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Laura Cole & Tana Gaskill
   561.758.8625             561.389.6838
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Newsletter                            January, 2016

,

Mid-January already!  The holiday season just flies by in a flurry of festivity, parties, and family visits. 

Recently we recently had a memorable evening at the Sunset Bar and Grill and loved the food, ambiance and entertainment.  We had forgotten how delightful previous visits were.  We include a repeat of a review from our resident gourmet critic, Vicki Slotnick, just in case you wish to be reminded too!  

And of course, keep up with Real Estate Trends and property news from BallenIsles with our 2015 Year End sales overview.  

Have fun you all!
Laura & Tana

Featured Property
137 Banyan Isle Drive

Long lake views from this expanded custom model home. From the moment you enter through the double doors you know you are at home. Details such as French doors, invisible screens, extensive crown molding, tray ceilings, elegant window treatments, designer built-ins and a cozy fireplace set the mood. Grand living area with enormous Great Room , warm wood built-in office, kitchen with granite counter tops, gas cook top, double wall ovens and newer refrigerator and dishwasher. This King Charles model has impressive features such as a separate powder room, heated pool, gas barbeque, a separate laundry room and separate golf cart garage. The gracious master suite has a sitting area, his and her closets and large bath. Open and spacious this home is sure to impress. Enjoy all the fabulous Ballenisles country club amenities with the required purchase of a golf equity membership!
 


Restaurant Review by Vicki Slotnick
Sunset Bar and Grill 

Walking into this place gave us a really good feeling right away. It's warm and woodsy, homey, quite funky, and very casual. There are loads of colorful oil paintings on the walls all by the same figure artist, Debra Kerly who once lived in the neighborhood. Had I been inclined, I would have bought more than a few! We were shown right to our table...the only round table for six nestled in a cozy corner and away from the maddening crowd (but which was nowhere to be seen that night)! The place is very well kept and clean for an old building and you have to experience the ladies room!
 
Sunset Grill is open Tuesday through Friday for lunch starting at 11 am, and Tuesday through Saturday for dinner, starting at 4 pm. They have a bar at which one can have a meal as well as an outdoor patio. The menu makes a point of telling us that all salad dressings are made in house and there are daily specials.  Each day brings another specially priced "come on" to get you in the door including live music on Saturday nights.
We shared a few appetizers, one standout being a special that evening of sacchetti in sage and brown butter sauce. The "pillows" of cheese stuffed pasta were sublime in texture...pillows is the only word I would use. It reminded me of a so, so, soft down pillow. The part that disappointed me was the brown butter and sage sauce...not enough of that nutty brown butter and crispy fried sage to taste like anything much. Oh well... Eddy had a very pretty and crispy fresh house salad and other Eddie had a grilled veggie gazpacho, which he pronounced a 9 out of 10. We had a hilarious ten-minute dissertation about the bread (after all, bread is the staff of life!) Then there was a revised rating on the gazpacho: "outstanding"! Other Ed kept refilling his martini with olives. They have served him about 12 olives already.
 
Eddy's red snapper arrived with a ginger cilantro sauce. Most entrees were served with a nice variety of vegetables; Laura had black and white sesame seed-crusted tuna, served in a big hunk. It was ordered very rare, but came over-cooked. There was a grilled mahi-mahi that Elaine did not love...she was eyeing Eddy's snapper. I had sunset crab cakes, tasty but very mushy, mostly filler. (I was searching hard for some jumbo lump crab, to no avail.) There was another 5-minute discussion on the vegetables and the bread. The baby green beans were tasty but too soft and more grey than green...was it from being roasted or over-cooked???? The carrots were "baby, cut by machine to look like baby carrots, but not really babies. You know, you've seen them in plastic bags in the super markets. Rodney's duck was beautifully crisp, lean, a tad dry, and a beautiful mahogany brown with a yummy sweet sauce on the side.
 
