For Buyers Only Real Estate Podcast with Sharon and Dwight

I’ve decided to give you an up close and personal look at a new construction build to answer some questions you may have about stucco. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleOur attention to detail is second to none, so today I’m outside at a new construction build we’re assisting with to answer some questions you might have about stucco. Follow along with me in the video above to see what I mean. The front of this home features both stucco siding and lap siding. Aside from a paint job maybe once every 10 years, lap siding is virtually maintenance-free. Stucco siding, on the other hand, can have some maintenance issues from time to time because it’s basically concrete. “Stucco requires some maintenance from time to time because it’s basically concrete. Most builders use two to three coats of stucco, depending on the kind of finish they’re looking for. For this house, we did three coats: a scratch coat, a smooth coat, and a finish coat. This three-coat process makes for a very sturdy siding. Stucco also needs to be painted every once and awhile, and because concrete expands and contracts, every now and again you might find a hairline crack in stucco siding. To fix this, you only need to apply a little bit of caulk over it and paint over that. As you can see, this home has a very smooth stucco finish that’s not very pronounced. More pronounced stucco finishes tend to chip more often. If you have any more questions about stucco siding or any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me anytime. I’d be happy to help you.

Have you ever wondered where the best ice cream parlor in St. Augustine is? Today we have the answer. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleIf you want to taste the best ice cream in St. Augustine, look no further than Coneheads Ice Cream at 570 A1A Beach Boulevard. We’ve been there a few times before, but we decided to stop in again and sample all their fantastic new flavors. Follow along in the video above to see what we’re talking about.Out of 162 Google reviews, Coneheads currently boasts a 4.6-star average. The store’s most popular sundae is their hot fudge sundae, and we got to go behind the counter to get an up-close and delicious look at how it’s made. All of their ice cream comes from Working Cow Ice Cream, which is free of all GMOs. All of their whipped cream is also made fresh from real cream. “We guarantee you’ll love Coneheads Ice Cream. Coneheads has been around for seven years, and it is by far the best place to come for ice cream. Even if you get stuffed at dinner, there’s always room for ice cream, so stop on in at Coneheads and we guarantee you’ll love it. If you have any more questions about Coneheads or would like to talk real estate with us, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to speak with you.

If you’ve ever paid attention to homes as they’re being built, you might have seen that some have a green seal over the wood. That’s the ZIP system. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleI’m out here at a community in northwest St. Johns County called Cedar Point. Landon Homes and Dream Finders Homes are building here. We wanted to take some time today to talk about something folks have been asking us about—the ZIP system. It’s a building system we’ve been using on some of the new construction here in northeast Florida.You may have seen this in other communities, where the walls look green as they’re building the house. That’s the ZIP system.Instead of using standard plywood or OSB strand board on the siding of the house, they use an OSB sheeting (about 7/16 thick, and 9/16 if it’s on the roof) with an impregnated green coating on it. The coating protects from moisture and wind. It saves the builders the trouble of having to go back through and put on the Tyvek wrap. Some builders use it, and some don’t, but it saves them a step in the process.“It’s a great product that adds structural integrity to the house The glue they use on the OSB is special as well; even if you pierce the coating with a nail, unless you go all the way through, the seal remains. They use rubberized flashing tape to seal all the joints.It’s a great product that adds structural integrity to the house, and it saves builders a step by removing the need to Tyvek wrap everything.If you have any questions about the ZIP system, please feel free to contact us.

Join me for a trip to my favorite farmers market at the pier on St. Augustine Beach. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleOne of my favorite things about living in St. Augustine is the selection of great farmers markets that are available. My favorite farmers market is open every Wednesday morning at the pier on St. Augustine Beach. The farmers market is open from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and features between 60 and 80 vendors each week. There are all sorts of local food stalls, crafts, and other fun things to see. To get an idea of the complete experience, watch the video above. “There are 60 to 80 vendors at this market, so you can find all sorts of treasures. Some of the things we encounter on this journey to the market include local tea and spices by Cultivate, great artwork, hand-popped kettle corn, jewelry, fruit, vegetables, and a fresh cup of coffee from the Coffee Growers Alliance. Some of these vendors venture all the way from Orlando to sell their fares at this market. If you have any other questions about the farmers market or you would like to know more about real estate, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

