Where life is (still) good -- very good

The list of residents reads like a who’s who of the local -- and national -- elite. Richard Egen, a former ambassador. Christine Lynn, a philanthropist. Greg Norman, a golf legend.

Their massive homes stretch across acres, meet manicured greens and kiss sparkling waters. Here, the rich are protected from the struggling economy, as if by their security gates.

Here, they pay with cash for a home costing $5 million or more. They knock down impressive homes to build bigger, more impressive ones.

Full of amenities, and with golf memberships costing more than most people make in a year, these are the communities that define Boca Raton.

At the peak of the housing boom in 2004, Forbes magazine ranked the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, the Sanctuary and Le Lac among the 10 most expensive gated communities in the country.

Since then, they have been only marginally affected by the bust.

Instead, while everyone else is cutting back, the rich are seizing opportunity.

“They have the liquidity to invest and the staying capacity to wait until the next upturn,” said Tony Villamil, president of Washington Economics Group of Coral Gables, Fla. “That’s how they continue to increase their net worth.”

David Roberts sold almost $107 million worth of properties at Royal Palm last year -- $7 million more than 2006. “With the news as negative as it is about real estate, our community is still selling,” he said. “It’s just amazing to me that we keep outperforming the market.”

Roberts is also a resident. He just bought a $10.6-million home built of concrete that has an elevator, a temperature-controlled wine room and a theater room with a large screen and plush seats. Its five-car garage was a big selling point, though he converted part of it to a playroom for his kids.

Two homes are on the market for $21 million and $19 million.

The uber-wealthy have enough money to pay in cash for homes costing up to $20 million, said Zev Freidus, owner of Boca Executive Realty, which sells homes in all three exclusive communities. The Sanctuary doesn’t look expensive if you drive by, he said, but has been on the Forbes list four times. For years, Le Lac had no gate because it was so hidden and hard to find.

Unlike more typical gated communities in South Florida, the Sanctuary and Le Lac have no clubhouses flush with amenities. No need. Homes in the Sanctuary might have their own tennis courts and pools. At Le Lac, a perk is its 60 acres of interconnected lakes where jet-skiing and motorboats are allowed.

Access to these communities is hard to come by, because security is tight. The Sanctuary was even reported to have water patrols to keep watch on residents’ yachts.

“They’re very careful about not letting people in,” Freidus said. “We’re talking about some of the most exclusive communities in the country. People live there because they don’t want to be bothered.” These communities rarely have foreclosures. In fact, Freidus said, he has seen little change in the lifestyles of the rich and sometimes famous here.

At the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, where a golf membership costs $100,000, membership director Janet Wayne had a fleeting fear earlier this year that the economy would slow the pursuit of leisure.

“We’re right on track with our goals,” she said of food sales, golf memberships and new memberships. The community just spent $10 million on a new clubhouse and is planning a $17-million redo of its yacht club. “Our membership here is probably in the top 3% to 5% of the wealthiest people in the country.”