Lisa Barton

Here's a quick summary of the Lake Kathryn neighborhood in Sawgrass Country Club. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

• Neighborhood: Lake Kathryn
• Nearest Major Intersection:  A1A and TPC Parkway
• Gated: Yes
• Clubhouse: The Sawgrass Country Club has tennis, a pool, golf, and dining. You must be a member or a member guest to access these facilities.  However, club membership is not required to reside in the neighborhood. A variety of membership options are available, so you can choose an option that best fits your lifestyle.
• How Many Homes: Lake Kathryn has 13 single family homes.
• Size Range: Most homes in this neighborhood typically have between three and five bedrooms.
• Pedestrian-Friendly: Yes, very.
• Recreation:  Several communities in Sawgrass Country Club have their own pools and playgrounds. Neighborhoods are very golf cart friendly.
• Nearest Grocery Store: Publix, Winn Dixie, and Fresh Market are all close.
• LB’s Favorite Neighborhood Feature:  Lake Kathryn is close to the entrance so is very convenient to A1A.
• Fun Fact: While showing properties, I watched a baby alligator cross the road.

The National Association of Realtors just published a very informative article about how banks and the IRS handle loan forgiveness when a home is sold as a short sale. This is important information if you're considering selling your home as a short sale because the future tax implications can be significant. A lender will, on occasion, forgive some portion of a borrower's debt. The general tax rule that applies is that the amount of debt forgiven is treated as taxable income to the borrower. Some exceptions to this rule are available, but until recently, the borrower was required to pay taxes on the debt forgiven. Click here to read the rest of the article.

Choosing the right school for your child can be overwhelming, especially if you're relocating to the Jacksonville or Ponte Vedra Beach area.  I recently visited several private schools in the Jacksonville Beaches area and am hoping this information will help make your school decision a little less stressful.

• Name of School: Providence School in Jacksonville
• Address: 2701 Hodges Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32224
• Phone: (904) 223-5270
• Grades: Pre-K through 12
• General Admission Criteria: Admission is based on school records, standardized test scores and a family interview.
• Accreditations: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Association of Christian Schools International, Florida Council of Independent Schools, Florida Kindergarten Council
• School Sports or Team Activities: Providence offers a full range of boys and girls varsity team sports. 
• Teacher Qualifications or Certifications: All teachers are State Certified and many have advance educational degrees.
• Fine Art Enrichment Activities: Art, Music, Drama, Choir
• Buses: No
• Lisa’s Comments: I met with Tia Unthank, the Director of Admission for Providence, and toured their very impressive facilities. Providence offers a Christian based, college preparatory curriculum and the vast majority of their graduates attend college after graduating from high school. The classrooms were large and the teachers I met very enthusiastic about their classes. The students are required to wear uniforms. There are weekly chapel services, daily bible study, and bible classes. Providence offers a 10% tuition discount for families with two or more children. The discount increases to 50% with the fourth child.

Here's a quick summary of the Old Barn Island neighborhood in Sawgrass Country Club. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

• Neighborhood: Old Barn Island
• Nearest Major Intersection:  A1A and TPC Parkway
• Gated: Yes
• Clubhouse: The Sawgrass Country Club has tennis, a pool, golf, and dining. You must be a member or a member guest to access these facilities.  However, club membership is not required to reside in the neighborhood. A variety of membership options are available, so you can choose an option that best fits your lifestyle.
• How Many Homes: Old Barn Island has 86 single family homes.
• Size Range: Most homes in this neighborhood are between 3,000 and 5,000 square feet.
• Pedestrian-Friendly: Yes, very.
• Recreation:  Several communities in Sawgrass Country Club have their own pools and playgrounds. Neighborhoods are very golf cart friendly.
• Nearest Grocery Store: Publix, Winn Dixie, and Fresh Market are all close.
• LB’s Favorite Neighborhood Feature:  Old Barn Island is very close to the beach!
• Fun Fact: Luxury homes in this beautiful neighborhood have great lake views.

Choosing the right school for your child can be overwhelming, especially if you're relocating to the Jacksonville or Ponte Vedra Beach area.  I recently visited several private schools in the Jacksonville Beaches area and am hoping this information will help make your school decision a little less stressful.

