bor forward january 2011 newsletter
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St. Augustine & St. Johns County Board of Realtors BOR Forward January 2011 NewsletterTRANSCRIPT
N E W Y E A R T R A D I T I O N S
Baby New Year Tradition
Tradition of using a baby to signify the
New Year was started by ancient Greeks
around 600 B.C. They would carry a
baby around in a basket to honor
Dionysus, the God of Fertility and
symbolize his annual rebirth.
Eating 12 Grapes
In Spain people eat 12 grapes as the
clock strikes midnight (one each time
the clock chimes) on New Year's Eve.
This peculiar ritual originated in the
twentieth century when freak weather
conditions resulted in an unseasonable
bumper harvest of grapes. Not able to
decide what to do about so many grapes
at Christmas time, the King of Spain and
the grape growers came up with the
idea of the New Year ritual.
Eating Noodles
Late on the evening of December 31,
people of Japan would eat a bowl of
buckwheat noodles called
"toshikoshisoba" ("year-crossing
noodles") and listen for the sound of the
Buddhist temple bells, which were rung
108 times at midnight. The sound of
these bells is said to purify the listeners
of the 108 sins or evil passions that
plague every human being.
White Clothes
In Brazil most people wear white clothes
on New Year's Eve to bring good luck and
peace for the year that will follow.
Gifts in Shoes
In Greece children leave their shoes by
the fireside on New Year's Day (also the
Festival of Saint Basil in Greece) with the
hope that Saint Basil, who was famous for
his kindness, will come and fill their shoes
with gifts.
Carry a Suitcase
In Venezuela, Argentina,
Bolivia, and Mexico, those with hopes of
traveling in the New Year carry a suitcase
around the house at midnight. Some even
carry it around the block to ensure
traveling at greater distances.
Burn Crackers
The people in China believe that there are
evil spirits that roam the earth. So on New
Year they burn crackers to scare the evil
spirits. The doors and windows of every
home in china can be seen sealed with
paper. This is to keep the evil demons out.
ST
. A
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JO
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®
J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 1
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1
B O R F O R W A R D
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
O F F I C E R S &
D I R E C T O R S 2
C A L E N D A R 3
R E A L T O R ® / A F F I L I A T E
S P O T L I G H T 4
N E W M E M B E R S /
B O A R D N E W S 5
C O M M U N I T Y N E W S 6 - 7
W C R /
B U I L E R S C O U N C I L
8
G O G R E E N 9
T E C H T I P 1 0
A N N U A L C H R I S T M A S
B R E A K F A S T
1 1
B R E A K F A S T
P I C T U R E S
1 2 -
1 4
F O R M S I M P L I C I T Y 1 5
S T O C K I N G S T U F F E R 1 6
W A L L Y C O N W A Y 1 8
M O N T H L Y
S T A T I S T I C S
1 9
F E B R U A R Y
P R E V I E W S T A F F
C O N T A C T I N F O
2 0
BOR PUBLIC WEBSITE: www.stjohnsrealtors.com
Page 2 B O R F O R W A R D
2011 ST. AUGUSTINE & ST. JOHNS COUNTY BOARD OF REALTORS®
AND MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE, INC.
BOARD OFFICERS & DIRECTORS BOARD OF REALTORS® MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE, INC.
Chuck Pacetti , PRESIDENT Andrew Birchall, PRESIDENT
Homestar Pacetti Realty St. Augustine Realty
(O) 827-0600 / (F) 819-9907 / (C ) 669-5000 (O) 824-3331 / (F) 825-2685/ (C ) 392-3362
[email protected] [email protected]
Roy Barnes, PRESIDENT-ELECT Dirk Schroeder , PRESIDENT- ELECT
St. Augustine Realty Century 21- St. Augustine Properties
(O) 824-3331 / (F) 825-2685/ (C ) 669-1430 (O) 797-6000 (F) 797-7963/ (C ) 540-2360
[email protected] [email protected] Kea Blalock - SECRETARY Katherine Delaney – SECRETARY
Saltwater Property Group Watson Realty (US1)
(O) 829-2002/ (F) 829-2029/ (C ) 814-2424 (O) 797-8600/ (F) 797-8606/ (C ) 669-2115
[email protected] [email protected]
Gene Johnson – TREASURER Robert West - TREASURER
Ocean Breeze Real Estate Coldwell Banker Premier Properties
(O) 794-9697 (C ) 710-1090 (O) 471-4204 / (F) 471-4216 / (C ) 814-2006
[email protected] [email protected]
DIRECTORS DIRECTORS Roberta Odom (2) Ron Barry (2)
Re/Max 100 Realty St. Augustine Team Realty
(O) 461-9500 (F) 461-9501 (C ) 466-0114 (O) 825-0099 (F) 513-9264 (C ) 501-2424
[email protected] [email protected] Edward Paucek (2) Paula Silberberg (2)
Moses Creek Realty Watson Realty (A1A)
(O) 797-8600 (F) 797-7872 (C ) 669-6422 (O) 461-9066 (F) 461-9925 (C ) 687-8803
[email protected] [email protected] Bill Thew (2) Joe Hatin (2)
Olde Carriage Realty Saltwater Property Group
(O) 824-4500 (F) 824-6866(C ) 347-3736 (O) 829-2002 (F) 829-2029 (C ) 669-5099
[email protected] [email protected]
Dianne Pittman (1) Tom Scheirer (1)
Watson Realty (US 1) Scheirer Realty
(O) 797-8600 (F) 797-8606 (C ) 540-9644 (O) 461-9557 (F) 471-7220
[email protected] [email protected] Gayle Logan (1) Ian Edmonson, P.A. (1)
Watson Realty (A1A) Edmonson & Associates Real Estate, Inc.
