THIS PROPERTY QUALIFIES FOR $15,000 SMART START GRANT. Let me tell you about this first-floor condo on Military Trail--the kind of place that makes sense when you understand how West Palm Beach actually works. Two assigned parking spaces (trust me, that matters), in-unit laundry, tile floors throughout, and a 2024 roof with the assessment already paid. You're two minutes from Keiser University, five minutes from catching Astros or Nationals spring training at the ballpark, eight minutes to Rosemary Square, and fifteen minutes to Palm Beach Municipal Beach. I-95 access in five minutes when you need to get anywhere fast. Palm Beach Atlantic is close enough that parents buying for college kids actually look at this property. Gated community, screened balcony, accordion shutters & pool.How This Part of West Palm Beach Actually Works
3664 Alder Drive sits in Palm Club West Villagethe West Palm Beach condo community that actually kept its act together. 2024 roof with paid assessment. No surprise bills waiting in the mail.
What makes this location work: you can get anywhere in Palm Beach County in under 25 minutes, surrounded by everything that makes daily life convenient without being expensive.
What's Actually Close
Two minutes: Keiser University West Palm Beach campus
Five minutes: FITTEAM Ballpark (Astros/Nationals spring training, Palm Beach Cardinals year-round), I-95 access northbound or southbound
Eight minutes: Rosemary Square (shopping, dining, entertainment)
Ten minutes: Clematis Street downtown (Hullabaloo, Rhythm Cafe, nightlife scene)
Twelve minutes: Northwood Village (Kapow Noodle Bar, Subculture Coffee, local arts corridor)
Fifteen minutes: Palm Beach Municipal Beach via Southern Boulevard, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Palm Beach International Airport
You're not "close to everything" in the marketing sense. You're actually positioned where commute times stay reasonable regardless of work location.
The College Housing Angle
Parents buy condos like this for kids attending Keiser (two minutes away) or Palm Beach Atlantic (fifteen minutes). The math: pay $1,200/month rent for four years ($57,600 out the door), or buy this for $200K, house your student, sell when they graduate. Even if values stay flat, you recover $40K+ compared to rent.
The HOA's 2-year rental restriction protects thisyou're not surrounded by investor units rented to rotating students who trash the place. After year two, you can rent the second bedroom or convert to full rental if that makes sense.
Beach Access That Actually Works
Fifteen minutes to Palm Beach Municipal Beach. Not "close to the beach" where that means 45 minutes in traffic. Actual fifteen-minute drive, cross the bridge, park, walk on sand.
For snowbirds: you can leave at 8am, watch sunrise on the beach, grab breakfast, be home by 10am. Spontaneous beach afternoons without expedition planning.
First-Floor Living (Why It Matters)
Park your car, walk 30 feet on level ground, unlock your door. No stairs. No elevators. No waiting while your ice cream melts.
Furniture delivery doesn't require negotiating stairwells. Movers roll your couch through the front door.
First-floor works today and keeps working when mobility changestemporary injury, visiting family with accessibility needs, or just aging. For snowbirds in their 60s-70s, this determines whether you age in place or sell and downsize again in five years.
Two Assigned Parking Spaces
Most 1980s West Palm Beach condos gave each unit one space. That aged poorly.
This unit has two assigned spaces. Your household gets reliable parking for two vehicles. Guests use designated guest parking without displacing residents. No parking logistics, no musical cars, no street parking hoping you don't get towed.
For college students: mom and dad visit without parking crisis. For snowbirds: northern guests don't navigate complicated visitor procedures.
Gated Community (What It Actually Does)
Palm Club West Village uses controlled-access gating:
Through-traffic doesn't cut through
Visitors announce themselves or use resident codes
Internal roads stay quieter
Doesn't eliminate crime, but creates a boundary that changes how people interact with the property. For parents buying for students: peace of mind. For snowbirds leaving property vacant six months: reduced anxiety about empty units.
The Property: 1,106 Square Feet
Ceramic tile throughout - No carpet replacement, no hardwood refinishing. Handles wet feet from pool, Florida humidity, daily wear without visible deterioration.
Kitchen with breakfast bar - Updated finishes, counter space, pantry storage. Electric range and refrigerator included. Breakfast bar creates casual dining without requiring separate table.
