HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022

From your Friends at Mortgage Masters Group

New Year’s Resolutions Involve Being Greener in 2022

40 Percent Say Their New Year’s Resolutions Involve Being Greener in 2022, According to Poll

 

Four in 10 Brits claim their 2022 New Year’s resolutions involve being greener, according to a new poll.

A survey of 2,000 adults found 27 percent of those with green resolutions plan on using colder washing cycles, while just under a third will try and cut down on their meat intake.  Other changes people are making for the year ahead include always carrying a reusable water bottle (33 percent), taking shorter showers (25 percent), and growing their own veg (24 percent).  And more than half of Brits (56 percent) said simply having a better understanding of how their central heating works would help them to live a greener lifestyle.

As many as 75 percent of those with green resolutions for 2022 admitted that while they ‘never’ normally stick to their resolutions, they want to this year, to help save the planet.  Combating climate change is the most popular reason (44 percent) for adults making plans to live more sustainably next year, with 41 percent hoping to have a positive impact on local wildlife.

While four in 10 are looking to reduce their energy costs by going greener, and 37 percent believe their green resolutions will be good for their health.  Marc Robson, Smart Energy Expert at British Gas, which commissioned the survey, said, “It’s great to see how many people recognize the benefits of living more sustainably—not just for the planet, but in making our everyday lives healthier and more cost-effective.

“There are so many small steps we can take around the home to be greener and save on our energy costs—and being energy-efficient is also getting easier with the help of technology.

“Three in 10 respondents said their resolutions include turning the heating off or down when they go out, but a smart thermostat can take care of that.

“And having a smart meter means you can keep track of your energy usage in real-time, helping you identify opportunities to make savings.”

The poll also found that nine in 10 of those, with green resolutions, believe that although their commitments have been influenced by increasing energy prices, they’d be making an effort to live more sustainably anyway.  And the same number think the small steps they’re taking to live more sustainably in 2022 will lead to make bigger changes in years to come.

A quarter of those with green resolutions intend to do less driving, and 37 percent want to buy more food with less packaging—but these are both among the green resolutions considered hardest to keep.

Despite their best intentions, a quarter of those who have green ambitions reckon they will have fallen by the wayside by the second week in January.

Perhaps that’s because a quarter (24 percent) have made green resolutions in the past and failed to stick to them.  But 74 percent of adults polled, via OnePoll, believe they have a role to play in bettering the world.  And more than half (53 percent) went as far as to say they believe 2022 is the last chance the world has to start reversing the effects of climate change.

Marc Robson, from British Gas, added, “We know that most people with green resolutions (70 percent) have been thinking about them for a while. And now is the perfect time to commit to them.

“It’s best to smart small with a resolution you can stick to—and then you can add to or extend it when you’re ready.

“Everyone needs to take responsibility for reaching net zero, and it’s our job to make sure that’s inspiring, not daunting.

“Working together is vital, so that we can all make a positive contribution that’s right for us.”

For energy efficiency and sustainability tips to implement around the home in the New Year, visit the British Gas website.

BRITS’ TOP GREEN RESOLUTIONS FOR 2022:

1. Recycle better

2. Buy food with less packaging

3. Turn off lights in rooms that aren’t being used

4. Take reusable bags shopping

5. Turn off electrical items when not in use e.g., laptops, TV

6. Turn the tap off whilst brushing your teeth

7. Refill water bottles

8. Put on extra layers instead of turning on the heating

9. Eat less meat

10. Turn off/lower the heating when leaving the house

11. Reuse leftover food

12. Use lamps with low energy use

13. Use colder washing cycles

14. Take shorter showers

15. Drive less

16. Shop second-hand e.g., clothes

17. Grow your own vegetables

18. Cycle more

19. Never use takeaway coffee cups

20. Avoid use of paper e.g., printing

21. Plant a tree

22. Upcycle furniture

23. Wash the car by hand instead of using a water hose

24. Fly less

25. Buy organic food

SHARE the Good Green News and Inspire Others to be Eco-Friendly…

See Beautiful Display of Christmas Wreaths on These Colorful Georgian Homes

These pictures show a beautiful display of Christmas wreaths against the backdrop of colouful Georgian townhouses.

