Award-Winning Team Discovers Less is More for Palm Beach County Clients

With over 35 successful years of real estate business in Palm Beach County, Craig Cope and Scarlett Chan, known as “The Cope Team,” is welcomed at BWG Realty, a premier brokerage for Palm Beach County residents. The move to a smaller, more client-focused company was an intentional decision that allows The Cope Team to better serve clients.

“The move to BWG Realty gives our clients a greater advantage because we can cater to their unique needs more easily, instead of having to deal with the endless administration of a larger brokerage. This gives us more time and freedom to do what is best for our clients, and we are excited to bring our service to the next level with BWG Realty,” says Chan.

According to Forbes, Palm Beach County home prices continue to rise asThe Cope Team provides real estate clients with sound advice and guidance for what may be the biggest transaction in most households.

“The Cope Team worked tirelessly to help us purchase our dream home at an amazing price in a market that has dramatically increased since we left,” says Katie Humphrey, Jupiter resident and new homeowner.
The Cope Team’sstrong, comprehensive knowledge of local real estate markets educates their clients on the rapidly changing marketplace and helps them to avoid potential pitfalls.

This uniqueteam has a proven track record with a combined real estate experience of over 35+ years and consistently winning the highest production awards at their former broker for over fourteen (14) consecutive years.
For more information about the Cope Team, contact Scarlett Chanat 561-339-2832 or by e-mail at Scarlett@ScarlettChan.com.

Tired of Winter? It’s Spring in Florida!

Tremendous amounts of snowfall and extreme cold temperatures have made this winter one of the worst ones we’ve had in over 20 years. While those in the Upper Midwest and Northeast have given up all hope for warm weather after continuously digging themselves out of snowstorm after snowstorm, those on the East Coast of Florida are enjoying spring-like conditions.

Pollen counts are high due to the fact that most tropical and sub-tropical vegetation in the area is becoming active, meaning that spring is well under way. How can this be when most of the country is still frozen? Starting in February, lots of sun shines down on South Florida and all the way up the coast line to Palm Beach, making the area nice and toasty. In fact, people start to flock to the area in February and March, hoping to get some relief from cold temperatures.

While water temperatures are still a bit chilly – about 60 to 70 degrees – the beaches in Palm BeachCounty enjoy continuous sunshine and temperatures of 70 to 90 degrees, making these first few months of spring some of the most comfortable months to lounge about on the sand. There are many outdoor activities to be found including golf, fishing, shopping, and more. The area also boasts some of the finest accommodations from posh and luxurious beach houses that you can rent for weeks at a time to bed and breakfasts, hotels, and more.

If you crave sun and want to leave winter behind for a little while, planning a trip to Palm Beach County Florida is the answer. With numerous activities to enjoy and lots of sunshine, this area is warming up and it’s only going to get hotter.  Who knows? You may find that you never want to leave.

Selling Your Home: 6 Tips for Getting Ready

Selling your home can be emotional, stressful, and aggravating. However, if you do a few things before you put your home on the market, you can alleviate most of the hassle and maybe even sell your home quicker and for more money than if you list your home without making any preparations. Following are six things you should do before putting your home on the market:

1. De-Personalize Your Home – Remove all personal items such as family photos, mementos, and personal collections. Doing this serves two purposes. First, de-personalizing your home allows you to see it for what it is, a house or an asset. When you stop associating your memories with your home, you make the whole process of selling your house less emotional. Removing your personal items also allows buyers to see their stuff in your space, which results in more offers.
2. De-Clutter and Organize – Rent a storage space and get rid of everything except your essentials. Buyers have a hard time seeing around clutter, and it may even make your home appear smaller, less functional. So, get rid of the mess and organize everything neatly, getting your house ready for sale. Organization is especially necessary for closets and cupboards.
3. Clean – Deep clean your house from top to bottom, washing down walls and doing those tasks you haven’t gotten to for a while. Buyers can smell dirt even if they can’t see it. You want your house to feel clean and inviting.
4. Remove Fixtures that Aren’t Going to Stay – If you plan on taking some light fixtures or appliances with you when you move, don’t leave them in your home for buyers to fall in love with. You don’t want an offer on your home to fall apart because a buyer really fell in love with the chandelier in the entry only to find out that it’s not part of the package deal. Bottom line: If a buyer never sees it, they won’t know what they’re not getting.
5. Spruce Up – Nothing turns off buyers more than the lack of curb appeal. Go outside and scrutinize your home’s exterior and take care of any flaws. You want buyers to want to take that step through the door.
6. Hire the Right Realtor – If you want a smooth sale, you have to hire a realtor that is extremely knowledgeable and experienced about the market in which you live. To hire the best contact The Cope Team.

