Florida Real Estate News

With all the talk about the economic downturn and what it will all mean for our combined financial future, there is a bright side to the equation and it comes in the form of all the possibilities that exist in Florida real estate. There has never been a better time if you’re considering the benefits of either buying into some luxury Florida waterfront communities to live there yourself or renting the property out. If you’re thinking about making the investment a money earner, you’ll want to make sure that the properties, whether they are in Ponce Inlet, Daytona Beach or any one of a series of other fine communities, are in pristine shape.

Remember that the economic downturn doesn’t mean that you can’t afford style whether you’re an investor or looking to buy for yourself. Now is the time to take a good look at Florida real estate and what you can get from a prestigious developer like the ones at Cranewoods Developments.

When you are thinking about the environment of coastal regions in Northeast Florida, one of the things that you are going to find is that – all of a sudden – the knowledge that homes that are build and windows used and other elements that are all a part of the bigger picture seem to matter more. The environmental concerns of Florida’s First Coast seem to expand well beyond simply the the ways in which the residents look at the areas around them. A great example is the importance of the environment in the way that the area’s rail transportation has come into play.

(source) Mayor John Peyton welcomed “RailAmerica” and their four new energy-efficient locomotives to the First Coast on Friday.

“RailAmerica” recently made Jacksonville its new home for its National Headquarters. They moved from Boca Raton in 2008.

They chose Jacksonville because of the city’s growing logistics and transportation industry.

“RailAmerica” makes runs up and down Florida’s east coast.

The new locomotives will now call the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) Bowden Yard home.

The new locomotives meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s tier-two emissions standards and are 20% more fuel-efficient than the locomotives they will replace.

In other words, those who are living in coastal Florida who are passionate about maintaining the environment will find that even rail transportation designed to be there when they are looking to get out of town will help them to focus on their commitment to the environment – and on what that means to them.

When you are living in Florida, one of the things that you’ll quickly discover is the reason why the Jacksonville/Ponce Inlet/St. Augustine area is often referred to not only as the First Coast, but also as the First Coast of Golf. You will quickly discover that there are a number of fantastic courses in the area, all with spectacular greens, fairways and challenges. But over the next few months, you just might see that a concern for the environment and for the future is leading to making one course in particular even greener.

(source) For her fellowship, Meide will focus her efforts on improving and restoring habitat on the publicly-owned St. Johns County Golf Club. With the help of volunteers from groups such as First Tee, an organization that promotes character development for kids through the game of golf, Meide will work to improve natural habitat for threatened and endangered animals, including eastern indigo snakes, wood storks, and bald eagles, on 3 acres of “no play” zones along the course. The ultimate goal is to eventually restore 25 acres and Meide’s fellowship is the first step in the right direction. Her volunteer team will improve the land using native local plants, and at the same time reduce overall fertilizer use and water consumption on the golf course. Meide hopes that her work with St. Johns County can become a demonstration model for other golf organizations interested in sustainable golf course design.

When some First Coast developers approach planning a community, they consider the environment from the get go. Whether it’s a matter of saving sea animals and using turtle safe glass while they are building or working with greener materials, environmental concerns are there and taken advantage of. It just stands to reason that those who are going to be living on Florida’s First Coast who are passionate about the environment would want to further explore what they can do.

Starting to green up a local golf course is going to take a giant step forward – and show others just how much can be done.

One of the great things about living in Jacksonville, Ponce Inlet, St. Augustine and other similar areas is that it creates the opportunity to interact with the environment in different ways. Those who want to get out there and simply see what’s out there will be able to look to the area’s rivers and coastline and to see the natural beauty that exists. Those who are passionate about the environment who are living on Florida’s First Coast are also going to find that they are in a position to learn a lot about wildlife that is natural to the area.

One way to explore the Florida environment – especially when you’ve got kids in the family – is to spend some time at the Jacksonville Zoo where you will be able to learn more about local species as well:

(source) Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announced the arrival of 15 new American alligators that were released into its Wild Florida exhibit. On November 26th crowds of Zoo visitors watched in awe as the Herpetology staff carried the alligators into the exhibit, removed the tape from around their large mouths and coaxed them into the water as the animals hissed and snapped. The 15 females, range in size from four-to-seven feet long and weigh between 41 and 86 pounds and came from the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, Florida where they were all hatched. The new alligators replaced the six that were over 50 years-of-age, three of which passed away over the last year, and the rest were shipped to other facilities to make room for the new residents.

Executive Director, Dennis Pate said, “The alligator is one of our most popular animals. They, along with our Zoo’s other native species that live in Wild Florida, help to educate and enhance our visitors’ experience.”

When you’re checking out the exhibit, you’ll be able to learn more about maintaining the natural environment around you in the area that you choose to call home.

