Use a Certified Nocatee Agent – Get a 1% Rebate

Located in Ponte Vedra, Florida, Nocatee is the 3rd fastest growing community in the United States. Recently, the developer of Nocatee, the Park Group, launched a certification program designed to equip real estate agents to better assist potential home buyers in the community.

What is a Certified Nocatee Agent?

A Certified Nocatee Agent is a licensed real estate agent who has been through specific training in order to become an expert in the Nocatee Community. As part of this training, a Nocatee Certified Agent is familiar with virtually every home builder and community in Nocatee, as well as all neighborhood amenities, parks, schools and commerce.

Why use a Certified Nocatee Agent?

Make no mistake about it. Though the builders site agents in the sales center are friendly, informative and helpful, they are there to serve their employers interests in the transaction, not yours. The site agents at the sales center are trained to look out for their employers interests, period. Using a Nocatee Certified Agent to represent you in your home purchase is of no cost to you. The builders have included in the price of every home a commission in order for you to use a real estate agent to represent you, whether you use one or not. You can trust in us not only because we are hired to represent you, but because we are experts in the Nocatee community in Ponte Vedra and we have help hundreds of home buyers like yourself purchase new construction home. In addition, when registering at the community sales center, a certified agent can register a potential buyer for a 90 day period with every builder in the community.

What’s in it for me as the buyer?

We want to offer you an incentive to use First Coast Realty Associates and CashbackFlorida.com agents on your new construction home purchase. We have an exclusive program designed to put cash back in your pocket when buying any new construction home in the state of Florida. We offer a 1% cash back rebate! That’s right, we will give you a rebate out of our own commission in the amount of 1% of the purchase price on your home, just to use us as your agents. This money can be used towards closing costs, moving expenses, or anything you desire. Go here for complete details about our exclusive 1% new home rebate program, or contact us at (904)733-4911 for details. Please note that our 1% cash back rebate program is exclusive only when using a Certified Nocatee Agent with First Coast Realty Associates.

About The Nocatee Community
in Ponte Vedra, Florida

Nocatee is a large scale master planned community which is currently the 3rd best-selling new home community in the US. The area encompasses 15,000 acres of pristine Florida land with half of the land being reserved for nature preservation, never to be developed. The community currently boasts the top amenities for any neighborhood in NE Florida which include its own water park featuring the tallest slide in Northeast Florida, a lazy river, and a zip line. Nocatee also has its very own town center, numerous parks, and has plans for golf courses, a fire station, and schools within walking distance of every neighborhood. The Nocatee Community is only 3 miles from Ponte Vedra Beach, and 20 minutes from Jacksonville. The community literally offers a neighborhood for every person in every phase of life – from condominiums, to single family homes, to active adult communities, and gated luxury home communities. Homes in Nocatee start in the high $100’s and range to million dollar custom estate homes. Some of the current new home communities in Nocatee include – Coastal Oaks at Nocatee, Greenleaf Village at Nocatee, Willowcove at Nocatee, Greenleaf Lakes at Nocatee, Enclave at Nocatee Town Center, and Lakeside at Nocatee Town Center.

What is a CDD fee?

New construction is back… and in a BIG way! As Jacksonville’s new construction specialist, we get asked a lot of questions. Right now, one of the most common questions we are being asked is, “What is a CDD fee?”

In short, a CDD fee is a Community Development District fee. Okay, so now we know what the initials stand for, but what the heck is it? I could go into Florida’s “Uniform Community Development District Act of 1980” or talk about the “Board of Supervisors” but who really wants to hear about that?

Instead, I’m going to show you how a CDD affects you and benefits you. CDD fees really became prevalent around 2003 when the real estate boom started. Developers use CDD’s as a way to offset the cost of community amenities and major infrastructure improvements that would be required to support a housing boom while keeping the purchase price of new homes lower because of the deferred infrastructure cost.

Many people confuse an HOA fee with a CDD fee (Some neighborhoods have one or the other, while others have both or neither). An HOA fee (Homeowners Association Fee) pays for things such as: pool maintenance, common area yard maintenance, guard/security services, community management fees and more. While a CDD will pay for, or help offset the cost of things such as: water/sewer management & control, new roads, bridges & street lights, conservation areas, parks, new schools, fire stations and more. These items are essential to supporting booming developments.

