportunities. Contact me at 561-762-4073 or search using the fastest MLS search available at Coastal Florida Real Estate.

Dubois Park gets a facelift

2012-01-22T07:29:00.001-05:00

Dubois Park was recently voted the most popular park in Palm Beach County. When land became available at the west end of the Park recently, the County added dockage so residents can come to the park via water. There are more videos on my You Tube channel.

Looking for a home in this area? I have lived here 22 years and can show you the best locations and some great opportunities. Or use the fastest MLS search at Coastal Florida Real Estate. Or for personal service contact me 561-762-4073.

Dubois Park: The new docks are almost ready

2012-01-13T11:17:00.003-05:00

Dubois Park is a favorite Jupiter attraction. The Park sits right on the Jupiter Inlet across from Jupiter Inlet Colony and Jupiter Island. Here, clear ocean water floods in twice a day providing a great place for swimming or spending a lazy day under the palms. The peace is broken only when a boat returns through the Jupiter Inlet.

View from Dubois Park

Last year the County began a restoration project that included building these docks so people could access the Park by boat. The protected lagoon is a favorit hangout for manatees, sea turtles and migrating mullet during the fall and is a great place to snook fish at dusk when the action is the hottest.

Dubois Park docks

The final touches are now being installed as they near completion and this is always evidenced by the County sending two people to do the job of one. These small, punch-list jobs could be handled by just one employee like I saw yesterday, but like any good government project, there is always an extra employee hanging around to talk or tell jokes while the other one works. And I think the project landscape architect was there since she was carrying plans and a man was explaining everything detail to her.

If you are looking for a great spot to take the family, Dubois Park is the spot. My You Tube video below on the Park has received nearly 5,000 visits.

http://youtu.be/pXw39QeVHn4

If you are looking for a home in this area, I have lived here nearly 22 years and can show you the best locations and some great opportunities. Contact me at 561-762-4073 or you can find a house using the fastest MLS results available at Coastal Florida Real Estate.

Jupiter: Is it too hot for Christmas?

2011-12-23T14:33:00.001-05:00

Here in Jupiter, it's hard to tell it's Christmas. My wife can tell when its Christmas by the "cooler" weather we are supposed to have this time of year. So when it's near 80, she doesn't think it feels "Christmas-y".

One thing about the lack of cooler weather is that it keeps the citrus from getting sweet. They need the cooler weather to make them really come alive and we just haven't had it yet. Last year, we had the coldest winter on record. But this year...well take a look at the picture below. It was taken from Burt Reynold's dock and is facing north up the Intracoastal Waterway near Jupiter Island.

Right now, there are about 3,800 homes on the market in the Jupiter to Palm Beach Gardens area priced from $ 37,000 to near $ 19 million. If you are looking for great opportunities, there are plenty of them out there. I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations. You can contact me at 561-762-4073. Or see all homes for sale at http://www.coastalflrealestate.com/. Got a question? For a quick answer use coastalflrealestate@gmail.com.

Richard Sites, Realtor

Tiger Woods, Jupiter Island resident, visits a local school

2011-12-10T16:13:00.002-05:00

Jupiter Island has long been home to some of the biggest, if not the most quiet, names in the country. The list of notables that call the Island home will fill the social register anywhere. No perhaps no better known than Tiger Woods. Woods capped a week when he won his first tournament in more than two years by checking in on another success: the Tiger Woods Learning Center at Murray Middle School.

Woods made an unpublicized visit to the program visiting with students, teachers and administrators and taking part in a forensics class as sixth- and seventh-graders in the program demonstrated fingerprinting to an eighth-grade science class.

"At first none of the students knew who he was," Principal Kit Weir said, "and then one kid recognized him and shouted, 'That's Tiger Woods!' Then they all started screaming."

Tiger bought the old Chuck Curcio mansion on Jupiter Island, then 4 other surrounding parcels, moved trees around and built a massive compound complete with golf hole for practicing. He also assembled a couple of large properties in Jupiter and built another massive, walled compound for his mom.

Thinking about homes for sale on Jupiter Island? I can show you any home listed by any broker and unlike many agents have lived here 22 years and can show you the best values and locations. Or reach me at 561-762-4073. You can search the MLS using the fastest results available at Coastal Florida Real Estate.

