Melbourne FL Homes for Sale and the Beaches

Two 5k Run/Walk Events on February 8, 2014 in Melbourne FL and Indialantic FL

This Saturday Feb 8, 2014 there are two fun Run/Walk events in the Melbourne area. The Tooth Trot 5k Run/Walk and the Indialantic Soaring Eagles 5k Run/Walk

The Tooth Trot 5k Run/Walk

This event is presented by Brevard County Dental Society (BCDS). The proceeds from this event will benefit, “Give Kids a Smile”. Brevard County Dental Society provides free dental care to children in need, within Brevard county. The proceeds raised from Tooth Trot will aid BCDS in providing dental health educational supplies and toothbrushes and toothpaste for the children and their families.

There will be awards given based on overall and age group categories for male and female and also other prizes. Shh…h...the tooth fairy maybe visiting.

T-shirts to first 300 paid entrants.

Race time: 8am

Location: Eastern FL State College (formerly known as Brevard Community College) at Wickham Park Main Pavillion, Melbourne FL.

To find out more about Tooth Trot:  www.toothtrot.com

Indialantic Soaring Eagles 5k Run/Walk

This event is presented by Indialantic Elementary School PTO.

T-shirts to first 200 entrants.

Race Time: 8am

Location: 1050 North Palm Ave, Indialantic, FL US 32903

Awards ceremony immediately following the race.

There will be free refreshments, after the race.

To find out more about Indialantic soaring eagles: http://www.edline.net/pages/Indialantic_Elementary_School

 Information for both these events is also available at The Running Zone.

Now get your running shoes on and get ready to have some fun! Isn’t this a great way to spend a Saturday morning and help your community too?

Questions about the neighborhood, the community, the market?  I'm always happy to help - Give me a call!

Serving Suntree, Viera, Rockledge, Cape Canaveral, Merritt Island, West Melbourne, Melbourne, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Palm Bay, Sebastian

About the Author...This article was provided by, Rekha Vyas a Nationally recognized Realtor, Certified Residential Specialist and Graduate of the Realtor Institute. Rekha can be reached via e-mail at RekhaVyas1@gmail.com by cell phone or text message at 321-759-4409. Rekha has helped many people buy and sell their home.  For real estate and homes on the Space Coast of Florida see www.RekhaVyasRealtor.com. If you need to Short Sale your Brevard county home please contact me for more information.

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rekhavyas 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rekha-Vyas-Realtor/382856985155715

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RekhaVyasRealtr

What Can You Do To Protect Your Credit Score?

Your CREDIT is a big part of your financial health. It is identified by your CREDIT SCORE. Your credit score indicates how you use money over time. How much of a risk it is to loan you money? Are you responsible or irresponsible with money? If your credit is good it can help you to borrow money at a lower interest rate for long and short term loans. If not it can hurt your future ability to borrow money. So you have to maintain a good credit score before you want to make a big purchase like a home or a car.

A low credit score can also negatively affect you in other areas of life. When renting a home or an apartment; landlords or property management companies routinely check the credit score to see if the prospect is a responsible tenant and is willing and able to pay the rent on time.  

What can you do to protect your credit score?

1) Your Payment History

How good are you about making payments on all your current bills and balances? Always consistently pay your bills on time as accounts in collection are a big negative for credit score. If you cannot pay your credit card balance in full, be sure to make the minimum payment on time. Late and missed payments cost more in the long run, as you can be charged a higher interest rate for credit, later on. Setting up automatic payments for fixed expenses is an easy way to avoid missed or late payments.

2) Balance You Owe

How much credit do you have available? One of the factors that determines your credit score is the amount of credit you have available. The debt to credit ratio should be as low as possible so it is a good idea to keep the overall debt lower than the total credit available. Try to reduce your balances by paying a little more each time than just the minimum payment. Be careful about closing unused credit card accounts. This can also be viewed negatively in determining your credit score as the less credit you have available the lower the credit score.

