October 2011

Found 13 blog entries for October 2011.

First Time Home Buyers on the Fence

By: Alan Aptheker

Heed the words of one of our most notable U.S. Presidents, Franklin Delano Roosevelt: "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself." There's the low prices, low interest rates, and you're a qualified 25-40 year old professional making $60K – $90K.  You and your significant other are renting a townhome for $1200 a month, and you don't plan on moving soon. 

The stars are aligned, and there's only one thing preventing you from buying a house: Fear. "It's a big investment." Well so is the $1200 month rent. The difference is that the return on your $1200 per month is $0.00.   It's a commitment. Yes, it is. But you can get a formerly $200K condo or $300K single family for about two-thirds of what you could buy this home…
1,868 Views, 0 Comments

kt pizza jacksonville fl

For great pizza you don't need to fly to New York. We have a great pizza place right here in North Jacksonville called KT's Pizza They have great New York style pizza right here in North Jacksonville. In my travels across the world I've consumed tons of pizza but nothing compares to KT's. Along with great pizza they also offer many other wonderful Italian dishes, the Chicken Parmigiana is my personal favorite.

See you there!

 

1,996 Views, 0 Comments

Jacksonville Home Sellers By: Alan Aptheker There's a common thread that runs through my discussions with my new clients who were previously unsuccessful in selling their homes. It's a touchy subject, those 300 days on the market, and what may have gone wrong. I start with the question, "What should we NOT do this time." It might be more palatable, and the few simple solutions can flow from that goodwill.  "What I need to do" is yet another pressure point for an already pressured home seller. Let's say, "I won't do X," this time.  It sounds easier already, doesn't it.   Marketing the house "as is," shouldn't mean, "with crayon stained baseboards included."  The "as is" is less of a liability if I've done some drywall patching, painting and cleaning. I understand…
2,178 Views, 0 Comments

By: Alan Aptheker This brings to mind Robert F. Kennedy's famous quote: "There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"   Q: Why does the seller rent their home?   A: They don't know any better.     Q: Why doesn't the seller use a Lease Option or Purchase?  A: They don't know any better.    It pains me to say it. Here's another bit of news that proves the point that the percentage of realtors offering the "why not," creative approaches to selling real estate is very, very small.  As of mid-2011, the Census Bureau cited a net increase of 1.4 million households that moved into rental housing –  4 percent more than the same period last year.     So…
1,447 Views, 0 Comments

Oklahoma San Marco

By: Alan Aptheker

Originally a farm on the banks of the St. Johns River, the area now known as San Marco was first called Oklahoma. Harrison Reed, a life long Oklahoman, was elected Florida’s governor in 1868.  Reed’s sister, Margaret Reed Mitchell and her husband, railroad tycoon Alexander Mitchell, still in love with their native Oklahoma, built their Florida winter home, Villa Alexandria, in Oklahoma Style on 140 riverfront acres, and (oddly) named their new digs and surrounding area, “Oklahoma.” But in 1921, with the construction of the Acosta bridge, which connects San Marco to Downtown, industrialist Telfair Stockton bought 80 acres of land north of the Mitchell estate and the new “San Marco” subdivision name took hold.  The name is based on

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Jacksonville Neighborhood   By: Alan Aptheker There are other relevant factors to consider, apart from the initial neighborhood "look and feel" that typically turns a buyer on or off when looking for a home, with very little gray in between.  A September Blog post at Bankrate.com talks about "How a Neighborhood Holds Property Value."    It's a good time now, with low, low home prices, for buyers to consider a neighborhood that will likely hold its value over the long haul. How can you tell? Jobs and access to amenities.   More after the break...   Andrew Schiller, creator of NeighborhoodScout.com, says certain signs imply that long-term job opportunities can exist in better numbers in certain neighborhoods, even those you might not think would fit the bill:…
1,599 Views, 0 Comments

Jacksonville Zoo Spooktacular 2011Don't miss the Halloween celebrations going on this month at the Jacksonville Zoo. October 20-23 and 27-31 from 6:30 to 9:00pm.

There will be candy stations throughout the zoo to satisfy everyones sweet tooth. The zoo just bought 675,000 pieces of candy for this event so there should be plenty to go around.

There will be plenty of family fun including a pumpkin patch, bouncy houses, DJ spinning family friendly halloween music and animal exhibits, plus much more.

We are fortunate to have a top notch zoo right here in North Jacksonville. Please come out and show you support for this great family fun event.

Tickets are $10 or $8 for zoo members. Kids under 3 are free. Purchase your tickets in advance online and save $1.

2,224 Views, 0 Comments

Fun Facts Jacksonville area

By: Alan Aptheker

Through the 1960s, Jacksonville, like most other large cities in the US, suffered from the effects of suburban sprawl. To compensate for the loss of population and tax revenue, (and end waste and some corruption here and there), voters elected to consolidate the government of Jacksonville with the government of Duval County.  The move was carried out on October 1, 1968, and Hans Tanzler, elected mayor of Jacksonville the year before, became the first mayor of the consolidated government of Jacksonville. This single event earned Jacksonville a distinction it still enjoys today: we’re the largest United States city in land area than any other American city (outside Alaska).

2,777 Views, 0 Comments

Bold City Brewing Jacksonville FLBy: Donny Mak

We are fortunate in Jacksonville that we have a great microbrewer like Bold City Brewery. Join them Saturday October 15th at 1pm to celebrate their 3 year anniversary.

If you love great craft beer as much as I do you need look no further than our local Bold City Brewery. While they offer many different styles of beer my personal favorite is Duke's Cold Nose Brown Ale. This Saturday they will have a special release of Duke's aged in Woodford Reserve oak bourbon barrels. All pints will be only $2 including this special Ale Saturday so don't miss the anniversary celebration.
 

1,750 Views, 0 Comments

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