Hungryland Trail Day is this Saturday

2011-12-09T07:29:00.001-05:00

One of the really great things about living in Jupiter Farms is the access to so much undeveloped land and recreational areas. Of course, the best known is Riverbend Park but that's not all there is. Recently Cypress Creek was opened and although not completed, will eventually connect Riverbend with Hungryland to the west.

I don't know how the John C. and Mariana Jones Hungryland Wildlife and Environmental Area got it's name but it is 16,645 acres of some of the highest quality, undisturbed pine flatwoods remaining in South Florida. You can hike, camp or bike along the Old Jupiter-Indiantown Road, hunt for deer, hog and other small game and fish. This Saturday, NETA, the Northeast Everglades Trails Association, is sponsoring Hungryland Trail Day.

The organization will be hosting this event for hikers, bikers and equestrians to help encourage the public to come enjoy our great outdoors. The event is open to the public and is free and there will be burgers and dogs on the grill at noon. Enter the park at Gate 9. How do you get to gate 9?

Indiantown Road west from Jupiter until you reach the flashing light at Mellen. For those of you using GPS devices, the machine may call this 125th. Turn right, (north if you are using GPS) and go about a mile until you see Old Indiantown Road. Make a left and continue until you hit the big yellow gate. This is gate 9. Park outside the gate and then hike or bike down Old Indiantown Road into the Park. Or contact Florida Eco Tours and let them take you: floridaecotours@gmail.com.

Looking at homes for sale in Jupiter Farms? We enjoy a lifestyle unlike any other in this area and yet we are still only 15 minutes from the ocean. Let me show you the best values and opportunities. Unlike many agents I live in the Farms. Contact me at 561-762-4073 or coastalflrealestate@gmail.com. Like to search yourself? You can see all homes listed for sale at http://www.coastalflrealestate.com/.

Toll Brothers posts financial results

2011-12-06T10:20:00.001-05:00

Toll Brothers, builders of Jupiter Country Club, Frenchman's Reserve and the new Frenchman's Harbor in Juno Beach reported it's fiscal fourth-quarter net income slid 70 percent, partly because last year's quarter was helped by a large tax benefit and fewer cancellations this year.

: Yacht at Frenchman's Harbor

Executive Chairman Robert Toll said that the company believes its prospective customers have the ability to buy but that a lack of confidence in the U.S. economy is holding people back from making purchases.

Fourth-quarter home deliveries climbed 8 percent to 757 units. Signed contracts increased 15 percent to 644 units with the average price of its quarterly signed contracts was $606,000, up from $565,000 a year ago.

There is still time for you to pick up a great waterfront location at Frenchman's Harbor in Juno Beach. Or if you are looking for an oceanfront condo, Juno is the place for them since unlike Jupiter they sit right on the ocean. You can contact me at 561-762-4073 to see any home for sale listed by any broker unless you want to search yourself. You can do that at http://www.coastalflrealestate.com/. Or email me at coastalflrealestate@gmail.com.

: Richard Sites, Realtor

Jupiter Christian School hosts "Christmas in the Courtyard" tonight

2011-12-06T07:29:00.001-05:00

Jupiter Christian School in Jupiter is hosting it's annual "Christmas in the Courtyard" tonight. According to Fine Arts Director Claire Sites, this is one of the school's major outreach efforts in the community. The design of the campus features an outdoor courtyard which is perfect for such an event while our weather is perfect.

Christmas in the Courtyard features all facets of the Fine Arts Department including chorus, drama, art and band. They will be performing starting at 6 pm and the event is open to the public.

Jupiter Christian School opened in September of 1963. For three and one-half years, classes were held in the educational building at Grace Immanuel Bible Church, which was then named First Southern Methodist Church. In July of 1966, construction of the present facility was started on land donated in memory of Mr. And Mrs. Henry S. Pennock, Sr. On January 2, 1967, classes were held for the first time at the present facility.

Looking for a home in the Jupiter area? Unlike many agents I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations. Contact me at 561-762-4073 or at rsites@bellsouth.net.

