Recently released statistics show that 2.5 million homes saw rises in equity in the sewcond quarter of 2013, as reported by CoreLogic, a leading provider of financial and other data.         The current number of homes underwater stands at 7.1 million across the U.S., which is approximately 14.5% of all homes.  This is a drop from the 19.7% of underwater homes after the first quarter of the year.  In terms of real dollars, negative equity has decreased $148 billion to its current for of $428 billion.  This is, of course, still a staggering figure, but the trend continues in the riight direction...down.       Anand Nallathambi, CoreLogic's CEO, credits the increase in price appreciation of homes nationwide in the decrease, allowing the debt-to-value ratio to swing more in the fa... 09/11/2013

National homebuilders D.R. Horton and Lennar Homes have recently bought up fifty lots in the Brookwood subdivision of Nocatee, as reported by Ashley Gurbal-Kritzer in the September 10, 2013 edition of the Jacksonville Business Journal.  The high demand for lots in the area may have been the catalyst for the purchase, which saw both companies paying $1.17 million for 25 lots each, according to records.  With an average cost of homes in Brookwood starting at $190,000, both builders have already begun construction of model homes in the subdivision.               As reported in the Business Journal in August, Nocatee’s landmark year of 2012 saw 508 homes built in the community, with 2013 expected to dwarf that number.  As of publish date, Nocatee is on pace to hit the 800-home mark by year’... 09/10/2013

I've had the opportunity to spend over 20 hours this year at City Council meetings in Jacksonville, FL. Why? To deal with our local sign ordinance issues, as they relate to real estate signage. Previously, open house signs locally were illegal, and a bill that had permited our profession's open house signs was due to sunset, so we had to work with the City Council on modifying that, and extending it for another three years. Interesting to say the least. I know Jacksonville residents have a long running issue with all signage, labeling it visual pollution.  I actually worked for an outdoor advertising company back in the 90's selling billboards locally (for a very brief time), and met with much resistance over the billboard industry. Turns out: an agreement in 1987 was designed to phase ... 09/05/2013

       Want something to listen to before getting inundated by football on Sunday? Don't want to change the radio dial? You're in luck! Jacksonville's 1010 XL Sports Radio's newest face (or more accurately, voice,) is none other than Keller Williams Jacksonville Realty's CC Underwood. The successful realtor will be hosting her own real estate-themed call-in show every Sunday morning at 9:00. Themes discussed range from Short Sales, Foreclosures, and countless tips on buying or selling a home in the Jacksonville area.        Hoping to inform the community about the ins-and-outs of Jacksonville-area real estate, the show will allow listeners to call in with questions they may have about home staging and prepping prior to a sale, working with lenders, and financing options & methods, to na... 09/05/2013

Shops of Avondale - Let Them Eat Cake If you are in the Avondale area and your sweet tooth needs a treat, then stop by Let Them Eat Cake at 3604 Saint Johns Avenue, Jacksonville FL 32205, Phone 904-389-2122. This Bakery does a lot of catering and special orders, but there are also yummy cupcakes and other treats in the glass case just waiting for you and me. We had the Buttercream cupcake and it was delicious! The owner said to wait and let the icing warm up so you could taste the butter, which we did but it was hard to wait.  Let Them Eat Cake is locally owned small batch, scratch bakery, and we give them a big thumbs up for their baked goods. Next time there is a birthday, special event or wedding in your group, consider ordering from Let Them Eat Cake. Hours are Tuesday-Thursday, 8-5... 08/31/2013

San Marco Riverviews Condo for Sale   MLS #: 680422 $210,000 This beautifully renovated San Marco Condo for Sale is located directly on the St Johns River and just blocks from San Marco Square in Jacksonville, FL.   The San Marco Riverviews Condo for Sale is located in the Alexandria Condominium.  Built in 1941, this community is made up of townhomes and condos.  Beautifully designed with panoramic views of The St Johns River, the majority of these units have been upgraded throughout the years.    The San Marco Riverviews Condo for Sale is two stories and has three bedrooms.  Boasting over 1,600 square feet, ceilings over 8+FT, and grogeous river views.  The Master Suite/Master Loft is located upstairs was upgraded to be anoversized loft, complete with a wood burning fireplace.         ... 08/27/2013

