Tequesta Real Estate Guide: Buying & Selling a Home

For Buyers

Buying a home in Tequesta: what to know

Village of Tequesta or Martin County?

The Village of Tequesta has its own zoning and permitting, plus its own police and fire-rescue departments. Some homes with a Tequesta mailing address are outside village limits, in unincorporated Palm Beach County or Martin County, and the Town of Jupiter and Jupiter Inlet Colony are separate municipalities nearby. Confirm the jurisdiction on the 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 by March 1 with the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, or the Martin County Property Appraiser for Martin County addresses. 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

Homes along the Loxahatchee River, the Intracoastal Waterway and on Jupiter Island 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 FEMA's Flood Map Service Center. Community Rating System discounts differ between the Village of Tequesta, Palm Beach County and Martin County, so ask your insurance agent which applies.

Condos, HOAs and inspections

Florida requires milestone structural inspections for condo and co-op buildings three or more habitable stories tall, generally at 30 years and every 10 years after, and condo associations in those buildings must complete a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years. Before buying a condo, ask for those reports, the budget, reserves and any planned special assessments. In club and HOA communities, review the association documents and rules on rentals, pets and boats. 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 Tequesta

• Coral Cove Park, a Palm Beach County beach park on Jupiter Island, is just east of the village.
• Blowing Rocks Preserve, known for its limestone shoreline, is a few minutes north on Jupiter Island.
• Jonathan Dickinson State Park, with more than 10,000 acres of trails, paddling and camping along the Loxahatchee River, is just north in Martin County.
• The village has its own police department and fire rescue.
• Downtown Jupiter, Harbourside Place and the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse are just across the river to the south.
• The village is named for the Tequesta people, who lived along this part of the coast long before European settlement.

Also see William's Jupiter, Jupiter Island, Hobe Sound and Stuart real estate guides.