Celebrating 2019!

Wrapping up the 2019 year, we want to take time to recognize the achievements of our incredibly driven team. Our agents closed a whopping 213 transaction sides, totaling over $60 million in sales! Dedicated to serving the needs of buyers and sellers along the Florida and Alabama Gulf Coast, our real estate agents are celebrating another successful season as we embark on the company’s 25th anniversary.

We have so much to be thankful for this past year. Traveling as a team for training’s and conferences, opportunities to volunteer in our community, the new relationships made with our buyers and sellers and much more!

The total number for 2019 comes in at $63,446,713.00 in Sales. A number that sets the basis for a vigorous year to come. Our agents already have 11 transactions set to close this month and training in Atlanta scheduled for the next. Your Pointe South team never stops; always ready to share and assist!

We could not be more pleased with the performance of our agents and look forward to another 25 years of excellence. For more information on the Pointe South Real Estate team and what we can do for you, call 850.492.1148.

Welcome Jennifer DuBose!

Southern Real Estate Sales is thrilled to welcome Jennifer DuBose to our team, adding to the already stellar group of professional real estate agents in Alabama and Florida. Jennifer specializes in selling and buying real estate in Pensacola, Perdido Key, Navarre and Gulf Breeze and surrounding areas. We could not be more excited to have her on board!

Prior to pursuing a career in real estate, Jennifer worked in finance for over 20 years. In 2018, she was ready for change. Jennifer was able to take her years of experience and apply it to her next endeavor, her true passion – real estate. Her eagerness and go-getter attitude are sure to please and prove her love for real estate.

Jennifer, now a Florida local, moved to Perdido Key from Laurel, Mississippi. Her family owned a vacation rental, which they now call home. “I love what this area has to offer…from the friendly people, to the beautiful white sandy beaches, and the endless festivals and events in Downtown Pensacola. I enjoy all the activities of coastal living such as boating, biking, and kayaking.” said Jennifer. “There is no place like home or the beach. I want to help each client feel at home wherever they choose!”

Interested in learning more about Jennifer and how she can help you find your forever home or the perfect place in the sand? Email her today at JenniferD@pointesouth.com. She’ll be happy to help you buy, sell or invest in the property of your dreams!

2019 Foo Foo Fest in Pensacola, Florida

It has arrived!

The 6th Annual Foo Foo Festival has been scheduled from October 31 – November 11 in Pensacola, Fla. and offers an acclaimed array of internationally-recognized musicians and performance artists.

Foo Foo Fest is a highly anticipated arts and culture festival, which is one of the largest in the Southeast. Spanning an impressive 12 days, the exciting line-up has something for everyone and includes:

  • Classical piano virtuoso Garrick Ohlsson
  • Renowned jazz band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
  • Multi-Grammy nominated musician Marsha Ambrosius
  • Stomp Fest is based on a 125-year-old African American College Fraternity and Sorority Tradition of “Stepping”
  • “Skulptures” (a display of 3D printable skateable concrete structures)
  • Performance of The Savannah Sipping Society (a new play by The Golden Girls writers),
  • Fire and Rain (a sea of billowing holographic strands suspended above historic Intendencia Street)
  • Historic walking tours, a large farmer’s market, quaint shops, food trucks and brewery tours

Pensacola is the only city on the stretch of the Gulf Coast from Mobile, Ala. to Tampa, Fla. that boasts having the “big five,” an opera, ballet, symphony, theatre and museum. Foo Foo Festival’s roster of events celebrates art, music, dance, opera, theatre and cuisine with programming from grant recipients, throughout the city of Pensacola for nearly two weeks. The 2019 ACE grant recipients will host individual experiences specific to their craft throughout the festival. Strategically positioned in and around some of Pensacola’s most popular and longer-running events, the Foo Foo Fest encourages cultural tourists to make Pensacola an arts destination and enjoy other events those two weeks including The Greater Gulf Coast Arts Festival, the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show, Pensacola Eggfest and the 34th Annual Frank Brown Songwriters Festival.

