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Grace Hughes
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    Years of Experience: 6

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Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners
Jacksonville, FL

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Archive for March 2010

Consider A Home Energy Rating With Your Next Home Purchase in Jacksonville Florida

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

When you buy your next home in Florida consider requesting a Florida Home Energy Rating.  Use this rating to figure how much the home will cost you like you would the miles-per-gallon sticker ratings on a new automobile.  The Florida Building Energy-Efficiency Rating Act was passed by the State Legislature in 1993 and amended in 1994.  This act established a voluntary statewide energy-efficiency rating system for homes.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Jacksonville the energy rating offers you a market-place yardstick that measures the benefits of energy-efficiency improvements.  You are probably planning to get a Home Inspection if you purchase a home.  Smart home buyers in Jacksonville are now asking for a home energy rating.  In addition to an overall estimate of energy use you get detailed breakdowns of the energy costs of the air conditioning, space heating, water heating, refrigerator, clothes dryer, cooking costs, lighting, pool pumping and other miscellaneous equipment.

Qualified Energy Gauge raters use a specially designed software program to input data about your home and obtain accurate information regarding what energy-efficiency features can be added to your home to maximize cost-savings and add more comfort.  The raters give your home an index that is based on the energy costs of your home compared with national guidelines.

As a real estate professional I am required  to give you information about getting an EnergyGauge Rating when you sign a home purchase contract with me.  I will be glad to give you additional information about this program.  Call me Direct at 904-233-1341 or information about this program is available at www.floridaenergycenter.org.  My email is: gracehughesjax@gmail.com.

My web site where you can find any home listed in the Northeast Florida MLS is located at the following link: www.FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com.   Go to the Property Search Link on the Left Menu and c lick on Search for Property in Your Area.

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Posted in Buying a Home | 1 Comment »

Mortgage Brokers Association Expects Housing Starts to Be Up in 2010

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Although housing starts were down slightly (0.6%) in February they are up for the year by 39.8%. The slight decline in February was due to a reduction in multi-family housing starts.  This information is according to the Mortgage Brokers Association.  This reduction in multi-family housing starts can be a good thing if we see some absorption of the many condominium units on the market in our beautiful city by the sea of Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

The federal government’s activity of purchasing mortgage-backed securities which has kept mortgage rates at historic lows for over a year is scheduled to stop March 31, 2010.  The MBA says this may begin to put pressure on mortgage rates to gradually go up over the next year and keep rates rising into 2011 and 2012.

So before those rates go back up, exercise your right to claim a First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of $8,500, or if you have lived in your current home for five years or more sign a contract to purchase another home by April 30, 2010 and claim a $6,500 Tax Credit through the Federal Government.    The contract if signed should close by June 30, 2010.    Any questions call me at 904-233-1341 or go on-line to my web site to find a home in the Jacksonville, Florida and Beaches area: www.FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com. Go to the Property Search page.

Email me at: gracehughesjax@gmail.com.

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Posted in Buy a House | No Comments »

More Free and Easy Fix-ups To Sell Your Home For Top Dollar In Jacksonville Florida

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Ideas for Inside the Home that are Free and Easy Fix-ups to Help Sell Your Home For Top Dollar in Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, Florida:

1.  Clean everything in and out of sight.  Shampoo rugs and wax floors.  Wash or brush walls.  Wash windows and clean blinds and draperies.

2.  Straighten up the clutter in the closets and cupboards to get the best return on investment.

3.  Create space by storing some of the extra furniture, like bookcases, storage chests, over-sized chairs, etc.

4.  Placing remaining furniture so the traffic can flow easily from room to room will help you  get top dollar for your home.

5.  Keep shades and draperies open, to admit as much light as possible.

6.  Keep your kitchen warm and welcoming by keeping the sink shining and free of dirty dishes at all times.

7. Clean the refrigerator and keep the kitchen counter tops clean and neat, but not empty.  Show off only your best canister set.

8.  Completely degrease your oven and keep the area smelling fresh as possible.

9.  Removing  dust and debris from all light fixtures will help bring top dollar for your home.

10. Keep bathrooms scrubbed and tidy with a fresh supply of soap, towels and tissue.   Install new washers, if needed, and get rid of all stains.

To get top dollar for your home you may have to put in some extra work, however, it will pay off in the long run.  If you need to sell your home in the Greater Jacksonville area and need additional advise, feel free to call me direct at 904-233-1341, or my email is: gracehughesjax@gmail.com.  To find all homes for sale and listed on the area MLS go to www.FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com.  Go to the Property Search Page.

