Jacksonville FL Real Estate Update

Well, it happened again... a short sale contract fell through the day before closing because the buyer didn't get final approval from his lender underwriting.

While it is tempting for me to go on a rant about the mortgage industry as a whole right now and the seeming ineptness of underwriters and their lack of caring one bit about how much anxiety they pile on buyers and sellers, I know that doing so isn't going to help my clients get their house sold.

My heart bleeds for them as I have struggled to help them jump through every hoop that their own lender presented and then wait and wait and wait on the buyer's lender to come through with the loan for which they said the buyer was PRE-QUALIFIED. Sadly enough, this is the second time a sale has fallen through on this same property. 

Fortunately, our MLS allows for continued marketing of short sale properties but, of course, once there is an accepted offer the status changes in the listing and all advertising which pretty much cuts off interest from other potential buyers.

So, today we are hitting it hard and heavy to let buyers know that this fantastic 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in the heart of Mandarin on Jacksonville, Florida's southside is back on the market and the super low price of only $135,000 has already been approved for a short sale.  

If you are in the market to purchase a home for sale in Jacksonville or if you know someone who is, this may just be the perfect fit.

This 1664 sq. ft. home is beautifully maintained and centrally located in Mandarin on a large, well-manicured lot. Roof is only a few years old... enclosed patio with hot tub included. Out building is equipped with electric and water which is great for use as workshop, hobby room or whatever. 

Other features include: cementitious siding, woodburning fireplace, french drains, water softener, sprinkler system on timer, interior atrium and more. 

This unique floorplan, coupled with a centrally located woodburning fireplace, split bedrooms and beautifully landscaped lawn makes this an ideal home for you. The enclosed back patio with spa (included) overlooks a finely manicured fenced backyard... perfect for relaxing and entertaining friends and family.

This is a winner from A to Z!

In our effort to provide as much information about the Jacksonville real estate market as possible for our readers, we are now offering the Housing Trend eNewsletter. Just click on the banner at the bottom of any of our blog posts to view the current edition and to sign up to receive the newsletter via email each month. This eNewsletter is specially designed for you, with national and local housing information that you may find useful whether you’re in the market for a home, thinking about selling your home, or just interested in homeowner issues in general.

Please click on this link to view the Housing Trends DECEMBER-2010 Newsletter:
http://timandsusan.housingtrendsenewsletter.com?Newsletter_ID=256&Period_ID=313

The Housing Trends eNewsletter contains the latest information from the National Association of REALTORS®, the U.S. Census Bureau, Realtor.org reports and other sources.

Housing Trends eNewsletter is also filled with local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by MLSs and the National Association of Realtors, U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, housing market video reports, blogs, real estate glossary, maps, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, community reports that map shopping, schools, recreation and more. 

If you are interested in determining the value of your home, click the “Home Evaluator” link for a free evaluation report:
http://timandsusan.housingtrendsenewsletter.com/dispContent.cfm?loadid=2&loadtype=0

Sound decisions can only be made with accurate and reliable information, and we are happy to be a trusted resource for Jacksonville area real estate consumers. Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with this monthly eNewsletter, and we look forward to answering any questions you may have and to the opportunity to be your REALTORS® in the future.

I missed the total lunar eclipse that just occurred and could be seen in Jacksonville but found this video of it and thought I'd share with our readers... hope you enjoy!

FACT: The community of San Marco, located just south of downtown Jacksonville, Florida is one of the most historic and highly sought after neighborhoods for young business professionals looking to buy real estate in Northeast Florida.

MYTH:  There aren't any houses in the area priced under $200,000 that are worth buying.

While it is true that San Marco is a somewhat upscale neighborhood with numerous homes priced well in excess of half a million dollars, it is also true that there are a number of homes available for far less.  And one of the advantages of purchasing one of those homes is the future appreciation in value the buyer might expect just by being located within the area.

San Marco is one of the most historically and culturally significant areas in Jacksonville and is home to some of the area's most prestigious restaurants and boutiques.  It's residents and business owners tend to identify very strongly with the community and work diligently to maintain its appeal and value.

At it's center is an artsy dining, shopping and entertainment district known locally as "the Square". Galleries restaurants and boutiques are, for the most part, locally and independently owned and operated - many by people who also live in the immediate area as well.

It is not unusual to rub elbows with an eclectic group of people including young professionals, 'old money' professionals, starving artists, tourists (local and foreign) and others who simply appreciate a diversity of culture and entertainment opportunities.

