In comparing loans for your new home, keep the following in mind.  Closing costs are split into two main categories: the closing costs controlled by the lender which vary from place to place and closing costs not controlled by the lender that will not be negotiated.    The Process You will first obtain a "Good Faith Estimate" of closing costs when talking to a mortgage lender.  It is your right to receive a copy although they may send it to you within three business days of your application. Remember, the mortgage lender is not the only one charging all of your final closing costs, nor do they know what all the costs will actually be. They will normally give you a higher end estimate based on an educated guess from past experience, but obviously some things can be neglected. Plan on a... 09/11/2014

  I'm still looking for an agent for my Jacksonville teamWhat you can expect when you join us   No monthly fees or desk fees… No kidding Your own custom built website, NOT a template (Sample - www.JustinMarlow.com) Customized Facebook Business Page with automatic daily posting (sample) Free buyer and seller leads with no fees to broker (PROOF We have generated over 200,000!!) Free community and niche specific websites to create farm areas (sample 1 , sample 2, sample 3, sample 4) Use of staffed graphic design, web development & marketing team Automated marketing and lead nurturing campaigns Fully staffed office & support team One on one Success and Performance Coaching with My Coach Fletch© When you join First Coast Realty Associates, you have an entire team of dedicated professionals ... 09/11/2014

Welcome Justin Marlow to First Coast Realty Associates Justin has made a career of helping people achieve the great American dream. Starting in 1999, Justin spent his first decade in the business as a loan officer helping Jacksonville families navigate the mortgage market by explaining all of their options and securing the best possible financing for their home.   In 2009, Justin was recruited by Benham Real Estate Group, the nation’s leading REO (foreclosure) real estate firm. After joining their team, Justin quickly became one of the top producing agents in the Jacksonville office. While working with both traditional buyers and sellers, Justin became especially skilled with foreclosure (REO) real estate, short sales and asset management for institutional investors such as note buyers... 09/10/2014

People with less than perfect credit should ask themselves the same questions when considering home ownership that people with good credit ask. If you think you are ready for homeownership, ask yourself if you are ready to take responsibility for a house. If the answer is yes, then you can begin to think about home ownership regardless of your credit rating. People with good credit can usually qualify for a mortgage immediately, but if your credit is less than stellar, you may need to take some additional steps to prepare. The process will not be as quick, or as easy, but you can do it! Why haven’t I heard this before? There must be a catch! There are some ‘catches’, or difficulties, if you apply for a mortgage with poor credit.  No matter how you look at it, if you have poor or bad cr... 09/09/2014

The first step you must take in selling your home on your own is to look up the appropriate real estate laws for your area. In some states, there are limits on the kinds of properties that may be sold by owners, and there may be limits on the number of properties that you can sell, even if you are the sole owner. To find out about your state’s laws, do a Google search on “real estate” for sale owner, and the name of your state. You can call the state real estate board regulatory for information, or you can try contacting the county land office. They may have information for you. I have the information, now what? Now you must look for specific regulations from the state and from your county and city or municipality, for local laws that affect a sale. These regulations may relate to lead... 09/09/2014

Everyone loves an all-brick home! OverviewMapsPhotos $199,900 Single Family Home Main Features 4 Bedrooms2 BathroomsInterior: 2,686 sqft Location 7934 ORTEGA BLUFF PKWYJACKSONVILLE, FL 32244USA Ellen Dittman-Watson Realty Corp. Watson Realty Corp(904) 535 1199reo.ellen@gmail.com    Listed by: Watson Realty Corp, Ellen Dittman (904) 535-1199 Our recent listings Everyone loves an all-brick home!CORNER LOT BLOCK HOMEListed by Watson Realty Corp. 2+ ACRES-GREAT HOME-RV STORAGE ETCLake Lot in Foxchase!Elegant Pool Home! Subscribe to our listing feed Nearby properties for sale 09/07/2014

You may have decided to rent your property. The first step is to set the rental price. Will you be utilizing the services of a rental agent, working for a real estate property management firm? When dealing with a rental property, it makes sense to avail yourself of these services. Agents will visit your property, conduct a brief property analysis, and advise you of the fair rental value of the property. What does the property analysis consist of? In general, a good analysis will look at the general rental market. They will assess the condition of your property compared to others, prices that other similar properties are renting for, what type of amenities your property has, and how popular the area around the property is. The estimated rental value is comprised of all of these factors.... 09/07/2014

