Tamarac

On the north side of Tamarac, minutes from Coral Springs, Heathgate offers quiet suburban living close to everyday conveniences. Its streets are lined by sidewalks, driveways and modular homes on full-size lots. Many assume the neighborhood is HOA-free; however, Heathgate does have a homeowner’s association — it’s just very hands-off. “They’re not intrusive,” says Pedro Rico, a longtime Broward County resident and local Realtor with New Miami Realty. “I say that because there are driveways accommodating commercial trucks and vans, but that doesn’t take away from the neighborhood’s look. People here care for their homes because they want to, not because they feel forced to by an association.” Residents pay less than $150 to the Heathgate-Sunflower Homeowner’s Association annually. The fees contribute to maintaining the community clubhouse, recreational facilities and neighborhood scholarship program. “There’s a pool, a playground, basketball court, paddleball court — you really get a lot for $100-something a year,” Rico says. “That’s really low and very rare.” Heathgate and its northern neighbor, Sunflower, share an HOA and amenities. The Heathgate-Sunflower clubhouse has a sign that reads, “a family community,” a nod to the area’s family-oriented foundation. Heathgate’s streets are quiet and ideally suited for walking to the playground with kids in tow. The community pool is another popular spot to stroll to, especially in the summertime. On the other side of the neighborhood, folks can play handball, tennis and basketball on athletic courts. “There’s a big field by the courts where kids fly kites and play soccer,” Rico says. “They have plenty of room to run.” Even more recreational spaces are just outside the neighborhood, such as Gary B. Jones Park for People and Pups and Tamarac Veterans’ Park. On Sundays, Tamarac Veterans’ Memorial Park is transformed into a bustling hub of food trucks, fresh produce and local vendors by the Tamarac Community Farmers Market. Heathgate’s a bit of an inland peninsula, with landlocked waterways bordering three of its four sides, giving some properties with waterfront views. Palm trees, poincianas and live oaks offer much-needed shade to the community’s quiet streetscape. Properties here are ranch-style modular houses built in the 1970s. They are classic starter homes with two or three bedrooms and floorplans ranging from 850 to a little more than 2,000 square feet. Each house has a different look since siding materials vary from stucco to brick to vinyl. That said, flat mansard roofs are standard, adding a strong, cohesive element to the neighborhood’s vibe. Other common features include driveways, backyard pools and wide, grassy road verges, which many use for extra parking. Homes list between $336,000 and $566,000. Despite being in Tamarac, Heathgate students are zoned for Coral Gables’s J.P. Taravella High, graded C-plus on Niche. This high school is desirable for its school spirit, reputation, academic programs and extracurricular offerings. Students can enrich their school days with various varsity sports, including basketball, volleyball, swimming, soccer and lacrosse. They can also apply for the Advanced International Certificate of Education program, which allows them to graduate with an advanced international diploma and up to 45 college credit hours. Tamarac Elementary and Millennium 6-12 Collegiate Academy, respectively graded C-plus and A, also serve the neighborhood. Day-to-day conveniences are all up and down University Drive, a major thoroughfare and commercial corridor just west of Heathgate. Folks can get their grocery shopping done at Publix, Aldi, Quince Supermarket or even Whole Foods. They can also take the road farther north into Coral Springs and partake in some retail therapy. Coral Square is a shopping mall with more than 120 stores and restaurants. It’s home to trendy and staple brands, from Journeys and Hot Topic to JCPenney and Macy’s. There are also numerous chain eateries, from nationwide classics like Auntie Anne’s and Popeyes to more local restaurants like Arepasmania and Bakery Italia. Closer to home, Ferro Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria has been a tried-and-true choice for late-night pies and classic Italian fare since the 1980s. The formerly family-owned restaurant may have changed hands in 2020, but it’s kept its place in the hearts — and stomachs — of many happy customers. Heathgate is less than 5 miles west of Florida’s Turnpike and less than 5 miles east of the Sawgrass Expressway. Although the area is mainly car-dependent, bus stops on University Drive provide an option for carless commuting. Fort Lauderdale is about a 14-mile drive away, while Boca Raton is just under a 10-mile trip.

