GRAND RAVINE

Grand Ravine Townhome Style Condominiums. A Luxury Condomimium Community in St Augustine.

Nestled on 34 acres, surrounded by a conservation preserve, this
community is located just minutes away from restaurants, Anastasia
Island, shopping and of course the historic St. Augustine district.
Stroll along the brick paver ...sidewalks; enjoy a quick dip in the
intimate pool or the privacy of your screened covered lanai. This
community boasts exquisite interior finishes, exceptional quality
construction, energy efficient features all at unbeatable prices!!
Poured Concrete Construction, barrel tile roof system,
paver driveways, patios and walkways. Granite countertops, 42"
cabinets, crown molding, tray ceilings with energy efficient features
like natural gas, tankless water heaters, high impact glass and so much
more!!

They offer three bedroom, two and three bath condominiums with one and two
car attached garages with 1300 to 2000 square feet of living space all
at pricing starting @ $169,900!!

Contact Me At 904-687-0542 to set up a community tour. I will provide all of my Buyers a $500 VISA GiftCard At Closing!

St Augustine Real Estate Monthly Radio Interview with Sharon Stevens of NorthFloridaHomeSearch.com

St Augustine Real Estate Monthly Radio Interview

My April podcast interview is done!

Lend me your ear............

St Augustine Real Estate Monthly Radio Interview

This month's edition covers St. Augustine real estate market activity and with this being the last month for the $8,000 tax credit extension, we'll discuss how buyers and sellers are taking advantage of this opportunity!

Features special guest Terri Murphy of US Learning and Sharon Stevens of NorthFloridaHomeSearch.com.

FHA Guidelines Change This Week!

Looking to FHA for your next mortgage? Get a move on! Although you have until Friday, April 2, 2010 to get your application in, Friday is Good Friday and most banks will be closed.

Your true FHA deadline is Thursday, April 1.

Guidelines Change In 3 Days

To shore up its balance sheet and dwindling capital reserves, the Federal Housing Authority is rolling out sweeping financial changes. Starting next week, FHA borrowers must to look better on paper and to be better credit risks.

Mortgage insurance premiums are rising, too.

In its official announcement, the FHA said its trying to better position itself to "manage its risk while continuing to support the nation’s housing market".

The changes start with case numbers assigned on or after Monday, April 5, 2010.

Reviewing The FHA Mortgage Changes

One widely speculated change wasn't made -- the increase of the FHA minimum down payment. Homebuyers in North Florida and elsewhere can still buy with just 3.5 percent down. However, the group did roll out a number of other changes, including:

* An increase in Upfront MIP from 1.75 percent to 2.25 percent

* A plan to reduce maximum seller contributions from 6 to 3 percent by summer

* A Congressional request to increase monthly mortgage insurance premiums

To keep informed on up to the minute mortgage information subscribe to Matt Daly's blog.


Take a look at:

http://dalymortgageadvisor.thewrittenblog.com/

Florida existing home, condo sales rise in January 2010

Florida’s existing home sales rose in January, marking 17 months that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®.

Existing home sales increased 24 percent last month with a total of 10,465 homes sold statewide compared to 8,444 homes sold in January 2009, according to Florida Realtors. January’s statewide sales of existing condos rose 81 percent compared to the previous year’s sales figure.

Sixteen of Florida’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported increased existing home sales in January; all MSAs had higher condo sales. A majority of the state’s MSAs have reported increased sales for 19 consecutive months.

“Now is the time for anyone thinking of buying a home in Florida to make that decision,” said 2010 Florida Realtors President Wendell Davis, a broker and regional vice president with Watson Realty Corp. in Jacksonville. “Markets across the state are seeing increased sales, yet conditions remain very favorable with still-low mortgage rates, a range of housing inventory and attractive prices. As an added incentive, buyers need to accelerate their plans because a purchase contract must be in place by the end of April to take advantage of the extended and expanded federal tax credit. To find out more, consult a Realtor about options, qualification criteria and opportunities in your local housing market.”

