Davidson Realty, Inc.

It’s Wedding Season! We Have Great Tips for Buying Your First Home

July 11, 2011

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Posted by in News, Videos

picFirst time home ownership can be as exciting and stressful as getting married. And often the two often go hand-in-hand, so to speak. So, we have six key tips for new couples embarking on their first home purchase below and we had some of our knowledgeable Jacksonville Realtors give you more tips in the video above!

1. Check your credit. It’s wise to get this one out of the way before the wedding so both partners are clear about each other’s financial health. Check at least two of the three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.  Address any issues or misreporting. A FICO score of 720 or above is the best range for loan approval and favorable rates.  You may still get approved for a loan with a credit score of say 680 but you’ll most likely have a higher interest rate.  If you’re in the 660 range, you may be able to qualify for a FHA loan.

2. Agree on what you can afford. This is where those communication skills are key!  Make sure you’re both comfortable with the budget. Generally a home purchase should not be more than 2 ½ times your combined annual salary but perhaps you have student loans to consider.  It’s ideal to have a 20% down payment, but you may be able to qualify with less down, although that’s tougher in today’s real estate market.

3. Agree on top needs. Talk, talk and talk some more. Be able to agree on at least your top three must-haves.  For example, maybe it’s good schools, three bedrooms and an easy commute to work.

4. Find an experienced Real Estate Agent.  An experienced real estate professional can help ease the home buying process in many ways – from helping identify lenders to providing current market stats and advising you about what to offer on house. Ask around. Word-of-mouth recommendations are often the best.

5. Get pre-approved. Getting pre-approved ensures you don’t waste time looking at houses you can’t afford.  It also puts you in a better position to make an offer when you find the right home. Pre-approval is a more in depth process than pre-qualified but it’s the smarter way to go.

6. Use a home inspector. Being a smart homebuyer means being informed. A home inspection will make you aware of any potential problems BEFORE you’ve signed on the dotted line.

For more information about first-time home buying, visit Davidson Realty’s First Time Homebuyers Webinar Library at http://www.davidsonrealtyinc.com/webinars/category/first-time-homebuyers.

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How Horses are like Loan Interest and why DASI

July 1, 2011

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Posted by in News

Logo-Red-thumbWe are all aware of the lingering problems facing the real estate market on a nationwide basis. During the past real estate down-turns, financial institutions, investors and individuals took direct responsibility for their problems and realized early on that they had to come up with a solution that would eliminate or substantially reduce their losses. This time the federal government decided to come to the rescue. Program after program was announced including monetary bail-outs, debt restructuring options and even debt forgiveness. As a result most, if not all, of the financial institutions, investors and individuals opted for a wait and see attitude related to their troubled real estate assets. Time, as always, has marched on. As a wise old Georgia farmer once told me “I don’t like horses; they eat while you sleep”! Well interest is the same way with or without the inherent penalties for non-payment. It just keeps accruing. Many of the loan defaults started in late 2006 and early 2007. While there have been bail-outs and some debit restructuring the back log of troubled assets is still monumental in many markets.

This brings us back to the question of “Why Davidson Advisory Services, Inc. (DASI)? Very simply a strong market need. Any restructuring of existing financing, modification of permitting, change of intended use or revived sales efforts must rely heavily on a well thought out comprehensive disposition strategy taking into account current and projected market conditions. In many cases this may be the last chance to salvage loan principal or invested capital. Oftentimes the owner/lender just needs a knowledgeable sounding board to bounce off ideas. The principals at DASI have the knowledge, expertise and proven track record to assist any financial institution, investor or individual in making the right decision regarding their real estate investment. These services may be solicited and engaged at any point in the process.

In summary, DASI can help.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A Unique Workshop about Healthy Eating Habits

June 17, 2011

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Posted by in Events, News

Sometimes the reason a diet doesn’t work has nothing to do with food. Even when we have the best intentions of eating healthy, we fall off the wagon. Why is it so hard to sustain healthy eating habits for an extended period of time? Why do we fall back into our old ways of eating?

Holes: A Food for Thought Workshop addresses the “holes” or gaps in our attempts to make healthy habits part of our permanent lifestyle. This four-part workshop series helps attendees find that ‘missing link’ that keeps us from reaching our goals.  It’s not a diet program and it can help no matter what your eating habits are.

Part 1 June 21: What is Holes? (Intro to workshop and open discussion)

Part 2 June 28: What’s Eating Holes in Your Goals? (What is getting in the way of your success? What causes you to eat and act the way you do over time?)

Part 3 July 5: How to Stop the Holes from Growing (It is not about the “right” plan, the latest trend, or will power.)

Part 4 July 12: Heal the Holes (Learn about the support available so you can reach and sustain your goals!!!)