• Name of School: Beaches Chapel School 
• Address: 610 Florida Boulevard, Neptune Beach, FL 32266
• Phone: (904) 241-4211
• Grades: Pre-K through 12
• General Admission Criteria: Admission is based on the student academic performance (report cards)
• Accreditations: Southern Association of Colleges & Schools; Florida League of Christian Schools
• Affiliation(s): Duval County Christian Schools, Florida Christian Athletic League, Florida High School Athletic Association
• Total Student Population: 240 students
• Class Size: 12-20 students per class
• School Sports or Team Activities: Varsity Flag Football (won the State Championship in 2011), Baseball, Basketball, Track, Volleyball, Soccer, Softball & Cheerleading
• Teacher Qualifications or Certifications: All teachers are degreed, although not all have their Florida teaching certificate
• Fine Art Enrichment Activities: STARS Program which offers students dance, piano, art, chorus, choir, voice, tennis, martial arts, guitar and flag football
• Specialized Classes: Honors Classes & Dual Enrollment Partnership with Florida State College at Jacksonville
• Buses: No
• Lisa’s Comments: The Beaches Chapel School is located in Neptune Beach, just west of Jarboe Park. I met with Vicki McDonald, the Lower School Principal. Ms. McDonald has been the principal of the Beaches Chapel School for over 20 years, and is devoted to the school and its students. The school is named after the lovely white chapel located in the center of the campus. The curriculum is based on Christian values and with a strong academic emphasis, including a daily mornng worship as well as a weekly church service.  The Parent Teacher Association is very active and there are many opportunities for parents to be involved in their children's education. One of the most appealing features of the Beaches Chapel School is the small class size and "family feel" of the campus. The tuition at the Beaches Chapel School is moderate and financial aid is available for children whose parents are in the ministry.

St. Johns County recently approved $1.3 million dollars for a sidewalk that would run along County Road 210 through Palm Valley in Ponte Vedra Beach. The new 5-foot-wide pathway would serve the Palm Valley Bridge along with Mickler and Neck Roads. The sidewalk will provide safer routes for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, particularly those residing in Odom's Mill, Sawmill Lakes, Plantation Oaks, Las Palmas, The Woodlands, and Old Palm Valley.

For continuing coverage on this story, please visit Jacksonville.com.

The reason that we use insulation is to reduce the amount of heat that flows into (in summer) or out of (in winter) our homes. Insulation is rated in terms of its thermal resistance, or R-value. A higher R-value indicates that the insulation has more resistance to heat flow in or out. This higher resistance, or slower flow of heat, means reduced heating and cooling costs for you, the homeowner. 

Nocatee’s Community Development District (CDD) is named Tolomato Community Development District and includes all business and residences in Nocatee. The reason for creating a CDD is to assist with the financing, construction, and ongoing maintenance of public infrastructure including roadways, parks, and other amenities. The main benefit of the District is providing funds for the construction and maintenance of key infrastructure components within Nocatee, improving the quality of life of residents now and in years to come. 

Wow, goodbye 2011 and on to 2012! It has taken much longer for our real estate market to "bottom-out" than ever anticipated. Hopefully 2012 will be the year the economy transitions and we start to see market improvement. Below are some of the highlights (or low points) of last year's market activity:

• In 2011, distressed (short sales and foreclosures) properties comprised almost 49% of the closed sales for the Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beaches areas. This was a year-over-year increase of 12%. Short sales and foreclosures usually sell for a lower price than traditional sales, pulling down prices in the real estate market.
• Sale prices throughout our area continued to drop in 2011. Last year the median sale price in the Jacksonville area decreased about 6%. This was particularly noticable in Ponte Vedra Beach as median sale price declined through 2011. 

Join me for valentine cookies and walk through this tranquil beach oasis during an Open House on Saturday, February 11, 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. This cottage-style Neptune Beach home is perfectly situated only a few blocks from the beach. Winner of numerous "Yard of the Month" awards, the one acre property surrounding the home is beautifully landscaped and extremely private.