Florida’s median sales price for existing homes last month was $130,900; a year ago, it was $139,400 for a 6 percent decrease. Analysts with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) note that sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes. The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less.

The national median sales price for existing single-family homes in December 2009 was $177,500, up 1.4 percent from a year earlier, according to NAR. In California, the statewide median resales price was $306,820 in December; in Massachusetts, it was $305,000; in Maryland, it was $244,820; and in New York, it was $222,000.

According to NAR’s latest outlook, homebuyers are taking advantage of the federal tax credit. “With inventory levels trending down over the past 18 months, we expect broadly balanced housing market conditions in much of the country by late spring with more areas showing higher prices,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.

In Florida’s year-to-year comparison for condos, 4,631 units sold statewide last month compared to 2,554 units in January 2009 for an increase of 81 percent. The statewide existing condo median sales price last month was $97,300; in January 2009 it was $113,300 for a 14 percent decrease. The national median existing condo price was $183,700 in December 2009, according to NAR.

Interest rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.03 percent last month, slightly lower than the average rate of 5.05 percent in January 2009, according to Freddie Mac. Florida Realtors’ sales figures reflect closings, which typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.

Among the state’s smaller markets, the Fort Walton Beach MSA reported a total of 143 homes sold in January compared to 118 homes a year earlier for a 21 percent increase. The market’s existing home median sales price last month was $201,400; a year ago it was $188,300 for an increase of 7 percent. A total of 70 condos sold in the MSA in January compared to 25 units sold the same month a year earlier for an increase of 180 percent. The existing condo median price last month was $270,800; a year earlier, it was $268,800 for a gain of 1 percent.

Lennar Model Home	Angela Olmous Interview

St Augustine Gets High Ratings In Health!

By JONATHAN MATTISE

St. Johns County has the state's top rated school system, and now it can claim it is one of the two healthiest counties in the state.
"These health rankings are a result of ongoing community efforts," said Dr. Dawn Allicock, St. Johns County Health Department director/health officer. "It is important to know that the measures compiled in this report are impacted by all sectors here in St. Johns County."
She listed politicians, health providers, Flagler Hospital, the Council on Aging, local fire-rescue units, the school system and law enforcement as all coming together to help the county score at the top of this national survey.
"The saying 'It takes a village' is nowhere more true than in the health of a community," she said.
The national study of every county in America measured two things: the overall health of each county's residents and the factors that influence their health, such as lifestyles choices. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute did the study. The results were released Wednesday.
For St. Johns County, the news was great. In overall health, St. Johns finished second in the state, behind only Collier County on the southwest coast. In factors that influence good health, St. Johns was tops in the state.
In the first category -- overall health -- residents relatively long life spans and self-reported health measures propelled the county to second in the state.
In the second category -- factors that influence health -- St. Johns did well because of social factors, such as high educational levels, strong families, low crime rate, high income and relatively low unemployment rates. This category alone accounted for 40 percent of the county's score.
Allicock said social factors help determine our future health -- things that make people sick or die too early -- are measured in health studies such as this one.
"While wealthier communities have certain advantages over less wealthy communities, income alone does not ensure good health," she said.
Flagler Hospital Chief Executive Officer Joe Gordy was not surprised at St. Johns strong showing.
"Looking at St. Johns County, it's not hard to imagine," he said. "We have one of the most educated populations in the state, mostly because we have some of the best school systems."
In other factors that influence health, St. Johns ranked eighth in health behaviors, including tobacco use, exercise, dieting, alcohol use and risky sex behavior.
In access to quality health care, St. Johns ranked seventh in the state.
Clay, Flagler do well
Of the county's neighbors, Clay and Flagler counties weren't far behind. Clay was seventh in overall health and 13th in factors that influence health.
Flagler ranked 13th in overall health and 15th in the lifestyles and community category.
Duval and Putnam lagged well behind, however.
Duval had the 44th best overall health and 34th best lifestyle and community contributions, and Putnam registered at 66th and 61st, respectively. Duval's highest rating was in access to quality care, where it ranked sixth in the state and first in Northeast Florida. Putnam lagged in most categories, with its highest rating being 35 in physical environment. Putnam scored next to last in two categories, long life spans and overall health.
Good health in St. Johns doesn't apply just to the wealthy and educated, said Jerry Cameron, assistant county administrator for community services.
"The real secret to our success is a sort of total integration of county resources, and that doesn't just mean county agencies, either," Cameron said.
As an example, he pointed out that Flagler Hospital has joined in partnership with St. Johns County to provide urgent care for the medically indigent.
The Wildflower Clinic in St. Augustine, another service for the poor, includes volunteer medical personnel from throughout the area, he added.
Even catching a free ride to a doctor's appointment on a Council on Aging shuttle adds to the opportunities to receive proper health care.
"All of us work closely together," Gordy said. "We're not out there competing against each other."
Smoking, obesity are targets
The praise for the county's health also brings up a few areas of potential improvement.
The lifestyle choices shown in the study are causes for concern, and should be addressed with additional educational efforts, Gordy said.
Particularly, confronting child obesity and the early onset of diabetes, smoking and drinking present an immediate need, Gordy said.
"As a community, we'd like to work a little harder at smoking cessations and some of those types of things," Gordy said.
Allicock agreed.
"We will refocus our anti-tobacco program to align with (county and city) anti-tobacco efforts utilizing broad-based coalitions .. to address tobacco use prevention," she said.
She also said the county Health Department will be working on anti-obesity initiatives.
Allicock said one area the county has improved in dramatically in recent years is infant mortality, which she said has experienced several spikes over the past 10 years.
"In 2008/2009, St. Johns County had the best maternal and infant health indicators for our region, 4.5 per 1,000 live births compared to 8.8 per 1,000 lives births for the Northeast Florida region and 7.2 per 1,000 lives births in the state," she said.

