Author: Debbie Roney Smith

Greenwood: A Great Place to Live!

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Greenwood is a small, close-knit community in Jackson County, Florida. The town is home to a number of historic sites such as the Historic Erwin House and the Great Oaks/Bryan Plantation. Additionally, Greenwood is home to the oldest running hardware store, Pender’s Store. Pender’s was opened in 1869 under the name of N. B. Long and Bros. The store maintains the original shelves and heart pine floors. 

The small town is nestled among a growing community, has a lovely public park, and is within a day of a number of amazing cities, state parks, and family-friendly activities. Considering moving to Greenwood? Click on the photos of the beautiful homes below to visit their listing and schedule a viewing!

Senior-Specific Moving Service

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Seniors are a group of individuals who often relocate. There is a variety of reasons seniors move including retirement, downsizing, or access to better health care. No matter the reason, moving can be a lot to handle for the elderly. Hiring a senior-specific moving service can help make the process smoother and less stressful. This is important as 45% of Americans report that they find moving to be stressful.

Caring.com, a leading senior resource, has created a new resource that provides information on the best senior moving companies. It pulls together all the information seniors or their caregivers need to make an informed decision. The resource contains senior moving company details such as specific services, features, service coverage, and discounts. The resource also explains how to avoid scam companies.

Visit the resource HERE. 

Caregiver Appreciation Day

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Caregiver Appreciation Day is a national celebration that recognizes the individuals who provide care services to people who cannot care for themselves. These people include the elderly, the disabled, and those who are hospitalized or in need of temporary care. There are a variety of caregiver appreciation days but it is generally celebrated on either November 13th and/or March 3rd. The value of services provided by informal caregivers has steadily increased over the last decade; worth $450 in 2009, $470 billion in 2013, and $375 billion in 2007.(1)

This annual celebration honors and thanks the selfless caregivers who give their time, effort, and emotional energy to those who need it. Caregivers work with a spectrum of individuals who need assistance due to different conditions; some individuals who require full or part-time caregivers are those living with disabilities, illnesses, and the elderly. There are over 40 MILLION caregivers in the U.S.A. They play an essential role in communities and often go unrecognized for their work.(2) 

Habitat for Humanity Ocala Strawberry Festival

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While a bit of a drive, the upcoming Ocala Strawberry Festival is worth the trip. The 8th annual one-day event features over 230 unique vendors, a kids zone with a petting zoo, a pie eating contest, a petting zoo, live entertainment, photo booths, a car show, a BMX show, and bushels of Plant City strawberries to enjoy. Not only is the festival a fun, tasty time for all ages but all proceeds go to a great cause – proceeds go towards the building of a new, affordable home for low-income families. The house will be called Strawberry House and it will offer low-income families an affordable mortgage and a safe, secure environment to raise their children.

The festival will take place at the McPherson complex on Saturday, March 4th from 9am to 5pm. Festival entry is FREE but please note that on-site parking will be $5/vehicle and vendors will be taking cash/card. Learn more by visiting the festival website HERE for more information or to pre-order your strawberry flat for pickup at the festival. 

North Forida Vegfest

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The 7th Annual North Florida VegFest is coming to Tallahassee on March 4th! Visit Tom Brown Park from 10am to 4pm to enjoy the festival. Tom Brown Park is dog-friendly, so feel free to bring your well-behaved, four-legged friends; they must be on leash. VegFest is put on by the Tallahassee Vegan/Vegetarian Community to celebrate and educate on the veg-lifestyle. The festival focuses on healthy, sustainable, and compassionate living and is appropriate for all ages and all lifestyles. Entry to the festival is FREE but vendors will be taking cash and card, so come prepared. The festival will feature speakers, cooking demos, food vendors, artisans, healthy living vendors, eco-friendly vendors, non-profits, kids’ activities, and free vegan food samples! Be sure to check the North Florida VegFest website for updates HERE. 

 

 

Science Spot for Tots

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The Science and Discovery Center of Northwest Florida is currently holding a series of Science Spots for Tots. Located in Tallahassee, the Discovery Center welcomes all ages to the class although they are geared towards the 2-5 age group. However, the activities are adaptable so children of many ages/abilities can learn and participate. Entry to the event includes day admission to the museum! The event typically runs from 11:30am to12:30pm EST. 

The cost for members of the museum is as follows: $5 for the 1st child and $3 for each additional child. Non-members pay $6 for the 1st child and $3 for each additional child. For both purchases, one accompanying adult is free. The next available class is the February 28th Push & Pull event. However, there will be a number of events until the end of April:

  • March 7th – Light & Shadow
  • March 14th – Sound
  • March 21st – Growing/Animal Babies
  • March 28th – Materials/Things We Use
  • April 4th – Ants
  • April 11th – Spiders
  • April 18th- Rocks
  • April 25th- Backbone Bonanza

Great Oaks Historic Site

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Great Oaks is a Greenwood Historical Site. It’s an Antebellum style mansion built in 1860 for Hamilton Bryan’s mother. The house was originally erected on the 5,200 acre plantation owned by Elijah Bryan, Hamilton’s father. The home slowly fell into disrepair until Bryan desendants eventually sold the home to the Claude-Reese family. The family restored the home between 1961 and 1965; the home is built almost entirely out of heart yellow pine. It stands as a tribute to the era is was built in and is supported by the Jackson County Historical Commission. 

The After Dark Market

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The After Dark Market is happening tonight at Floriopolis! Located in Historic St. Andrews, the market will open at 7pm and run until 11pm EST. This is the sixth After Dark Market; there will be art, oddities, and great performers. 

Learn more by visiting the Facebook event page HERE. 

Securing a Mortgage While Self-Employed

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You can still become a homeowner while being self-employed. There are programs that take self-employed incomes into consideration and work to make the process achievable. One such program is the Bank Statement Program by Cross Country Mortgage LLC. This program allows potential homeowners the opportunity to qualify for a mortgage without some of the income documentation that is typically required. They offer loans up to $3.5M while accepting supplemental income and personal or business bank statements.

Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay

Wondering if this particular program would benefit you? Reach out to Cross Country Mortgage LLC today! Not sure Cross Country Mortgage is right for you? Not ready to reach out to a company to get a mortgage but know it’s in your future? See the list of tips below for things to focus on that will benefit your future mortgage endevours: 

  • Maintain a low Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratio – increase your income and reduce your debt! You want your DTI to be below 50%. Calculate your DTI by adding up your monthly minimum debt payments and dividing the total by your monthly pretax income.
  • Maintain or raise your credit score; credit lenders want to see a low credit utilization ratio. Find your utilization ratio by dividing your balance by your credit limit. 
  • Make sure to keep your personal and business expenses seperate to create a clear distinction and a favorable application profile. Keep expenses seperate by maintaining different bank accounts, credit cards, and financial documents. 

Seawalk Music Festival

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Event Lineup - Click to EnlargeThe Seawalk Music Festival is coming to Jacksonville Beach this weekend! This two-day festival will take place at the Seawalk Pavilion on February 25th and 26th. There will be a variety of musical guests as well as vendors, so come prepared for a fun day of friends, music, and food on the oceanfront. The festival is FREE for everyone; please bring money for food, beverages, and artisan vendors. The event runs from 12-8:30pm on Saturday and 12:30-7:30pm on Sunday. To learn more, visit the festival website HERE.