Archives for April 2015

Traveling with the Family Pet Doesn’t Have to be Impossible

While there’s nothing like packing up the family for a long-anticipated vacation, it’s just not the same if you can’t take your beloved pet along. Here are some tips for taking your furry friend with you, which will help make for a smooth and comfortable trip.

1. Keep your pets safe in a well ventilated crate. Make sure it’s large enough for your pet to stand, sit, lie down, and turn around in.
2. Get your pet accustomed to the car. If taking a long trip, take your pet on a few short drives beforehand so he or she can get used to the car.
3. Make sure to feed your pet a few hours before a long trip to avoid stomach upset and don’t ever feed him or her in a moving vehicle, even if it is a long trip.
4. Never leave your pet in the car alone for a long period of time. Even with the windows open, a car can become extremely hot and cause heat stroke.
5. Make sure your pet is easily identifiable. Put a microchip in your pet, or make sure your pet’s collar includes your cell phone number, destination phone number, and destination address. This will come in handy if your pet goes missing.
6. Don’t allow your pet to ride with his or her head outside the window. Make sure your pet’s crate is in the back seat and is secured tightly. 7. Make sure you have a travel kit for your pet. This could include a leash, a waste scooper, food, water, bowls, medications, grooming supplies, and whatever else you think your dog or cat will need for the journey.
8. Some states require proof of a rabies vaccination so make sure you bring your pet’s paperwork just in case.
9. Bring your own water. Water from unfamiliar places can cause an upset stomach in a lot of pets.
10. If you travel frequently with your pet, you may want to invest in rubberized floor liners and waterproof seat covers, available at auto product retailers.

Source: ASPCA.org

March 2015: Home Sales Strong Along Emerald Coast

Continuing along the lines of February sales, single family homes, townhouses, and condos saw strong increases in March when compared to last year. Median prices rose in most cases and inventory fell slightly. If sales are this strong in spring, the summer season should be interesting to watch.

Single Family Home Sales

Emerald Coast

Closed sales increased 26.6%
Pending sales rose 22%
Median prices increased 13.8%
Inventory decreased 3%
Months supply decreased 17.4% to 6.9 months of inventory

Okaloosa County

Closed sales increased 34.3%
Pending sales increased 30.1%
Median prices increased 19.6%
Inventory decreased 3.7%
Months supply decreased 18% to 5.8 months of inventory

Walton County

Closed sales increased 21.3%
Pending sales increased 9.6%
Median prices increased 3.3%
Inventory increased 0.2%
Months supply decreased 18% to 8.4 months of inventory

Townhouse and Condo Sales

Emerald Coast

Closed sales increased 44%
Pending sales increased 19.6%
Median prices increased 4.2%
Inventory dropped 5.2%
Months supply increased 12.7% to 9.9 months of inventory

Okaloosa County

Closed sales increased 31.4%
Pending sales increased 4.2%
Median prices rose 13.7%
Inventory decreased 5.3%
Months supply increased 16.2% to 10.7 months of inventory

Walton County

Closed sales increased 42.4%
Pending sales increased 32.5%
Median prices decreased 11.6%
Inventory decreased 7%
Months supply decreased 3.8% to 9.0 months of inventory

A few things to remember…

A healthy real estate market (meaning neither buyer nor sellers have an “advantage”) is a six to eight month inventory. Below six months, it’s thought to be a seller’s market and above eight months is considered a buyer’s market.

Prices continue to fluctuate for single family homes and townhomes/condos but across the board, median prices increased in the month of March. The median price is determined, in part, by the price ranges buyers are selecting and the inventory available in those price ranges.

Pending sales are only an indication of the month ahead. In months with an increase in pending sales, you can expect sales to increase for the following month. A decline in pending sales may be an indication of lower sales the next month. It is not an automatic as sales often take more than 30 days to close.

All sales data is from the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors® (ECAR) Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and is compiled by Florida Realtors®, the state association for Florida. The Emerald Coast statistics cover both Okaloosa and Walton counties as well as surrounding areas based on the listings entered into the MLS by ECAR MLS participants.

7 Fun Things to Do on the Emerald Coast in May

Summer is coming, and with it, plenty of fun in the sun for the entire family. Now it’s time to remember exactly what makes the Emerald Coast such a fun place to live!

Burning Up the Beaches

Thursday, April 30 – Sunday, May 3

The Boardwalk Park, Okaloosa Island

Don’t miss this three-day classic car event. Whether you want to see beautiful cars or enter your own, this is a car lovers dream. Live music, food, prizes, and more will be available throughout the event. All proceeds benefit Horizons Development.
Visit website.

Cinco de Mayo Fest

Saturday, May 2

Harborwalk Village, Destin

Get a babysitter, call a friend, and come on out for a fun time at Harborwalk. Join in the Running of the Bulls, local roller derby women and stay for the Pub Crawl later!

Visit website.

Military Family Appreciation Day

Saturday, May 9, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Landing, Fort Walton Beach

Free for military and their families, active-duty or retired, this is a day to celebrate and appreciate those who sacrifice so much to keep us safe. Live music, a kids play area, food, drinks, and more will be available.

Learn more.

4th Annual Mob Night

Saturday, May 16, 7:30 p.m.
Clemenza’s, Uptown Station, Fort Walton Beach

Get dressed up in your favorite mob attire and help Clemenza’s celebrate their fourth year in business! Tickets are $60 per person or $100 for two and must be purchased in advance.

Visit website.

World’s Greatest Baby Shower

Thursday, May 21, 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Emerald Coast Convention Center

If you’ve got a baby on the way, make plans for this great event with advice, information, and more to get ready for the biggest moment in your life – welcoming a child into the world. This event is sponsored by Healthy Start of Okaloosa/Walton County.

