My First...

There is something special about a 'first'... your first date, a first kiss, a babies first steps. All an occasion for joy and celebration. As agents, we are lucky enough to be a part of a huge 'first' for several of our clients.. their first home! 

Each month we will sit down with someone near and dear to chat about a few of their 'firsts'. This month we chatted with the wonderful Amanda!

What is your first memory of 'home' as a kid? In San Antonio when my parents brought my little sister home after being born.

When was your first time moving out of your parents home?  20, when I finished community college and moved to Gainesville to go to UF!

When was your first big trip away from home?  I spent my summers as a kid with my grandparents in their motor home travelling all over the US to state + national parks as well as amusement parks!

What is your DREAM first home? I am living in my 3rd home and have loved all the homes I have lived in!  I didn't necessarily have a dream first home… This is the first home that my husband Mark and I purchased!

11 TO DO ITEMS ONCE YOU CLOSE

You did it! You bought a house! Congrats! Once you’ve popped the champagne and taken a moment to celebrate there are a few things to tend to as a new homeowner. Check out our list below to help with a flawless transition to your new crib.

11 To Do Items

once you close

1. Change the locks. Especially if your home was a remodel, you can never be sure of how many people had keys to your home.

2. Measure before buying appliances. Trust me.

3. Become comfortable with your breaker box and main water valve in case you would need to access them in an emergency.

4. Check each smoke detector one by one. Tedious, but worth it.

5. Hire a cleaner or do your own deep clean. It’s easier to get every nook and cranny dusted and wiped down while your belongings are still in boxes.

6. Clean out your gutters. This can help prevent any buildup that can cause roof leaks later down the road.

7. Schedule your must have providers immediately (internet, cable, alarm, etc). They tend to book up quickly so the earlier you can get them in the better. Or you can watch 6 weeks of Friends on DVD like me.

8. Confirm with the post office that your address is changed, set up, and ready to start receiving new mail.

9. Double check that all of the utilities have been moved into your name. You don't want your TV turning off in the middle of that big game.

10. Update your driver's license, car registration, and voter registration. 

11. Apply for homestead exemption in person or online. This will save you $ and who doesn’t want that?!

My First...

There is something special about a 'first'... your first date, a first kiss, a babies first steps. All an occasion for joy and celebration. As agents, we are lucky enough to be a part of a huge 'first' for several of our clients.. their first home! 

Each month we will sit down with someone near and dear to chat about a few of their 'firsts'. This month we chatted with the talented Danay Guenther!

What is your first memory of 'home' as a kid?

I have many wonderful memories of home both with my Mom and my Dad. I have to say, though, that "home is where the dog is." When I first got my childhood dog, my Mom and I lived in an apartment complex that didn't allow pets, so my little dog lived with my grandmother. When we moved into a garage apartment and were able to bring my dog with us, that really felt like home.

When was your first time moving out of your parents home?

My Mom and I were roomies until I got married. My husband worked at a Southside apartment complex at the time, so we moved into an apartment there. Free rent was fantastic and oh so helpful, and I worked close by so we were able to eat lunch together at home every day. I'll always cherish my initial memories of that apartment, eating leftover black pepper chicken from the best Wok N Roll in town (Parental Home Rd and Beach Blvd for life!) that we re-heated in our only pan, sitting on our only armchair (I sat on the cushioned arm). Times were simple and amazing. While I love our home now, there's something special about a place where a family begins their life together.

When was your first big trip away from home?

I had some fun adventures through childhood and early adulthood, but the first time travel felt like a really big trip away from home was when some friends and I traveled to Seattle and Vancouver. It's still the farthest distance from home I've ever been. I'm a Jacksonville native and up until that moment I'd only really traveled north or south. Traveling west was something brand new, and I loved it! We went at the perfect time, too, because the tulips were in bloom, and they were everywhere! The colors on the west coast seemed more vibrant, Seattleites on their way home from work carried the most beautiful flowers wrapped in brown paper, and there was a booth at Pike Place Market that sold every type of pasta imaginable. It was heaven! Also, there was a museum dedicated to music AND science fiction. I felt like I'd found a new home! Next, we took a day trip to Vancouver and scaled the Capilano suspension bridge, which was terrifying and awesome at the same time. There was a huge stuffed bear we lovingly named "Cappy" and we had a blast. One day soon I hope to return to the west coast and continue my adventures.

What is your DREAM first home? T

The house my husband and I bought last year really is my dream first home. I had only ever rented apartments before, so buying a house was a really big deal for me. Yes it needs some updates, no the kitchen doesn't have an island (nor room for one), no the garage doesn't exactly fit 2 cars, etc...but we love it so much! Our main thought for the biggest purchase of our lives was a yard for our dog (yes really, don't make fun of me) and she loves her yard, and we love sitting on the deck watching her explore her domain. Our house is absolutely perfect for us, and we wouldn't change a thing. Ok that's not true, we need to work on some landscaping, the garage's paint is peeling, and so on. But I love the prospect of my husband and I making our home our own, together (and not just wishing and hoping the landlord would do it). We are so happy and comfortable here in our first house, our dream home.

The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home

Fall is here! Well, kind of. The pumpkins are out, the decorations are spooky, but in Florida we’re still spending our weekends at the beach. But, let’s pretend it’s not 104 degrees outside and that it’s finally time for sweater weather.

Our favorite things about fall are the food, football, and holidays surrounding food. This season is filled with lots of family time spent in what we think the best part of the house is — the kitchen. The kitchen is a place for gathering with friends + family, dance parties (that’s not just me, right?), and cooking together to create delicious meals to enjoy with each other.

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Jalapeno Popper Chili

Image + Recipe: ©Plain Chicken, Inc.

