Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival!

THE DETAILS

WHAT: Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival

WHEN: Wednesday through Monday, times and activities vary

WHERE: Field trips are in various locations, with several programs at BCC, 1311 N. U.S. 1, Titusville.

COST: $20 registration fee for adults along with individual costs for classroom activities and field trips. Some are free. No cost for the exhibit area and art show. Prices for activities and field trips vary. Children 12 and younger get in free with a paying adult.

INFO: Call 321-268-5224 or visit www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org.

THE STORY: The Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival has grown tremendously in the past 15 years and draws thousands of people from all over the world to discover and explore the eco-tourism opportunities Brevard and nearby counties offer.

But the executive director of the event Neta Harris — of festival sponsor Brevard Nature Alliance — has noticed something curious about the festival, the largest of its kind in the country.

“There are people who come in from Canada who know more about what this area offers than a lot of local people do,” Harris said.

Brevard residents may be missing out on some special outdoor activities, Harris said, because they feel they’re already familiar with the area. However, what they may be missing is information on all the activities that are offered in our parks and preserves year-round.

Harris will be happy to know locals are already picking up clues from previous festivals.

Joan Green of Merritt Island learned the lesson after attending two of the events.

“The field trip guides were incredibly informative, and they introduced me to splendid places like the Merritt Island (Wildlife) Refuge and the Enchanted Forest (near Titusville),” Green said. “But what I found out, too, is that these preserves hold informative trips of their own all year round, too. And they’re often free.”

The festival, which started Wednesday and continues through the weekend, shows off many of the highlights: Field trips by bus or carpools will venture not only to hot birding spots, but also locales known for special animals and plants as well as historic sites.

And there’s plenty to do and see in the event center at Brevard Community College’s Titusville campus on U.S. 1 just north of town, with free entry and many free activities for all ages of visitors.

There will be classroom presentations, art and photography shows and competitions, renowned keynote speakers, a silent auction, dozens of vendors selling everything to do with outdoor activities, and some top-notch entertainment.

“We have activities for the children, too,” Harris said. “And plenty to interest the non-birders.”

Space Coast Audubon Society secretary Rosemary Webb is definitely a serious birder, but she had to confess, “I really love the shopping” among the event center’s booths.

“They have so many vendors, and they’re just terrific,” she said. “And the artists are just amazing, from kids to the adults, and I just love to go through and see their work.”

THE SCHEDULE

Some field trip tips: The Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival offers plenty of free parking at Brevard Community College, 1311 N. U.S. 1., Titusville.

Some of the field trips have early departure times, so the registration desk will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Friday and Saturday and 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Guests are encouraged to bring water, snacks, cameras and scopes on field trips — and encouraged to layer their clothing because mornings can be nippy.

Monday’s offshore pelagic birding trip is sold out.

Admission to the exhibit center is free, and it will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Not just for the birds: Some of the most popular aspects of the festival include art and photography shows and competition, as well as a silent auction on donated items that will take place Saturday and Sunday at the event center.

Also, no one will have to eat like a bird because vendors Friday and Saturday will serve breakfast as early as 4 a.m. for field trippers, and lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There also will be an afternoon social from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, a barbecue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Plan Would Bring Quarter-Mile-Long Fishing Pier to Cocoa Beach

COCOA BEACH — Tim Chastain envisions a downtown municipal fishing pier extending a quarter-mile across the Atlantic Ocean waves, offering an aquatic platform for fishermen, walkers, sightseers and rocket-launch spectators.

This 1,301-foot concrete structure at an undetermined location could cost $8 million to $9 million, he estimates. If environmental permitting and municipal-revenue bonds are secured, construction could start in 2017.

Chastain projects this city-operated pier would draw enough foot traffic from tourists and locals — and generate enough revenue from admission fees and concession sales — to be economically feasible.

Chastain owns Fin Expeditions, a Banana River kayak eco-tour company, and he is a past chairman of the Surfrider Foundation’s Cocoa Beach chapter. He floated his fishing-pier idea to City Commission candidates during the fall campaign, and he made a formal presentation during a Dec. 17 workshop.

“Say that we have 3.2 million visitors in the Cocoa Beach area. We put a city pier in. If you grab two out of 10, well that would be 740,000 people into the downtown area based on the pull of the pier,” Tim Chastain told commissioners.

Commissioner Tim Tumulty called the proposal “very interesting stuff,” but no discussion of substance occurred.

Chastain is crafting economic models and researching ocean-pier details, and he hopes to present his findings during a February City Commission meeting.

