I Did It Myself

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I moved to St. Augustine (for the second time) in June of 2000. We had purchased a lot and had a custom home built that had 4 bedrooms and 3 baths on the main level, along with a bonus and bath upstairs. It had a sunroom area, formal dining, formal living – that we turned into an office and a 3 car garage. We were in a nice neighborhood and had a .5 acre lot that was fenced for the kids and the dog. That home worked very well for us for a lot of years – 17 in fact. We had room for all of our visitors, and for all of the kids’ friends for sleepovers and birthday parties.

Then the kids grew up and went away to college. One even bought her own home with her boyfriend. We were in 3200 sq.ft. of home and only using 2000 sq.ft. of it.

It can be a very difficult decision to move from a home you have lived in for 17 years. I know. We did it. We liked our neighbors and neighborhood, but the home and lot was just more than we needed.

So, we looked for something just a bit smaller in an area that we liked with a smaller yard. You know what? It worked. The home is just the right size for now, but not too big. We don’t have to maintain, heat/cool, and clean more square footage than we are using. The process went fairly smoothly, but not without challenges. Was the house perfect?  No. There were some things that we upgraded or improved. There were some expenses that we did not expect. But, all in all, the experience has been a good one. We love our new home. We are getting to know our new neighbors.  We still have some room for friends and our kids to visit. We made the decision that was right for us, and, you know what? It wasn’t as hard to move from that large home as I thought it would be – and I don’t miss it near as much as I thought I would. I guess we made the right decision!

Think you may be in the same or similar time in your life? Let me know how I can help!

Real Estate is Hard

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By saying “real estate is hard” do I mean that marketing and selling real estate is so difficult only a genius can do it?  Um, no, not really!

What I mean is that it can be difficult for the parties involved in a real estate transaction on so many levels.

For sellers, it can be difficult to decide which possessions to keep when trying to declutter and downsize. It can also be difficult to see your home the way buyers will see it, and understand that it may need some tender loving care before marketing it for sale. It can be difficult to get feedback from realtors or buyers that may not be favorable. It can be difficult when you get that first offer and it isn’t quite as much as you had hoped. Lastly, it can be difficult when you are packing everything up and leaving that home that meant so much to you.

For buyers, it can be difficult to understand that maybe the type of home you would love to buy and the type of home you can afford to buy are two different homes. It can be difficult to understand that the market where you are buying may be totally different than the market where you have been living. It can be difficult to find the right home to fit all of your large furniture that you are hoping to keep. It can be difficult to know if the home, neighborhood or area that you are choosing is really the best fit for you and your family.

So, yes, the decisions and transactions in real estate can be difficult and stressful. It is important to do your research, ask questions and ask for help in making those decisions. That process can and should include the right lender and the right realtor to help guide you through the process. Once you have made that decision to downsize and declutter, or that decision that you need to move to a larger home, or you definitely decide on a specific neighborhood, then, all of a sudden, the stress tends to melt away because you know you have made the right choice!  Give me a call and let me know how I can help!

Learn more about neighborhoods in St. Augustine at Single Family Homes and Condominium Communities.

Recent updates on a variety of St. Augustine homes for sale

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  • Recently Reduced!  Pool Home with an attached 2 car garage plus an additional 3 car garage and a large lot in Oakbrook. For more information see: 3312 Woodbury Court | St Augustine

  • Recently reduced! Spacious island home in a great location close to the beach. For more information see: 409 A Street | St Augustine

Not quite what you are searching for? Find your St. Augustine home today.

Open House on Anastasia Island

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Wonderfully Unique Home on the Island!

Open House Saturday, December 8 from 12:00 to 2:00 pm.

Pass the time in your screened lanai or your second floor balcony experiencing nature with the sights and sounds of the tidal creek and marsh at the edges of your spacious backyard. This will be your sanctuary as you watch the birds wade in the creek, and take in gorgeous sunsets.  For more details see: 46 Kon Tiki Circle. 

