When you’re looking to buy a home, there is a lot of advice out there.  Some great and some not so great.  One thing that you can count on that is good advice is to have an inspection done on the property.  So what does this mean and who will do it?

We sat down with Bob Rains, Owner of Rains Property Inspections, to get answers to the seven most common questions buyers ask about a home inspection, details on how they are done and, most importantly, what value they hold in their home purchase.

What is a Home Inspection? 
Well, a home inspection is generally defined as a limited, non-invasive examination condition of the home.  Usually this is done during the sale of a property and conducted by a licensed, trained, and Certified Home Inspector.  A…

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by Jenn Heller

I just realized that I haven’t thought about the foods I miss from New York until I had to think about the foods New York is best known for. As a New York girl turned Floridian in 1991, I’ve officially been a southern girl longer than I was a New Yorker, however, you can take the girl out of NY, but you can’t take NY out of the girl. Whenever I think about New York, I immediately get a different accent in my head. Any other NY transplants do that?

There’s a lot I miss about New York and National New York Day (which I have no idea what that really means) is a great day to just reminisce on all things New York and point everyone in the right direction to find all the best NY foods right here in Jacksonville and The Beaches.

hot dog truck on long island, new york#1 – Hot…

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By Karen Tyrrell

It took 762 days from land purchase to move-in. 762 days. That sounds like a long time - and it IS a long time! In those 762 days.....

  • We sold our home of 15+ years (which we loved) saying goodbye to the best neighbors ever
  • Moved into a less-than-optimal rental situation
  • I went back to work
  • We experienced a global pandemic
  • And, most devastating of all, we lost a family member far too young to cancer

To say these past two years have been stressful would be a gross understatement, but we made it. There were times I felt like my whole family hated me since taking on this project was all really my grand idea; the kids were miserable in the rental, we seemed to hemorrhage cash with every decision. I was busier than…

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Located just six miles to the beach along the Intracoastal Waterway lies the most sought after community on the First Coast. Known as one of America’s best selling master planned communities, Nocatee is a fine blend of shopping, dining, nature trails and recreation all in one place. Residents love the convenience Nocatee provides including golf cart paths to get you to where you want to go. Not only do the kids love the golf cart rides but they fully love the not ONE but TWO Splash Water Parks available to all Nocatee residents. Nocatee is zoned for the top A-Rated schools in the St. Johns County School District – the #2 Best School District in the State of Florida.

exterior of home

Buyers have been flocking to Nocatee for years and now more than ever, homes on the…

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By Brad King, Private Wealth Mortgage Banker with US Bank

Buying a home can be an entire mix of emotions from excitement straight through to sheer panic, that's why it's always best to have a REALTOR by your side. A REALTOR will point you in the right direction every step of the way and stay by your side through to closing. Homebuyers, especially first time homebuyers, can feel overwhelmed in the process especially if they don't know what to expect. The REALTOR is your advocate, your concierge, your advisor, your 'manager' and sometimes even your therapist. Once you find the right agent, they will also connect to you a few of their most trusted lenders who can tell you everything you need to know about a home mortgage and what it takes to get…

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