Lake Worth Florida Property Appraisals and Home Appraisers
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Are you interested in a real estate appraiser that specializes in the Lake Worth, Florida area? Our appraisers have extensive knowledge as
commercial property appraisers, residential home appraisers, FHA Approved Appraisers and overall property appraisals. If you need an appraiser
in Lake Worth one of our Certified Appraisers will gladly help with all of your commercial and residential home appraisal services.
Are you looking for an FHA approved appraiser in the city of Lake Worth or Palm Beach County? ValuTech Services has an extensive panel of FHA-
approved appraisers with the experience and know-how to satisfactorily deliver FHA-acceptable appraisals in virtually all markets of Palm Beach
County. Do you need more information on FHA protocol and the definition of FHA? Visit our FHA protocol site section here.
Lake Worth is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, which takes its name from the intercoastal waterway along its eastern border. The lake itself
was named for General William J. Worth, who led U.S. forces during the Second Seminole War. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S.
Census Bureau is 36,342. It is part of the South Florida metropolitan area, which is home to 5,463,857 people.
Local folklore has it that the first post office in the Lake Worth area was founded in the 1880s by a married African American couple who were freed
slaves. The initial name for the post office was Jewel. The post office was located in a small dry good shop which the couple operated to serve the
lake traffic which connected the small pioneer homesteads located along the banks of the Lake Worth lagoon.
After Henry Flagler extended his rail line south from West Palm Beach to Miami in 1896, a land development scheme was created to plant a
townsite between the railroad and the lake. Purchasers of lots within the townsite would also receive a larger plot of land west of town for agricultural
use. The initial name proposed for the new town was Lucerne. However, the U.S. Post Office refused to accept the name because there already was
a Lucerne, Florida post office. Therefore, the city fathers settled on the name Lake Worth, for the lake on which the fledgling town was sited. One of
the main streets was named Lucerne Avenue instead. The city was officially incorporated in 1912. Many of the first residents were farmers from
other parts of the American south and mid-west, looking to benefit from the growing winter vegetable market of the time. The city benefited with the
rest of south Florida during the Florida land boom of the 1920's. A wooden automobile traffic bridge over Lake Worth was completed in 1919. The
first casino and municipal beach complex was completed shortly thereafter. The 1920s also saw the completion of the Gulfstream Hotel, which
towers over the downtown to this day.
The city was severely damaged in the 1928 hurricane, toppling the bell tower on the elementary school (today the City Hall Annex) and destroying the
beachfront casino and automobile bridge over Lake Worth. This led to a severe economic decline within the community which led into the Great
Depression. Things were so dire in the city in the 1930s, that FDR's Works Progress Administration built a striking, moorish-styled "City
Gymnasium" on the corner of Lake Avenue and Dixie Highway to provide employment for the impoverished citizenry. The building today serves as
City Hall.
Development started again after World War II with many modest pensioners, especially from Quebec, Finland and eventually Germany, moving to
the city and building 1,000 square foot cottages. These new immigrants brought their industrious nature with them as well as their native customs,
restaurants, shops, and churches and for decades the town flourished. To this day one can find an unusual abundance of beer halls, chocolatiers,
Bavarian delicatessens and Lutheran churches, which stand out in the semi-tropical urban sprawl of South Florida.
The South Florida construction boom brought a new wave of immigrants in the past few decades. Central American immigrants, largely from from
Guatemala, have added a Hispanic aspect to Lake Worth's culture. Sadly, an influx of cash economy illegal aliens has also resulted in a rise in
crime. Their fear of reporting crime due to their status has contributed to a rise in criminals who prey both on the immigrants' fear of deportation and
the knowledge that these illegals are paid in cash and rarely use the banking system. Currently, the robbery rate is over 3 1/2 times the national
average, and the overall crime rate is over 2 1/3 times the national average.
After a short period of neglect and decline in the 1980s and 1990s, the downtown area has seen a huge resurgence in interest and development
and once moribund property values have soared. The city's charming main street, Lake Avenue, contains some of the oldest commercial structures
in South Florida, including the Lake Worth Play House and the art deco building, originally a cinema, which formerly housed the PBICA. The re-
discovery of this unique charm has spurred new interest in the city.
The city was hit especially hard by Hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma in 2004 and 2005. Their famous fishing pier was the most damaged and
with the help of FEMA it is now being repaired; it is anticipated to reopen in the Spring of 2008.
Lake Worth is located at 26°37′11″N, 80°3′31″WGR1, approximately seven miles south of West Palm Beach and 60 miles north of downtown
Miami. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.46 square miles (17 km²). 5.64 square miles (15 km²) of it is land
and 0.86 square miles (2 km²) of it (12.69%) is water.
