Here are the 2012 stats and 2011 for comparison -   2012   25 Homes Sold (February=17) Lowest price: $36,150 (February =$43,000) Highest price: $2,575,000 (February =$1,850,000) Shortest Days on Market:0 (February =9) Longest Days on Market: 618 (February =559)   2011   12 homes sold (February =12) Lowest price: $42,000 (February =$29,000) Highest price: $540,000 (February =$950,000) Shortest Days on Market:12 (February =0) Longest Days on Market: 371 (February =500)   Sales are up, tremendously (!!) both month over month and year over year, which is great news, and consistent with what I’ve seen in both Jacksonville & Neptune Beach. The price point on the lower end is gaining greater traction, particularly if you look at last February to this year, that is a nice gain.  Days on marke... 06/11/2012

Foster Closet in Atlantic Beach Florida Foster Closet is a free resource for Northeast Florida's foster parents and relative and non-relative placements to access clothing, children's accessories, toys and children's furniture to help take care of the foster children entrusted to them. They also help foster kids who age out of the system, by giving them furniture, clothes, appliances, from donations made to their organization. I've seen Tammy (the founder) deliver furniture with other volunteers and help set up a young adult in her new apartment. She was all set with furniture, appliances, groceries and more.  The smile on this young lady's face was priceless. Foster parents get a bad rap and despite what you may have heard on the news, most foster parents are good people and do not rec... 06/09/2012

Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach border each other at Atlantic Avenue, and a darling 'Beaches Town Center' has risen there. Frank and I had a fabulous lunch at Poe's Tavern, then ice cream at Peterbrooke Chocolatier, and finished off with Starbuck's. We didn't need dinner! Here is Frank with the Turtle outside Poe's. Poe's Tavern is one of two - the other is in Sullivan's Island, SC, the place where Edgar Allan Poe served in the Army for a brief time. Their hamburgers are GREAT! We like this area because it's not too congested. We tried to eat at Joe's Crab Shack at Jax Beach, but we couldn't even get a parking space! That worked out for the best because I was really in the mood for a hamburger and Poe's Tavern is probably the best hamburger at the Beach. Check out the Neptune and Atlan... 05/13/2012

 Here are the 2012 stats and 2011 for comparison -   2012 17 Homes Sold (January=7) Lowest price: $43,000 (January =$95,000) Highest price: $1,850,000 (January =$585,000) Shortest Days on Market:9 (January =20) Longest Days on Market: 559 (January =661)   2011   11 homes sold (January =9) Lowest price: $29,500 (January =$44,000) Highest price: $950,000 (January =$715,000) Shortest Days on Market: 0 (January =9) Longest Days on Market: 500 (January =264)   Sales are up, both month over month and year over year, which is great news, and consistent with what I’ve seen in both Jacksonville & Neptune Beach. The price point on the lower end is gaining greater traction, particularly if you look at last February to this year, that is a nice gain. Days on market has not improved as much as I wou... 04/17/2012

  Here aree are the 2012 stats and 2011 for comparison -  2012   7 Homes Sold (December=7) Lowest price: $95,000 (December =$48,000) Highest price: $725,000 (December =$585,000) Shortest Days on Market:20 (December =6) Longest Days on Market: 661 (December =215)   2011   9 homes sold (December =10) Lowest price: $44,000 (December =$71,100) Highest price: $715,000 (December =$2,400,000) Shortest Days on Market: 9 (December =2) Longest Days on Market: 264 (December =214)  Sales are flat, essentially, month over month and year over year. The lower price point has a nice bump, which could indicate the super value-priced properties are being purchased.  I’m not really sure what drove the increase (and substantial one at that) in the days on market, but it was not the highest nor the lowest p... 02/29/2012

  Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison -   2011   16 Homes Sold (November=7) Lowest price: $48,000 (November =$60,250) Highest price: $585,000 (November =$940,000) Shortest Days on Market:6 (November =27) Longest Days on Market: 215 (November =332)   2010   10 homes sold (November =16) Lowest price: $71,100 (November =$39,900) Highest price: $2,400,000 (November =$2,850,000) Shortest Days on Market: 2 (November =3) Longest Days on Market: 214 (November =537)   Sales are up impressively, consistent with Jacksonville Beach.  Pricing does not show much positive variation, but Atlantic Beach has quite a bit of difference between home locations, and the lower price points are most likely in less desirable areas. Days on market is fairly flat; I’m impressed with the decrease in the... 01/31/2012

It's nice to read positive news about a local (well, 2nd location) recently opened restaurant. Poe's Tavern opened right around Halloween (I think) and has had an immediate impact on the Town Center restaurant scene. Based on Edgar Allen Poe (obviously) the menu has all sorts of offerings with Poe titles.  The ladys' room is wallpapered in pages from Poe books (can't tell you about the mens' room, haven't been in there - yet!) It's a cool inside/outside floorplan, with an open deck area, then a high top table area that is covered, but has roll up garage doors to let the excellent Florida weather in. You can check out their menu and read the Times Union's review here. My original photo is below. 01/11/2012

  Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison -  2011   7 Homes Sold (October=15) Lowest price: $60,250 (October =$34,900) Highest price: $940,000 (October =$1,250,000) Shortest Days on Market:27 (October =5) Longest Days on Market: 332 (October =523)   2010   16 homes sold (October =16) Lowest price: $39,900 (October =$66,100) Highest price: $2,850,000 (October =$900,000) Shortest Days on Market: 3 (October =3) Longest Days on Market: 537 (October =259)  Sales are down quite a bit, both month over month, and year over year, which is disturbing.  However, it’s more important to look at the time on market as an indicator of market activity;the short end of the spectrum is fine at 27 days on market, and the long end of the spectrum is less than a year, so that’s good news. The lowest ... 12/26/2011

The Medure family has opened another restaurant, this time in Atlantic Beach, FL. Known for their other endeavors, Matthew's in San Marco, & Medure's in Ponte Vedra Beach, & Take Away Gourmet in San Marco, M Shack is a bit different.  For one, I love both Matthews and Medure's...when someone else is picking up the tab (more so at Matthew's; Medure's has a terrific lounge menu). At M Shack, the most expensive burger is $18, and served with foie gras.   That's it. I had a basic burger ($3.50) without cheese, fries and an glass of Cable Car Pinot Noir during my recent visit. The wine list is fabulous (and affordable), there are several selections of draft beer, including Sweetwater 420 which is a local favorite. The renovation of the space which previously housed The Bookmark (and you can ... 12/06/2011

I've lived in the beaches area of Jacksonville, FL for the past 20+ years, and have seen the redevelopment of several areas, maximizing their locations and consumer friendliness. I have first hand witnessed some of these changes, and for the most part, they have been positive changes. One of the items the voters of Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach voted on a few years ago was a building height limit to keep the coastline looking like it did: not dotted with a myriad of high rise condos. It was really targeting residential, and defined several Central Business Districts. Now, someone is proposing a modification of these building height limits, as they prevent businesses from coming and building at the Beaches - really?  We have new businesses coming in daily. They mov... 12/03/2011

Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison -   2011   15 Homes Sold (September=15) Lowest price: $34,900 (September =$55,000) Highest price: $1,250,000 (September =$595,000) Shortest Days on Market: 5 (September =1) Longest Days on Market: 523 (September =379)   2010   16 homes sold (September =18) Lowest price: $66,000 (September =$32,100) Highest price: $900,000 (September =$545,000) Shortest Days on Market: 3 (September =2) Longest Days on Market: 259 (September =208)   Sales are flat month over month, and year over year, so the that’s good news. The lowest end of the market is down both month over month and year over year, which is disheartening to say the least.  The high end of the market is up, which indicates the existence of either jumbo loan buyers, or deep pocket buyers,... 11/23/2011

Fabulous event this weekend!  Hosted by the Marsh Preservation Society, the City of Atlantic Beach & the City of Jacksonville, this free event features: Live "Americana" music Kayak/canoe trips available Food for small donation Numerous exhibitions Raffle prizes Grand Prize drawing for a new kayak Donations help fund public access and passive amenities in the four east intracoastal parks which include Dutton Island Dutton River Branch Tideviews Preserves Together, these parks comprise over 400 acres of salt marsh uplands which are now protected as parklands. The acquisition of the River Branch Preserve (2009) the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail, which spans the entire coast of Florida, was completed. The total span is 1515 miles. You can visit the Trail site here for... 11/15/2011

  Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison -  2011   15 Homes Sold (August=18, so a decrease of 3) Lowest price: $55,000 (August=$70,000) Highest price: $595,000 (August=$1,150,000) Shortest Days on Market: 1 (August=1) Longest Days on Market: 379 (August=727)   2010   18 homes sold (August=26) Lowest price: $32,100 (August=$35,000) Highest price: $545,000 (August=$1,500,000) Shortest Days on Market: 2 (August=1) Longest Days on Market: 208 (August=298)   Sales are down about 20% month over month, mirroring both Jacksonville & Neptune Beach.  Look at lowest price sold, and the increases year over year; combined with manageable inventory, this is an indicator of a recovering real estate market. Atlantic Beach is the northernmost of our beaches communities here in the Jacksonville ... 10/24/2011