(O) 461-9066 (F) 461-9925 (C) 669-2778 (O) 827-0722 (F) 638-4746 (C) 315-0997
[email protected] [email protected] Judi Schuyler (1) Michael DeLorenzo, PAST- PRESIDENT
Coldwell Banker Premier Properties Olde Carriage Realty
(O) 471-4204 (F) 471-4216 (C ) 669-0788 (O) 824-4500 (F) 824-6866 (C ) 377-5582
[email protected] [email protected]
Teresa Mercurio, PAST-PRESIDENT Chuck Pacetti , Ex-Officio
Re/Max 100 Realty Homestar Pacetti Realty
(O) 461-9500 (F) 461-9501 (C ) 377-0974 (O) 827-0600 (F) 819-9907 (C ) 669-5000
[email protected] [email protected] Victor J Raymos, Ex-officio VictorJ. Raymos, Ex-officio
(O) 829-8738 (F) 823-9512 (C) 505-220-8683 (O) 829-8738 (F) 823-9512 (C ) 505-220-8683
Page 3 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1
S C H E D U L E O F E V E N T S
4th—FORMSIMPLICITY 3pm
5th—Commercial
Committee 8:30am
Technology Committee
9:30am
7th—After the Contract 9am
10th— Education
Committee 9am
iCE Short Sale
Essentials 4CE 1pm
11th— Finance Committee
12pm
RPAC Committee 12pm
MLS Training1pm
12th — Affiliate Committee
9am
MLS Board 12pm
FORMSIMPLICITY 4pm
13th— Listing Agreement
9am
BOR Board 12pm
14th—Board Orientation
9am
17th—CLOSED FOR MARTIN
LUTHER KING JR DAY
18TH—FORMSIMPLICITY
Live Presentation 1pm
25th—INNOVIA 2
27th—Public Relations
Committee 9:30am
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
31
Closed for
New Years
1
2 3
4 5
6 7 8
9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16
17
Closed
18 19 20 21 22
23
_______
30
24
_______
31
25 26 27 28 29
January 2011
R E A L T O R ® S P O T L I G H T – W E N D Y S A W Y E R
A F F I L I A T E S P O T L I G H T – S T . J O H N S B U I L D E R S C O U N C I L
Page 4 B O R F O R W A R D
Wendy Sawyer
“A successful
person is one who
can lay a firm
foundation with
the bricks others
have thrown at
them.”
Wendy Sawyer is the owner/broker of Prime Real
Estate Company. Wendy started the company in
December of 2007 when most companies were
looking at closing. Wendy says that she saw the
market changing and knew that she had to change
with it or get left behind; she wanted to give other
realtors in our community the opportunity to change
with the market. “I took a chance in a down market
with the idea that I would open an office that I would
want to work at for the rest of my life. Within the first
few weeks we started filling up with other realtors
who had similar vision of what they want from their
company. It caught on fast.” Since opening the
doors Wendy has added over 30 agents to her roster
and is still growing strong. Wendy targets
experienced agents who excel at customer service to
give customers the edge in this ever changing
market. “We have extraordinary opportunities for
our agents, which separates us from our
competitors.”
“We have agents who specialize in whatever your
needs are.” We have several agents who handle
bank foreclosures, a few who have become experts
in short sales, we have agents who speak foreign
languages like Spanish, Russian, and Chinese, and
we have agents who really do their research when
selling waterfront properties. We’re very well
rounded.
Education is an asset Wendy strongly
believes in. Before opening Prime, Wendy com-
pleted an intense MREA training program for
realtors to grow their business and make the
buying or selling experience for buyers and sell-
ers a wonderful process. Currently Wendy is
working towards completing CCIM (Certified
Commercial Investment Member) training and
membership. CCIM is a very elite professional
realtor organization with fewer than 3000 mem-
bers nationwide; the training is
expensive, intense, and members are required
to meet the highest standards in the industry.
“This program will give us an edge in the
commercial market and will make us as
successful in the commercial market as we are
in the residential market.”
“I hear all the time that the housing market is
bad right now. I strongly disagree! There are
wonderful opportunities out there for
everyone!” Our motto at Prime Real Estate Com-
pany is “it’s the Prime time to make a move”.
We truly believe whether you’re
buying, selling, or moving to a new broker it is
the Prime time to make a move! “I believe it’s
the Prime time for a positive outlook on the real
estate market!”
Wendy Sawyer Prime Real Estate Company
904-797-5150
Leona Brown started with the St. Johns
Builders Council (SJBC) in 2001. She
brought with her the knowledge that she
obtained while working for ITT, the developer
of Palm Coast, the St. Augustine Beach
Building Department and local builders.