Before placing your home for sale, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the process so you will know what to expect each step along the way. Nothing alleviates stress more than knowing exactly what’s waiting for you around the corner.

Quaint, charming, and friendly are just a few of the words used to describe Abacoa, a developing community made up of 17 neighborhoods in Jupiter, Florida. With a distinct style of architecture for each neighborhood and a lot of cultural diversity, Abacoa is a premier destination for vacation goers and those hoping to get into an emerging real-estate market.

Following are just a few of the thing you should see and do in Abocoa:

• Artigras – Held on President’s Day weekend in February, Artigras is considered one of the best Fine Art Festivals in the country. Featuring the work of over 300 artists in 14 categories, Artigras showcases only the best pieces, with artists being approved through a stringent evaluation system. You can expect to only see the best of the best here.
• Feast of Little Italy – Each year the Feast of Little Italy brings a little flavor to the neighborhood with delicious Italian cuisine, entertainment, activities, vendors, and more. In addition to sampling all the dishes, you can delve deep into Italian culture by enjoying live music from popular Italian artists. There are also dancing troupes, recipe contests, eating contents, and more.
• Live Music in the Town Center – On Friday and Saturday evenings, the famous Town Center area vibrates with music from one of dozens of popular artists and bands that regularly perform in the area. A wide variety of talent and musical styles are featured and, as always, there’s a lot of great food and other entertainment options to choose from.
• Wine Tasting and Tours – Whether you prefer wine or ale, Abacoa hosts several wine and beer tasting tours annually. Each tour whisks you through several of the local restaurants and bars where you will sample the finest each location has to offer for a truly indulgent night on the town.

Whether you’re stopping by for a quick visit or spending a week or more in Abacoa, there’s always plenty to see and do in this vibrant, up-and-coming community. To find more scheduled events in Abacoa, visit their event page.

Jupiter, Florida boasts nearly four miles of some of the most breathtaking beaches in the US. Averaging a very comfortable water temperature of 78 degrees all year long, Jupiter is the place to be when you want to go to the beach. Sparkling white sands, clear blue waters, and dozens of restaurants and picnic areas along with a ton of waterside activities to choose from, you’re sure to find something for the whole family to enjoy when you visit the beaches of Jupiter.

• Dubois – Dubois Park, one of the most popular Jupiter destinations, offers a wide range of activities for the whole family including boating, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, and picnicking. A recipient of national awards for its outstanding tropical beauty and delightful layout and design, Dubois Park offers 1,200 feet of beach frontage as well as a lagoon for those who wish for a more sheltered setting.
• Coral Cove – If you want a smaller, more intimate beach, Coral Cove is the place. With 600 feet of guarded beach, this location is perfect for families looking for a little rest and relaxation without all the fuss.
• Carlin Park – Active people flock to Carlin Park, one of Jupiters largest beaches. Boasting 3,000 feet of guarded beach, Carlin Park also offers a host of activities such as tennis, sand volleyball, running courses, and bocce ball. You can also picnic at this location or choose to dine at the café.
• Juno Beach Park – If you’re looking for a place to surf, Juno Beach Park offers 300 feet of waterfront and has a daily designated surfing area. This park also offers a 990 foot pier and bait shop, making it an ideal destination for fishermen too.

In addition to these, there are a couple of other smaller parks to choose from like Ocean Cay Park and Loggerhead. Not all are guarded, however, so it’s wise to investigate each location before deciding where to spend the day with your family. Many of the beaches are also not pet friendly while others offer designated areas for pets. And as you can see, the atmosphere and type of activities available vary greatly from location to location. Whether you want to spend the day by the waterside reading a book or wish to spend it out in the surf on your new board, picking the right beach is vital when visiting Jupiter.