Bring Your Challenges: Northeast Florida Real Estate Blog

In “I’m Not God, I’m a Real Estate Agent," Frank Nunez looks back at his time as a Florida real estate agent during the height of the foreclosure crisis in one of the country’s hardest-hit regions.

Prudential Network Realty is proud to announce that top producing Realtor® Stefanie Bernstein has joined its award-winning St. Augustine office sales team.

Throughout her 11 years as a real estate professional, Stefanie has received many accolades, including the recipient of Top Sales status for St. Johns County in 2008 and she was voted Best Realtor by “Best of” in 2007. She also has successfully closed over $100 million in residential sales.

Stefanie founded the Animal Canopy of Care for St. Johns County in 2010, a non-profit organization dedicated to the well being of our furry friends.

"I am very excited to partner with Prudential Network Realty," Stefanie said. "The innovative technology and level of professionalism PNR provides is far superior to anything else in the marketplace. Additionally, as a single agency representative, I can now provide the level of service, loyalty and confidentiality my clients expect."

“I have known and worked with Stefanie throughout her real estate career and have the upmost respect for her ethical business practices,” said Ann King, Broker/Manager of the St. Augustine office. “I am thrilled that we now can work together to service the community on many levels.”

Let's face it. Real estate agents not only have a lot on their plates, they have multiple plates!

Prudential Network Realty has a new home in San Marco Square. We have expanded our San Marco office and moved to a larger, more prominent storefront located at 1983 San Marco Blvd. and are now open for business.

“We are the market leaders in the San Marco and San Jose areas, and our new office provides better access for our customers,” said Christy Budnick, executive vice president of residential real estate, Prudential Network Realty. “With an office in San Marco Square and The Shoppes of Avondale, we are in the best position to cover the metropolitan areas including Downtown Jacksonville, both sides of the St. Johns River and surrounding neighborhoods.”

Prudential Network Realty is the only real estate company with an office in San Marco Square, and our storefront windows showcase our many listings in the area. The newest branch office location is called the “metro-office” because it represents metropolitan style and features a welcoming environment designed for customer service and convenience.  

All of the company’s branch offices are wireless, but the new San Marco office is equipped with the latest in technology and provides a “plug and play” environment for our agents to drop in and do business before moving on to their next destination.  

“We have been involved in the San Marco community for years, and our new location will put us right in the heart of things,” said San Marco/Avondale Broker/Manager Sheron Willson, who is also the company’s director of training. “Our previous office on the corner provided a good space, but our new location creates a warm and friendly atmosphere for our customers and our team.”

Prudential Network Realty is planning a grand opening celebration in May. Located south of downtown, San Marco Square is a pedestrian-friendly shopping, dining and entertainment district and one of the area’s most popular destinations. The sought-after historic neighborhood appeals to single professionals and families alike.

For more information about Prudential Network Realty’s San Marco office, call (904) 388-5005.

Elizabeth Hudgins was honored recently at the Prudential Real Estate Sales Convention in Orlando, and she shared a few thoughts about her success on a brief video shown at the gathering.

An article written by Prudential Network Realty broker/associate Barry Chefer for Ami magazine about Jacksonville is getting a lot of attention. Ami magazine is a weekly Jewish publication published world-wide.

Chefer wrote the article to promote Jacksonville as a destination for orthodox Jewish families and individuals who were considering moving.

"So many people within the Jewish community, if they are thinking about looking for a place in Florida, they think first of Miami, second, Miami and third, Miami," Chefer said.  "They've never even heard of Jacksonville. I've always said Jacksonville is the best kept secret. It's a wonderful town."

Chefer began his real estate career part-time in 1981. At the time he was working for the Department of Defense and the Air Force as a strategic planner, and one of his tasks was to write about complex topics for a variety of audiences. Following his retirement from the DoD, he joined Prudential Network Realty as a broker/associate in the Mandarin office.  

"I love what I do," Chefer said. "I love working for Prudential Network Realty. Absolutely wonderful company. And I enjoy writing, too."

You can read the article by clicking here.

You can contact Chefer at the Mandarin office at 904-260-4300 or at his cell phone 904-613-5058.

I have heard of home buyers writing personal letters to go with their offer as a way of making the contract seem more personal and maybe softening the seller a bit. But I hadn't thought about sellers doing the same thing. But in a way, I think it makes even more sense.

According to Tara-Nicolle Nelson of Inman News, sellers can write a short (or long!) letter detailing aspects of the house and neighborhood that they have loved over the years. A lot of potential real estate deals can come across as impersonal. You may be trying to sell that piece of property, but the buyers are looking for a home, a place in which to build memories.

Here are some things you could put in a seller's letter:

Americans are significantly more optimistic about homeownership than they were a year ago, according to a new national survey released by Prudential Real Estate and Prudential Network Realty. 

Seems like it's been all doom and gloom in the news lately, but here's a sign that even that is changing. UNF economist Paul Mason shared his thoughts in a Times-Union article this morning:

The Federal Reserve Board's sixth district, which give us an sense of the economy in the region, was released Wednesday.