JACKSONVILLE ACTIVERAIN MEETUP This evening we hosted the most delightful Meetup at the Four Diamond-Rated  Matthew's Restaurant on Hendricks Avenue in San Marco. We were a small gathering, but the conversation and topics were large, ranging from discussions about the future of real estate to how much we all love ActiveRain. Julie Bentley from Watson Realty, Carol Zingone from Prudential Realty and our NEFAR President 2013, Sharon and Frank Alters from Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty are pictured below, left to right. 08/23/2013

I know we've all seen the phishing email messages, where a friend is stranded in a foreign country (that you didn't know they were visiting), and their passport has been stolen, and all they need is $1500 to get back home. Sometimes, these situations seem realistic enough that people respond, and state they will send the funds. Some scams target seniors specifically, such as: lotteries & sweepstakes, reverse mortgage fraud, and home repair fraud.  The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is partnering with the state's Department of Financial Services to host a free seminar tomorrow called "Be Scam Smart" workshop at the Mary L. Singleton Center at 150 East First Street. This workshop will help seniors be better equipped to recognize signs of scams, and how to verify if the person is legitimate... 08/19/2013

If you are a Realtor in/around Jacksonville, FL, there is an awesome opportunity coming up you may want to leverage. It's a FREE presentation, August 26th, from 8:30-10:30am at our Northeast Florida Association of Realtors office off Southside Boulevard.  Participation is limited to the first 80, so if you have an interest, you should register soon.  What can you expect to learn? Well, if your buyers have questions about schools in Duval County, this is the event you've been waiting for.  School Facts Jax ia a single source to find current, accurate information about the local schools and school choice which helps Realtors inform buyers and can help with finding the best home and school for your buyers.  This event is limited to NEFAR members only, please. For more information, you can ... 08/18/2013

  Closed sales up 23.7 percent year to date. Sales prices up more than 15 percent year to date and nearly 26 percent higher than a year ago.   JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors announces real estate market statistics for July 2013. Except where otherwise indicated, statistics reflect combined results for single-family residential and condominium properties.   All systems are go when it comes to Northeast Florida’s housing market. Key facts for July 2013 housing sales: 1,807 closed sales were an 18 percent increase from the prior July. Year to date, closed sales are up 23.7 percent. Pending sales spiked up a significant 51.9 percent to 2,342; July 2012 had 1,542 pendings. Year to date, closed sales are up 32.3 percent. Days on market until sale dropped to... 08/13/2013

It pays to talk to several short sale negotiators before signing on the dotted line! Prices can vary by THOUSANDS of dollars in the Jacksonville short sale market.  I recently had a client that asked "a friend" for the name of a the person that negotiated her short sale. The attorney they recommended "only charged $2200" to negotiate the short sale. Wow. Our corporate attorney charges $700 for a simple short sale like this one and maybe $1000+ for a "complicated" short sale. They offer a complimentary consultation to address the Sellers concerns and will give them a price to negotiate the short sale.  It was too late for me to help. She had already signed off on a contract to represent her.  I listed the property and we had an offer in 3 days for full price. The lender approved the pric... 08/11/2013

Jacksonville Florida Real Estate Market Report Single Family homes (attached & detached) July 2013                   July 2012 Active Listings: 3,700     Active Listings: 4,380 Sold: 837                  Sold: 685 Months Inventory: 4.02     Months Inventory: 6.39 Average Price: 498,764      Average Price: 448,911 We did see an increase of inventory and a decrease of sold homes in Jacksonville this month, compared to June 2013. In the height of summer, it makes sense as people are busy taking vacations this time of year. Sellers are trying to get their houses on the market to be able to entice buyers wanting to be in a new home before school starts. The median sales price in Jacksonville for July 2013 is $138,000 and in July 2012 the median sales price was $114,950, that's an increase of... 08/09/2013

Colony American Homes is one of the largest owners of single family home rentals in the country.  Having raised over $2.2 billion privately they are reallocating these homes into a Real Estate Investment Trust, REIT, with Colony Capital, headed by Thomas Barrack. Their portfolio was recorded to have over 9500 single family homes in 8 states as of last month.  Their constantly growing portfolio was acquired in a number of different methods; Auctions, short sales, and bulk purchases from banks, at an estimated cost of $1.1 billion.  The price of each unit averages out to $159,000 and currently generating an average of $1,270 a month in rent.  Currently, the portfolio holds an overall occupancy of 55%. At the IPO filing the company stated that, "We believe current market conditions present... 08/08/2013