The Jacksonville Jaguars are playing at Phildelphia today. At halftime the Jags were leading 17 to 0 and within the first few minutes of the second half the Philadelphia Eagles scored two touchdowns so it's not looking good for my home team.    I now the Jags have a very young team but their offence needs to get better at third down conversions.  So I have to say to my favorite team: go Jags! 09/07/2014

There are four little words that you never want to have to ask: Why didn’t it sell? Do not let yourself become stagnant with the slowest moving house on the block. However, if you find yourself with a house that is not selling as expeditiously as you desired, ask yourself these questions. Was it priced wrong for the market?  Re-evaluate the pricing and the overall market. If your house is on the upside of pricing for similar houses, it is on the downside of desirability. What were the house’s features compared to other houses on the market surrounding it? If your house is the same size and in same general area and shape as another that listed (and sold) at a higher price, ask about the features. Did the other house have a new kitchen? When was the roof replaced? Were the appliances rep... 09/03/2014

No one in Louisiana asks now if they need flood insurance! The painful truth is that regardless of where your home is, you need flood insurance if your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Some homes are high risk, some are low, but regardless of where you live, it is possible that one day your home will flood. But it’s never flooded here before…. It may have flooded before your community began keeping records. It may flood tomorrow! According to the federal government, about a quarter of the flood insurance claims in America come from areas that were considered “minimum risk”. Homes in a high-risk area have a 26% chance of being flooded while the mortgage is still being paid off. To put that in perspective, the same homes have only a 9% chance of bein... 09/03/2014

  Summer is closing. But our Welcome Home Centers are open.   Lennar is open all day Labor Day. This Labor Day, begin making dreams of home ownership come true.Visit a Lennar community today. We will be open Monday, September 1st, from 10am to 6pm.     404-831-2111 Text or Call Julie Chapman New Home Consultant   LennarJacksonville.com       STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM LENNAR                   See a Lennar New Home Consultant for details. Copyright © 2014 Lennar Corporation. Lennar, the Lennar logo and Everything's Included are registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. 8/14 To ensure the delivery of future emails from Lennar, please add LennarJacksonville@Lennar.com to your address book today. Please click here to see our... 09/01/2014

Salute The Troops Cookout at Lennar Homes at Bainebridge Estates on September 20 from Noon until 5   Enjoy our freshly grilled chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers as well as homemade desserts. And to give back to the troops Get $10,000 In Closing Costs on a Move-In Ready Lennar Home Call or text Julie Chapman 404-831-2111 for details.    09/01/2014

Greenbrier at Bartram Park is a gorgeous gated community of spacious townhouses. Townhomes in Greenbrier are available in four floor plans ranging from 1550 to 1760 square feet, 2-3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and all with attached garages. The community features high quality construction and the use of concrete blocks for years of durability. The fantastic gated community boasts a fitness center and community pool for hours of enjoyment. Another great feature of Greenbrier is the close proximity to the Julington Durbin Creek Preserve which is within walking distance of the community. The preserve, located within Bartram Park, offers over 2,000 acres of protected land where residents are able to enjoy nature watching, kayaking, hiking, picnicking and more. Being located in Bartram Park means r... 08/28/2014

Old Mill Branch Home For Sale in Jacksonville Florida OverviewMapsPhotosFeaturesDescription Video $329,000 Single Family Home Main Features 4 Bedrooms3 BathroomsInterior: 2,627 sqft Location 4624 Shiloh Mill BlvdJacksonville, FL 32246USA Welch Team Keller Williams Jacksonville Realty(904) 476-5539christina@welchteam.comhttp://www.WelchTeam.com           Listed by: Welch Team Keller Williams Jacksonville Realty Our recent listings Old Mill Branch Home For Sale in Jacksonville FloridaPool Home with 7 Acres of Land in St Augustine FloridaWaterfront Two Story Home for Sale in JacksonvilleSt Johns County Home For Sale in St Johns FloridaJohns Creek Home for Sale in St Augustine Florida Subscribe to our listing feed Nearby properties for sale 08/27/2014