Several geographical features in Palm Beach County confusingly use the words "Lake Worth". The city of Lake Worth is named after a lake now
usually called Lake Worth Lagoon. This lake opens to the Atlantic ocean at the Port of Palm Beach via the Lake Worth Inlet. Another inlet exists
further south at Boynton Beach. The port and two inlets are all distant from the city of Lake Worth. The lake is a long channel that spans much of
Palm Beach County; indeed the Intracoastal Waterway traverses the length of the lake. The man-made inlets to the ocean have replaced the natural
freshwater with saltwater, such that the lake is actually now a tidal body, instead of a true lake.
The USDA has mapped most of Lake Worth in the Southern Florida Flatwoods land resource area. Deep, poorly drained acidic sandy soils are
typical for the area; they have gray topsoil, white subsoil, and a dark hardpan. Much of Lake Worth is built on a rapidly drained white or gray sand
which is too dry and infertile to support vigorous plant growth. The western outskirts of Lake Worth are in the Southern Florida Lowlands area.
Topsoils there are sandy, but the subsoils have a much higher content of clay and the soils are relatively fertile. As in the flatwoods, these soils are
poorly drained for many purposes unless drainage systems are installed.
Lake Worth bills itself as "Where The Tropics Begin." Many tropical plants grow in the city; among the more prominent examples are mahogany,
royal poinciana and many species of palm, including coconut palm. African tulip tree, avocado and many species of eucalyptus may also be found,
although they are on the city's list of trees to avoid. Temperate-zone trees native to Lake Worth or Palm Beach County include American elm, live
oak, red maple, red mulberry and slash pine. Species which are grown south of their native areas include American sweetgum, Shumard oak and
tulip tree.
Although the incorporated city of Lake Worth is small geographically, as is common in Palm Beach County, a large unincorporated urbanized area
with a Lake Worth postal address lies to the west of the city, and includes the Census Designated Place of Lake Worth Corridor, as well as
neighborhoods such as "The Fountains", Lago Lucerne, Lake Osbourne Estates, Melaleuca Lane Corridor, Lake Charleston, and Palm Beach
National. The 2006 Census estimates this urbanized area's population as 154,892. The total population of both incorporated and unincorporated
Lake Worth is estimated by the 2006 Census to be 190,377.
For more information visit www.lakeworth.org
commercial property appraisers, residential home appraisers, FHA Approved Appraisers and overall property appraisals. If you need an appraiser
in Lake Worth one of our Certified Appraisers will gladly help with all of your commercial and residential home appraisal services.
Are you looking for an FHA approved appraiser in the city of Lake Worth or Palm Beach County? ValuTech Services has an extensive panel of FHA-
approved appraisers with the experience and know-how to satisfactorily deliver FHA-acceptable appraisals in virtually all markets of Palm Beach
County. Do you need more information on FHA protocol and the definition of FHA? Visit our FHA protocol site section here.
Lake Worth is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, which takes its name from the intercoastal waterway along its eastern border. The lake itself
was named for General William J. Worth, who led U.S. forces during the Second Seminole War. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S.
Census Bureau is 36,342. It is part of the South Florida metropolitan area, which is home to 5,463,857 people.
Local folklore has it that the first post office in the Lake Worth area was founded in the 1880s by a married African American couple who were freed
slaves. The initial name for the post office was Jewel. The post office was located in a small dry good shop which the couple operated to serve the
lake traffic which connected the small pioneer homesteads located along the banks of the Lake Worth lagoon.
After Henry Flagler extended his rail line south from West Palm Beach to Miami in 1896, a land development scheme was created to plant a
townsite between the railroad and the lake. Purchasers of lots within the townsite would also receive a larger plot of land west of town for agricultural
use. The initial name proposed for the new town was Lucerne. However, the U.S. Post Office refused to accept the name because there already was
a Lucerne, Florida post office. Therefore, the city fathers settled on the name Lake Worth, for the lake on which the fledgling town was sited. One of
the main streets was named Lucerne Avenue instead. The city was officially incorporated in 1912. Many of the first residents were farmers from
other parts of the American south and mid-west, looking to benefit from the growing winter vegetable market of the time. The city benefited with the
rest of south Florida during the Florida land boom of the 1920's. A wooden automobile traffic bridge over Lake Worth was completed in 1919. The
first casino and municipal beach complex was completed shortly thereafter. The 1920s also saw the completion of the Gulfstream Hotel, which
towers over the downtown to this day.
