Veteran’s Home Loans for Neptune Beach FloridaIf you are reading this, you or a family member have likely served in our military.  First off, we would like to say a sincere “Thank You” for your service!  We recognize that not only do our Veterans sacrifice by serving, but their families do as well-, and we owe you all a debt of gratitude!One of the best benefits Veterans and their families receive due to their service to our great country is the VA home loan benefits.  We are going to outline just a few of these significant benefits in this article for you. Here are some of the major benefits you may receive by using your VA home loan benefits:*100% financing available- one of the very few loans available with no down payment!*Lower rates available than most loan programs- which saves y... 05/25/2021

Here are the January homes sold in Neptune Beach, FL. This report includes all single family homes, and does not include any condominimums.  January 2015 Homes Sold:                                             3 Highest Sold Price:                                    $330,000 Lowest Sold Price:                                     $270,000 Highest Sold Days On Market:                    135 Lowest Sold Days On Market:                     52 Sold Prices per Square Foot:                      $118 - $234          The difference between sold low and high s not that much, and the end was for a 2400 SF house that was a forecosure.         i   Here are the same statistics for January 2014, for comparison:     January 2014 Homes Sold:                                             2 Highest Sold Pri... 03/19/2015

Here are the July homes sold in Neptune Beach, FL. This report includes all single family homes, and do not include any condominiums.       July 2014 Homes Sold:                                             15 Highest Sold Price:                                    $490,000 Lowest Sold Price:                                     $155,000 Highest Sold Days On Market:                    282 Lowest Sold Days On Market:                     7       Here are the same statistics for July 2013, for comparison:     July 2013 Homes Sold:                                             7 Highest Sold Price:                                    $1,075,000 Lowest Sold Price:                                     $220,010 Highest Sold Days On Market:                    165 Lowest Sold Days On Market:           ... 09/06/2014

Here are the June homes sold in Neptune Beach, FL. This report includes all single family homes, and do not include any condominiums.     June 2014 Homes Sold:                                             8 Highest Sold Price:                                    $408,000 Lowest Sold Price:                                     $80,000 Highest Sold Days On Market:                    230 Lowest Sold Days On Market:                     3        Here are the same statistics for June 2013, for comparison:     June 2013 Homes Sold:                                             3 Highest Sold Price:                                    $389,900 Lowest Sold Price:                                     $310,000 Highest Sold Days On Market:                    44 Lowest Sold Days On Market:                 ... 07/23/2014

      If you are a buyer, looking to purchase with an FHA loan, there are a few things you may want to be aware of, especially if you are looking in Neptune Beach, FL. As a long time Beaches resident, and a full time Realtor, I monitor our activity multiple times daily. I look at the new homes on the market every day to send to my buyers. I look at what went under contract, what's sold, what's back on the market.  Every single day. If you are using FHA financing, you may not be aware that our FHA loan limits changed. The maximum amout for an FHA loan on a single family home is $304,750 in Duval County, which is the county Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach & Jacksonville Beach are all located in.  Ponte Vedra is in St. John's County, and has the same limit. Right now, the number of homes av... 06/11/2014

Exam Prep for Brokers $49.95 Florida Real Estate QBank for Brokers What do you get when you put over 70 years of licensing and exam preparation experience behind one comprehensive test engine? You get the power to pass the Florida broker licensing exam! You’ll be as prepared as possible when you test yourself with hundreds of questions on the industry’s most advanced interactive testing platform ever created. Features: Quiz yourself with hundreds of Florida-specific multiple-choice questions Build exams using the topics and number of questions you select View answer explanations KEY POINTS Pinpoint problem areas with customized exams Create personal notes and bookmarks Access your QBank online when and where it is convenient for you There’s no such thing as being “over-prepared”    03/15/2014

I know I enjoyed our weather here at the Jacksonville Beaches in Florida this past weekend - it was our first sunny days in the past week, after a week of Nor'easter weather kept us in rain and cloudy skies. First Street from Ponte Vedra Beach to Atlantic Beach was packed with cyclists, pedestrians, moms with babies in strollers, and skateboarders. It's important for those visiting our area, or new to our area be aware of how to drive safely given the large influx of non-vehicular traffic. On First Street, for example, cyclists do not stop at the stop signs - this may not seem correct, but it's been the way First Street has been since I moved here in 1990. This really only applies to First Street running north/south. If the cyclist is crossing OVER First Street, they do stop for stop si... 03/10/2014

