Steve Mitchell/The Post THEY'RE HERE FOR THE SCHOOLS: Jim and Rosie Granum – with Grace (left), 5, and Megan, 4 – are both medical sales professionals who travel constantly from Broward to Titusville. They moved to Orchid Bay for the same reasons most residents did: Big homes, big lots, easy access to Interstate 95 and Florida's Turnpike, and, most important, Martin County's top-rated schools. 'The schools were a big issue for me,' says Rosie, 'and the schools in Palm City are ranked really well.'

A-rated schools and an almost total lack of crime are two reasons there are 50 developments, with more on the way, in Palm City in Martin County.

Among all the upscale gated communities, big houses on big lots make the 154-home Orchid Bay neighborhood stand out.

Carved from a former orange grove, lots at Orchid Bay, set at a minimum of half an acre, began selling in the mid-'80s, when the planned subdivision was called Captain's Creek. In the mid-'90s, at least a dozen small builders began to put up homes, which guaranteed a wide variety of architecture. Every house had to be at least 2,300 square feet.

The eclectic approach gives Orchid Bay the feel of a real neighborhood, with a mix of metal-roofed Key West homes, white-pillared Boca-style houses, Colonial, Mediterranean, Tudor and a couple of personal dream houses that residents refer to affectionately as "The Barn" and "The Taj Mahal."

To keep homeowner fees down, no amenities were planned, but in recent years, the neighborhood has added a playground, picnic area with gazebo and double tennis courts. Still, the fees are rock bottom for the area — $1,600 annually for maintenance of common grounds, landscaping, trees, fountains at the entrance and a gated, keypad security system.

Compare that price to a neighboring subdivision, where residents pay $13,000 a year in homeowner fees.

Orchid Bay residents are a diverse mix of retirees, professionals and families. There are few snowbirds, and neighbors keep an eye on their empty houses, says Georgia O'Brien, a Coldwell Banker Realtor who lives in Orchid Bay.

"We are small enough that neighbors know each other and watch out for each other," she says. "We have widows here, and everyone knows them and watches out for them."

There are currently 13 homes listed for sale in Orchid Bay, with prices from $449,000 to $775,000. Man-made Coral Lake and Orchid Lakes give many homeowners waterfront property.

Gayle Sokoloff, who owns New Wave Realty, says she's recently sold homes to a Scripps executive and her physician husband, as well as another couple who moved from Broward County — she's a banker, he's a dive instructor and food service executive.

"This is for people who want to play football in the back yard because you have the room," says Sokoloff. "And you can feel secure in a tucked-away neighborhood in Palm City close to three supermarkets, all kinds of shopping and A-rated schools."

Sokoloff says one of her clients is a retired South Florida police commander. He ran crime numbers for the entire state and factored in price, schools and demographics before he decided to buy in Palm City.

"He could spend up to $1 million," she says, "and he decided, after all his research, that Palm City was the best place in the state to live."

Close to Interstate 95 and Florida's Turnpike, Palm City residents can be in West Palm Beach in 35 minutes or in the shops and restaurants of downtown Stuart in 15. Stuart's Bathtub Beach, a local favorite, is also just a 15-minute drive.

Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga is a part-time Palm City resident. He built a private golf course in town called The Floridian and hands out memberships to friends such as NFL Hall-of-Famer Dan Marino.

Huizenga is also a partner in plans to build an upscale shopping center nearby, another plus for the approximately 25,000 city residents.

Realtors and other residents say the addition within the past year of a second Publix on County Road 714 and a Stuart Fine Foods store started a flood of new strip-mall businesses.

"As soon as those supermarkets opened," says O'Brien, "all the other conveniences came. A Panera Bread, a Leslie's Pool Supplies, a second Dunkin' Donuts, a Greek restaurant, a bank and all kinds of other businesses."

With Palm City's shoulder-to-shoulder walled neighborhoods, Orchid Bay retains its personality with an annual Christmas tradition that delivers Santa on a fire truck. Amazingly, he delivers gifts to specific kids. Not so amazingly, a small party for adults has grown into a holiday block party. What started with a few beers in the front yard at Ray and Sue Klahne's house is now a full-blown tradition as Santa makes his rounds.

There's also an annual Easter egg hunt and a Halloween parade.

Sokoloff, who has been selling homes in Palm City and surrounding counties since 1983, says despite the real-estate slump, the area has not seen its last subdivision.

D.R. Horton's 320-home Highland Reserve, the 320-home Copper Leaf from Centex and the 119 homesites at Murano are only the most recent, not the last, new Palm City neighborhoods.

"It's better living with fewer negatives," Sokoloff says. "You're close enough to everything else, but you live in the sanctity of Palm City."

What residents say . . .

RAY & SUE KLAHNE

THEIR HOME: 4 bedrooms, 212 baths, 2,800 square feet (under air) with screened pool.

WHEN THEY MOVED IN: March 2001

WHAT THEY PAID: $272,000

CURRENT VALUE (from Zillow.com): $569,000

WHY THEY LOVE IT: Six years ago, Sue, and Ray Klahne and their growing family needed more room than their 3/2 at Palm Brook Estates.

They wanted to stay in Palm City, where Ray, a Merrill Lynch financial planner, and Sue had lived for more than 20 years.