Richard Sites, Realtor

Time again for the Holiday Boat Parade in Jupiter

2011-12-02T16:55:00.001-05:00

Jupiter is a great place to live and certainly all of our waterfront exposure contributes to this. We have miles of beautiful, expansive, clean and free beaches stretching all the way to Juno Beach just to our south. South of Jupiter lie the towns of North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. And, like a necklace, the Intracoastal Waterway connects them all.

Each holiday season, these town orchestrate a Holiday Boat Parade where boat owners can decorate their boats with holiday lights and slowly parade them from the south to the north.

So here in Jupiter, we can gather at Riverwalk, Sawfish Bay Park and Lighthouse Park to watch the boats as they pass by. The weather is glorious this time of year and it's hard to resist the opportunity to sit out under the stars for a couple of hours and watch the boats. If you happen to station yourself near the Jupiter Lighthouse, you will be treated to the sweeping beams of light as it turns. The parade takes place Dec. 3 and can be viewed as it passes Jupiter between 5-10 pm.

Does this sound like a great place to live? You bet it is! Looking for a home in this area? Unlike many agents, I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best values and locations. You can contact me at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites. My phone number is 561-762-4073. If you want to search yourself, you can see all Jupiter homes for sale at http://www.coastalflrealestate.com/.

Richard Sites, Realtor

State ordered to pay for healthy citrus trees they cut down

2011-11-29T14:05:00.003-05:00

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?

2011-11-28T11:21:00.003-05:00

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

2011-11-28T08:58:00.002-05:00

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

2011-11-24T14:15:00.001-05:00

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

2011-11-24T14:02:00.001-05:00

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

2011-11-24T13:19:00.001-05:00

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!

2011-11-23T15:19:00.002-05:00

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

2011-11-23T09:56:00.002-05:00

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

2011-11-23T09:14:00.002-05:00

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

2011-11-22T18:37:00.001-05:00

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

2011-11-22T16:07:00.001-05:00

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

2011-11-22T15:52:00.002-05:00

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 11 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.

Jupiter: Where is the rain?

2011-06-21T21:53:00.004-04:00

Jupiter is easily the finest, coastal town in SE Florida...and I should know. I've lived in SE Florida all my life. But part of what makes this sub-tropical paradise fun are the summer thunderstorms. Each afternoon, they build out over the Everglades with towering thunderheads reaching miles into the sky. With a pair of Polaroid glasses you can be treated to a cloud show unmatched in the country.

But now we are in the middle of an extreme drought. By June 21, we should be having heavy rain every day and yet none comes. Jupiter homes for sale are struggling to maintain their appearance since we are on a limited watering schedule. Until it starts raining the only water we will be seeing is the ocean.

Looking for a home in this area? Unlike many agents, I have lived here 21 years and can show you the best locations and some great opportunities. Contact me, Richard Sites, at rsites@bellsouth.net or for personal service, call me at 561-762-4073. Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.

Richard Sites, Realtor

Jupiter beaches offer heat relief

2011-06-16T21:18:00.002-04:00

Homes in Jupiter offer everyone the chance to get to the beach as often as they like. This afternoon I was with a group of people bemoaning the fact that they never get to the beach unless out of town company is here. If they are from the north, they only have to go a couple of times before getting sunburned and then spend the rest of the vacation in the shade. In any event, we have miles of fabulous beaches here and some portions are dog friendly, which means you can bring the family pooch with you. If you don't get to the beach you've got nobody to blame buy yourself.

Jupiter real estate is all located within a ten minute drive of the beach, unless you catch the bridge up then you have to add 4 minutes to your trip. If you live in Jupiter Farms, this trip might 15-20 minutes depending on where you are in this rural area.

But when the thermometer soars into the 90's, there is no better place to seek relief than our fabulous beaches especially where there is a little shade. Like under the famous Juno Beach pier.

If you are at Jupiter homes for sale I've lived here for 21 years and can show you the best values and locations. Call me at 561-762-4073 or email me at rsites@bellsouth.net or on Skype at rsites. Or you can search for a home yourself at www.CoastalFlrealestate.com.

Richard Sites, Realtor