What are the FAQ's About Living In The Melbourne, FL Area? Relocation clients as well as clients considering a second home in the Melbourne and surrounding areas usually ask many questions about the area but here are a few common ones, I find myself answering often. Question: What is the population of Melbourne and surrounding areas? Answer: The population of Melbourne, FL and the surrounding areas is about 343018 and can be distributed as follows:                       Melbourne                 78000       Melbourne Beach       3300             Cocoa 17164  Cocoa Beach 12805   Indialantic 3009  Indian Harbour Beach  9000   Merritt Island  34743 Palm Bay  101793   Patrick Air Force Base 2137  Rockledge  25911   Satellite Beach 10884  Suntree  11544  Viera 16951   West Melbourne 15777   ... 01/06/2014

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back for Reverse Mortgages? The changes to the reverse mortgage program, which were implemented on September 30, have been polarizing to say the least. On the one side, it's could be the best thing FHA has done in order to make the program safer for future consumer while still protecting the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Program. On the other hand, it may make the reverse mortgage program less attractive for both affluent borrowers and more modest borrowers. At this point, however, it's all speculaion as the changes have barely passed their two month threshold and there are still 10 months to go before the changes even reach the one year mark. Maybe then would be a better time to note whether or not the changes have been successful or not. Having said that, I agr... 01/06/2014

I am not a huge beer drinker...but I love a good craft beer. I have found over the years that most of the places that call themselves brewpubs or say they make beer on the premises usually have one vat...and produce very limited quantities of their own suds. They may have a tap or two of in-house beer...with an additional 30 taps of anything from Bud to Miller. With this in mind I ventured out to the newly opened Intracoastal Brewing Company (It is located at 652 W. Eau Gallie Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32935). The best way to describe the style and feel of the place is a Gen-X brewery. This is not a place to come and eat...unless pretzels and beer is your normal dinner. It is a place to enjoy well crafted house made beers that are truly amazing. Intracoastal Brewing Company does offer a gues... 12/27/2013

Here's wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season! Merry Christmas from sunny Florida! The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous. It actually got up into the 80's yesterday. Today, we woke up to some 60 degree weather. We've got windows open and short sleeves and light sweaters on today.  It's perfect outside. Indian River Lagoon off of Rockledge Drive in Rockledge, FL 12/24/2013

FHA Delays Reverse Mortgage Financial Assessment…For Now The reverse mortgage industry can rest easily for the next few months following the Federal Housing Administration’s announcement that it would hold off on implementing a financial assessment component to the reverse mortgage program for an unspecified period of time after January 13 of next year. While we are still in the dark about what exactly the financial assessment will entail and when it will be implemented, at least the industry gets a breather before another change is implemented. This is not to say that the reverse mortgage changes have been unsuccessful, no one can determine that yet, especially if the reputation of the reverse mortgage program is to change positively along with it, but it is nice to see that FHA is tak... 12/20/2013

As an ASP Certified Stager I get this question quite a bit. The truth of the matter is I have listed many homes over the years...and only a small handful of them did not need me to at least make a few needed changes. This video delves into the different types of listings...and why and when a stager would be needed. 12/19/2013

Well, it's official, what I have been seeing with Space Coast Area Homes is now being recognized around the country.  The housing market is starting to recover.  According to the National Association of Realtors here are the top 7 Housing Trends of 2013. 1.)  The national median listing price in January was $179,900 and rose to $199,500  by September of 2013.  2.)  Mortgage rates did go up, but not as much as some people thought.  Any way you look at it, mortgage rates are still a screaming deal! 3.)  Many Buyers still won't believe it, but bidding wars have returned on really good properties.  Once a Buyer loses a house or two in a bidding war, they will start to realize it! 4.)  Housing has remained affordable.  Even though appreciation isnow starting to come back into the picture, lo... 12/15/2013

I saw something this week that was incredibly disturbing.  I was driving down a street on the mainland side of Melbourne, and on the left side of the road was a shabby beat up looking old jeep that was parked at the curb.  The jeep had one of those big role bars on it, and a canvas top covered the cab portion of the vehicle.  On the drivers  side of the jeep, on the pavement, was a dog that was hanging by a rope tied to it's collar with it's back feet just barely reaching the pavement!  The owner of the jeep was no where to be seen.  I was shocked!  I made a fast U turn in the middle of the street and pulled up behind the jeep.  As I was running to the dog, there was a man on a bicycle that pulled up.  As I approached the dog, it was so frightened that it let it's bladder go and peed al... 12/14/2013

Wickham Park is a large multi-purpose park in Melbourne, FL. Many events take place at the park throughout the year...but every Thursday they have an event I like to go to...the best Farmers Market on the Space Coast. To be honest...most Farmers Markets I see have very little that comes from farms...lots of candles and soap but few vegetables and fruit..not the Brevard County Farmers Market at Wickham Park! The Market is a operated through a joint partnership with Brevard County Parks & Recreation and the University of Florida/IFAS Brevard County Extension Service. This place has about 10 or so vendors and most of them are selling vegetables, fruit, eggs, fresh squeezed OJ, raw milk, homemade pies & cakes and much more! Much of the produce that is being offered at the Farmers Market is... 12/10/2013

  Rotary Park of Suntree is located at the intersection of U.S. Hwy 1 and Suntree Boulevard, in the Suntree area of Melbourne.  With seating for over 200 people, what makes Rotary Park of Suntree special is that the entire 10+ acres community park is situated directly on the Indian River giving visitors a front row seat for boat traffic on the lagoon.  There is a large pavilion at Rotary Park of Suntree which includes 6 sheltered picnic tables, BBQ pits, a nearby playground for the kids and of course restrooms.  Rotary Park of Suntree also offers a convenient fishing pier for lazy afternoon of fishing and strolls down the pier to get a glimpse of Shorebirds, Migratory Ducks, Loons and Grebe in the winter season. Rotary Park of Suntree does take reservations for events.  To make a reser... 12/08/2013