The SJBC and its parent Association, The
Northeast Florida Builders Association
(NEFBA), represent builders and their
associates in the building industry in St. Johns
County and Northeast Florida. Their goal is to
encourage members to do business with each
other, support one another and to stay up to
date with the different changes in the building
industry. SJBC has a strong tie to the SJC
Building Department and the building official
who serves as a Liaison to the SJBC Board of
Directors.
SJBC/NEFBA offers various continuing
education courses to its members and host
many charitable events to raise dollars for
many in need.
The Board of Directors and membership strives
to create a working relationship with the Board
of REALTORS®. Many Realtors® represent the
many builder members of SJBC/NEFBA in
promoting their communities and homes for
sale. SJBC is also proud to have Victor J.
Raymos, AE/CEO of the St. Augustine/St. Johns
County Board of REALTORS® serving as
Liaison on their Board of Directors.
Leona welcomes anyone to stop by her office,
located in the Board of REALTORS® building,
to learn more about SJBC and the
membership. If you need a contractor for
remodels or renovations, she invites you to
contact her for a recommendation.
LeonaBrown
Leona Brown
St. Johns Builder Council
904-824-8121
Leona Brown
D E C E M B E R N E W M E M B E R S
Page 5 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1
MOLLY ANN BUTLER PRUDENTIAL
Join Date 12/7/10 (Primary BOR/Primary MLS)
ROBERT PELLETIER FULL HOUSE REALTY COMPANY)
Join Date 12/22/10 (MLS Only)
H . R . 4 8 5 3 : R E A L E S T A T E P R O V I S I O N S
I N T H E 2 0 1 0 T A X R E L I E F B I L L
On December 17, 2010, President Obama signed
into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance
Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010
(H.R. 4853) extending the Bush-era tax rates and
a host of other expired and expiring provisions.
The legislation is not "paid for," so there are no
revenue raisers taken from real estate or other
industry groups. The package provides temporary
extensions of its numerous provisions. Some are
retroactive, as well, so that the rules that had
been in place previously will operate as if they
had never expired.
Included in the bill are provisions that affect real
estate investment and operations—such as
energy-efficiency tax credits, capital gains, and
more. A few key provisions of interest to
REALTORS® include:
Retention of Bush-era tax brackets
through the 2011 and 2012 tax years;
Retention of the capital gains tax rate of
15 percent for assets sold or disposed
of during 2011 and 2012;
Reduction of payroll taxes for
employees and self-employed
individuals during 2011;
Extension of numerous energy
efficiency credits through December 31,
2011, including: the Energy Efficient
New Homes, Energy Efficient Existing
Homes, and Energy Efficient Buildings
credits.
For more detailed information on the provisions
of this bill affecting real estate, home owners,
and REALTORS® as small business owners,
please see the see the full summary at
realtors.org.
Article courtesy of NAR
JANUARY in Saint Augustine
Page 6 B O R F O R W A R D
Friday, December 31, 2010 Beach Blast Off 2011 (4:00 pm - 5:00 pm) Kick off 2011 in seaside style at this special St. Augustine Beach event! Enjoy a blast of flavor, icy sculptures, and fireworks when several of St. Augustine's favorite restaurants serve up chili for tasting and judging at the Fire and Ice Chili Cook-off from 4 to 8 p.m. After things cool off from the chili - the Fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m. This display will delight visitors and help usher in the New Year! Admission is free. The Beach Blast takes place at the St. Johns County Fishing Pier and Pavil-ion, 350 A1A Beach Boulevard in St. Augustine Beach. For more information, visit www.beachblastoff.com Winter Wonderland At St. Augustine Amphitheater (All Day) Winter Wonderland features a real ice skating rink, ice slide, Elf Express train rides, The Elf Village, sleigh rides and SNOW! There are even scheduled visits from Santa. St. Augustine Amphitheatre is located at 1340 A1A St. Augustine. Hours are November 19 through December 17, Monday through Thursday 4 to 10 p.m.; Fridays from 4 to 11 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 11 p.m. and Sundays noon to 10 p.m.; and December 18 through January 2, Sunday through Thursday from noon to 10 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 11 p.m. Admission is free with activity participation fees. For more information, call 904.209.0367 or visit www.WinterWonderlandFlorida.com. 17th Annual Nights Of Lights (All Day) Millions of white lights create a magical holiday atmosphere in the Nation’s oldest city during the 17th Annual Nights of Lights Celebration in St. Augustine, Florida. Tracing its origins to the Spanish tradition of displaying a lighted white candle during the Christmas holidays, the spectacular lighting reflects the city’s 445-year history while creating a beautiful setting for special memories. The Nights of Lights will sparkle in St. Augustine through January 31. For more information visit: http://www.getaway4florida.com/nights/events.php Friday, January 07, 2011 FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK Enjoy the latest exhibits, music, entertainment and refreshments at over 20 participating galleries from 5 to 9 p.m.on the First Friday of each month. St. Augustine Sightseeing Trains and Old Town Trolleys offer attendees a complimentary shuttle service to most of the galleries. Admission is free. Tours begin at Rembrandtz American Craft Gallery, 131 King Street. Phone: 904.829.0065 Saturday, January 08, 2011 FRIENDS OF WASHINGTON OAKS SECOND SATURDAY PLANT SALE Come explore Washington Oaks State Park and shop for feature plants that are