3) Your Credit History

How long have you been borrowing and managing money? The account age is also important. It is not a good idea to close old credit card accounts which show you have been making payments on time as those accounts are a part of your credit history.

4) Newly Opened Accounts

What have you been up to lately? Be careful about opening up a bunch of credit cards in a short period of time. The credit reporting agencies view you as a high risk when you apply for too much credit in a short period of time. Think about that every time a department clerk asks if you want to apply for a department store credit card.

5) Annualcreditreport.com

Have you checked your credit report recently? Check your credit report at Annualcreditreport.com. At this site, once every year you can get a free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus, Experian, Transunion and Equifax. Check the report for accuracy and also make sure you are aware of all existing open accounts.

Don’t risk your financial health. Having a good credit score should be an ongoing priority. Now doesn’t that just make good sense?

Questions about the neighborhood, the community, the market?  I'm always happy to help - Give me a call!

Serving Suntree, Viera, Rockledge, Cape Canaveral, Merritt Island, West Melbourne, Melbourne, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Palm Bay, Sebastian

About the Author...This article was provided by, Rekha Vyas a Nationally recognized Realtor, Certified Residential Specialist and Graduate of the Realtor Institute. Rekha can be reached via e-mail at RekhaVyas1@gmail.com by cell phone or text message at 321-759-4409. Rekha has helped many people buy and sell their home.  For real estate and homes on the Space Coast of Florida see www.RekhaVyasRealtor.com. If you need to Short Sale your Brevard county home please contact me for more information.

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rekhavyas 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rekha-Vyas-Realtor/382856985155715

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RekhaVyasRealtr

How Many Lagoons Make Up The Indian River Lagoon?

Did you know that the Indian River lagoon on The Atlantic coast of Florida is really a group of three lagoons? Yes that’s true. Together the Mosquito Lagoon, Banana River and Indian River make up the Indian River Lagoon. The Indian River Lagoon or estuary is separated from the Atlantic coast by the barrier islands. The Indian River Lagoon is 156 miles long, it extends from Ponce De Leon Inlet in Volusia County, to the southern border of Martin county. The Indian River Lagoon is connected to the ocean by a few ocean inlets and this allows the saltwater to mix with the fresh water which comes from runoff from the surrounding land as well as from the rainfall. Any changes in the amount of freshwater, or pollutants or sudden changes in temperatures affects the marine life and vegetation of the lagoon.

The Lagoon is home to over 2000 species of marine life and over 2000 species of vegetation. The inlets are really picturesque. One such beautiful view is on A1A near Sebastian Inlet. As you drive on A1A over the Sebastian National Park, you see the ocean waves on one side of A1A and the quiet waters of the lagoon on the other side of A1A. It is quite a sight!

Here in Brevard County, Florida the view on the lagoon is never the same! You may see a dolphin jumping out of the water one minute and ducks swimming by another and then maybe a pelican diving in to catch a fish. Next maybe a water skier behind a boat and next a sail boat perhaps. In the spring time it is exciting to see schools of newborn fish swimming in a zigzag fashion on the lagoon floor. I have had the opportunity to see more than one sting ray on the lagoon floor. Some areas of the lagoon have been identified as Manatee zones and boat have to run on idle speed in these areas to protect the manatees. The Indian River Lagoon is also known to have a diverse variety of bird population as its inhabitants.

Many of the waterfront homes in Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic and Melbourne Beach are on the Indian River or the Banana River. Many of the homes on exclusive Lansing Island are on the Banana River and the lovely and exclusive Tortoise Island subdivision has homes on both the Banana River and Indian River. Residents with waterfront homes on the lagoon have a responsibility to avoid unnecessary and over fertilization of their lawns as fertilizer that is washed into the lagoon is harmful to its health. Wetlands should be preserved as they help cleanse the lagoon.  

What are the FAQ’s About

Living in The Melbourne FL Area?

