Neighborhood of the Week: Lake Osborne Heights centrally located, affordable
Elizabeth Clarke
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 21st, 2011
LAKE WORTH —
Great neighborhoods aren't always lined with perfect palm trees and pristine sidewalks.
Sometimes, the mature landscape is lush and perhaps a little wild, the homes are modest but mostly well-kept and a lovely lake and huge county park are just steps away.
That's all just part of the appeal in Lake Osborne Heights, residents and real estate agents say.
"It's a great little area for people to pick up first-time homes," says agent Wendy Elias of The Keyes Co., who recently sold a home in the neighborhood in just four days.
"The affordability is fantastic," says Joel McClintock of Re/MAX Advantage Plus, who also recently sold a home in the neighborhood. "People can buy in communities like Osborne Heights for less than paying rent."
Current active listings range from $75,000 to $172,000, with relatively few available: About five of the 450 primarily single-family homes are up for sale. The neighborhood sits inside the horseshoe of the northern end of Lake Osborne south to 12th Avenue South, excluding some condos and other areas. It's a great spot, tucked away but central, agents say. "It's not in the thick of downtown, but it's really got access to everything: 95, the college, schools," McClintock says, referring to Palm Beach State College. "Shopping is very close and convenient. And it's not far from the beaches."
Another part of the appeal is the relaxed vibe, with only a voluntary homeowners' association - no dues - and with no restrictions beyond city codes.
"It's sort of laidback, which is not real typical of our area," says Jan Kaczwara, an agent with Coldwell Banker. "It's a nice neighborhood for new families to start out. And I think a lot of old Floridians live there, too."
Robert Waples, president of the association, agrees, saying the neighborhood attracts people of all ages and backgrounds. They like the easy access to John Prince Park and Lake Osborne, as well as the friendly and active neighbors.
The non-political residents association gets together about six times a year for presentations and to plan volunteer work in the community. Next up is helping a resident in need paint and clean up her home. A team of volunteers plans to work all day July 30.
"It's just a good working-class neighborhood," says 11-year resident Judy Franklyn, who decided to stay and rebuild after Hurricane Wilma destroyed her home in 2005. "People take pride in their homes, and it's just a very friendly community."
Plenty of kids live here, too, attending C-rated South Grade Elementary and Lake Worth Middle schools, A-rated Lake Worth High, or any of the nearby private schools.
Agents say buyers most like the feel of the community, though, with all that includes: no restrictions, walking to the lake and the park, zipping to the highway and downtown Lake Worth. "That's very alluring to a lot of people," Kaczwara says. "It's a great location."
HELEN PETRIE
(with son Mark Geiger)
HER HOME: A three-bedroom, two-bath home with about 1,500
square feet.
WHEN SHE MOVED IN: 1974
CURRENT VALUE (from Zillow.com): Not available.
WHY SHE LOVES IT: When Helen retired from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office two months ago, several people asked if she planned to move. Her answer? Absolutely not. And to prove it she promptly jumped into major remodeling and landscaping projects. She enclosed half of a large patio, adding another room onto the house and worked tirelessly to xeriscape her yard. It won the neighborhood's yard of the month award for July.
Helen and her then-husband moved to Palm Beach County from Michigan and were looking for a home near her mom. One day, her mom called and said the house next door to her was on the market. Helen bought it without even seeing it. She loved the neighborhood that much. "It's quiet," she says. "It's an old neighborhood. It's established. There's nothing fancy about the houses." She loves being so close the lake, where she walks her dogs and rides her bike. And she likes her accessibility to I-95, shopping and, of course, she loves her neighbors.
"It's nice and quiet," she says. "Nobody gets in your face. Everybody minds their own business, but it's still very friendly. Everybody's willing to help their neighbors."
JUDY and NEIL FRANKLYN
(with their daughter Miranda, 14, and Ruby the pug)
THEIR HOME: A three-bedroom, three-bath home with about 2,500 square feet, plus a pool and a soundproof music studio for Neil, a professional musician.
WHEN THEY MOVED IN: 2000
HOW MUCH THEY PAID: $146,000
CURRENT VALUE (from Zillow.com): $149,100 (Note: Zillow numbers are estimates and do not always represent true market value.)
WHY THEY LOVE IT: The Franklyns love this particular house even more than their original Lake Osborne Heights house, which lost its roof during Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and had to be gutted down to the studs. They love this one even more because of what they put into it: two years of fighting their insurance company, followed by a year of rebuilding it just the way they wanted it. Now, it's the perfect house.
"It was all worth it," Judy says. "I love my house, even better than before. I personally went to Lowe's and bought every faucet and every light cover and every little thing."
Judy never considered leaving the neighborhood, despite the exhausting journey, because it's such a wonderful place to live. It was the first house she saw when she was house-hunting more than a decade ago.
She fell in love with it instantly. It had five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a mother-in-law suite, a pool and a wood-burning fireplace. Today, the music studio is perfect for her husband. The pool is great for her daughter and her friends. And the friendly neighbors and central location - close to the lake, John Prince Park and Interstate -95 -- make it great for all of them, says Judy, a real estate agent with True Floridian Realty who commutes to Delray Beach.
"I just couldn't leave that neighborhood," she says. "I couldn't leave my neighbors. I just couldn't."
THE REAL ESTATE MARKET AT LAKE OSBORNE HEIGHTS
Total number of homes: 450
Median home sales price in 2010: $135,000
Homes listed for sale: 5
ON THE MARKET
A sample of homes for sale in Lake Osborne Heights
$80,000
(602 Grove Street)
This three-bedroom, two-bath home has 1,508 square feet of total space, tile in the main living area and a large, fenced backyard. Listed by Heidi Gulino, Continental Properties.
$172,000
(533 Griswold Drive)
A two-bedroom, two-bath house, with a two-car garage and 1,264 square feet of living space, includes a pool, large backyard and screened porch. Listed by Catherine Woolf, Woolf Realty.