unusual and hard to find. Many of the plants were propagated and grown in the park by volunteers. All proceeds benefit the park for enhancement of current and new facilities. The sale takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is located at 6400 N. Oceanshore Blvd. in Palm Coast. Admission to the park is $5.00 per vehicle and $2.00 for pedestrians and bicyclists. Phone: 386.446.6783 ST. AUGUSTINES ORIGINAL CHOCOLATE TOUR Learn the history of chocolate and chocolate formation while sampling truffles, pastries and gooey delights from the finest chocolatiers on this exciting tour presented by Old Town Trolleys. The tours depart from the Old Town Trolley Welcome Center located at 27 San Marco Avenue at 1:30 p.m. Tickets for this 2-hour tour are $60 per person. The tour includes stops and samples at Raintree Restaurant, Hilton Bayfront Aviles Restaurant, Casa Monica Hotel, Claude™s Chocolates, Peter-brooke™s Chocolates, and St. Augustine™s original chocolatier, Whetstone™s Chocolates. Phone: 904.829.3800 Twelfth Night Ball (7:00 pm - 10:00 pm) Relive the old tradition of celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany with a costume ball at St. Augustine's Government House. Participants must be dressed in 18th century costume of any nation, as well as bring one pot luck dish and wine, if so desired. Each attendee should also provide his or her own antique plate and eating utensils. Turkey, ham and punch will be served. Festivities begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 per couple or $15 for an individual. For more information and advance ticket purchase, call 904.794.2507 or email [email protected] Sunday, January 09, 2011 THE WIVES AND LIVES OF HENRY FLAGLER Enjoy dinner and a lively production of this theatrical portrayal of the Flagler legacy. Following a specially prepared dinner by the chefs at Raintree Restaurant, this Limelight Theatre production cast of theatre veterans, Margaret Kaler, Dianne Jacoby, Darlene Jacobs, and Robert Gill, take the stage for what promises to be a stellar performance. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $39.95. It all takes place at Raintree Restaurant, located at 102 San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine. Phone: 904.825.1164 Sunday, January 16, 2011 THE WIVES AND LIVES OF HENRY FLAGLER Enjoy dinner and a lively production of this theatrical portrayal of the Flagler legacy. Following a specially prepared dinner by the chefs at Raintree Restaurant, this Limelight Theatre production cast of theatre veterans, Margaret Kaler, Dianne Jacoby, Darlene Jacobs, and Robert Gill, take the stage for what promises to be a stellar performance. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $39.95. It all takes place at Raintree Restaurant, located at 102 San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine. Phone:
904.825.1164This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Page 7 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1
Sunday, January 09, 2011
THE WIVES AND LIVES OF HENRY FLAGLER
Enjoy dinner and a lively production of this theatrical portrayal of the Flagler legacy. Following a specially prepared dinner
by the chefs at Raintree Restaurant, this Limelight Theatre production cast of theatre veterans, Margaret Kaler, Dianne
Jacoby, Darlene Jacobs, and Robert Gill, take the stage for what promises to be a stellar performance. Dinner is served at 6
p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $39.95. It all takes place at Raintree Restaurant, located at 102 San Marco
Avenue in St. Augustine. Phone: 904.825.1164
Sunday, January 21, 2011
Arbor Day Celebration
Enjoy dinner and a lively production of this theatrical portrayal of the Flagler legacy. Following a specially prepared dinner by the chefs
at Raintree Restaurant, this Limelight Theatre production cast of theatre veterans, Margaret Kaler, Dianne Jacoby, Darlene Jacobs,
and Robert Gill, take the stage for what promises to be a stellar performance. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7
p.m. Tickets are $39.95. It all takes place at Raintree Restaurant, located at 102 San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine. Phone:
904.825.1164This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Saturday, January 22, 2011
301h Annual Matanzas 5k & Fun Run (All Day)
Take the lead, just keep pace, or cheer from the sidelines at one of St. Augustine's most popular races. This 5K run begins
from Swing Park at Francis Field, located on Castillo Drive in St. Augustine, and continues downtown along the bay
front. The race begins at 9 a.m. with an awards ceremony after the race. Registration is $15 in advance, $25 the day of the
race. For more information, please call Nancy Hollingsworth 904.797.7575 or visit
MATANZAS 5K & FUN RUN
Take the lead, just keep pace, or cheer from the sidelines at one of St. Augustine™s most popular races. This 5K run begins
from Swing Park at Francis Field, located on Castillo Drive in St. Augustine, and continues the historic streets of beautiful
St. Augusitne. The race begins at 9 a.m. with an awards ceremony after the race. Registration is $20 in advance, $25 the day
of the race.Phone: 904.461.1615
AN EVENING OF SWING
Celebrate a vibrant moment in St. Augustine's history when German saboteurs and submarines were at our beaches and the
Coast Guard replaced our town's tourist economy. This big band concert and swing dance will be headlined by the ac-
claimed 18 piece Florida Swing Orchestra, with highlights such as a stirring "Tribute to Our Armed Forces" and an opening
floor demonstration of the evolution of swing dance. It all takes place from 7:30 to 11 p.m. at the National Guard Armory, 190
San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine. Tickets are $35 general admission; $45 for reserved seating.