Festive wreaths were seen hanging on 20 brightly coloured doors around Edinburgh’s elegant New Town in Scotland.

A Christmas staple, the wreaths adorned the pink, purple, blue, red,and yellow front doors of the townhouses, and were decked out with baubles, flowers, and greenery.

Take a look below and choose your favorites.

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SHARE These Festive and Fun Wreath Photos All Over Social…

Pen-Pal Santa

Heartwarming Annual Pen-pal Relationship With Santa Began When She Got a Gift From Him at Burning Man

 

Back in 2017, I met with Santa’s doppelganger at the Burning Man event, which used to take place every September pre-COVID. He was giving out gifts from his large sack at the impromptu Jazz Cafe. We had a lovely chat but did not exchange contact details.

The next year I bumped into the same man again at Burning Man. We recognized each other and he gave me a new gift. Out of the blue, he then brought out a saxophone and went up to the stage to play Santa Claus is coming to town with the band.

This time I got his email address and waited several months until the night of Christmas Eve to write to him, telling Santa what Christmas meant to me, and how special his act of spreading joy was.

He responded as ‘Santa’ on Christmas day and this has been the start of a yearly tradition of letter exchanges. The next year, I surprised him, prancing into the Jazz Cafe along with 13 of my friends dressed as reindeers. We came bearing gifts, so that Santa would finally be the one receiving presents.

In the last two years we have not been able to meet during the pandemic, but the letter tradition has lived on.

Our letters have been filled with nostalgia for better days, and their themes have followed the changing times.

For instance, in 2020 Santa said he was working remotely—and his Christmas factory started producing hand sanitizer because the pandemic required him to wipe down the sleigh between house visits dropping off gifts. (They are quite responsible like that.)

While the elves did not receive Christmas bonuses Santa made sure there were no layoffs. While working from home, Santa was also on the Doughvid-19 diet and worried he may not fit through chimneys. Meanwhile I, as Rudolph (‘Ruddie’), lamented the lack of children stroking his fur and wondered whether the light of my nose would be hidden behind a mask while making deliveries.

Now that my nieces are old enough to write, they have joined in the letter tradition, expressing their own COVID-19 related concerns.

 

It is these forays into imaginary worlds that allow us to get through collective hardships, and these lighthearted connections and traditions are all the more meaningful in our socially isolated times.

Though I engage in a nomadic lifestyle, I generally am based in Barcelona, Spain, and am hoping to reunite with Santa in 2022. It has brought me much joy to have such a special pen pal over the years. Here are some highlights of our letter exchanges:

First letter in 2018:

“Dearest Santa, I love what Christmas represents, and meeting you on Burn Night reminded me that every moment is magic and the world is a better place when we are allowed to act like children again. And believe me I felt like a child in that moment when you reached into your big old sack and handed me one of your gifts! Sometimes it takes a jolly man in a Santa suit to remind you of that…”

Santa’s response:

“Dear Roxane, You are an excellent writer. Your letter certainly showed a more advanced level of cognition, perception, and erudition than the typical letters I get which are often written in crayon. I hope you received the response from my assistant while I was making deliveries, and forgive me for not replying to your kind letter sooner. It was the most hectic holiday season I can remember. Mrs. Claus and I were quite irresponsible and took a vacation to New Zealand the first two weeks of November. We spent the following 5 weeks playing catchup.

I am glad we met at Jazz camp, and twice no less. I don’t give such presents to just anybody, but you seemed to have some inner sparkle that inspired me. Throwing your inhibitions aside and exploring your inner child is a wonderful thing. I try to nurture my playful side, so helping others to do so is a joy. When I put on the suit it brings out the child in many people. For some, when I ask if they have been good or bad the last year, it precipitates a very intense self analysis of their lives…. Santa aka ‘Whitebeard’”

My letter from Christmas 2021 (I go by Rudolph, now, in our exchanges)

