Jacksonville Real Estate

Expect a Real Estate "Sonic Boom"

Governor Crist is urging real estate agents throughout Florida to support the January ballot that will cut property taxes.  He predicts that real estate agents will see significant results when he, lawmakers and voters work to bring down homeowners' cost.  He said Florida is going to have a "sonic boon" when this happens and we "Realtors" are going to be busier than we have been in our life!  The Governor spoke with about 550 Real Estate Agents at the FAR annual convention.  He predicts the boom will take place after the January 29 election.  The proposal phases out the "Save Our Homes" property tax cap on primary homes and instead will give existing homeowners the choice of keeping their Save Our Homes benefits or trading them for a "super exemption" 75% off the first $200k of a home's value & 15% off the next $300K.  As Realtors we need to keep talking to everyone about this issue, so we can have a change!  I am very excited about his enthusiasm and positive feedback with the real estate industry, as a broker representing Duval, St. Johns, Clay and Nassau Counties.  I am getting ready for the big boom and look forward to selling single family residential homes and condominiums in downtown Jacksonville on the waterfront, beaches that include Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach, St. Augustine and Amelia Island. 

Local Retail Centers Grow in Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville's area developing retail market has been busy so far in 2007 and could end up being one of the busiest development periods in recent history. In 2006, the Jacksonville market saw the largest increase in investment activity in the Southeast. The Jacksonville metropolitan statistical area's population is 1.2 million and is expected to grow 17 percent to 1.4 million over the next five years.  This should provide a boom to the single and multi-family real estate industry.  There are plans for a 700,000 sq. ft. regional shopping center called Lion's Gate at World Commerce in St. John's county near St. Augustine, Florida.  Also The Avenues Walk on the Southside of Jacksonville, a 600,000 sq. ft. lifestyle center is expected to open in 2008 or 2009, as well as the 1.2 million sq. ft. St. Johns Town Center is undergoing an expansion.  These retail centers service areas throughout Jacksonville and surrounding areas from downtown to the beaches and St. Augustine.

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Changes in Real Estate Market

Having been in real estate since the 1980's I have experienced first hand the changes in the real estate market from selling general real estate to experiencing third party relocation and then working on condominium conversions.  I was one of the first agents to convert apartments into condos starting with Marsh Cove and Ocean Links in Ponte Vedra Beach, Belle Rive on the Southside of Jacksonville to The Plaza at Berkman Plaza and Marina in Dowtown, Jacksonville on the riverfront.  Those were exciting times with sales at an all time high!  Three years ago I took on new construction and handled the sales for Chatham Woods in West Jacksonville, and then started my own company two years ago, Floridian Lifestyles Realty near Jacksonville Beach, and have continued on in the new construction developments handling condos and townhome communities such as Brookewood on the Westside, Leslie's Hideaway on the Northside of Jacksonville, and our biggest development is Berkman Plaza 2, a 23 story highrise on the riverfront in Downtown, Jacksonville.  Floridian Lifestyles Realty is also branching out to St. Augustine where we are handling the sales for a gated condominium community and a single family home community Twin Lakes.  I will continue to give you updates on all developments in Jacksonville and surrounding areas.

Visit our website at www.JacksonvilleDreaming.com

Jacksonville Real Estate - Metro Study conducts seminar at UNF

Last week Metro Study conducted a seminar at the University of North Florida.  It was very informative regarding the housing market on a national, state and local level.  It was not all doom and gloom like you hear in the media, in fact, their studies were very positive. They compared our market today to the 2003 real estate market, which was not a bad time for real estate.  Jacksonville's housing market only appreciated approx. 18% in 2005 and 2006 compared to Orlando's appreciation of 43%.  So, when you see a 6% drop in the market, that isn't that bad. As we all are aware, the slow housing market has gone on longer than anticipated and even though we are not out of it yet, the market is looking brighter, with builder inventory coming down in Jacksonville.  With builder inventory depleting this will allow the Jacksonville real estate market and surrounding areas which include St. Johns, Clay, Duval and Nassau counties that encompasses downtown, beaches, St. Augustine, and Fernandina/Amelia Island to stabilize.  National builders are dropping developments nationwide and selling back to the local builders.  What is and will be in demand is affordable housing. 

Please visit our website at www.JacksonvilleDreaming.com