The 12-day event is chock full of inclusive, thought-provoking and mind-extending cultural happenings including:

  • Choral Society of Pensacola – Choir! Choir! Choir! an event that is equal parts singing, comedy and audience participation
  • Downtown Improvement Board/Artel Inc. – Fire and Rain, a suspended sea of billowing holographic strands ripples high over historic Intendencia Street like a quilt of sparkling diamonds
  • First City Arts Alliance – 3DPrintsacola, featuring professional American street skater Rodney Mullen, combines machine generative art with hands-on artmaking practices to create 3D printed skateable concrete “Skulptures”
  • Greater Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Inc – Legendary pianist Garrick Ohlsson performs with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra
  • Jazz Pensacola – Jazz Pensacola presents renowned Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, a contemporary jazz & swing revival band from Southern California
  • Lamplighters, Inc. – StompFest 2019 will immerse the Gulf Coast in contemporary African-American art, dancing, and stepping blended with a mix of spoken word, live music, and visual artistry with special celebrity guests Marsha Ambrosius, Mannie Fresh and Steven Brown
  • Legal Services of North Florida – Jazz for Justice brings in well-known musicians and local artists for a unique jazz and blues festival in downtown Pensacola.
  • Pensacola Little Theatre – A performance of “The Savannah Sipping Society,” created by the same writers of The Golden Girls
  • Pensacola Museum of Art – A Journalist and Author Talk with Eleanor Randolph. The veteran journalist and author will return to Pensacola to share her experiences as a female journalist and details on her new book, The Many Lives of Michael Bloomberg.”
  • The Pensacola Civic Band – The Pensacola Civic Band will be in concert with the world-famous Boston Brass at the Pensacola Saenger Theatre. The concert entitled “Sketches of Spain” will highlight the music of Pensacola’s Spanish heritage including “Malaguena.”

In addition to the plethora of arts and cultural happenings during Foo Foo Fest, Pensacola offers year ‘round historic walking tours, a large farmer’s market, quaint shops, food trucks and brewery tours. Visitors can stroll along the bay, enjoy the beautiful beaches, experience the culinary arts scene, and take in historic sites all staged in the backdrop of relaxed elegance unique to this historic city on the Gulf Coast.

 

For more information about the 2019 Pensacola Foo Foo Festival visit www.FooFooFest.com.

Real Estate Market Highlights

News Alert for Buyers and Sellers along the Gulf Coast!

RESIDENTIAL MARKET HIGHLIGHTS – JULY 2019

According to the Pensacola Associations of Realtors, Inc.

  • JULY Average Sold Price $256,604 with 2330 Homes on the Market
  • JULY Homes on the Market 2330
  • JULY Homes SOLD in the month 958
  • JULY Combined Days on Market Averaged 55 – which is 13 days less then this time last year
  • JULY Sales were up 10% compared to July 2018

With such good news, you may be considering your options.  Whether you are thinking of buying or selling, the real estate market is continuing to run hot.  The market is considered to be solid.

Southern Real Estate Sales has shared some best buys on the beach for your review.

Please know we are always ready to serve you, your family and friends, answer any questions or run a free market report for your home or condo.

The Pointe South “Why” for our Team

The Pointe South “Why” – why do we do what we do and it starts with our Broker, Susan Carleton.

What purpose do you fulfill by doing what you do?  What is the reason for which you do things?

To make the MOST out of everything you do, you need to know exactly why you do the things you get engaged with.

Real Estate sales transactions are intricate, have difficulties, challenges, include many vendors and a host of people working on ONE transaction and if you are an active sales agent or Broker, you are juggling multiple tasks in unison at once.

This is exactly the reason you need a WHY? There are lots of real estate agents in the field and people often ask if you really need a real estate agent or Realtor to assist? The answer is absolutely YES!

You wouldn’t allow just anyone but the BEST when you need medical attention or needs – the same is true when working with a professional with experience in real estate and knowing their “why”.  There is a statement that is used in life, that you are “a Jack of all trades; master of none”. You will have less than an extraordinary experience by working with an agent that lives that way.  Southern Real Estate Sales, Broker, Susan Carleton and her sales team of agents are Masters of One Field, Real Estate in Florida and Coastal Alabama.

Life is too short to have mishaps in a field where your purchasing or selling one of the largest financial investments of your lifetime and it is personal.  -SRES Client, shared her personal experience. *****5 STARS  “I’m generally not one to rave, but Susan and her team deserve a RAVE REVIEW! Saying you will go “above and beyond” and doing it are two different things.  Susan worked above and beyond in every aspect of listing and quickly selling our primary home, which we had spent several years and therefore had quite an emotional attachment.  The house was one of the nicest/largest homes and hence well above market of others in the area.  Susan was honest and direct while still being supportive and encouraging.  I truly feel that we could not have achieved the result we did with another realtor and team….

A full price offer which closed within 3 weeks of the offer is exceptional and I heartily recommend Susan and her team at Southern Real Estate Sales”.

Southern’s selling strategy is imperative, focused on target marketing, utilizing extensive search engine techniques and requires a team who is focused on all the details.  Executing our “WHY” daily to have results, recommendations and referrals from our customers is our “WHY”!