“Dear Santa,

Still, in the midst of this hyper accelerated “new normality,” this reindeer has kept a soft spot for the rituals of the past. It is always good to take time to reflect on how far we’ve come over the last year. Even though it may crop up on us, each circle around the sun is a new line that we wear. Etched in us like the stumps of ancient furs trees in the forest. Although it started rather muted, this year has seen the world reopen. People have come together again, and we have tasted the seeds of hope anew. Yet in some ways it feels like the interim chapter in a trilogy. That in-between state when the world sways between old and new, trying to find its feet. But these moments in the story are always as full of adventures as they are of reckonings. Opportunities to shape what will be. Times to craft our hero journeys… Rudie”

Retired Couple Recreates Their Friends’ Christmas Card Photo Every Year – By Posing in Place of Their Young Children

A retired couple amusingly recreate their friends’ Christmas card photo every year—by posing in place of their young children.

68-year-old Carol and 72-year-old Michael Whalen started the tradition after receiving a greetings card showing their pals’ then one-year-old son in his toy car.

They have been remaking Ryan and Samantha Dominik’s cards ever since, now featuring two adorable tots of five and two.

Michael said, “My wife and I received the original Christmas card, they had taken their son out to get a Christmas tree.

“My wife was looking at it she said you know we ought to replicate it—she has a red car, and I have a knit sweater.

“We just sort of re-enacted the photos and it received such a warm response from our group, next year we just continued the tradition.

“It was just something that caught our attention because we have three children and were still waiting for a grandchild.

The parents have roped in their eldest son Christopher to take the photos for them.

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Writer and filmmaker Christopher said “I love the tradition. I got a real kick out of it when I first saw it.

“We’re essentially family, and it was a real cute rendition for us all.”

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Ryan, Christopher, and Christopher’s two siblings all grew up in the same neighbourhood, with the eldest becoming the godfather to Ryan’s son.

33-year-old Samantha said, “Mike and Carol have been like parents to Ryan, and he has lived with them on three different occasions growing up.

“They have always played a huge role in his life, and our kids are lucky to have a third set of grandparents.”

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In 2017, the Dominiks sent out an adorable Christmas card featuring their son dragging a tiny Christmas tree and driving his toy car.

One week later, Ryan got a text from Carol telling him to check his emails—and there was the images of Mike posing as his son outside their log cabin in Otis, Massachusetts.

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Mike is pictured in a cable knit sweater hauling a full-size Christmas tree, and driving his Ford Escape with the tree on the roof.

Mom-of-two Samantha said, “We all got a huge kick out of it and we called them right away to praise their work and laugh about it.

“The rest is history! Every year we mail our cards around Thanksgiving and we wait to see what they will respond with.

“It has become such a fun tradition to look forward to, and I always have them in my mind when choosing the photo I will take each Christmas.”

Carol and Michael call up the Dominiks every year to check when they will be sending out their cards so they have time to prepare their own.

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The Whalen parents have donned full length Christmas PJs, and posed wearing Christmas lights outside in the snow.

Samantha, an office manager, said, “Ryan always jokes with them that things are going to get more complicated this year, making remarks like ‘I hope you have access to a hot air balloon’.

“I almost felt bad for making it a little more elaborate this year, and I even offered to let them borrow the cocoa stand for their recreation, but Carol was very sweetly insulted by my offer.

“They do everything themselves, getting nearly identical pyjamas, props, and so on.

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“We were so impressed that they built their own cocoa stand, but not at all surprised.

“Their attention to detail is spot on and they always seem to top themselves every year, it never ceases to amaze us.

“They always send their photos to us with funny captions, such as ‘we stole their Christmas card idea.’

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“This year they undercut our cocoa prices and we all got a kick out of that.”

Ryan added, “I don’t think our two-year-old understands as much, but our five-year-old loves it as much as we do!”

Christopher thinks as his parents are retired teachers, they both have a lot of time on their hands for their annual stunt.

He said, “We’re a family of goofballs, so it’s pretty much par for the course. I think it will go on for as long as they’re alive to be honest.

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“Hopefully they’ll have some blood-related grandchildren to do it to as well.

“I can’t say I’m surprised it’s gone on this long, but it’s gotten progressively better with each passing year.”