I just had a most amazing voicemail message - from one of my very first buyers! She has called me several times for help with refinancing, and I was hoping she was calling with great news, since she said she was calling me from Italy. She called me to help her short sell the house, unfortunately. I say unfortunately since she is military, and may have been able to participate in the HAP program if she had decided on this direction a year ago, but still, I'm thrilled she still has my phone number, and that my phone number has not changed.  That is part of the value of stability: same phone number, same person, same profession.  08/01/2013

I have to share my experiences with Facetime! As a recent convert to the iOS (last July, when I got my iPad), I have not used Facetime very much until this year. Thanks to having the Facetime ability, I was able to help a military first time homebuyer tour their new home using Facetime. Facetime is a face to face phone call, only available on the iOS, that works on iPad to iPad, or iPad to iPhone - and it's the best thing when you have a family relocating and their is no budget or time for a physical trip to the new home location. It does take a little bit of getting used to: you think more about what your facial expressions are, and what is directly behind you when you have the program running. Plus, unlocking doors, and opening doors while holding your iPad can be a challenge - it's ... 07/29/2013

I saw this and just had to share: a disabled veteran was given a home locally by Bank of America and Purple Heart Homes, right here in Jacksonville! Now, I knew there were donations such as this. I had heard Wells Fargo was doing something similar, but I was not aware that Bank of America was doing a similar project. You can read the full story here:http://jacksonville.com/community/mandarin/2013-07-26/story/jacksonville-disabled-veteran-family-get-new-home-thank-you-not#ixzz2aFw004T3   07/27/2013

      I recenlty had the chance to visit Aardwolf Brewing Company for a Historic/Downtown NEFAR Council kick off event. Having worked in San Marco, I really do miss the bars & restaurants in that area, and while the beach isn't that far, sometimes, it sure seems that way.  Aarwolf Brewing Company has transformed a San Marco building (their website states it's an old icehouse), located along the railroad tracks into a super cool place.  The whole thing feels like a loft transported from NYC and dropped here - exposed brick, reclaimed wood, funky lighting.  Add two separate rooms that can serve as function rooms (thing intimate functions) and awesome craft beer, and you have a hit.  They plan to have their own brews this month (not sure if they had theirs on tap when I was there), but ha... 07/17/2013

    I remember when the Kingfish Tournament was just off the coast, close to the first house I lived in here in Neptune Beach, FL.  It was right off the Mayport jetties, and the locals would gather on the beach to watch the mad dash of the boats at safelight time. All the boats (which seemed like hundreds) would come zipping by, trying to get to their "best" spot to catch the winning Kingfish.  Now, the tournament location has been moved, but from what I understand, it's a better starting point, and tournament location as it offers a larger area, and better  parking. I know some people I know will be competing this week, and enjoying the festivities. If you have time to fish, or just have a beer or three with friends, here's the schedule of events: GREATER JACKSONVILLE KINGFISH TOURNAM... 07/15/2013

 Jacksonville Florida Real Estate Market Report  Single Family homes (attached & detached)  June 2013                               June 2012 Active Listings:  3,438                Active Listings: 4,391 Sold: 880                               Sold: 757 Months Inventory:  3.91           Months Inventory: 7.6 Average Price: 509,539          Average Price: 484,278 Inventory levels went down slightly, along with how many homes sold in Jacksonville this month versus May of this year. That made our months inventory bump up to 3.91 months. That’s not a big deal, as we are still in a seller’s market in Jacksonville.  Have you heard that we are in a real estate bubble? Here’s one report about the real estate bubble. I have been doing these same market stats for Jacksonville,for about 2 years no... 07/11/2013

    Buyer competition for properties pushing prices higher and inventory down.   JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors announces real estate market statistics for June 2013. Except where otherwise indicated, statistics reflect combined results for single-family residential and condominium properties.   Closed sales in June reached 1,829, reflecting an eight percent increase over June 2012 and a 22.8 percent increase year to date. The breakdown of the 1,829 sales were 651 (35.6 percent) lender mediated and 1,829 traditional. Demand for homes shows no sign of waning, with pending sales coming in at 2,171 for the month; a 34.2 percent increase from a year ago and a 32.3 percent increase year to date.   Inventory of homes for sale has plunged 29.2 percent from ... 07/11/2013