Ponte Vedra Focus Blog

Ponte Vedra Beach Visitors Center by Sarah Strickland

By Sarah Strickland

St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce opened a new Visitors Center in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Located at 200 Solana Road, Suite B, it is the perfect place to discover more about Ponte Vedra Beach and Nocatee. They offer a fully staffed office that can answer questions about the community, attractions, and places to shop and dine. 

Not only is the Visitors Center worth checking out for newcomers to the community, providing an array of guides and pamphlets that can help people to familiarize themselves with the area, but there are also many resources such as zoning guides, public school information, and statistics which residents will find helpful as well. 

If going to the Center is not an option, the website is a…

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Historic Real Estate Market Rebound in Jacksonville

By Gwinn Volen

The real estate market is on fire right now with an incredible bounce back from the onset of the pandemic. Using Ponte Vedra Beach as a sample for the greater Jacksonville market, closed sales were up 73% in June vs. May. This is the highest month over month gain since March of 2005.

Pending sales for June are up 34% vs. May. Pending sales generally represent where we are going for the next couple of months.

Why are Pending Sales Important?

With COVID and the onset of the economic crisis in March, the real estate market came to a bit of a halt for almost two months. Closed sales and pending sales were significantly down year over year, as were new listings.

Per the chief economist at the National Association of Realtors,…

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Ponte Vedra Real Estate Market During COVID-19: May Update

By Gwinn Volen

May real estate statistics are in, and compared to April it's more of the same for the 32082 zip code, Ponte Vedra Beach. Inventory remains very low at 4.6 months of supply.

The housing market functions under the same rules of supply and demand as any other industry. Six months of supply is considered a balanced market. So, as a whole, the 32082 market remains a seller's market (varies based on price point).

Home prices are holding, with a slight change from last May of -3%, but overall prices are up 7% for the last 12 months.

Closed sales for May were down 43% from May 2019, while April was down only 32%. May's decrease in sales are reflective of the lockdown that occurred earlier, in March and April, while April wasn't…

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Divorce and the House: A Guide To Get Through It - Part 2: House vs. Mortgage

There is a definite learning curve during divorce when one spouse has handled the major financial decisions while the other spouse has either relinquished control of those decisions or didn’t fully understand the decisions being made.  Most houses are financed via a mortgage and although “house” and “mortgage” seem to go hand-in-hand, this is not the case.

Home is An Asset, But Don't Forget the Mortgage is a Debt

A house, and the equity associated with it, is considered to be an asset on the marital balance sheet whereas the balance on the mortgage is considered to be a debt.  The process for dividing the two are very different in terms of cost and the amount of time necessary to separate the two.  

As far as the house is concerned,…

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Buyers are Looking for Deals, But Sellers Aren't Buying

by Gwinn Volen

Today’s Homebuyers Want Lower Prices. Sellers Disagree.

 The uncertainty the world faces today due to the COVID-19 pandemic is causing so many things to change. The way we interact, the way we do business, even the way we buy and sell real estate is changing. This is a moment in time that’s even sparking some buyers to search for a better deal on a home. Sellers, however, aren’t offering a discount these days; they’re holding steady on price.

According to the most recent NAR Flash Survey (a survey of real estate agents from across the country), agents were asked the following two questions:

1. “Have any of your sellers recently reduced their price to attract buyers?”

Their answer: 72% said their sellers have not lowered…

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Recession Coming? Probably. Housing Crisis? Read More

by Gwinn Volen

With all of the unanswered questions caused by COVID-19 and the economic slowdown we’re experiencing across the country today, many are asking if the housing market is in trouble. For those who remember 2008, it's logical to ask that question.

Many of us experienced financial hardships, lost homes, and were out of work during the Great Recession – the recession that started with a housing and mortgage crisis. Today, we face a very different challenge: an external health crisis that has caused a pause in much of the economy and a major shutdown of many parts of the country.

Let’s look at five things we know about today’s housing market that were different in 2008.

Appreciation

When we look at appreciation in the visual…

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Divorce and the House: A Guide To Get Through It

We are getting a divorce...now what?  One of the biggest questions facing a divorcing couple in a shared home is what to do with the house?  There are 4 basic options when it comes to a property. 

1) One party could buy out the other party 

2) Both parties can continue to co-own the house with one spouse moving out

3) Both parties can divide the marital assets where one person will get the house and the other person gets other assets owned

4) Both decide to sell the house and go their separate ways

It’s important to note that not all states handle these transactions the same.  The state you live in will determine if the house is considered marital or separate property. 

Florida operates under the laws of equitable distribution, which…

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Making a Historic Home Modern, A 1902 Jacksonville Example

by Gwinn Volen

Older homes can have lots of charm and character. One way to really highlight the craftsmanship is to embrace the contrast between the traditional and modern. That juxtaposition creates an enticing interior while also retaining the warmth of historical detailing.

A cedar shake exterior with a gracious porch sitting on four acres of waterfront land is the perfect example of timeless architecture.

In the dining room, a tufted-leather couch is a little bit rock and roll with the vintage flag pattern. Additionally, the black and chrome transparent chairs allow for the beauty of the built-in bar to really be seen.

The living room pairs a traditional rug with clean-lined sofas and the jewel of the room, a bright modern…

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Ponte Vedra Beach Real Estate Year End Review 2019

By Gwinn Volen

National home sales statistics show that as of November 2019 (end of year data has not been calculated), total home sales in the US were up 3.5% from 2018 for single-family homes with a total of 4.79M home sales, according to the National Association of Realtors.  The same data shows that the median home sales price was up 5.4% at $274,000, and months supply was 3.6 months, down 10% from 2018.

Florida's closed sales numbers for single-family residences were up 6.1% in November 2019 from 2018, and the median sales price was up 3.9% according to the Florida Realtors Association.  Months supply also decreased by 12.2% to 3.6 months.

So, what did the local market for Ponte Vedra Beach look like for 2019?

As of December 2019,…

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How to Search for Shark Teeth: A Guide By Sadie Pichelmann

by Sadie Pichelmann

I’m not a native of Ponte Vedra Beach, or even of Florida. Before moving here seven years ago, I was more familiar with snow than sand. One of the first memories I have of living in Ponte Vedra is of looking for treasures buried in the sand or being washed over by the ocean. I loved collecting pink-and-white seashells, shark eyes, sea glass, and encountering interesting creatures like crabs, seagulls, and sometimes even jellyfish. My family had heard that shark teeth could be found on the beach too, but that particular prize eluded me for a long time. A friend of mine told me that once you find one, you will start seeing them everywhere, which is something I now find true as a shark tooth searching aficionado.

Shark teeth…

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