From contract to closing, there are many steps that need to be taken before you can call your new home your own. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleWhat happens after the contract is signed for your new home?There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes from contract to closing, so it’s very important that everyone involved in the transaction work together and be proactive.First, you must turn in your escrow deposit to the closing attorney or title company within the time frame specified in the contract. This time frame is usually one to three days. Next, you need to schedule all your inspections for the new house. These can include a general home inspection, a termite inspection, a well and septic inspection, and any other inspection you feel you need. It’s important that you get these done as soon as possible so you can start negotiating repairs for the home. Your most important job at this juncture is to remain in contact with your lender in case they need any additional documentation. We also recommend keeping copies of anything you send them in case they ask for something you’ve already sent. We know this sounds frustrating, but it happens.“It’s very important that you, your agent, and your lender work together. Also, don’t change your credit status during this process, or at least check with your lender before doing anything that might affect it, like opening or closing a credit card or buying a car. Once the repair negotiations are done and all the necessary repairs are made, it’s time to order an appraisal. Make sure the inspection report is squared away before doing so. If the house appraises for the price you’re paying or higher—perfect! If it appraises lower, you can renegotiate the price, walk away from the deal, or work out another plan. Though you’re the one who pays for the appraisal, it’s mainly done for the benefit of the lender because they’re trying to protect their investment. While that’s going on, you’ll need to gather all the necessary information needed in order to transfer the home’s utilities to you and obtain homeowners insurance. After that, if your financing is good, all the repairs are handled, and everything else checks out, you can set the closing date. At that point, the contract you signed 30 to 45 days ago is pretty much a done deal. Now you can celebrate your new home!As always, if you have any questions or you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the St. Augustine area, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be glad to help you.

Hiring a Realtor when buying a new home is always a smart move. Here are a few reasons why. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleA lot of homebuyers are unaware of how smart of an idea it is to have a Realtor represent you on the purchase a brand new home. How can we help?In a lot of different ways. First, we are expert negotiators and will negotiate the best terms on your behalf. There are a lot of things that certain builders can and can’t do when it comes to negotiating a deal and with our knowledge and experience, we can help point you in the right direction and help you get the best deal possible.“Our services cost you nothing.”After that, we can help you throughout the build. We are on job sites weekly for the six new builds we are working with right now. We keep an eye on them to make sure everything is being done the right way, from the process of negotiation to the design center all the way to closing.The best part about our service is that it costs you nothing. Our commission is paid by the builder, as they set aside a lump of money for that purpose alone. It will cost you the same to build a new home whether you have representation or not. Better to be safe than sorry.If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you soon.

Dwight and Savannah recently headed out to Cumberland Island National Seashore. They saw so many amazing things that they had to record them and share with you. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleDwight and Savannah recently took a trip out to Cumberland Island National Seashore and had a great time. While they were there, they took a ton of great footage that they wanted to share with you. You can see all of it in the video above, but here’s what they did on their trip.First, they boarded a ferry out to the island in St. Mary’s, Georgia. They were greeted to the island by over 120 feral horses that roam the 9,800 acres that the island sits on. It was pretty amazing to see. They even saw a young foal nursing from her mother. While the horses are feral, they are descended from Spanish domestic breeds. They didn’t give them any trouble, but they certainly kept their distance. The earliest record of horses on the island was all the way back in 1742 at the battle between the Spanish and English over Ft. St. Andrews, but the modern occupation of the island began with Spanish missionaries in the 16th century. “ This was an amazing trip. The Dungeness Ruins were also quite a sight to behold. They were originally built by Catherine Greene, widow of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene.  Later, Thomas and Lucy Carnegie built on top of the original foundation. However, the building burned down in 1959 and remains in ruins to this day.If you have any questions about Cumberland Island or anything real estate-related, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

The latest statistics from our second quarter market show that St. John’s County is experiencing many positive real estate developments. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleI was reading The St. Augustine Record recently and, between all the Trump-Russia hoopla, I found an interesting article about the high number of homes and building permits being put together in St. John’s County and the ensuing price increases this has caused. The latest statistics from our second quarter market reflect these exciting developments. During the month of June, 366 building permits were issued. This brings the total number of permits issued so far this year to over 2,000, and we’re on pace to reach 4,000. The median home price for the year is $310,000, which is up from $230,000 in 2012. By comparison, Clay County’s median home price is $185,000 and Duval County’s is $176,000. Keep in mind, this information comes from a wide range of expert national indicators. In explaining why St. John’s County is experiencing this real estate boom, they all note factors such as our high quality of life, low cost of living, and excellent school systems. They also expect this positive trend to continue for up to 10 years into the foreseeable future. “ Living in St. John’s County is like living in a postcard. It’s like we always say—living in St. John’s County is like living in a postcard. It’s growing at a steady rate with all of its commercial development, and its infrastructure is following suit. We have quality builders and steadily increasing appraisal values, which means if you buy a house today, it will likely increase in value by the time you want to sell it. It’s also worth mentioning that we’re one of the safest counties in all of Florida when it comes to weather-related issues. This means we have lower insurance rates, and with the county being as fiscally responsible as they are, we also have some of the lowest tax millage rates in the state. If you’d like to read the above-mentioned article in its entirety, click here. If you have any other questions about what’s happening in our St. John’s market or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, feel free to reach out to us. We’d be glad to assist you.