Why a CDD fee?

The county is not going to come out of pocket for the cost of all the infrastructure improvements that are being requested by the developer(s)… and the developer(s) rarely have the cash on hand to front the expense for all of these improvements and developer the community. So the developer(s) borrow money from the county in the form of a bond and pay that bond back via the CDD fees that are collected.

How long do I have to pay the CDD fee?

The answer to this question all depends on the individual neighbor or development. It all depends on how much was borrowed, how many residents are in the development and other factors. Usually, CDD’s are paid back over a 30 year period. Say you are moving into a development that is 10 years old; you can expect to pay the CDD fee for another 20 years. Ask you Realtor for specifics on any HOA or CDD fees for the areas you are considering. CDD fees are added to your annual tax bill from the county and are collected each month by your mortgage company in your escrow account. Payments for CDD fees are tax deductible, consult your tax professional for details.

Bonus #1:

Builders are always offering various incentives for you to choose to build with them instead of their competitor. Some builders are even offering to pay off your CDD fee! Call today to find out the latest incentives and get qualified for 1% Cash Back on your new construction purchase.

Bonus #2:

Buyers & Sellers… CDD’s can be paid off early. As a buyer, you can request that the CDD be paid off; this can reduce your monthly payment by $100’s.

Sellers imagine if you had the ability to pay off the CDD on your home. In a very competitive market, you could have the only home on the block with a lower cost of ownership, while everyone else has years or decades left to pay on the CDD fee. That will really differentiate your home and give you a competitive edge.

Choosing The Right Neighborhood

Choosing the right neighborhood

How can you choose the right community? Become a community “investigator”. Start with figuring out what you’re looking for, then do research and find a neighborhood that fits your needs. You don’t even have to wear a badge, trench coat, or a magnifying glass – but it couldn’t hurt to have them handy!

Step #1 – Profile Your Perfect Neighborhood

Before you start scrutinizing neighborhoods, turn the magnifying glass back on yourself.

Think about what you’re really looking for in a new neighborhood. Remember, perfection is difficult and you will most likely have to make some compromises, so put the “must-haves” at the top of your list and the “would- like-to-haves” at the bottom of your list.

Here are some things to consider that will help:

What type of home do you want? Are you interested in a single-family home or an apartment, townhome or condominium? Choosing exactly what type of home you are interested is certainly critical.
How far are you willing to commute to work? Do you have a car or would you be willing to get one? Do you plan to drive, walk or take mass transit to work?
Do you have children or are you planning to have children anytime soon? Even if you are a single person, living in an area with a sought after school system will typically raise your property value. Parents know that the first thing to do when looking at a neighborhood is to research the school system. If you have kids, you will also want to live in close proximity to community centers and parks.
Do you want to be in a new development or a historic community? Historic neighborhoods have character, but often require lots of repair work and are governed by community associations with strict standards. Newer developments have more modern features, but are typically far from the city center.
Think about what you do not want in a neighborhood. If you can’t stand late-night noise, you’ll probably want to steer clear of the college area or an area with a lively bar scene.
What is your current community lacking? If you’re currently landlocked, but have always wanted to live on the waterfront, put that at the top of your list. If you’re a coffee junkie, having a coffee shop down the street may be a dream come true.

Step #2 – Zero In on the Area

If you’re moving within the same city, you may already know the various neighborhoods. Choose the ones that best match your list of wants. If you’re moving to a new city, you’ll have to do more research. Start by picking a part of town to search in. For instance, if your job is on the west side of town, start there. In a really large city, narrow it down to a few-block radius, say, SoHo in New York City. This will make your search more focused.

Step #3 – Get the Suspects

With your area of the city in mind, start digging up information. Find interesting neighborhoods online, ask local real estate agents for recommendations and compile all the background information you can, including:

School information: Look into the local public and private elementary, junior and high schools, as well as daycare programs.
Crime statistics: Most real estate sites have statistics that tell you how the zip code’s crime rates measure up to the national average. If you want specifics, call the local police station.
Parks and recreation: How far is it to the closest park or recreation center?
Neighborhood associations: Does the community you’re looking at have one, and, if so, are there lawn or construction restrictions? Is there a yearly fee?
Tourist attractions: Get a guidebook or check out the convention and tourism bureau’s Web site to see all the city has to offer.

