Mulch is a wonderful addition to any landscape. A mulch layer around trees and shrubs provides many benefits.
♦ Helps maintain soil moisture. Mulch slows evaporation and reduces the amount of water that is needed by the plants.
♦ Inhibits weeds. It is almost impossible to keep weeds out of bedding areas without some type of mulch covering.
♦ Helps maintain soil temperature. Mulch keeps the plants’ roots warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
♦ Adds Beauty. Mulch gives planting beds a neat and uniform appearance. Its color and textures compliments the plants and the house.
♦ Reduces soil erosion. Water running off the house or from adjacent areas can create a lot of soil erosion. Mulch will decrease the amount of soil lost.
♦ Improves the soil. Any organic mulch will decompose over time. This will increase the soil’s fertility and improve the soil’s texture and drainage.
♦ Provides protection. Having a layer of mulch around plants and trees will protect them from lawnmowers and string trimmers.
When Mrs. Jarrell, the new Principal at A-rated Wards Creek Elementary School in World Golf Village, agreed to create a video tour of the school, it was no surprise she wanted the spotlight to be on the award-winning St. Augustine school and not on herself. The more time we spent with Mrs. Jarrell, the more we came to see why she was the perfect person to continue Don Campbell’s legacy. She invited us on a private tour of the school, while the children were off having fun for Spring Break!
Wards Creek Elementary School is a top performing school in St. Johns County, which is the top performing school district in the state of Florida. Mrs. Jarrell explains their success is built on strong academics and strong character. The pre-kindergarten through 5th grade elementary school has embraced Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” becoming a Franklin Covey “Leader in Me” School and helping students develop essential life skills and character. Wards Creek Elementary School is working towards Lighthouse Status – there are only 24 Lighthouse Schools in the nation.
Most people consider Arthur Rutenberg Homes to be in a class all their own. The quality they produce is rarely matched! That’s why we were thrilled to have Rutenberg Homes builder Mark Refosco take us along for the three-step process of building a one-of-a-kind custom home with Arthur Rutenberg Homes.
As you see in the video, the process starts with visiting their model home in Ponte Vedra, Florida. Homebuyers browse the Design Collection portfolio featuring about 80 floorplans to get an idea of what plan best fits their wants and needs. You also have the option of having a custom design plan created exclusively for you. Once you choose a floorplan, the fun part starts – focusing on the details!
It can be a challenge to stay patient when selling your home. But Davidson Realty pros say if your home has been on the market more than three months without any serious offers, it’s a sign something is off. Here are four caution signs our Jacksonville and St. Augustine realtors watch for when selling a home.
No showings: Typically a home buyer will look at 10-15 homes before choosing a home. Too few or no showings, is a pretty clear sign that buyers may be rejecting your home based on price from the moment they see the listing.
No offers: If buyers are viewing your home yet you receive no offers, this can be a sign that buyers may not be rejecting the price but the home itself. This is when it’s time to consult your Realtor to find out buyers’ concerns with your home so issues can be fixed as soon as possible. Alternatively, sellers may provide an allowance to buyers so they can fix problems after a sale.
Both national homebuilders and local custom homebuilders are stirring up activity in our master planned golf community. A range of projects are now underway in the King & Bear which is great news for World Golf Village homeowners, our Davidson Realty agents and the north St. Johns County economy. Here’s a taste of what’s happening in our St. Augustine, Florida neighborhood.
We call Lynn Whitley, a Davidson Realty Agent and Turnberry homeowner, a “Super Resident” because she takes advantage of all that World Golf Village has to offer, almost on a daily basis. The best way to get to know Lynn is to take a glimpse at how she spends her day. So we asked Lynn to tell us in her own words how she spent an average work day and we tagged along to snap some photos.
Friday, February 10
My day started with coffee and breakfast at home in Turnberry, then a quick ride to the fitness center at the King & Bear. When the weather is nice, (which is most of the time for us St. Augustine residents), I get some extra exercise by riding over on my bicycle, since it is only about four miles from where I live in Turnberry. A morning workout gives me energy to power through my day.