Vilano Town Center Is Back!

By JENNIFER EDWARDS

The proposal for a town center in Vilano Beach is back, a couple of years after a bigger plan died, the victim of the sour economy.
The new plan calls for a grocery store and two small buildings for retail space. The town center will be south of the east end of the Usina Bridge, the same location of the original proposal.
"For our community it's the right time because the streetscape -- water, sewer, drainage, all the infrastructure -- was finished in October 2008," said Vivian Browning, chair of the Vilano Beach Main Street group and the long-time leader of revitalizing Vilano Beach. The streetscape was a $12 million project funded by St. Johns County.
The developer of the project, Vilano Beach Town Center Partners LLC, said through a spokesman that the new plan calls for a 29,160-square-foot grocery store and about 14,000 square feet of retail space in two buildings.
"There's a definite need for this small commercial development," said company spokesman Bob Bentz. "And we have tremendous support from the community. We think it will be a successful retail center."
Bentz said funding, which killed the earlier proposal, is no longer an issue.
"Funding isn't the problem, it's getting the tenants," he said. "Funding is tied to the tenants. As long as we have the tenants," the project will be funded, he said.
Bentz didn't foresee any problems filling the spaces, though.
"We've had a number of phone calls and a lot of interest," he said.
The developer is in talks with a grocery store chain, but won't say which one, Bentz said.
"We hope to know in the next six weeks whether the grocery store is going to come in or not, or who it will be," he said.
It's hard to say whether Publix, Winn Dixie or Food Lion are interested in a store smaller than most of what they have now.
Publix regional spokesman Dwaine Stevens said the chain was interested in the Vilano Beach site a couple of years ago, before the real estate bust sunk financing for the project.
"When the developer's financing doesn't go through, the deal doesn't go through," he said.
He declined to comment on whether the chain is revisiting plans to locate a Publix in Vilano Beach.
Christy Phillips-Brown, Food Lion external communications director, also said she couldn't comment on possible future locations. A spokesman for Winn Dixie could not be reached for comment.
As the developers negotiate to get a grocery chain contract, changes nearby are improving the look of the neighborhood. On Thursday, construction crews demolished a mobile home park, long an eyesore on the streetscape. Browning said that change, along with the new streetscape and the pavilion, is an indicator of more improvements to come.

