Carey Frankel's Blog: All Categories

So, you’ve decided that you’re ready to become a homeowner. You’ve found your most comfortable pair of shoes and you’re ready to hit all the open houses in the neighborhood. But wait! There are a few things – well, ten things, in particular - that you may want to take care of before you begin house hunting for your first Jacksonville home:

Do you have dreams of becoming a homeowner, but the thought of maintaining a home, mowing the lawn and cleaning out the gutters leave you feeling a bit less than thrilled at the idea?

There is an alternative to a single-family home, and it comes with loads of perks and amenities! Condominium living affords many individuals the opportunity of becoming a homeowner, yet it does not include much of the hassles associated with home ownership.

From secure parking to concierge services and great amenities like swimming pools and tennis courts, condo living is an exciting opportunity for everyone from young, single professionals to empty nesters looking to break out of the suburbs.

Finding the Jacksonville condo that’s right for you (and your budget) may be a…

You’ve worked hard, saved for retirement and are lucky enough to have enough discretionary income every month to live quite comfortably. So, can your dream of living along the beautiful Florida coast come to fruition?

If you’ve crunched all the numbers and come out ahead, then you may be inclined to go for it and purchase that second Ponte Vedra Beach home. But before you begin calling real estate agents, there are a few things to consider:

• Have you considered the cost of furnishing and decorating the home? Don’t forget about window treatments, rugs, appliances, furniture and accessories, for starters.


• Have you considered the cost of traveling back and forth to your Ponte Vedra Beach vacation home? If you plan on…

There is a lot to be said for inspecting your home before you sell.

Today’s homeowners recognize that selling in today’s market may be difficult; therefore, they also recognize that discovering and addressing problems with the home before they list it on the market will save them a considerable amount of hassle when it comes time for negotiations.

With that said, there are several things you can do as the home seller, and several things which should be left to the professionals.

Begin by walking through your Jacksonville home and taking note of all obvious areas and items that need repaired or replaced. Remember both safety and aesthetics when making your list.

Some of the things you may be looking for include:

• Lighting fixtures and …

Cranewoods Development recently announced that the new loft residences of Jacksonville, the Chelsea Lofts, will be sold at bank-approved, short sale prices.

The Chelsea Lofts, located in the Riverside/Avondale historic district of Jacksonville, are recipients of four design awards for their historically compatible design and construction.

The short sale pricing means that the Chelsea Lofts will be sold for nearly $100 less per square foot than other comparable loft residences in the area. Two of the loft residences have sold over the past couple of months, so only a few residences remain at short sale pricing.

In addition to the short sale pricing on select residences, Cranewoods Development is also releasing a few of the residences for rent.

The…

A new neighborhood of single-family homes is set to become Nocatee’s newest community. Located in Ponte Vedra, Willowcove at Nocatee will feature homes priced from $354,900 to $399,900. Home sizes in Willowcove will range from 2,361 to 3,263 square feet.

The homes of Willowcove will be situated on 60 and 70-foot home sites, and will be thoughtfully placed throughout the village-like neighborhoods of Nocatee.

Willowcove at Nocatee is now open for sales.

About Nocatee

Nocatee is one of Ponte Vedra’s most sought-after communities, and for good reason. The town of Nocatee features single-family homes, luxury, estate homes, condominiums and townhomes, which means that there is surely a home for you in Nocatee, regardless of your wants, needs and desires.

Ortega Landing has had the unique opportunity to be chosen as the Jacksonville Symphony Guild 2009 Designer Showhouse. The Designer Showhouse, which is an annual fundraiser for the Jacksonville Symphony Guild, supports the Guild’s music education program and the Jacksonville Symphony Association.

Two of the condominium residences of Ortega Landing will be on display from May 16 through June 7. Some of the most respected designers from the area, including students from the Art Institute of Jacksonville, will decorate the units and incorporate many green design elements into them.

The incorporation of the green elements will coincide with the project’s “Green” theme.

In addition to the decorated homes, visitors to the Designer Showhouse at Ortega Landing…

Perhaps the best thing about today’s lighting trends is the sheer lack of trends. In other words, the lighting in your Duval County home should be based upon the type of design and ambience you want to create, and should not be dictated by fads and trends that last for a short period of time.

With this in mind, there are, however, several movements in lighting design that have been noted in the last couple of years. The following lighting movements, in addition to being adaptable and flexible to a wide variety of design concepts, show no sign on going anywhere anytime soon. What does that mean for you and your Duval County property? A classic style that will fit your lifestyle for years to come.

• Larger lighting fixtures – Larger lighting…