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Posted in Selling Your Home | No Comments »

Free and Easy Fix-ups To Sell Your Home in Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Monday, March 15th, 2010

If you put your home on the market without preparing it for sale, you may have a long wait.  You also may not realize your home’s greatest return on investment.  Here are a few tips to get you started toward selling that home:

1.  Spruce up all around the home.  Keep the lawn and shrubbery trimmed and free of bicycles and other clutter.

2.  Keep the garden beds weeded and mulched.

3.  Put a flowering pot on the front step and keep it watered and trimmed.

4.  Fill potholes in your driveway and tidy up walkways.

5.  Clean off your outdoor furniture; remove any rust or toss out the rusted items.

6.  Clear out the garage of everything but cars.  If yours has become a two-car attic, throw out the excess.

7.  Straighten gutters, the mailbox, the fence and other things that sag.

8.  Fix doorbells, tighten loose doorknobs, and oil squeaking hinges.

9.  Repair broken windows and shutters.

Hope this will help you get started.  I’ll address some ideas for the inside of your home with my next blog entry.

If you would like some suggestions and you are not sure where to put your time and money, feel free to give me a call and I’ll be happy to make some suggestions.  My email is gracehughesjax@gmail.com or feel free to call at 904-233-1341.  My web site where you can find all homes listed for sale in the Northeast Florida Multi-Listing Service is: www.FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com.

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Posted in Selling Your Home | No Comments »

Owning a Home Vs Renting – Advantages & Disadvantages in Jacksonville & Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Advantages of Owning a Home In Jacksonville or Jacksonville Beach, Florida

  • Equity builds over time
  • Real Estate Taxes are Deductible
  • Sense of Security and Stability
  • Can Decorate, Remodel, Paint as you like
  • Homes Can Appreciate in Value
  • Housing Payments Are Usually Fixed
  • The Payment Rate Whether Fixed or Adjustable is Your Choice
  • In a Buyers Market Some or All Closing Costs could be paid by the Seller

Other Thoughts You Must Consider Before Purchasing a Home in Jacksonville or Jacksonville Beach, Florida

  • You are Responsible for the Upkeep and  Maintenance Costs
  • Property taxes must be paid either once a year or escrowed and paid monthly
  • Mortgage payments can be equal to or even higher than rental payments if you purchase too much home
  • Must pay closing costs, real estate transfer taxes and other application fees or plan for these costs if seller doesn’t pay them

Real estate markets and deals vary from city to city and state to state.  Do not purchase a home on a whim, even if you know it is ”the one’.  Ask your real estate professional to help you determine it’s market value and the value of the homes around it.

I live and work in the heart of Jacksonvlle and  Jacksonville Beach, including Duval and  St John’s  County and can help you run a report from the Multi-Listing database to determine the best offer to make on the home.  My web site which is updated by the MLS daily is:  www.FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com.  You can search for properties by going to the Property Search page.

Call me at 904-233-1341 to find out how I can help or email or text me at: gracehughesjax@gmail.com

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Posted in Owning a Home | 21 Comments »

Should You Own or Rent A Home In Jacksonville & Jacksonville Beach, Florida at This Time?

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Being an optimistic individual one would like to say owning may be the better choice as compared to renting right now.  So why is buying a home in Jacksonville Beach, Florida good now as opposed to last year 2009?  The market may be going up as opposed to going down.  One doesn’t want to buy in a sluggish market, if they can help it.  A buyer could loose money if the value drops after purchasing below that of the price originally paid.

According to Northeast Florida Association of Realtors the number of homes under contract rose for nice consecutive months in 2009 and the housing market in 2010 is virtually guaranteed to be better than that of 2009.   One of the reasons is the extension of the first time home buyer tax credit of $8,500 which was originally set to expire in late November of 2009.  Another reason is there was an addition of a move-up buyer tax credit of $6,500 for those buyers that have lived in their current homes longer than five years.

A third factor that could support stronger sales in 2010 is better mortgage rates for jumbo loans.  There had been a disproportionate increase in the inventory of higher price range homes (over a million dollars) from 2007 and 2008.  The average rate for a 30-yr fixed rate jumbo and FHA  loan fell from 143 basis points in January 2009 to 71 basis points in December of 2009.

With improved FHA and jumbo rates and some absorption of the jumbo priced homes this could be the time to make that planned home purchase whether you are a First Time Home Buyer or a Million Dollar Home Buyer.   Now could be the bottom of the real estate market in Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, Florida.  If you are considering entering the real estate market in this area, call or email me with your home buying criteria and you can make that decision based on Jacksonville, Florida real estate market data.  I will be glad to  forward this data to you.    My email is: gracehughesjax@gmail.com.  Homes For Sale and on the market listed with the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors can be assessed through my web site at: www.FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com.  Go to the Property Search page.

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Posted in Buying a Home | 3 Comments »

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