Sunflower enjoys all the advantages of Coral Springs without its higher home prices and restrictive HOAs. This small suburb can be found just across the Stranahan River from Coral Springs on the northern edge of Tamarac. Homeowners enjoy many of the same freedoms as those in HOA-free neighborhoods, with the bonus of community spaces. Sunflower’s relaxed, low-cost homeowner’s association is used to maintain the community clubhouse, athletic facilities and scholarships for graduating students. “It’s very family-oriented,” says Evan Braunstein, a local Realtor with Realty 100. “Lots of kids are in the area, playing in the street. It’s a really desirable place to live or invest, especially since you can park your work truck in the driveway.” The neighborhood is also well-connected. Sunflower is located right off University Drive, moments from Coral Springs’ shopping and dining, Florida’s Turnpike and the Sawgrass Expressway. “Sunflower is one of the few remaining neighborhoods where you can buy a decent home in a decent area for under $500,000,” says Andrew Aberman, a Realtor with United Realty Group who has lived in the area for 40 years and sold real estate for 25. “As soon as you cross Southgate Boulevard, you’re in Coral Springs, and prices go up another $100,000.” Sunflower’s ranch-style homes were built in the 1970s and 1980s on concrete block foundations. Stucco siding, driveways and garages are fairly standard across these single-family properties. Architectural influence is a mix of the Minimal Traditional, midcentury modern and Spanish eclectic styles. Lot sizes range from around 8,000 to 10,000 square feet, says Braunstein. Houses list from the mid-$400,000s to the high $500,000s. Multifamily communities skirt the suburb with villas and condos for less than $200,000. Students living in Sunflower attend Broward County Public Schools. They can start school at Tamarac Elementary, rated C-plus on Niche, before going to the A-rated Millennium 6-12 Collegiate Academy. Millenium features the Shining Stars Pathway program, which allows high achievers to earn high school credit in middle school. Students who excel in the program can later work toward a college associate degree as they earn their high school diploma, giving them a significant head start on the future. J. P. Taravella High is rated C-plus. “It’s a school where people really show up for the basketball and football games,” Braunstein says. Other sports offered at this high school include golf, baseball, cheerleading and cross country. Sunflower shares a low-maintenance homeowner’s association with its southern neighbor, Heathgate. Residents of both neighborhoods can walk to the shared community clubhouse, which features an outdoor pool and playground. They can also walk to the shared athletic facilities on Northwest 74th Terrace to play tennis, handball or basketball. Four-legged friends enjoy playtime just outside the neighborhood at Gary B. Jones Park for People and Pups. This riverside dog park features human and canine drinking fountains, a dog-washing station and separate runs for large and small dogs. Next to the park for pups, Tamarac Veteran’s Memorial Park is a quieter waterfront space with a lighted sculpture that catches the eye on night rides down University Drive. Thanks to its small boat launch and boat-trailer parking, it’s also an access point to the Stranahan River. Locals head over on Sundays for the Tamarac Community Farmers Market, which brings local and organic produce to the park alongside food trucks and various vendors. University Drive connects Sunflower to shopping, dining and entertainment options. Bowlero Tamarac, a 56-lane bowling alley with an in-house arcade, is less than a mile away. On weekends, locals can be found here rolling strikes, shooting pool and stomping to the beat of Dance Dance Revolution with friends and family. University Drive runs north through Coral Springs, simplifying the 2-mile ride to Coral Square, a mall with more than 120 stores and restaurants, including Aéropostale, JCPenney, Hot Topic, Haagen-Dazs and more. Folks don’t have to leave Tamarac for good food. Milano’s Bakery offers authentic Argentinian cuisine and an ample selection of sweet, freshly baked goods. Aldi, Quince Supermarket and Publix are grocery shopping options a little farther down the road. The neighborhood is about 5 miles west of the nearest ramp onto Florida’s Turnpike and about 3 miles from the Sawgrass Expressway. Pompano Beach is slightly more than 10 miles away, while Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale are more than 20-mile miles away. Public bus stops operated by Broward County can be found along North University Drive.

“When 42 people newly married or about to have a baby come to your open house, it says something about the neighborhood,” recalls Lauren Ring, a sales manager with Pompano Beach Realty. She often sees people with strollers or biking at the nearby and newly renovated Tephford Park, part of Westwood Community-South. “The school district is good, too,” she says, “and the neighborhood is close to everything.” Having completed over 50 real estate transactions in the past 12 months, many in or near Westwood, Ring knows what she’s talking about. She believes the current lower prices, as well as the local schools, parks and shopping, are attracting new families to the neighborhood more than ever. Two- and three-bedroom, single-family houses sell for between $400,000 and $600,000. Most are ranch-style homes built in the 1970s with geometric architectural touches or with Mediterranean stucco, tile roofs and arched doorways. Many are part of HOAs that provide access to clubhouses and pools. Town houses similar in size are priced under $400,000 and often include one-car garages. Two-bedroom villas are also available in the $350,000 range, many with vaulted ceilings, garages and amenities similar to other HOAs in the neighborhood. The schools that serve Westwood Community-South all scored highly with Niche. Challenger Elementary, for example, received a B-plus; it offers special programs in music and the visual arts. Millenium 6-12 Collegiate Academy received an A-minus and features the accelerated Shining Stars Pathway for academically gifted students, who can earn high school credits in middle school and later a college associate degree along with a high school diploma. Students at J.P. Taravella High, a B school, can join traditional extracurricular clubs like