At the end of the day, developing a successful real estate business that starts with our leadership from Southern’s Broker, Susan Carleton, takes effort and time.  SRES strategies are worth all our efforts.  Success does not come from random acts of work without planning; instead it comes from developing and following a plan and always helping people first!  #SouthernSells #sweetSouthernMoments #GoSouthern  Work with the Best – Work with Southern.

email: susancarletonteam@pointesouth.com    call 850.492.1148

New Construction, Existing Home, Condo, Investment or 2nd Home – that’s the question

New Construction, Existing Home, Condo, Investment, or Family Vacation Home: Some questions need answers

When you move or invest in NW Florida or Coastal Alabama, you have some decisions to make. Some questions need answers.  

Will you move downtown, Pensacola, neighborhood, beach home or condo? Will you choose Pensacola, Perdido Key, Gulf Breeze, Orange Beach or Gulf Shores, Alabama?

And, of course, budget, HOA fees, taxes, and if an investment property, what’s the rental potential or projection?

Each of these decisions comes down to personal preferences and Southern Real Estate Sales Agents listen to your needs and wants. But, one step further, Southern Rentals & Real Estate is a custom boutique brokerage that allows you one stop shopping. Something like a big box department store where you can have all your needs taken care of under one umbrella providing the best customer service and a seamless transition and support to you.

Our team understands the process of real estate and will advise you the best route for your needs, working with our Vacation Rental department or Residential Leasing team; Southern’s extensive knowledge of each industry gives you, our customer, the edge and the best service.

So, now what!

Once you identify and answer the initial questions or if you need assistance of a team to work through those questions, we are always available to you.

START HERE !  Click below to connect with us.

Southern Real Estate Sales | susancarletonteam@pointesouth.com | call  850.492.1148

Inquire or Preview Available Properties at  ForSaleontheGulfCoast.com

Coming or Going – It’s Time to Plan for Coastal Fun

Whether you are selling a property or buying/investing in the area, your 2 most valuable assets are FAMILY and HOME and we serve them both.

The Southern Team helps buyers and sellers every day and we are always available to assist you, but first before we hit the road looking and planning, we need to plan some time to enjoy the plethora of local events along the Gulf Coast.

NW Florida and Coastal Alabama is Chuck full of event line-ups! The area brings people together to enjoy being together. We welcome you and know it’s time to plan some fun with live music, festivals, sports – celebrations that all folks enjoy make this area even more special from Destin, Pensacola Beach, to Perdido Key and Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. These areas have beach front properties that are affordable and exclusive to the Million Dollar Penthouses, Executive Homes, Pool Homes, Condos, Town Homes or Single Family Homes to raise the family, Farm Life, Beach Life, quaint downtown Life; we call it HOME LIFE.

From live music and night life events in Pensacola Beach, major head line music tours singing loud and proud in Pensacola Arena or The Wharf Amphitheatre in Orange Beach, sports fun with the Blue Wahoos Baseball team, organized races and family races, paddle boarding and bike fun. If that isn’t your thing, how about all the exquisite food and drink flavors from Greek, Smokin BBQ in the Square, Emerald Coast Beer and Seafood Festivals your belly is full with home town hospitality and good eats.

For the Art enthusiast, the Gulf Coast has tremendously talented artists on display at local markets, shows, and even exceptional performing arts shows at the theatre, designers, and Broadway events, comedy fun, and local rising artists playing at Vinyl downtown venue and fun street bands. Having fun here is easy. No Exceptions! Ladies nights, Street Parades, Good Eats, Sports, Fishing, did I mention Sugar Sand Beaches and U.S. Navy Blue Angels Air Shows and that is just a few of the tops.

It’s always fun to visit, even better to play, stay and invest. Southern draws upon decades of real estate expertise in the area, in the events, in it all and we offer an asset-based approach to your NW Florida or Coastal Alabama real estate options – licensed in Florida and Alabama because we know your most 2 valuable assets are YOUR FAMILY and YOUR HOME – We Serve them both.
Destination – HOME!

Real Estate in Bloom

SPRING FLING is happening and the Panhandle is in BLOOM!

With miles of sugar white sand beaches and emerald green waters, the Gulf Coast of Florida and Alabama are popular destinations for vacations, investing and permanent residence.

Before you jump in and start looking at properties, ask yourself a few questions to prepare this exciting phase. It’s a big decision and our real estate team can help.

1. Rank what’s important to you.

We have condos, single family homes, apartments, duplexes and lots of options, but only you can answer what makes sense for you.

