Davidson Realty, Inc.

Jacksonville, FL Real Estate Trends in June!

July 28, 2011

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Posted by in Northeast Florida Market Trends

“Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” -Frederick B. Wilcox

I love baseball especially this time of year. I chose this quote because I am going to take a risk and predict that the northeast Florida real estate market will continue to improve. In reviewing the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors market stats, I see monthly improvement in every area. Also, my office had the best month for closings since June 2008.

Let’s begin with prices. The average price in June is $181,700 which is 17% higher than January and has increased every month. The average sales price is 7% higher than last June.

The median price in June is $135,000 and has increased every month since February showing an increase of 12%. The median price is down 4% from last June.

June 2011 pending sales are up 34% over June 2010 and we are up 7% year-to-date over last year. Read more

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Cool Down Your Hot Summer Day with Jim’s Famous Pasta Salad!

July 26, 2011

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Posted by in Jim's Recipes

pasta saladJim Davidson has dozens of amazing recipes and this one is right up there with the best! It’s definitely Kristen Calhoun’s favorite. She is our Listing and Marketing Coordinator and also one of Jim’s daughters. Jim made a huge batch for a group of us that participated in Relay for Life this year. It was the perfect treat throughout a very hot day. We hope you love it as much as we do! 

JD’s FAMOUS PASTA SALAD

1  Green pepper (Bell) chopped
1  Red pepper chopped
1  Yellow pepper chopped
1  Bunch scallions (green onions) chopped
1  Cup chopped parsley
1  Cup sliced green olives
1  Cup sliced black olives
1  Cup sliced mushrooms (jar)
1  Tablespoon dried oregano
1  Teaspoon dried basil or optional 1 cup fresh chopped basil (which is better)
½  Teaspoon thyme
2  Teaspoon chopped or minced garlic (jar)
½  Cup olive oil
½  Cup Italian dressing
4  1 lb. packages of pasta (I use a mixture of 4 or 5 types of pasta but always include bow tie)

Put all ingredients in a bowl with olive oil and Italian dressing.  Mix well.  Cook pasta until done, but not mushy.  Run cold water over pasta until cool.  Drain pasta and add to mixture then stir.  Use additional Italian dressing to desired consistency.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Serve cold. I like to serve with my tuna salad.

Enjoy!

Jim

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Davidson Realty #25 on Business Journal 50 List

July 15, 2011

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Posted by in Awards

2011-07-14_11-49-20_499We’re on a roll. First the Jacksonville Business Journal names Davidson Realty one of the Best Places to Work, then June was our best sales month in years and now we’ve been named to the Business Journal’s 50 List!  The Business Journal 50 identifies the fastest growing private companies in Northeast Florida.  Davidson Realty came in at #25.  “We’re honored to make the 50 list.  It’s especially gratifying to have come through the worst economic crisis and real estate industry bust in our company’s history and, not just survived, but prospered,” said Davidson Realty President Sherry Davidson.  Sherry, Jim Davidson, Rick Pariani, and Peyton Davidson attended the Business Journal 50 luncheon which honors the list-makers. 2011-07-14_13-44-50_454

Davidson Realty, based in World Golf Village, has become one of the top 10 real estate companies in Northeast Florida.  We have major market share in the World Golf Village and north St. Johns County area and our reach has also expanded to include Ponte Vedra and the beaches, Julington Creek and Flagler County.  Several Davidson agents hold the CDPE (Certified Distressed Property Expert) designation which gives them expertise at helping clients navigate short sales, foreclosures and distressed property situations. 

2011-07-14_13-29-35_344The Business Journal’s top 50 list list was compiled based on the following criteria:
• Privately held, for profit and locally owned.
• Headquartered in Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau, Baker, Flagler or Putnam counties.
• In operation since at least 2007.
• Annual revenue of at least $1 million in 2010.
• Overall revenue growth from 2008 to 2010 with revenue gain from 2009 to 2010.

The full list of the Business Journal 50 is in the current issue of the Jacksonville Business Journal which hit newsstands today.

