carolyn smith realtor: Brevard County Real Estate Market is on the Upswing! | Carolyn Smith, Realtor - 01/23/12 04:19 AM

Brevard County, FL Real Estate Market is on the Upswing! According to a recent article by Florida Realtors, Florida’s existing home and condominium markets reported higher sales for 2011, as compared to sales in 2010. This past year was the third consecutive year for Florida’s home and condo sales to end the year on a positive upswing; records show that higher year-over-year sales were also reported at the close of 2010 and 2009.
Here are some more Florida real estate market statistics for the past year:
Home Sales: In 2011, Florida’s existing home sales rose 8% for the year, while in the condo … (2 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: 5K Event – Run, Walk, or Jog to Benefit Abused and Neglected Children in Brevard County, FL | Things to do in Brevard County - 01/22/12 03:35 AM

Friends of Children of Brevard invite you to participate in a 5K run or walk to benefit abused and neglected children in Brevard County, FL. The event will take place on February 4, 2012 at Space Coast Stadium in Viera and all proceeds from the race will go directly towards Friends of Children of Brevard’s Guardian Ad Litem Program and the children it represents.
The theme of the 5K is “Superhero Run”, and all participants are asked to get in the spirit by donning a superhero costume and getting the whole family involved for a morning of fun and exercise. Prizes will … (2 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Indialantic Art Festival | Things to Do in Brevard County | Carolyn Smith, Realtor - 01/19/12 03:15 AM

Looking for something fun and free to do in Brevard County this weekend? Check out the 22nd Annual Indialantic Art Festival!
This is the 22nd year for the popular Indialantic Art Festival, held at Nance Park in Indialantic, FL. The festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, January 21st & 22nd. The festival runs both days from 10 am – 5 pm and admission is free. Over 100 vendors from across the nation will be presenting their arts and crafts over the two days of the show. You can expect to see many different types of handmade jewelry, pottery, … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Seniors Real Estate Specialist – Carolyn Smith, Melbourne Beach, FL Realtor - 01/17/12 11:07 PM

You might have seen the SRES designation listed along with my name – Carolyn Smith, Melbourne Beach Realtor, SRES – and wondered “What exactly does SRES mean?”
SRES stands for Seniors Real Estate Specialist and the designation means that I have successfully completed a series of educational courses on how to assist seniors and their families with their real estate transactions. This means that I have the knowledge and ability to help seniors and their families navigate their way through the maze of financial, legal, and emotional issues that come with buying or selling a home.
You might now be wondering, “Why would I want … (3 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Cape Canaveral, FL – First Rocket Launch of 2012 Set for Thursday Night - 01/17/12 05:52 AM

Hey Brevard County… Focus your eyes on the sky on Thursday night! Cape Canaveral’s first launch of the year is set to blast off at 7:38 pm on Thursday, January 19, 2012. The Delta IV rocket will be carrying a next-generation military communications satellite. And currently, the weather forecast looks promising, with only a 10% chance of strong ground winds which could become a factor during the launch window.
The latest news from United Launch Alliance says that the 218-foot tall Delta IV medium rocket is set and ready for an on-time liftoff on Thursday. The rocket will be carrying the Air … (2 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: More Jobs Coming to the Space Coast ~ Brevard County, Florida - 01/12/12 12:52 PM
Just Announced! 100 New Jobs Coming to Brevard County!
More great news for Brevard County, Florida! According to a recent Florida Today article, 100 new jobs are coming to the Space Coast!
A five-year, $138 million NASA contract was just announced for a.i. solutions, inc., a space-industry company that is headquartered in Lanham, MD, and currently employs over 200 engineering, science, and IT professionals. The new contract will create about 100 new high-paying engineering positions at Kennedy Space Center in the areas of preparation and launch for NASA’s next generation of spacecraft. The contract is called “Expendable Launch Vehicle Integrated Support 2″, and will … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Get Ready to Run… “Shiver Me Timbers 5K and Fun Walk” in Melbourne Beach, FL! - 01/11/12 08:14 AM