Chastain examined 35 piers across Florida, then based his research on three examples:

• Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier, built in 2004

• M.B. Miller Pier County Pier in Panama City Beach, built in 2008

• Russell-Fields Pier in Panama City Beach, built in 2009

City Manager Bob Majka worked in Panama City-area governments for 23 years before moving to Brevard County this fall. He said Chastain’s idea is a grassroots concept, and City Hall staffers have not scrutinized the proposal.

“In Panama City Beach, with two municipal piers within a close proximity to each other, the model there works. But you need to look at, is it financially viable?” Majka asked.

“The city isn’t in position to lay out $10 million to build a pier and use general-fund revenue to support that. The pier would have to be self-supporting. We’d be interested in looking at the data he’s compiling,” he said.

Lori Stottler is general manager of the Cocoa Beach Pier, a wooden 800-foot structure built in 1962, about 3.5 miles north of downtown. She said she does not want to be “a buzzkill,” but she warned that pier expenses like liability insurance and piling maintenance may be higher than anticipated.

“There is a lot of cost associated with having a pier — which we know very well. It all sounds great in theory. But when you have to run one day-to-day, with all the maintenance it entails, it’s a different thing entirely,” Stottler said.

“Still, I think it’s great that people are coming up with new ideas for Cocoa Beach. With the space industry changing, tourism plays a more pivotal role in our economy,” she said.

Chastain said the concrete municipal pier would be designed to withstand hurricanes and fierce weather.

“At these modern-built piers, maintenance and post-storm issues are treated as a nuisance,” he said.

John Hearin is a Florida Tech coastal engineer who serves as vice chairman of the Surfrider Foundation’s Cocoa Beach chapter.

He called the pier proposal a great idea, and he said the Florida Department of Environmental Protection may approve the project.

“Permitting would be an issue, but it is doable. It’s very doable — especially if you have the funding,” Hearin said.

Chastain said he selected the 1,301-foot length because it would make the Cocoa Beach pier 1 foot longer than the Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier.

Cast Your Vote for Cocoa Beach!

It’s just six miles long and mostly less than a mile wide, but Cocoa Beach is humongous in heart, history and the quirky charms that put it on the tourism map.

Now, the same place that boasts world-renowned surfing (and Surfing Santas), a famous pier that juts 800 feet over the Atlantic, plentiful beach access and a stellar place in space history has a chance for more kudos: the title of Florida’s best beach town.

When USA Today called “Dr. Beach,” also known as Florida International University professor and coastal expert Stephen Leatherman, for 10 Florida destinations that combine sand, surf and a welcoming sense of community, Cocoa Beach claimed a spot among his choices.

That, naturally, led to a question — Which one’s the best? — and a competition, with voters invited to chime in online or via Twitter. The winning area will be featured in a USA Today travel story.

Leatherman offered praise for some of the more obvious factors that drive Cocoa Beach’s cool quotient.

His take: “This onetime astronaut hangout near the Kennedy Space Center is famous for the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, along with a great pier and surf shop, Ron Jon, whose flagship store will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.”

That mention was welcomed at Ron Jon’s corporate headquarters, a wave away from the Atlantic and the venerable Cocoa Beach Pier. A 50-day celebration in summer 2013 is in the works.

“We have a real affinity for Cocoa Beach — it’s just a great destination,” said Heather Lewis, Ron Jon marketing director.

And visit they do: About 2.4 million visitors a year descend on Cocoa Beach, from surfers to those who just want to soak in the sun to those who drive out of their way to be photographed at I Dream of Jeanne Lane off State Road A1A at Lori Wilson Park. A recently installed sign serves as a permanent paean to the popular 1960s TV show set in Cocoa Beach.

Cocoa Beach Mayor Dave Netterstrom thinks there’s no contest in this competition.
In his eyes, there’s no place quite like the place that claims as hometown boys Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach High, Class of 1991), 11-time world champion surfer, and comedian Scott “Carrot Top” Thompson (born in Cocoa Beach in 1965).

“One of the main reasons I ran for mayor is that I care so much about the community,” said Netterstrom, whose family moved here when he was 14.

“During the Space Race, it was the happening place to see and be seen, and we’re trying to get that excitement back, within the framework of remaining a quaint little beach town. We’re absolutely going to keep that character, that ‘Come as you are, it’s a fun place to be’ attitude that put us on the map.”

Go, Cocoa Beach, go!