Sure, if you are in the market for a higher priced home San Marco has much to offer but if your budget doesn't allow the luxury just now and you want to live in this fabulous community there are many great homes for sale between $100,000 and $200,000.

Below is a continuously updated list of homes in the area of San Marco through San Jose in that price range. If you want more information about San Marco or any homes for sale in the area, call Susan Fennell at 904-568-5468. Susan is a buyers specialist and knows the entire region as well as anyone in the industry.

Or, if you have a home in the area that you'd like to sell, give Tim Fennell a call at 904-568-4528. Tim is a listing and marketing specialist and is more than happy to meet with you for a no obligation consultation regarding the value of your property and how he can assist you in getting it sold.

Search Homes for Sale in Jacksonville, Florida - and do it like a REALTOR®

Are you growing tired of going from one web site to another looking for that perfect home for sale in the greater Jacksonville, Florida area?

Wouldn't you like to be able to just search all the homes for sale the same way a REALTOR® does it?

We know that most buyers like to search for awhile on their own before choosing a real estate agent. We understand that many folks are just beginning to think about buying and they want to be able to see what's available and kind of keep up with the trends.

That's why we provide a couple of different tools that allow you to search all you want without being bugged by an agent to "buy now." Hey, you aren't ready to "buy now" so why have a bunch of agents constantly putting pressure on you to do so?

Personally, we despise being hard sold, pressured and harassed and we absolutely will not do that to you!

You are welcome to visit our Jacksonville Florida Real Estate website and check out the two tools we have available. One is a basic IDX Search on the home page or you may prefer the Listingbook® tool which provides a different type of search experience. Either way you will have up to date information on all homes for sale in Jacksonville and the surrounding areas and counties throughout Northeast Florida.

Jacksonville is the nation's largest city in square miles and is divided by numerous waterways and bridges. Sometimes people who are not all that familiar with the city find it difficult to search homes for sale by the name of areas or regions. Our search tool enables you to search by drawing a shape on the map and searching the homes for sale within your chosen area. 

This is a great way to search if you know you want to be near a particular address such as your place of employment or a school or some other landmark you want to be near. Just locate that address on the map and then draw a circle or square around it and begin looking at all the homes for sale in that region that match your particular needs.

Of course, if you need any help setting up the search we are more than happy to assist you... and, again, we PROMISE NOT TO BUG YOU.  We know that when you're ready to go out and begin looking at individual houses you'll let us know.

Jacksonville Bank Owned Homes for Sale in Southside, Mandarin and Bartram

Hardly a day goes by that we don't get a call or two from buyers looking for real estate in the areas of Southside, Mandarin and Bartram in Jacksonville, Florida. These are 3 of the most sought after areas of the city due to the abundance of great shopping, entertainment and schools and their close proximity to downtown Jacksonville, the beaches and St. Augustine, FL.

Many of these buyers are looking for bargains... and why not?! One of the best places to start looking for bargain real estate is by looking at bank owned homes. These listings are typically labeled as REO, HUD, VA or Fannie Mae owned properties.  Buyers usually just call them Foreclosures, however.

Below is a simple way for you to begin searching for these types of homes.  Each of these in the search below are bank owned, HUD owned, VA owned, etc and the list is updated continuously so you can use this link day after day to get new listings...

Or, better yet, set up your own Portal and keep track of you favorites until you're ready to call us to assist you in looking at some and making an offer on the one of your choice.

MANDARIN - JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - HOMES FOR SALE

Homes for Sale in Mandarin, Jacksonville, Florida for under $100,000? Is it really possible to find a single family detached home in the Mandarin area priced that low?

Absolutely!

In fact, given the super low interest rates still available, Mandarin Real Estate hasn't been this affordable in many years.

And with our Fannie Mae department, we have access to a number of listings throughout Jacksonville that qualify for the fantastic Homepath Financing that allows for super low down payments and easy qualification for the loans.

Just click on the links below to get started in finding your perfect home in Julington Creek. Julington Creek is located just south of Mandarin about 30 minutes from downtown Jacksonville in Northwest St. Johns County.

The community of Julington Creek is one of the most popular areas in the greater Jacksonville, Florida region. Although Julington Creek and neighboring Switzerland took a bit of a hit in the real estate market over the past few years, they did not take as big a hit as many areas in the region. As proud sponsors of Julington Creek for FirstCoastNews.com, we are happy to bring you this real estate market report for the month of November.

Search all Julington Creek area homes for sale today and call with any questions you may have.

This report first appeared at MyJaxHomeTeam.com