As you may know, I live in Grovewood – a family-friendly neighborhood tucked in the back of a beauitful golf course community also known as World Golf Village.  My family and I absolutely love it, especially now that the weather is cooling off. One of the best qualities of fall is the ability to enjoy the outdoors. You know fall is in the air when you pull into Grovewood because the streets are lined with children running, riding their bikes and you think you are in the Indy 500 with the power wheels that are cruisin’.

I got off work thirty minutes early which I feel is a reason to celebrate! Celebrate we did with a bottle of Pinot Noir and our beloved neighbor, Betty Gaylor. We pulled up some chairs in the drive way and began our “catch up” ritual. As we were sipping our wine, we heard lions roar. Yes, that is right! Many of you probably do not know this but very close to the King and Bear, there is a wildlife rescue called “The St. Augustine Wild Reserve”. The Founder of the Reserve, Deborah Warrick, has dedicated her life to working with exotic animals.

Sherri Webb had my attention when she told me she recently cut a client’s homeowners insurance premium in half. She saved them more than $700. Sure, cutting coupons and shopping sales are good ways to save a little cash but saving hundreds while someone else does all the work?  That’s powerful! So I paid her a visit to learn a little more.

Sherri has more than 20 years experience in the insurance industry. She recently opened her own personal lines insurance agency, Angle Insurance Group (get it? She protects you from all checks “Angles”), in the Davidson Realty building at World Golf Village. She explained to me that she is an Independent Insurance Agent which means, unlike captive agencies, she can shop several insurance carriers, not just one company, to find the best coverage at the best price. “I don’t have to answer to any type of boss, I am my own boss, so my focus is finding ways to save my customers money. My customers really appreciate that,” said Sherri.  Sherri opened her new agency in June 2010 and is already saving people big money. Customer Sharon Horton said, “I knew Sherri for years but never paid much attention to my insurance until the premiums started to go up.  I had her look at both my homeowners and auto policies and not only did she cut my premiums in half, she also got me better coverage. I kick myself for not having her take care of my insurance earlier!”  Sharon added, “I refer friends to Sherri now and everyone is thrilled. Her personal service is top-notch and she doesn’t rest until she finds you the best coverage for the best price.”

I saw this tv commercial about a contest that The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village was doing. All you had to do was find four locations at WGV and you were entered to win one of four iPads. Now, normally, I wouldn’t do a contest like this. But, come on, it was for an iPad! So last Saturday was a beautiful day – and I thought why not! I got my camera ready and picked up my friends. (One of them is in the picutre above – isn’t he a cutie!)

We decided to start our adventure with a bottle of wine and some sushi at Sushi Bistro across from the King & Bear entrance. And I don’t mean to give anything away, but lo and behold we found the first location. Then, we headed back towards the Hall of Fame because we knew the other locations were not behind the gates of King & Bear. (Goodness, how many clues can I give in one post!)

Since we were making an afternoon of it, we decided to stop in Caddyshack’s for some more inspiration (also known as margaritas!). After that, two of the three remaining locations were relatively easy to find, but that last one was a toughy! So, we called the number on the contest page and asked for help. Alayna gave enough hints that we figured it out in no time and dropped our pictures and entry form at Davidson Realty.

On our way home we laughed about driving in circles looking for the last location, but we had to admit it was a beautiful place to be lost. None of us had been to WGV in the last few years and it really has blossomed into an amazing community. I would encourage everyone to spend a few hours there having fun, but I don’t want to diminish my chances at winning, so please don’t enter!

There are a lot of great things happening in our St. Augustine golf course community these days! The closings in our market area are up 14.6% over last year. There have been some small increases in price in our 32092 zip code the last two months. There are currently 32 homes under construction in the World Golf Village. Here are my top 5 things you need to know:

1. There are 6 new models in The Cascades and 12 homes currently under construction and plans to start several more.
2. There are new owners in Isle of the World. All the existing buildings have been purchased and will be completed soon. The site has been cleaned up and looks so much better.
3. One building in Laterra Links has been completed with 3 additional buildings still under construction.
4. The Laterra Spa is reopening in November. This might be my favorite. I can’t wait to check out the improvements the new owner has made.
5. A custom home is under construction in Oakgrove Estates. One new home was completed in the Crest and two additional homes are under construction. A new home is also under construction in LakeWood. There  is great construction activity in the King & Bear!

If you have any questions on new or existing homes in World Golf Village, please contact one of our great St. Augustine Realtors at Davidson Realty, Inc. Make sure to check out the new construction when you’re out taking photos to win an iPad!

It is time to meet another World Golf Village resident! This month we are introducing you to Kim Hill. Kim and her family – which includes her amazing husband, Chris; her two fabulous princesses, Olivia (4) and Ella (3); and her two Chihuahuas, Gidget and Gizmo – moved to the St. Augustine golf community when she decided to be a stay at home mom. The family loves the peaceful setting of our community! Learn more about Kim…

1. If you had to eat the same meal for the rest of our life, morning, noon, and night, without worrying about nutrition, what would you eat?

Definitely tacos!

2. If you were to be successful in another profession, what would you want to do?

I love fashion; Would love to be a personal shopper. Would be great to purchase designer clothing on someone else’s dime.

3. If you had to eliminate one odor from the earth, which one would you get rid of?

Skunk funk.

4. If you could use only one cosmetic item for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

Would have to be lip gloss; Sunglasses can hide most of your face, but the lips should always look luscious.

5. If you were to be renamed after someone from history, whose name would you want?

Jaqueline Kennedy

A hobby-approach to your home landscape can be very rewarding. It can be stimulating from the perspective of design-exploration; providing you with the opportunity to research and consider myriad potentials for enhancement. It can be the very best method of boosting the entertainment value and market desirability of your home. It is always an aerobic work-out and as such, a very healthy way to invest a little sweat-equity. The very act of implementing change and making visible and tangible improvements is also good for the soul – blessing you with the feeling of getting something accomplished through your own efforts.

I recommend that you first take a global approach – prepare a rough, conceptual plan for all areas of your yard – including the hardscape elements, such as the driveway, pathway, terraces, pool features, fencing and other embellishments. Dream big and don’t be constrained by this year’s budget. Try to look at all of the things that you and your family would like to achieve and sketch them out in the best arrangement. Create a “big-picture” that can inspire you to action. Walk around your grounds and imagine what they could be – drawing from the memory of those places you have visited and how they made you feel. Tour your neighborhood with a keen eye – looking for things that “work”; for compositions that seem pleasing to your eye; for plants and plant groupings that are flourishing in their place. Conduct your tour on foot or on bicycle – and make sure to do it in the morning light – the mid-day light and the evening light – taking note of the changes. Take photographs – but make sure your neighbors don’t mind or think you a bit strange.

Recently, we read an email about Barbie and the different areas of Jacksonville, Florida.  We wanted to take the same approach with the Neighborhoods of World Golf Village, but the people here are definitely not Barbies.  So many people here have dogs and you know people are described to be like their dogs…that got us thinking…

Like a Boxer, the people of GroveWood love children.  They are loyal to their friends and are loving companions.  If you drive down Boat Landing, you will see parents out in the street watching each other’s children play while having some fun themselves.

Basset Hounds are described as “fun loving, affectionate, devoted, and peaceful”, which we think describes the people who live in St. Andrews. Whether grandchildren are stopping by to visit or planning for a committee, they do it all graciously.

The Jack Russell Terrier is the perfect dog for Bearsford. They are lively, spirited, energetic, and amusing. They are always camping, cooking out, and bike riding. These people know how to have fun!