The winner of USA Today’s Best Florida Beach Town contest will be featured in a travel story. To vote, go to http://www.usatoday.com/ story/dispatches/2012/12/28/ whats-the-best-beach-town- in-florida/1793599/

To tweet your pick:
@usatodaytravel; hashtag #flabeachtown.

Happy New Year! Moving Forward with a Short Sale!

By Stacy Matlock, Realtor®

Coldwell Banker Cocoa Beach Realty

Stacy matlock1@yahoo.com

www.http: www.stacymatlock.com

On Jan. 1, Congress passed a bill with the purpose of helping the U.S. economy avoid what has been termed the "Fiscal Cliff."
Over the past several months, real estate professionals (and CDPEs in particular) have been particularly interested in the fate of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, which has saved distressed homeowners millions of dollars in tax liability since its passage.
The Act, which expired Dec. 31, has been retroactively extended through 2013.

What is a CDPE Certified Distressed Property Expert?

Need to ease the pain of an unstable and confusing real estate market?

A Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) has a thorough understanding of complex issues in today’s turbulent real estate industry and knowledge of foreclosure avoidance options available to homeowners. CDPEs can provide solutions, specifically Short Sale for homeowners facing market hardships.

Homeowners regularly proceed without guidance of any kind through the often financially and emotionally devastating prospect of foreclosure. Speaking with a well-informed, licensed real estate professional is the best course of action for a homeowner in distress. Through comprehensive training and experience, CDPEs have the tools to help homeowners find the best solutions for their unique situations and to avoid foreclosure through the efficient execution of a short sale. Living through financial difficulties poses a challenge for any family, so why make the process of finding a qualified real estate professional difficult too? Select an agent with the CDPE Designation to ensure you have a trained professional to address your specific needs. For more information, contact a CDPE in Coldwell Banker Cocoa Beach Realty. CDPEs don’t merely assist in selling properties, they serve and help save their clients in need, with knowledge to help a distressed home owner move forward. 

Brevard Home Sales Continue Upwards!

Sales in November of single-family homes in Brevard County surged over the previous year, and trends indicate the housing market will close out 2012 strong.

Sales statistics for existing single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums were outlined in Thursday’s report by the Florida Realtors.

Closed sales for single-family homes rose nearly 20 percent in November, 589 compared with 492 the previous November.

The median price — the point at which half the homes sell for less, half for more — jumped 16.2 percent to $122,000 in that period. Closed sales of town homes and condominiums also increased.

Sales rose 15.7 percent in November, 147 vs. the previous November, while the median price edged up more than 22 percent to $115,015 in that period.

Closed sales typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.

“We have seen a gradual strengthening in the market,” said Jesse “Jay” Parrish, the incoming president of the Space Coast Association of Realtors. “There’s certainly reduced inventory, and my personal sense of the market is that it is improving. And it’s improving in the commercial sector as well.”

Economists and others pay close attention to the home sales as it, as well as unemployment data and consumer spending, are key components of the nation’s economy.

Statewide, closed sales of existing single-family homes totaled 17,072 in November, up 24.4 percent compared to the year-ago figure. The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes in November was $150,000, up 11.2 percent from a year ago.

“Particularly striking in this market is the degree to which prices have risen,” said John Tuccillo, the chief economist for the Florida Realtors. “This might be expected to be the case for median prices as investors absorb the inventory at the lower end of the market, but average prices are up dramatically as well – and that suggests we’re seeing real appreciation occur in the marketplace, another sign of how solid Florida’s real estate recovery has become.”

In Brevard, the average sales price for single-family homes in November was $153,197, a nearly 10 percent increase compared with the previous November figure.

Local data also indicates inventory is running below last year. Single-family home inventories are 43 percent smaller than last year. That’s the case even with last week’s report that Brevard’s rate of foreclosure filings is the highest among the nation’s metro areas.

Nationally, the National Association of Realtors on Thursday reported that total existing-home sales- completed transactions for single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops — was 5 million, 14.5 percent higher than the 4.4 million-unit pace in November 2011.

Sales are at the highest level since November 2009 when the annual pace spiked at 5.4 million, the Washington-based organization said.

The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $180,600 in November, up 10.1 percent from November 2011, the national real estate group reported.

Cocoa Beach Pier New Year's Eve Party!

Join the thousands of revelers expected to ring in the new year at the 24th Annual ‘Rockin’ the Dock’ New Years Eve Party at the Cocoa Beach Pier. The Pier is holding “5 parties in one” at the historic Cocoa Beach landmark that stretches 800 feet in to the Atlantic Ocean.

