Blog

Holiday Traditions Around the World

Image via Flickr courtesy of Jeff Golden

Christmas is almost here! Here on the Emerald Coast, in the heart of Northwest Florida, we might not have snow and sledding, but we know how to enjoy Christmas and the entire holiday seasons with the best of them! A walk along the beach, a glass of wine as we watch the sunset, or just a ride around town looking for the best Christmas displays – everyone has their own way of enjoying the holidays, no snow required.

Have you ever wondered about other holiday traditions? Take a look at a few from across the globe.

Christmas in France

Instead of Christmas, the French know it as Noel. Pere Noel is Father Christmas. Instead of stockings hung on the mantel, children in France put out their shoes which they find filled with fruits and treats on Christmas morning.

St. Lucia’s Day in Sweden

On December 13, girls dress up as “Lucia’s brides” with long white gowns and red sashes in honor of the third-century saint. The girls sing and offer coffee to their families. The traditional St. Lucia’s bun is eaten on this day, as well.

Sviata Vechera in Ukraine

This celebration is a Christmas Eve feast that begins when the first star is seen in the sky. Sviata Vechera means “Holy Supper.” Wheat is brought in to signify the wheat crops of Ukraine and is called “didukh” which means “grandfather spirit.”

This time of year is filled with cultural and personal holiday traditions. Whether you eat turkey or ham, skip the cookies or indulge in sweets, the holiday is a time for family, friends, and holiday cheer. I would like to wish a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of my clients, customers, agents, friends, and family. None of this would be possible with you!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Source: 10 Holiday Traditions from Around the World, SheKnows.com

Christmas Events Around the Emerald Coast

Image via Flickr courtesy of Joe Buckingham

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is here and Christmas is so close. Between the shopping, wrapping, and travel planning, the holidays can get a bit stressful. Thanksfully, there are events across the Emerald Coast to keep everyone in the holiday spirit.

A Dickens Christmas

December 11 – December 21

Emerald Grande at Harborwalk, Veranda Room

A theatre adapation of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol

According to the event information, this isn’t suitable for young children, but for everyone else, this could easily become a part of your holiday traditions.

Holiday Pops! Concert

Friday, December 12, 7:30 p.m.

Mattie Kelly Arts Center

Holiday music from the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchesta with a little help from the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorale.

36th Annual Jingle Bell Jog

Saturday, December 13, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The Boardwalk in Fort Walton Beach

Hosted by the Special Forces Association Chapter 7, proceeds from this run and race help support the 7th Special Forces Group and their families.

Go to run off the holiday cookies or simply to support our local military.

28th Annual Holiday on the Harborwalk

Sunday, December 14, beginning at 12:00 p.m.

Harborwalk Village

From 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., listen to live music, visit with Santa, and let your children enjoy the art’s and crafts. At 6:00 p.m. the annual Destin Harbor Parade will begin and the night will be capped off with fireworks over the water.

Toys for Tots

Ongoing through Christmas

Around the Emerald Coast

Marines and Realtor volunteers will be out in force along the Emerald Coast collecting toy donations for local children in need. Whenever you see a Toys for Tots sign or a box, please consider making a donation. Toys must be new and unwrapped. Click here for a list of all area events.

To see all events in the area:

Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce

Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau

There is so much to do in our area and so many ways to celebrate the holidays. Make sure to take advantage of at least one this holiday season – if nothing else, to get away from the stress of finding the perfect gift, if only for a short while.

Single Family Home Sales Strong in October 2014 Along Emerald Coast

Image via Flickr courtesy of osseous

The October real estate numbers for the Emerald Coast, including Okaloosa and Walton counties, are not much different from September. There were some shocking jumps, such as the 53 percent median price increase in condo and townhouse sales in Okaloosa County for the second month in a row. Single family homes across the board were strong across the board when compared to October of 2013. Another shocking increase? In Walton County, home sales increased 49 percent over last year. October was a good month to sell a single family home along the Emerald Coast.

Single Family Home Sales

Emerald Coast

• Closed sales increased 33.4%
• Pending sales rose 29.8%
• Median prices decreased 0.2% – a $450 difference
• Inventory increased 18.3%
• Months supply increased 6.3% to 7.9 months of inventory (down from the previous month)

Okaloosa County

• Closed sales increased 21.5%
• Pending sales increased 31.9%
• Median prices increased 1.4%
• Inventory increased 18.9%
• Months supply increased 8.5% to 6.6 months of inventory (down from the previous month)

Walton County

• Closed sales increased 49.6%
• Pending sales increased 16.7%
• Median prices fell 0.7% – a $1,950 difference
• Inventory increased 19.2%
• Months supply increased 1.9% to 9.5 months of inventory (down from the previous month)

Townhouse and Condo Sales

Emerald Coast

• Closed sales decreased 20.9%
• Pending sales decreased 15.3%
• Median prices increased 10.4%
• Inventory dropped 12.4%
• Months supply increased 8% to 10.1 months of inventory (no difference from the previous month

Okaloosa County

• Closed sales dropped 14.3%
• Pending sales decreased 23.9%
• Median prices rose 53.6% (from $175,000 in 2013 to $268,750)
• Inventory decreased 11.7%
• Months supply increased 14.9% to 10.8 months of inventory (down from the previous month)

Walton County

• Closed sales decreased 1.4%
• Pending sales increased 3.8%
• Median prices decreased 15.7%
• Inventory decreased 7%
• Months supply decreased 1.3% to 9.9 months of inventory (down from the previous month)

A few things to remember…

The months’ supply of inventory looks like it’s increasing, when compared to the previous year, but over the last several months, the levels have remained steady. And, in this case, have decreased slightly from September. A healthy inventory level for any real estate market is around 6 months supply of inventory. Anything over 8 is considered a high level of inventory and could begin to bring down prices as buyers are given more options and competition increases among sellers.

