Blog Northwest Florida

It's been a while since I have posted anything about Pensacola Beach so I think it's time! The summer is behind us, the vacationers - for the most part - have left our tiny strip of white sand beach fronting the Gulf of Mexico. Our real estate sales have slowed as they normally do until the spring when this beautiful island, population roughly 3,000 souls, is once again discovered by those seeking paradise (Or at least warm sandy beaches!). So, I'd like to share, via photos, some of the things I love most about the beach:

 

 I can't think of much that is more fun than watching the surfers catch the waves. Unless maybe it is actually surfing the waves.

Pensacola Beach is the home to a dedicated group of surfers who you can find, regardless of weather, honing their craft in the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Of course, our waves aren't big, but what better place to learn to surf and WOW what scenery.

 

 

 

 And then there is sailing.

Quietwater Beach on the north side of Santa Rosa Island provides the perfect sheltered harbor for sailing, kayaking, wind surfing, swimming . . . in short, any and all of the "quietwater" water sports.

And there are plenty of restaurants and bars on Quietwater Beach, so you are only steps from good food, drink and music.

This is generally a quiet, family beach. Until, that is, Blue Angel weekend when hundreds of boats crowd the Quietwater Beach area in search of the PERFECT spot to raft up and watch the hometown heros' spectacular show.

 

And here's "You Know Who" with her big catch for the year, a 16-plus pound red snapper. I can't say you are assured of a big catch like this, but I've been pretty fortunate! Snapper, grouper and amber jack are plentiful off our island.

There are a number of charter boats leaving Pensacola Pass every day for their favorite fishing spots. Hop aboard and see what you catch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every Tuesday evening, May through September, you can find an enthusiastic crowds with their lawn chairs, coolers and dancing shoes (or flip flops) taking in the free Bands on the Beach concert at Casino Beach in the heart of Pensacola Beach. From blues to rock to island sounds and even hip hop, the bands play on!

 

While not technically on Pensacola Beach (Juanas is on Navarre Beach at the east end of Santa Rosa Island), Juanas Pagoda serves the MEANEST sticky buns in Northwest Florida. These buns are gigantic - and truly sticky.

When I'm feeling really frisky and in need of a great breakfast treat I actually ride my bike down the island, through the National Seashore, to Juanas. You can sit out on their deck overlooking the Santa Rosa Sound if you arrive sweaty like I usually do, or you can dine inside in air-conditioned comfort. With the exception of Sunday morning, the line isn't usually too long!

 

 

 

An early morning group ride down Santa Rosa Island through the National Seashore. Suppose they stopped at Juanas for the buns?

What a great venue for riding. J. Earl Bowden Way has just been repaved and has a great bicycle shoulder.

The National seashore is also my favorite place for snorkeling, swimming, beachcombing, birdwatching and on-shore fishing.

 

 

 

 

 

Then there are the gorgeous beach homes. From the island's original 1950s concrete block homes to Gulf front mansions, Pensacola Beach boasts a variety of housing styles and options.

 

 

 

While a single family home appeals to many, the amenities found in the many beach condos appeal to others. Me, I like them ALL! As the saying goes, "If you're lucky enough to be on the beach you're lucky enough!"

 

 

 

 

Colorful beach floats line the shops at Quitewater Beach.

Want a dinosaur float or will a dolphin make you feel like a real sea creature? No problem, you will find them all on the Boardwalk!

 

 

 

There are PLENTY of wonderful seafood restaurants on Pensacola Beach.

Crabs at Casino Beach is just one of my favorites.

Guess what sea creatures they serve most?

 

 

 

And finally, the thing I love absolutely love most about Pensacola Beach:

The Truly Amazing Sunsets! Or as we like to say, "Wine Time."

 

 

You know it's almost summer when it's time for the Tuesday evening Pensacola Beach ritual Bands on the Beach!

This Tuesday, May 5, marks the start of the 2009 Bands on the Beach series with Wildwood, a group regionally knows for their rock, blues, Beatles tunes and reggae rhythm. The free concerts are hosted by the Santa Rosa Island Authority at the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach and run through September 22.

Put on your flip flops and bring a chair. The concerts are family friendly and usually draw a crowd of 1,000 to 2,000. Picnic baskets and coolers are the order of the day!

For a schedule of this season's Bands on the Beach go to www.PensacolaForYou.com and click on the Events button just below the tiny blue crab. See you at the beach!

