Archive for March, 2008

Living in Florida: Discovering Who You Are

Monday, March 31st, 2008

When you start to think about living in Florida, you might be focused on the beaches, the sports teams, golf or the nightlife, but what you’ll quickly discover is that it’s a lot more than that.

Living in Florida is about taking the time to discover who you are.

When you are looking at places to live in Florida, for example, you’ll first start thinking about what type of home you’re looking for. You might want a Florida condo because you want to have a home that’s low maintenance; on the other end of the spectrum, if you want to be able to make a number of changes to your home, a single family property might be a far better idea.

Similarly, if you’re a beach person, you’ll want to be sure that you have access to the beach. Living in Florida is not just about fun in the sun, though, it’s also about relaxing while listening the waves or enjoying watching the sun rise.

Each of these elements of your personality doesn’t just shape who you are, it also shapes where you want to live and how the experience of living in Florida is for you.

Looking for a Florida Waterfront Home?

Sunday, March 30th, 2008

waterfront homes

When you’re looking for a waterfront home, what is it that you’re really looking for?

Some people, it seems, are looking for bragging rights. When they buy a waterfront home, it’s all about inviting family and friends over, about hosting dinner parties and encouraging their guests to check out the yard – including the dune walkover to the beach.

Others are looking for relaxation when they seek out a Florida waterfront home. For them, it’s about falling asleep the the sound of  crashing waves. It’s about waking up with a cup of coffee and the newspaper while sitting on the balcony and watching the sun rise over the Atlantic.

Still others are looking for a great family home, a place where they will be able to learn about one another, a chance to spend time talking, laughing and enjoying quality family time.

So, which is it for you? Are you looking for a waterfront home that will give you a place with the kids, a spot to relax, bragging rights or a combination of all three?

How Will You Choose Your Florida Condominium?

Saturday, March 29th, 2008

When you’re going to be making the investment in a Florida condominium (regardless of whether that investment is in your primary home, a retirement residence or even in your vacation home), there are going to be some choices that you need to make.

So, just how will you choose your Florida condo?

  1. Choose the location where you want to live. Whether you want to live in a great city like Jacksonville or you’ve always had dreams of living on the beach, you’ll be able to find a great condo.
  2. Take a look at possible floorplans so that you can find the right style of a Florida condominium home. After all, it’s going to be your home, shouldn’t it be comfortable for you?
  3. Focus on finding the right construction. When you’re going to be buying a Florida condo, it’s essential (particularly if you’re on the beach) that the building is structurally sound.
  4. Demand the best. Simply put, when you’re buying a Florida condo, expect to get everything that you’d like to have – and then some.

When you buy a Florida condo, you shouldn’t have to settle; take your time, consider your options and find the home that’s right for you.

Watching the Sun Set Over the Florida Beach – Without Leaving Home

Friday, March 28th, 2008

florida beach sunsetWhen you live alongside the Florida beach – whether you have a private, single family home, a townhouse or an oceanfront condo – one of the things that you will be able to do is to unwind at the end of the day.

In many areas, while you might not be able to watch the sun set over the Atlantic (after all, the sun sets in the west and the Atlantic is to the east), there are bodies of water – lakes and rivers – over which you can watch the sun go down.

When you’re able to watch the sun set at the end of the day, you’ll find that suddenly a lot of life’s little stressors just don’t seem quite so big. Work is less of an issue; so is the tension of your commute: you’re just in a position where you can unwind.

Ideally, when your home is on the Florida beach, you’ll find that watching the sun set at the end of a chaotic day is as simple as going out onto the sand. Doesn’t that sound ideal to you?

Great Reasons to Choose a Condo on a Florida Beach

Thursday, March 27th, 2008

When you start looking at Florida condominiums, you just might find that it’s definitely worth it to take a closer look at those that put you near a Florida beach.

Here are some great advantages to having a condo by the beach:

  1. It’s great for relaxation. When you’re able to get to the beach whenever you’re stressed out, you’ll find that the cool breezes and sounds of crashing waves are great for reducing the stress.
  2. It’s great for fitness. When you run on the beach, you’ll be able to take advantage of core training and balance work – things that aren’t all that easy to come by when you run on a treadmill.
  3. It’s great for having friends and family visit. When you’ve got a Florida beach condo, you’ll find that your family and friends have built in activities when they visit from out of town.
  4. A Florida beach condo is a great choice for those who are thinking about having a vacation property because of the year round great weather, nearby golf and other activities.

Of course, those aren’t the only reasons to consider investing in a Florida beach condo; but they just might get you thinking about the way in which a new home could benefit you.

The Abacos at Salt Run: Choosing a St. Augustine Florida Townhouse

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

Abacos floor plan

When you’re looking for a St. Augustine, Florida townhouse, why not choose a great home at The Abacos at Salt Run?

