Serving Port St. Lucie, the Treasure Coast, Jupiter & Palm Beach Gardens · RE/MAX Gold
Moving to Hobe Sound, FL: Relocation Guide
Serving Port St. Lucie, the Treasure Coast, Jupiter & Palm Beach Gardens · RE/MAX Gold
Protected beaches, a state park next door, golf and club communities, and the practical things to know before you move to southern Martin County.
Where the coast turns green between Stuart and Jupiter.
Drive south from Stuart on US-1 and things open up. Hobe Sound is an unincorporated community in southern Martin County, between Stuart and the Palm Beach County line, and a surprising amount of the land around it is protected.
Across the Intracoastal, the northern end of Jupiter Island is the Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, with about 3.5 miles of undeveloped Atlantic beach. To the south, Jonathan Dickinson State Park covers more than 10,000 acres along the Loxahatchee River.
The town side of Hobe Sound is modest: a small stretch of shops and restaurants along Bridge Road and US-1. What it lacks in nightlife it makes up for in trees, trails and a beach you can reach by a canopy road.
Hobe Sound runs from acreage in the west to protected beach on the Atlantic.
Bridge Road is the main street, running east to the Intracoastal and the bridge to Jupiter Island. Neighborhoods range from small streets near the village to golf communities and acreage farther west.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park lines US-1 to the south, and Jupiter’s shopping and dining are a short drive beyond it. Stuart is a short drive north.
Six places that cover most of what you’ll see in a Hobe Sound search.
The Town of Jupiter Island runs along the barrier island from the Palm Beach County line north to the wildlife refuge. It has its own town government, large estate properties, and prices well above the rest of this area. Hobe Sound Beach, the refuge and Blowing Rocks Preserve are all on the island, so you don’t need to live there to enjoy it.
Near downtown Hobe Sound and a few minutes from the beach, with homes ranging from older Florida cottages to newer custom builds. Shops and restaurants along Bridge Road are close by.
A golf community with a mix of single-family homes, townhomes, villas and condos, which makes it one of the more varied options in Hobe Sound.
A gated golf community with single-family homes and villas, tennis, walking paths, lakes and preserves.
Two private club communities. Loblolly sits along the Intracoastal with golf and a marina, and The Medalist is a gated golf community with custom homes on larger lots.
West of the village, toward I-95 and the Turnpike, lots get bigger and some properties are set up for horses. This is where buyers look when they want room, privacy and a barn more than a beach walk.
In Hobe Sound, I always ask first whether the beach, the golf or the land is the priority. The answer usually points to one or two areas right away.
| $400K | Typically a villa, condo or smaller older home inland. |
| $600K | A single-family home on a standard lot, or a home in a golf community. |
| $800K | A larger home or more land, including some acreage farther west. |
| $1M+ | Intracoastal homes, private club properties, acreage and equestrian land. Jupiter Island estates sit far above. |
General orientation based on recent sales and current inventory, not specific listings. Condition, lot, water access, flood zone and HOA or club costs all move the number. Want this week’s numbers? See the latest market report or ask Jessica for a custom snapshot.
Older single-family homes, villas, golf communities, private clubs and acreage.
Fewer sales each month means the right home may take some patience.
Hobe Sound and Jupiter Island share a ZIP code but have different governments and rules.
Hobe Sound is about the beach, the river and a lot of protected land.
A guarded public beach on Jupiter Island at the end of SE Bridge Road, reached through a canopy of trees.
About 3.5 miles of undeveloped Atlantic beach plus sand pine scrub and mangroves. It’s an important sea turtle nesting area, and the Hobe Sound Nature Center has trails on the mainland side.
More than 10,000 acres along the Loxahatchee River, with paddling, biking and hiking trails, Hobe Mountain’s ancient sand dune, and boat tours to the 1930s Trapper Nelson homestead.
An environmental preserve on Jupiter Island, known for its rocky shoreline and coastal habitat.
Hobe Sound’s small main street, with local shops and restaurants on the way to the beach.
Golf is part of several Hobe Sound communities, including Lost Lake, Heritage Ridge, Loblolly and The Medalist.
The drive down Bridge Road to the beach, under all those trees, sells Hobe Sound better than anything I could write. If you visit, do that drive first.
A plain-language orientation, not legal, tax or insurance advice. I’m glad to introduce you to licensed professionals I trust.
Get a quote on the actual address early, before you’re under contract. Premiums vary a lot from one home to the next depending on the roof’s age and material, the construction, wind-mitigation features, elevation and flood exposure. Homes near the Intracoastal deserve extra attention to elevation and flood coverage.
Flood zones are parcel-specific, so two homes on the same street can differ. Lenders require flood insurance in high-risk zones, and it’s worth considering outside them. Check the FEMA flood map and ask for an elevation certificate.
Many insurers have roof-age limits. A wind-mitigation inspection documents features like roof-to-wall connections and impact-rated openings, which can lower your premium.
Martin County provides services and handles permitting. There’s no city tax layer, and the county’s four-story height limit keeps development low-rise.
The Town of Jupiter Island has its own government, taxes and rules. If you’re looking there, confirm the town’s requirements for renovations and use.
At golf and social clubs, ask whether membership is required, whether it’s equity or non-equity, and what initiation, annual dues, food minimums and capital assessments cost.
For larger parcels, confirm well and septic condition, survey and easements, and what the zoning allows for animals and outbuildings.
If the home will be your primary residence, file for the homestead exemption with the Martin County Property Appraiser by March 1. Once it’s in place, Florida’s Save Our Homes rule limits how much your assessed value can rise each year.
June 1 through November 30. Look up your evacuation zone with Martin County Emergency Management and sign up for county alerts before the season starts.
Hobe Sound is where I’d point someone who cares more about the refuge and the state park than about restaurants. It’s also worth a look if you want to be near Jupiter without paying Jupiter prices, and you’re only a short drive away.
I’m a REALTOR® and Broker Associate with RE/MAX Gold and a licensed mortgage loan officer, so I can help with both questions that usually come up together: where should we live, and what will it actually cost each month? Book a Call and we’ll talk through your options. Hobe Sound’s market is small, so knowing what’s coming up and what just sold makes a real difference.
Tell me where to send them and I’ll set up a custom search for Hobe Sound homes that match what you’re looking for. No spam, and you can stop anytime.
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