Step #4 – Find the Clues

Once you’ve done the investigative research, visit and walk around in the neighborhoods that seem to fit most of your needs. Use your senses to get a complete picture of the prospective community.

Sight –

Visualize yourself in the neighborhood. Think of your daily routine. If you can’t live without a morning latte, is there a coffee shop nearby? Where will you walk your dog or go work out? You’ll enjoy the neighborhood more if it’s easy to do what you like.
Remember your first impression. What do you notice first about the community? Are the houses well-maintained? Do the shops and restaurants look hip and inviting? Do the streets have curb appeal? You’ll want to feel good about where you call home, and impress buyers when you’re ready to move on.
Make sure the local schools make the grade. Even if you don’t have kids, pay a visit to the nearby schools. High ratings are great, but seeing the buildings is much more telling. It will be easier to sell your house later if the schools receive high marks and are nice.
Look for warning signs. Be on the lookout for signs that the neighborhood is in trouble. Are there a lot of “For Sale” signs or rentals?Do you see abandoned buildings or vandalism? If the community goes downhill, so does your house’s value.
Observe the neighborhood at different times of the day. Driving through will help you get a snapshot of life in the community — good and bad. Are the streets well-lit at night? Are people using grills or decks in the evening? Are neighbors and kids socializing or do people keep to themselves? Do the roads turn into a parking lot after school or during rush hour? These visual clues can help you decide if you’ll fit in.

Sound –

Talk to your future neighbors. Ask how they like the area, and get the dirt on anything they don’t like about the place. What do they want to change? What’s their favorite place to hang out? If they’re rude to you, they probably wouldn’t be good neighbors anyway.
Talk to more people. You’ll get the best information from regular people who aren’t trying to make a sale. (Read: not your real estate agent.) Hit up your waiter at a restaurant for information when you’re checking out the local food, or ask a convenient store clerk to tell you what they know about the neighborhood.
Stop and listen. Nature sounds are generally pleasant, but what about noise from the highway, airport, train tracks or nearby night clubs and bars? It’s not very relaxing to listen to trains screech by during your morning coffee, especially not on a daily basis.
Taste –
No, I’m not asking you to lick your prospective home’s doorknob. But ask yourself if the neighborhood matches your personal taste in an environment. If the neighborhood meets your list but still feels wrong, search out another area. Trust your gut feeling — after all, you’re the one who has to live there. Just because it’s a nice neighborhood doesn’t mean it’s the one for you.

Smells:

Specifically, are there any? You can’t experience unpleasant smells on the Internet and they’re not advertised in tourism brochures, but they can certainly affect your decision to live in an area. Take a big whiff of the air, and ask around if you smell any fishy (or just bad) odors.

STEP #5 – Find and home and close the Case

You’ve chosen your neighborhood. Now for the hard part: finding a house you love. Luckily, you’ve narrowed it down to a few streets. Now, make sure to:

Find out how much house you can afford. The amount of money a lender offers you is often more than you can truly afford to pay. Be careful not to get in too much debt and be stuck with a payment you may not always be able to afford. Use a mortgage calculator to add all your current debts and see how much you can afford.
Compare your loan options. Ask yourself these basic questions to find out what mortgage is right for you. Decide between fixed and adjustable rate mortgages with a mortgage comparison tool. Then, try another tool to see which loan term is best for you.
Draw up your vision of home. It worked for your neighborhood — now think about what you want in a home. Write your own vision of home and stick to it while you’re house hunting. Don’t know a Craftsman home from a contemporary one? Learn about many different home styles and then find the right one for you.
Find a qualified Realtor. It doesn’t cost you any extra to use a Real Estate expert to find the perfect house, so using an agent is critical in the home buying process. We would be more than happy to help with your home search, its what we do best. Don’t forget that we offer a 1% cash back rebate on any new construction home.
Find the perfect house! Search for new construction homes using our map search on this website, or visit www.FirstCoastRE.com, the #1 Real Estate website in Northeast Florida.