Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Mexico Beach Florida

Amazingly, July is almost over---we are already half way through 2009! I guess I'm getting older when I really believe 'TIME DOES FLY'!

The Scallop Festival is this coming weekend! Downtown Port St. Joe on Saturday and Sunday. Things for the kids to do, local arts and crafts, music and lots of food, including scallops!!

If you've never gone scalloping, you have to try it! It's so much fun and anybody can do it!
You can just wade in the bay and find them. You do have to have a fishing license though--which you can get at the Hardware store in Mexico Beach or any bait and tackle store in Port St. Joe.
Scallop season arrives the first of July and lasts until the tenth of September. The scallop limits are 2 gallons unshucked per person or 1 pint shucked per person, 10 gallons maximum unshucked per boat or half gallon maximum shucked per boat. Scallops can only be harvested by hand or with the use of a landing or dip net in order to prevent damage to seagrass.
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My fishing trip with the girls is tomorrow---I hopefully will have a couple of pictures to share next Monday!!
Fishing has been great, so I have high expectations for my husband! (poor guy, I'm sure I'm his nightmare of a client!) www.charterboat-missmary.com
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Man, its been busy in the real estate market! Everybody is showing property, lots of offers flying around----some working and some not! Everybody is looking for a steal, not even just a deal!!

Since the 13th of this month 3 properties have been put under contract in Mexico Beach:
>Townhouse, 3 bed/2 bath, about a mile from the beach, listed at $139,000. Short sale.
>1800 concrete block house on 2 lots, needs some work, canal front (north side), listed at $259,900. Short sale.
>A lot up on a bluff in Beacon Hill, great water view, listed at $199,900. Bank Owned.

We've closed on just a couple of things.
>Small, 752 sq ft, townhouse in a great subdivision in St. Joe beach for $106,000
>Smaller octagon house about a mile from the beach, 2 bed/2 bath for $136,000

Both I think were really good deals!!!
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Out on the cape:
Three properties put under contract:
>66 X 215 lot with gulf and bay views, listed at $155,000. Bank Owned.
>A REAL fixer upper on C-3, good size but did I mention FIXER UPPER, listed at $140,000. Short sale.
>A gorgeous Bay front home with over 3,400 sq ft listed at $925,000.

Three properties sold as well:
> Gulf front single family, 30 feet on the water and sat back in between adjacent properties, so a severly limited view, Sold at $400,000 as a short sale.
>A single family home on the bay side of the cape, 1660 sq feet, sold for $184,000
>Half duplex, gulf front, smaller, 1120 sq feet, needed some work. $170,000 Bank owned.
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There are some exceptional deals out there-----only if you have patience!! Most of them are short sales and are taking 3-6 months to get approval. Yes, they are frustrating, aggravating, and infuriating, but worth the wait!
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Lots to do in Mexico Beach this time of year: check out my calendar of local events!
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Have a great week! Don't hesitate to call/email me anytime if you have ANY questions about buying or selling in the area!!
And remember: "God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do!"

www.maryblackburn.com
850-896-5222

Monday, July 13, 2009

Mexico Beach Florida Real Estate

We are back to normal from the hectic 4th of July week!! Weather seems to be back on track as well! Afternoon showers, the record heat wave seems to be over......

THE FISHING IS GREAT!!! Chip has been catching lots of snapper! He swears you can catch them with a cane pole they are so thick!!!!!! He's been catching Spanish, kings, dolphins and even a grouper now and then!

He's promised to take me this week----I only go when:
#1. it's slick calm
#2. it's not too hot
#3. the fish are biting
#4. I can catch my limit in 4 hours or less
(So you can imagine how often he takes me!!!!)

Snapper season ends mid August. If you are interested in a fishing trip, check out Chip's website www.charterboat-missmary.com
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Scallop season is in full swing! I haven't gone yet, but I've heard they are a'plenty. They aren't huge but there's lots of them. If you haven't been scalloping, you have to do it! You can just walk around in the bay and pick them up. The cleaning is not a lot of fun, but the results are delicious!!!

Port St. Joe has its 13th annual Scallop Festival the first weekend in August. Don't forget to check out LOCAL EVENTS on my website for other area activities!
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As for real estate:
In Mexico Beach last week only 2 residential properties were put under contract:
>Small, (576 sq ft) mobile home a few blocks from the beach, listed at $80,000
>Single family home right on Hwy 98 across from beach access, 2,000 sq ft listed at $285,000. This is a short sale.

