Truly a masterpiece in Historic North Hill. This home is within walking distance to downtown historic Pensacola and minutes to enjoy outings like Jackson's Restaurant, New York Nicks, Helen Back, Sanger Theater, the Blue Wahoos games and so much more. A historic style home that is affordable much like the homes in Argon Court but without the Argon Price. This home is a must see with the architectural style of New Orleans. Everything about this home speaks style and excellence. You can live in a fabulous historic neighborhood and enjoy the downtown lifestyle, while paying a fraction of the price for a similar home in Aragon Court. This home has Old World charm but with the efficiency and reliability of new construction . . . . .

Call 850-698-4315 or 850-288-9725

FULL DETAILS AND ADDITIONAL PHOTOS http://www.gulfbreezenavarrerealestate.com/listing/mlsid/196/propertyid/432038/
or define your own criteria http://www.gulfbreezenavarrerealestate.com/

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Downtown Pensacola, We Line Dance!

Downtown Pensacola, We Line Dance! We Mardi Gras!  It's almost Mardi Gras.  Tomorrow, Saturday January 21, 2012, right in the middle of one of Downtown Pensacola's Mardi Gras parades, We dance!

 Sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 the parade will pause so that everyone in the parade or watching along the parade route can do the "Cupid Shuffle." 

 The goal is to have more than 17,500 people line dancing together, breaking the record for the world's longest line dance.

Learn the "Cupid Shuffle" from the Phineas Phoggettes 

Downtown Pensacola, We Line Dance! We Mardi Gras!

Wow! It’s that time again, and this year’s festival promises to be bigger and better than ever! The Pensacola area is ripe with activities, but this one is a CAN’T MISS classic.   The Pensacola Seafood Festival has been consistently recognized as one of the Top 20 festivals in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society and over 100,000 visitors take part in the annual event.  Presented by the Fiesta of Five Flags Association, the event is free to attend, and will be held in historic Seville Square, Fountain Park and Bartram Park at S. Alcaniz Street and Bayfront Parkway (Admission to the Bartram Park, where the entertainment stage will be located will be $5 after 5 p.m)

Of course, one of the hallmarks of this great tradition is, of course, SEAFOOD!!!  Treat your taste buds to dishes prepared by 18 carefully selected food vendors bordering the park. Some of the favorites you can expect are grilled conch, seafood gumbo, oyster coquettes, soft shell crab, coconut shrimp, Caribbean crab cakes, bang-bang shrimp and more.

One of the crowd favorites is “Hey Mon Caribbean Cooking Magic” and is a festival regular. This Tampa-based shop of all-natural sauces and seasonings has seven different flavors and spices that will appeal to a wide variety of guests. From a sweet pineapple orange glaze to a spicy Jamaican jerk favorite, there is no question why “Hey Mon” is returning to the festival for a sixth time. Samples of all products will be available to try with corn chips and each purchase will include a sheet of suggested cooking uses.

The Fiesta Seafood Grille will feature cooking demonstrations in Seville Square near the gazebo. Energy Services of Pensacola will be featuring local chefs who share their secrets for preparing your favorite mouth-watering cuisine, with an emphasis in fresh seafood.  Brooke Parkhurst, Pensacola’s local celebrity chef, will also be on hand talking about her new book with her husband, chef James Briscione, Just Married and Cooking.

A new “Gulf to Table” area is planned this year in Fountain Park. It will host local restaurants and caterers who will serve tapas-style dishes of their signature recipes at reasonable prices.

Saturday, September 24                                       Sunday, September 25

Noon – Global Grill                                                  11:30 a.m. – The Oar House

1 p.m. – H20                                                              12:30 p.m. – 600 South

2 p.m. – Jackson’s                                                   1:30 p.m. – Jaco’s

3 p.m. – The Fish House                                        2:30 p.m. – Elise

4 p.m. – Nancy’s Haute Affairs                              3:30 p.m. – Vic and Ike’s

With more than 180 arts and crafts vendors, the Pensacola Seafood Festival is also one of the largest arts and crafts fairs in Northwest Florida. The festival will feature painters, potters, craftsmen, jewelers and even Pensacola's own grit mill, C & D. Though many vendors are local, some have traveled from all over the country to participate in this special event bringing unique pieces with them.

Local artist Diane Brim, who created the artwork for the 2011 festival, will be available to sign posters next to the gazebo in Seville Square. Diane Brim’s striking abstract paintings can best be summarized as boldly colorful and expressively free.  She employs luminescent hues in her paint selection with the emphasis on spontaneity and dynamics. Posters and T-shirts showcasing her design will be sold at the official merchandise booths during the Pensacola Seafood Festival. Posters are $25 and signing times are Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday noon to 2 p.m.