What an absolutely AMAZING place to live! The Florida Department of Transportation opened J. Earl Bowden Way in the Gulf Islands National Seashore to traffic on Friday and - WOW - did I forget just how much I missed this gorgeous stretch of Gulf front road!

The road, which was damaged during Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and again by Huricane Dennis in 2005, once again links Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach and the drive is nothing short of spectacular. I was out on the road on Saturday taking photos of my husband and a group of his friends who were out for a training bike ride and I just have to share!

 

The weather was in the mid 70s on Saturday - a perfect day for a long bike ride and the group rode 70 miles. Their loop took them from Gulf Breeze, out Garcon Point to I-10, back to Gulf Breeze and over to Navarre Beach - down the National Seashore to Pensacola Beach and finally back to Gulf Breeze.

So - with the weather forecast to remain sunny and in the 70s through the weekend, who could resist a bike ride Sunday afternoon followed by an 8k run to benefit the Midway (Gulf Breeze) Fire Department and Muscular Dystrophy? Jay and some of his friends participated in the run and I served as back up crew.

Anyone who loves the outdoors will feel at home in Northwest Florida. The temperate climate and abundant access to waterways, parks, trails and outdoor events is truly unparalleled.

Forgot to mention that we actually started the weekend early with a free (almost free - admission is a food donation to Manna Food Bank) concert in downtown Pensacola Thursday evening; "Radio Live", sponsored by the Universtiy of West Florida's WUWF radio station.

The start of the Gulf Breeze Midway Fire Department's 8K Run to benefit the Fire Department and Muscular Distrophy. The well attended run was held Sunday afternoon and the course wound it's way from the Fire Department on Gulf Breeze Parkway through several neighborhoods.

Would you like more information on living in a place that will make you feel every day is a vacation?

Please visit my website, www.PensacolaForYou.com for home searches and information on the Greater Pensacola Bay Area.

As we enter the New Year I have been thinking a lot about financial planning and happiness. Funny how intertwined the two tend to be!

While many of us are rethinking our spending habits amidst the poor economic news and wondering if we really NEED all those things we tend to buy, the fact of the matter is that even if we simplify and downsize there are some financial realities that we just can't escape.

And for women these financial realities can be much different than those faced by our male counterparts. I listened to a great talk by Carol Carlan, a consultant with "Our Collective Mind" at the Pensacola area Women's Council of Realtors yesterday. Some points she made deserve to be shared:

• U.S. Life Expectancy - for Women 83, Men 76
• 3 out of 4 Married Women will be Widowed
• 3 Common Mistakes Women Make 1) Don't Invest in a 401k 2) Don't Diversify and Take Risks in Investing 3) Underestimate Health Care Costs
• Carol's talk reminded me of a recent study which was conducted by the Harvard Generations Policy Program. The findings indicated that while the approximately 40 million baby boomer women are  the largest generation to reach their 40s, their financial security may not be assured unless they make wise housing choices.  

The study showed that boomer women (born from 1946 to 1964) spend more, acquire more debt, and are less likely to have traditional pensions, spousal benefits or retiree health coverage than other cohort groups. For these women - interestingly enough, the majority of those I saw sitting around me at the Pensacola Women's Council of Realtors group - housing is a key to their future security and happiness.

The Harvard study says unequivocally that women of the baby boom generation who own their own homes (either alone or with a spouse) will be at an economic advantage.

Over the past two years I have watched our hot housing market cool, our economy slow down and potential buyers wring their hands as they worried over finding the bottom of the local housing market. Both Carol Carlan's talk and my review of the Harvard study reminded me just how important it is to review with potential buyers the decision tree for renting vs. buying. Long term financial goals and security always have to be part of the equation and in most cases, buying wins out.

As we enter a new year and take stock of where we are and where we are going, whether we are female boomers or not, housing should be a big part of our equation. With the current attractive housing prices in the Pensacola area, low interest rates and the generous seller concessions we are seeing, NOW is a great time to explore whether buying is right for you. If you agree, don't wait . . . call your professional Realtor!

 

Year	Annual Sales	Avg List Price	Avg Sales Price	% Diff Sell/List	Avg Days on Market	Current Inventory	Months Inventory
2006	6888	$216,269	$207,873	96.12%	108	6,690	11.92
2007	5535	$217,360	$207,787	95.60%	131.1	7,154	15.75
2008	4285	$208,118	$196,029	94.19%	153.3	6,502	18.75

The chart above provides an overview of the Escambia and Santa Rosa County single family home, condominium and townhome sales from 2006 to 2008. You will note that sale prices are down while selling days on the market have increased significantly. Firgures were taken from the Pensacola Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. 