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Holiday Greetings from your Friends at Mortgage Masters Group

ST. LUCIE COUNTY HOUSING MARKET HEATS UP AS MEDIAN SALE PRICE INCREASES

Just in! Newly released market reports from Florida Realtors® detailing recent real estate activity in St. Lucie County. The reports compare year-over-year data for November. Here are statistics on single family homes.

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“The November reports are out, and they did not disappoint! The holiday season certainly isn’t slowing down the red-hot housing market in St. Lucie County. We saw a 29.1 percent year-over-year increase in median sale price to $335,000 as well as the average days on market dropping 40 percent to 9 days. It’s impressive to see the consistency in growth for median sale price and the days on market decreasing with regularity in 2021. Houses are being scooped up almost as quickly as they are listed and homeowners are seeing an increasingly great return on investment,” said Karen Johnson, President of Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors®.

Days on market is a measure of the length of the home selling process calculated for sales which closed during the month. Time to contract measures the number of days between the initial listing for a property and the signing of the contract which eventually led to the closing of the sale.

“As snowbirds and northerners continue to make the move to Florida, the market shows no signs of slowing down as we inch closer to 2022. My advice to people who are contemplating buying or selling is to contact a local Realtor® today and ask for their expertise. A Realtor® can help you with all your real estate needs and negotiate the right price for you in this competitive market,” continues Johnson.

Median sale price is our preferred summary statistic for price activity, because unlike average sale price, median sale price is not sensitive to high sale prices for small numbers of homes that may not be characteristic of the market area.

Market Reports: Single Family (Opens as PDF.) | Townhouses/Condos (Opens as PDF.)

50 Most Competitive Rental Markets in 2021

The nation’s hottest rental market in 2021: Eugene, Ore., according to a new end-of-the-year report from RentCafe. The city has been attracting new residents and boasts a rapidly growing tech sector. San Diego, Calif., and Knoxville, Tenn., were number two and number three on RentCafe’s list.

In 2021, the most competitive rental markets tended to be smaller metros that are within close proximity to nature and allow for a more affordable lifestyle, researchers note. Smaller towns are attracting newcomers who are moving away from densely populated metros ever since the pandemic began, RentCafe notes.

To rank the hottest rental markets, RentCafe evaluated 105 markets to measure competitiveness by looking at the number of days rentals were vacant, the percentage of apartments occupied, number of renters competing for vacant apartments, and rental applicants’ average credit scores. In Knoxville, vacant apartments are getting snatched up in less than 20 days.

Rank	Market	Competitive Score	Average Vacancy Days	Occupied Apartments	Prospective Renters	Credit Score
1	Eugene	15.2	24	96.9%	30	670
2	San Diego	17.4	26	97.0%	29	671
3	Knoxville	19.2	18	97.5%	36	645
4	Central Coast	21.8	27	97.7%	28	664
5	Sacramento	23.0	24	97.0%	23	653
6	Providence	23.4	27	97.4%	21	670
7	Lehigh Valley	23.6	24	97.5%	34	644
8	Tacoma	24.6	23	97.3%	24	644
9	Wilmington	25.8	22	96.2%	19	663
10	Orange County	26.6	29	97.0%	20	671
11	Pensacola	27.6	18	96.7%	25	639
12	Southwest Florida	31.0	24	96.6%	24	643
13	Eastern Los Angeles County	31.2	30	97.3%	28	654
14	Inland Empire	33.2	25	97.6%	28	636
15	Palm Beach County	35.0	26	96.7%	23	643
16	Miami-Dade County	35.2	26	96.2%	24	647
17	Omaha	35.4	25	96.3%	16	652
18	Grand Rapids	36.0	25	97.0%	22	637
19	Long Island	36.6	29	96.7%	13	673
20	Salt Lake City	37.4	23	96.1%	19	643