Single Agency is a type of representation offered in Florida by real estate brokers. It's important to note that the Broker chooses how the Associates/Realtors can represent their customers, so the Realtor makes their choice when they work for the Broker. As a Single Agent, (and I am one) I owe my buyers and sellers the following duties: Dealing honestly & fairly Loyalty Confidentiality Full Disclosure Accounting for all funds Skill, care & diligence in the transaction Presenting all offers and counteroffers in a timely manner, unless a party has previously directed the licensee otherwise in writing Disclosing all known facts that materially affect the value of residential real property and are not readily observerable.  You can see the differences between Transaction Broker are in bold... 01/29/2014

I grew up in a book lover's home: Dad worked selling paper to book publishers, Mom worked for Oxford University Press, and the Sunday New York Times Best Seller list was a topic of conversation. While I frequently got my Stephen King hardbacks for free, we used our local library as well. I grew up going to the library and borrowing books. The Beaches Public Library in Neptune Beach is targeted for closing currently as part of the budget cuts by the City of Jacksonville. This is the ONLY library at the beach in Duval County. While you personally may not use the library that much, your tax dollars support it, and many families use it on a daily basis, year round.  I went up to pick up a DVD today, and signed the petition to keep the Beaches Library open - please get out there and sign th... 07/20/2013

I have been a longtime Beaches resident, and spent a lot of time at the Sun Dog Diner in Neptune Beach, my local version of "Cheers", if you will. I have so many friends I've met at the Sun Dog, and it was great to stop in for lunch or a beverage to see who was there. In any case, time moves on, and now the Sun Dog has closed, and a new restaurant will be opening; I'm not sure if it will fulfill the same social outlet, but I'm willing to give it a shot. The Flying Iguana will open this September, and if you are in the area, you should give it a try: the owner is the same owner as Al's Pizza, and he knows how to run a restaurant!  You can read the full article here: http://jacksonville.com/community/shorelines/2013-07-13/story/uncovered-ghost-sign-blast-past#comment-form#ixzz2Z4tj4qex   07/14/2013

If you find yourself with the day off tomorrow, and a will to do something awesome, you can help clean up the beaches, post July 4th. I know there are many spectators to our annual 4th of July fireworks who bring their own sparklers, bottle rockets, and other things to the beach, and unfortunately, they don't always pick up after themselves. Hence the clean up efforts the day after. The City of Jacksonville and Keep Jacksonville Beautiful will partner with the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol for the annual Beaches Cleanup Friday. The event will be held from 7 to 9 a.m., beginning at Atlantic Boulevard at the ocean, Beach Boulevard at the ocean and 16th Avenue South in Jacksonville Beach at the ocean. Litter bags and gloves will be distributed to volunteers, who must be at least 18 years old o... 07/04/2013

With the consolidation of Jacksonville in the 60's, many smaller towns were absorbed by the City of Jacksonville. The proposal, and concept, was that savings could be realized, and both services and resources leveraged to provide for the larger city. Coming in at 840+ square miles, Jacksonville, FL is larger the Los Angeles, and the idea of closing our Beaches Branch library is not going to "softly into that good night". My parents both worked in publishing, and I grew up an avid reader, with a healthy respect & appreciation for libraries.  Now, with budget cutbacks looming, the idea of closing several of our public libraries is being proposed.  I'm not supportive of this, and feel it is incredibly detrimental to our communities, and affects all ages.  You can read more here: http://ja... 06/23/2013

  Here are the May homes sold in Neptune Beach, FL. This report includes all single family homes, and do not include any condominiums.    May 2013 Homes Sold:                                             2 Highest Sold Price:                                    $607,000 Lowest Sold Price:                                     $305,000 Highest Sold Days On Market:                    338 Lowest Sold Days On Market:                     82    Average Index of Sold Price/List Price:        95%   Here are the same statistics for May 2012, for comparison:    May 2012 Homes Sold:                                             1 Highest Sold Price:                                    $280,000 Lowest Sold Price:                                     $280,000 Highest Sold Days On Market:                    ... 06/15/2013