art, chess and German, as well as clubs that inspire career paths, such as Future Florida Educators of America, Mentoring Tomorrow’s Leaders and Women of Tomorrow. Tephford Park runs along the Stranahan River and is the go-to place for fresh air and exercise. It features a fitness court with outdoor workout stations; numerous pavilions with picnic tables and seating; an enclosed playground with climbing structures and rocking animals, including a purple dinosaur; a fishing pier, and walking paths that take you to different points of interest, such as the “Under the Shadow of the Big Tree” sculpture made of steel and stone that was dedicated to the fallen Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputy whom that park is named after. Tephord is long — burrowing owls nest there, and it’s essentially the beginning of the 16.5-mile Cypress Creek Greenway, a bike path that runs along the river from the Everglades to the Atlantic Ocean. Opposite the park on the other side of the Sawgrass Expressway is the Sawgrass Trailhead, the start of another greenway for walkers and bikers that extends north to Parkland, south to Markham Park and west into the Everglades — a favorite place for residents to gather and watch the sunset. The Tamarac Sports Complex is very close, too. It has everything that sports lovers in the family could want, including a hockey rink, a skate park, tennis and basketball courts, football and soccer fields, and two full-sized and one Little League-sized baseball fields. For everyday needs, the closest supermarket is Publix at Tamarac Town Square. For more shopping options, Kings Point Plaza is directly south of the Tamarac Sports Complex and features eateries, shops and health-care offices. Head north on Coral Ridge Dive for about 2 miles, and you’ll hit the Lakeview Shopping Center, which features another Publix and several other stores and restaurants, including Rob’s Bageland, a family-owned and -operated restaurant for over 30 years. Rob’s serves breakfast and lunch and is the place to get fresh bagels and deli-style lunches, like a roast beef on rye, potato salad and soup for under $20. For a day of shopping, you can hop on the Sawgrass Expressway south for about 8 miles to Sawgrass Mills, one of the largest outlet and value store malls in the nation with over 350 retailers. Travel north for about 23 miles, and you’ll reach the Town Center at Boca Raton, an upscale shopping destination with more than 200 stores, which include luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Whether you’re single, married, hoping to start a family or already have, Westwood Community-South is a neighborhood where you can stay active, send your children to quality schools and enjoy a variety of shopping options close to home.

One of the best ways to experience the Woodlands Country Club neighborhood of Tamarac is to walk around and take in the sights and sounds. The streets are lined with palm trees and colorful houses and the air is often filled with the sound of children playing. There's no need for clichés like "nestled and tucked" when describing this community.<br><br>Here, you'll discover a diverse housing landscape featuring everything from sleek modern designs to classic ranch-style homes, some even graced with flat roofs. Whether you prefer a golf course view, the coziness of townhomes, or neighborhood tranquility, there's a dream home waiting for you and you can expect to pay between $300,000 and $1 million. While you stroll along the neighborhood's tidy streets, you'll encounter a delightful blend of architectural styles. Limestone and rock accents enhance the beauty of these homes, adding a touch of sophistication to the landscape. It's a community where the details matter, right down to the meticulously manicured lawns. There are also townhomes available for those looking for a more affordable option. <br><br>Among the verdant streets of this community, where palms sway in the breeze and mailboxes are whimsically decorated, you'll find Pinewood Elementary School, Anderson High School and Silver Lakes Middle School. According to Niche rankings, these institutions offer top-tier education. Anderson High School is known for its excellence in academics and extracurriculars while Silver Lakes Middle School provides a strong foundation for the transition to high school. Education is a cornerstone of this community, and these schools reflect its commitment to excellence. All three schools rank in the top 20% of schools in Florida, according to Niche.<br><br>The Woodlands Country Club neighborhood is home to several green spaces, including Woodlands Park, which features a playground, a basketball court and a picnic area. The country club itself provides most of the community recreation. With amenities like two 18-hole championship golf courses, a tennis center, a fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, a spa, playground and basketball court the club is the source of much community contentment.<br><br>For those who crave a night out, Flanigan’s is just around the corner, known for its hearty barbecue fare and lively atmosphere. They offer seafood dishes, including fish, shrimp and crab This is a place where friends gather and laughter fills the air. Publix, your go-to grocery store, and a beloved fish and chicken restaurant are nearby, ensuring you never have to travel far for a delicious meal or your weekly shopping. For clothing, most people in the Woodlands Country Club neighborhood go to the Shops at Tamarac. The Shops at Tamarac is a shopping center located just a short drive from the neighborhood. It features a variety of stores, including Macy's, Nordstrom, and H&M.<br><br>Commercial Boulevard is a hub of activity, where you can find everything, you need within a stone's throw. In case of any medical needs, you can rest easy, knowing that a reputable hospital is nearby. The University Hospital and Medical Center serves the local community and provides a range of healthcare services to residents in the area. If you ever have medical needs or emergencies, it's conveniently situated to ensure quick access to healthcare services for the residents of Woodlands Country Club. Public transportation is efficient and accessible, making it easy to reach the hospital and other destinations when needed. <br>With top-ranked schools, excellent dining options, and convenient access to amenities, this neighborhood is more than a location; it's a lifestyle.