Townhouse and condo sales often decline directly after the summer months as so many condos are purchased as vacation homes. The good news, in Okaloosa County, is that median prices are rising so while less properties are being sold, those that are being purchased are at higher prices than last year.

Pending sales are only an indication of the month ahead. In months with an increase in pending sales, you can expect sales to increase for the following month. A decline in pending sales may be an indication of lower sales the next month. It is not an automatic as sales often take more than 30 days to close.

All sales data is from the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors® (ECAR) Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and is compiled by Florida Realtors®, the state association for Florida. The Emerald Coast statistics cover both Okaloosa and Walton counties as well as surrounding areas based on the listings entered into the MLS by ECAR MLS participants.

Canine Seismographs

There have been many debates in the world of science regarding whether or not dogs have a sort of ESP or other psychic ability that enables them to predict seismic events like earthquakes and avalanches.

There are dozens of reports about dogs in the Alps who warned travelers, or members of search and rescue teams, of an impending avalanche in time for them to escape or seek a safer mountain path. In addition, there are reports from reliable observers that hours (or sometimes days) before a major earthquake, dogs begin pacing and acting distressed or restless – as if they sense impending trouble that their human companions are unaware of.

In China and Japan, animals are considered to be an integral part of their national earthquake warning systems. One early indication of their usefulness occurred in 1975, when officials in the Chinese city of Haicheng were alarmed by odd and anxious behaviors of dogs and other animals. These observations led them to order 90,000 residents to evacuate the city. Just a few hours later, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake destroyed nearly 90 percent of the city’s buildings. Since then, a number of studies have suggested that a variety of animals, including dogs, can anticipate similar earth tremors.

For dog lovers, here’s yet another reason to appreciate our fine four-legged friends.

Source: Psychology Today

Add a New Tradition to Your Thanksgiving Holiday!

Image via Flickr courtesy of Satya Murthy

For many of us, Thanksgiving is a day for turkey, stuffing, canned cranberries, time with family, football, and lots of naps. This year, consider a new tradition for your Thanksgiving holiday or may just a twist on old traditions.

Turkey Trot

Whether you just like to run or you want an excuse to help keep away the holiday pounds, Turkey Trots 5k races are scheduled around the country, typically on Thanksgiving morning. You can eat a few more bites of turkey with a little less guilt if you run or walk 3.1 miles before you eat. Rosemary Beach and Pensacola both have a run scheduled for November 27.

Volunteering

Giving back at a time of year when we’re thinking about our blessings is a common practice in many families. Consider adding this one to your list of holiday traditions. Donate a little time at a local soup kitchen. Drop off non-perishable food items at a food bank. There are so many ways to give back to those in need, and this is a great time to do it as a family. Whether you live in Fort Walton Beach, Navarre, or Destin, there are plenty of opportunities to give back.

Kicking Off Christmas

Some people start decorating for Christmas right after Halloween, while others wait until a week or two before. With your family gathered together, Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to get into Christmas mode. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV is a tradition in many homes, and is a great way to get kids young and old excited that Christmas is right around the corner. Put the parade on in the background, and pull out the decorations while everyone is gathered together!

Put a New Twist on Holiday Favorites

Whether you’re a turkey lover or you’d rather stuff yourself with stuffing, consider a few twists on old traditions. Choose from Cuban-inspired Mojo Turkey from south Florida to oyster dressing from Alabama, instead of the same old bagged stuffing. With a bit of searching, there are plenty of ways to dress up the old and find new holiday favorites.

Whether your family is one of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and children or your family is the one you find and create among your friends, Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year to come together, celebrate your family, and give thanks for all you

4 Reasons You Can Buy or Sell a Home During the Winter Months

Image via Flickr courtesy of Dustin Gaffe

Colder temperatures. Holiday plans – and stress. Rainy weather.

You might think winter, and especially the holidays from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day, is a bad time to buy or sell a home along the Emerald Coast. Here are a few reasons you might want to re-think that.

Less competition. For sellers, this is a great reason to list during the colder months. Assuming your home is staged well, priced right, and ready to sell, you’ll have less competition among other sellers for getting eyes on your home. There are less buyers, of course, but those who are looking are typically very serious about buying.

Higher motivation. If you’re buying or selling during the winter months, there’s probably a good reason. Whether it’s a job transfer or a much needed upgrade or downgrade, both buyers and sellers are pretty motivated to close the deal during the winter months. No matter which side of the transaction you’re on, this is good for negotiations.

A quicker closing. There’s no way to predict at this point how quick your closing will go; there are too many individual details for that. But, with more motivated buyers and sellers, closings tend to be quicker. Fewer delays in getting necessary information to the lender and quicker negotiations, and less tropical disturbances to wreak havoc with home insurance can lead to a faster closing.

Holiday decorations. When done well, nothing says warm and inviting like holiday decorations. It’s easy to go overboard and less is always more, but the right decorations invite people in to look around a home. Glowing lights, a warm, cozy feeling, and the smells of the holidays – pumpkin pie, cinnamon, and Christmas trees – could help a buyer envision your home as their home.

Whatever reasons you have for buying or selling your home during the colder months, it is possible to get the best price in a reasonable amount of time.