Congratulations to all our Top Producers in May!

June 16, 2022

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May was another strong month for Davidson Realty with so many of our agents helping their customers make moves in this fluid housing market!  So, it’s especially important to us to recognize and congratulate our top performers who made such an impact!  In addition, we would love to share with you a little bit about them and what makes each of them so fantastic personally and professionally. Enjoy our Q & A of these great real estate advisors!

 

 

Our Top Producer (Closings) and Overall Top Sales Agent for May is Mirtha Barzaga with over $1.7 million in total closings and $1.4 million in overall sales for the month.

 

 

 

 

Q&A with Mirtha:

 

Q1 – What do you like best about living here in Northeast Florida?

Mirtha – World Golf Village in Northeast Florida is where l live and sell the most, it’s centrally located between Jacksonville, Old St Augustine, Daytona, and the beaches. To the north there is access to the Jacksonville work force as well as sports and theaters.  To the south you have the Old City, the beaches, theaters, and other attractions.  It is also a close commute to major airports like Jacksonville International Airport and Orlando where you can take day trips to the amusement parks.

 

Q2 – What is your favorite local restaurant and favorite dish to eat there?

Mirtha – Columbia Restaurant is a great place to entertain friends and family, my favorite there is Paella a la Valenciana and flan for dessert.

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Davidson Realty Welcomes New Agents Theresa Connolly, Sharon Mathis, Maurkee Ragin, and Molly Austin to Team of Experts

June 15, 2022

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Davidson Realty is constantly welcoming new faces to its team of real estate experts as they continue to be the go-to brokerage in Northeast Florida. The team at Davidson Realty is proud to welcome four new members to their family. 

 

Theresa Connolly  

Theresa Connolly is proud to be a part of the Davidson Realty team. In 2014, Theresa relocated to the First Coast from Philadelphia. As soon as she explored St. Augustine it was love at first sight. With a background in account management and sales training, Theresa strives to fulfill the needs of her client. She looks forward to sharing her passion and active involvement in the local real estate market. “Theresa is ready to earn your trust while helping you achieve your real estate goals,” shares Davidson Realty President, Sherry Davidson. “I have a feeling Theresa will make many lifelong friendships in the process.”

 

Sharon Mathis

With more than twenty years of experience in both new construction home sales and seller and buyer representation, Sharon Mathis is joining the team of real estate experts at Davidson Realty. Sharon’s professional experience combined with her extensive knowledge of the Northeast Florida area will be a true advantage when helping clients purchase a home or investment property. Sharon is a long-time First Coast resident and has worked in Orange Park and the Ponte Vedra Beaches area. “Sharon has sold homes across Jacksonville, from Avondale to the beaches! Sharon’s knowledge of the area along with her passion will be true assets to her clients,” shares Davidson. 

 

Maurkee Ragin

Maurkee Ragin joins the Davidson Realty team eager to help his clients find their first home, second home, or home of their dreams! Growing up in a military family, Maurkee has not only had a few homes across the country, but was taught at an early age the importance of leadership, ethics, integrity, and selfless service. He has continued to develop these values through the Florida Army National Guard and is now one year away from earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of North Florida. “Maurkee is grounded and focused on the needs of his clients. He is professional and we are proud to have Maurkee represent the Davidson Realty brand,” continues Davidson.

 

Molly Austin

With a vast experience in real estate, Molly Austin joins the Davidson Realty family ready to serve her clients. Molly began investing in real estate in 2005 before starting her own property management company that specialized in commercial properties in 2013. Through these experiences, Molly has always wanted to become a REALTOR ® and chose the Davidson Realty team through a ladies’ network at the Jacksonville Clay Target Sports called Belles with Shells. Molly has a passion for missions and animals. She is a long-time sponsor and team leader for Faithful Servant Missions and is a board member for the Wildlife Rescue Coalition of Northeast Florida. “Molly comes to Davidson Realty with wonderful experiences working with our community. We are proud to share not only a love for real estate with Molly but excitement to serve our neighbors as well,” shares Davidson. 

 

If you are interested in a career in real estate with Davidson Realty, call us today at (904) 940-5000. 

Best Strategies to Win a Bidding War

June 2, 2022

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When buying a home in today’s real estate market, be prepared to pull out every weapon in your arsenal. Most agents are dusting off strategies and techniques they haven’t used since the early 2000s to compete in this competitive seller’s market. “Homes are selling fast and for thousands over list price. Homebuyers need to be ready to move quickly and aggressively when they find a home they love,” shares Davidson Realty President, Sherry Davidson. 

