Florida Real Estate News

When it comes to professional baseball, Spring Training is still a few weeks away. But that doesn’t mean that Jacksonville residents can’t get a jump start on the action with college baseball.

(Source)First, the UNF baseball team will be playing Mississippi State on February 22 at 5:00PM. The Bulldogs are one of the perennial powers in college baseball and appeared in last year’s College World Series. This game coincides with UNF’s homecoming, and it will be the Ospreys first game of the season.

On April 1, the baseball teams from Florida and Florida State will square off. These two teams played in front of a sold-out crowd last season at the Baseball Grounds.

In other words, if you live in Jacksonville and have a particular fondness for baseball and want to see the Florida vs. Florida State game, you might want to start looking into getting tickets now.

Despite the fact that once the pro season gets started you’ll be able to take in all of the games that you want to see either from your favorite bar or maybe your loft condo pre-wired for the best in entertainment, there’s just something about seeing the game live that gets you ready for summer.

Ponce Inlet, Florida is far more than just a beautiful place to visit where you can get a taste for fresh seafood, spend an afternoon at sea or enjoying a beautiful beach: Ponce Inlet is also an ideal place to call home.

The Ponce Inlet Cottages, while will allow residents to take in those beautiful ocean views that the area is famous for, from the comfort of their own yard or balcony. Likewise, they make a day at the beach as easy to experience as a walk out across the yard.

That means quality time with the kids and grandkids for some. For others, it means a chance to know that they’ll have a beautiful retirement home, or a place where they can vacation without having to pay top dollar for a hotel that doesn’t necessarily live up to their expectations. For others still, it creates tax benefits and an added income by owning a property that can be rented out to other vacationers – but that can still be available when they want it.

Each of those situations can turn an oceanfront cottage in Ponce Inlet into an ideal home; will it be right for you?

Jacksonville residents who happen to be sports enthusiasts have even more to look forward to after the success of a recent rugby event:

(source)Leeds Rhinos want to stage a match with South Sydney on an annual basis, with the intention of taking the fixture to major cities around the world. Officials from each club have been buoyed by the success of Saturday’s meeting in Florida, which attracted a sell-out 12,000 crowd.

The Leeds chief executive, Gary Hetherington, is keen to develop the link-up between the clubs, which has gained a high profile in the United States through the Souths’ co-owner, the actor Russell Crowe. Dubai has been mentioned as a possible destination in future years, although it appears likely that next season’s meeting will again take place in Jacksonville.

That’s right: now, in addition to Jaguars football, college athletics, baseball, soccer, and even professional basketball just a short drive away in Orlando, and NASCAR in nearby Daytona 500 which will be raced for the 50th time on February 17th, Jacksonville sports enthusiasts can also take in a rugby matchups between the South Sydney club owned by Russel Crowe and various others in the league.

Whether you’re one of the lucky fans who makes it in to see the game live, you watch it in a local bar or you stay home and invite a few friends to join you in your Jacksonville loft condo where you take advantage of a home that’s pre-wired for top quality home entertainment, you can be sure that you never feel like you have to settle; you can always find an event to satisfy your sports craving.

Historic preservation is something that is extremely important to Florida’s cultural heritage. Because of this, many real estate developers in places like Jacksonville’s Riverside District focus on creating properties that seem to fit in.

Now that doesn’t mean that Florida homes are no more developed that those that you’d find preserved at the Kinglsey Plantation, near Jacksonville:

(source)The Kingsley Plantation, administered by the National Park Service, is located on Fort George Island and includes the plantation house, a kitchen house, a barn, and the ruins of 25 of the original slave cabins. The history of the island spans more than 1000 years beginning with the Timucuan Indians. The structures at the site, however, date to the plantation era of the island.

It’s just to say that it’s vital to keep the rich, cultural history of an area in tact – even while focusing on creating living spaces that are modern, stylish and have all the features that today’s homebuyers are looking for (pre-wired for entertainment and security, high end materials, open floor plans, etc.).

In other words, historic preservation isn’t only about maintaining properties, art and culture alive so that more people can learn from them and benefit; historic preservation is about building on the history of a place.

Forget about bass. Forget about trout. When you live in Florida, you’ll be able to get out and have a day that most people who go fishing only dream about.

