Grace Hughes' Real Estate Jacksonville Beach and Jacksonville, FL | Beach Homes, Beach Condominiums, Buying a House, Selling a House

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Grace Hughes
REALTOR®
    Years of Experience: 6

    GRI: Graduate REALTOR® Institute
    e-Pro Certified
    Loss Mitigation Specialist

Direct: (904) 233-1341



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Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners
Jacksonville, FL


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Posts Tagged ‘Jacksonville Florida Real Estate’

Check Out The Three Most Commom Mistakes You Can Make When Selling Your Home For Sale By Owner

Friday, March 18th, 2011

Are You Planning To Become A “For Sale By Owner’ Home Seller in Jacksonville, Florida? This is the time of year when some home owners are planning to become Home Sellers in Jacksonville, Florida.  They have begun to prepare their home For Sale or have already placed their homes on the market for a Spring purchase.  With that in mind I thought I’d post a list of some of the mistakes that can be made by Home Sellers when selling their home:

Incorrectly Pricing Their Home – If the home is not priced at competitive market prices the home may not be viewed by potential buyers.  Home buyers looking in the area will be looking at a different price range when they come to the neighborhood.  This makes the home invisible to the potential home buyers looking in the area.  They simply will not see it since they are looking in another price range.  Overpricing increases the time on the market and increases the sellers costs over time.  Ultimately many overpriced properties sell below market prices because people think there are issues if they sit on the market a long time waiting for that one buyer that has the money to pay their price.

Not Fixing Up the Home and Showcasing It - A home must be spotless to get showings in the market today.  I sometimes send my potential home sellers around to look at other homes for sale in the area and to other competing neighborhoods so they will see for themselves.  So spruce up the house inside and out.  Touch up the paint and landscaping and keep it that way.

Mistaking Lookers For Buyers - Anyone that sells their home themselves always gets more activity than houses listed by agents.  Real estate professionals will only bring qualified buyers and these will be fewer than when someone holds an open house and whoever walks through the door is qualified to see your home.

About 95% of people that come to Open Houses are not bona fide buyers.  Most of these (about 70%) will have a home to sell first, 15 to 20 percent will live in the neighborhood and 10 percent are looking for decorating ideas.  So about 5% based on National Association of Realtors  statistics are truly potential buyers.  That means if 50 people see your home then less than 3 or 2.5 are genuine buyers.  A real estate professional will not spend their time showing a property unless they have qualified the client prior to walking them through your home.  A For Sale By Owner may end up with a parade of Sunday afternoon shoppers.

If you would like a complete list of Mistakes You Can Make When Selling A Home, please text or call at 904-233-1341 or send an email to: gracehughesjax@gmail.com.  Thank you for reading my blog.

All Signs Point Toward An Improvement In the Housing Market in Jacksonville, Florida and the Beaches area of North Florida and Ponte Vedra Beach for 2011

Sunday, February 13th, 2011

All signs point toward an improvement in existing homes sales in 2011 in Jacksonville, Florida and the Beaches area.  Although we saw a dramatic drop in new homes sales in 2010, sales are expected to improve by 17.7% according to figures from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).  This could be impacted by an improvement in the jobs market or a lack of it.  However productivity was up in January in spite of the bad weather which kept a lot of workers home.  Private sector payrolls and corporate earnings were up and existing home purchases rose in January with the current supply of new homes being stated as a 6.9 months supply.  This number has been as high as 12 to 18 months in some areas.

So signs point in the general direction of a recovery for the housing market in Jacksonville, the Beaches and North Florida.  Ninety percent of most homes purchased today are being financed through FHA loans and Ben Bernanke said last week when he spoke to the National Press Club the Fed won’t be changing their policy support anytime soon.

If you have been considering a home purchase, condominiums and smaller single-family homes (less than 2,000 sq ft) are getting a lot of attention and could be the latest and wisest investment in Jacksonville.   To search for homes in Jacksonville, Florida and the Beaches MLS home market, go to www.FindAPlaceWithStyleNGrace.com and go to the Property Search Page.  You can save your searches and return another time.  Feel free to text or contact me Direct at 904-233-1341.