Join in the fun this weekend at the pirate-themed “Shiver Me Timbers 5K and Fun Walk” in Melbourne Beach, FL!
The run/walk is hosted by Brevard County Parks and Recreation, and will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at the South Beach Community Center at 500 Old Florida Trail in Melbourne Beach.
For the inaugural “Shiver Me Timbers 5K and Fun Walk”, participants are invited to dress in pirate gear as they run and walk around the race course, which encompasses the grounds of the South Beach Community Center in Melbourne Beach. The race is open to runners and … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Sandbar Pizza Grill ~ Great Family-Friendly Restaurant in Melbourne Beach, FL! - 01/08/12 12:25 PM
Sandbar Pizza Grill - Family Friendly Restaurant in Melbourne Beach, FL
If you are looking for a family-friendly restaurant in Melbourne Beach, FL, don’t miss the Sandbar Pizza Grill on Ocean Ave. The name of the restaurant pretty much sums up their menu – they have pizza and they have “grill”-type items such as burgers, sandwiches, wings, wraps, burritos, and salads, as well as their famous (and amazingly delicious!) fish tacos.
The Sandbar Pizza Grill is not fancy and it doesn’t have a ton of seating, but it has friendly service, good food, and great prices. And, if your kids are a … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Simple Tips For Saving on Utilities As Temperatures Dip in Brevard County, FL - 01/07/12 03:29 AM
Save Money and Energy at Home!
Burrrrr, it finally feels like winter in Brevard County, FL as temperatures dipped to near freezing over the past few nights. I guess that means it’s that time of year! The holiday season has just ended, credit card bills are filling the mailbox, and for those of us in Brevard County, FL, we have had to bite the bullet and finally turn on the heat in our homes.
One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2012 is to find some ways to save money on utility bills by conserving energy and trying to think more “green”. Besides … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Brevard County Schools Earn Highest Marks! - 01/04/12 06:47 AM

Brevard County schools are among the highest ranked schools in the state of Florida, according to school grades released this morning from the Department of Education. This morning’s report shows that Brevard County’s public schools earned 12 “A-rated” rankings for their high schools and junior/senior high schools. The number of “A-rated” high schools in Brevard County has more than doubled from last year’s rankings, of which there were 5 “A-rated” high schools. Of the 15 public high schools in Brevard County, Florida, 12 received A-ratings, and 3 received B-ratings on the A – F scale. Way to go Brevard County!
These … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Melbourne Beach, FL Rings in the New Year With Picture-Perfect Weather! - 01/01/12 01:42 PM
Happy New Year, from Melbourne Beach, FL!
As I enjoyed the warm sand and salty air on Melbourne Beach, FL today, the first day of the New Year 2012, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Turns out, I wasn’t. On January 1, 2012, I was sitting on the beach in my bathing suit, hanging out with my family, and feeling lucky to be enjoying such a gorgeous day in beautiful Brevard County, FL. Sorry to rub it in to those of you who weren’t in Florida today, but our weather was absolutely magnificent! With a high of about 73 degrees, … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Lots of Ways to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Melbourne, FL! - 12/30/11 04:07 AM

Are you still trying to figure out how to ring in the New Year in the Melbourne, FL area? Lucky for you, I’ve compiled a list of Things to Doon New Year’s Eve in Melbourne, FL!
Street Parties:
Downtown Melbourne: Free! Music and family-friendly fun to ring in the New Year! Downtown Melbourne will be hosting a New Year’s Eve street party featuring headlining band Nappy Roots, along with The Crazy Carls, Britt Daley, Kaleigh Baker, Shutup And Dance, and Lilly and the Tigers. The party will start at 6pm, and entertainment will take place on two separate stages. Great night to … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Florida is #1 for International Real Estate Traffic - 12/28/11 01:50 AM
Florida is #1 for International Real Estate Traffic! I recently saw this interesting bit of information in a report by Point2 and thought it was worthy of sharing with my readers. The report by Point2 provides insight into which locations (cities and states) international buyers are browsing for property. It seems that Florida is showing up as a “hot” (yes, pun intended!) spot for international buyers looking to purchase real estate in the United States. Specifically, Florida properties emerged as the lead attraction for foreign real estate searches online, followed by Arizona and Nevada.

