Realty Executives Oceanside
And welcome back to our blog!
We are excited for the upcoming holidays! 2020 seems to need extra holiday cheer and that's what we'll be bringing you locally this week!
Let's start off with the numerous light shows that have already begun in our area!
Magic of Lights on the Daytona Speedway is an annual classic that continues to impress visitors as they add more to their display! You can drive through twice on Wednesdays with only one ticket purchase! For ticket purchasing and more details, check out their website!
Starry Nights in Flagler Beach will be kicking off December 4th through January 31st! They are featuring a drive-thru holiday light display, Christmas lights at Veteran's Park, and festive food specials in surrounding restaurants! Check out their Facebook event page for more details!
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The Rotary Club of Flagler County will be putting on their 15th Annual Fantasy Lights Festival at Central Park in Town Center! The lights are up now through December 30th and admission is free!! Check out more information here.
This Light Show will take place nightly December 18 – December 23, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Admission is $10 per car with a 7 person limit. Over the River and Through the Woods, the TWINKLE Drive Thru Christmas Light Show runs approximately 1 mile with 15 or more holiday themed lighting displays. Traveling on the curve and by the Fort and around the bend in front of the Old Clark House, the route will end at the Caldwell Dairy Barn which will be transformed into a white winter wonderland! For more information, visit this website!
The award-winning St. Augustine lights are worth the walk through downtown! The holiday lights display runs from November 14, 2020, to January 31, 2021. Visit various business to view their displays and buy a ticket to the trolley ride, which highlights different places downtown! For more info, visit here!
From all of us at Realty Executives Oceanside, we want to wish you Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Year!
For more information, please reach out to us!
386-506-8008 | Oceanside@RealtyExecutives.com | 
| 
@REOceanside
By HomeKeepr
Chances are, you’ve at least heard of building permits even if you haven’t applied for one yourself. Going by their name alone, you can probably guess the general gist of what these permits are used for. You might be surprised to find out that a lot of homeowners don’t really know that much about building permits, especially when it comes to details such as when you need to apply for one. It can actually get kind of confusing at times, so here’s a rundown of the basics of building permits so you won’t be left scratching your head the next time you’re considering a new project around the house.
As the name implies, a building permit is a written permission granted by a municipality or other governing body that allows you to build something within the body’s jurisdiction. That’s a fancy way of saying that the city or other area you live in gave you permission to build within the city or county limits. This helps to ensure that the work you’re doing is safe and falls within the guidelines established by local building and construction codes. Since these codes can be different depending on the location where you live, building permits help to ensure that everything complies with all local regulations.
In most areas, applying for a building permit is a pretty straightforward process. You fill out an application, prepare a site plan that details what you’ll be building, and schedule an appointment to have the plan approved. Once your permit is approved, you may need to schedule inspections of the works site as well to ensure that things are following the plan that was laid out in your application. Bear in mind that the specific process and any fees or other costs associated with the application process will vary depending on local zoning rules and other legal specifics of the area where you live.
Once you have a building permit, you’re free to go ahead with your building project. What happens if your plans change during the building process, though? The answer depends on the nature of your change. Depending on the jurisdiction you’re in, you may be free to continue your project if the changes are relatively minor or still in the spirit of the original permit. If there are major deviations from what you specified in your original application, however, you’ll almost certainly need to either have your permit amended or apply for a new permit to cover the project as it now stands. Bear in mind that this depends heavily on the jurisdiction that issues the permit, so be sure to check and see how that affects your permit before making major changes to your project.
One bit of good news is that not all construction projects require you to apply for a building permit. While this depends largely on the specifics of local building codes, you typically won’t need a building permit for small projects or projects that don’t make structural changes to your home. And you may not need one for some significant modifications, such as replacing plumbing or electrical wiring. As an example, you’re likely not going to need a building permit to paint your house or install a small fence around your backyard, though you may still need to clear those changes with your homeowner’s association if you’re in one. However, should you decide to add walls, convert your garage to a living room, or build a new exterior building, you could very well need a permit depending on where you live.
If you’re frustrated by the process of getting a building permit, there’s some good news: If you bring on a contractor to get the job done, they’ll likely take care of all necessary permits as well. HomeKeepr can connect you with the perfect contractor to both do the work and handle the paperwork, based on real recommendations from people you trust. Sign up for a free account today to get started.
By Realty Executives Oceanside
The year 2020 has brought highs, lows and a ton of different trends in fashion, retail and home design. But with 2021 on the horizon, interior design experts are predicting some trends stick around while others stay behind. Check out five home design trends that you can expect to see coming into the new year.
1. Making the Old, New Again
This year you can expect that many of the styles seen in interior design are actually styles from other eras that are making a comeback! As many people are looking for a little bit of nostalgia in their homes, Victorian-era and Art Deco have risen in popularity. Although modern design and clean cut interiors still reign supreme, traditional and historical design can be seen in smaller details or pieces throughout the home, such as floral prints and vintage furniture.
