Florida Real Estate News

When you first start to look at Florida waterfront homes, one of the things that you’re going to find is that there’s no such thing as one style of home. When you’re looking at Florida waterfront homes, after all, you’re going to have the chance to look into condos, townhouses and single family homes and even family estates.

However, no matter what type of Florida waterfront home you choose – and regardless of whether you make the choice to look into homes in Jacksonville Beach, Ponce Inlet, Amelia Island or St. Augustine – you’ll find that you’re able to get out on the water and to spend time exploring the rest and relaxation that a day out at sea provides.

Whether you’re looking to spend time out on the water because you’re planning to go fishing – either near the shore or out in deeper waters – or you just want to get out and to spend the day sailing or taking in the sun, when you have a Florida waterfront home, you’ll be able to get out there and enjoy the water. And the best part, of course, is that you’ll be able to get out there whether you have a boat of your own or not.

One of the best things about the holiday season is the opportunity to spend some time with family members and friends that you just don’t see as much at other times of the year. Of course, beyond that, not everyone has the same experience.

If you were the owner of a Florida condo, one of the things that you would find is that you have an added advantage when the holiday season rolls around: if you’re going to be traveling, it will likely be to get to the Florida condo that’s your second home. If you’re going to the airport and you live in your Florida condo year round, one of the things that you’re going to find is that all you need to do is to pull up into the arrivals lane and let your family members and friends toss their stuff into the trunk and wait for them to get in the car.

In other words, what you are going to find is that with a Florida condo you will be able to spend the holidays near the beach, you’ll be able to take in the sun or maybe even play a round of golf. Rather than heading out to spend time with family, you’ll find that, with a Florida condo, they are going to come to you.

One of the great things about living on Florida’s First Coast – in Jacksonville, in Jacksonville Beach, St. Augustine, Ponce Inlet or even in Daytona Beach – is the ability to get out there and see NFL games throughout the season. One of the players that those in the area have long cheered for is running back Fred Taylor – but those who are his fans are going to want to be sure that they see him play this season because it looks like he’s on his way out at the end of the season:

(source)Running back Fred Taylor believes he might be one of the veterans swept out the door when coach Jack Del Rio wields his broom at the end of the season.

Taylor said Wednesday his preference would be to stay with the Jaguars, but he sent out what amounted to be a want-ad through the media to the other 31 NFL teams.

With a calling card of can run, will travel, Taylor said he’s not going to retire if the Jaguars dump him, and he’ll be available to any team looking for a veteran running back.

Taylor, 32, said he saw the handwriting on the wall that he’s being phased out when he was on the field for only 22 snaps in the 30-12 loss last Sunday to the Minnesota Vikings.

It’s definitely a bummer, but then, no one really expects to stay with a single team throughout their entire career.

Thanksgiving is a great time to celebrate all of the things that we have and have experienced; for those who aren't as fortunate however, the holidays can be a but stressful. If you are in a position in which you can give back to your First Coast community this holiday season, there are sure to be individuals and families who can benefit from the support:

(source) Several organizations that help the hungry on the First Coast need your help this holiday season. The Second Harvest Food Bank is just one of many organizations in need of food donations. Donations are down 40% compared to this time last year. And 38% of all Jacksonville children live in low-income homes, where income is below 200% if the federal poverty level.

For some, it's easy to fill an extra bag at the grocery store with canned goods and boxes of pasta and even tuna and peanut butter – while not all to be served together, of course. With coupons, in many cases, it's possible to provide food to those who need it without spending more than a couple of bucks. During this time of year especially, giving back to the community is something that is personally rewarding and beneficial to everyone.

While it’s not a far trip for those who are living in Ponce Inlet, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Daytona Beach or other nearby communities to travel down to Port Canaveral if they’re looking for a quick getaway at sea, it looks as though – within the next years, provided everything passes – they will have another option:

(source)The Jacksonville Planning Commission this month agreed to allow the construction of a Cruise terminal at Mayport Florida, near the ocean on the St. Johns River. But the wishes of the locals were also met when the panel ruled that the Jacksonville Port Authority must ensure that docks are available for the commercial fishing boats that will be displaced by the cruise ship berths.

The recommendation will go to the Jacksonville City Council, which is slated to vote this month on the port authority’s rezoning application for the waterfront land in Mayport. The port has bought land large enough for a five-level parking garage and two-story cruise terminal, replacing the current cruise ship dock just west of the Dames Point Bridge

It sounds good in theory – especially for residents who want to be sure that they aren’t giving anything up to accommodate the terminal. With additional docks for local fisherman and the increased revenue that will come to the area with a cruise port, it looks like a win for everyone.

