In every neighborhood across America, there are a few prime neighborhoods where dream homes are built. Whether its the “flock mentality” or just plain beauty, neighborhoods like this often attract some of the city’s best and brightest.

The neighborhood of Ortega, and specifically, the “point” of Ortega is certainly one of those places and the house we’ve just listed at 3781 Ortega Blvd. is nothing short of spectacular!

Despite the fact that this is an ultra sophisicated home outfitted with the finest, one of the home’s major attributes is that it may just offer one of the best downtown views of any home in Jacksonville. Beautiful by day and even more so at night, this view is majestic and inspiring. Multiple outdoor spaces draw you out to bask in the beauty of the water, sun and skyline.

From the moment you enter the drive and notice the lush landscaping and manicured gardens, it’s obvious that you’ve encountered something very special. Enter the foyer, look straight through the house to the incredible river views, and you’ll be hooked.

Built in 1956 and renovated to perfection, this home is the epitome of gracious, easy living and is an entertainer’s dream.  All rooms flow easily from one into another and there are beautiful outdoor spaces as well.

Appointed with nothing but the finest including a gourmet kitchen, custom millwork, a home exercise studio and lush landscaping, you won’t find anything “missing” here. Beauty combined with an easy sense of living make this home a ten!  Offered at $3,750,000, this is one of Jacksonville’s signature homes.

If you’d like more information about this home or any of our other listings in Avondale, Ortega or Riverside, please give us a call at 904-252-5181. We’re approachable, knowledgeable and ready to help — With Us…It’s All About You!

 If you feel like you’re bursting at the seams in your small 3br/2ba cottage and have hoped  for a home where you can really stretch your wings, your dream has come true! Just listed, with nearly 5,000 square feet, 5 bedrooms and 5 baths, there’s plenty of room for everyone! A classic two story brick on one of Ortega’s best streets, 4620 Algonquin awaits your arrival!

From the moment you open the door to the gracious foyer, you sense that you’ve stepped into paradise. On your right is a stunning wood paneled office and to the left a large light filled formal living room with fireplace. Next is a bright and relaxing sunroom where you could curl up and read a book or perhaps take a nap. 

The formal dining room is a large space that will accomodate a crowd. The kitchen is open to the family room and features a center island,breakfast area, stainless steel appliances and a large window over the sink. There’s a two car garage with workshop and the lot is deep.  The house has great flow with all rooms opening to the garden that’s completely fenced so dogs and small children are free to roam.

If storage has ever been an issue, look no further. This home is one of few in the neighborhood with both a basement and permanent stairs to the attic. Tall ceilings, wood floors, newer roof and insulation that’s been sprayed into all attic spaces, make this one of Ortega’s most sought after homes.

If you’re not familiar with Ortega, it’s a wonderful place where neighbors know each other, children ride their bikes to and from each others homes and to school, people have block parties with barbeque and there’s always someone on standby to lend a hand if needed – a real sense of community is evident here.

The list price for this beauty is $1.1M – priced competitively for today’s market. Please call us today for an appointment.

Thanks for reading! Please join us next time for state of real estate in Avondale, Ortega and Riverside.

Last year, there were 8 waterfront properties sold in Avondale, Ortega and Riverside. This year (and we’re only in April), there have already been 4 sales,  1 pending sale and 2 more that  just went under contract. So…7 properties have either sold or will sell soon. I’ve heard about several more properties that are being negotiated as we speak, so it won’t be long before I report more waterfront sales.

Have you missed your chance? You might be surprised to learn that there’s still plenty of inventory left – 41 to be exact. Some of these are new listings and some have been on the market for years! To see the complete list of all waterfront properties available for sale in Avondale, Ortega and Riverside, click here.

Ranging in price from $599K to $4,250M, there is certainly something for everyone. The lowest price of $599K  is for a 50′ wide lot on McGirts Blvd. and the most expensive ($4.250M) is for a large custom home in Avondale that sits on nearly 180′ of riverfront (our listing).

There are single story homes, two story homes, traditional homes and contemporary homes. There are big lots, small lots, wide lots and skinny lots. There is wide water (St. John’s river), McGirts Creeek water, Pirates Cove water, downtown views, non-downtown views. There are homes in Riverside, Avondale, Ortega and Ortega Forest.

While some of the best homes have been snapped up, it’s obvious that there’s plenty left to choose from. Call us today and we’ll help steer you toward a great deal!

Thanks for reading – please join me for my next update on real estate in Avondale, Ortega and Riverside!

All of these sales are active contingent which means that there’s something left to do before the status gets changed to pending. This could be home inspections or financing approval.

All five transactions had either Prudential Network Realty as the listing agent or the selling agent.

If you’ve been thinking of buying Ortega waterfront, you might want to hurry, looks like the inventory is coming down!

4548 Ortega Island Drive

When this house on Ortega Island came on the market, I fell in love immediately. From the moment you walk in the door, you are greeted by an amazing river view and enveloped by a real sense of graciousness. The proportions of this house are just right and it has great “flow”.  There are 5br/5.5ba in just over 6,000 SF. It’s an outstanding house.

One of only 15 beautiful residences on Ortega Island which is just off of Ortega Forest Drive in Ortega, the house offers beautiful river views, abundant bird watching opportunities and stunning sunsets. This is a very special place indeed. To see the full details of 4548 Ortega Island Drive house, click here.

Jump on Your Boat & Go for a Cruise!

Originally listed at $3,300,000, the house is now an outstanding value at only $2,490,000 or $393 per square foot.