To Buy or Not to Buy – That is the Question

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So, you have decided that it is time to move. Your current home no longer meets your needs, for whatever reason, and you want to market your current home for sale and find a new one.

What is the process? Well, that kind of depends on you and how you want the process to go.

Buy your future home, then sell your current home. Market your current home for sale, while shopping for your future home. Sell your current home and rent for some amount of time while you shop for and purchase your new home.

Your financial situation may dictate much of how this works. If you simply cannot afford to buy your future home before selling your current one, then that decision is made for you. Also, if you will need to sell your current home and close that loan prior to qualifying for a new home loan, again, that may be decided for you.

It is possible to have a somewhat simultaneous closing. I say “somewhat” because you will still need a few days to a week where you can store all of your personal belongings while you move out, clean and close on your current home and get closed on your new home.

Lastly, if you are just moving across town, that can be a much easier situation than moving across the country. I know, because I have done both. Each time we made it work, but each came with different decisions and challenges.

If you are thinking through the process and want to talk it out, just give me a call and let me know how I can help!

Weekend Open Houses

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Three Open Houses for Saturday, November  24.

3312 Woodbury Court in Oakbrook from 12:00 to 2:00 pm on Saturday, November 24.

For more details see: 3312 Woodbury Court.

1481 Stockbridge Lane in Royal St. Augustine from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, November 24.

For more details see: 1481 Stockbridge Lane

5513 Atlantic View open house on Saturday, November 24th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

For more details see: 5513 Atlantic View.

 

Should I be on the Market During the Holidays?

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I know, the holidays are coming – Thanksgiving, then Christmas – or maybe for you it is Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.  Heck, I have even celebrated Boxing Day with friends from England!  There are the parties and get-togethers, there is shopping and gift wrapping, there is decorating, there are guests and family coming and going.  You want to sell your home, but it can be a difficult decision to make.

First, holidays and memories with your family and friends are important.  Don’t stop having those memories and visits just because your home is on the market.  Most buyers looking during the holidays will understand that there are special considerations at this time of the year.  They can look past the extra decorations, but the decorations may add some warmth to the home as well.

Try your best to accommodate showing requests. Think of it this way – a buyer who is looking during the holidays may be a very serious buyer to interrupt their holiday with the additional stress of house hunting.  This does not mean that if a request is made for Christmas Eve at 7:30 you have to show your home.  Just be reasonable and try and work around your holiday schedule.  If you cannot make a specific showing time request, maybe suggest an alternative time – see what you can make work.

Every location can be different, but in the St. Augustine area, we can get a number of visitors to our area during the holiday time frame.  People will come to visit family and friends for the holidays and want to take time for their own home search.  We also get a number of visitors to see our beautiful Nights of Lights celebration and they may decide to view homes while here.  We also get some early snowbirds, who come down from the cold north and may be starting to look for their new home.  So, I do feel it is important that you do not pull your home off of the market during the holidays because you may be missing some potential buyers.

If you need help with the marketing of sale of your home during the holidays, or you are one of those buyers that may need to be completing your home search just let me know how I can be of help!

Favorite Time of the Year!

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One of the prettiest and most popular times of the year in St. Augustine is our annual Nights of Lights!  The town is awash in three million tiny white lights every year that adds a real sparkle to our city!

This year the lights switch will be turned on this Saturday November 17th and the lights will stay on until February 3rd.  If you have the opportunity to visit, it truly is a beautiful time of year.  You can view the lights by just walking around the Historic Downtown St. Augustine area, you can take a trolley for a sing-a-long tour, or you can take a boat ride – like the Schooner Freedom – to see the lights from the water!  Whichever way you choose it is a special treat!

The city’s Nights of Lights has even been recognized by National Geographic magazine as one of the ten best holiday lighting displays in the world in 2011 and 2012! What an honor!