  The Wickham Park Senior Center has a tremendous number of activities for the active and vibrant seniors of Brevard County!  Located at 2785 Leisure Way (LOVE the address!) the Wickham Park Senior Center is not only available to senior citizens, but anyone aged 50+.  The annual dues to join the Wickham Park Senior Center is a mere $15, and for that amount you will be able to join into activities such as: computer classesdance lessonsexerciseshuffleboarddaylong field tripsbingo mah jong bunkobridge classes on all levelspaintingcrochetsewing   The Wickham Park Senior Center also offers a library and reading room.  There are various groups that can be joined at the Wickham Park Senior Center such as the Wickham Wanderers  which is a travel club for Wickham Park Senior Center members.   Fo... 12/08/2013

Wickham Park is just one of the many attributes of living on the Space Coast of Florida!  Living in Brevard county gives those of us that call Florida home the opportunity to spend time outdoors far more than people in other areas of the county are able to.                                                                               Wickham Park is just one of the many outdoor parks that are available to residents and visitors alike.  Located next to Brevard Community College Eastern Florida State College at 2500 Parkway Drive in Melbourne, Wickham Parkis bordered by Croton Road on the east, Wickham Road on the west, Parkway Drive on the south and Post Road on the north.  With just over 391 acres of land, Wickham Park can be enjoyed year round.         There is a road throughout Wickha... 12/08/2013

I do get this question quite a bit...it goes more like this..."Do I really need a Realtor when buying a new construction home?" This video goes into the different types of new construction homes, positives and negatives when purchasing new construction...and the areas of the process that a Realtor can help you with. Although the video is about Space Coast Florida home purchases...it can help anyone looking into the purchase of a new home. Please watch this video before you go and and begin visiting the new home developments. 12/02/2013

The Christmas tree and all the decorations are now up around the house.  This way it feels festive for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We still like to decorate with the ornaments my girls made or collected over the years. My favorite little elf still sits atop the tree after 35 years. Here's wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving! 11/27/2013

I often get asked why my listings tend to sell so much faster (and for more dollars) when compared to many of my competition (other local Realtors). I produced this video to explain what needs to be done to help make a quick..top dollar sale happen. I go into five essential ingredients: 1. Curb Appeal2. De-Cluttering3. De-Personalizing4. Staging5. Choosing the Right Realtor for Internet Marketing If you do have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at 321.223.6253, jdimuria@aol.com or www.SouthBrevardBeachHomes.com 11/24/2013

LA Fitness has opened a new facility in Melbourne, FL on Wickham Road. I love the new place, because it's only 5 minutes from home. Whether you are a beginner or advanced athlete there are weight machines, plate loaded machines and free weights. There are plenty of machines to help you get your heart rate up and work on your cardiovascular. They have a heated, indoor lap pool, so be sure to bring you swimsuit.  Or, jump in the heated spa. LA Fitness boasts a full size basketball court with a cushioned hardwood sports floor.  Enjoy a LA Fitness, Group Fitness Class Melbourne, including, Yoga, Mat Pilates, Zumba, Cycle, Kick Boxing Cardio, Body Works Plus Abs, Step Plus and Step Plus Abs. If you're really serious about getting into shape hire a personal, degreed trainer that can formulate... 11/22/2013

'I could have bought that house 15 years ago for dirt cheap. How many times have you heard that?   Funny, how Hindsight is 20/20. Hindsight allows us to see things clearly, since they've already happened. It's easy to look backwards, over our shoulder.... 'I told you so.'  Simple, but wasted words. It's easy to waste time on what could have or should have been. But, today is all we have.  Today is the day to make things happen. But, often we fear the future because we don't know where it will take us.  We fear the unknown.  And, that fear paralyzes us. History repeats itself and the real estate market is no exception.  Real estate is cyclical. So, a certain amount of looking back into the past, often helps us to see the pattern of things to come in the future.  What goes up, must come d... 11/21/2013

This past weekend I had the nicest couple come up from Miami to look at property.  My buyers both work, so the weekend is the best time for them to come up and look for their new home.  Let's face it, the weekend is the most popular time for Buyers to go out shopping for real estate.Here is the rub...a couple of the homes that we wanted to see were listed with Coldwell Banker Residential (NOT Coldwell Banker Sunland or Paradise), and THEY ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAYS!  Yes, you read that correct...CLOSED ON SUNDAYS!                                                                                                                                                           This is how they work it.  If you want to show a home on Sunday, you need to call the listing agent directly to try and get show... 11/19/2013

A get this question quite a bit. Buyers have heard some nightmares about attempting to finance a condo as apposed to a single family house or townhome. Most of the issues that did slow a condo purchase have faded...but in this video I go over some of the differences between these property types...and give you the positive and negative about all three. 11/19/2013

Turtles are Fabulous!  Big or small, Sea Turtles or Land Tortoises...I don't care!  They are wonderful and I love them!Yesterday when I was heading over to show property to a couple of Buyers, I turned a corner and saw the tell tale sign.  Yup, a turtle crossing the road.  This happens on the Space Coast quite often, usually with gopher tortoises.  When I see them I always stop the car and move the slow reptile to the other side of the road so it doesn't get hurt. Yesterday as I was driving I saw this beautiful boy smack in the middle of the road.  I stopped and jumped out and picked him up.  He immediately withdrew into his shell and closed  up tight.  I don't think that I had every seen a turtle that had prettier markings.  We were in a busy area, so I decided to move him to a lower ... 11/18/2013