  Here are the January through September 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison -  2011 6 Homes Sold Lowest price: $330,000 Highest price: $540,000           Shortest Days on Market: 28 Longest Days on Market: 263 (no short sales/REO’s)   2010 4 homes sold Lowest price: $535,000 Highest price: $710,000 Shortest Days on Market: 52 Longest Days on Market: 699 (no short sales/REO’s)   Oceanwalk is a wonderful community located in northern Atlantic Beach, with it’s own dedicated walkway to the beach. Hanna Park borders the northern and western parts of the community.You can see their monthly resident newsletter on their homeowner's association website.   Sales are up year over year by 50%, which is a nice statistic to see. Oceanwalk is located at the northernmost point on Seminole Road, adjacen... 10/17/2011

I have not used the Kazork website prior to this particular transaction, had not even heard of it. What is it? It's an online system for buyers and sellers, and the most intriguing facet of this system is the transparency: I can see all the other agents who are bidding, what their offers are, their down payments, binders, types of financing - more information than we typically receive in a multiple offer situation. I have to say, it's interesting to sit around the "virtual" negotiation table, and wait to see who is going to bid what next....each time a bid is revised, or a new bidder enters the fray, the time for bidding is automatically extended by 15 minutes. And the current bid leader is highlighted in green....making it very obvious who is in first place, per se. Check it out for yo... 10/17/2011

  Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison -   2011   18 Homes Sold (July=19, so an increase of 1) Lowest price: $70,000 (July=$40,000) Highest price: $1,150,000 (July=$1,600,000) Shortest Days on Market: 11 (July=1) Longest Days on Market: 727 (July=692)   2010  26 homes sold (July=19)  Lowest price: $35,000 (July=$40,000)  Highest price: $1,500,000 (July=$629,000)  Shortest Days on Market: 1 (July=8)  Longest Days on Market: 298 (July=441)   There is fabulous news this month! Look at the jump in the lowest price home sold, up 50% year over year, and up $30K month over month!  Great news!  The higher priced market is still moving forward, and while I’m not particularly thrilled with the days on market being greater on the upper end, that is somewhat typical.  I’m also not very p... 09/17/2011

  Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison - 2011 69 Homes Sold Lowest price: $29,500 Highest price: $775,000 Shortest Days on Market: 1 Longest Days on Market: 245 2010 24 homes sold Lowest price: $25,000 Highest price: $329,000 Shortest Days on Market: 2 Longest Days on Market: 142   Home sales are up an incredible 187% in the REO (foreclosed) title status in Atlantic Beach, Neptune  Beach, Jacksonville Beach & Ponte Vedra Beach! I’m not 100% certain if this illustrates the market’s hunger for REO/Foreclosed properties, or the fact they are being priced and presented correctly.  Days on market is up year over year, which could be that some homes are not being presented and/or priced correctly.  Nice to see the sold prices are up on both sides of the spectrum. If you are ready t... 09/05/2011

Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison -   2011   19 Homes Sold (June=17, so an increase of 2) Lowest price: $40,000 (June=$30,000) Highest price: $1,600,000 (June=$975,000) Shortest Days on Market: 1 (June=1) Longest Days on Market: 692 (June=245)   2010   18 homes sold (June=16) Lowest price: $40,000 (June=$25,000) Highest price: $629,000 (June=$740,000) Shortest Days on Market: 8 (June=1) Longest Days on Market: 441 (June=426)   This market report does seem just as rosy as Jacksonville & Neptune Beach, but there is still good news: for the second month in a row, the lowest priced home sold is up month over month, indicating we are approaching greater market stability; just like Jacksonville and Neptune Beach, the highest priced home sold is up year over year, indicating buye... 08/08/2011

  Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison - 2011 85 Homes Sold Lowest price: $29,500 Highest price: $2,285,000 Shortest Days on Market: 0 Longest Days on Market: 500     2010 94 homes sold Lowest price: $27,900 Highest price: $3,200,000 Shortest Days on Market: 0 Longest Days on Market: 952   This is very consistent with what I have been posting on a monthly basis: the market is improving. Yes, sales are off about 10% year over year, but that is very negligible in our market at this time.  The lowest price sold home increased 5% (and I have seen this the past two months), indicating we are approaching greater market stability.  Yes, there is a significant decrease in the highest price sold home year over year, but that particular price makes up less than 2% of our total market, ... 07/12/2011

Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison - 2011 17 Homes Sold (May=12, so an increase of 5) Lowest price: $30,000 (May=$48,000) Highest price: $975,000 (May=$535,000) Shortest Days on Market: 1 (May=0) Longest Days on Market: 245 (May=260)   2010 16 homes sold (May=18) Lowest price: $25,000 (May=$38,000) Highest price: $740,000 (May=$835,000) Shortest Days on Market: 2 (May=0) Longest Days on Market: 426 (May=449) This market report does not seem quite as rosy as Jacksonville & Neptune Beach, but there is still good news: for the second month in a row, the lowest priced home sold is up year over year by $5,000, indicating we are approaching greater market stability; just like Jacksonville and Neptune Beach, the highest priced home sold is up year over year and month over month, i... 07/08/2011