This is the 25th year of this beautiful display but how did it start??  Well, I know the story!  A local business man named Bill Lennon was a City Commissioner back in 1994 when he sparked the idea!  He lived in Davis Shores just over the Bridge of Lions from downtown with his family.  Each year they would see the glow of a few white lights as they would drive over the Bridge into the Historic Downtown and his boys would love the lights.  Bill Lennon got the idea to expand the display and brought his idea to the City Council.  The rest, as they say, is history!  We owe Bill Lennon a debt of gratitude for his vision and decision to make it happen!!  Thanks, Bill!

You can read about the history of the Nights of Lights in this article that appeared in the St. Augustine Record back in 2014 – Nights of Lights transforms St. Augustine into bright holiday destination.

You can make plans to view this beautiful display by visiting any number of sites such as:

Nights of Lights 2018-19

Nights of Lights (FloridaHistoricCoast.com) 

I invite you to come to our beautiful city and enjoy this festive light display.  If you decide you would like to stay and be a part of this Historic First Coast, please let me know how I can help!

It is Time for the Backpack Challenge!

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Drop-off a backpack filled with school supplies at any of or office locations listed below by July 31, 2018.

Kindergarten – 8th Grade

  • Number 2 pencils
  • Pencil Sharpener
  • Pencil Bag or Pencil Box
  • Pens (Blue, Black & Red)
  • Crayons, Colored Pencils & Markers
  • Tissues
  • Eraser & Pencil Eraser Tops
  • Glue Stick/Glue (Elmer’s™ White)
  • Child Safe Scissors
  • Folders with Pockets & Prongs
  • Wide-Ruled paper
  • Index Cards
  • Composition Books
  • Ear Buds/Head Phones (Grades 6-8)
  • 3 Ring Binders & Dividers (Grades 6-8)
  • Scientific Calculator (Grades 6-8)

9th Grade – 12th Grade

Number 2 Pencils or Mechanical Pencils

  • Pens (Blue, Black & Red)
  • Eraser
  • Highlighter Pens
  • Agenda/Student Planner
  • Ruler/Compass/Protractor
  • Pencil Bag or Pencil Box
  • College-Ruled paper
  • Subject Notebook
  • Highlighters
  • USB flash drive
  • Graph Paper
  • 1.5-2” Binder (2)
  • Subject Dividers (8)
  • Scientific Calculator

St. Augustine
112 Sea Grove Main Street, Suite 210
St. Augustine Beach, FL 32080
904.471.6906

MuraBella at World Golf Village
196 Capulet Drive, Suite 3
St. Augustine, FL 32092
904.802.0690

What is your lifestyle dream?

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Do you want to be close to the beach? How about having your homeowners’ association do some of the yard work for you? Are you starting a family or downsizing? Are you going to be retiring and are looking for your future home? I would love to help you find your St. Augustine Home and have these great properties to offer:

17 Village Del Lago Circle

Choose a beach condo in a community with amazing amenities and beach access to use as a weekend getaway or place to settle into your retirement. Imagine stealing away to your own hideaway at the beach and it is your very own, beautifully decorated and furnished condo with soothing water views.

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For more details about this property see 17 Village Del Lago Circle, St. Augustine

1481 Stockbridge Lane

Enjoy the privacy of a home on a golf course and a screened lanai overlooking a lake and greenery. This home is built to be the center hub of an active day and a retreat to recharge. Just 5 minutes to historic downtown.

For more details about this property see 1481 Stockbridge Lane, St Augustine.

208 Mayan Terrace

Tired of yard work? Have the HOA do it for you while you enjoy the beach and nights out in historic downtown. This is the best opportunity to own a home on the island and start living your beach life dreams.

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For more information about this property see 208 Mayan Terrace, St. Augustine.

204 N Ocean Trace Road

The right amount of living space, near the beach and low maintenance with the yard work done for you.  Walk or bike to the beach!  The perfect place to downsize to.

For more information about this property see 204 N. Ocean Trace Road, St. Augustine.

3389 Kings Road South

Searching for a large backyard for kids or pets to play? This half-acre lot offers the opportunity for making memories with pets, kids, or grand-kids.

Didn’t find what you were looking for?  Start your search today!