Phone: 904.794.7564
Saturday, January 29, 2011
UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT
Galleries, antique stores and unique shops on St. Augustine's San Marco Avenue between Ripley's Museum and the Mission
of Nombre de Dios remain open from 5 to 9 p.m. and feature book signings, live music, refreshments and other activities.
The Mission of Nombre de Dios provides FREE PARKING. Phone: 904.823.9263
TRIO SILISTO PIANO TRIO
These three brilliant musicians - violinist Maria Bachmann, cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach and pianist Jon Klibonoff - have earned
a reputation for soulful and passionate performances marked by virtuosity, high energy, seamless ensemble playing and
thrilling abandon. The performance begins at 8 p.m. at the Flagler College Auditorium, 14 Granada Street, St. Augustine.
Tickets are $25 per person.
Phone: 904.797.2800
Sunday, January 16, 2011
THE WIVES AND LIVES OF HENRY FLAGLER
Enjoy dinner and a lively production of this theatrical portrayal of the Flagler legacy. Following a specially prepared dinner by the chefs
at Raintree Restaurant, this Limelight Theatre production cast of theatre veterans, Margaret Kaler, Dianne Jacoby, Darlene Jacobs,
and Robert Gill, take the stage for what promises to be a stellar performance. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7
If you can
imagine it,
you can
create it. If
you dream it,
you can
become it. S T . J O H N S B U I L D E R S C O U N C I L
Page 8 B O R F O R W A R D
R O L L B A C K I M P A C T F E E S – G U E S T A R T I C L E B Y J O H N V A L D E S
Leona Brown—Director
1789 Lakeside Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
www.stjohnsbuilderscouncil.com
2011 Chairman Andy Chance & the Board of Directors and members of the St. Johns Builders
Council could like to wish everyone a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
I noticed the article in the Record Wednesday,
December 15th, about county government trying to entice
new business to St. Johns County. Apparently part of that
enticement may be mitigation of impact fees for future
commercial projects. That’s terrific, but, our county has a
group of existing businesses that needs county
governments help. The residential builders, suppliers,
and real estate industry are in a struggle to survive
economically.
Between existing housing sales being so under
value in relation to the cost to replace with new housing
and the resistance of government to roll back its
permitting fees it has become economically impossible to
build new and make the numbers work out. Between
impact fees, connection fees, permits, etc. the builder or
home owner is out of pocket upwards of $20,000.00
before the first shovel goes in the ground.
That $20,000.00 may result in a new home that
does not get built, a contractor that does not get work,
sub contractors and suppliers that do not get business,
the local Subway Shop that does not sell a sandwich to
workers, and worse of all more citizens getting closer to
losing their own homes to foreclosure because of no jobs.
I along with other members of the Builder’s Council
pitched this idea to mitigate impact fees on infill lots to
the county commission a year ago with no success.
If the County would adopt the following grand-
fathered concept in regards to applying impact fees I
think it would be fair and equitable to all involved:
A) In fill or existing un-built lots that are
located in a development that was
platted before the adoption of impact
fees would become free of impact fees
B) If the development was platted after the 2003
impact fees were adopted the fee at the
date of platting or P. U. D. adoption
would be grandfathered and would
apply to infill lots remaining in that
development.
C) Newer developments would remain with the
present impact fee structure which is
$7,200.00 to $10,122.00 per home.
With the grandfathering of impact fees the benefit
to those who own infill lots in pre 2003
developments would be that their property is more
attractive by as much as $10,122.00 for resale or
home construction.
For struggling local businesses and citizens reduc-
ing impact fees on infill lots would open up a potential
source of work and income that would not attract the
interest of the large national builders and developers
whose business plans are designed around developing
raw land into large new tracts of homes.
The financial and infrastructure impacts of the
older developments have already been absorbed, ad-
justed to, and to a great degree paid for. The impact of
the build out of any infill lots would be negligible when
compared to the potential job benefits for locals.
As to the loss to county government, the school
board etc. of revenue by rescinding some impact fees
and the much talked about and feared devastating
financial loss, I have to ask the question: “When is the
local building community, real estate community, and
all the local people who support those businesses get
their break or “stimulus package” from the govern-
ment?” I dare say, we in the private sector, have a far
higher percentage of our employee’s on unemployment
compensation then any tax supported organization in
St. Johns County.
John Valdes is a Florida
Licensed contractor. He is
the past Chairman of St.
Augustine’s Board of
Adjustment & Appeals, Code
Enforcement and past
Chairman of the City’s Plan-
ning & Zoning Board.
Going green doesn't have to cost a lot of green! Use these simple tips to make a positive impact on the environment while keeping your wallet intact. It's easy, even for the laziest of environmentalists.
Shut down and unplug electronics. Make small changes to use – and pay for – less energy, like shutting down your computer when you're not using it and plugging your cell phone and other electronics into power strips so you can turn several devices off with one switch.
Wash your clothes in cold water. By using cold water instead of warm, the average household can avoid emitting 1,281 pounds of carbon dioxide annually and save on energy bills.
Fill your bottle with filtered tap water.
