Archives for August 2015

9 Emerald Coast Events to Attend in September

September is a funny time along the Emerald Coast. Labor Day unofficially marks the end of summer as many tourists head home. School is in session. The weather is still warm, the snowbirds haven’t arrived yet, and there’s plenty to do throughout the week. When you’re looking for something to do, other than enjoy the emptier beaches, check out these upcoming events along the Emerald Coast in September.

Bart Rockett – Spectactular Magic, Stage Illusions, Ventriloquism, and Comedy

Friday, September 4 – Sunday, September 6, 7:30 p.m.

Emerald Grande, Harborwalk Village

Start the Labor Day weekend with magic, wonder, and a few laughs. This isn’t your typical magic show, but it is fun for all ages.

HYPERLINK “http://destinmagic.com/”More info.

Labor Day Weekend Celebration

Saturday, September 5 – Sunday, September 6; 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Fireworks, Sunday at 9pm)

Harborwalk Village

Celebrate the holiday weekend with concerts, fireworks, food, and more!

HYPERLINK “http://emeraldgrande.com/events-3/”More info.

Heather Hayes Experience

Sunday, September 6, 7:00 p.m.

Mattie Kelly Arts Center, Niceville

Heather Hayes, daughter of Isaac Hayes, brings her R&B, soul, and funk sound to the Emerald Coast for a night of amazing music with her Atlanta-based band.

HYPERLINK “http://www.heatherhayesexperience.com/”Visit Website.

2^nd Annual Boardwalk Beer Tour

Friday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 12 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Boardwalk, Okaloosa Island

On Friday, head over to The Black Pearl for a five-course beer dinner and pairing. On Saturday, come on out to try over 70 beers, listen to live music, and have a great time!

HYPERLINK “http://melissam28811.wix.com/boardwalkbeertour”More info.

Bluegrass at the Beach

Saturday, September 12, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Mattie Kelly Arts Center, Niceville
Part of the Mattie Kelly Arts Center 20^th anniversary celebration, this one-day music festival is a first. Enjoy seven bluegrass bands including Blue Highway, The Hillbenders, Willie Sugarcapps, Run Boy Run, Moore Brothers Band, Dread Clampitt, and Dismal Creek , family friendly activities, and plenty of food. Get your tickets now!

HYPERLINK “http://www.mattiekellyartsfoundation.org/bluegrassatthebeach.html”More info.

4^th Annual Fort Walton Beach BBQ Festival

Friday, September 18 from 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 19 from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Fort Walton Beach Landing
Celebrate BBQ, beer, and music at the fourth annual festival. Free admission. Sponsored by Okaloosa Gas.

HYPERLINK “http://www.fwbchamber.org/events/4th-Annual-FWB-BBQ-Festival-(Day-1-of-2)-2998/details”More info.

Florida Coastal Beach Cleanup

Saturday, September 19, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Various locations
Join volunteers at one of three locations to help cleanup local beaches: Okaloosa Island at Beasley Park, Beach Walk East of Surfdweller, and Henderson Beach State Park. While supplies last, volunteers receive t-shirts, soda, and snacks.

HYPERLINK “http://www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/environmental/council/coastal-cleanup”More info.

Destin Beer Week and Festival 2015

September 22 – September 26 (Main Event on Saturday, September 26)

Destin Wine World Paradise Key
Come on out to sample 300 beers, check out 60-plus breweries, and enjoy live entertainment. All proceeds benefit Children in Crisis.

HYPERLINK “http://www.destinbeerfestival.com/”Visit Website.

Hispanic Fest 2015

Saturday, September 26, 11:00 a.m – 9:00 p.m.

Emerald Coast Convention Center
Brought to you by United for a Good Cause, Inc., this year’s festival features Hispanic music, folkloric dances, arts, crafts, and a fashion show!

HYPERLINK “http://www.destinbeerfestival.com/”

To see these events and more, visit:

HYPERLINK “http://www.destinchamber.com/cwt/external/wcpages/wcevents/communityeventsstartpage.aspx?ce=true”Destin Chamber of Commerce

HYPERLINK “http://www.fwbchamber.org/events?ce=true”Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce

HYPERLINK “http://www.emeraldcoastfl.com/things-to-do/upcoming-events.aspx”Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau

When the beach gets too crowded or you just want to do something a little different, check out these great events coming up later this month!

July 2015: Real Estate Sales Along Emerald Coast Holding Steady

Real estate sales along the Emerald Coast continue to hold steady with increases over the year before. In July, sales were up for single family homes, town homes, and condos across the Emerald Coast. Nationally,  HYPERLINK “http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2015/08/21/6-key-housing-stats-gauge-market”total existing home sales increased 10.3 percent over last year – similar to what we saw here in Northwest Florida.  All sales data is a year-over-year comparison between July 2015 and July 2014.

Single Family Home Sales

Emerald Coast

Closed sales increased 12%

Pending sales rose 8.2%

Median prices increased 11.6%

Inventory decreased 3.5%

Months supply decreased 21.2% to 6.7 months of inventory

Okaloosa County

Closed sales increased 15.3%

Pending sales increased 15.2%

Median prices increased 11.4%

Inventory decreased 2.2%

Months supply decreased 20.6% to 5.6 months of inventory

Walton County

Closed sales increased 4.8%

Pending sales increased 3.1%

Median prices increased 31.5%

Inventory decreased 4.6%

Months supply decreased 23.4% to 7.9 months of inventory

Townhouse and Condo Sales

Emerald Coast

Closed sales increased 4.9%

Pending sales decreased 9.5%

Median prices increased 35.2%

Inventory increased 0.7%

Months supply increased 1.2% to 9.9 months of inventory

Okaloosa County

Closed sales decreased 11.3%

Pending sales decreased 2.9%

Median prices increased 8.4%

Inventory increased 2.9%

Months supply increased 9.7% to 11.6 months of inventory

Walton County

Closed sales increased 8.8%

Pending sales stayed flat with a 0.0% increase/decrease

Median prices increased 10.5%

Inventory decreased 10.3%

Months supply decreased 18.7% to 8.1 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. Single family home inventory in Okaloosa County continues to border on a seller’s market – with buyers having fewer options. When inventory decreases, multiple bids are more common and the best homes at the best prices tend to sell quickly.