At Davidson Realty, we are doing away with flyer boxes and using new technology (texting) for potential buyers to get information on our listings sent to their mobile phones on-the-spot. I stopped at my listing on Sluder Estates Lane on the way home from my workout and removed the flyer box, relocated my name rider to the bottom of the sign and added the texting rider to the sign.
Are you aware that a potential buyer typically knows within 15 seconds if he or she is interested in a home? Did you know that recent studies show that over 90% of potential buyers begin their home search on the internet?
Presentation is everything! Staging is simply emphasizing your home’s best features so that it will stand out from the competition and allows buyers to connect emotionally and visualize themselves living there. For those of you that are considering putting your home on the market in the near future, here are some things to get you started:
1. Consider Curb Appeal – Potential buyers need to fall in love with your home from the street. Power wash walkways and roofs, trim bushes, remove weeds, plant flowers, replace dated or rusted light fixtures . . . make a good first impression.
2. Clean, Clean, Clean – I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a clean, fresh smelling home. Don’t forget rugs, closets, cabinets and garages. Buyers are buying the entire home, so they will look there.
3. De-Clutter – Get rid of absolutely everything that is not necessary and anything that prevents a buyer from seeing your homes’ beautiful features or how the space is really meant to be used.
4. De-Personalize – As much as you love your family photos, awards and religious artifacts, buyers will have a difficult time visualizing themselves living in the home. Pack them away now and get a jump on what you will have to do anyway when your home sells.
Serenata Beach Club, located between St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra, is the perfect place to unwind all year round on the wide, uncrowded beaches of St. Johns County. This 12,000 square-foot private membership beach club feels like a luxury resort, complete with two 4,000 square- foot swimming pools, a children’s play pool with a variety of water features, fully equipped locker facilities and fitness center with personal trainers on staff, gourmet dining for lunch and dinner and, of course, an oceanfront location that is breathtaking ! Davidson Realty agent, Jock Ochiltree is not only a member at Serenata, but also a resident. He was happy to show us how he spends time taking advantage of the beautiful Florida weather in the video above.
On Monday, Jan. 23rd the state Department of Education released their annual grades for county schools based on the 2011 FCAT results (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test), and various other categories. For the fourth straight year, the St. Johns County School District is ranked number one in the entire state of Florida! With 67 total school Districts and 3,078 public and charter schools in all of Florida, it is quite an accomplishment to be consistently at the top each school year.
A lot of credit needs to be given to the students throughout St. Johns County for their hard work, dedication and performances, which is reflected by their overall school grades. But the teaching staff in St. Johns County needs a standing ovation for the above and beyond attitude they put forth everyday to ensure our children’s bright futures.
That is why more than ever, we as a community need to come together and show our appreciation towards our local teaching staff. As of January 30th and running until February 13th, Davidson Realty’s 4th quarter of Davidson Appreciates Teachers is kicking off. They will be collecting nominations for all the resource teachers at Mill Creek Elementary and Wards Creek Elementary Schools, including PE, Guidance Counselors, Art, Media Specialists, Music, Computer and Spanish.
I have now experienced 55 opportunities to commit to and deliver on a New Year’s Resolution – having my first at the age of 5. I don’t know about you – but my success in these endeavors comes and goes – and can be difficult to gauge.
Like Jerry Seinfeld at the rental car counter – complaining about how easy it is for them to take a reservation – but how hard it is for them to keep it – my track record with resolutions is a bit the same.
The experts have all sorts of tried and true ways to make resolutions, and more importantly, help you keep them. Their advice says that one should start with a set, specific goal – make a plan, then write it down. Once you are clear – you need to enlist support and stay the course. As the year progresses – they say you need to adopt the simple mantra, “how can I make it happen” – and just keep asking yourself that question. Supposedly – over and over, this self-driven effort (with all the extra encouragement you can get) will produce great results.
Mulch is a wonderful addition to any landscape. A mulch layer around trees and shrubs provides many benefits.
facebook
twitter
youtube
WGV blog