Relocation clients as well as clients considering a second home in the Melbourne and surrounding areas usually ask many

questions about the area but here are a few common ones:

Question What is the population of Melbourne FL and surroundings?

Answer: The population of Melbourne FL and the surrounding areas is about 343,018 and can be assigned follows:

Melbourne 78,000                                Melbourne Beach 3300

Cocoa 17164                                          Cocoa Beach 12805

Indialantic 3009                                     Indian Harbour Beach 9000

Merritt Island 34743                             Palm Bay 101793

Patrick Air Force Base 2137                 Rockledge 25911

Satellite Beach 10884                            Suntree 11544

Viera  16951                                            West Melbourne 15777

Question: What is the best way to get here?

Answer: Melbourne International airport is currently served by two commercial airlines, Delta and U S Airways with hubs in Atlanta and Charlotte respectively. Orlando international airport is about an hour and fifteen minutes northwest of Melbourne. Limos, taxis and shuttles to and from Orlando airport are also available. There are many car rental agencies in the Melbourne area ready to serve.

Question: What kind of activities are there?

Answer: There is plenty of entertainment to be found here, something or another for everyone. Swimming and surfing on the beautiful beaches of the Atlantic ocean; kayaking, sailing, boating, fishing and other water activities and water sports on the Indian river. There are many tennis courts and beautiful golf courses for tennis and golf lovers. Biking, shopping, a visit to the Brevard zoo, farmers market can be fun. How about a leisurely stroll in Cocoa Village, Downtown Melbourne or the Eau Gallie art and museum district? How about a visit to the Space Coast stadium? It is the spring training site of the Washington Nationals and home of the Brevard Manatees.There are many theatre and production companies and theatrical venues including the Maxwell C. King’s Center for the Performing Arts which presents nationally and internationally known artists and Broadway shows. There are also plenty of fine restaurants. There is so much to do! Cruise ships to the Bahamas and Caribbean leave regularly from Port Canaveral nearby.

Question: How is the weather?

Answer: The climate is ideal as you can see the sun shine for more than 300 days during the year. From November through March the average high is in the 70’s and average low in the 50’s. During April, May, June, September and October the average high temperature is in the 80’s and average low’s in the 60’s. July and August are hot when the average high temperature reaches the 90’s and average low in the 70’s. The snowbirds are usually here from October through March.

Question: Who are the major employers in the area?

Patrick AFB, Military Base - 12,700

Harris Corporation, Information processing and communication - 8,500

School Board of Brevard County – 9,050

Health First, Inc., Medical Facility – 6,000

Brevard County, Local Government/services – 3,137

Northrop Grumman Melbourne Systems, Airborne Radar Equipment - 2,180

Rockwell Collins, Inc., Avionics - 1,477

Intersil Corporation, Semi-Conductors manufacturer - 1,100

Brevard Community College - 1,000

CSR Computer Sciences Raytheon - 1,050

Florida Tech, Technological University - 800

Melbourne Internal Medicine Associates (MIMA), Medical Association - 885

Cape Publications, Newspaper Publishing – 600

Lighting Science Group – Manufacturing LED Lighting – 500

AAR Airlift Group, Aircraft Maintenance - 400

Medical Associates of Brevard (MAB), Medical Association - 300

Embraer Air – Aircraft Builder- 250

Question: Is Housing Affordable in the Melbourne and surrounding area?

Answer: The area ranks as one of the most affordable for housing. The median cost of homes sold in Jul 2013 is $130,000. Also homeowners who are florida residents can apply for and receive a $25,000 homestead exemption on the assessed value of their primary home. They can also receive an additional $25,000 homestead exemption if the assessed value of the home is at least $75000. Another great benefit for Florida homeowners, is the cap on the assessed value of a home, referred to as “Save our homes” cap. This cap limits the annual increase on the assessed value of the property receiving homestead exemption to 3% or consumer price index whichever is lower. Contact Rekha Vyas at 321 759 4409 for information on housing in the area

The housing market is finally in recovery mode. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports existing home prices have been rising for 20 straight months and existing-home sales are at the highest pace since November 2009. 

