Ponte Vedra Focus Blog - Community Blog

Ways to Give Back this Holiday in Jacksonville

by Jenn Heller

2020 launched with great anticipation, with many thinking, “this is my year.”  Then COVID-19 hit and changed lives for many, leaving 6.8% of Americans without jobs and creating great needs across the US.   The pandemic has potentially left more than 50 million people hungry, including 17 million children, and there has been a rise in the homeless community throughout the country. This need exists right here in our corner of the world, the greater Jacksonville area.

We know many are looking to give back during the holidays and giving can mean more than just gifts.  

Interested in doing your part to help change lives this holiday?  Set aside some time with your friends, family, small group or co-workers to make a difference in…

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Holiday Parade, Toy Drive and Luminary Event in Old Ponte Vedra December 6

by Gwinn Volen

The Ponte Vedra Community Association has come up with a creative way to bring in the holiday season with COVID-safety in mind.

For years, PVCA has held a tree-lighting event on the driving range of the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club. This annual event is fondly etched into the memories of neighborhood families who remember greeting Santa by the tree as little ones, throwing the football in the dark with friends and sharing hot chocolate and holiday cheer. Annually, it has always been a loved time to mingle with neighbors and collect toys for our local Fire Station 10.

Due to the pandemic, PVCA strategized on new ways to celebrate the holiday while still building a sense of community, finally deciding on a COVID-cautious…

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Building at the Beach: Preparing to Bid the Job

By Karen Tyrrell

As I mentioned in the last article, we thought we had a good idea of how this program was going to go down – simply pick an architect/draftsman, bid the project, choose a builder, hire a designer to decorate, move into the house. Not quite.  

We learned the hard way that in order to eat this elephant without choking, we needed to start with smaller bites.  (I actually hate that saying but cannot think of another one that more accurately applies.)  We have been blessed with so many friends who have offered help and guidance, and even still this seems a monumental task for us “laypeople.  We were fortunate enough to have been referred to an excellent draftsman who got us going and provided us with a basic floor plan we used as a…

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October Real Estate Report: The Market Shows Incredible Strength in Uncertain Times

by Gwinn Volen

The US economy is slowly piecing itself back together as we forge through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the real estate market continues to be one of the strongest economic drivers, with homebuyers showing robust demand for what little home inventory there is.

Here are the October statistics for the Ponte Vedra Beach real estate market, which are representative of Jacksonville as a whole.

As you can see, the numbers show an incredibly healthy market. Prices are up and inventory is down. This is a great situation for sellers, and we are seeing homes in all price points moving, even older inventory that has been sitting, growing a beard.

This seller's market can be a little off-putting to buyers, but through the right guidance…

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Building at the Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach: An Introduction

By Karen Tyrrell

After 15 years of living in Ponte Vedra Beach and more than five years of looking at properties, my husband and I finally decided to buy an older home closer to the beach in an area called Old Ponte Vedra, tear it down, and build a custom home.

Sounds fun and maybe a little romantic? It’s not. At least not for us... or probably anyone with a budget.

Budgets ruin everything. Even though we knew what we wanted to do and had done a good bit of what we thought was research (happy hours at the beach with friends who had built homes), we were not nearly as prepared as we thought we would be and our expectations of so much about the process were…off, to say the least.

In this series of articles, I will write about our experiences –…

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Why Selling this Fall Makes Sense: September Real Estate Report

By Gwinn Volen

September continues to display an incredible seller's market in our area.

Why sell now?

Low Inventory at the Beaches and the Greater Jacksonville Area

Northeast Florida has the lowest housing inventory in recent history with Ponte Vedra Beach at 2.4 months supply, and the greater Jacksonville area at 2.1%.

Buyer Demand is High

Because inventory is low, homes are seeing a much higher than normal showing rate. Here is what the showings per listing trend line looks like in Ponte Vedra Beach. Our team continues to see new buyers coming from all across the US, looking for a change of lifestyle and a tax relief. In the last week, we've had contacts from buyers in New Jersey, Nebraska, California and Atlanta, to give you a…

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Home Prices Up, Inventory Low: Ponte Vedra Beach and the Greater Jax Real Estate Market is On Fire

By Gwinn Volen

August home sale numbers are in, and the real estate market continues to not only be on fire but highly competitive too.

Here are the highlights for the Ponte Vedra Beach real estate market:

• The median sale price is up 24% from July 2020 and 34% from August 2019.
• Inventory of homes (months supply) is at 3 months, down 42% from last year and down 3% from July. 6 months supply is considered a balanced market, so we are in a seller's market.
• Buyer traffic is up. Showings per listing are up 35% when compared to August 2019.

What does this mean? This is a great market for a real estate agent, where many are having record years. However, it's tough, as the buyers are out there but the inventory isn't.

For those…

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Tips on Writing a Competitive Offer in a Competitive Real Estate Market

By Karen Tyrrell

By now you’ve most certainly heard about the “super-hot housing market”. With historically low-interest rates, folks fleeing cities for more suburban settings, and low inventories of homes, properties are moving very quickly – especially here in Florida!  Many employees have been given the choice and even forced in some cases to work from home.  With the realization that they can essentially work from anywhere, they’re choosing to escape to warmer, less crowded and more affordable settings.  And honestly, who can blame them?

A Seller's Market Means Buyers Need to Be Prepared and Aggressive

With less than 3 months of home sales the Jacksonville real estate market is decidedly a seller's market.  Unfortunately, so often in these…

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Curtis Dvorak of First Coast News Interviews Real Estate Agent Gwinn Volen of The Volen Group

Housing. inventory is low. With that, buyers and sellers alike need a seasoned real estate agent. Curtis Dvorak of First Coast News interviews Gwinn Volen on selecting a real estate agent.  Additionally, here’s a checklist of things to think about when choosing a Realtor®.

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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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