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It’s Wedding Season! We Have Great Tips for Buying Your First Home

July 11, 2011

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Posted by in News, Videos

picFirst time home ownership can be as exciting and stressful as getting married. And often the two often go hand-in-hand, so to speak. So, we have six key tips for new couples embarking on their first home purchase below and we had some of our knowledgeable Jacksonville Realtors give you more tips in the video above!

1. Check your credit. It’s wise to get this one out of the way before the wedding so both partners are clear about each other’s financial health. Check at least two of the three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.  Address any issues or misreporting. A FICO score of 720 or above is the best range for loan approval and favorable rates.  You may still get approved for a loan with a credit score of say 680 but you’ll most likely have a higher interest rate.  If you’re in the 660 range, you may be able to qualify for a FHA loan.

2. Agree on what you can afford. This is where those communication skills are key!  Make sure you’re both comfortable with the budget. Generally a home purchase should not be more than 2 ½ times your combined annual salary but perhaps you have student loans to consider.  It’s ideal to have a 20% down payment, but you may be able to qualify with less down, although that’s tougher in today’s real estate market.

3. Agree on top needs. Talk, talk and talk some more. Be able to agree on at least your top three must-haves.  For example, maybe it’s good schools, three bedrooms and an easy commute to work.

4. Find an experienced Real Estate Agent.  An experienced real estate professional can help ease the home buying process in many ways – from helping identify lenders to providing current market stats and advising you about what to offer on house. Ask around. Word-of-mouth recommendations are often the best.

5. Get pre-approved. Getting pre-approved ensures you don’t waste time looking at houses you can’t afford.  It also puts you in a better position to make an offer when you find the right home. Pre-approval is a more in depth process than pre-qualified but it’s the smarter way to go.

6. Use a home inspector. Being a smart homebuyer means being informed. A home inspection will make you aware of any potential problems BEFORE you’ve signed on the dotted line.

For more information about first-time home buying, visit Davidson Realty’s First Time Homebuyers Webinar Library at http://www.davidsonrealtyinc.com/webinars/category/first-time-homebuyers.

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$9 Million in Closings for our St. Augustine Realtors in June!!!!!

July 6, 2011

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Posted by in Top Agents

One word to describe this month – WOOHOOOOO!!!! We had over $9 million in closings for June and over $7 million in sales all thanks to our hard working St. Augustine Realtors! That’s our best month since June 2008, so as you can imagine we are all smiles around Davidson Realty. There were 18 different agents with closings for the month. We have lots of celebrating to do – we get to congratulate our Tops in June and for the 2nd Quarter!

pcPauline Cake is our Top Sales Agent in June and our Top Producer for the 2nd Quarter! Pauline’s total sales for June were over $800,000 and she had over $3 million in closings for the quarter. She was our Top Producer in April, Top Lister for March, and Top Lister for the 1st Quarter. Pauline works and plays in World Golf Village, so it’s not hard for her to sell a lifestyle that she loves so much!Ana Speziale

Our Top Producer for June and our Top Sales Agent for the 2nd Quarter is Ana Speziale with over $1.1 million in closings in June! She had over $1.3 million in buyer sales and over $2 million in total sales for the quarter. Ana was our Top Sales Agent in May and our Top Producer in January. Ana treats every customer as if they were her only customer. She gives so much of her time, energy, and passion for real estate.

Mirtha BarzagaThe Top Lister for the month is Mirtha Barzaga with almost $700,000 in listings sold and $800,000 in total sales! Mirtha is the definition of hard worker! She recently had to be persuaded by her co-workers to take one day a week to work from home. Whether it’s a holiday or not, Mirtha is serving her customers!dottie

And, our Top Lister for the second quarter is Dottie Lay with over $1.1 million in listings sold and almost $2 million in total sales. Dottie was our Top Lister in May, Top Sales Agent in March, Top Producer for the 1st Quarter, Top Producer in February, and Top Lister in January. Dottie knows this market like the back of her hand – let her more than 25 years of experience in this industry work for you!

Congratulations to all of our Davidson Agents and staff for everything they gave to make this month the best one yet!

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