In-unit laundry - Washer and dryer included. Do laundry on your schedule in your own space. No community facility, no waiting, no quarters.
Screened south-facing balcony - Extends living space outdoors without bugs or direct afternoon sun. Morning coffee spot, evening wind-down space.
Accordion hurricane shutters - Full coverage. Deploy in 15 minutes when storms approach. Category 5 protection already installed. For snowbirds up north during hurricane season: fly back, secure property in 20 minutes, evacuate knowing windows are protected.
Master bedroom (15x12) with walk-in closet - Actual storage capacity. Not single-rod closet forcing wardrobe choices.
Second bedroom (12x10) - Fits queen bed, dresser, desk. Works as guest room, home office, or hobby space.
The 2024 Roof (Why This Matters)
Roof replaced 2024. Special assessment fully paid.
Most people don't understand this until they buy a condo with "pending roof assessment" and get hit with $12,000 spread over 12 months. That's extra $1,000/month on top of mortgage, HOA, taxes, insurancedestroying affordability.
At 3664 Alder Drive: roof done, bill paid. Not inheriting deferred maintenance. Financially stable HOA with new roof, no surprise assessments waiting.
HOA Fee: $424/Month Covers
Water, sewer, trash, cable TV, common area maintenance, exterior building maintenance, pool service, roof maintenance reserves, building insurance (you need HO-6 for interior/belongings), landscaping.
Single-family house would cost: water ($70), sewer ($50), trash ($40), cable ($100), lawn service ($150), roof reserves ($150) = $560+/month before contractor management time and repair surprises.
Community amenities: Pool/spa, tennis courts, pickleball courts, professional landscaping. Recreational access without country club dues or gym memberships.
For snowbirds: not paying lawn service six months while up north, not worrying about sprinklers failing, not flying back for contractor access. HOA handles everything.
Who Buys This
Parents for college students - Keiser two minutes, PBA fifteen minutes. Four years rent = $50K-65K with nothing left. Buy this, house student, sell at graduation. Recover significant money versus rent.
Snowbirds - Fifteen minutes to beach, eight to Rosemary Square, five to I-95. Sub-$200K with gated security, resort amenities, first-floor access. Lock up April, return November.
First-time buyers - Own for similar monthly cost as $1,900 rent while building equity. Rent increases 7-10% annually. Mortgage stays fixed.
Teachers, healthcare, municipal workers - $50K-75K earners need affordable ownership within reasonable commute. Works on middle-class salaries without dual six-figure income.
Young professionals downtown - Eight to ten-minute commute to downtown core or Rosemary Square. Access to restaurant/bar scene without coastal prices.
Downsizers - Eliminate lawn care, exterior maintenance, endless repairs. Right-sized living without "too small" feeling.
Monthly Budget Reality
Purchase: $199,999 | Down (10%): $20,000 | Loan: $180,000
Mortgage (7%, 30yr): ~$1,200/month | HOA: $424 | Tax: ~$170 | Insurance: ~$100
Total: ~$1,894/month
At $70K household income: 32% gross (tight but manageable)
At $80K household income: 28% gross (comfortable qualification)
Parents buying for students: compare $1,894/month to four years rent at $1,200-1,500/month ($57,600-$72,000 total) with zero equity recovery.
Snowbirds: compare to year-round rental at $2,000+/month ($24,000 annually) versus predictable ownership costs building equity.
HOA Requirements
10% minimum down payment required
No leasing first 2 years after purchase
Buyer approval process (application fee $100)
Property sold furnished (negotiate what stays/goes)
Financing: Cash, conventional, FHA (confirm FHA approval with lender before offer)
What Happens Next
Properties like this don't wait. Someone recognizes the valueparent solving college housing, snowbird finding affordable beach-proximity, first-time buyer exiting rental trapand writes an offer.
Schedule showing through your agent. Walk the space. Test first-floor access. See parking. Drive the distances: Keiser (two minutes), Rosemary Square (eight), beach (fifteen), I-95 (five). Evaluate whether this fits your life, commute, budget.
You're buying functional, affordable West Palm Beach ownership at a price that works on real incomewithout renovation projects, deferred maintenance, or financial surprises.