Home Sales Have Improved in Jacksonville Florida and the State Across Several Consumer Segments And Inventories are Continuing to Dwindle

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Home sales have improved in Jacksonville, Florida and the state across a number of consumer segments.  In Miami the lower prices have helped to fuel the market for working class families.  Additionally baby boomers have had less to spend due to the drop in the values of their investments so we are seeing retirees return to Florida due to the reduction in the cost of homes and the improved affordability index.   We are also seeing more South Americans, Canadians and Europeans come to Jacksonville Florida and other parts of the state to purchase homes.

Foreclosures and Short Sales have fueled the market in Jacksonville, Florida and other cities in the state.  They remain a big part of the state’s housing market today and will most likely stay that way for a while.   So if you or someone you know have been planning to purchase a single family home or condominium in the Florida area, now is the time to make that purchase before the opportunity slips away.  Condo inventories have dwindled to where there aren’t enough to go around and within a few short months will be even lower.

This has been the scenario every year since 2007.  The demand from year to year has increased because Jacksonville is not only a vacation market it is a beautiful, green, thriving, interesting city that has a lot to offer all segments of the population.  However there aren’t as many developers around this year with new projects coming out of the ground to supply the increased demand due to the depressed economy.

Find A Place With Style and Grace! My web site where you can find any home in the Northeast Florida MLS which is a five county area of homes including Jacksonville Florida and all the beach cities; Jax Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach.   www.FindAPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com.  Email: gracehughesjax@gmail.com

Any questions you can text or call me 904-233-1341.

Affordable Single-Family Homes and Condos Have Returned to Jacksonville Florida and the Beaches of Florida

Monday, January 17th, 2011

Affordability in single-family homes and condos returned to Jacksonville Florida and the Beaches of Florida in 2010. A good indicator of this fact is more than 50% of all homes sold in the Jacksonville, Florida area in 2010 were purchased by First Time Home Buyers.  This was higher than the national average of 40%.  Last year first time home buyers could once again afford to purchase nice single-family homes in neighborhoods that were previously out of their reach financially.  This means it is a great time for “anyone” to purchase in the Jacksonville, Florida area markets!  This means it’s time to buy that second home or beach-front property you have been wanting to purchase!

According to Florida Realtor statistics five years ago affordability was one of the greatest challenges facing the Florida housing market.  Home prices were rising annually at a rate of 15 to 25 percent.  The state of Florida’s median sales price had reached $248,300 for single-family homes and $211,300 for condos.  However since the peak of 2006 sale prices have fallen more than 40%.  Now that sales have increased this year and prices have begun to stabilize in many areas listing inventories are shrinking as more buyers have taken advantage of the markets by purchasing homes in Jacksonville and surrounding communities.

Find A Place With Style and Grace! Call or contact Grace Hughes, Realtor, GRI,e-Pro, LMC at 904-233-1341

To Search Homes in North East Florida Realtors Multi-Listing market, go to www.FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com.

You can send a text to Grace at 904-233-1341

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.

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.

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

Attention Home Sellers – Home Buyers Are Beginning To Buy Smaller Homes Again!

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

With baby boomers entering retirement, young adults delaying marriage, and the US economy in a state of flux, home buyers are beginning to purchase smaller homes again.  Home sellers, this means you may have a greater chance of selling your home than you  thought. Although home buyers still want luxury, they are beginning to put their stuff into smaller spaces.

According to the Census Bureau the square footage of new homes purchased in 2008 dropped to 2215 sq feet, down from 2277 sq feet.  This is the first drop in square footage of new homes purchased since the recession of the early eighties.

However, to sell your home you still need to make it look larger than it’s actual size.  Some ways to do this are:  fresh paint using neutral coloring, blending colors in medium to light shades; having carpet and walls done in similar color tones.  Also applying one continuous type of flooring throughout the home will make a home seem more spacious.

Additionally, move out all furniture except the bare essentials.  Even if  your china hutch is a family heirloom, it will serve you best in storage.  Daddy may also have to give up his big, over-stuffed recliner for a few months in order to clear a path for potential buyers to walk from the living room and dining area to the kitchen area, when they view your home.

