About Duval County, FL

The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors are hosting a public forum on the Property Tax Amendment. This event is open to the public, and Duval County Property Appraiser Jim Overton will explain the proposed property tax amendment. This amendment will be on the January 29th ballot.

The forum will be at the University Center at UNF from 6-7pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2008. The address is 1200 Alumni Drive, UNF.

If you have questions, you can contact NEFAR Government Affairs Director Nancy Garcia at 904/394-9494 x 1205.

This is an important issue - voters need to be well-educated about this and other items on the ballot.

Homes for Sale in Jacksonville, Florida - Mandarin

Like most large cities, Jacksonville is made up of many smaller communities; each unique in personality, amenities, opportunities and homes for sale. One of the most popular is Mandarin, a modern community bustling with growth and activity on the south end of the Greater Jacksonville Area with homes for sale from the mid $100s up to a million and more along the riverfront.

Check out this beautiful, affordable Mandarin home with pool on a large pond and Video Presentation

Mandarin's roots are said to date back to the Civil War. The building that is home to the Mandarin Community Club was rebuilt in 1872 after a fire destroyed an earlier building on the site. Harriet Beecher Stowe, famed author of Uncle Tom's Cabin and longtime winter resiendent of Mandarin, led the project.

Since before the Civil War until nearly 1975, Mandarin remained a primarily rural communtiy, with much of the business in agriculture. Today, Mandarin is a thriving area with more than 10,000 residences and plenty of upscale retail centers and businesses.

Bordered by the Beauclerc area on the north, beautiful/navigable Julington Creek on the south and the mighty St. John's River on the west, Mandarin offers her residents a fabulous suburban, family-focused lifestyle in one of the most quaint, charming and history-rich areas in Northeast Florida.

There are numerous choices for home buyers throughout the area ranging from the mid-$100's to several million dollars for waterfront estates. Many of the properties boast canopies of huge oak trees tha put on an incredible natural display for local residents.

Quality education is a priority for many of these families and the area schools reflect that commitment providing among the best scores in the area. In addition to the excellent public schools, Mandarin is home to several private and parochial schools for every grade.

Audio/Visual Presentation of Jacksonville

The community is central to Southpoint and Phillips Highway business, making it a convenient commute for those who work in the area and providing easy access to all main roads to navigate to any location in the Greater Jacksonville Area. Downtown, performing arts centers and the sports arenas are all within 20 minutes of Mandarin.

Malls, restaraunts, medical facilities and entertainment are located in and around Mandarin making it an ideal area for families of all sizes and types. The area is also home to several synagogues and various churches totally about 40 houses of worship within minutes.

Another drawing card to the area are the many beautiful neighborhood parks, natural waterways, marinas and nature trails throughout. Area residents have everything they desire for their active lifestyles.

For more information about Jacksonville, Florida Real Estate and thousands of featured listings, visit our website at BestHomesInJacksonville.com.

Here's what December 2007 looked like:

Current # of listings available in Dec 2007- 6,888

Average # of sales per month (homes that went under contract not sold)- 500

Ave days on market (under contract homes, not sold)- 128.73

Remaining # months inventory - 13.78

Selling price % of list price (original list price) (these were homes that sold and closed in December 2007)- 87.30%

Let's go back to last year!

Here's what December 2006 looked like:

Current # of listings available in Dec 2006- 5,977

Average # of sales per month (homes that went under contract not sold)- 712

Ave days on market (under contract homes, not sold)- 113.65

Remaining # months inventory - 8.39

Selling price % of list price (original list price) (these were homes that sold and closed in December 2006)- 92.26%

These figures are based on residential homes (single family, town homes & attached). They exclude condos, commercial property and vacant land. It also does not include Jacksonville beach, Atlantic Beach or Neptune Beach.

Take a look at November 2007 & 2006 stats for Jacksonville, Florida.

For those of us who live in the South, freezes are normally an overnight condiion that lasts a few hours, and really only affects the more inland communities.

Tonight's chill will be more persistant however, so it's recommended you bring in cold-sensitive plants. Remember to bring in any pets, even if it means the garage as the walls will protect them from the cold wind.

Outside plants should be covered with sheets, not plastic; the sun that comes out tomorrow can burn plants throught the plastic, which is why sheets are recommended.

The Jacksonville Times Union shows a possible low of 16, which would break the record low of 19 set in 1979!

Weather.com shows a low of 26, which seems more probable at the beach. A hard freeze is predicted, probably more likley to occur west of the ICW, but if you have any fruit on your trees, you will want to pick it before tonight.

Stay Warm!

Here are the numbers of active property listings, those under contract, and sold properties for Single Family Homes in Jacksonville Beach, FL for the month of December 2007:

• Active 276 active listings for Single Family Homes (no condos)
• Pending 9 pending (there is a contract and inspections/financing have been done)
• Sold 8 sold (prices ranged from $ to $220,000 to $720,000
• New Listings 28

The good news is that new listings are decreasing. This will help stabilize the pricing as the inventory will be more limited.

Plus, we are up 2 more sold homes this month than last month, and again, while that number may not appear to be huge, it represents a 33% increase, which is great.

Let's see what the numbers looked like in December 2006 to see what the true impact is.

• Active 272 active listings for Single Family Homes (no condos included)
• Pending 12 pending (there is a contract and inspections/financing have been done)
• Sold 9 sold (prices ranged from $290,000 to $528,000)
• New Listings 32

We did have more homes sold in December 2006; however, only by one home.

Ask your Realtor for comparable neighborhood properties to see first hand what those houses sold for so you can prepare a solid offer. A low ball offer does not always make the most sense, if you really want the house. If you are looking for investment property, or a short sale, you can lowball all day long -you never know when someone will be hungry enough to take it.

If you are selling, ask your Realtor to provide you with properties that have sold that are the most similar to yours. Also ask how your Realtor will market and present your property. The first impression is the one you need to be concerned with - it is what sets your house apart from allt the others. Your property will need to be priced right and presented right to grab attention in this market. An experienced Realtor will offer suggestions to help make your home more salable, and some of these are just good old fashion elbow grease, and putting some things away.

Happy New Year!