 Robin Sherman, Robin@PensacolaForYou.com

 

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is working hard to get the word out - Mortgage Money is Available!

In a press release issued today NAR urged the public to disregard much of the "misinformation" floating around in the media and on blogs related to the tight home mortgage market. NAR shares the following facts:

1) An individual may be required to put down 20% based on that person's financial situation, but that is not an across-the-board requirement for all borrowers.

2) A borrower who puts down less than 20% is required to obtain mortgage insurance.

3) Even in a declining market a borrower is required to make at least a 5 or 10 percent down payment.

4) FHA requires a 3.5% down payment by borrowers, so long as they meet a 31% housing cost-to-income ratio. In other words, anyone who stays within their budget and who can afford a 3.5% down payment (even with family help) can become a homeowner.

It is quick and simple to determine your required down payment. A call to a reputable lender and a few minutes of your time will provide you with the information you need. I know that many people are afraid of having their credit pulled, having heard that this will impact their credit score, but it isn't necessary to have your credit pulled to get an idea of your downpayment requirements and an estimate of loan costs and monthly payment schedules. Again, any reputable lender will be able to help provide this information.

We will be happy to provide you with lender information for the Northwest Florida real estate market. Our primary market area is from Fort Walton Beach through Pensacola, Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties.

Unemployment, slow retail sales, falling home prices, and here we all go . . . circling the drain once again. Amid all this negative news isn't there a bright spot for Pensacola? Well, of course there is - or are- in reality (and realty) there are MANY positive things going on in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties:

#1 - Falling mortgage interest rates - We actually saw rates hit 4.5% in Pensacola in mid December and many predict we will see rates this low once again. Those of us working in real estate and related fields saw a rash of activity in December as buyers scrambled to take advantage of the low rates and attractive home prices.

#2 - South Santa Rosa County - Surveying is underway on the 100-plus acres owned by Pensacola Junior College in Gulf Breeze (Midway) for construction of a new campus within the next two years.

#3 - Escambia County - Several large capital projects are underway - or in the final planning stages. Today's Pensacola News Journal ran a story "Building Up 2009"detailing the following projects; the $320 million wastewater treatment plant, the $35 million airport expansion and completion of the adjacent $16 million parking garage, Navy Federal Credit Union's $54 million building 3 on their Beulah campus and the much anticipated $70 million Community Maritime Park.

#4 - Regionally - There is still the strong likelihood that the $40 billion KC-45 tanker project will find a home in nearby Mobile, AL, and the Chamber's economic development arm continues to promote the I-10 Wired initiative that I wrote about in an earlier post.

So let's pay heed to the difficult issues our economy faces, but let's also not lose sight of the great things on our horizon and how they will impact our local economy today and well into the future.

 

 

There was a great article in last Sunday's Pensacola News Journal titled "Meltdown to Rebound - When will area economy turn around?" The News Journal brought together a panel of five Pensacola area economic experts for their read on what our future will bring.

One of the experts interviewed for the Pensacola News Journal story, Al Muller from Metro Market Trends was featured in a blog I wrote back in July on the same subject - Real Estate Trends, What's the Real Real Estate Story 

Interestingly, several members of the panel - including Al - pointed out that the "rapidity of the economy's meltdown" was the most surprising thing about it. Indeed, when I heard Al's presentation back in July he was encouraged by some bright spots in the housing market which, although small, were pointing to a slowdown in the rate of decline. But that was before Wall Street's credit crash hit the news.

Muller had predicted that we might see the Greater Pensacola Bay area (Pensacola, Milton, Gulf Breeze, Pace, Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties) housing market start to get back on track to our traditional 4.5 to 5% annual appreciation rate by late '09 or early 2010. According to his comments in the Pensacola News Journal article he feels it will now take a major catalyst like federal tax incentives coupled with attractive interest rates to kickstart the local housing market. "Bottom line," Muller said, "as long as we're in a recession the real estate market won't get better."

So, what does this mean for the average person looking to buy or sell real estate in the Greater Pensacola Bay Area?

Number 1 - For Buyers - Today is a great day to buy! Certainly credit is tight and a good credit score is important. However, the current interest rates are incredibly attractive and there are some great loan products and incentives - particularly for first time home buyers - in the market now. Let's hope congress is listening to people like Al Muller and we see some significant tax incentives for home buyers in the new year. Who wouldn't be excited about a 20% tax credit for buying a home? Write your representatives!

