Hobe Sound Real Estate Guide: Buying & Selling a Home

For Buyers

Buying a home in Hobe Sound: what to know

Hobe Sound or Jupiter Island?

Hobe Sound is an unincorporated census-designated place, so Martin County handles zoning, permits and code enforcement. The Town of Jupiter Island, across the water, is a separate municipality with its own rules. Confirm the jurisdiction on the Martin County Property Appraiser's record for any home you consider.

Property taxes and the homestead exemption

To qualify, you must own the home and make it your permanent residence by January 1, then apply with the Martin County Property Appraiser by March 1. The exemption deducts $25,000 from assessed value, plus a second exemption of about $25,000, now adjusted each year for inflation, on assessed value above $50,000. After you qualify, assessed value can rise no more than 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index each year, whichever is lower. Taxes reset for a new owner, so don't budget from the seller's current bill.

Flood zones and flood insurance

Waterfront and low-lying homes near the Intracoastal Waterway may sit in higher-risk flood zones. Most homeowners policies do not cover flood damage, and homes with federally backed mortgages in high-risk A or V zones must carry flood insurance. Look up any address on Martin County's flood zone resources. The County reports 25% and 10% flood-insurance discounts for unincorporated residents through its Class 5 Community Rating System status; the Town of Jupiter Island is rated separately.

Clubs, HOAs and inspections

In club and HOA communities, ask for the association documents, budget, reserves, any required club membership or capital contribution, and rules on rentals, pets and boats before you commit. Florida insurers commonly ask for a wind mitigation inspection and, on older homes, a four-point inspection, so get insurance quotes during your inspection period.

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Lifestyle

Living in Hobe Sound

• Jonathan Dickinson State Park, the largest state park in Southeast Florida at more than 10,000 acres, offers hiking, biking, paddling and fishing along the Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee River, plus Hobe Mountain, an ancient sand dune.
• The Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge protects 3.5 miles of Atlantic beach on Jupiter Island and is one of the most productive sea turtle nesting areas in the Southeastern U.S.
• Hobe Sound Public Beach is across the water on Jupiter Island.
• Hobe Sound is about 12 miles southeast of Stuart and about 25 miles north of West Palm Beach, with I-95 about 7 miles to the west.
• Downtown street names such as Zeus, Saturn and Mercury come from the 1920s "Picture City" movie-studio plan, which ended after the 1928 hurricane.

Also see William's Jupiter Island, Tequesta, Jupiter, Stuart, Palm City and Port St. Lucie real estate guides.