Home prices are seeing their strongest gains since 2006.  The combination of inventory shortages and increasing demand for new and existing homes has helped home values to rise up to the highest level in five years. Keep in mind that foreclosure sales, which sell at a discount are down. This has also helped boost home prices.

Many of the underwater homes are not underwater anymore. Sellers are in a more favorable position and calling the shots. Buyers are making full price offers to get the home they want. Multiple offers are also becoming common now. Even though mortgage rates have risen they are still attractive. This is in part due to the Feds Bond purchase program known as Quantitative Easing. It is predicted that the housing recovery is here to stay at least for the next five or so years.

Bottom line: Interest rates remain attractive and now is a great time to purchase a home.

REKHA VYAS, CRS, GRI, SFR

Broker Associate, Realtor

Keller Williams Realty of Brevard

321 759 4409

Visit  http://RekhaVyasRealtor.com        Brevard County Florida Homes for Sale & Real Estate Relocation Center

Sea Turtle Walks in Melbourne Beach and Satellite Beach – What an education!

This June my family had the pleasure of watching a loggerhead sea turtle nest in Satellite Beach, Florida. What an amazing site! One we’ll never forget.

My niece who lives in Chicago was planning to visit me in June this summer and in conversation enthusiastically described one of her elementary school research projects on sea turtles. That’s when it struck me that she could get a fascinating education if we took her on a Sea turtle Walk.

The Sea Turtle Preservation Society is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to increase public awareness about the marine turtles through lectures, exhibits and its turtle watches during the summer sea turtle nesting season. 

We called their office right away in May for a Turtle Walk reservation in June. We arrived at the Pelican Beach Park in Satellite Beach and met with the volunteers who would be our tour guides. After some time we were seated by the volunteers and shown a short interesting video. This was followed by a lecture with amazing slides of the various sea turtles. About 30 mins into this our guide got word from other volunteers who were scouting the beach that a sea turtle had come out of the Atlantic Ocean.

We were escorted to the site and had the opportunity to watch a sea turtle laying eggs. After about 20 mins the turtle started covering up the hole with sand and the eggs were well covered. Then she turned around slowly and in about another five to seven mins went back in the ocean! It was an awesome experience for all of us and a great education for my niece!

Reservations for turtle walks to view nesting loggerhead turtles begin May 1 and continue as long as there are openings. I’ve heard the walks get filled up pretty soon.

Walks are offered four or five nights a week during the months of June and July. They take place either on Melbourne Beach or Satellite Beach.

Sea Turtle Preservation Society Contact Information: Call 321/676-1701.  The mailing address is P. O. Box 510988-0988, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951-0988  Office hours are 11 AM to 5 PM, Tuesday through Saturday.

Rekha Vyas Contact Information:

Rekha

REKHA VYAS, CRS, GRI, SFR

Broker Associate, Realtor

Keller Williams Realty of Brevard

6905 N Wickham Rd, Ste 405

Melbourne, FL 32940

321 435 3749 Fax

321 759 4409 mobile

Visit  http://RekhaVyasRealtor.com        Brevard County Florida Homes for Sale & Real Estate Relocation Center

MUST SEE TO APPRECIATE

• 1,140 sq. ft., 2 bath, 2 bdrm single story - MLS® $60,000 - NOT A SHORT SALE

Lake Washington, Melbourne  -  NOT A SHORT SALE. ADORABLE HOME AFFORDABLE VALUE! Ground floor unit in a well kept complex. Kitchen w/ pantry & all appliances are included. Screened porch with serene preserve like view. Enjoy the complex amenities including a large community pool & clubhouse. Don't worry about the water & cable bills!...that's included in the Monthly HOA dues. Great location - a short distance to the beach, restaurants, shopping, Brevard Community College & The King Center for Performing Arts.

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