October 29, 2009
I love the water, so naturally, I love being on boats. Any kind of boat. For any reason. I will admit that there was something about kayaks that made me uneasy though. I didn’t like the thought of putting half of my body into the dark hull…it seemed very claustrophobic to me. I guess this explains why I didn’t quite know what to do when I received a kayak as a Christmas present two years ago. I just kept staring at the thing every time I walked through my garage. Eventually, I decided I had to at least try it! So I took it to the water and launched it.
I moved quickly through the water with very little effort, which surprised and delighted me. As soon as I went around the first bend in the river, I got the same feeling as when I drove a car – by myself – for the very first time. Exhilarated. Independent. Free. It was about that time that I also started to pay attention to the rest of my environment – the sun sparkling on the river, turtles sunning themselves on logs, the soft sound of the oars breaking the water. It was a total escape from my hectic everyday life. And the combination of all these feelings made the experience magical. Within five minutes of launching my kayak for the first time, I was hooked!
Needless to say, I was thrilled to learn that Six Mile Creek that runs through World Golf Village offers a world class paddling experience. It is pristine and provides an “old Florida” feel. There is only one dock along its entire length from CR 208 to CR 13A, so you can escape and connect with nature, which in this area has a beautiful wildness to it. You can launch at CR 13A Bridge at Outback Crabshack. You can find directions at Outback Crabshack. If you paddle south you will enter Six Mile Creek. If you prefer something more populated, you can paddle north and hit the St. Johns River. (more…)
October 12, 2009
The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village successfully kicked off its Sneak Peek Saturdays in October featuring open houses in the Turnberry, Royal Pines and St. Andrews neighborhoods. The event, which is held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on the first Saturday of every month, will return on November 7. This time we will showcase homes throughout the King & Bear neighborhoods. Whether you are looking for a St. Augustine golf home around 2,000 square feet or a grand estate closer to 5,000 square feet, you will find something wonderful! Or, perhaps you want to come visit to see which paint colors or appliances are popular right now. Regardless of your reasons, we are happy to share what it’s like to live in our community with you!
With the holidays fast approaching, we encourage you to bring a can of food to help those less fortunate than ourselves. We will be collecting them at each home and donating them to the St. Francis House. If you decide to donate a food item, your name will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate to Publix – just in time for Thanksgiving! And in the holiday spirit, we will be serving light refreshments at one of the homes on tour to everyone who visits!
From I-95, take exit 323. Go west for just over 3 miles. Turn right at the King & Bear entrance, which is just past SR 16. Maps will be available at the Gate House. If you have any questions, please call Davidson Realty at 904.940.5000. Hope to see you there!
October 9, 2009
Every time I hear someone mention John Unkefer or his company, Legacy Builders (one of the builders at World Golf Village), it is positive. The comments are about how much his clients love him, or how high his integrity is, or how knowledgeable he is. So, I decided to talk to him to find out what sets him apart from other builders and how he maintains such an impressive reputation in a difficult real estate market.
The first thing he mentioned that sets him apart is that John personally works with all of his clients. He starts out by meeting with them to understand what they want. Sometimes clients know exactly what they want and the Legacy Builders team helps them realize their dream. Other times, the clients only have pictures from a magazine to start with. Either way, the clients and John work together to create the design and architecture the client wants. John describes new home construction as a team sport – and the clients are on the team!
He also has multiple walk-thrus during the construction process – during framing, electrical, finishing, etc. – to make sure the clients’ expectations are met and managed. John emphasized the high level of open communication Legacy Builders has with each client is key to their success. (more…)
October 7, 2009
The other day I was visiting my friend, Cindy, in Turnberry – a neighborhood in World Golf Village. I was struck by how much unspoiled nature surrounded the neighborhood here. I sat on Cindy’s lanai and loved looking at the preserve behind her home. In just an hour or two, I saw all kinds of birds, including a turkey! Cindy told me about her morning walks through the Village. Yesterday she saw a doe with her yearling beside one of the Village’s lakes. She said she gets to see the sunrise above the green of the Slammer & Squire golf course and illuminate the Hall of Fame Tower. This is her life and I want it!
Not only do Turnberry neighbors enjoy nature preserves, the neighborhood also has a swimming pool, basketball court and gathering room. Cindy mentioned the neighbors get together for cookouts and swim parties. There are always children riding bikes through the neighborhood and people catching up in the streets. Whenever I drive through Turnberry, someone always greets me with a friendly wave.
Although I could think of many reasons, I asked Cindy why she bought in Turnberry. She said it just felt like home. She loves how her backyard is her own little garden right next to a nature preserve. She said it’s private, yet still feels connected and friendly. She also likes how each home is unique, which adds to the welcoming feel of the neighborhood. One day, I might just be Cindy’s neighbor!
Homes in Turnberry start in the $200s.
October 5, 2009
A comfortable drive through The Neighborhoods of the World Golf Village reveals that homeowners have embraced the landscape theme of their community and have eagerly spent time, resources and energy towards expanding and beautifying the landscape of their homes. Today, the value of ones home is not simply a result of the latest in kitchen, bath and entertainment amenities. More and more, home values improve and climb when the home is graced with a well-designed, beautiful landscape.
According to “Smart Money”, the Wall Street Journal Magazine of Personal Business, a home’s landscaping (or re-landscaping, as the case may be) can immediately add at least 15% to the value of the residence. To put that in perspective, for a $500,000 home, on which you spend $25,000 to spruce up the landscape, even a modest gain of only 7.5% would put $12,500 of straight profit in your pocket upon sale. A 15% gain would mean a profit of $50,000 – an amazing result based on some weekend sweat equity coupled with some professional landscape contracting. (more…)
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