The city was severely damaged in the 1928 hurricane, toppling the bell tower on the elementary school (today the City Hall Annex) and destroying the
beachfront casino and automobile bridge over Lake Worth. This led to a severe economic decline within the community which led into the Great
Depression. Things were so dire in the city in the 1930s, that FDR's Works Progress Administration built a striking, moorish-styled "City
Gymnasium" on the corner of Lake Avenue and Dixie Highway to provide employment for the impoverished citizenry. The building today serves as
City Hall.
Development started again after World War II with many modest pensioners, especially from Quebec, Finland and eventually Germany, moving to
the city and building 1,000 square foot cottages. These new immigrants brought their industrious nature with them as well as their native customs,
restaurants, shops, and churches and for decades the town flourished. To this day one can find an unusual abundance of beer halls, chocolatiers,
Bavarian delicatessens and Lutheran churches, which stand out in the semi-tropical urban sprawl of South Florida.
The South Florida construction boom brought a new wave of immigrants in the past few decades. Central American immigrants, largely from from
Guatemala, have added a Hispanic aspect to Lake Worth's culture. Sadly, an influx of cash economy illegal aliens has also resulted in a rise in
crime. Their fear of reporting crime due to their status has contributed to a rise in criminals who prey both on the immigrants' fear of deportation and
the knowledge that these illegals are paid in cash and rarely use the banking system. Currently, the robbery rate is over 3 1/2 times the national
average, and the overall crime rate is over 2 1/3 times the national average.
After a short period of neglect and decline in the 1980s and 1990s, the downtown area has seen a huge resurgence in interest and development
and once moribund property values have soared. The city's charming main street, Lake Avenue, contains some of the oldest commercial structures
in South Florida, including the Lake Worth Play House and the art deco building, originally a cinema, which formerly housed the PBICA. The re-
discovery of this unique charm has spurred new interest in the city.
The city was hit especially hard by Hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma in 2004 and 2005. Their famous fishing pier was the most damaged and
with the help of FEMA it is now being repaired; it is anticipated to reopen in the Spring of 2008.
Lake Worth is located at 26°37′11″N, 80°3′31″WGR1, approximately seven miles south of West Palm Beach and 60 miles north of downtown
Miami. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.46 square miles (17 km²). 5.64 square miles (15 km²) of it is land
and 0.86 square miles (2 km²) of it (12.69%) is water.
Several geographical features in Palm Beach County confusingly use the words "Lake Worth". The city of Lake Worth is named after a lake now
usually called Lake Worth Lagoon. This lake opens to the Atlantic ocean at the Port of Palm Beach via the Lake Worth Inlet. Another inlet exists
further south at Boynton Beach. The port and two inlets are all distant from the city of Lake Worth. The lake is a long channel that spans much of
Palm Beach County; indeed the Intracoastal Waterway traverses the length of the lake. The man-made inlets to the ocean have replaced the natural
freshwater with saltwater, such that the lake is actually now a tidal body, instead of a true lake.
The USDA has mapped most of Lake Worth in the Southern Florida Flatwoods land resource area. Deep, poorly drained acidic sandy soils are
typical for the area; they have gray topsoil, white subsoil, and a dark hardpan. Much of Lake Worth is built on a rapidly drained white or gray sand
which is too dry and infertile to support vigorous plant growth. The western outskirts of Lake Worth are in the Southern Florida Lowlands area.
Topsoils there are sandy, but the subsoils have a much higher content of clay and the soils are relatively fertile. As in the flatwoods, these soils are
poorly drained for many purposes unless drainage systems are installed.
Lake Worth bills itself as "Where The Tropics Begin." Many tropical plants grow in the city; among the more prominent examples are mahogany,
royal poinciana and many species of palm, including coconut palm. African tulip tree, avocado and many species of eucalyptus may also be found,
although they are on the city's list of trees to avoid. Temperate-zone trees native to Lake Worth or Palm Beach County include American elm, live
oak, red maple, red mulberry and slash pine. Species which are grown south of their native areas include American sweetgum, Shumard oak and
tulip tree.
Although the incorporated city of Lake Worth is small geographically, as is common in Palm Beach County, a large unincorporated urbanized area
with a Lake Worth postal address lies to the west of the city, and includes the Census Designated Place of Lake Worth Corridor, as well as
neighborhoods such as "The Fountains", Lago Lucerne, Lake Osbourne Estates, Melaleuca Lane Corridor, Lake Charleston, and Palm Beach
National. The 2006 Census estimates this urbanized area's population as 154,892. The total population of both incorporated and unincorporated
Lake Worth is estimated by the 2006 Census to be 190,377.
For more information visit www.lakeworth.org
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