Just to let you know, in Mexico Beach to date we have 19 residential properties under contract. ELEVEN of them are short sales (meaning the seller is selling them for MUCH LESS than what is owed on them). Several of them have been under contract since the first of April.

While short sales can be good deals, they are frustrating for everybody involved. The banks are under no contractual obligation to respond timely and therefore THEY DON'T!

We've had 3 closings last week in Mexico Beach:
> Single family home about 1/2 block to the beach. 1,000 sq ft main house + guest house, selling for $278,850. This is one of those rare sales, where it was actually purchased for more than it appraised!!!
>Single family home about 1/2 mile from the beach, with about 1700 sq feet, selling for $219,000.
>A canal front townhouse, bank owned, 2 bed/2.5 bath, with a little more than 1200 sq ft, selling for $283,000


Cape San Blas

Only 1 property was put under contract this past week.
>First tier home in a beautiful exclusive subdivision. 3,100 sq ft, listed for $567,000. Short sale.

The Cape has 15 properties under contract to date, only TWO are not short sales or foreclosures!

Port St. Joe
Two properties have been put under contract
> A 1700 sq foot home built in the 30's, renovated, listed at $199,000 as a short sale.
> A basic 3bed/2 bath home listed for $200,000

One home closed in PSJ last week
>Small, dated, house with about 1,000 sq ft closed at $90,000
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Interest rates for a fixed 30 year note are anywhere from 4.875 to 5.62%!

A 30 year jumbo loan is 6.25- 6.5%!
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I believe we are back to 2003 pricing!

If you are not on my database to update you on new listings or price changes, send me an email with what you are looking for and I'll be glad to send you links to properties that meet your criteria as they come on the market!

You can search yourself on my website by clicking on Property Search if you prefer to look yourself! I can help you with ANY property you see there!!!!
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Have a wonderful week and remember "Envy is a waste of time. You already have everything you need!"

Mary
850-896-5222
www.maryblackburn.com

Monday, July 06, 2009

Happy 4th of July from Mexico Beach

Below are a couple of Fireworks pictures taken by Marie at the only Jewelery Store in Mexico Beach. Check out her website; http://www.mariestephensphotography.com/


The beach was packed this past weekend! We had beautiful weather all week! The fireworks display in Mexico Beach was great as were all the individual fireworks up and down the beach! This was the busiest I've seen Mexico Beach! Glad to see everybody come and glad to see them go! It's a love hate relationship!
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As for the real estate market----It was EXTREMELY busy over the weekend. I didn't anticipate that because holiday weekends are typically slow, people having too much fun!! I'll never complain about being busy though!!!

Not a lot of properties actually put under contract but definitely a lot of real buyers, not just tire kickers!

Mexico Beach/St. Joe Beach:
Two properties were put under contract since last Monday's blog.
>Very small, 1 bedroom with loft, 1 bath townhouse in a good location, easy walk to the beach, listed at $119,000.

>Gulf front single family home with over 2,500 sq feet listed for $799,900

Two properties closed in Mexico Beach:
>4 bed/2 bath townhouse about 1 mile from the beach, closed at $145,000.
>Vacant lot right on Hwy 98 across from the beach--sold at $145,500, bank owned.
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Cape San Blas:

One property was put under contract:
>2 bed/2 bath home on the Bay side, 1660 sq ft, listed for $217,000
Sold:
> Gulf view older home, 3 bd/3bath with over 2,000 sq ft sold for $255,000
> Gulf front single family. New construction---started but never completed so......sold at $303,000.
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Port St. Joe:

One house was put under contract:
>Single family home with over 2,000 sq ft, in-ground pool, listed at $295,000. Short sale

Sold:
>Older concrete block home 3 bed/2 bath sold for $103,000.
>Newer Townhouse, 3bed/3 bath and over 1700 sq ft sold for $170,000.
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Interest rates dipped a little, although financing is not quite as easy as before. Be prepared to put 20% down on any investment residential property and sometimes 50% on a vacant lot!!!
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Please don't hesitate to call/email me any time if you have ANY questions about buying or selling in the Mexico Beach, St. Joe Beach, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Overstreet, Windmark Beach area!!!!
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Have a great week and remember "When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile!"

Mary
850-896-5222
www.maryblackburn.com