2. What’s it all going to cost?

With a little planning and talking with a lender, we can answer this question, configure a budget, itemize down payment, calculate the expenses and suggest options. Working with an expert who knows, will eliminate a lot of stress and that is exactly why our team is here to assist. Even if you have just started browsing or thinking of the purchase in the future, planning and working together is paramount. For both the agent and you.

Additionally, a lender can also share with you different types of loans available, help work on credit to buy your dream home and advise your real estate agent programs that support you! Your loan officer and agent will work to help you prepare and when the time is right, pre-approve your loan so when you start to look at homes with your agent and see the perfect home, you are ready. No stress! You are ready to make an offer. And as your real estate team continues to communicate through the process, all are prepared and this is where your real estate agent is most valuable to you. To help guide, research homes and different properties and how long they have been on the market. As your agent, we negotiate the very best for you, prepare the offer and negotiate the deal so you walk away with keys in hand excited on the best deal and the future memories you will make!

Pensacola and surrounding area market to include Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama has properties for investing, second home purchase, relocating, and retirement and all on the prettiest beaches with plenty of activities, entertainment, lower cost of living and inviting weather.

At Southern, we can answer your questions with confidence, with knowledge and start your property search today of all budgets. Buying and Selling a property can be overwhelming, but not with us. YOU are our TOP PRIORITY. Feel free to contact us.

Call | Text 850.492.1148 or Email | susancarletonteam@pointesouth.com

Hello Autumn !

HELLO AUTUMN !

The days are getting shorter. Summer is quickly coming to a close and fall and winter will be here soon, yes even in Florida. It is a good time of year to do a pulse check on your home from the inside out. Here are some quick fall cleaning tips to get you ready for the upcoming seasons:

EXTERIOR TIPS:

1. Inspect all external doors including garage doors. Make sure they close tightly. Install weather-stripping or door thresholds if needed.
2. Wash Exterior & Interior Windows.
3. Check and Clean Gutters and downspouts. Make sure all drainage area are unblocked of debris.
4. Perform a maintenance check-up on your Heating and Air Conditioning system. Filters should be changed monthly. Dirty Filters can strain your HVAC system and possibly your pocketbook.
5. Lower humidity and cooler temperatures make it the perfect time to paint the exterior of your home.

INTERIOR TIPS:

1. Focus on your main living areas like your family room, kitchen, entry way, guest bath. These are considered the high traffic areas needing your attention first. Work on one room at a time.
2. Start from the top to bottom in each room. Clean door frames, window sills, ceiling fan blades, cabinet tops, etc. Vacuum drapes, window treatments and upholstered furniture. Move furniture and vacuum beneath and behind it. Don’t forget to also vacuum al baseboards an corners.
3. Have your carpets/area rugs professionally cleaned.
4. Turn mattresses over front to back and clean all bedding including: mattress pads, pillow duvets, blankets and comforters.
5. Get your kitchen ready for the holidays. Organize cabinets and pantry. Clear your counters of any appliances you do not use on a daily basis. Wipe down the cabinets and clean the refrigerator inside and out. Don’t forget to vacuum behind it.

Helpful tips and assistance are always available from your Southern Real Estate Sales Team.  We help people buy and sell real estate every day and we available to help you as well.  Contact us for other home tips and best selling or buying practices.  You need an expert on your side and Southern is your expert at hand.

www.pointesouth.com | 850.492.1148 | susancarletonteam@pointesouth.com

Property Search at         www.ForSaleOnTheGulfCoast.com     for all your needs.

Don’t wait to sell~Buyers are out now!

Don’t wait to sell your house ~ Buyers are out now !

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) suggests that now is a great time to sell your home. The concept of supply and demand reveals that the best price for an item is realized when the supply of that item is low and the demand for that item is high. Let’s see how this applies to the current residential real estate market.

SUPPLY

It is no secret that the supply of homes for sale has been far below the number needed to sustain a normal market for over a year at this point. A normal market requires six months of housing inventory to meet the demand. The latest report from the NAR revealed that there is currently only a 3.6 month supply of houses on the market. With Supply very low, now is a good time to Sell.

DEMAND

A report that was just released tells us that demand is very strong. The most recent foot traffic report disclosed that foot traffic grew 10.5 points to 52.4 points. Showing that demand is currently high!

BOTTOM LINE

Waiting to sell will only increase the competition between you and all of the other sellers putting their houses on the market later. If you are debating whether or not to list your home for sale, let the Southern Real Estate Sales Team discuss your options. You can also view homes and receive a free market review at FORSALEontheGULFCOAST.com

Southern Real Estate Sales – 13587 Perdido Key Drive – Pensacola – FL – 32507
susancarletonteam@pointesouth.com | 850.492.1148 | Pointesouth.com