Inventory can decrease while the months’ supply can increase – as well as the reverse. As inventory falls, buyers have less options. If the available inventory shrinks too much, sales can slow down which will increase the months’ supply of homes for purchase. This also contributes to quicker offers for well-priced and positioned homes, as well as multiple offers.

Median prices increased in all categories for the month of July. 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  HYPERLINK “http://www.emeraldcoastrealtors.com/”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.

Costly Mistakes Made by New Homeowners

A new home is one of the biggest purchases homeowners will make in their lifetimes. Regrettably, sometimes costly mistakes are made by various parties of the transaction – builders, remodeling contractors, or even the new homeowners, themselves. Knowing a few of these common mistakes homeowners make can prevent future snafus from happening and save you lots of time, headaches and most importantly, money.

Storing Household Goods on Garage and Attic Trusses. Garage and attic trusses are designed to support the weight of the roof and ceiling and not the weight of anything else. Unfortunately, many homeowners view the space in the attic and above the garage ceiling as a great place for additional storage. Storing household goods in these areas can result in sagging and even a possible collapse of the roof structure. If a homeowner wishes to use this space for storage, a structural engineer should be consulted to determine if additional reinforcement is necessary.

Improperly attaching a Deck Trellis, Sunscreen, or Lanai Structure to the Home.Unfortunately, these “add on structures” are often just nailed or bolted directly to the outside wall of the home. Inevitably, rainwater finds its way into the penetrations and the dry rot process begins. It is critical that the deck ledger (the board that is placed up against the side of the home) be flashed with metal flashing in an industry-approved manner. If bolts are used to attach the ledger board to the home, the bolt holes should be filled with caulk. Local government agencies often require a building permit to construct a trellis or lanai attached to a home because they are considered a structure that could fall and cause injury. Check with the local building department before starting work.

Disconnecting or Not Using Bathroom and Laundry Vent Fans. Bathrooms and laundries are areas of high humidity. Bathroom and laundry fans should never be disconnected (even though the noise may bother the occupant). The fan should always be turned on during use of the room. Failure to use the vent fans can result in water vapor getting into the drywall, electrical outlets and even the framing members. Over time, mold, mildew and fungi may grow in these areas. Water vapor that condenses on walls and windows can eventually find its way into the walls of the home and weaken the structure through dry rot. Rooms where humidifiers are used should also be well ventilated.

Walking on the Roof. Walking on the roof is dangerous. Slips and falls can cause serious injuries. Untrained persons are likely to break or scuff the roof covering and cause roof leaks. Cleaning gutters should be done from a ladder and not by standing on the roof. If an object is thrown on the roof, such as a child’s toy, it should be retrieved using a ladder and a telescoping pole rather than by walking on the roof. Most residential warranties exclude damage resulting from unauthorized persons walking on roofs.

Overloading Upper Cabinets. While lower cabinets rest on the floor, upper cabinets are hung from a wall using screws or nails. By stacking heavy dishes and glassware in an upper cabinet, a homeowner can load the cabinet beyond its capacity. This can result in sagging shelves, or worse yet, detachment of the cabinet from the wall. Heavy china and cookware should always be placed in the lower cabinets. Do not overload cabinet drawers with heavy items and take care to not pull drawers out too far. This action results in the plastic guide being snapped off at the back of the cabinet drawer.

5 Ways to Make Moving Day Easier

Let’s face it. Moving is no picnic, and moving day is even worse. It doesn’t matter if you’ve done it a dozen times or this is your first official move, there are always ways to make it better.

Anytime you move, make sure you have a plan of action – how you’ll move, when you’ll move, and who will help you. To take a little of the stress out of the move, keep these five tips handy for the move-in day.

Take a picture of your electronics. Before you pack up all the game consoles, DVD/Blu-Ray players, TVs, computers, laptops, and anything else that plugs in, take a picture of each. One of the first things that many people will unpack is their entertainment. With a picture of the correct set-up, you’ll be up and running in no time.

Set-up your utilities in advance. Once you know what date you’re moving, you can call the electric, water, internet, cable, and other companies. Some may require paperwork to show proof of ownership, others may want a deposit. Setting everything up in advance means you’ll have hot water, air conditioner, and (hopefully) the internet and cable you need to unwind at the end of a long moving day.

Keep the cleaning supplies separate. This shouldn’t be too hard if you do a final cleaning once everything is on the moving truck. Empty trashcans or leftover boxes are perfect for this. Packing your cleaning supplies with your other belongings increases your chance of finding a sticky mess when you unpack.

Pack a box just for the first night. If you know there’s no way you’re going to begin unpacking once the moving truck is unloaded, pack up a special first night box. Include toiletries, something to keep you entertained, and important documents like birth certificates, deeds, and other paperwork that you don’t want to lose.

Label everything. This includes the boxes and the rooms of your new home. Make the move-in job easier for you and who ever helps unload the moving truck by labeling where you want your furniture to go. Tip: Make signs on blank paper and stick them to the walls with masking or painter’s tape (anything else could peel the paint). When you’re ready to unpack, the job will be easier if the right boxes are in the correct rooms and your furniture is, basically, where you want it.

Moving is a hassle, even when it’s to your dream home. With a few tips and tricks, you can take some of the stress out and keep you and your belongings organized.