Why Jacksonville?

HERE'S JACKSONVILLE !
From seashore to forest, nurtured by the majestic St. Johns River, Jacksonville offers wonderful opportunities for visitor and resident alike.
Located in Northeast Florida at the crossroads of two interstate highways, Jacksonville is the largest city in the contiguous United States in land area, a major port, the insurance and financial center of the state, site of U.S. Navy bases and the home of the National Football League's Jacksonville Jaguars.
In February 2005, the city hosted the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots and their fans at Super Bowl XXXIX. Thousands of football fans and volunteers in Jacksonville, anxious to show the world why our city is so special, prepared a world-class welcome. Thanks again to all the folks who visited our city and enjoyed our hospitality.
We invite you to learn a little more about our city by clicking on the links at left. For a calendar of things going on in our vibrant city, click here. For more information about Jacksonville's vacation and business opportunities, check out the links below to the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitor's Bureau and the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Web sites.
Quick "Jax Facts"
-The City of Jacksonville ranks as the 14th largest city in the United States in population with more than 800,000 residents.
-The Jacksonville metropolitan area, which includes three beach cities and Clay, Baker, Nassau and St. Johns counties, has a population of more than 1,000,000 residents.
-Jacksonville covers 841 square miles (217,559 hectares).
-Joint management agreements with national and state park services give Jacksonville the largest urban park system in the United States.

-Jacksonville International Airport (JIA) is 15 minutes from downtown by car. It is served by 15 major and regional airlines that offer 250 daily flights to and from most major cities in the country and is an international gateway.
-By air, Jacksonville is ... 60 minutes from Atlanta 45 minutes from Orlando Two hours and 15-minutes from New York Nine hours from London
-Four modern seaport facilities, including America's newest cruise port, make Jacksonville a full-service international seaport. In 2005, JAXPORT's three public marine terminals handled 8.4 million tons of cargo, a new JAXPORT tonnage record.
-There are three major Interstate Highways running through Jacksonville- I-95, I-295 and I-10. Additionally, I-75 is approximately 60 miles west of downtown Jacksonville.
-There are four major U.S. Highways- U.S.1, U.S.17, U.S.90 and U.S.301.
-By car, Jacksonville is ... 40 minutes from Fernandina Beach/Amelia Island 35 minutes from historic St. Augustine Two and a half hours from Orlando (Disney World) Six hours from Atlanta
For information about downtown Jacksonville:Downtown Vision, Inc.
For information about visiting Jacksonville:The Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitor's Bureau
For information about business in Jacksonville:Jacksonville
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What the National Association of Realtors Predicts

NAR: Gradual rise projected for home sales
WASHINGTON – Jan. 11, 2007 – After bottoming in the fourth quarter of 2006, existing-home sales should gradually rise through 2007 and into 2008, while new-home sales should turnaround by summer, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).
David Lereah, NAR’s chief economist, says annual totals for existing-home sales will be fairly comparable between 2006 and 2007. “We have to keep in mind that we were still in boom conditions during the first quarter of 2006 with a high sales volume and double-digit price appreciation,” he says. “We are starting 2007 from a relatively low point, so even with a gradual improvement in sales it’ll be pretty much of a wash in terms of annual totals. The good news is that the steady improvement in sales will support price appreciation moving forward.”
Existing-home sales for 2006 are expected to come in at 6.50 million, the third highest on record, with a total of 6.42 million seen in 2007. New-home sales in 2006 should tally 1.06 million, the fourth highest on record, with 957,000 projected this year.
Total housing starts for 2006 are likely to be 1.81 million units, with 1.51 million forecast in 2007, which would be the lowest level in a decade. Builders are pulling back on new construction to support prices of remaining inventory.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage will probably rise to 6.7 percent by the fourth quarter of 2007. Last week, Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed rate at 6.18 percent – far below earlier consensus forecasts. “The current interest rate environment and housing inventory levels present a window of opportunity for potential buyers,” Lereah says.
The national median existing-home price for all of 2006 is expected to rise 1.1 percent to $222,100, and then gain 1.5 percent this year to $225,300. The median new-home price, after rising only 0.3 percent to $241,600 in 2006, is projected to grow 3.0 percent in 2007 to $248,900.
“With all the wild projections by academics, Wall Street analysts and others in the media, it appears that much of the housing sector is experiencing a soft landing,” Lereah says. “Despite the doomsayers, household wealth will not evaporate and the economy will not go into a recession. If you’re in it for the long haul, housing is a sound investment.”
The unemployment rate is likely to average 4.8 percent this year, following a rate of 4.6 percent in 2006. Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, is expected to be 2.2 percent in 2007, down from 3.2 percent last year, while growth in the U.S. gross domestic product is seen at 2.5 percent in 2007, compared with 3.3 percent last year. Inflation-adjusted disposable personal income should grow 3.4 percent this year, following a rise of 2.7 percent in 2006.
© 2007 FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Related Topics: Economy, Home Sales

Questions, comments or suggestions on this article? Have a news tip? Send a letter to the editor to: Newseditor@floridarealtors.org.

Living in Jacksonville

Jacksonville, FL, is one of the most interesting towns to live in in Florida.

We actually have a cold season and a warm season. We have beaches, rivers and lakes. We have BIG participation by some of the largest corporations in the U.S. and a wealth of small business that provides the backbone of the employment base.

The beaches run from Atlantic Beach to Jacksonville Beach in Duval County and Ponte Vedra Beach in St. John's County. The St. John's river is big and wide. It flows south to north and empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Mayport, a fishing village founded in 1563.

For the most complete real estate services in the Jacksonville, contact Richard Newquist @ 904-422-5091 or email at: newquist@LiveAtTheBeach.net