In July 2026, I helped buyers purchase a three-bedroom home at 7504 SE Bay Cedar Circle in The Preserve at Hobe Sound for $735,000. A few months earlier, a three-bedroom home on Waxberry Circle sold for $640,000. Both had 2,017 square feet of living space. If you were comparing them online by bedroom count and square footage, you’d have a hard time explaining the $95,000 difference.
That’s what makes The Preserve an interesting neighborhood to tour. Many of these DiVosta homes date to the late 1980s and share a split-bedroom floor plan with two bathrooms and a two-car garage. After decades of ownership, though, what you find inside can vary considerably. In this episode of Florida Explained, I take you through the community, compare several homes and show you why I’d pay as much attention to the roof, plumbing and view from the patio as I would to the kitchen.
What are homes selling for in The Preserve at Hobe Sound?
These three 2026 sales give you a sense of what buyers found within roughly the same amount of living space.
| Home | Closed sale price | What the home offered |
|---|---|---|
| 7488 SE Waxberry Circle | $640,000 in April | A remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, with a roof installed in 2021. |
| 7504 SE Bay Cedar Circle | $735,000 in July | A preserve lot, a redesigned kitchen with a quartz waterfall island, renovated bathrooms, impact windows and doors, and a 2025 roof. |
| 5226 SE Inkwood Way | $775,000 in March | A dedicated office, a private heated saltwater pool, a whole-house generator and a wide lot backing to the preserve. |
The asking prices I reviewed for the video tell a different part of the story. A home on Needle Palm Circle was listed at $545,000 with a lake view toward the preserve, a 2020 roof and storm shutters. Another on Bay Cedar Circle was listed at $570,000 with a wide water view. Both had approximately 2,017 square feet. If you prefer the water view and would enjoy choosing your own finishes, one of those homes might suit you better than a fully renovated property. I’d want to know what work you’d take on and what you’d spend before deciding which one offers you better value.
What does the HOA fee cover, and can you rent out your home?
The Preserve is a gated community of 315 single-family homes off SE Seabranch Boulevard, just west of U.S. 1 in southern Martin County. It welcomes buyers of all ages. The listings I reviewed showed an HOA fee of $317 per month. The association maintains the front yards and common areas, provides irrigation throughout the community, and includes cable and internet service. Residents have a clubhouse, swimming pool and courts for tennis, pickleball and bocce.
If renting is part of your plan, read the occupancy rule before making an offer. The association says new owners must live in the home for at least two years before renting it out. After that, the minimum lease is six months. Pets are permitted with restrictions, and the MLS indicates buyer approval is required. I’d confirm the current fee, approval process and any rules that affect your plans with The Preserve at Hobe Sound homeowners association.
What should you check before buying a home in The Preserve?
One Bay Cedar Circle listing mentioned something I’d rather know about than the color of the countertops. The owner had replaced the original polybutylene plumbing, and the listing said the work had been permitted. When we tour another home with the same floor plan, I’d ask what piping is in that house and whether there are records for any replacement work. I’d also check the ages of the roof, air conditioner and water heater, the condition of the electrical system, and whether the home has impact windows and doors or relies on shutters.
Then I’d take you out back. You can renovate a bathroom later, but the view across the lake or the privacy of a preserve lot comes with the address. It’s worth spending a few minutes on the patio to decide which you prefer. Someday you may be the seller, and that setting will still be one of the things a buyer notices.
What’s near The Preserve in Hobe Sound?
Hobe Sound sits between Stuart and Jupiter. Bridge Road takes you east across the Intracoastal Waterway to Hobe Sound Beach on Jupiter Island. One of my favorite places nearby is Jonathan Dickinson State Park, where you can paddle the Loxahatchee River or explore hiking and biking trails across more than 10,000 acres. If you enjoy a view, Hobe Mountain is an ancient sand dune that rises 86 feet above sea level, the highest natural point in Florida south of Lake Okeechobee.
If you’re considering The Preserve, tell me which you’d use more, a private pool of your own or the community pool, and whether you’d prefer a remodeled home or one you can update over time. Those answers help me narrow the search far more than asking for three bedrooms and two baths in a neighborhood full of them. Contact Maria Wells at Lifestyle Realty Group or watch more Treasure Coast neighborhood tours on YouTube.