At the Abacos at Salt Run, you’ll find that you’re able to take your pick of comfortable, waterfront townhouses that will put you close to all that St. Augustine has to offer.

Want to explore the city’s rich history? Just get out and do so. Want to be sure that you’re finding a unique gift when a friend or family member’s birthday is coming up? Head into the center of town; you won’t have to travel far.

Similarly, when you have a St. Augustine, Florida townhouse at the Abacos at Salt Run, you’ll find that you are able to provide a great space for the guests who you know are going to want to visit – and you’ll be able to feel confident that they will find their way around and enjoy a great day in the city.

There’s no reason to settle for anything less than what you’re looking for either; after all, there are other floorplans available if the one pictured does not appeal to you. Learn more about St. Augustine, Florida homes at The Abacos at Salt Run.

Looking for Great Golf Near Your Jacksonville, Florida Condo?

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

If you’ve been looking for a great game of golf that’s challenging but not too challenging – and you want to be able to stick close to your Jacksonville, Florida condo – why not look to the Cimarrone Golf Club?

(source)Cimarrone is about 10 minutes from World Golf Village, roughly halfway between Jacksonville and St. Augustine off Interstate-95. This is prime real estate in St. Johns County, where the wealthy dwell and most every square inch of the golf course perimeter seems to be occupado.

Still, this is a very picturesque course. Why? How? Well, to start with, the architect, David Postlethwait, put together a well-designed course with balanced flourishes, a well-manicured layout with beautiful, though subtle, landscaping that will hold your interest from start to finish.

In other words, you may be having so much fun, you won’t notice the development.

“It’s a fun course,” said Head Professional Mike Rich. “There’s water on 16 holes but not to carry.”

 

When you’re able to travel just a few minutes from your Jacksonville condo – or even from your home in St. Augustine – and take advantage of a challenging but fun day out on the fairways and greens, you’ll remember exactly why it is that you wanted to live in Florida to begin with.

With year round great weather and a variety of courses that you can take advantage of without straying far from your First Coast home, you’ll know that you made the right choice.

Evenings in Jacksonville

Monday, March 24th, 2008

When you call Jacksonville home one of the things that you will quickly realize is that there’s a lot to do – even in the evenings. Once the sun has set and the museums have closed for the day, you’ll be able to take advantage for a number of elements that make the nights in Jacksonville exciting.

 

(source)If any of you know about Jacksonville Florida, you know about the downtown river walk. It’s probably one of the most photographed areas of the city. It’s really nice at night when the bridges are lit up in blue and the river gives you some nice reflections to capture in camera. In the photo above, you see one of the city’s most recognizable of it’s seven main bridges(the ones that cross the St. Johns River).

 

While that particular comment was made in response the the number of opportunities that Jacksonville offers resident photographers and tourists alike, the view is great regardless, even if you just stop by the Friendship Fountain to take in the view while you’re out and about by the river.

Between quiet, more passive evening activities in Jacksonville and the excitement of dance clubs, live music and a collection of bars and restaurants, you’ll find that there’s always something that can motivate you to get out and explore.

Choosing a Ponce Inlet Home

Saturday, March 22nd, 2008

Ponce Inlet Cottage homes

Choosing a cottage in Ponce Inlet as a place to call home can be a bit of a challenge. Now, that’s not to say that you’re going to have a struggle with choosing Ponce Inlet as a place where you want to live – with beautiful beaches and the ability to find a home that feels like home. It’s just that some find that there’s a bit of a challenge in finding the spot.

The Cottages at Ponce Inlet are a great option for many. In part, this is because The Cottages at Ponce Inlet have a great style. In part it is because there’s a certain amount of privacy – both within the area in general and inside of the home.

When you want to be sure that you’ve got a great spot where you can have all of the privacy that you’re looking for – as well as a top notch layout, a high end kitchen and beach access – The Cottages at Ponce Inlet are an option that you’ll want to look into; they take the challenge out of choosing a Ponce Inlet home.

Why Call a First Coast Community Home?

Friday, March 21st, 2008

Is living in a Florida First Coast community something that appeals to you? If so, you’re not alone. Despite the fact that there are a lot of population shifts happening in Florida, it seems as though the First Coast has quickly become the place to be:

 

(source)At least, that’s the story in Duval County. St. Johns County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida, according to the new statistics.

Now, the topic of conversation here is that in Duval County, the population is growing because, well, more residents are starting families (which, if you’re young and you’re looking for a city where you can lay down your roots says good things), whereas other areas are growing because of people moving into the area.

But what’s great about that is also a simple thing: even though the population in Florida’s First Coast communities is growing, there’s still a great deal of space, and plenty of room to find the home that will be ideal for you.

When you come down to it, the best reason to call a First Coast community home is simple: it’s just a great place to be.