property values

Sawmill Lakes Market Update

October 10, 2018 By Scott Sandberg Leave a Comment

Sawmill Lakes is a popular Ponte Vedra Beach community located just east of the Intracoastal Waterway. It’s close to the beach, schools, shopping & more. Let’s take a look at the real estate activity in Sawmill Lakes over the past 12 months:

Active vs. Sold

3,2,3,2,3,1,2,2,3,2,2,1
2,1,1,2,1,3,0,5,3,1,3,0

There have been 130 homes actively for sale over the past 12 months, and 30, or about 21% have sold.

Avg. List Price vs. Avg. Sold Price

657666.67,644500.00,746000.00,712000.00,719966.67,849900.00,769950.00,670000.00,643333.33,727450.00,667450.00,624900.00
484750.00,565000.00,454750.00,693500.00,820000.00,641000.00,0,749302.00,670000.00,790000.00,615000.00,0

The average list price year-to-date (YTD) has been $526,146, and average sale price YTD has been $515,393.

[Read more…]

When an HOA is Not OK

June 6, 2018 By Scott Sandberg Leave a Comment

For Some Home Buyers, a Homeowner’s Association is a Deal Breaker

Depending on your point of view, a homeowner’s association is either a force for good, protecting property values and providing desirable amenities and services (see this survey here), or a meddling overlord, intent on infringing on your rights to do what you please with the property you rightfully own. Ideally, a good homeowner’s association can maintain a tidy, desirable community without resorting to overzealous policing, but it is, to be sure, a difficult balancing act.

Here in northeast Florida, and especially in St. Johns County, homeowner’s associations are more the norm than the exception. This is especially true in the newer communities like Nocatee, Shearwater, Twin Creeks, etc. But for home buyers who would prefer to have a little more autonomy with regard to what they do on/with their property, there are still plenty of options in and around Jacksonville. [Read more…]

Making Sure That Flip isn’t a Flop

March 17, 2017 By Scott Sandberg Leave a Comment

A Little Research Upfront Can Help You Avoid a Lot of Heartache Later When Purchasing a Flipped Home

Thanks to the popularity of TV shows like HGTV’s “Flip or Flop”, most people understand the concept of a house flip. An investor buys a home in some state of disrepair—often a foreclosure or distressed property—makes some improvements to the property, then attempts to sell the home for a profit. It’s often a win-win, as the investor makes a little money and the homebuyer gets an updated home with modern fixtures and features, without having to do the work themselves. [Read more…]

What You Get for $340,000 in St. Johns, Florida

August 3, 2015 By Scott Sandberg Leave a Comment

The housing market in northeast Florida continues to pick up steam, with median prices continuing to inch upward. The one big constraint on the market, however, seems to be inventory. That said, good properties are available, but buyers need to be prepared to make a move (know your list of must-haves, and make sure you’re pre-qualified with a lender).

For instance, here are a few homes in St. Johns, Florida, near Nocatee, Jacksonville & Ponte Vedra, listed for around $340,000. [Read more…]

Cheaper by the Ocean

April 22, 2013 By Scott Sandberg Leave a Comment

“Cheaper” and “ocean” are two words you don’t typically hear together, especially when you’re talking about real estate. But my interest was piqued recently by a blog post from Margaret Goss, a Realtor® serving the exclusive North Shore area of suburban Chicago.

Her blog post is titled, Lakefront Homes in Winnetka—More Expensive than Living on the Ocean, and it turns out it’s pretty accurate, especially from a Ponte Vedra Beach point of view. [Read more…]