"We needed more space," says Sue, whose full-time job is keeping her family up and running. "We wanted to stay in Palm City for the small town atmosphere."

They found the space they needed at Orchid Bay. "There's a good mix of retirees and families," Sue says.

"What's key is the amenities are useful and the fees are reasonable," adds Ray.

The amenities include a tennis court, picnic area with gazebo and playground. Location is another key for the family.

"We can shoot down to the Gardens in 30 minutes," says Ray. "Hutchinson Island and the beaches are due east 15 minutes. Downtown Stuart with restaurants and shops is 15 minutes."

Justin, 14, and his sister, Taylor, 12, have friends in their neighborhood, and they're free to come and go without their parents worrying.

"We feel comfortable letting them ride their bikes anywhere here," adds Sue.

But the kids aren't the only ones with friends in the neighborhood.

"This neighborhood," Sue continues, "compared to other neighborhoods where I've lived, is different because you get to know people here. You have dinner at someone's house. You can ask your neighbors for anything."

JUNE WILBURN

HER HOME: 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, screened pool

WHEN SHE MOVED IN: August 2005

WHAT SHE PAID: $630,000

CURRENT VALUE (from Zillow.com): $609,000

WHY SHE LOVES IT: After her husband, John, died of cancer three years ago, June Wilburn decided to move from Rockville, Md., to Martin County, where her son, Eric, had come to start a car repair business.

She is a retired personal shopper, an expert with crystal, china and silver. Florida was familiar to her. Growing up, she summered near Miami with her family.

She had to find a Florida home for herself, her son, John, 52, who suffered a handicap after an accident, and her grandson, John, 17.

"I wanted a house with three bathrooms because I won't share," she says.

"We walked in the door here after seeing hundreds of homes, and my grandson said, 'Take it,' and we did. I wanted a place where we could be happy and not worry. The gated community did that. I wouldn't be happy if I had to worry every time I left the house."

A love of June's life is Max, a Jack Russell terrier.

"This is a pet-friendly neighborhood," she says. "I walk Max four, five times a day. The ambience here is marvelous. I can walk anywhere. Publix, the post office, restaurants. This worked out wonderfully."

GARY & KARIN FLEMING

THEIR HOME: 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, 4,200 square feet

WHEN THEY MOVED IN: August 2003

WHAT THEY PAID: $695,000

CURRENT VALUE (from Zillow.com): $798,000

WHY THEY LOVE IT: Karin and Gary Fleming moved to Orchid Bay to be closer to the sports lives of their sons. Brooks, 15, and Steven, 13, play football and baseball year-round, and that's a lot of games and practices.

"We came here because Cobblestone Country Club, where we lived, is too far out," says Gary. "It's 10 miles (west) ... and not having to drive in saves us hours a day. And with the gas we save, we can afford this house."

He's laughing as he says it.

He owns Classic Medical in Stuart, which sells surgical supplies in the Southeast.

Karin is a full-time volunteer — "HOA, PTA, room mom, team mom and I'm the maid service here" — and she's laughing as she says that.

"We moved to Martin County for the schools," she says. "There's a good quality of life for us."

The minimum half-acre lots were attractive at Orchid Bay.

"We insisted on having land around us," Karin says.

With a three-TV living room and dish to link Gary and his boys to their beloved Boston Red Sox, the sporting life at Orchid Bay is good.

It can only get better when Gary and Karin can watch one or both of their kids playing on those TVs.

JIM & ROSIE GRANUM

THEIR HOME: 5 bedrooms, 31/2 baths, 3,500-square-feet with screened pool

WHEN THEY MOVED IN: December 2001

WHAT THEY PAID: $40,000 for the lot; $330,000 for the custom-built home

CURRENT VALUE (from Zillow.com): $599,000

WHY THEY LOVE IT: When Jim and Rosie Granum hit the road to go to work, they hit the road.

Jim drives 35,000 to 40,000 miles a year selling medical supplies from West Palm Beach to Titusville.

Rosie knocks down 45,000 to 50,000 miles annually selling pharmaceuticals for a biotech firm from Martin County to Fort Lauderdale.

They live at Orchid Bay for it's location, the schools and big homes on big lots. Just like everyone else.

"The schools were a big issue for me," says Rosie, "and the schools in Palm City are ranked really well."

Orchid Bay kids go to Palm City Elementary, Hidden Oaks Middle and Martin County High School, all A-rated schools.

The couple married in 1999. They looked at Jupiter, but what they wanted — a big lot and a 2,800-square-foot home — was out of their price range.

"We said, 'we don't have $500,000'," says Jim, "but we came here and found out we sure do. We burned through the money."

If they had it to do over again, they wouldn't have gone nuts on appliances, spending $20,000 instead of their budgeted $11,000.

"I would have let the appliances go and built a bigger house," Jim says. "We're looking at putting a 650-square-foot addition on in the back yard."

When Jim says they need more room, he's not kidding. The dining room is filled with boxes — his medical supplies alongside her biotech boxes. They share an office, and throughout the house are toys for the girls.

Jim, who's the Orchid Bay homeowners association president, is one of the community's biggest fans.

"The nice thing is you can jump on I-95 or the tollway so quickly," he says. "And there are a lot of families here."