If you are here with your kids, there will be plenty to keep them busy. They can visit the children's area in Bartram Parkto enjoy fun-filled activities designed with them in mind. Fiesta will host the children's area in Bartram Park and will be open Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. They can express their artistic side with hands-on crafts including sand art and mullet painting. Activities such as a rock wall climbing and jump houses will be on-site. There will be inflatable human hamster balls, as well as free activities such as the giant parachute and a bubble tower. The famous Candy Cannon will be shooting out candy Saturday and Sunday to indulge your sweet cravings.

This year's music lineup is as follows:

Friday, September 23

5 - 6:30 p.m.  The Reunion Band

7 - 9 p.m.  Breakfast Club

9:30 - 11 p.m.  Drivin' 'n' Cryin'

Saturday, September 24

5 - 6:30 p.m.  Katie Rogers

7 - 9 p.m.  Adam Holt Band

9:30 - 11 p.m.  Emerson Drive

Sunday, September 25

Favorite local bands soon to be announced

Nothing beats a bright and sunny September day in Pensacola. Come enjoy the saltwater breeze mixed with the mouthwatering scent of freshly cooked seafood dancing through the air in downtown Pensacola. The Seafood Festival truly has something for everyone.

For additional information about the Pensacola Seafood Festival contact the Fiesta of Five Flags office at (850) 433-6512 or visit www.fiestaoffiveflags.org.

Escambia County Florida Home Buyer Assistance Program Process and Time Line

1.  County sponsored home buyer education class is required.

2.  Home buyer is APPROVED and signs contract for home.

3.  Lender sends Reservation Form with contact to county.

4.  With-in 5 days, home is inspected by county staff.

5.  If necessary, lead based paint assessment is completed.

6.  Lender sends loan package to county.

IF NO REPAIRS ARE NECESSARY......

7.  County approves application package.

8.  County contracted appraiser completes appraisal.

9.  Home buyer meets with home buyer counselor.

10. Mortgage package e-mailed to title company.

11. Home buyer assistance check is released by county after HUD 1 is approved.

12. Closing occurs at the offices of the title company.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT:

HUDS List of Home Buyer Assistance Programs in the State of Florida by County

For More Information on Government Loan Programs in the State of Florida Please Visit:

Government Home Loan Programs in the State of Florida 

It's Art in the Park time again in Downtown Pensacola!  The event will run from May 14-15 in Seville Square, Downtown Pensacola, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.  This annual event will host more than 120 national and local artists this year, as well as offering live music, art demonstrations, and children's activities. Each year, the artists' booths offer a variety of art media, from sculpture, to jewelry, painting, photography, wood carving, and so much more! This year, there will be a new art media showcased, in the street-legal 'Art Cars'- mobile works of art!

For more information, visit the Art in the Park website.  Hope to see you there!

Government Home Loans FHA/VA/USDA in Pensacola Florida are still being used in most purchase transactions. I specialize in FHA, USDA, VA Loan products.

When it comes to less out of pocket expense at a rate that is competitive with other lenders such as the conventional types more people are choosing to go with the Govies; which are aka FHA, VA and USDA Loans. 

However lenders are not always willing to adopt into practice the new programs being passed down byHUD. Lets just say it would appear that this particular program isn't being accepted with open arm's on main street so far.

HUD recently launched a program aimed at helping people who are current on their mortgage loans; refinance to the lower prevailing rates being offered through FHA and VA Approved Lenders even if they are under water or up-side down on their mortgages due to reduced property values.

FHA Launched a Refinance Opportunity for Underwater Homeowners who are in good standing with their current Lenders. Not just FHA Loans but all type loans.

Here is how the program is designed:

The program states that if a responsible homeowner can get his or her current lender to WRITE OFF or FORGIVE a minimum of 10% of the current loan balance; then they will do a loan for up to 115% of the property value.

So if the balance is $300,000. the lender must agree to shave off a minimum of $30,000. of the borrowers loan balance. The problem lies in how willing will lenders be to do that for a loan that is currently being paid as agreed?

In the real world lenders are focused on mitigating current defaults rather than reducing the balances owed on loans that are in GOOD STANDING.

So far I have yet to find an FHA Lender who has adopted this program into their portfolio. It seems that in some cases at least there is a disconnect between what is being passed down by HUD and what works in the real world.

The program was designed to encourage principal write-downs for responsible borrowers. Unfortunately lenders have yet to get encouraged by the write downs or by the 115% loan program itself.

I know this article has to do with REFINANCING but everyone probably knows someone personally that is in this situation and would like to use this particular program. What home owner who is current on their loan and owes more on their property than it is currently worth wouldn't want a 10% balance reduction as well as a 2% rate reduction? So my issue is the same as every responsible home owner; why isn't it being made available on main street?

UPDATE 1/26/2011 - Lenders are now adopting this program as part of their portfolio; please contact Jim Poole at 813-205-7958 if you are interested in applying for this program ASAP as the program is only being offered for a limited time.

For more information on Government Home Loans FHA/VA/USDA in Tampa Florida I can be reached by phone at 813-205-7958.

Properties located in the State of Florida only at this time.