A new breed of modern super-luxury lifestyle options takes the Boca Raton - Delray corridor by storm

Introduction

South Florida offers locals and migratory families from all over the US a compendium of lifestyle options. These include traditional ungated neighborhoods relying on flourishing tropical foliage and winding waterways for stress-releasing environments to country clubs (CCs) - equity and non-equity. In between, one will discover palatial estate home enclaves, multiple ranch spreads in city centers, spectacular condo towers on the beachfront & downtown, active adult communities, canal/Intracoastal boating suburbs, and historic districts - to name a few.

Initial tendencies are to capture incredible luxuries that converge on every leisure amenity imaginable at one's fingertips, with private golf club access leading the charge. And why not? After all, hitting a small white ball around undulating rolling fairways crisscrossed by in-land lakes for hours during relaxation hours is what the Sunshine State is famous for. For this reason, the CC category has captured everyone's intense interest as the ideal solution to accessing on-your-doorstep golf, tennis, pickleball, fitness training, exotic spa treatments, kids' entertainment, a broad selection of in-community dining, resort-pool lazing, aquatic activities, and never-ending socializing on a single campus.

As exciting as Country Club options like St Andrews Country Club, Addison Reserve, Woodfield Country Club, Delaire, Boca West, and Polo Club (among many up and down the coast) are, they're not everyone’s cup of tea. Why? Because the latter requires campus residents to join (a mandatory ruling), involving a largely non-refundable initiation fee (commonly known as equity fees) between $100,000 & $250,000 and annual dues (added to HOA fees) that take monthly costs to $3,500 and more. That's a hefty burden, so are there alternatives? We've analyzed the arena in detail and believe they abound with a significant resident appeal. If this resonates, read on.

What happens if you take on-campus golf out of the equation?

With perfect weather conditions year-round and pristine course management, Palm Beach County features at least 160 world-class golf courses that have emerged from varying circumstances offering public, semi-private, and private membership access. It’s enough to keep the most ardent enthusiasts occupied with their sport all week and weekends. Moreover, these real estate footprints offer the following:

• Stunning driving, chipping, and putting facilities that match any CC luxury facility. 
• Package deals to groups wanting organized and consistent playing privileges.
• Alignment with entities (like the Canam Golf organization) focused on Canadian and local members (with no charge to join) that deliver discounted green fees and booking advantages at selected courses.

Just a few exciting examples of the above are Boca Delray, Boca Dunes, Boca Greens, Boca Lago, Forest Oaks, Indian Wood, Madison Green, Okeheelee, Osprey Point, Palm Beach National, Palm Beach Polo, Park Ridge - and on. Prices on special deals range from $29 to $75 a round depending on playing times and days (with tax and golf carts included, generally with free or nominal access to practice privileges), making it exceptionally affordable versus CC fees that involve $2000 yearly trail charges over and above annual dues. Another Country Club sticking point is the high cost of members’ guest accompaniment, sometimes over $100 in season.

So, having convincingly addressed the issue of not playing golf within twenty minutes from any Boca or Delray address, what are the alternatives for those who find leaving the community to play their links sport acceptable?

Believe it or not, the options have been in front of us for decades:

Before we get to the contemporary and ultra-modern resort-like opportunities - the primary focus of this article - the CC cloning theme has been part and parcel of lifestyle alternatives from long before 2000. Consider that 24/7 guardhouse-secure Seasons (vintage 1990s), in the heart of Boca Raton, provides multiple clay tennis and pickleball courts, playable day and night, with a professionally organized private & group coaching program for seniors and juniors, leagues, and tournaments. Aside from that, it features:

• An enticing resort-like pool with a spa alongside a renovated contemporary clubhouse.
• A comprehensive fitness center packed with the latest technology in aerobics and weight-training equipment.
• A party room, children's pool, playground, and basketball court.

And it's by no means unique: Newport Bay Club, Santa Barbara, Mizner's Preserve, and Grande Orchid (all on Jog within a mile or two) fit snugly into the same category, attracting many buyers seeking homes priced from $700,000 to $1.5 M with monthly HOA fees of between $500 to $750.