Each of the restaurants and bars on the Pier will feature live entertainment, champagne toasts, balloon drops, and television screens showing other great parties simultaneously occurring around the world.

Tickets on sale now in Ocean Notions Gift Shop. Just $20.00 each.

Dine in the Atlantic Ocean Grille on Dec. 31 and receive a FREE ticket to stay for the party. 1 free ticket for each entrée purchased.

Please call 321-783-7549 for reservations.

Florida Housing Market Continues It's Upward Trend

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida's residential real estate market will continue its upward trend into 2013, though the pace of recovery may be slower than the U.S. as a whole, according to leading U.S. economists speaking at Florida Realtors^® 2013 Real Estate and Economic Forecast Conference Dec. 12 in Orlando.

"Florida's housing market is back, with great possibilities for the future – but those possibilities are only beginning to be realized," said Dr. John Tuccillo , chief economist for Florida Realtors.

Along with Tuccillo, conference speakers included Doug Duncan , senior vice president and chief economist for Fannie Mae; Leslie Appleton-Young , vice president and chief economist for the California Association of Realtors (CAR); and Pat Reass , a state-certified residential real estate appraiser at Appraisal Group MidFlorida LLC in Winter Haven.

Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan said, "We believe the housing market is on firm footing. … Most of the improvement we've seen has come from the supply side of housing. Distressed properties are coming down from about 5 million to more like 3 million."

Mortgage rates should remain low and not change much in 2013, he added, while banks likely will continue to maintain high lending standards and a tight credit environment.

"The trend has been established for the housing recovery, but robust growth awaits more jobs and a stronger economy," Duncan said. "Three years into the recovery, the current economic expansion is the weakest since World War II. Just over half of the jobs lost in the Great Recession have been recovered."

The real estate market "bottomed out in late 2008," Tuccillo said, according to Florida Realtors' market data, data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and other market research sources.

"Since the beginning of 2009, we've clearly seen a regrouping and a recovery underway," he said.

Median sales prices are consistently rising for both existing single-family homes and condo-townhome units across Florida. However, he noted the state's active distressed property (foreclosures and short sales) market is putting pressure on prices, resulting in smaller gains and a slower rate than what is being seen in California and the U.S. as a whole.

Other signs of Florida's steadily improving residential market, according to Tuccillo:

• Months' supply of single-family homes is below 6 months;
• Latest data (October 2012) shows 44 percent of closed sales were paid in cash, signifying strong demand from investors;
• Foreign buyers make up 19 percent of closed sales in Florida (October 2012);
• Traditional (non-distressed) sales now make up over 50 percent of Florida's closed sales;
• Closed sales include fewer REOs (real estate-owned) and more short sales; and
• Shadow inventory has been declining since 2009, though it remains a key factor in the state's housing market going forward since Florida is a judicial foreclosure state (meaning foreclosures go through a court process.)

Comparing Florida's residential market to California's and to the U.S. as a whole, CAR Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young agreed that the nationwide housing market is back.

"The latest NAR data shows very strong closed sales and rising prices," she said. "Low inventory is currently a challenge for the nation, for California and also for Florida in many areas. There's just not enough property for sale, particularly with investors buying properties for cash (29 percent of the market in California; 25 percent of the U.S. market). For California, we're calling 2012 the return of the traditional seller to the marketplace – in October 2012, 63.4 percent of our total sales were from equity or traditional sales."

In California, the current months' supply of existing single-family homes is 3.1 months, Appleton-Young noted. While the state is still dealing with lender issues such as tight credit, problems are being resolved at a faster pace, she said, and home prices are rising as a result.

Looking ahead to 2013, Appleton-Young said, "There is a tremendous amount of pent-up demand for housing. The number of new units is improving, but it's still low and isn't enough to meet pent-up demand. The housing recovery is gaining strength, but the long-term viability of the market and its recovery depends on jobs."

Where will Florida be in 2013? Assuming that the national fiscal problems are not resolved but are "postponed," Tuccillo said he expects employment in the state to grow by 10 percent in 2013; residential sales to increase by 10 percent; prices (same sales index) to rise by 5 percent; commercial activity to revive; and inventory to grow as the market improves.

"I think the improvement in the market and rising prices will bring more potential sellers back into the market," he said. "Signs point to a better year in 2013."

Florida Realtors^®, formerly known as the Florida Association of Realtors^®, serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 115,000 members in 63 boards/associations.