2. Warming Up
Coming out of 2020 and into a new year, many people are looking to warm up their home with comfort and coziness. Color is a great way to do this. Earth-tone and warm neutral colors are great options to add in with pillows or throws. If you are looking to do a major makeover, painting an accent wall is a creative way to bring warmth and personal style into a room without overdoing it.
3. Separate but Together
Working from home, virtual learning, game nights in…whatever the case may be, the fact is our home has become an office, school and entertainment center all in one this year. This sometimes makes it difficult to enjoy open floor plans that are popular in newer homes. You may see a shift in new builds for 2021 that includes more closed off floor plans and separate spaces so that everyone has their own space to enjoy under one roof.
4. Cleanliness and Sustainability
The top priority in many of our minds this year was cleanliness. Wanting ourselves and our homes to stay healthy, having surfaces and fabrics that are easy to clean and disinfect are a must-have. This is most easily done in the kitchen area. From tables, cabinets and utilities, the kitchen is an active and high-touch environment in the home and will be a focus when looking for wipeable and stain-resistant pieces.
Another design trend that has been around for the last few years and will continue is sustainability. Instead of lower quality and cheaper furniture, many homeowners or renters are filling their spaces with earth-friendly and high-quality pieces that last longer so can keep for years to come.
5. Bringing the Outdoors In
Like we mentioned earlier, lots of us are spending more time indoors, so this trend may not be very surprising. Plants, natural light and outdoor furniture materials are coming inside! The vibrant green of house plants not only brings color but brings an extra lightness and airy feeling to the room. Windows and natural lighting will be a large part of home design going forward, especially in rooms where your family may be working or learning, since natural lighting promotes productivity. Lastly, wicker, ceramic and light-toned wood will continue to be utilized in furniture and decor design to bring a more natural look into the home.
Whether you are getting ready to redecorate your current home for the new year or are in the process of designing your dream home to move into, take these 2021 trends and make them your own!
By Lauren Cordell in partnership with Realty Executives International
The journey in buying a new home is what many individuals dream of but, buying a home is not always easy and many long time homeowners can attest to that feeling. Owning your own home does come with extra duties and responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is property tax.
How much do you know about property taxes? What does it do, and what do you need to know about it when buying a home? If you’re a first-time homebuyer, budgeting the property tax cost is an important first step in knowing what you can afford.
So, let’s cut to the chase, clarify some things about property taxes and answer some common questions.
What Is a Property Tax?
Let’s identify first what a property tax is. A property tax is one of the long lists of government-issued tax to all its constituents who own a property, whether it be a house, a rental property or a building. Individuals and other legal entities, such as corporations, are charged with property tax.
It will be used to provide funding to local utilities, such as water and sewer improvements, better law enforcement, road and highway construction, fire protection and other services that the local government deem to benefit the community.
How Do You Calculate Your Property Tax ?
Calculating your property tax is easy. However, you need a few things to get it done. First, you need to know the assessed value of your property, which the local government’s tax or property assessor has done. Also, you need to know how much the property tax rate is in your state.
The property tax rate varies from one state to another. You can check an estimated property assessed value by doing a quick search on the website of properties in your city or county tax assessor.
You can also ask for professional help if you’re not entirely familiar with how property tax goes. Fortunately, there are real estate professionals who specialize in this matter, such as the JM Tax property tax advisors. They can help you understand your property tax, explain how the property assessor assesses your property, and get you into the loop of computing your property taxes.
Why Is My Property Tax Expensive?
There are many reasons why your property tax may be more expensive than others, such as the state’s current property tax rate being high. If you’re residing in the heart of New York, the property tax rate is expected to be high. But if you’re living in the countryside, such as Alabama or Colorado, the property tax rate is lower.
Also, if you have recently done a renovation or added more square footage to your property, your property tax is expected to be higher as well. All of these can increase your home value, which also affects your property tax calculation.
Do I Need To Work With A Property Tax Advisor?
A smart answer would be yes. A property tax advisor can significantly help you handle property tax, especially if the property is your business. It’s hard to keep up with different property assessment adjustments in each jurisdiction, and unfortunately, not all homeowners are capable of handling it efficiently.
That’s why a property tax advisor can lend advice to sort things out, clearly identify and explain if you’re charged with the correct property assessment and paying the right amount.
What Happens If I Missed Paying My Property Taxes?
Despite already paying off your mortgage fees and freeing yourself from the extended monthly obligations, your property tax will still be present. As long as you’re a legal resident and a property owner, you are liable to pay for the property tax. But this time, you don’t need to pay it to the mortgage collector, instead you will directly pay it to the local tax collector.
Why Does My Neighbor Pay Less Property Tax Than Me?
A lot of things influence how a property tax is assessed. Lot size, type of house structure, size of the house, the age and the condition, renovations and even the presence of a garage can affect the property tax calculation.
Property Tax Relief, Am I Eligible For That?
Tax relief, usually called tax breaks, are available for every homeowner. It’s one of the perks of owning a property. Homeowners can get tax deductions, tax credits, and rebates on their next tax bill.
You can also utilize your property taxes paid throughout the year when you file a federal income tax return. This can save you or replenish the expenses you made by being a responsible taxpayer.