The Lemon Bar, Neptune Beach, FL  If you live in the Beaches communities of Jacksonville: Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach & Jacksonville Beach, you have probably heard of, or already visited The Lemon Bar. The Lemon Bar in Neptune Beach is an open air, oceanfront gathering spot for the locals.  It's on the grounds of the Sea Horse Hotel, just off Atlantic Boulevard in Neptune Beach. It's been around since 2000, and has grown in size and popularity every year.  The improvements over the years have included expanding the bar and seating, as well as offering more covered space for that occasional passing shower. Everyone waits for the the season to start when The Lemon Bar in Neptune Beach opens, which down here starts in February. It gets going, but REALLY gets going once the warmer weathe... 05/31/2013

I met with one of my buyers on this house (links to prior blogs are below) to present two offers on her condo, and then we discussed where they were in the process of defending a "quiet title" suit on the house they just closed on in mid-February of this year. They had consulted with an attorney, and they now have another attorney, who was hired by the title insurance company. They still have zero resolution: their attorney stated it could/should take 6-8 weeks to clear up, and gain clear title to the house. The second attorney states it might take 2 years, and even then, the foreclosing bank might just decide the property is worth more than what the title insurance will pay out, which leaves them in an awkward position as far as any improvements.  I'm checking with other sources to see... 04/17/2013

Recap: I helped buyers (engaged, he in the process of moving here from out of state) purchase a home in Neptune Beach, FL. We closed 2/15/13, and she gave birth on 3/1/13. On 3/8/13, she was served with eviction notices. Since my buyer could not be at the attorney's office, I drove her check down there, and was in his office when we did the conference call.  I have to say, while I was sitting there, and seeing the research they had pulled from our Clerk of The Courts, I could not help but feel as though I had missed something. I had pulled property records to see how long the seller had owned the property, pretty standard for me, as I want to know upfront if the holding time is longer than 90 days (seasoned, as FHA lenders like to see).  As of this post, we have discovered that all the ... 04/09/2013

If you have ever visited our area for a period of more than one day, chances are good you have been to Pete's Bar. Pete's is a Neptune Beach icon, and was mentioned by John Grisham in one of his books (sorry, I'm not certain which one). Pete's Bar has been operating for 80 years on April 27th, and was the first bar to get a liquor license the day Prohibition ended. Famous for cold beer, strong drinks, and early opening hours, Pete's has 25 cent pool tables, and is a cash only place - they don't take your credit cards!   Pete's Bar 80th Anniversary Party   Date:  Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 2:00pm to Sunday, April 28, 2013 - 2:00am   Venue or organization:  Pete's Bar   Pete's Bar will be celebrating our 80th year in business on Saturday April 27 from 2 PM til close. Pete's received the f... 03/24/2013

As you may recall, I had a buyer close on a house in Neptune Beach, FL, mid February; they are engaged, and he is in the process of moving down here. They just had their first child, and three weeks after closing, she was greeted with eviction notices on her new home. Since I had involved the title company who closed the purchase, the attorney asked me to secure the Title Commitment Letter, so I emailed them that request, stating the attorney the buyer had retained was requesting it ASAP.  (side-note: I've ALWAYS wanted to be an attorney, so I love to refer to attorney representation in communication as I find it tends to expedite things). The reply I got back was that the company president was working on it, and he had my email request; not QUITE what I was looking for. However, as I w... 03/11/2013

A buyer/ of mine, with a week old baby was served with eviction notices 3 weeks after closing on her new home. As part of my assistance, I took photos of the notice, and emailed them to the title company to alert them we had an issue; after all, we could not have closed if there were any clouds on the title. The title company responded to me that the file and notice had been elevated to the company president, and he reached out to the legal firm that generated the eviction notice. This, combined with the homeowner having called the legal firm named on the eviction notice, as well as the attorney representing the buyer calling, served as a nice one-two punch to say "Hey, something's not right here!" move. Now we just wait for Monday to start research to see what happened, and who will ma... 03/10/2013

I met with the buyer at her house to see the eviction notice, and confirm who had served it. I took photos as well, to have copies for my files. (LOVE the iPad!) I had already emailed the local assocation's legal counsel with a thumbnail sketch of the situation to get his input.  (See? Being involved in the local association has major bennies!) I reiterated to her again to not worry, we would at the very least accomplish two things:  Get a stay (extension) on the writ of possession. Find our next steps once the legal counsel had replied to me.  The attorney got back to me and gave me three names & phone numbers, and I managed to secure an attorney for her. She had just had a C-section, so she can't drive, and we did a conference call to discuss the situation. A motion was drafted, signe... 03/09/2013