How it will look
Architecture in Vilano Beach differs from downtown St. Augustine because the community sprang up centuries later. Buildings on this peninsula, bordered by water to the east, south and west and Ponte Vedra Beach to the north, do not generally reflect the Mediterranean Revival or Spanish Colonial styles.
Instead, they are a variegated collection of Art Deco, mid-century modern and Florida vernacular styles.
The retail center would reflect those influences, said Bob Bentz, a spokesman for Vilano Beach Town Center Partners, LLC, the developer of the proposed town center.
"The community indicated they'd like to see a blending of the art deco style as well as the Florida vernacular," Bentz said.
To that end, the grocery store would have an art deco look, and the smaller buildings housing six to nine more tenants would be fashioned after the Florida vernacular style.
The smallest tenant space would span 1,000 square feet, and there would likely be a 3,000- to 5,000-square-foot space to accommodate a restaurant.
"There will also be outdoor patio and dining," Bentz said.
The abandoned buildings on the property would be demolished, he said, as would the current buildings now housing a surf store and a dry cleaner.
The majority, though, is just vacant land.
"Vilano Beach is a very unique location," Bentz said. "We're very excited about the project."
BREAKS The way it was
The Vilano Beach area, a peninsula surrounded on three sides by water and bordered to the north by Ponte Vedra Beach, doesn't look the way it did 10 or 15 years ago.
Then, a wooden bridge funneled traffic over from the mainland and there wasn't a unified feeling. Since then, the streetscape has been revitalized and accented with recycled glass for a more "art deco" feel.
The bridge where seagulls used to roost is now a pier jutting out over the water and features modern accents.
Want more info?
Visit www.vilanobeachfl.com.

Polar Bear Plunge At Nocatee!

Article By JIMMEL WALSH
More than 500 people bundled up in jackets Saturday morning to ward off the brisk weather watched families and friends strip down to their bathing suits and jump into the Lagoon Pool at Splash Water Park in Nocatee.
"Before you ask, it was cold," said Kevin Wilson, purchasing manager of David Weekley Homes, a home building company with a site in Nocatee.
The temperature in the pool was the same as the air temperature -- 59 degrees.
Wilson didn't play in the water as others did. He was in and out. Wilson and his co-workers joined the Nocatee Polar Plunge to promote team building and camaraderie.
After swimmers received the signal at 9 a.m. to jump in, 50 people, some dropping their towels just as they went in, were in the pool, as their friends watched and laughed.
The event was a sneak peek of the new water park, which includes the Riptide Slide, a 53-foot tower with two water slides, a pool, Splash Cove for children and the Lazy Tides River.
The park is scheduled to open officially March 27.
The new recreation facilities also will have a 5,000-square-foot fitness center, concession building, and a clubhouse that will house special events.
Vance LeClair, resident of Riverwood, one of Nocatee's communities, has driven several times passed the park in anticipation. On Saturday, he went down the water slide twice.
"I love it! It's great." LeClair said.
Joyce Seymour, 61, also a resident of Riverwood, is originally from Michigan and is used to the cold climate. She laughed and called herself "nuts" for wanting to jump into the pool.
"I'm trying to keep young," Seymour said.
*
About Nocatee
Nocatee is a new town located in Ponte Vedra on the borders of St Johns and Duval Counties. The town consists of 450 families that occupy five communities: Tidewater, Willowcove, Austin Park, Riverwood and Coastal Oaks. The town is expanding with new communities, Kelly Pointe and White Hall. The community will also have a Town Center with a Publix Supermarket, which is scheduled to open Saturday. When Nocatee is completed, it will have more than 15,000 homes.