Takeaway
Buying and owning a house is difficult, which is why many financial advisors take so much effort in emphasizing that getting one is not an easy feat. Hence, consider this set of questions when you start your journey in finally buying your dream house.
By Karla Walsh with Better Homes and Gardens
Even if you can’t share a special occasion with loved ones in person, you can still send a sweet thought—send cookies by mail! Learn exactly how to package cookies to send in the mail so they won't crumble, plus other tips for how to mail cookies straight from the pros at the USPS.
Whether the holidays are coming or you just want to ship someone an extra-special care package, you can't go wrong with cookies by mail. Mastering how to mail cookies is especially timely for 2020, as many holiday gatherings are pandemic-adjusted, and get-togethers in person are less common. If you can’t meet in person, a “thinking of you” cookies by mail kit is a super-sweet gesture. We tapped our Test Kitchen pros then asked Kimberly Frum, a senior public relations representative for the United States Postal Service (USPS), for their top tips for how to package cookies to send in the mail, when to ship them, and more, so you can take preventive measures to avoid a box of crumbs or stale treats by the time of their arrival.
Wondering if you can mail cookies by USPS, UPS, FedEx, or other such services? Sure! But you risk them arriving a bit dried out or as a pile of broken pieces unless you …
1. Choose sturdy cookies. Avoid any cookie recipes that are fragile (macarons), flaky (lacy Florentines), cream-filled (sandwich cookies), or delicate (butter wafers) when shipping cookies through the post. The best cookies to mail are those that are at lower risk for breaking or smushing during transit. Sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, biscotti, bar cookies, shortbread, oatmeal cookies, and snickerdoodles do well. If you want to send cookies by mail that are frosted, choose those topped with a drier, firmer frosting, like a powdered sugar glaze or royal icing rather than a fluffy buttercream.
2. Allow them to cool before packaging. We know it can be tempting to send cookies by mail ASAP after they come out of the oven, but shipping cookies that are still warm is a bad move. Cookies that haven’t fully cooled can generate condensation inside the packaging. Not only can this alter the texture, but it may also result in bacterial growth, molding, or other food safety issues.
Allow each item to cool fully. If you’re worried about potential spoilage, the best way to ship cookies may be in an insulated cooler ($25, Office Depot) with ice packs or dry ice to keep things chilled, Frum advises, because the postal service doesn’t offer refrigeration.
3. Wrap the cookies. One of the most important considerations in this process is how to package cookies to send in the mail. Our Test Kitchen suggests wrapping pairs of cookies, back-to-back, in plastic wrap. The exception: Bar cookies or brownies, which tend to be sturdy enough to wrap and hold up individually. It might be a little time-consuming to divide your batch into sets of two as you send cookies by mail, but trust us—it's worth the extra wrapping to make sure they arrive intact.
4. Stack them smartly. If you’re shipping cookies of different sizes, weights, and styles, stack the cookies in rows with the largest and heaviest ones at the bottom of the box. Progress up to the smallest and lightest on top. A final key to packaging cookies to send in the mail: Fill any empty crevices with cushioning like bubble wrap ($14, Target), packing peanuts ($6, Office Depot), or crumpled newspaper.
5. Choose a new box. “Because boxes can weaken in the shipping process, we recommend that you don’t reuse boxes. Instead, you can get free Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes at your local post office,” Frum says. If you choose to risk it and reuse an old box for shipping cookies, note that logos and all extra markings or labels must be masked or removed, Frum adds.
6. Wrap and label the box. Seal the top of the box with packing tape. Wrap the box in kraft paper ($7, Michaels) and secure with tape.
“Once the box is packed, make sure the address is printed clearly on the outside including all address elements, such as apartment numbers and directional information,” Frum says. “Also place a card inside the package that contains the delivery and return addresses. This ensures the package can be delivered or returned should the box break open or the mailing label become damaged or fall off.”
If you’re shipping cookies or other holiday goodies, you’re not required to mark the box with “perishable”—but you certainly can if you like.
7. Select express shipping. Depending on how the package is sent, domestic delivery can take up to five days, Frum says. To expedite and reduce the chance of spoilage when you send cookies by mail, choose Priority Mail Express (overnight to two days) or Priority Mail (one to three days) to help ensure it arrives in a timely manner, Frum says.
If you want to ship cookies through the post but don’t want to venture out to your nearest USPS, UPS, or FedEx location, you can use the following resources to order boxes, print labels, purchase postage, and/or request package pickup:
Now that you know the basics of how to mail cookies, the toughest decision will be narrowing down which classic cookie recipes to bake and share.
Realty Executives agents are real estate experts. They have the education and expertise you need to navigate through the process of buying or selling a home. From listing at the right price to making the best offer, our Executives have witnessed the best - and most regrettable - decisions homeowners and homebuyers can make. Every day, they are immersed in every aspect of real estate that includes comparable home price analysis, property surveys, credit reports, open houses, HOA agreements, lenders, title companies, homeowners’ insurance, walk-throughs, terms of sale or purchase, repairs, concessions and closing documents. Let our accomplished Executives help navigate you through the process of buying or selling a home.
