If you’re looking at homes for sale in Hammock Creek in Palm City, Florida, you may have seen one listing with an HOA fee around $100 a month and another closer to $330. The difference has a lot to do with which of Hammock Creek’s three gated neighborhoods you’re looking at. The Estates has its own clubhouse, pool and fitness center, while The Preserve and The Sanctuary put their association fees primarily toward the gates, landscaping and shared grounds.
Together, the three neighborhoods have about 567 homes in Martin County, surrounding an 18-hole golf course. You can own a home overlooking a fairway without joining the golf club. For buyers who like the view and have every intention of spending Saturday morning on a boat instead, that’s worth knowing.
In my Florida Explained video, I’ll take you through The Estates, The Preserve and The Sanctuary so you can see the homes, the lots and what you get for the HOA fee in each neighborhood.
How do HOA fees compare in The Estates, The Preserve and The Sanctuary?
These are the approximate monthly fees reported in the MLS listings I reviewed for my 2026 Hammock Creek tour.
| Hammock Creek neighborhood | Approximate number of homes | Reported monthly HOA fee | Neighborhood amenities and services |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Estates | 216 | $330 | Gated entrance, clubhouse, community pool, fitness center, tennis courts and basketball facilities |
| The Preserve | 150 | $100 | Gated entrance and maintenance of the shared grounds and common areas |
| The Sanctuary | 200 | $215 | Gated entrance and common-area maintenance, with fewer recreational amenities than The Estates |
The Estates is where I’d start if you want to swim regularly but would rather someone else take care of the pool. If you prefer swimming in your own backyard, all three neighborhoods have homes with private pools. Some Estates listings also mention cable or internet service. Before you make an offer, I’d ask the association for the current fee and a written breakdown of what it covers for that address.
What are homes selling for in Hammock Creek?
Recent closed sales I reviewed in The Estates ranged from approximately $800,000 to more than $1 million. It’s the largest of the three neighborhoods and has some of Hammock Creek’s larger homes. Many have four or five bedrooms and three-car garages, and some have more than 3,500 square feet of living space.
Across The Preserve and The Sanctuary, the sales I reviewed included homes in the $600,000s and $700,000s, as well as properties that sold for well over $1 million. One renovated home in The Preserve with a private pool was listed in the $900,000s when I prepared the tour. Although The Preserve had the lowest reported HOA fee, the size of the house, the improvements and what’s behind the lot can still put a home toward the higher end of a buyer’s budget.
What should you look for when touring a Hammock Creek home?
Most Hammock Creek homes were built from the late 1990s into the early 2000s. You’ll see mature trees, tile roofs and stucco exteriors, and most homes have concrete-block construction. Floor plans range from three to six bedrooms and include both single-story and two-story homes. I’d spend a few minutes on the covered patio of any home you’re considering. A fairway, a lake and a preserve can each look appealing in the listing photos, but you’ll get a much better sense of which view you want when you stand there yourself.
With homes of this age, I’d also ask when the roof was replaced, what kind of storm protection the windows and doors have, and how old the air-conditioning and pool equipment are. Roof age can affect what you pay for insurance, and a pool that looks beautiful at a showing can still have equipment due for replacement. Those details can explain why two homes with nearly identical floor plans sell for different prices.
How close is Hammock Creek to downtown Stuart, boating and the beach?
One of the things I like most about this part of Palm City is that a day on the water doesn’t require a waterfront address. Public boat ramps in the Palm City area give you a place to launch, and nearby Jock Leighton Park has athletic facilities and a skate park. Downtown Stuart is often about a 15-minute drive, depending on traffic, whether you’re going for dinner along the waterfront or an evening performance at the Lyric Theatre. For a beach day, you can continue east to the Martin County coast.
Hammock Creek is also close to both I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike. That’s worth considering if you regularly travel south to Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach or Palm Beach International Airport.
If you’re buying in Hammock Creek, tell me what matters most to you, whether that’s a single-story floor plan, a private pool or a monthly HOA fee you’re comfortable with. I can help you narrow your search to the homes that fit. If you already own here and are considering selling, I can review recent sales in your section alongside pending sales and the homes buyers can tour today. Contact Maria Wells at Lifestyle Realty Group.
For more of my neighborhood tours around Palm City, Stuart and Florida’s Treasure Coast, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel.