SOUTH FLORIDA NEWS

Larry Mastropieri Recognized as the Top Real Estate Agent in Boca Raton for 2026 by FastExpert

Real estate consumers searching for the best Boca Raton Realtor® face a familiar problem: everyone claims to be the top choice. Awards, self-published rankings, and paid directories rarely tell the full story. FastExpert cuts through that noise by measuring only verified MLS closings inside Boca Raton alongside independently audited client feedback. The platform then awards a single metro-level Top Real Estate Agent Boca Raton badge each cycle to the highest-scoring professional.

Larry Mastropieri has held that recognition for five consecutive years, from 2022 through 2026. His career Boca Raton production covers 428 verified MLS closings and more than $243 million in local sales volume across every submarket. In this detailed trivia, we will uncover…

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Why BH Group Sued to Buy a Wellington Golf Course

The Aventura-based developer closed on 150 acres of shuttered fairways after settling litigation with the seller. A luxury single-family home community is coming to a site with a complicated past.

• BH Group paid $20.8 million for the former Polo West Golf Course in Wellington.
• The developer sued the seller, Glenn Straub, in December 2025 to compel the deal's closure.
• BH plans a luxury single-family home community on the 150.5-acre site.

BH Group closed on one of Wellington's most controversial parcels: 150.5 acres at 2470 Greenview Cove Drive, the former Polo West Golf Course, for $20.8 million. The site had sat overgrown and idle for years, and the deal nearly fell apart. BH had to sue seller Glenn Straub to get to closing, and the…

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How a $1.5M Lot Became a $100M Waterfront Deal in West Palm

Terra and BH Group are planning twin 31-story towers across from Currie Park on North Flagler Drive. The seller, billionaire Jeff Greene, paid $1.5 million for the site in 2014 and is now exiting with a roughly 6,500% return.

• Terra and BH Group are under contract for a 1.55-acre waterfront parcel on North Flagler Drive.
• The developers plan two 31-story towers with 281 condos ranging from 1,065 to 4,510 square feet.
• Seller Jeff Greene called the site "the best left anywhere in Palm Beach County."

Two of South Florida's most active developers are teaming up on one of the last open waterfront sites in West Palm Beach. Terra, led by David Martin, and Aventura-based BH Group are under contract to buy a 1.55-acre parcel at 2085 N. Flagler…

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Larry Mastropieri Ranked Top 25 Real Estate Agent in Florida by FastExpert

According to Florida's Department of Real Estate, the state has more than 310,000 licensed real estate agents. FastExpert filtered that pool down to 7,188 top-performing profiles for its 2026 evaluation, and only 25 names cleared the final cut. Larry Mastropieri appears on that shortlist for the third straight year. The 2026 badge covers a trailing 12-month performance window running from Q2 2025 through Q1 2026. Data sources include closed transaction volume, verified client reviews, and MLS cross-reference records.

Three specific safeguards separate this honor from most consumer directories. First, no agent can pay to move up. Every review also runs through an MLS validation check tied to actual closings. The scoring model refreshes continuously…

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The ROAD to Housing Act: What It Means for South Florida

Congress passed it with rare bipartisan support, and its headline measure blocks Wall Street from buying up single-family homes. In South Florida, though, its impact may be minimal.

Key Takeaways

• The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act passed the Senate 85-5 and the House 358-32, and became law on July 11, 2026.
• Its headline measure blocks investors who own 350 or more single-family homes from buying additional existing homes, with new construction and build-to-rent exempt.
• Institutional investors hold only about 5% of single-family rentals in the Miami metro area, so the ban's direct effect on South Florida appears small.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is the biggest federal housing bill in decades, and its most talked-about…

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Trump Jr. & Bettina Chose West Palm Beach Over the Island

The newlyweds are planning an eight-bedroom home on a reported $15 million waterfront lot in the Prospect Park neighborhood. What they skipped is almost as telling as what they bought.

Key Takeaways

• Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson are planning an eight-bedroom custom home in West Palm Beach's Prospect Park neighborhood.
• Property records reviewed by the Palm Beach Post indicate a reported $15 million waterfront lot, though the exact parcel has not been officially confirmed.
• The choice would make Trump Jr. the only one of the president's three oldest children not living in a gated community.

Here is a real estate story that doubles as a signal. When a high-profile family decides to build a permanent home somewhere, it tells you…

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Boca Raton vs Wellington: Coastal Hub or Equestrian Capital?

Boca Raton and Wellington are both wealthy, safe South Florida cities, but they offer almost opposite versions of upscale living. Here is how the two stack up on home prices, lifestyle, schools, and daily life.

Quick verdict: Boca Raton vs Wellington

Choosing between Boca Raton and Wellington comes down to whether you want a coastal hub with a real downtown, ocean access, four universities, and a Brightline station, or an exclusive inland equestrian village where 700+ horse farms, a 57-mile bridle trail system, and the largest equestrian competition in the world define daily life. Boca Raton has Mizner Park, miles of public beach, and a diverse demographic. Wellington has the Winter Equestrian Festival, an equestrian overlay zoning district, and…

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Alba Palm Beach Condos: Why Boutique Luxury Sells Itself

The 55-unit tower is the only finished building on a West Palm Beach corridor where everything else is still a construction site. Now open, with most of its water-view homes already claimed.

Key Takeaways

• Alba is the first newly completed waterfront condo tower on West Palm Beach's North Flagler corridor.
• The 22-story building holds 55 residences starting at $2.5 million, with 95% of its water-view homes sold.
• Bigger towers like Olara and Shorecrest are still under construction nearby, leaving Alba the finished outlier.

Let's zoom out on West Palm Beach for a second. For the last few years, the waterfront north of downtown has been one long construction zone, with crane after crane going up along Flagler Drive. Most of those towers…

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Why the Oracle and WeatherTech Billionaires Split a Manalapan Lot

Larry Ellison and David MacNeil paid a combined $67 million for a 4-acre lot between their estates. The seller had planned a 50,000-square-foot mansion but walked away with a $39.5 million gain instead.

Key Takeaways

• Larry Ellison (Oracle) paid $35 million for the southern half; David MacNeil (WeatherTech) paid $32 million for the northern half.
• This purchase brings Ellison's total Manalapan investment to approximately $485 million.
• The seller, former Manalapan Mayor Stewart Satter, bought the lot for $27.5 million in 2024 and netted a $39.5 million gain.

Two billionaire neighbors in Manalapan just split a 4-acre lot between their estates for a combined $67 million. The property at 1960 S. Ocean Boulevard sat right between Larry…

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The Maxwell Brings 23 Boutique Condos to Delray's Pineapple Grove

A father is building a luxury condo project in memory of his son who envisioned it before passing away in 2021. The Maxwell will deliver 23 Modern Art Deco residences steps from Atlantic Avenue.

Key Takeaways

• The Maxwell is a 4-story, 23-unit boutique condo at 306 NE 2nd Street in Pineapple Grove, designed by Netta Architects.
• Developer Harold Van Arnem is building the project in memory of his son Maxwell, who conceived it before his death in October 2021.
• Early reservations are open, with pricing expected above $1 million based on downtown Delray comps.

The Maxwell is a 23-unit boutique condo coming to 306 NE 2nd Street in Delray Beach's Pineapple Grove district. According to the project's website, the building features Modern Art…

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