Smokin’ D’s works hard to make arguably the best barbecue in St. Augustine. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleIn my latest St. Augustine area business showcase, I’m visiting Smokin’ D’s—a restaurant located right on the corner of US1 and SR206 at 110 State Rd. 206 East. Many people claim they serve the best barbecue in town, and that’s a hard point to argue—they’ve won the local Rhythm & Ribs competition the last three years running. Smokin’ D’s smokes their meat all night long before finishing it on the grill the next day. They have all the premium choices of meat you could ask for, whether it’s beef, pork, chicken, or turkey. They also feature an array of perfectly complementary sides, including baked beans, cole slaw, yellow rice, and potato salad. “They work each day until everything is gone. Starting at 11 a.m. each day, they cook until everything is gone. They usually last until around 7 p.m., so you’d be wise to get here before dinner if you want to partake. They also do a lot of catering and special events. Feel free to follow along in the video above to get a behind-the-scenes look at Smokin’ D’s kitchen. You can also visit their website at http://www.smokindbbq.com/ for more information. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to give me a shout. I’d be happy to help.

If you’re looking to buy a home in our area because you’re retiring here or you’re relocating for a job, there are some important mortgage implications you need to know about. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleWe have many clients moving to our area because they’re either retiring or undergoing a job relocation. If you’re facing a similar situation, there are some important implications you need to be aware of in terms of obtaining a mortgage. According to Anne-Marie Fish of CornerStone Lending, one of the best things you can do is speak with a lender in advance and explain your situation. Whether your employer will allow you to relocate so you can get everything done while you’re still in your working years or you’re waiting until after retirement to move, they can evaluate your full financial picture to see which option is the most financially feasible and allow you to plan your schedule. “Speak with a lender and explain your financial situation. Selling your current home and buying a new one can be a complicated process, but getting pre-qualified in advance can help you plan that process and lets you know if you can carry two mortgages at once or if you need to sell the first house before you move into the other. If you’re moving here because of a job relocation and wondering whether you should buy a house before or after the transfer, the answer depends on your personal preference. There are plenty of options for both scenarios. Just because you’re relocating doesn’t mean you have to wait until you get down here and start working to begin the mortgage process. Lenders look for 30-day pay stubs once a person has started a new job. Cornerstone Lending also gives you the option of purchasing the house in this area before you close. There’s a time frame in which you can close before you start your new job if you have an employment letter that doesn’t have any contingencies or conditions. That way you don’t have to move twice and you can simply move from one home to the next. If you have any questions about this topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you. 

The St. Augustine Art Association has an amazing show right now that you won’t want to miss. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleOne of our favorite art galleries is the St. Augustine Art Association. Don’t miss their show, “Sailor Life! Life on the Menendez Galleon.” According to Tina Trousdell, the show is a series of charcoal and acrylic drawings on raw canvas that depict the lives of the early Spaniards who established St. Augustine in 1565. Each of these drawings is based on research of what these Spanish soldiers and sailors encountered as they made the crossing. “These drawings depict the sailors’ experiences during the crossing.”It was a very difficult time for them, despite the pay. Menendez asked the King of Spain for a high salary, but some Spaniards were pressed into service. Basically, these sailors could either go to St. Augustine or go to jail. To learn more about the artist Don Trousdell, and see his other art collections visit his website. Watch the video above for a quick preview of “Sailor Life!” As always, if you have any real estate questions, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