Anglers can get out on the water and set their sites on tarpon – a saltwater game fish. Grouper are abundant – there are plenty of different fish out there, in different sizes, all of which are great for dinner once you get back home. For those who are looking for a great challenge can even go out there and try their hand at catching a variety of species of shark.

What you catch is dependent on whether you stay near land or head out to deeper waters, it depends on the tides and the time of year – but there aren’t many times that you’ll head out and catch nothing.

Those who are committed to great fishing plan vacations to Florida; those who fish and who live in Florida don’t have to think long or hard to figure out why: they’re out there on the water as often as they can be.

When you think of living in the Florida beach communities – like Jacksonville Beach – you’re likely to find that there’s a wide variety of events throughout the year that you keep looking forward to.

In fact, if you live in Jacksonville Beach, you may already have an event or two on your calendar.

For example, March 22nd is the Great Atlantic Seafood Festival:

Florida’s finest seafood, fried, boiled, grilled or blackened. Music for everyone. Arts & crafts, rides and games
for the whole family.

Florida beach communities lend themselves well to special events. Concerts, receptions, festivals: all of them just give those who are living in the community a chance to get together, relax and have fun: after all, that’s what the beach lifestyle is all about. Which is also a big part of why so many people are drawn to living in places like Jacksonville Beach

When you’re looking at Ponce Inlet homes, it’s important to have a sense of what you are looking for. Often times, this comes down to answering a simple question: what features do you want your Ponce Inlet home to have?

For example, what would you like to see in the master suite?

• A whirlpool garden tub where you can unwind?
• Natural stone flooring and granite countertops?
• A multi-head shower in the master bath?
• An open floor plan?
• A balcony with ocean views?

What about in the kitchen? Are you looking for:

• High end appliances?
• An open floor plan that lets you talk with dinner guests or your family while you’re preparing a meal?
• Beautiful finishes?

Simply by making note of all of the features that you’re looking for in a Ponce Inlet home, you’ll be in a better position to find everything that you’re looking for – and more.

Living in Jacksonville gives you a wide range of options – you’re able to get outside, you’re able to get fit, get to your job without much of a struggle. But it’s not just the days that offer you options.

Living in a Jacksonville loft condo makes it easy to see how much Jacksonville comes alive at night.

Head out for a great meal with friends – whether you’re in the mood for seafood, Asian cuisine, or foods from a variety of cultures. On a gorgeous night, consider taking your meal to go and eat out in a park or another open space.

Go dancing. See live bands. Choose a great lounge where you can kick back and have a couple drinks. Find a club where you can hear the DJ spin the songs that you want to hear.

There’s a little bit of everything in Jacksonville.

One of the best things about living in Florida’s First Coast communities is the year round access to exceptional golf. The wide variety of courses promises to make the First Coast an ideal destination for golfers of all levels.

Some people, however, have their doubts. They hear great things – both about Florida’s First Coast communities and about the area’s golf – but they wonder if they can really be true.

As evidence of how great Florida’s First Coast golf reall is, many championship rounds are held in the area:

(source)The 2008 championship schedules for the Florida and Georgia State Golf Associations include six state tournaments and seven qualifiers for state events at First Coast and south Georgia courses, plus eight qualifiers for United States Golf Association championships in the Jacksonville area.

There will be three Florida state championships on the First Coast

Now, if the pros head to Jacksonville and surrounding areas and still find the courses challenging, don’t you think the area’s fairways and greens have something to offer for you too?

When it comes to exploring Florida, plenty of people will site all that there is to do in Orlando or other tourist areas. However, for those who are looking for something to do in St. Augustine, there’s plenty to experience off the beaten path.

1. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm – home for more than jut gators and crocs, visitors to the Alligator Farm will find tropical birds, primates and more.
2. The Castillo de San Marcos gives St. Augustine visitors a chance to learn more about the history of the area.
3. Potter’s Wax Museum will give visitors a chance to learn more about history by learning about artists, inventors, celebrities and explorers.
4. Anastasia State Park. Get out, enjoy the water and the outdoors.
5. The Lightner Museum – where visitors will be entertained and find a lot to discover that they may not have known before.
6. The Ghost Tours of St. Augustine will let visitors and city residents alike see all the “haunts” of St. Augustine.

Of course, though these are some great things to check out while you’re in St. Augustine, it’s far from an exhaustive list. From great beaches to restaurants and more, St. Augustine’s got a lot to offer. Discover it for yourself!