Jalapeno Popper Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp butter

• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

• 3-1/2 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup half-and-half

• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat pulled off bones and chopped

• 1 pound bacon, cooked and chopped

• 2 (15-oz) cans white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

• 3 fresh jalapeños, seeds removed and diced

• 2 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1 (8-oz) block cream cheese

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven melt butter and stir in flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, until thickened.

2. Add remaining ingredients and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Garnish with additional bacon, jalapeños and pepper jack cheese, if desired.

Emily Addition: Top with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, jalapenos, and tortilla chips!

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Apple Cheddar Chicken Melts

Image: Lauren Volo Recipe: Sheela Prakash

Apple Cheddar Chicken Melts

Ingredients:

• 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices sourdough bread (from a 9-inch round boule)

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 4 teaspoons honey mustard

• 2 1/2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

• 1 small Gala apple, cored and cut into matchsticks

• 4 ounces Brussels sprouts (about 5), finely shredded with a knife or food processor attachment

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven, place a baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 450°F.

Spread the butter evenly on one side of each of the 8 slices of bread. Spread the honey mustard on the opposite side of 4 slices of the bread.

Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Place all the bread slices, butter-side down, on the baking sheet. Evenly distribute the shredded chicken among the mustard-spread bread slices, then distribute the cheese on the remaining 4 bread slices.

Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the slaw.

Combine the apple, Brussels sprouts, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the bread slices with the chicken to a cutting board. Evenly distribute the apple and Brussel sprouts slaw over the chicken. Place the remaining bread slices cheese-side down on top of the slaw to close each sandwich. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.

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Pumpkin Spice White Russian

Image + Recipe: A Tracey creation

Pumpkin Spice White Russian
Ingredients Per Serving

• 4 T. Kahlua

• 3 T. Coffee-mate Pumpkin Spice liquid creamer

• 1 1/2 T. vanilla vodka

• 2 to 3 tsp. canned pumpkin puree

• Sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice

Directions

1. Combine Kahlua, Pumpkin Spice creamer, vodka, and pumpkin puree in a small cocktail glass; stir until well combined. Add ice.

2. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

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We hope you enjoy cooking + creating these together in your kitchen, the heart of the home. Happy Fall!

My First...

There is something special about a 'first'... your first date, a first kiss, a babies first steps. All an occasion for joy and celebration. As agents, we are lucky enough to be a part of a huge 'first' for several of our clients.. their first home! 

Each month we will sit down with someone near and dear to chat about a few of their 'firsts'. This month we chatted with the wonderful Rachel Houck!

What is your first memory of 'home' as a kid?

My first memory of home would probably be when I was three years old and my family was moving to another town. On the day we were leaving, my neighbor friend came over to give me a toy horse. Though I couldn’t verbalize it, I knew that something big was happening. We had roots at that home and her gift was symbolic of a shift in seasons. Several years later my family moved back to that same house and my friend and I were able to pick up right where we left off, continuing a friendship that has extended into adulthood. From that first memory, I learned that home extends past a physical building to include your neighbors and community.

When was your first time moving out of your parent's home?

When I was 19, my sister and two friends rented a house from my grandparents. The rent was cheap, with the caveat that we would try to fix the house up and leave it nicer than when we found it. Granted, we really didn’t know what we were doing, but we tried to keep that promise and had a ton of fun doing it! It was all of our first times living on our own, and we subsisted on frozen lasagna and bagged salad, but during our time there we all grew a ton and shared some of my favorite memories!

When was your first big trip away from home?

During the second semester of my freshman year at college, I studied abroad in Spain. I grew up in a small town, went to an even smaller high school, and hadn’t experienced much outside of the bubble this created. So studying abroad was life changing for me! I loved the friends I was making, the places I was traveling to, and the new cultures I was encountering. But I was also in an environment where everything was different, and there were growing pains in that. It was the first time that I defined who I was by choice, not just by environment. But though I decided for myself who I wanted to be, I realized that each of my homes had undeniably shaped me - and I became thankful for that.

What is your dream First Home?

My dream home is one with a big front porch, character for days, some fruit trees, and plenty of space for family and friends. And one day if i’m very lucky...a refrigerator that makes ice. :)

ATTN Buyers: Lender Questions You Need To Ask!

A lender is one of your main points of contact during a real estate transaction, so it's essential to choose a loan officer that is a good fit for you.  We recommend talking to at least THREE lenders before deciding who to commit to-- after all, you are going to hear from them a lot!  Lenders also have different programs so it's of the utmost importance to see what they can offer so you can make the most informed financial decision for your largest investment. 

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With the help of Florida Realtor Magazine we have 15 questions to share with you that you need to ask your lender.  The more educated you are the, the better choice you can make, so ask away!

1. What are the most popular mortgages you offer?  Why are they so popular?

2. What fees are included in a loan and what fees will be due at closing?

3. Are your rates, terms, fees, and closing costs negotiable?

4. Do you offer discounts for inspections, homeownership classes, or setting up automatic payments?

5. Will I have to buy private mortgage insurance?  If so, how much will it cost and how long will it be required?

6. What are your escrow requirements?

7.  What bill pay options do you offer?

8. What would be included in my mortgage payment (homeowners insurance, property taxes, etc)?

9. Which type of mortgage plan would you recommend for my situation?

10. Who will service this loan - your bank or another company?

11. How long will the rate on this loan be locked-in?  Will I be able to obtain a lower rate if the market rate drops during the lock-in period?

12. How long will the loan approval process take?

13. How long will it take to close the loan?

14. Are there any charges or penalties for prepaying this loan?

15. How much in total will I be paying over the life of this loan?

Need a lender?  Ask Root: hello@rootrealtyjax.com