Davidson Realty, Inc.

5 Hidden Gem Neighborhoods in Northeast Florida Worth Visiting

May 17, 2021

 | 
Posted by in Community Involvement, Featured Neighborhood, Neighborhoods, Ponte Vedra, Restaurants

No matter where you explore in Northeast Florida you are bound to find beauty and interest. “Northeast Florida is richly diverse and provides residents a wide variety of activities, restaurants, and sites to enjoy and make wonderful memories. Each neighborhood has a unique culture that truly enriches the First Coast,” shares Davidson Realty President, Sherry Davidson. We’re sharing some new, some old, and some neighborhoods you may have forgotten about in Northeast Florida you need to check out! 

 

San Marco

Take a stroll along tree-lined San Marco Square and you’ll see there is no shortage of incredible dining, boutiques, and art galleries. The Mediterranean-influenced neighborhood which is just a few minutes from Downtown Jacksonville is a perfect place to spend an afternoon exploring. A few of our favorite spots to visit in historic San Marco are Grape and Grain Exchange, Aardwolf Brewing Company, Stellers Gallery, and Heyday!

 

Springfield

As the oldest neighborhood in Jacksonville, Springfield offers residents a historic and eclectic experience. Established in 1869, Springfield, located just north of Downtown Jacksonville, was home to the city’s wealthiest residents. Today, the neighborhood is filled with restored mansions, hip restaurants, and locally-owned shops. Springfield also hosts popular festivals including Porchfest. Be sure to make a pit stop at Strings Sports Brewery while touring Springfield. 

 

Riverside/Avondale

Antique meets modern in charming, historic Riverside and Avondale! Home to the world-class Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, you won’t want to miss the charm and culture that Riverside and Avondale provide. Drive around the area and you’ll see gorgeous million dollar waterfront homes, locally-owned restaurants, and beautiful parks. Memorial Park, Pinegrove Market and Deli, and Kickback’s Gastropub are definitely places to visit in the area. Oh, and for dessert Whit’s Frozen Custard. 

 

Ponte Vedra Beach

If you have visited Ponte Vedra Beach before, you likely only skimmed the surface of what this stunning resort town has to offer. Prior to becoming a prominent luxury town with world-class golf courses, Ponte Vedra was a pristine wilderness home to valuable minerals giving it the nickname “Mineral City.” Discover Northeast Florida’s natural beauty with a hike at the GTM Reserve or play at TPC Sawgrass, one of the most famous golf courses in the world. Head to Ponte Vedra for date night and try LuLu’s Waterfront Grille or 3 Palms Grille.

 

Nocatee

Perhaps one of the newest go-to areas in Northeast Florida is Nocatee. Although this master-planned community hasn’t been around long, it’s definitely worth visiting! Enjoy lunch at Treylor Park (we suggest the Ahi Tuna Flatbread or the Treylor Park Nachos Grande!) or Timoti’s Seafood Shak before heading to Makk Fashions or Really Good Beer Stop. With new businesses popping up all around Nocatee, you’ll likely have more places to try each time you visit. 

 

Although all these neighborhoods have their own unique flair, one thing reigns true whether you call St. Augustine, Jacksonville, The Beaches, or anywhere in between home… Northeast Florida is the PERFECT place to live! 

Comments currently closed.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TOP PRODUCERS FOR APRIL!

May 12, 2021

 | 
Posted by in News, Top Agents

The spring real estate market is very strong. All of our agents are working hard to get buyers a home and helping sellers navigate this very hot market.

 

The Top Producer with the most closings in April is Ron Savarese. Ron helped 3 customers close transactions totaling over $1.5 Million. Ron enjoys working with seniors and military buyers and sellers. He is an army veteran and skilled at helping all his customers navigate their real estate transactions.

 

 

 

 

The Top Listing Agent and Overall Sales Agent is Mirtha Barzaga. Mirtha helped 7 customers sell their homes and 2 buyers to purchase in April. Her overall sales for the month was over $3.3 Million. If you are considering a move, let Mirtha guide you through the process.

 

 

 

 

Read more

Comments currently closed.

How Downsizing Your Home Can Upgrade Your Life

May 7, 2021

 | 
Posted by in News, Retirement

If the COVID-19 taught us anything, it’s to appreciate the simple things of life. As millions of Americans have adjusted to a more simplified lifestyle, the notion that ‘less is more’ resonates more than ever before. Downsizing could be exactly what you need to maximize your life. 

 

“Many people downsize once they become empty nesters. Once their children have left the nest, homeowners begin to desire lightening their load,” shares Davidson Realty Realtor ®, Rebecca Schaffer. 

 

Perhaps the most obvious advantages of downsizing are financial. Selling your property with the intention of buying something smaller often means you have more money to afford upgrades in your new home that matter most to you.  But the savings don’t stop there. With less square feet under your roof, you’ll likely be spending less on your mortgage payment, utilities, and maintenance on your home. That extra cash in your pocket each month can help you go on vacations or have other experiences that will make lasting memories. 

 

Less house equals less upkeep. The time you would have spent cleaning and maintaining your home will now be cut significantly. Decreasing your space also means decreasing your belongings. Prior to your move, sort through items and only keep your more treasured pieces. A weight will be lifted off your shoulders as you say goodbye to the clutter and unused stuff that has occupied your space. Donate any items you are no longer keeping to those in need. A few of our favorite places to donate clothes and home goods are: Goodwill, BEAM Thrift, and Hope’s Closet. 