Waterfront Two Story Home for Sale in Jacksonville OverviewMapsPhotosFeaturesDescription Video $225,000 Single Family Home Main Features 4 Bedrooms3 BathroomsInterior: 2,590 sqft Location 1074 Meadow Point CourtJacksonville, FL 32221USA Welch Team Keller Williams Jacksonville Realty(904) 476-5539christina@welchteam.comhttp://www.WelchTeam.com           Listed by: Welch Team Keller Williams Jacksonville Realty Our recent listings Waterfront Two Story Home for Sale in JacksonvilleSt Johns County Home For Sale in St Johns FloridaPool Home with 7 Acres of Land in St Augustine FloridaJohns Creek Home for Sale in St Augustine FloridaOld Mill Branch Home For Sale in Jacksonville Florida Subscribe to our listing feed Nearby properties for sale 08/26/2014

  Bartram Park’s first villa home community is the gorgeous Montevilla. Montevilla is the perfect community for anyone who desires a low maintenance, yet elegant lifestyle. The impressive community features stunning villas which start at 2,000 square feet and offer great features such as first floor master suites, gourmet kitchens with high end appliances, upstairs bonus rooms, and spacious living areas. Other unique features for Montevilla at Bartram Park include spa like bathrooms with bench seating, oversized center kitchen islands, and large windows for an abundance of natural light. Standard Pacific Homes, the builder for Montevilla at Bartram Park, designed five excellent floor plans to accommodate anyone who desires functionality as well as elegance. Villas are available in both ... 08/26/2014

Bartram Park is one of the fastest growing and most desirable places to live in all of Jacksonville, Florida. The large scale master planned community of Bartram Park was designed to appeal to those who wish to work, play, and shop all within minutes of home. Features of Bartram Park in Jacksonville include department stores, grocery stores, gas stations, banks, restaurants, office parks, and hotels all within the 5,000 acres of Bartram Park. One fantastic community located at Bartram Park is Stonefield. The community of Stonefield features lovely townhomes and excellent amenities. The townhomes in Stonefield at Bartram Park feature attractive interior and exterior finishes and offer 2-3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, garages, and range from 1,500-3,200 square feet. Amenities inStonefield at Bart... 08/24/2014

Verano at Bartram Park is a fantastic townhome community located in southern Jacksonville. Residents of Verano enjoy outstanding amenities which include a gated entrance, large community pool, cabana, and a well-equipped fitness center. The community was designed around a preservation area and provides breathtaking views of lakes and flora. The community of Verano, by builder Beazer Homes, features two different floor plans ranging from 1,416-1496 square feet, both with 3 bedrooms, and 2.5 baths. The third bedroom can also be used as an optional den, study, or leisure room. The area of Bartram Park was designed to provide residents with modern day conveniences minutes from home. Such conveniences include office parks, shopping centers, restaurants, banks, hotels, and gas stations all wi... 08/22/2014

Sumerlin at Bartram Park is a lovely community of townhomes and terraces homes which offers a low maintenance lifestyle along with great amenities. The beautiful homes feature quality construction, elegant interiors, and beautiful exteriors. Beazer Homes, the builder for Sumerlin at Bartram Park, constructed the community with concrete blocks and age resistant materials for years of durability.  The interior of Sumerlin homes boasts 42 inch cabinets, high efficiency GE appliances, solid surface countertops, garden tubs, walk in closets, and pantries in the kitchen. Other available features include garages, loft space, courtyards, and terraces. As expected with any great townhome community, Sumerlin provides residents with excellent amenities. Amenities for Sumerlin at Bartram Park inclu... 08/21/2014

I've been working hard on getting the listing opportunties I generate to price the home correctly for today's market. Our current inventory (homes for sale) is just about 5 months over the entire Jacksonville area, and we've had multiple offer situations on several price points, typically lower, and some ultra high end properties move really quickly, so many sellers think now could be the time for them to make a sizable profit. I met with a seller recently and we looked at what the market data was telling us, we identified the "sweet spot" for her property, and we priced it to move within 60 days. The listing went live Monday night at 10:30a, and we had 10+ showings over the next 48 hours, generating three physical offers, and three threats of offers. My seller is thrilled to have multi... 08/20/2014