And you thought I was going for the easy metaphor. No, as you can see from the photo at left, I’m talking about actual vultures. These little beauties were roosting on the roof, and in the trees, of a bank-owned home I recently went to preview here in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. [Read more…]
The Glamorous Life of a REALTOR® (And How to Spot A Good Agent Along the Way)
It’s no secret that REALTORS® have a bit of a perception problem. The conventional wisdom is that we’re paid too much for doing too little. I guess that’s one thing we have in common with Wall Street CEOs.
But the similarities end there. [Read more…]
Serendipity…
If you happened to read my last blog post, you were introduced to some unique and striking northeast Florida homes designed by architect William Morgan. As it turns out, the Dune House is for sale.
Consisting of two apartments, this is truly one of the most unique rentals at the beach.
(Re)Discovering Your Own Backyard
It’s Labor Day, and lots of people will be bidding a fond farewell to summer with some sort of backyard celebration. For many of us, that means a good old-fashioned backyard barbecue. For folks here in Northeast Florida, it might mean a day at the beach.
And that got me thinking about what we mean when we use the term “backyard.” Sure, there’s that open space directly behind your house where you do the grilling. But today, I’m thinking about the backyard in the broader sense. What are the places, and who are the people, that make the town or city where you live so special? [Read more…]
A Global Brand Gets Personal
We hear a lot about ‘personal branding’ these days. A simple Google search on the phrase turns up more than 8 million results. And I’m sure there are at least that many references to the term out there on Twitter and the other social networks.
So where does that leave a big impersonal corporate brand like RE/MAX? [Read more…]
Great Schools & Green Fuels – 2 More Reasons to Love Living in St. Johns County, Florida
Just a quick post today to highlight a couple more reasons why St. Johns County, Florida is such a desirable place to live.
First off, there’s the great school system. St. Johns County schools have never earned less than an A grade since district grades have been released. You can read a bit more about that here. What’s more, Nease High School achieved a rank of 80 on The Washington Post‘s 2011 High School Challenge, the highest ranking in the county.
Second, there’s the county’s commitment to using biodiesel fuel in its fleet vehicles. By turning waste vegetable oil into biodiesel, the county saves money on fuel costs and reduces air and water pollution. In fact, the county biodiesel program has significantly reduced the amount of fats, oils and greases (FOG) that would typically wind up in the sewer system. That means fewer overflows, less water pollution and significant savings on clean up costs and potential EPA fines.
Read more about the St. Johns County biodiesel program (PDF).
What do you love about living in St. Johns County? Leave me your thoughts in the comments section…
Fire Station 15 in North Central St. Johns County Opens
St. Johns County Fire & Rescue
Good news for Ponte Vedra and north St. Augustine residents…word is, the Pine Island fire station opened today. Located just off U.S.-1, just past Holly’s Nursery, Fire Station 15 will be available to serve communities such as Palencia, Kensington, Las Calinas, Florentine, Walden Chase and Pine Island. The station will also provide additional support for the communities of Nocatee, World Golf Village, County Road 210 and Palm Valley.
School’s Out…Time to Get Ready for Back to School
How to keep your cool when closing on a new home absolutely has to happen before the first day of school.
Finding and closing on a new home can be an exciting and happy time. Or, if it’s the middle of summer, the kids are singing a constant chorus of, “I’m bored!” and you absolutely, positively have to find a house in the right school district before the first day of school…well…let me buy you a drink. [Read more…]
Pushing Back on the Bad Rap Realtors get in the Media
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
The Today Show this morning ran another quick segment on real estate and Realtors with Barbara Corcoran. On the one hand, I’m thankful that The Today Show goes to a qualified expert for their real estate questions, but I’m uncomfortable with the way the segment portrayed Realtors in general.
Sure, as Ms. Corcoran stated, there are a few bad apples out there (as in every industry), but I feel compelled to rebut at least of few of the statements in the segment and clarify the way that I, and, in my experience, the majority of my colleagues here in northeast Florida do business. [Read more…]
Is the Buyer’s Market Beginning to Tighten Up?
Buyers have pretty much had the run of the housing market the last few years. But are we starting to turn a corner? Maybe. At the very least, I’m seeing some anecdotal evidence in my own backyard that would indicate the market is changing.
For one thing, many of the homes my buyers are interested in turn out to be under contract already. Multiple offers are popping up and that’s a new twist in this market! So buyers are going to have to move a little faster when they find the right home. If they spend too much time analyzing and weighing their options, another buyer will move in and purchase that home right out from under them.