Davidson Realty, based in World Golf Village, has become one of the top 10 real estate companies in Northeast Florida.  We have major market share in the World Golf Village and north St. Johns County area and our reach has also expanded to include Ponte Vedra and the beaches, Julington Creek and Flagler County.  Several Davidson agents hold the CDPE (Certified Distressed Property Expert) designation which gives them expertise at helping clients navigate short sales, foreclosures and distressed property situations. 

The Business Journal’s top 50 list list was compiled based on the following criteria:
• Privately held, for profit and locally owned.
• Headquartered in Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau, Baker, Flagler or Putnam counties.
• In operation since at least 2007.
• Annual revenue of at least $1 million in 2010.
• Overall revenue growth from 2008 to 2010 with revenue gain from 2009 to 2010.

The full list of the Business Journal 50 is in the current issue of the Jacksonville Business Journal which hit newsstands today.

Our Top Listing Agent for November is Mirtha Barzaga with $775,000 in listings sold. Mirtha is on a roll! She was also our Top Listing Agent for October. Mirtha believes real estate is so fulfilling because she has the opportunity to meet and help so many people. She loves working with her customers!

This month, Jock Ochiltree is our Top Sales Agent with $472,000 in buyer sales.  Jock specializes in golf course community living and would be happy to show you around our St. Augustine golf course community! If you would like more information on golf course communities, please view Jock’s Golf Course Communities Webinar.

Our Top Producer for closings in November is Dottie Lay with over $930,000. Dottie was our Top Sales Agent in October, September, and for the 3rd Quarter! Dottie was recently named a 5 STAR AGENT for the fourth time by the Florida Homebuyer Jacksonville magazine, a very esteemed recognition. Congratulations on all your success, Dottie!

All three of these Realtors are Certified Distressed Property Experts, so they are more than qualified to help you buy or sell a Short Sale or Foreclosure. Please let any of them know if you have real estate questions or are looking for a reliable real estate agent.

This is Pauline’s 5th time being honored as a FIVE STAR Agent! Her customer service cannot be beat, which everyone who has worked with her knows. She has been helping people find their perfect home with Davidson Realty since 2001.

Juana has been named a FIVE STAR Agent three times now!  Due to her technical background, she is very good with details and always goes the extra mile for her customers.

Dottie is a four time FIVE STAR Agent now!  Dottie was born and raised in Jacksonville Beach, so she is very familiar with all of Jacksonville FL real estate and is happy to help you find your dream home!

This is the first of many times Michelle will be named a FIVE STAR Agent! Michelle has had a great year and we know we will see even more from her in 2011!

Less than 7% of actively licensed agents in the Jacksonville area made the FIVE STAR Agent list, so we are very proud to have four of them be part of The Davidson Team. All four of these women are Certified Distressed Property Experts, which means they are extremely knowledgeable in Short Sales and Foreclosure prevention. Please contact them or any of our great Realtors if you have real estate related questions or need help buying or selling your home.

1. In the past 12 months, our Agent staff has doubled.
2. We continue to be the biggest lister in World Golf Village, and now we’re the top lister in Palencia too. 
3. Our reach has expanded beyond St. Johns County and St. Augustine to include Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra and even Flagler County.
4. According to the Jacksonville Business Journal, Davidson Realty is now among the top 10 real estate agencies in the area.
5. Most of our Agents now hold CDPE (Certified Distressed Property Expert) designations, so they can shrewdly advise clients on the ins and outs of today’s market, including short sales and foreclosures.

Rick Sharga from Realty Trac Inc. talked about three waves of foreclosures. The first wave of foreclosures occurred when employment was strong and the economy was growing. These foreclosures were caused by the sub-prime loans. The second wave of foreclosures was caused by unemployment. They estimate that there is 1 foreclosure for every 6 to 10 jobs lost. The third wave of foreclosures is mainly due to Option Arm loans resetting. Many people will see payments rise by $1,000 to $1,500 per month. The resetting Option Arms will peak in 2011.

Matt Vernon from Bank of America spoke about improvements to the short sale process using a new technology called Equator. Just to give you an idea of their volume of short sales, in March 67,000 short sales were initiated and 64,000 decisions were made. They have made major improvements in the time frame for approvals; however, Matt pointed out that only about 10% of the loans are owned by Bank of America. Most of the approvals have to be made by an investor and some investors respond more timely than others.

Diana Stauffer of Wachovia Bank shared an interesting statistic about average sales prices. The average price for a short sale is $212,400. The average price for a move in ready foreclosure is $191,900. She did point out that they do not see many move in ready foreclosures. A damaged foreclosure average price is $116,200. It is pretty clear that a short sale is a better option for the homeowner and the lender.

There were other great speakers discussing the stress homeowners are experiencing and how different personalities deal with stress and the stages of grief that many homeowners have to work through. Cindy and I both learned a lot, had some great meals, met some terrific people and came back ready to make a difference by helping homeowners make informed choices about their St. Augustine, FL homes.