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Jacksonville Beach, FL Real Estate News

By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
Budget cuts mean the cancellation of our annual Sea & Sky Spectacular, which was to be hosted by NAS Jacksonville this year. The show has historically alternated show sites between NAS Jax and the beach every other year, drawing 200,000+ visitors to see the incredible Blue Angels.  I understand the Navy is saving $28 million by the cancellation of ALL the remaining Blue Angels shows, however, it's an incredible experience for spectators to see what these pilots can do, and this is one of those few opportunities.  You can read the full article here:  http://jacksonville.com/military/2013-04-11/story/navy-cancels-jacksonville-air-show#ixzz2QCNFjhKG    
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
We are so excited here in Jacksonville Beach to have the HGTV Smart Home in Paradise Key! It's right around the corner from my house, and close to everything you could possibly want: beach, shopping & dining. You can enter to win twice daily, once on the HGTV website, and once on the HGTV Remodels site, and you can enter starting today through 5/31/13. Here's the link to enter: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-smart-home-2013-giveaway/package/index.html?nl=Smart2013R1-Enter&sni_mid=73562&sni_rid=73562.12902.130510&c32=   They will be doing tours which I understand are $20 per adult, with the proceeds benefiting the Beaches Area Historical Society. 
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Sunrise Service, oceanfront again this year, and capture this shot of the sunrise as I was leaving the service - I hope everyone had a fabulous Easter morning, and is enjoying the day!  
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
Let's face it, consumers build relationships with their Realtors. Sometimes they need to call us after they buy, sometimes years, even.  Here are the top reasons to call your Realtor after you purchase:  Replace Missing Documents. If you have misplaced your settlement statement, or any other documents,  you should call your Realtor.  States vary in how long these documents are maintained, so it's best to store your closing documents in a safe place, and ensure you have a complete set (whether paper or electronic) for future use. I had a prior seller call me almost seven years after closing looking for her settlement statement.  Filing For Homestead Exemption. Here in Jacksonville, FL, it's fairly easy to file for homestead, and it's a one time procedure.  For first time buyers, however,...
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
As agents, we understand why buyers and sellers want and need title insurance on their real estate transactions. In Florida, specifically Northeast Florida, it is standard for the seller to pay for the owner's policy, and the buyer to pay for the simultaneous policy to cover their interests, as well as their lender's interests. Title insurance is underwritten as a result of a title search, which researches all prior ownership interests in the property, and ascertains these interests have been satisfied so the only ones with an interest in the property are the owners and their lender.  Some properties MAY convey (sell) without title insurance, which is a usually a challenge for the buyer; these properties will typically sell to only a cash buyer, who is likely simply holding the property...
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
I watched Zero Dark Thirty last night, Kathryn Bigelow's controversial dramatization of the events surrounding the greatest manhunt for the world's most dangerous man, Osama Bin Laden.  It is graphic, and has been labeled controversial due to images of torture and interrogation by US troops, and officials.  I have not seen The Hurt Locker yet, but did get to hear Kathryn speak at the Nantucket Film Festival a few years ago.  It's a fascinating movie if you have the interest to watch it: the timeline, story and actors are certainly compelling.   
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
As some of you may know, I was on a cruise last week. Our ports included: St. Maarten, St. Kitts, San Juan & Labadee, Haiti.  We snorkeled in St. Maarten, & St. Kitts, and a few of us ventured to the zip line on Labadee. It's 500 vertical feet up from the ocean, and a 236 zip line across the ocean, the longest in the world (I think). I was not the first one to sign up for this, but kind of felt like I had to do it: being the longest in the world, and being so high above the sea (when I live about 10 feet above sea level) were both components. This is what the starting point view looked like, and that is the Indepence of the Seas we cruised on in the background:     
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
Having not cruised for a few years, probably about 5, I was amazed to see the relationship hand sanitizers has with Royal Caribbean, and, I imagine other cruise lines. The Purel stations at the entrance to the main dining hall, along with staff touting their own supply means you really don't have the opportunity to catch and share germs on the cruise lines like you used to be able to. In an effort to combat waste as well as reduce germ spread, the self serve beverage stations are gone, or they were never part of the Royal Caribbean plan - this is my first RC cruise. Back to the real world tomorrow!
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
For the past few years, I've typically traveled for St. Patrick's Day. Last year it was to New Orleans with a group of friends - much fun to be on Bourbon Street for that particular holiday! This year, I'm on the Independence of the Seas for our first two "at sea" days, and it's riot to see everyone dressed up, cabin doors decorated, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the day. Celebrate today - everyone gets to be Irish today!  
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
I   had been planning, with a group of friends to go on a week long cruise.  Well, that changed a wee bit on Thursday.  We were booked on the Carnival Dream. Yes, even after the last Carnival fiasco; as one of my friends put it, "There is no better time to cruise than now!" When the cruise was cancelled, I thought: ok, we'll get a refund, I can get spa day & massage, and be cool with it. We, instead, re-booked. On a different cruise line (Royal Caribbean), out of a different port, for a different itinerary/length/cost. Should be fun - plus I'll be without the iPad for the cruise, as there is no WiFi in the cabins... Wish me luck!