Choose the greener solution by using a
reusable bottle, like the FilterForGood bottle,
and filling it with filtered tap water. If you use
a Brita filtration system you can make
another responsible choice by recycling your
pitcher filter when you replace it, which
should be about every two months (or every
40 gallons). Find out more about recycling
Brita filters here.
Update your wardrobe for less. Instead of consuming new products, trade fashionable
clothes, accessories, cosmetics and shoes for free (you only pay for shipping). By swapping merchandise you can lower the amount of harmful emissions caused by the manufacturing process. Check out swapstyle.com to learn more.
Exchange CDs, DVDs and books instead of buying. Now you can avoid purchasing new products without forfeiting your entertainment needs. Visit swapacd.com, swapadvd.com and paperbackswap.com for access to thousands of CDs, books and DVDs.
Use refurbished electronics. You can get refurbished electronics for a steal (they often sell for less than 50 percent of the retail price!), and before they're resold to the public, they go through an intense defect-testing process and the warranties usually remain intact. So you can save money and help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. Shop at www.dyscern.com and www.refurbdepot.com.
Use kitchenware products made of recycled materials. Preserve uses items such as recycled Brita pitcher filters and empty yogurt containers to make their line of colorful kitchen gear. Since they're about the same price as regular kitchenware, it's a no-brainer to choose Preserve products. Visit pre-serveproducts.com to find a retailer near you.
G O I N G G R E E N O N A B U D G E T
Page 9 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1
The Problem: You receive a document from
someone but you can’t open it because it’s a
NEWER version of the software. Your OLDER
version just can’t open it. Now you have to
contact the person that sent you the
document and ask them to send it again in
the older format…….and…….they don’t know
how to do that. Don’t FAX it or have them
print it. You can take care of this without
going back to the source of the document.
Solutions: There are a couple of solutions
you can go with here. In the last tip on this
subject we discussed the Open Office
solution. If Open Office doesn’t satisfy your
needs there are other avenues you can go to
without learning a new program:
You can go ahead and purchase the
upgrade to the current version you are
using. Buying the upgrade rather than
a new software package is much less
expensive (sometimes hundreds of
dollars less). You may purchase the
upgrade at any office supply store that
sells software or go to the web and
purchase a download version there.
The advantage to purchasing the
upgrade on the web is that the install
program will check your computer to
make sure it can support the needs of
the updated software.
You can download a “compatibility
module” from the website of the
software company. Usually when a
new version of software can’t be
read by an older version, software
companies provide this
“compatibility module” to allow users
of the older program to read newer
versions. These modules work pretty
well and typically don’t cost any
money. The sites have become very
easy to use – you should be able to
just follow the instructions. You
don’t really have to know what you
are doing!
Remember: Before you start spending lots
of money on upgrades, look for other
solutions. Eventually upgrades are
necessary but not as often as “the Big
Boys” want you to believe.
To find out more about these solutions,
visit the website of the software
manufacturer. If you’re not sure where to
go…..use GOOGLE, Yahoo or Bing and you
can find the site from there.
Karl Vierck
T E C H N O L O G Y C O M M I T T E E “ T E C H T I P ”
N E W Y E A R – N E W D O C U M E N T S – N E W S O L U T I O N S
Page 10 B O R F O R W A R D
A N N U A L C H R I S T M A S B R E A K F A S T
Page 11 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1
The ShowTime Singers Thanks to all!!
Victor J. Raymos
Chuck Pacetti & Eddie Creamer
Chuck Pacetti presents Eddie Creamer
with a plaque
Andrew Birchall
Eddie Creamer
Roy Barnes, Andrew Birchall, Judi Schuyler, Eddie Creamer,
Chuck Pacetti, Ron Barry, Victor J Raymos & Ellen Waldon
Ellen Waldon-President of
the Sertoma Club
Dirk Schroeder
Page 12 B O R F O R W A R D
I N S T A L L A T I O N
Vicky Sicuranza, Cindy Zimmerman,
Wendy Morris & Karol Young
Carmen Gilliland & Vickie Rianda
Jeanette Smith & Sonny Shanks
Nancy Macke, Sheila Clark & Barbara Tatro
Peggy Medick & Teresa Jacalone
Kim Baughman, Chuck Pacetti, Loise Trivette
& Mark Hall
Lisa Mondello, Jean Meme
Winston Burrell & Tom Gibes
Rob West, Rod Gelinas & Ian Edmonson
Margo Currie, Suzie Adams & Garrett Spitzer
John McKrow, Charles Ellis
& Janice Lindsey
Janet & Karl Masters,
Cydney Shaughnessy & Charlotte McCormick
Kathy & Dirk Schroeder and
Bob & Barbara Mays
Verna Bacon, Carolyn Embury, Mike Hughes,
Murrell Weissinger & Paula Silberberg
Page 13 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1
Barbara Goll, Berta Odom, Diana Goebel
& Cheryl Brunk
Cheryl Brunk, Butch Peiker & Nancy Taylor
David Graubard, Rod & Maria Gelinas
& Dale Handler
Terry Pacetti, Wendy Powell
and Donna & Rob McGee
Nancy Taylor, Linda DeGrande
Colleen Ihrig & Teresa Mercurio
Gay Marsh, Janine Rinderknecht, Carol Davis,
James Linn & Steven Schuyler
Jessica LaCaze, Susie Sullivan, Carol Alford
& Kathy Addison
Marlene Lagasse, Irene Arriola,
Joe Hatin & Kea Blalock
Tom Clarke, Jim Bell, Karen Peil, Ann Van Fleet
& Shellie Trela
Joanne Stoval, Marie Mitchell, Carol Alford,
Gene & Libby Johnson and Karl Vierck Nancy Barnes Huppert, Flo Franklin,
Gail Jones & Iggy Namoitka
Shellie Trela, Arnold DeLorenzo, Janelle Hartley,
Hu Stott, & Jane Mathis
Chris Glochau, Beth Ruggeri,
Tracy Glochau, Clair Funk &
Marjorie Taylor
Page 14 B O R F O R W A R D
A N N U A L C H R I S T M A S B R E A K F A S T
Leona Brown & Holly Yelton
Diane Ward & Tanya Liebal
The ShowTime Singers
Carla King
Della Masters, Travis Skoglund
& Carol Watters
Christina Emerick & Jeannette Moore
Joy Shannon & Maria Riverio
Thank you Prosperity Bank for
another GREAT Christmas Breakfast
Ron Barry & Lise’
F O R M S I M P L I C I T Y
Page 15 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1
S T O C K I N G S T U F F E R D R I V E
Page 16 B O R F O R W A R D
Singing Christmas carols with the residents
Ready for delivery!!