 

With less to worry about inside your home, the more time you can spend outside of your home. Spend your newfound free time to take up a new hobby, travel, and socialize with old and new friends. Northeast Florida is the perfect place to truly relax and live your best life. “Many downsizing buyers are taking advantage of Northeast Florida’s fifty-five and older communities for an active and social lifestyle. While others are opting for the beaches for a leisurely pace,” shares Davidson Realty Realtor ® Shelley Nemethy. 

 

From the beaches to the historic neighborhoods, there is something for everyone to enjoy. If you are interested in maximizing your life by minimizing your home, call the Northeast Florida real estate experts at Davidson Realty at (904) 940-5000.

Comments currently closed.

4 Ways to Sweeten the Deal When Buying a Home

May 5, 2021

 | 
Posted by in News, Northeast Florida Market Trends

The real estate market is unlike anything we’ve seen before. Inventory is low, demand is high, and homes are flying off the market! “With the current market conditions, listings are receiving multiple offers and buyers need to be ready to act fast with their best offer when they see a listing they love,” shares Davidson Realty President, Sherry Davidson. In such an intensely competitive market, trust the real estate experts at Davidson Realty to help you put your best foot forward with these strategies. 

 

Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage

The first thing you should do when you decide to purchase a home is obtain a pre-approval letter. A pre-approval letter not only states what a lender is willing to lend to you but shows the seller you are serious and prepared to purchase a home. A pre-approval letter shows legitimacy and a sign of good faith that they can afford to buy the home. Sellers are more likely to select an offer that is pre-approved than one that is not. 

 

Eliminate Contingencies

A clean offer is extremely attractive to sellers. “Any contingencies you have in your offer could be a negative to the seller. Sellers want a low risk and speedy closing,” shares Sherry. Appraisals are often a major cause of home sales falling through. Eliminating this step allows for a smooth sale process with minimal chance of things going wrong. As the buyer, you are effectively taking the risk off the home seller and putting it on to yourself. 

 

Make an All-Cash Offer

All-Cash offers provide the unique opportunity of keeping the sale primarily between the buyer and the seller. Cash offers tend to be stronger than offers utilizing traditional financing because they are less risky for the seller. With a cash sale, no appraisal is necessary since there is no mortgage lender involved. The absence of a mortgage lender also allows for a quicker closing. A fast timeline is advantageous for sellers because the sooner they close, the sooner they get paid.  

 

Be Flexible

Including a flexible timeline in your offer can go a long way with sellers. Depending on the sellers’ situation they may need more or less time in the home than the traditional 30-day closing period. If you are not in a hurry to move, being as adaptable as possible will be to your advantage as the sellers will then be able to decide what works best for them. This can go a long way, especially if competing offers come with strict deadlines. 

 

If you are ready to begin the search for your next home, call Davidson Realty today to help you get started. 

Comments currently closed.

REAL ESTATE MARKET UPDATE

April 23, 2021

 | 
Posted by in News, Northeast Florida Market Trends

“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.” Rudyard Kipling

 

I wish every mother a Happy Mother’s Day!

 

The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors market stats for March shows 3,782 homes available for sale compared to 9,484 last March, a 60% reduction. It appears the low supply of homes for sale, high buyer demand and rising prices will be with us for several years.

 

The single-family home for sale inventory peaked in 2007 with about 3.7 million homes available nationally and has been dropping since then to 1.07 million homes currently.

 

A great article from The Mecklenburg Times cites the reason for continued buyer demand as low household formation rates following the Great Recession. If the historical household formation rate had continued after the recession, there would have been 5.7 million more households formed.

 

“The mid-2000s financial collapse began a domino effect. Roughly $6 trillion in real estate equity vanished during the housing crash, impacting the ability of many families to pass down wealth to their children. Young people who finished school around the late 2000s faced a soft job market, which can have long-lasting effects on a person’s finances and their ability to start a new household. Previous Zillow research has shown it takes about six years for homeownership rates of those who graduated college during a recession to catch up with those who graduated during better economic times.”

 

The last two years had shown that when the economy is good and most Americans have access to decent jobs, more of them are able to find a home of their own. More Millennials are turning 33 which has been the age most are marrying and starting families. This trend should continue rising for the next three to four years. Add to this the retiring Baby Boomers who are downsizing and the COVID-related moves where people can work from anywhere. The demand should continue for several more years at least.

 

The supply is tight and the demand is strong, so prices are rising. The median sales price is $274,900 up 12.7% over last March. The average sales price is $344,643, up 20.4%. Many buyers are offering to pay more than list price to get the offer accepted among multiple offers. The percent of properties sold over list price spiked 102.1%. In March 2020 14.2% of properties sold over list price and in March 2021 28.7% paid over list price.

 

It is a seller’s market, so if you are considering selling, we are happy to assist you. If you are interested in buying, we are finding ways to get offers accepted. Thank you for your continued trust and please let us know if we can help in any way. Happy Mother’s Day!

Comments currently closed.
« Newer Posts   Older Posts »

Davidson Realty