Number 1 - For Sellers - Listen to a professional real estate agent and PRICE YOUR HOUSE FOR THE MARKET. Many of today's potential sellers took advantage of the appreciating home prices from 2003 to 2006 and took out equity loans on their homes. As prices have declined this has made it difficult to sell as they are essentially "upside down" in their home.

The reality is that homes must appraise for buyers to obtain the loans to purchase them. As a seller, analyze what you really need out of your home sale to make it work for you. In 2008 I had a seller who had to transfer with his job and was in this "upside down" situation. Once we looked at the cost savings he had for housing in his new home town things didn't look quite so bleak. We priced his home below the neighborhood comparables and sold it quickly. Yes, he came to closing with cash - never fun as a seller - but he purchased on the other end of his move for much less than he had anticipated and got a very favorable interest rate which allowed him to actually buy more house than he had expected.

Stay tuned to my blog as I will continue to provide updates on local housing information. As always, I will be happy to answer any real estate questions you might have. If I don't have the answers, I will be happy to track down an expert who does!

 

2008 was a BIG YEAR for the Robin Sherman Realtors team. I just checked our stats and we finished the year as the #2 Coldwell Banker team in the STATE of Florida in terms of our sales volume. WOW . . . even if I do say so myself!!!! (To borrow one of my competitors slogans - just this once Sandy - I could say "I'm not bragging, just applying for a job.")

 

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" - Robin, Harriett and Ruthie join Keller Williams

The beginning of a new year is always a good time to make a new start. After seven very productive and successful years at Coldwell Banker in the Greater Pensacola Bay Area (Coldwell Banker JME Realty and later Coldwell Banker United Realtors) we have moved our team to Keller Williams Realty. Our new offices are located in Gulf Breeze, not too far from our previous location on Pensacola Beach.

Our clients will receive the same caring, personal service that has helped us grow our business so rapidly over the past seven years. Our philosophy of having fun while we work . . . and making sure our clients do too . . . won't change! The move allows us to expand our team, adding local area specialists and providing our services throughout more of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. We are also redoubling our efforts to keep our clients and blog subscribers up to date on the rapidly changing real estate market.

We'd love to show you why over 85% of our business is "repeat and referral." Never hesitate to call or e-mail us with your real estate questions!

Robin Sherman Realtors - Now with Keller Williams

Robin@PensacolaForYou.com

 

Every now and then you just want to share some photos.This is one of those Nows!

As I sit in my real estate office and look out at the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico in that beautiful fall light - emerald green waves lapping up against the sugar white sands I'M DAZZLED! And I get to see this every day! I can just imagine how it must look to those who are currently bundled up against the cold.

So here are some recent photos:

 

An October camp out on Pensacola Beach. We played frisbee, water skiied and hunted shells all afternoon. Once the sun went down we roasted marshmellows and told spooky stories.

What a treat!

 

 

      Happy Campers arrived by Boat

 

 

 

 

                 Maggie and her marshmellows!

 

          The sailboats line up on Quietwater Beach

 

            Colorful Beach and Pool Floats line the Streets!

 

 

Today there are 368 homes, townhomes and condos for sale on Pensacola Beach. Prices range from $165,000 to over $2 million. I'll be happy to help you find just the right property to start making your beach memories!

To read related blog: Ugly Market . . . Best Time to Buy Click Here

For related blog: Jubilee . . . Remembering Old Florida Click Here

Everybody LOVES the beach! And when we are talking about Pensacola Beach, what's not to love?

We are blessed with sugar white sands and emerald green waters to rival anything you will find in the Bahamas, we are a "low traffic" area and we have - among other things - the Blue Angels!

As a Realtor whose office is located on the beach, I spend a good amount of time looking out my office window . . . AND selling beach properties. We have seen a lot of changes in our beach market over that last few years.

We watched our prices run up dramatically from 2002 to 2006, and we have watched them move down - albiet not as quickly as they moved up - since 2006.

While we are on track to sell about the same number of beach properties as were sold in '06 and '07, our average sales price has come down over 10% from the '06 average sales price.

So what's really happening with our real estate market? Let's take a look at the numbers:

 

For an article on the Emerald Dolphin on Pensacola Beach Click Here.

For more specifics on the Pensacola Beach real estate market, give me a call at 850-516-8185. Or better yet, kick your shoes off and come visit me at the beach!