Atlantic Beach, FL

Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison -

2011

• 16 Homes Sold (November=7)
• Lowest price: $48,000 (November =$60,250)
• Highest price: $585,000 (November =$940,000)
• Shortest Days on Market:6 (November =27)
• Longest Days on Market: 215 (November =332)

2010

• 10 homes sold (November =16)
• Lowest price: $71,100 (November =$39,900)
• Highest price: $2,400,000 (November =$2,850,000)
• Shortest Days on Market: 2 (November =3)
• Longest Days on Market: 214 (November =537)

Sales are up impressively, consistent with Jacksonville Beach. Pricing does not show much positive variation, but Atlantic Beach has quite a bit of difference between home locations, and the lower price points are most likely in less desirable areas. Days on market is fairly flat; I’m impressed with the decrease in the longest days on market.

Atlantic Beach is the northernmost of our beaches communities here in the Jacksonville Beaches area, and many residents enjoy the pedestrian feel of the town, with Town Center’s restaurants and shops so close by.

Properly priced and properly presented properties are STILL selling – currently, the Jacksonville area has 7.75 months of inventory (housing supply), right now and homes can and do sell in very few days on market. Atlantic Beach has 6.65 months of inventory as I write this post.

If you are ready to list your home, call me for a comparable market analysis to see what price range you should list in, and to learn more about what sets myself and Prudential Network Realty apart from the competition. Our home sales in our Atlantic Beach office are up 26% comparing 2010 to 2009, so we know how to sell homes.

If you or someone you know is considering a short sale, please have them contact me for a no-obligation confidential interview about their current situation and how best for them to move forward. I hold the Certified Distressed Property Expert, and am one of a mere 18,000 who do so – I can help salvage their credit, and their financial future.

It's nice to read positive news about a local (well, 2nd location) recently opened restaurant. Poe's Tavern opened right around Halloween (I think) and has had an immediate impact on the Town Center restaurant scene.

Based on Edgar Allen Poe (obviously) the menu has all sorts of offerings with Poe titles. The ladys' room is wallpapered in pages from Poe books (can't tell you about the mens' room, haven't been in there - yet!)

It's a cool inside/outside floorplan, with an open deck area, then a high top table area that is covered, but has roll up garage doors to let the excellent Florida weather in.

You can check out their menu and read the Times Union's review here. My original photo is below.

Here are the 2011 stats and 2010 for comparison -

2011

• 7 Homes Sold (October=15)
• Lowest price: $60,250 (October =$34,900)
• Highest price: $940,000 (October =$1,250,000)
• Shortest Days on Market:27 (October =5)
• Longest Days on Market: 332 (October =523)

2010

• 16 homes sold (October =16)
• Lowest price: $39,900 (October =$66,100)
• Highest price: $2,850,000 (October =$900,000)
• Shortest Days on Market: 3 (October =3)
• Longest Days on Market: 537 (October =259)

Sales are down quite a bit, both month over month, and year over year, which is disturbing. However, it’s more important to look at the time on market as an indicator of market activity;the short end of the spectrum is fine at 27 days on market, and the long end of the spectrum is less than a year, so that’s good news. The lowest end of the market is consistent both month over month and year over year, indicating sellers are pricing their homes competitively.

Atlantic Beach is the northernmost of our beaches communities here in the Jacksonville Beaches area, and many residents enjoy the pedestrian feel of the town, with Town Center’s restaurants and shops so close by. You can do a virtual visit of Town Center here.

Properly priced and properly presented properties are STILL selling – currently, the Jacksonville area has 9.60 months of inventory (housing supply), right now and homes can and do sell in very few days on market. Atlantic Beach has 16.71 months of inventory as I write this post.

If you are ready to list your home, call me for a comparable market analysis to see what price range you should list in, and to learn more about what sets myself and Prudential Network Realty apart from the competition. Our home sales in our Atlantic Beach office are up 26% comparing 2010 to 2009, so we know how to sell homes.

If you or someone you know is considering a short sale, please have them contact me for a no-obligation confidential interview about their current situation and how best for them to move forward. I hold the Certified Distressed Property Expert, and am one of a mere 18,000 who do so – I can help salvage their credit, and their financial future.

The Medure family has opened another restaurant, this time in Atlantic Beach, FL.

Known for their other endeavors, Matthew's in San Marco, & Medure's in Ponte Vedra Beach, & Take Away Gourmet in San Marco, M Shack is a bit different. For one, I love both Matthews and Medure's...when someone else is picking up the tab (more so at Matthew's; Medure's has a terrific lounge menu).

At M Shack, the most expensive burger is $18, and served with foie gras. That's it.

I had a basic burger ($3.50) without cheese, fries and an glass of Cable Car Pinot Noir during my recent visit.

The wine list is fabulous (and affordable), there are several selections of draft beer, including Sweetwater 420 which is a local favorite.

The renovation of the space which previously housed The Bookmark (and you can read about my recent rant about a possible building height vote to get my $2 on this topic) is wonderful and light filled. There are 3 outside tables, and the configuration of the glass and open space makes it feel like you are sitting outside when you are in fact inside.

You can sit at the bar, which has about 10 seats, or at one of the tables. Order at the counter, grab your number, they bring it to you.

Enjoy!

I've lived in the beaches area of Jacksonville, FL for the past 20+ years, and have seen the redevelopment of several areas, maximizing their locations and consumer friendliness. I have first hand witnessed some of these changes, and for the most part, they have been positive changes.

One of the items the voters of Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach voted on a few years ago was a building height limit to keep the coastline looking like it did: not dotted with a myriad of high rise condos. It was really targeting residential, and defined several Central Business Districts.

Now, someone is proposing a modification of these building height limits, as they prevent businesses from coming and building at the Beaches - really? We have new businesses coming in daily. They move into existing space, and convert it to their needs. Not to mention, ahem: we have limited vacant land at any of the beaches! AND, parking is already tight, so any new projects, or modifications, will have to address parking issues.

Recent additions include:

• Atlantic Beach: M Shack Restaurant & Royal Palm Villlage Wine, Boom Shaka Laka Food Shack (all existing construction)
• Neptune Beach: Mario's Italian, Smashburger, Publix, Hurricane's Wings, Publix, TCBY (all new construction except for Mario's)
• Jacksonville Beach: 33 (apparel store), Sway (restaurant/bar)

Additionally, in the works are a Denny's and The Metro Diner, both of which are moving into existing spaces.

All of the buildings these businesses moved into are currently conforming to the building height limits, so it was not an issue to them.

I'm in support of the voting population. Why can't we work with what we have, rather than go against the voting public? Or, how about proposing a variance for a specific project, rather than ANOTHER building height limit vote?

You can read the full article here.