One of the great things that many people who are living in the coastal areas of Florida share is the natural landscape. Of course, a lot of that beauty is environmental, and as a result – from builders and construction companies to those who produce energy – a lot of the concerns about the energy movement and the need for a change in the way we do things isn’t as focused on drilling off the coast of Florida as it is on finding more environmentally friendly options:

(source)“Drill Baby Drill” was the theme of many of the election campaigns.

However, it is clear to us at the Florida Wildlife Federation that drilling for more oil – with the associated costs, pollution and results that will not be seen for many years – is not the best road to energy independence.

There is a way to produce more jobs and energy for Florida while protecting our fragile coastlines and habitats – clean energy.

Florida voters made it clear that they want a new direction on energy, the economy and the environment.

Majorities of voters viewed clean energy investments as a key means to boosting the U.S. economy, embracing the link between investing in clean energy and revitalizing America’s economy.

For those who are living in Florida’s coastal areas and who are passionate about the environment, there’s little surprise in this; if anything, it sounds like a great idea.

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.

Going green is something that everyone is hearing more about these days (especially during this, NBC/Universal’s week of letting all of us know that “Green is Universal”). For those who live in the Jacksonville area are looking into what they can do to go green within their own homes, knowing that Jacksonville Landing is taking steps as well may have a great impact:

(source) For the first time in 22 years, the downtown shopping center will have an artificial tree. It’s bigger, has more lights and is four to five times as expensive as a natural tree but uses one-tenth the electricity.

It will be lit at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, followed by a fireworks display on the St. Johns River.

Planners decided to buy a 56-foot artificial tree “because we try to do something different and new every year,” said Landing spokeswoman Rachel Nudge.

One of the main benefits, Nudge said, is that artificial trees are more environmentally friendly if they are reused. This tree will be used for three years.

Hopefully, if the tree weathers well it will no longer just be used for three years; in order to truly have a more positive impact, going further would help.

Either way, if you’re in the area and you want to be sure that you’re able to check out the tree lighting and fireworks, it’s a good idea to pencil the lighting into your calendar.

These days, it seems as though more and more people are looking into eco-friendly homes. For those who are looking to find eco-friendly homes that also happen to be located in waterfront locations in northeast Florida, you might be surprised to know that there are options available that won’t make you feel like you have to sacrifice your own comfort for the sake of the environment.

Let’s say that you are looking for a waterfront home in Ponce Inlet because you want to be able to enjoy the natural landscapes without having to stray far – if at all – from home. You’re going to want to be sure that you have great windows, but you will also want to be sure that you are looking for homes with windows that will be friendly to the turtles and the sea birds that call the area home.

In other words, you’re going to want to consider the environment and the wildlife that call the area home when you are starting to think about finding a great home of your own. What you will find is that you are able to have the best of both worlds – it’s all just a matter of knowing where to look.

The beauty of Florida’s First Coast owes a lot of the credit to the shoreline of the Atlantic. Add in a mix of rivers, streams, lakes and other smaller bodies of water and what you are going to find is that the water has a lot to do with the appeal of coastal Florida.

Preserving the environment is important – as is water conservation. Because of this, the focus of the 2008 Northeast Florida Environmental Summit – to be held November 6 from 9am-4pm at the Jacksonville University Davis College of Business – will be on water conservation:

(source)Now in its 10th year, organizers say this year’s event, “Water Wars: Use, Conflict, and the Future,” is especially relevant.

“For a long time people thought of water use conflicts as being a problem only felt by western states,” said Coastal Law Professor Andrew Long, “but we are now seeing these issues arise within Florida, as in the case of the St. John’s, and between states in the southeast.”

Long said panelists at the summit will provide scientific, legal and policy perspectives on water-related issues arising in international, national and regional settings. Further discussions, he said, will include the physical and jurisdictional underpinnings of water use conflicts, the various approaches to effectively handling water shortages, and the water crises bubbling up in Florida.

If you’re looking for more information on the event – including details about speakers and planning to attend, visit www.ju.edu.

One of the great things about living on Florida’s First Coast is that you are going to have the chance to spend time out on one of the area’s many great beaches. Part of what is fantastic about that, however, goes beyond simply looking at the sand and watching as the tide shirts and hearing the waves crash down: part of what makes spending time on Florida’s First Coast beaches is the opportunity to see a lot of great wildlife.

In part you are going to see that the wildlife includes a variety of birds – including those that are in the midst of their migratory courses. In part, it’s the wide variety of fish that you’ll be able to catch without traveling too far from the Florida First Coast shorelines. You’ll also find that there are endangered species in the area – including sea turtles and manatees.

Preserving the wildlife of Florida’s First Coast beaches is important for everyone – no one wants to see a species disappear or to think that the only way that their kids and grandkids will be able to see them is in a book. The more that you are in the area, the more that you recognize all of the opportunities to contribute, the more that you will see that it’s easy to get involved.