The 4-part workshop series costs $39.99 in advance or $49.99 at the door. The workshops will be held at Davidson Realty from 7:00 – 9:00 pm on June 21, June 28, July 5 and July 12. They will be presented by Robert Ferry LMHC, who specializes in addiction and personal coaching. Contact Dawn Barbarine at (904) 347-5301 or DawnBarbarine@gmail.com to reserve your spot or learn more.

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Jacksonville Business Journal Names Davidson Realty the Best Place to Work

June 14, 2011

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Posted by in Awards, News

IMG_5272It’s great to work at Davidson Realty. But don’t just take our word for it. Check out the Jacksonville Business Journal’s latest Best Places to Work report and you’ll find Davidson Realty at the top of the list.  That’s right. We’ve been named the Best Place to Work, Small Business category.  In fact, we’ve made the list for the last seven years and topped it twice. Says Davidson Realty President Sherry Davidson, “We put a lot of stock in this recognition which is awarded based on direct feedback from employees.  We value our team at Davidson Realty. They have helped us not just survive a tough real estate market, but thrive and expand the business. Without question, our people are our greatest asset.”IMG_5326

So just what makes Davidson Realty such a great place to work?  “There is a strong sense of camaraderie here because the company creates opportunities for us to connect socially like a Friday cook-out or an IMAX outing or a cruise down the St. Johns River,” said Dottie Lay.  “Davidson offers great support for its Agents, from marketing to professional development,” said Ana Speziale. “Giving back to the community is not just lip service.  We have monthly blood drives, free community educational events and we participate in a variety of fundraisers, from Relay for Life to March of Dimes,” said Sharon King. “Surprise visits from the ‘Wine Fairy’ on Friday afternoons,” said Vanessa Cunningham.

28571_10150222013935385_243700390384_12872063_1705805_nThe Jacksonville Business Journal conducts the Best Places to Work survey annually. The rankings for this list are done by Quantum Workplace, a third-party company that specializes in measuring workplace satisfaction. Nominations were submitted to The Business Journal by more than 100 companies, with most nominations coming from company employees. Results were announced in the Business Journal’s May 20th issue.  For more information about the Jacksonville Business Journal’s Best Places to Work, visit http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/inside_the_lists/2011/05/jacksonvilles-best-places-to-work.html.

In the last three years, Davidson has doubled its number of Realtors and expanded its real estate territories to include Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra and Flagler County, in addition to St. Johns County.  The company actively recruits both experienced agents and those interested in a new career in real estate.  If you’re interested in learning more about working at Davidson Realty, contact Peyton Davidson at (904) 940-5000 or pdavidson@davidsonrealtyinc.com.

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Welcome to Our Four New Agents

May 10, 2011

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Posted by in Agent Feature, News

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve added four new Agents to our growing team of real estate pros.  A warm Davidson Realty WELCOME to Anna Decker, Kodi Merrell, Amber Overstreet and Maxine Levy!

Anna Decker_DSC_1820When Anna Decker‘s son enrolled in college recently, she took the opportunity to embark on a new career in real estate.  Anna brings top-notch customer service experience with her, gleaned from many years as a travel professional and a small business owner.  Community-minded Decker helps with fundraising and events for St. Augustine’s St. Francis House.  She enjoys sailing, skydiving (we love her adventurous spirit!) and gourmet cooking.Kodi Merrell

We suspect that our World Golf Village location attracted Kodi Merrell to our team, but that’s fine with us.  Florida-native Kodi Merrell is an accomplished golfer who competed on the Flagler College Men’s Golf Team.  He joined Davidson Realty after graduating from Flagler and we love that he brings the dedication and focus he learned on the golf course to his work as an Agent.  Kodi does volunteer work with The First Tee of St. John’s County.

Amber OverstreetAmber Overstreet came to Jacksonville from Roanoke, Virginia where she was born and raised and we love that she reminds us all the time how lucky we are to live here.  Amber has embraced the Florida lifestyle, even taking up surfing.  Amber is a graduate of James Madison University.  She came to Davidson Realty from Merrill Lynch where she obtained her Series 7 license. She’s devoted to Max, her German Shephard/Lab rescue dog, and also enjoys drawing and playing sports.maxine

Maxine Levy is an experienced pro who provides her real estate clients with sharp financial advice.  Prior to embarking on a real estate career with Davidson Realty, Maxine spent 27 years in the financial industry in Jamaica. She managed the Retail Lending Unit for a major banking institution where she drove strong results year-after-year ensuring the branch was always in the top 10 performers out of 41 branches. Maxine dove right into the Davidson family, participating full-heartedly in charitable events and company outings!

We’re looking to add more self-starters to our Davidson Realty team.  Give us a call (904.940.5000), send us an email (pdavidson@davidsonrealtyinc.com) or stop by our office to learn more about a career in real estate.

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