There was a nice variety of house made desserts. We shared a couple of excellent desserts. The chocolate bread pudding was awesome. My plan included only one bite (need I say more?) A gold brick sundae was unremarkable, however. Prices were reasonable. Service was very good. The consensus on the place averaged about an 8.5. You be the judge.

Sunset Bar and Grill
2500 Broadway at 24th Street, Northwood 
561-832-2722
MLMML
REAL ESTATE TRENDS BI moongate
BallenIsles Sales - 2015

Not a banner year but certainly bright!  Compare this year's 84 MLS sales with 106 in 2014 and 48 in 2009.  And total sales including non MLS sales were 92.  The trend is still UP even with an almost 20% decrease in sales this past year.  Inventory has has risen UP to 68 properties currently on the market.  Why?  Sellers sense the upturn and are now coming on to the  market.  Buyers, who have waited, now have more choice in the market and feel less pressured.  Compare the 2014 average list/sold price $624,137/$568,940 and average market time of 167 days to 2015 average list/sold price $801,089/$727,054 and average market time of 84 days.  The numbers say it all.  Prices are rising and selling time is shrinking.  Buyers see value and know the time to purchase is NOW.  Sellers have noticed that the time to move on or trade up is NOW!   
Call us!  We can make your Real Estate dreams a reality. 
                          
 
BALLENISLES SALES 2015
#
ADDRESS
BR
BA
SOLD $
ORIG. $
SOLD DATE
MKT TIME 
1
205 CORAL CAY TERRACE
3
3.0
$200,000
$230,000
01/09/2015
1832
2
110 PEMBROKE DRIVE
3
3.5
$350,000
NON-MLS
01/09/2015
 
3
142 BANYAN ISLE DRIVE
3
4.5
$700,000
$725,000
01/15/2015
55
4
140 ORCHID CAY DRIVE
3
3.0
$470,750
$559.000
01/23/2015
325
5
111 CORAL CAY DRIVE
3
3.0
$320,000
$375,000
01/26/2015
58
6
119 BANYAN ISLE DRIVE
3
4.5
$657,500
$725,000
01/30/2015
165
7
18 ST GEORGE PLACE
4
4.5
$1,260,000
$1,500,000
01/30/2015
2
8
16 ST THOMAS DRIVE
4
4.5
$1,650,000
$1,750,000
02/12/2015
15
9
125C PALM BAY TERRACE
3
3.0
$390,000
$429,000
02/12/2015
31
10
162 VINTAGEISLE LANE
3
3.5
$1,075,000
$1,199,000
02/17/2015
269
11
41 ST THOMAS DRIVE
6
5.5
$1,500,000
$1,700,000
03/02/2015
127
12
109 COCONUT KEY COURT
3
4.0
$1,000,000
$1,100,000
03/03/2015
259
13
19 SOMERSET DRIVE
3
3.5
   $600,000
$700,000
03/11/2015
22
14
1026 GRAND ISLE TERRACE
4
5.5
$1,500,000
$1,699,000
03/16/2015
46
15
104B PALM BAY CIRCLE
2
2.0
   $397,300
$449,000
03/17/2015
62
16
124 WINDWARD DRIVE
3
2.5
   $485,000
$525,000
03/17/2015
25
17
108 ST MARTIN DRIVE
3
4.0
$1,000,000
$1,200,000
03/17/2015
63
18
106 VINTAGEISLE DRIVE
  3
4.5
   $975,000
$1,075,000
03/17/2015
585
19
209 SUNSET BAY COURT
3
2.5
   $299,000
$299,000
03/26/2015
7
20
114 BANYAN ISLE DRIVE
3
4.5
   $690,000
$749,000
03/26/2015
15
21
120 ST MARTIN DRIVE
4
4.5
   $900,000
$1,200,000
03/26/2015
155
22
21 ST JAMES DRIVE
3
4.0
   $732,000
$850,000
03/30/2015
98
23
119 SAN MARCO DRIVE
4
4.0
   $645,000
$699,000
03/31/2015
244
24
205 COCONUT KEY DRIVE
3
3.5
   $975,000
$1,075,000
03/31/2015
91
25
28 LAGUNA TERRACE
3
3.5
   $497,625
$559,000
04/08/2015
195
26
203 GRAND POINTE DRIVE
4
5.5
$2,058,400
$2,499,000
04/08/2015
2
27
114 GRAND PALM DRIVE
4
5.5
$1,160,000
$1,200,000
04/14/2015
259
28
121 SAN MARCO DRIVE
3
3.0
   $690,000
$749,000
04/15/2015
83
29
22 LAGUNA TERRACE
3
3.0
   $650,000
$690,000
04/17/2015
0
30
62 ST JAMES DRIVE
3
3.5
   $893,000
NON-MLS
04/17/2015
 