Statewide Open House April 10-11

ORLANDO, Fla. – Feb. 9, 2010 – Meet the neighbors and find your Florida dream home at the same time by taking part in Florida Open House Weekend, set for April 10-11, 2010. Realtors will host open houses on behalf of home sellers in neighborhoods and communities across the Sunshine State, giving buyers a rare opportunity to visit many homes for sale in just one weekend. This first-ever statewide open house weekend is sponsored by the 115,000-member Florida Realtors®.
“It’s a home shopper’s dream,” says 2010 Florida Realtors President Wendell Davis, a broker and regional vice president with Watson Realty Corp. in Jacksonville. “For the serious buyer, the opportunity to tour dozens of homes in one weekend is a real time saver. Others who didn’t think they could afford a home may be drawn into the market by affordable prices and low interest rates. It’s a win-win!”
The Florida Open House Weekend takes place just ahead of the deadline for the federal homebuyer tax credit. Homes need to be under contract by April 30, 2010, and the purchase closed by June 30, 2010, to take advantage of up to $8,000 in the tax credit for eligible first-time buyers and up to $6,500 for eligible repeat buyers.
“This event offers people a convenient way to see as many homes as they wish in one weekend and gives Realtors a chance to be part of this massive effort to match buyers to their dream homes,” Davis says.
He adds that the Florida Open House Weekend will be a fun way to capture buyers’ attention and help them learn more about what is available in the local housing market. Blue balloons featuring the Realtor “R” logo in white – 50,000 of them – will be on display simultaneously at open houses from the Panhandle to Key West as part of the Florida Open House Weekend.
As the date for the Florida Open House draws closer, consumers can get the latest information about the event at Florida Realtors’ website: http://www.floridarealtors.org/AboutFar/OpenHouse/index.cfm
Florida Realtors®, formerly known as the Florida Association of Realtors®, serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 115,000 members in 67 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Media Center website is available at http://media.floridarealtors.org.

Overview of Florida Real Estate Market in 2009

Florida’s existing home sales rose in December, marking 16 months that sales activity has increased in the year-to-year comparison, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®.

Existing home sales rose 33 percent last month with a total of 14,630 homes sold statewide compared to 11,013 homes sold in December 2008, according to Florida Realtors. Statewide existing home sales last month increased 4.3 percent over statewide sales activity in November.

Florida Realtors also reported a 91 percent increase in statewide sales of existing condos in December compared to the previous year’s sales figure; statewide existing condo sales last month rose 22 percent over the total units sold in November.

Seventeen of Florida’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported increased existing home sales and higher condo sales in December. A majority of the state’s MSAs have reported increased sales for 18 consecutive months.

Florida’s median sales price for existing homes last month was $140,400; a year ago, it was $155,300 for a 10 percent decrease. Housing industry analysts with the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) note that sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes. The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less.

The national median sales price for existing single-family homes in November 2009 was $171,900, down 4.4 percent from a year earlier, according to NAR. In California, the statewide median resales price was $304,520 in November; in Massachusetts, it was $285,000; in Maryland, it was $245,569; and in New York, it was $210,000.

According to NAR’s latest outlook, home sales are seeing a boost from the federal homebuyer tax credit. “There are many more potential buyers who can enter the market in the months ahead,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Activity should ramp up for another surge in the spring when buyers take advantage of the expanded tax credit, which hopefully will take us into a self-sustaining market in the second half of 2010. In all, 4.4 million households are expected to claim the tax credit before it expires, and balance should be restored to the housing sector with inventories continuing to decline.”

In Florida’s year-to-year comparison for condos, 5,968 units sold statewide last month compared to 3,132 units in December 2008 for an increase of 91 percent. The statewide existing condo median sales price last month was $107,000; in December 2008 it was $130,300 for an 18 percent decrease. The national median existing condo price was $178,000 in November 2009, according to NAR.

Interest rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.93 percent last month, significantly lower than the average rate of 5.29 percent in December 2008, according to Freddie Mac. Florida Realtors’ sales figures reflect closings, which typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.

Among the state’s larger markets, the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton MSA reported a total of 849 homes sold in December compared to 638 homes a year earlier for a 33 percent increase. The market’s existing home median sales price last month was $247,900; a year ago it was $246,000 for an increase of 1 percent. A total of 763 condos sold in the MSA in December, up 45 percent over the 527 units sold in December 2008. The existing condo median price last month was $111,400; a year earlier, it was $112,900 for a decrease of 1 percent.