Memorial Day Concert Celebration

Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24

Emerald Grande at Harborwalk
Kick off the summer with free concerts and fun at Harborwalk. Live music will fill the air on both Saturday and Sunday. End the night with a free fireworks show over the harbor beginning at 9:00 p.m.

Toys for Tots Golf Tournament

Saturday, May 30

Eglin AFB Golf Course, Niceville
It’s never too early to remember children in need. Proceeds from this tournament will benefit area children later this year during the holiday season. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. A silent auction and lunch will begin at 11:00 a.m. Shot-gun start at noon. This event is sponsored by the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors.

Learn more.

To see these events and more, visit:

Destin Chamber of Commerce

Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce

Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau

There are so many things to do in the month of May. You don’t want to miss out on the fun!

7 Things to Remember When Buying a Home

Image via StockMonkeys.com

There’s a lot to think about when you buy a home – neighborhoods, schools, square footage. But there are also some basic things to keep in mind. If you remember nothing else, remember these seven tips.

Know what you can really afford. There are online calculators and real-live lenders who will help you determine exactly what you can afford. Before you even begin looking at properties, have at least a rough idea.
Get pre-qualified for a mortgage. Better yet, work with a lender to find out how much they’d be willing to lend you. Pre-qualification isn’t a guarantee but it gives you a real number to work with based on your income and other criteria.
Make a list of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and can-live-withouts. This is your home search, so modify as needed, but this list will help you narrow down your choices.
Don’t flaunt your offer to the world. An offer isn’t a contract, and until it’s signed, sealed, and delivered, you don’t have anything concrete. This is especially important on social media. Telling your friends and family you got a “steal” is great – until you discover the third cousin, twice removed of your seller is friends with your aunt and saw the post. It can get ugly.
Don’t pick out paint colors or measure the windows for new drapes until you’re the actual owner. Anything can happen from contract to closing. While your Realtor, lender, and title company will do their best to prevent it, the house isn’t yours until you’ve been handed the keys.
Respond to requests for information and paperwork. Nothing will slow down a closing faster than a lack of information or signature on a form. If you’ll be delayed, communicate that with everyone involved. If not, get it in as quickly as possible.
Don’t buy a car or change jobs at any point during the process. Your closing will be delayed by the new expense or change in employment. In some cases, you might not be able to close at all. Just don’t do it.

There’s a lot to do when buying a home. Depending on your price range and the market, you may have too many options to count. But if you can remember these seven rules, you’ll help make the process much easier and quicker.

Donate Household Goods the Right Way

Too much stuff cluttering up your home? Removing items you no longer want is easy, but deciding what to do with them can be a challenge. Instead of storing or throwing away household goods, try these alternatives.

Make a Donation

Homeless shelters, resale or thrift stores and even animal shelters are great places to bring your items that you no longer have a use for. Most homeless shelters will accept anything from food or grocery coupons to rain gear and other outerwear. Thrift shops love electronics like computers or phones, as well as books or housewares. Animal shelters will also accept items like blankets or heating pads, and office supplies, batteries, plastic bags and certain types of baby food.

Get Creative

Before donating, research which local or national charities need your items the most and hold a fundraising garage sale. Select an organization that you are interested in helping out and donate the proceeds from your sold items to them.

Remember: Trash Isn’t Always Treasure

If you view your items as garbage or not useful, there’s a good chance that others may, too. Before you donate your items to someone else, make sure they can still be used and are in good condition. Remember that some items can be refurbished into something else!

Is Your Home Ready for the Spring and Summer Selling Season?

Image via Flickr courtesy of Martinak15

Now that Easter has come and gone, it’s time to look towards spring and summer. The weather along the Emerald Coast is cooperating a bit. The cold temperatures are moving out, and the warmer ones moving in. By Memorial Day, our local real estate season will be in full swing with people looking to buy.

Whether they’re moving to the area or simply moving across town, home buyers all want a home they can imagine themselves living in for years to come. With a few upgrades and a small investment, you can get your home ready to sell.

Look up.

Whether you need a new roof or you just need to clean off pine needles and replace a few shingles, you can bet buyers will notice the roof. Replacing it isn’t a cheap fix, but it can pay off in the end. Take care of your roof so buyers won’t be turned off before they walk through the front door.

Keep it cool.

This is Florida. It gets hot and a working A/C is an absolute necessity. You might not need to replace the whole unit, but at the very least get it serviced and deal with any repair issues. The money you pay could be the difference between selling quickly or sitting on the market for months.

Get energy efficient.

If you’ve got the budget for it, consider upgrading your windows to more energy efficient options. Not only will you lower your electric bill while you still live there, you’ll also have another selling point for a potential buyer.

Watch your feet.

Floors can be an inexpensive upgrade or a pricey one. But whatever you do will pay off in the end. Replace worn carpet or have stained carpet professionally cleaned. Fixed cracked or broken tiles. Refinish wood floors to bring out the natural beauty and make them shine.

Think big.

Bathrooms and kitchens sell homes. Any investment you make will help you see a bigger return when you sell. Bigger vanities and walk-in showers impress many buyers, while upgraded appliances, nice countertops, and solid cabinets are practically necessities in the kitchen. If you’ve only got a little bit of money and time, put it in the kitchen and bathrooms.

Even with a small budget and limited time, you can make your home attractive to potential buyers this spring season. Small things like mowing the lawn, planting flowers, and decluttering can work wonders but if you can, consider making at least one investment in your home to appeal to buyers and sell your home quickly while still getting a good return on your investment.