31
117 CHASEWOOD CIRCLE
4
3.5
   $669,000
$679,900
04/23/2015
61
32
231 CORAL CAY TERRACE
3
3.0
   $270,000
$309,900
04/27/2015
75
33
109 VINTAGEISLE LANE
4
4.5
   $864,000
$1,049,000
04/28/2015
16
34
223 CORAL CAY TERRACE
3
3.0
   $340,000
$369,000
04/30/2015
228
35
110 PEMBROKE DRIVE
3
3.5
   $600,000
NON-MLS
05/01/2015
 
36
110 GRAND PALM WAY
3
4.0
$1,200,000
$1,275,000
05/01/2015
22
37
1126 CRYSTAL DRIVE
4
4.0
   $480,000
   $539,000
05/06/2015
100
38
110 ST EDWARD PLACE
3
3.5
$1,600,000
$1,650,000
05/08/2015
7
39
46 ST JAMES DRIVE
4
4.5
   $765,000
$795,000
05/13/2015
1
40
150 ORCHID CAY DRIVE
3
3.0
   $625,000
$649,000
05/18/2015
1
41
150 ISLE DRIVE
3
3.0
   $368,000
$380,000
05/22/2015
114
42
138 ISLE DRIVE
3
3.0
   $440,000
$489,000
05/27/2015
61
43
121A PALM BAY TERRACE
2
2.0
   $350,000
$400,000
05/28/2015
94
44
60 LAGUNA TERRACE
3
3.0
   $585,000
$695,000
05/28/2015
146
45
123 SUNSET BAY DRIVE
4
3.0
   $300,000
$339,000
05/29/2015
144
46
124D PALM BAY TERRACE
3
3.0
   $450,000
$525,000
06/01/2015
37
47
79 LAGUNA DRIVE
   3
3.0
   $560,000
$599,000
06/01/2015
50
48
30 SAINT JAMES DRIVE
3
4.0
   $870,650
$1,100,000
06/01/2015
0
49
131 ST MARTIN DRIVE
 
 
$1,293,000
NON-MLS
06/01/2015

50
41 LAGUNA TERRACE
3
4.5
   $500,000
$629,000
06/19/2015
114
51
17 LAGUNA COURT
3
2.5
   $491,275
$549,000
06/25/2015
24
52
124 ISLE DRIVE
3
3.0
   $530,000
$599,000
06/30/2015
0
53
1140 CRYSTAL DRIVE
 
 
   $627,500
NON-MLS
06/30/2015
 
54
104 WINDSOR POINTE DRIVE
4
4.0
$1,085,000
$1,275,000
06/30/2015
50
55
129 ISLAND COVE WAY
 
 
   $515,000
NON-MLS
07/06/2015
 
56
116C PALM BAY DRIVE
3
3.0
   $500,000
NON-MLS
07/15/2015
 
57
101 SUNESTA COVE DRIVE
4
4.5
$1,065,000
$1,099,000
07/15/2015
4
58
1114 CRSTAL DRIVE
4
4.0
   $665,000
$749,000
07/17/2015
162
59
130 ORCHID CAY DRIVE
3
3.0
   $566.608
$599,000
07/21/2015
14
60
166 WINDWARD DRIVE
3
4.0
   $660,000
$749,900
07/22/2015
165
61
101A PALM BAY CIRCLE
3
2.0
   $256,550
$399,900
07/24/2015
89
62
112 VINTAGEISLE LANE
3
4.0
   $799,133
$1,199,000
07/28/2015
30
63
120 ST EDWARD PLACE
 