An overall look at findings from the report suggest that:
Florida … (3 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Surfing Santas…Coming to Cocoa Beach on Christmas Eve! - 12/21/11 02:43 PM

Have you heard the latest Christmas news? Santa is going to be heading out early this Christmas Eve to try and catch a few waves in Cocoa Beach!
Okay, it won’t be the real Santa (I’ve heard he’s a little busy this time of year!), but 50 Santa Claus look-alikes are expected at this year’s “Surfing Santas” event in Cocoa Beach. The event will kick-off at 9:30 am on Saturday morning, December 24th. Last year’s “Surfing Santas” event drew 20 participants, who rode 4-foot waves at South 24th Street in Cocoa Beach.
The event organizer, George Trosset, will donate gift cards … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Another Winter Break Activity for Kids in Melbourne, FL! - 12/19/11 01:40 PM

My last post was all about camps and activities for kids during their Winter Break from school. This post is just another idea for “things to do in Brevard County” during the Winter Break. 
As you might have gathered through my previous posts, I absolutely love our local zoo, the Brevard Zoo, located on Wickham Road in Melbourne, FL. I have a family membership to the Brevard Zoo (Zoo membership – great Christmas gift idea for your children or grandchildren!), and as I was looking through their most recent newsletter, I was so excited to read about Brevard Zoo’s “Gifts to the Animals” … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Winter Break Activities for Kids ~ Brevard County, FL - 12/18/11 02:08 PM

Christmas is quickly approaching, which means that the first half of the school year is coming to an an end for Brevard County students, and winter break will be starting in just a few days! This also means that many parents will be frantically asking themselves, “How will I keep my kids busy during their winter break from school?!” Luckily for you (and your kids!), I have compiled a quick list of “Things to do in Brevard County During the Winter Break”. So, before you think about shipping the kids off to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for the week, here are … (2 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Florida Housing Markets Among Highest Performing! - 12/14/11 10:47 PM
As we head into the holiday season, the real estate market across the United States remains remarkably stable, with a gain of 0.3% in national home prices, according to Clear Capital, a provider of housing data and valuation services. Overall, Clear Capital’s November 2011 report finds that markets across the nation are still growing and improving. However, the Sunshine State once again outshines the rest of the nation!
Four Florida real estate markets – Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Miami – are holding steady among the “Highest Performing Major Markets Top 15 List” for a second consecutive month. These same markets continue to keep their … (3 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Holidays on the Space Coast ~ Brevard County, FL - 12/11/11 03:08 PM

The holidays are here, and for those of us on the Space Coast of Florida, we are still enjoying beautiful beach days, warm weather, and salty breezes. Besides sitting on the beach with your toes in the sand and the sun on your face, there are tons of fun things to do here in Brevard County for the holidays. Here are just a few suggestions to help you get into the spirit of the season!
Candlelight Shopping in Historic Downtown Melbourne – Skip the hustle and bustle of the mall, and instead head to Historic Downtown Melbourne to enjoy Candlelight Shopping! Every Saturday from … (0 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: Upward Trend for Florida’s Housing Market - 12/09/11 12:25 AM

The latest news from Florida Realtors shows that Florida’s real estate market is entering 2012 on an upward trend. This recent data comes from three leading U.S. economists.
According to Chief Economist Dr. John Tuccillo, “[In Florida] Sales are trending up, listing inventories are falling, the supply of lender-related properties has stabilized, and we are seeing multiple offers on homes in some local markets.” Tuccillo was also quoted as saying that Florida homes may be undervalued, which he continues with, “That may seem like a drastic statement, but a buyer who plans to own the home for five to seven years can get some … (4 comments)

carolyn smith realtor: RE/MAX Launches New Global Website - 11/29/11 11:50 PM
RE/MAX has launched our new global website, www.global.remax.com. This is fantastic news for both Buyers and Sellers because there were over $82 billion in international purchases in the US in 2010. Almost one-third of all those real estate transactions were conducted in Florida!
What makes this website special?
* It already has over 300,000 listings with over 600,000 expected in 2012.
* Foreign buyers can search both US and non-US properties in their own language and currency
* Over 29 languages are currently supported, with more added each month
I hope you take a minute to check it out and let … (2 comments)

 
Coastal Estate Team, Bridget Sentz & Carolyn Smith (RE/MAX Elite)

Coastal Estate Team

Bridget Sentz & Carolyn Smith

Melbourne, FL

More about me…

RE/MAX Elite

Address: 6022 Farcenda Place, Melbourne, FL, 32940

Mobile: 321.271.0870 Carolyn

Mobile: 321.537.5720 Bridget

Bridget and Carolyn are Realtors serving the areas of Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach, Suntree, Viera, Melbourne, West Melbourne and Merritt Island. Both Bridget and Carolyn are longtime residents of Brevard County, Florida, where they have raised their families and enjoyed everything the area has to offer. Bridget and Carolyn have a true passion for this special little spot here on the Atlantic Ocean, and the purpose of their blog is to share their passion for the area with you.


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