In Parkland, Heron Bay - spanning 223 acres of stunning architectural landscapes - offers a "Seasons-like" amenity roster for SF homebuyers starting at $1.2 million SF pricing. Other candidates for unique leisure options at low monthly maintenance are Parkland Isles, Cascata, Mira Lago, and Cypress Head.

GL Homes and Toll Brothers take the CC-style model to another level.

CC memberships tend to adopt a cultural perspective, attracting homebuyers who follow the leadership of close friends gravitating to the community. They intensely protect their social interactions, and the well-heeled wholeheartedly support the ongoing renovation and construction projects that register eye-popping numbers of around $40 million, seemingly immune to the special assessments and high membership dues mentioned above. However, the same reference article covers cracks in the CC firmament where members (who could no longer afford the traditional full-service golf lifestyle) veered off course, looking for alternatives

Many reverted to the pre-2000 options highlighted above, but GL Homes and Toll Brothers - two highly reputable developers - have taken things to a different level with robust demand. Consider the following:

• GL's Homes for Sale in Boca Bridges  emerging from:
• Five hundred forty-four high-end single-family houses
• A 24/7 guard-gated with a granite pyramid and water-cascading entrance.
• Transitional, Contemporary, or Modern architectural design residences 2561 sq ft to 8101 sq ft under air ($1.5 million to over $6 million). 

Its amenities rival country club upgraded configurations in every respect (except golf) amid 7 acres of designated recreational space. The latter features a 27,000 sq ft clubhouse comfortably accommodating:

• A full-service restaurant with poolside seating
• A full-service pool bar on the covered patio.
• A card salon.
• A designer lounge with a bar, catering kitchen, and a multipurpose room. 
• An aquatic lap pool alongside a magnificent resort-style pool
• A sports court containing indoor and outdoor basketball courts.
• A fully-equipped fitness center with locker rooms and saunas.
• A relaxing massage room and a group fitness studio. 
• A Tennis Center offering access to six lighted clay tennis courts, one lighted asphalt tennis court, and four lighted pickleball courts, plus:
•  A pro shop
• Shaded courtside pavilions & stadium-style seating. 
• A kiddies' splash park, a shaded play area, and an arcade room.

What you see above is one edition in the "Bridges Family Brand" following the same formula in The Bridges, Seven Bridges, and sister projects Lotus and Lotus Palm. Indeed, this versatile developer has extended the same massively successful lifestyle model to embrace several Active Adult compounds - Valencia Cove and Valencia Sound being prime examples.

Toll Brothers operating similarly in central Boca Raton (versus GL's activities in West Boca) have constructed:

•  A fantastic boutique development of 92 SF homes - Azura and next door to it:

A mind-boggling CC (without golf) contemporary SF collection of around 300 residences - Royal Palm Polo - on what used to be expansive polo playing fields.The compelling, groundbreaking attraction in the above opportunities is zero initiation fees, practically with no chance of extravagant refurbishments every five years, and total HOA fees of $750 to $1,200 monthly (all amenity access thrown in). In short, it's a juggernaut thrown into the CC marketplace.

It has extended to other cities like Parkland, where communities like Parkland Bay (a Lennar development initiated in 2019 into 2020 offered prospective buyers Spanish, Mediterranean, and Italian architecture luxury homes centered on a massive 178-acre lake) with boating, kayaking, and paddle boarding thrown in. Also, a must-see in the same region is Watercrest - 589 residences constructed between 2013 and 2015, with prices starting at under $1 million to $2,200,000 for SF homes over 5000 square feet (UA).

Conclusion

So, if you're considering the CC lifestyle today, don't ignore the resort-style developments taking South Florida by storm for homeowners ready to compromise on golf access a little, sacrificing all or most restaurant options provided by CCs. Why the latter? Because Boca and Delray Beach deliver hundreds of inviting eateries within a five-mile radius of any city address. The home designs and luxuries compare to anything around, in spacious environments providing breathtaking outlooks from every vantage point and privacy when withdrawing from the community social scene. The innovative category is here to stay, gaining market traction daily, and it's exciting to see the upgrades and upscaling ideas around the concept sure to emerge in future years.