Steven Schuyler loading Karl’s “sleigh”
Vickie Rianda, Barbara Collins & Ric McChesney
Ric McChesney, Marlene Lagasse’, Karl Vierck,
Barbara Collins & Stephen Schuyler
donated their time to stuff the Stockings
Loading Karl’s “sleigh” with Christmas
stockings and blankets
Stockings were stuffed on 12/14/10 and delivered on 12/15/10 for the 70
residents of Brooks Rehabilitation Center (formerly San Marco Terrace)
189 San Marco Avenue St. Augustine, FL 32084-2733
S T O C K I N G S T U F F E R D R I V E
Page 17 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1
Residents waiting on their drinks
Karl passing out lap blankets
Karl “mixologist” Vierck
Karl’s son, Vickie Rianda,
Ric McChesney & Karl Vierck
Jim Beam & friends The Toast
Vickie & Ric giving blankets to the
residents who are bed ridden
Ric passing out the cheese doodles
Vickie giving a lap blanket
Making sure the “pour” portions
are correct.
Karl and his son serving residents their
“Happy Hour” eggnog
Waiting for drinks Merry Christmas
T H E H O M E I N S P E C T I O N L A W –
A R E Y O U R E F E R R I N G A L I C E N S E D H O M E I N S P E C T O R ? B Y W A L L Y C O N W A Y
Page 18 B O R F O R W A R D
HomePro Inspections is your go-to source for agent liability reduction and customer
peace of mind! Infrared technology separates the professionals from the pretenders
in the home inspection industry, and only HomePro utilizes infrared technology on
every exclusive 5 Star Inspection™ Package. Call for your 5 Star Inspection today –
904-268-8211.
Have Wally Conway speak at your office or for your favorite group! Wally is a speaker,
writer, FREC instructor, host of HGTV’s “House Detective”, host of DIY Network’s
“Finders Fixers”, and host of The Home and Garden radio show on WOKV AM 690 and
106.5 FM. And don’t forget to pick up Wally’s book, “Secrets of the Happy Home
Inspector”, available at GoHomePro.com or Amazon.com. Book Wally for your next
speaking event today!
You read that right! If you didn’t know, Florida’s
new home inspector law went into effect on July 1,
2010. Great. It’s been awhile since you had a
payday and now there’s another thing to manage,
finding a licensed home inspector!
On June 28, 2007, SB 2234 was passed which
requires licensure of home inspectors. That bill
became effective on July 1, 2010. Here are a few
other items of interest:
Home inspector licensing is administered by the
Florida Department of Business and Professional
Regulation
There will not be a Board of Home Inspectors.
DBPR will administer the licensure and regulation
functions for home inspectors
To be licensed, a home inspector shall maintain
a commercial general liability insurance policy in an
amount of not less than $300,000
Prior to contracting for or commencing a home
inspection, a home inspector shall provide to the
consumer a copy of his or her license to practice
home inspection services and a written disclosure
that contains the scope and any exclusions of the
home inspection
Upon completion of each home inspection for
compensation, the home inspector shall provide a
written report prepared for the client
A person who performs home inspection services
may qualify for licensure by the department as a
home inspector if the person submits an application
to the department postmarked on or before March
1, 2011
(above from 2010 Florida Statutes Chapter 468,
Part XV)
Keep up to date by visiting: myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/
pro/homein/index.html
So, what is right and reasonable now that home
inspection legislation has arrived? In the wise words of
Ronald Reagan – TRUST, and VERIFY!
In every profession, there have been people who
claimed to be licensed but were not. Will you trust your
license and liability to someone else?
You can trust that HomePro Inspections will meet every
state requirement, and when the time comes, you’ll be
able to verify our licensing, too! So remember, Trust
and Verify! If you have questions or comments, just
ask; I’m only a phone call away (904-268-8211).