What should you know before getting a home loan? Anne Marie Fish is here to let you know. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleWe’re excited to be here today with Anne Marie Fish of Cornerstone Home Loans to discuss some common questions that buyers have prior to obtaining a loan. The first one is, “What should buyers know about credit scores and credit reports?”The first thing you should know is that you can pull your credit score once per year on annualcreditreport.com for free. It won’t affect your score, either. This gives you the opportunity to really start the process off right by knowing what’s on your credit report and if there are any errors so you have a starting point. If a lender pulls your score after that, you will take a bit of a ding, but you will also have 30 days to shop around for the best lender with the best rate without having to have the score pulled again. “There are even 0% down payment options available.”The next question we have for Anne Marie is, “How much do you need for a down payment?” While having 20% is ideal, not everyone has that much cash and that’s OK. That’s why there are so many other programs out there that give you the opportunity to get into a home with less money. There are even 0% down home loans available. Another tip Anne Marie has is to not open or close any credit cards while you’re in the mortgage process. The same goes for making large purchases. However, paying down credit card debt is favorable to your score. It’s best to keep the boat as steady as possible until your home purchase is finalized.When you’re in the process of looking for a home and a mortgage, you have to have a really good team on your side. Have a Realtor that is working for you—same with your lender. These should be people you are comfortable with and people you can trust.If you have any questions for Anne Marie, reach out to her here. If you have any other questions for us, you can always give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

We just had an amazing vacation down in Cancun, and we’re more than pleased to be able to share our experience with you. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleWe just had a fabulous, reenergizing vacation with our family and friends at the Excellence Playa Mujeres in Cancun, Mexico and we wanted to share our experience with you. This is our annual “honeymoon” destination and if you check out our video recap above, you’ll see why we look forward to it every year. Excellence Playa Mujeres is an all-inclusive, adults-only resort with spectacular amenities and customer service. We got the vacation started with a few deluxe martinis and then made use of the resort’s relaxing lazy river pool and adjoining beach. We look forward to Excellence Playa Mujeres each and every year.That’s just a snapshot of all the things we did on our wonderful vacation, but we’re happy to share all the good times we had. If you’d like to learn a little more about Excellence Playa Mujeres, you can visit their website here. If you have any other questions, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We’d be happy to speak with you.

Home inspections are one of the most important aspects of buying a home, and here in Florida, there are plenty of inspections you can get to give you peace of mind. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleToday we wanted to take a moment to address the topic of home inspections: why we need them and what goes on during one. Joining me to explain is BJ Johnson, one of our preferred inspectors from Inside & Out Property Inspectors.You want an inspector that has a builder’s background or some kind of construction experience. This lets you know that they have an idea what’s going on behind the walls. There’s no perfect house, so the knowledge helps. There’s no shortage of the kind of inspections you can get, like a WDO, or wood destroying organism inspection. This kind of inspection even requires a special license and looks for things like wood decay and termites. Water can cause this decay as well. A wind mitigation report is another type of inspection, and it’s probably the only inspection that helps reduce your homeowners insurance. “There’s no shortage of the kind of inspections you can get.”If the home is 30 years or more old, you’ll generally be required to get a four-point inspection by the insurance company to determine whether you’re insurable.Inspectors also have a special set of tools they’ll use during an inspection, like a FLIR camera. This is an infrared camera that takes thermal images and helps buyers find potential issues in a home with moisture, insulation, or covered up heating ducts that people can’t see. In fact, BJ found a heating duct that was incorrectly covered up by the sheetrock guys with this tool in the house we’re currently standing in. When the inspector is done, they give you a complete report that the buyer can look over. If you have any questions about the inspection process or you need to hire an inspector, you can call Inside & Out Property Inspectors at 904-395-1900 or visit their website.In the meantime, you can always give us a call or send us an email if you’re thinking about buying a home in the St. Augustine area. We look forward to helping you!

What is a CDD and how does it differ from an HOA? We’ll answer that for you today. Interested in researching brand new homes and neighborhoods? Find Them HerePrefer a Re-sale Home? Search all homes for saleToday we’re answering the question, “What the heck is a CDD?”Most people are familiar with what homeowners association fees entail, but because we’ll be comparing an HOA to a CDD, we’ll give you a brief breakdown.The homeowners association, or HOA, covers the operations and maintenance of the amenities in the neighborhood. When that community was first built, however, the initial costs of putting in those amenities was tacked onto the sales price of each home. The HOA took over from there.“CDDs and HOAs ensure you can enjoy the community amenities from the day you move in. ”A CDD, or community development district, covers the cost of the initial amenities so there are no extra costs for them tacked onto the sales prices of the homes when they are built. So how do they come up with the money?The cost is based on how much money it will take to put the amenities in as well as how many homes will be in the community. There are two portions of the CDD. The first is the bond, which pays for the initial costs, and the second is the maintenance portion. The maintenance portion works in the same way HOA fees do, in which case you pay a set amount each month to help maintain those amenities.Both HOAs and CDDs work to make sure you can enjoy all a particular neighborhood or community has to offer right from the time you move in.If you have any more questions about how HOAs and CDDs work or you have any other real estate questions, please feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We’re happy to help!