Thanks for reading – if you’re thinking of buying a waterfront home in Ortega Forest, there are some great homes available for sale. To see all waterfront homes available for sale in Ortega Forest, click here. 

There’s a neighborhood wide open house this weekend in Ortega Forest — waterfront and non-waterfront — stop by and buy a house!

3248 Riverside Avenue - WOW!

JUST LISTED! As I reviewed the new listings for the day, this one literally jumped off the page at me. It’s a WOW house at a WOW price.  If you’re even THINKING of moving, please call me. The house is located at 3248 Riverside Avenue and is just beautiful. It has everything today’s buyer wants and needs — open kitchen, family room, lots of light, gracious master suite and fabulous master bath. Take a look and see for yourself – it’s a must see. 

Open Kitchen with Center Island

Oh, and it’s PRICED TO SELL. With over 4,500 square feet, it’s list price is under $200 per square foot — very fair. I’d love to show it to you — please call me to schedule an appointment. Thanks!

Spacious and Serene Master Suite

4561 Ortega Blvd.

I ran a quick statistical analysis this m0rning to see how waterfront sales in Ortega this year compared to the sales from 2008.The figures below represent a year to date look and do not include sales from 12/3 – 12/31/09.

In 2008, there were 10 waterfront sales for a total volume of $15,188,073 making the average sale $1,518,807. This number included a little house on Country Club Road that backed up to a “duck pond” — which can’t really be considered waterfront.

In 2009, there have only been 6 waterfront sales with a total volume of $10,290,000 making the average sale $1,715,000 — that’s an increase of 12% over 2008. Does that mean that the price of your home is worth 12% more now that it was in 2008?  Unfortunately, no.

 It is true that the average sale price is up 12%, but this figure is misleading. We all know that the price of waterfront property has dropped by hundreds of thousands of dollars  and sometimes by as much as million! So, while this is a legitimate and factual statistic, it just goes to show that not all data points to the real truth of the matter. You must have an experience realtor who knows the local market to interpret the statistics for you and give you the real truth about the value of your waterfront house in Jacksonville.

To see the list of waterfront homes that sold in 2008, click here.

To see the list of Ortega waterfront homes that have sold in 2009, click here.

Thanks for reading! Please join me for my next discussion of real estate in the Ortega, Avondale and Riverside neighborhoods.

If you’re not from Jacksonville, it’s important to understand the different “types” of waterfront that are being offered because they carry different values. In addition to the overall size of the lot, the amount of waterfront “footage” that the property has is an important factor in the valuation of a property.

For example, if two houses are of similar condition and square footage and one has 70 feet of waterfront and another has 120 feet, the one with 120′ of water will have more value. Another factor that influences price is whether or not the property has a downtown view. The Jackonville skyline is very attractive and is especially so at night. The properties, like this one on Timuquana Road, that have a downtown view will sell for more money. “Open” water — on the St. John’s River — comes at a premium value and waterfront in Ortega is more expensive than waterfront in Ortega Forest. There are other distinguishing features of waterfront but these are some of the most important.

To see a list of waterfront properties available for sale in Ortega and Avondale, click here.

Thanks for reading — please join me for my next discussion of real estate in the Avondale, Ortega and Riverside neighborhoods!

Professionally, I also have a lot to be thankful for.  Among them are the many people I’ve met through my real estate career. Some are customers, some are other realtors I work with, some are my managers (current and former) and some are professionals from associated industries like mortage loan officers.

I must say, however, that I am most thankful for my business partner, Caroline Powell. What a lucky day it was for me when Caroline made the decision to work with me. She’s an amazing person that I’m lucky to know and even luckier to work with. Full of energy, knowledge, compassion and general zest for life, there are few people as delightful as Caroline.  She has a very large fan club and I’m lucky to be part of it!

Hope you are enjoying Thanksgiving with family or friends on this great American Holiday. Having a crowd at Thanksgiving is fun and I thought it might be fun to see how many houses over 6,000 square feet arefor sale in Avondale, Ortega and Riverside. There are currently 12 houses that meet that criteria — and here they are!

Thanks for reading — please join me for my next real estate adventure in one of Jacksonville’s best neighborhoods!

One of the best parts of being a realtor is getting a fantastic new listing. Having something really great to sell sure beats trying to find a buyer for the 70’s house filled with shag carpet and wallpaper everywhere. We’re proud to “shout out” about our fantastic new listing at Villa Riva.

This is an end unit which is highly coveted because you’ve got lots of extra windows and light and the floorplan is especially nice with the master suite on the river PLUS another 3BR/2.5 BA on the other side. Professionally decorated, this condo has tall ceilings, beautiful woodwork including custom built cabinetry in the Master Bedroom, Living Room and Office. The kitchen is stunning with an open plan, granite counter-tops, professional grade appliances including a gas cook-top, a center island and wine cooler. Nothing has been left out.

Villa Riva is among one of  Jacksonville’s premiere addresses.Located in the Riverside neighborhood on the West Side of town near Ortega and Avondale, Villa Riva was built in 2005 and many of the units were snapped up at pre-construction prices the day they were released to the market.

The building is divided into three towers, each with their own bank of elevators and each floor has only two residences so there’s a real sense of privacy. The building has every imaginable amenity including an incredible River front swimming pool, state of the art fitness center, guest suite, business center and other luxury common areas like the River Room where residents can meet on Thursday evenings to get to know each other.

Please call us at 904-463-1898 or 904-252-5181 for a private showing of this great new listing at Villa Riva – You’ll be impressed!