 

Putting together an offer to sellers? Make it strong! With only a month’s worth of inventory up for sale, more and more buyers are making all-cash offers. Cash sales are attractive because the seller has seemingly no risk of financing problems and they save time with the elimination of the underwriting process. 

 

Opt for a shorter inspection period or no inspection. Make an estimate of how much necessary improvements will cost and consider them in your offer. For newer homes, waiving the inspection could be a valid tactic, but the buyer must truly understand and be comfortable with it as it could be extremely risky. 

 

Allowing the seller to rent back the home for a short time is another way to appeal to the seller’s needs. If the seller needs time to find or move into their next home, the buyer can allow the seller to stay for a set period of time and pay rent, usually the mortgage payment, or stay rent-free as the buyer would begin paying the mortgage. Being flexible could be what helps you win a bidding war!

 

Waive the appraisal contingency. The appraisal contingency allows a buyer to get out of a pending sale if the appraised market value of the home is less than the agreed upon contract price. If the contingency is waived, the buyer agrees to pay the difference between what the bank is willing to lend on the appraised value and the contract price. Waiving the appraisal contingency is clearly an attractive strategy, however, the buyer needs to be aware of the risk. 

 

A tool many agents are recommending to buyers to win bidding wars is an escalation or escalator clause which states the buyer will pay a certain amount above the highest bid. This clause makes the offer more attractive because it guarantees it will beat the highest bid. Usually, a limit is set on the clause to avoid the buyer overspending.

 

Footing the bill for closing costs and paying the commission for both sides of the transaction is another way to sweeten the deal for the seller. Additionally, writing a “love” letter could appeal to the emotions of the seller. Trusting your agent to help you select the strategies that work best for your situation is key. 

 

In this real estate market, be ready and act fast! For expert advice on strategies to catch the seller’s attention and put your offer at the top of the list, contact Davidson Realty today at (904) 940-5000. 

Northeast Florida Real Estate Market Update

May 23, 2022

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“You will never see the end, if you give up in the middle.” – Joyce Meyer

 

I can’t wait to see where our housing market is going next.

 

In a recent Business Journal article “Observers and economists are cautiously optimistic that more inventory will hit the market in the coming months, which, combined with potentially fewer buyers because of rising mortgage rates and home prices, should help moderate the market.” We will be watching metrics like active inventory and days on market to see if we see this moderation.

 

Right now, the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors market stats doesn’t show the moderation in our market. The median sales price of $350,000 is up 22.9% from last April and 2.7% from the previous month. There were 41.3% of the closings over list price up from 39.5% the previous month. Our buyer demand is still very strong.

 

The median days on the market is 13 days down from 14 days the previous two months. The properties are still selling very quickly.

 

The active inventory is 3,432 homes which is 24.3% less than last April. There was a slight increase (3.7%) from the previous month. The months supply of inventory is 1.2 months which is down 9.6% from last April but up from 1.0 months in March. We will have to see whether the slight increase in inventory is a change in the market or sellers just pricing their homes over market price causing them to sit on the market a little longer.

 

There are many issues that could affect the real estate market. The rapid rise in mortgage interest rates, inflation, and the continuing supply chain issues could be three of the biggest. Housing prices and wage increases due to the shortage of workers seem to be major factors causing inflation.

 

A recent USA Today article made an interesting point about older workers comprising the largest group of Americans that stopped working during COVID. Many retired early but with the runaway inflation, financial pressures, and an abating pandemic many of them are returning to the labor force. Pew Research believes 1.5 million of the 3.5 million baby boomers who retired during the pandemic did so sooner than intended. The Fed puts the figure at 2.4 million. These workers may help some with the worker shortages.

 

I will continue to watch for changes in our market but if you are considering selling, it is a very good time to get your home on the market.

 

Enjoy all the great spring activities and the sports going on this time of year. If we can assist you in any way with real estate advice, please let us know.

Congratulations to all our Top Producers in April!

May 11, 2022

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Congratulations to our Top Producers in April! Our Company had over $18 million in closings for the month, so it wasn’t easy to be the tops.

 

The Top Producer (closings) and Top Buyer Sales is Mirtha Barzaga. Mirtha had over $4 million in closings helping 10 families in the month. She closed 3 homes for sellers, 3 new construction homes for buyers and 4 resale homes for buyers. Whatever your real estate needs, Mirtha has the knowledge and the skills to assist.

 

 

 

The Top Listing agent and Top overall Sales is Suzy Evans. Suzy had $2 million in sales for the month. Her knowledge of the local housing market and inventory, along with an extensive network of contacts, and her caring positive attitude are just a few reasons to choose Suzy for your real estate needs.

 

 

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