 
$1,450,000
NON-MLS
07/28/2015
 
64
275 ISLE WAY
3
4.0
   $429,000
$549,000
08/10/2015
155
65
157 SUNSET BAY DRIVE
3
2.5
   $345,000
$349,900
08/24/2015
2
66
102 EMERALD KEY LANE
3
3.0
   $625,000
$679,000
08/28/2015
69
67
212 GRAND POINTE DRIVE
4
4.5
$2,050,000
$2,100,000
08/28/2015
20
68
1152 CRYSTAL DRIVE
4
4.0
   $569,050
$775,000
09/08/2015
137
69
218 COCONUT KEY DRIVE
3
4.5
   $875,000
$1,100,000
09/28/2015
177
70
145 SAN MARCO DRIVE
3
3.5
   $650,000
$749,000
09/30/2015
172
71
22 LAGUNA TERRACE
3
3.0
   $635,000
$649,000
10/20/2015
6
72
114 CHASEWOOD CIRCLE
4
4.5
   $462,500
$479,888
10/20/2015
50
73
113C PALM POINT CIRCLE
3
3.0
   $488,000
$511,000
10/23/2015
70
74
104 CORAL CAY DRIVE
3
2.0
   $317,500
$369,900
10/27/2015
89
75
233 CORAL CAY TERRACE
3
3.0
   $268,000
$262,000
10/28/2015
76
76
121 CHASEWOOD CIRCLE
4
3.5
   $675,000
$675,000
11/02/2015
5
77
32 SOMERSET DRIVE
4
4.0
   $757,500
$875,000
11/04/2015
57
78
116 CORAL CAY DRIVE
3
2.0
   $360,000
$375,000
11/10/2015
123
79
103 VICTORIA BAY COURT
3
3.0
   $300,000
$384,900
11/12/2015
153
80
127 WINDWARD DRIVE
3
4.5
   $620,000
$650,000
11/12/2015
168
81
104D PALM POINT CIRCLE
3
3.0
   $390,000
$415,000
11/13/2015
34
82
5 BERMUDA LAKE DRIVE
4
3.0
   $725,000
$745,000
11/13/2015
10
83
121D PALM BAY TERRACE
3
3.0
   $475,000
$525,000
11/16/2015
124
84
32 ST GEORGE PLACE
4
5.5
$2,220,000
$2,395,000
11/20/2015
125
85
63 LAGUNA DRIVE
4
3.5
   $344,939
$490,000
11/25/2015
161
86
213 GRAND POINTE
4
5.0
$1,800,000
$1,995,000
11/25/2015
190
87
153 WINDWARD DRIVE
3
4.5
   $650,000
$675,000
11/30/2015
116
88
113 ST MARTIN DRIVE
3
3.5
$1,029,000
$1,295,000
12/01/2015
295
89
120 VINTAGEISLE LANE
3
3.0
   $700,000
$799,000
12/17/2015
403
90
127D PALM BAY TERRACE
3
3.0
   $450,000
$475,000
12/17/2015
134
91
29 BERMUDA LAKE DRIVE
4
4.0
   $483,000
$600,000
12/18/2015
125
92
114A PALM BAY DRIVE
2
2.0
   $400,000
$439,000
12/31/2015
81

*This representation is based on data supplied by the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches or its Multiple Listing Services thru 01/03/2016.     
Laura Cole & Tana Gaskill
561.758.8625      561.389.6838

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