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
I blogged about this recently because I recall reading it was a pilot program, and it's green/organic, which I love. So this update, showing the 5 local restaurants that are participating, and how those restaurants will be adding comments to their menus about their participation intrigues me even more.  One of the restaurant owners talks about how important it is to keep our local oyster beds healthy and active, so we don't lose them like the scallop beds; I didn't even know we used to have scallop beds in Northeast Florida! Restaurants helping to rebuild reefs Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/community/shorelines/2013-03-09/story/restaurants-helping-rebuild-reefs#ixzz2NKU69ZtN
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
      Bet you wonder what I'm referring to: drafting what? Drafting who? Drafting when? I'm about to depart on a fabulous one week cruise (first time I'll be cruising that long - wish me luck!), and I realize I may not have the time or inclination to blog every day. And, I'm participating in the March Blogging challenge, so I can't let the cruise monkey with that goal. I'm writing draft blog posts today, a week before I leave, so I have some stockpiled, and I can pretty much just hit POST when I'm ready. It's really great when you have  series concept (such as my recent Eviction Notice series) to write them all, and just save them. So....are YOU drafting enough?   
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
We've got a comet coming kind of close to the Earth, today.... Nothing to be alarmed about, but you may want to keep an eye towards the sky, especially around sunset, as that is when it will be most visible. It seems from this article that the window is 75 minutes after sunset.  So why all the cometary hubbub? Comet Pan-STARRS, discovered in June 2011 by the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System on Haleakala in Hawaii, became visible in the Northern Hemisphere around March 7. The comet is named after the acronym for the telescope.       Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/2013-03-12/story/sky-guy-comet-makes-close-shave-so-check-it-out#ixzz2NLZ0vk7Y
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
In Jacksonville, FL, they are not yet, but they soon could be, which I think is a good thing. I'm actually surprised they have not been screened prior to now, especially when you consider how Realtors are screened by the state prior to being licensed! I'm a bit puzzled by the three beaches communities (Altantic Beach, Neptune Beach, & Jacksonville Beach) are not included, and I'll probably have a conversation with someone about that. Addendum: I have since learned, we have no transient licensed food service vehicles at the beach, which is why we are not participating in the screening process. They are illegal.  You can read the full story here: http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2013-03-04/story/bill-screen-jacksonville-ice-cream-truck-operators-advances
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
I've had buyers ask me why they would want a home warranty, and it seems more at the lower price point and As Is properties, where, frankly, I would think the protection offered my a home warranty would be a tad more tangible.  It's really simple: it's an insurance policy for your home's appliances. Literally, depending on the policy, it can cover:  Water Heater Kitchen appliances, including garbage disposal HVAC system Garage door opener Plumbing stoppages and leaks Swimming pools You pay a trade service call and place your repair request with the home warranty company, instead of calling your AC guy.  I just placed two service calls for my heating system and my garbage disposal.  I've already had my HVAC inspected: it needed a capacitor, and will need a coil as well as a few pound of ...
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
I know for many the Fourth of July is far off, and makes one think of ice cream, and the summer heat....yes, even here in Jacksonville Beach, FL we are chilly (although not mitten-state chilly!), and this is great news: we will have fireworks this Fourth of July. I blogged about the lack of fireworks in 2012, mainly due to safety concerns: Jacksonville Beach is the largest of the beach communities, and we get the most visitors from other parts of Jacksonville, as well as tourists.  Traffic, and public safety comes to mind when you host a fireworks display, and viewers tend to bring their own fireworks, which they think is fine to set off on the beach. Charlie Latham, our new Jacksonville Beach mayor, wants to continue the display, albeit in a more family friendly manner with patriotic a...
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
I just got off the phone with a seller requesting a HUD and wiring instructions from a closing....that occurred in July 2006. Now, I've changed brokers since then, so it's definitely not at my current broker's office.  Plus our state requires brokers to hold files for 5 years, which means my past broker most likely doesn't have it either. The title company is required to hold the files for 7 years.  I pulled the warranty deed from the county's property site, and the title company that closed the transaction is no longer in business.  I do, however, have contract with the closing officer, who is at another position at another company, so I emailed her to see what would have happened to the title company's files, and am awaiting response. The lesson here is to hold on to your real estate ...
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
I'm sure I've mentioned before how much I LOVE Redbox. Last night we rented Bernie, which is based on a true story. Set in Texas, and starring Shirley MacLaine, Jack Black, and Matthew McConaughey, just to name a few, it was HILARIOUS!  If you google the main character's name, Bernie Tiede, you will find the links to the story, and it's amazing a black comedy was produced out of it. Not sure how the family feels about it, but it's a good movie with a great cast.  http://www.imdb.com/media/rm862238208/tt1704573?ref_=tt_ov_i
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
If you have been in the past, or have not been at all, this is a wonderful Blues festival that comes through Jacksonville Beach annually. It is free to the public, there are many different vendors & of course, food and beverages are available. How many blues festivals (or any musical genre, for that matter) have you attended where you can enjoy the sun, the ocean, and great music all in one location?? You can read more here: http://jacksonville.com/community/shorelines/2013-02-23/story/lineup-unveiled-springing-blues
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By Carol Zingone, Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty)
  One of the things I love the most about being active in the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce is the cool stuff we get to do at our events. I rarely attend the monthly morning networking meeting, Coffee On The Coast, as it conflicts with a weekly Realtors meeting, but this month it was on a Friday. Hosted at Beaches Baptist, which has expanded incredibly in the past few years, I got to "pretend" I was the surgeon with a robotic surgical station. Pictures are below; I was amazed at how small the instruments were, and how easily manipulated with minimal finger movements.  Bringing robotic surgery to Beaches Baptist means Beaches residents no longer have to travel in to town (aka Over The Ditch, which is how the locals/islanders refer to the Intracoastal Waterway). If you are not active i...
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