FREE Presentations by Wally Conway! Mold! Asbestos! Lead Paint! Radon! Infrared Technology! Wind Miti-
gation! Chinese Drywall! What’s all the fuss about? Have Wally Conway
explain how reduce your liability and increase sales! Call HomePro today
to schedule your free presentation on how to protect your “assets” - 904-
268-8211
Page 19 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 1
Monthly Statistics Report
11/01/2010 - 11/30/2010
St Augustine & St. Johns County
Nov-10 Nov-09
Change from
11/09 to 11/10 YTD 2010 YTD 2009 09 - 2010 YTD
Residential
New Listings 248 331 -25.07% 4379 3462 26.48%
Sold Listings 172 160 7.50% 1885 1646 14.52%
Vol. Sold Listings $32,337,872.00 $30,781,186.00 5.05% $ 374,926,211.00 $ 346,384,852.00 8.23%
Avg. Sell Price $ 188,010.88 $ 192,382.41 -2.27% $ 198,899.85 $ 210,440.37 -5.48%
Avg. Day on Market 135 154 -12.28% 148 156 -5.67%
Lots and Land
New Listings 89 78 14.10% 1069 823 29.89%
Sold Listings 12 11 9.09% 144 109 32.11%
Vol. Sold Listings $ 331,400.00 $ 961,766.00 -65.54% $ 12,299,502.00 $ 14,557,993.00 -15.51%
Avg. Sell Price $ 27,616.67 $ 87,433.27 -68.41% $ 85,413.21 $ 133,559.57 -36.04%
Avg. Day on Market 238 347 -31.46% 175 221 -21.14%
Commercial/Industrial
New Listings 6 15 -60.00% 138 119 15.96%
Sold Listings 3 1 200.00% 24 11 118.18%
Vol. Sold Listings $ 1,860,000.00 $ 560,000.00 232.14% $ 11,353,500.00 $ 3,689,200.00 207.74%
Avg. Day on Market 116 546 -78.81% 157 316 -50.35%
Multi-Family
New Listings 10 8 25.00% 70 70 0.00%
Sold Listings 2 2 0.00% 19 25 -24.00%
Vol. Sold Listings $ 665,000.00 $ 780,000.00 -14.74% $ 4,865,525.00 $ 6,133,401.00 -20.67%
Avg. Sell Price $ 332,500.00 $ 390,000.00 -14.74% $ 256,080.26 $ 245,336.04 4.37%
Avg. Day on Market 0 95 -100.00% 144 232 -38.17%
Total
New Listings 353 432 -18.29% 5656 4474 26.46%
Sold Listings 189 174 8.62% 2072 1791 15.68%
Vol. Sold Listings $35,194,272.00 $33,082,952.00 6.38% $ 403,444,738.00 $ 370,765,446.00 8.81%
Avg. Sell Price $ 186,213.08 $ 190,131.91 -2.06% $ 194,712.71 $ 207,015.88 -5.94%
Avg. Day on Market 140 168 -16.63% 149 162 -7.95%
ALL INFORMATION DEEMED RELIABLE BUT NOT GUARANTEED
S T . A U G U S T I N E & S T . J O H N S
C O U N T Y B O A R D O F R E A L T O R S ®
Page 20 FEBRUARY 2011 PREVIEW
2nd COMMERCIAL COMMITTEE 8:30AM
TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE 9:30AM
3rd FR/BAR CONTRACT 9:00AM
4th CODE OF ETHICS 3CE 9:00AM
7th EDUCATION COMMITTEE 9:00AM
8th RPAC COMMITTEE 12:00PM
9th AFFILIATE COMMITTEE 9:00AM
iCE GOAL SETTING 3CE 1:00PM
10th SUCCESS SERIES 11CE 8:30-4:30
11th SUCCESS SERIES 11CE 8:30-12:30
CORE LAW 3CE 1:30
15th FINANCE COMMITTEE 12:00PM
16th PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE 9:30AM
MLS BOARD MEETING 12:00PM
17th BOARD MEETING 12:00PM
18th GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING 8:30AM
21st CLOSED IN OBSERVANCE OF PRESIDENTS DAY 9:00AM
22nd MLS TRAINING 9:00AM
23rd REALIST 1:30PM
24th HOW TO ATTRACT MORE BUYERS 1:00PM
Main Office:
1789 Lakeside Ave.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
or
210 Office
140 Gateway Cir. Ste. 3
St Johns, FL 32259
Main Office
Phone: 904-829-8738
Fax: 904-823-9512
or
210 Office
Phone: 904-829-2704
Fax: 904-829-2706
C O N T A C T I N F O R M A T I O N
Main Office Staff
Victor J. Raymos, RCE
Association Executive
Professional Standards
Sharon Lainhart
Membership and Finance
Lise Hays
Education /SUPRA
Membership/Newsletter/Website
Branch Office Staff
Carla King
MLS , Website updates
Just like the Board of REALTORS® is
your Board, this is YOUR newsletter! We
can’t do this without you!
FR Legal Hotline
407-438-1409
FR Tech Hotline
407-587-1450
If you have an event you would like to
mention in the Board newsletter or would
like to see something in the BOR
Forward, please contact Lise’ Hays at the
Board Office by calling 904-829-8738 or
by email at
W W W . S T J O H N S R E A L T O R S . C O M / R E A L T O R P A G E S . H T M L