One of the great things about living in Jacksonville and in surrounding areas is that there are tons of great experiences for those who are looking to attend sporting events. But it’s not all about watching the Jacksonville Jaguars, traveling to Orlando to take in a Magic game or checking out some minor league baseball action. When you live in the Jacksonville area, you will also be able to take in world class rugby matches.

(source)World Champions Leeds Rhinos are heading back to the USA for their pre-season training camp and will take on Super League newcomers Salford City Reds in the Champions Stampede 2009 Challenge Match on Saturday January 17, 2009 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

The Rhinos, who played Australian outfit South Sydney Rabbitohs at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville in 2008, will return to the Sunshine State for a ten day training camp culminating in the challenge match against Salford City Reds.

Last year’s match filled every seat in the house while folks made the trip to see what it was all about. If you are thinking that you would like to attend this year, then it’s time to mark the event on your caledar and to start looking for more information about getting tickets so that you don’t miss out.

These days, there is a whole lot of talk about the fact that people are cutting back on travel in an effort to save money. One of the things that you might want to think about – particularly if you enjoy traveling to the coastal areas of Florida like Jacksonville Beach, Daytona Beach, Amelia Island and St. Augustine – is that if you were able to get a fantastic deal an a coastal condo, you wouldn’t have to stop traveling to save the way that many others have:

(source) Economists say fewer tourists are coming to the Sunshine State. And they say part of the reason is the budget problem.

The state’s tourism director says 650,000 fewer visitors came to Florida in the last quarter than the same time period last year.

First Coast News found out that even those who are still visiting are spending less.

When you have your own property, you won’t have to:

• Focus on comparing rates at various hotels
• Worry about the high cost of going out for all of your meals
• Determine what you’re going to do to get to the kids fed in the middle of the day when you’re at the beach

In other words, you are going to find that you’re in a great position to travel, to save and to avoid sacrifice.

If you have been thinking about whether or not the time is right to buy a condo in Jacksonville Beach or a townhouse near the water in Ponce Inlet, then chances are good that you already have some sense of the benefits of living near Florida beaches. However, in case you are looking for just a little bit more incentive, here are a few things to keep in mind.

When you live near Florida beaches, you will be able to:

• access great waterfront activities year round
• get out and go fishing
• take advantage of the best waves for surfing
• add a level of intensity to your morning run by running on the sand
• know that it will be a lot easier to plan a Florida beach wedding
• have the satisfaction of living in an area where people plan their vacations

Of course, there are plenty of additional benefits to living near any of the Florida beaches – and if you’ve been thinking about buying a home in the area, then chances are good that you’re already aware of them. Right now is a great time to buy a Florida home near the beach – and, for those who live in colder climates, the time couldn’t be better to make the choice to move to a warmer climate right by the water.

When you’re thinking about living in Florida and you’re going to want to be sure that you’re thinking about all of your options, the reality is that you’re not going to want to underestimate the great opportunities that come with owning a Florida condo.

When you buy a Florida condo, you are going to find:

• That it’s easy to choose a home that matches your style – no matter what that style is
• That you are going to be able to avoid worrying about maintaining the exterior of a home and that your condo is more secure
• That it’s possible to choose a Florida condo that puts you where you want to be. Whether you want to be in a more inland environment or you want to be right on the coast, there are going to be Florida condos available
• That it’s possible to find a home that offers as much or as little space as you need
• That you are able to get a great deal on homes in the area

In other words, when you’re looking for a great Florida home, you’re not going to want to simply rule out looking at a Florida condo. There are a great many benefits, and it’s up to you to discover them for yourself.

In the Jacksonville area and in other areas throughout coastal Florida, there are some people who are passionate about animals and who often get caught up in the idea that exotic pets are a really good idea. Not only are many of these exotic pets difficult to care for (and a violation of many condo community bylaws), but also they create a risk for the natural habitats, those in the area as well as the owners. It’s because of this that the Jacksonville Zoo will be offering an Amnesty Day:

(source) The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is hosting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Pet Amnesty Day on Saturday for people to turn over exotic pets they can no longer care for anymore.

Owners of nonnative pets are encouraged not to set them free, but instead drop them off from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the zoo’s main parking lot, with no questions asked. In an effort to keep them out of Florida’s ecosystems, Fish and Wildlife is accepting no-longer-wanted exotic pets such as reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish and mammals. Domestic pets such as cats, dogs, rabbits and ferrets will not be accepted.

In other words, if you’ve got family pets that you cannot keep, look toward traditional shelters; if you can no longer care for a large snake, reptiles or even non-domestic mammals, this is a good thing to mark on your calendar and plan to attend.