One of my dear friends asked me what they would need to do to sell their home.  Theirs was one of the older homes in Jacksonville, Florida that had been maintained beautifully, and like some other older homes, had smaller, narrow rooms.  We discussed several ideas and they took my suggestions to heart.  He gave up his recliner, for one thing, and we had a sale within a short time.   I am proud to say, at closing, he was quick to point out, “They sold their home by using some of their realtor’s suggestions, and that stuff works!”

Creating the feeling of space is the key, and there are numerous ways to do this.  Stashing things away, for instance, lowering the ceiling in the hallway or raising the ceiling adjacent to it.  The good thing is you don’t have to be as concerned about those smaller rooms because buyers are beginning to love the smaller spaces.  However, as an article in Realtor.org magazine for February suggests,  ”You have to create the illusion of space.”

If you have a particularly challenging situation with a home, or just need to sell your home and need the advise of an experienced professional, I will be glad to discuss your home by phone.  My email is: gracehughesjax@gmail.com.  You can find all homes on the MLS and in the Greater Jacksonville area on my site, including those in Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra, Mandarin, and other cities of Duval, St Johns and Clay Counties: www. FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com. Go to the Property Search Page.

My direct line is 904-233-1341.

Buying A Home in Jacksonville or Beaches area of Florida? There Are A Lot of Questions You Need to Ask Before Making That Purchase…

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Here are just a few I suggest to my clients…

What is the neighborhood (and your neighbors) like?

Are there certain area features that would affect the value of this property in the future?

What are the realty taxes on the home?   What are the utilities?

What home repairs have been made in the past three years?

How far do I have to travel for schools, public transit, and shopping?

What major repair expenses do I have to look forward to within the next three to five years?

What is the traffic flow in front of or near the property…any main roads, bus routes, etc.?

Are there any utility easements or encroachments over the property?

Is there a fairly recent survey that shows all the buildings and additions on the property?

There are so many things one should check before making a home purchase.  I can send you my complete list if you would like.  Or, if there are any of the above questions that you don’t have a clear answer to – call me, and I will see what I can do to find the answers for you.

All my services come with a satisfaction guarantee – and are completely free of charge to you.  My job is to have you fully informed before you make a costly buying decision!  My #904-233-1341 or my web site where you can go to find all listings in the five county Northeast Florida area which includes Jacksonville Beach and the other beaches.  Go to www.FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com.  Then to the Property Search Page.

There is No Bell at the Bottom! However Jacksonville & Jacksonville Beach, Florida Home Sales Could Be There!

Monday, September 7th, 2009

I have used this phrase to emphasize a point. The point being how often someone tells me about the one home they didn’t purchase when they had a chance; the home they wished they had purchased due to it’s current “much higher” value!  Unfortunately we will not hear a bell and the government can not say, or know,  when we reach the bottom of the real estate market in Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville Beach, or anywhere else.  However,  if you have been considering purchasing that single-family home, condominium, second home, or, you are a first time home buyer, and you are interested in this data for this very reason, please find it below.  This area and the State of Florida data is compelling, and so makes me think the bell should possibly be shined up a bit…so here you are:

State of Florida Home Sales 7/09  Compared to 7/08  + 28% Jacksonville Florida Home Sales +16% Same Period

Other areas and cities:     Daytona Beach+20%   Ft Lauderdale+35%   Ft Myers+137%   Ft Pierce+27%   Ft Walton Beach+15%   Lakewood+14%   Melbourne+14%   Miami+54%   Ocala+63%   Orlando+38%   Panama City+15%   Tampa+21%

Average Interest Rate Ending period Sept 3, 2009:  30 yr Fixed - 5.08% Freddie Mae

Low mortgage rates are helping to keep housing affordable, according to government housing VP and chief economist, Frank Mothaft.   Seven of the top eight most affordable months for purchasing a home have occurred during the last twelve months, with the Most Affordable months being tracked since 1971!  As a result, pending sales of existing homes rose for the sixth straight month in July of this year, and July sales were the strongest since June 2007.   Call me with any questions about property, homes or financing.

All Single-Family Homes and Condominiums Available in the MLS, as well as Short Sales and Foreclosures are available on my web site at: http://FindaPlaceWithStyleNgrace.com.  My email is: gracehughesjax@gmail.com.  My Direct contact number is 904-233-1341 with questions.

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