St. Johns County led the way in 2014 growth for new building permits.   The Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) recently reported that the number of building permits pulled in 2014 was the highest since 2007.  
  The strongest area for new building permits was South to St. Johns County, reflecting the heavy push to Durbin, Nocatee, Bartram and World Golf Village.
  Clearly, it's Nocatee that can take a lot of the credit, named the third best-selling master-planned community in the U.S in 2014.

The Palazzo at St. Johns is the new iteration of the Goodby's Creek luxury condo development at Baymeadows and San Jose.

Now selling fast. The Palazzo on St. Johns is a testament to the revitalization of new condo construction in Jacksonville real estate. Originally constructed as The Cove at St. Johns at San Jose and Baymeadows, all progress stopped in 2010 during the market slump (along with progress on The Shipyards, Berkman Plaza II,East San Marco, etc.)  In September 2013, it re-emerged with a new owner and a new name -- The Palazzo on St. Johns. (Berkman Plaza II now planning to re-emerge as well, halted in 2007).   Orlando's Prospect Property Group paid $2.5 million for the 76-unit development. The name has changed but the high level of…

Before and after, 1220 Cherry Street kitchen remodeled with marble countertops and subway tile backsplash.   Another 1920s vintage bungalow has been brought back to life at 1220 Cherry Street in Avondale. It's just a few hundred feet from Willowbranch Park, and a short walk to the great Park-and-King Avondale eating and drinking spots,   Living room with fireplace and French doors leading to the deck.
  Hitting the market this week, this top-to-bottom rehab has all the signature touches you'd expect in an upscale makeover -- new kitchen with Carrera marble countertops and gas range, a marble and subway tile master bathroom and new walk-in closet that were added during the rehab. Second bath is refreshed with marble and subway tile.…

New Lennar offering in Palencia, The Classic Collection under $300,000.    Palencia is about to get a tad more affordable, to include the under $300K homebuyer market. Lennar will introduce a smaller, 50' product called "The Classic Collection," which Lennar advertises as pricing out as low as $226K. The Classic Collection homes will run from 1,500 to 2,700 square feet, three to five bedrooms, and you still get full access to the Palencia amenities, up to and including the golf course.
As with all Lennar product, they do an Everything Included, or "EI" offering, which gives buyers about everything they'd want to upgrade baked into the purchase price.    Also by Lennar in Palencia, The Imperial Collection, at 2,361 to 3,398 square feet…

  2014 was a high water mark for Nocatee, named #3 master planned community in the U.S.   For the third year in a row, Nocatee is ranked as one of the most popular master planned communities in the nation. To make 2014's #3 ranking even sweeter for Parc Group and the myriad Nocatee builders, numbers #1 and #2 are actually over 55 communities, both in Orange County, California. The rankings come from consulting firms RCLCO and John Burns Real Estate Consulting.
  Part of the boost surely came from the sharp growth curve in 2014, with a lot of new neighborhoods opening for early lot selection or full-on construction.  Some new neighborhoods for 2014: The Greenleaf collection (Lakes, Villa and Preserve), Addison Park, Cypress Trails and…

The Peninsula Condo For Sale

The Peninsula is considered the premier high-rise luxury condos on the Southbank of the St. Johns River in San Marco. The stunning skyline and rivers views are just the beginning. With the Riverwalk, residents can stroll or bike up and down the riverfront with casual ease, and it's walkable to some of the greatest cultural and dining spots in town, like the Chart House, Ruth's Chris Steak House and the Museum of Science and History (MOSH).  Then there are the fine amenities that come included with the luxurious Peninsula lifestyle, such as concierge service, fitness, pool, and everything you'd expect from the finest high rise condo living that Jacksonville has to offer.

The Peninsula Condo for Sale - Kitchen

New home for the price of a late model resale? Worth a look.

In the 2014 - 2015 housing rebound, some homebuyers are discovering that you can buy a new construction home at roughly the same price as a late model re-sale. This most likely will apply to spec or "move-in ready" new homes, but in rare cases, even to-be-built models.   This is especially true in communities that slowed their growth -- even stopped building --  in 2010 and 2011, and are now building more new models with a price tag to match their three to four-year-old counterparts in the same neighborhood.   Unlike cars that lose value when their driven off the lot, re-sales move up and down with the market. The brand new home must be competitive with a resale down the street,…