Rank	Market	Competitive Score	Average Vacancy Days	Occupied Apartments	Prospective Renters	Credit Score
21	Savannah	37.6	21	96.3%	20	636
22	El Paso	38.4	23	97.4%	24	626
23	Eastern Virginia	39.8	23	96.6%	20	632
24	The Triangle	40.8	25	95.8%	14	658
25	Bridgeport – New Haven	41.4	28	96.2%	19	651
26	Central Jersey	41.6	41	96.5%	18	668
27	Colorado Springs	42.2	22	95.4%	15	647
28	Suburban Twin Cities	42.6	25	96.0%	14	656
29	Central Valley	43.0	25	97.9%	29	616
29	Portland	43.0	30	96.3%	15	661
31	Albuquerque	43.8	22	96.8%	19	626
32	Suburban Philadelphia	44.2	32	95.8%	16	670
32	Fayetteville	44.2	15	97.9%	17	620
34	Harrisburg	44.4	30	96.7%	23	638
35	Seattle	44.8	32	95.2%	16	677
36	Broward County	45.0	28	96.7%	20	636
37	Huntsville	46.0	23	96.4%	13	638
38	Denver	46.2	27	95.4%	14	660
39	Phoenix	46.4	25	96.3%	20	631
40	Tampa	46.6	25	96.4%	22	629

Rank	Market	Competitive Score	Average Vacancy Days	Occupied Apartments	Prospective Renters	Credit Score
40	Pittsburgh	46.6	30	95.1%	13	685
42	Wichita	47.2	19	96.8%	13	629
43	Reno	47.4	25	96.4%	17	632
44	Orlando	47.6	25	96.7%	21	627
45	East Bay	48.0	35	95.5%	15	672
46	Jacksonville	48.6	24	96.4%	20	625
47	Charleston	49.2	25	95.0%	14	645
48	North Jersey	49.8	39	95.0%	13	707
49	Lansing – Ann Arbor	50.4	25	96.2%	15	637
50	North Dakota	51.0	25	96.2%	10	650

Solstice Webcams Capturing Today’s Winter Celestial Event

The ancients were astonishingly aware of the changes in the world they inhabited, and the few structures that survive from their time—monolithic stone monuments, demonstrate this as they often align with astronomical events.

The British and Irish governments are livestreaming the monuments of Newgrange in Ireland and Stonehenge in England, to allow anyone who wants to to watch the setting sun on the 22nd pass straight through the henge and the rising sun through the Newgrange passage tomb.

Stonehenge and Newgrange

The English Heritage YouTube channel stream will begin at 7:25AM GMT, or 1:25AM U.S. EST, to watch the sunset at Stonehenge on the 22nd of December, while the Heritage Ireland channel goes live every morning at 8:45AM GMT or 2:45AM U.S. EST, on the 21st and 22nd to show the passage of the rising sun through the burial chamber at Newgrange. 

“Watching the light creep into the five-thousand-year-old passage tomb in real time is a moving event that has the power to fill us both with wonder at the ancient architects’ ingenuity and with hope for the future,” said Patrick O’Donovan at the Office of Public Works, Ireland.

Shaped inside like a cross with three recesses for cremated remains, the low-lying winter sun comes in through a shaft above the main entrance that baths the central chamber in light for around 17 minutes. It was constructed around 3,200 BCE.

Maeshowe Chambered Cairne

For those not wanting to get up so early, at the Maeshowe Chambered Cairne in Scotland, a livestream will begin to celebrate the Winter Solstice with poetry, and information about the site, coupled with the phenomenon of the setting sun moving perfectly in line with openings down into the interior of the cairne. This occurs at 4:00PM GMT, or 10:00AM U.S. EST and can be found on this YouTube channel.

Maeshowe Chambered Cairne can be found on the island of Orkney, and is considered the heart of Neolithic Scotland. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the central chamber is 15 feet in each direction and the roof is twelve feet high. it is very similar to Newgrange in Ireland, but was built around 500 years after.

SHARE the Mystical Fun on Social Media…

How High Inflation Is Affecting Real Estate

Rising inflation is pressing on Americans across the economic spectrum with costs for groceries to gasoline increasing. In November, consumer prices increased by 6.8% compared to a year ago, the largest annual gain in the past 40 years.

Some of the highest increases occurred for energy, shelter, cars, and food, which comprise about 61% of consumer purchases and account for 81% of inflation over the past 12 months, MarketWatch reports.

Renters may be feeling the impact. Rents are up 3% and accelerating at about 5% annually, says Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of REALTORS®.

Also, heating bills are increasing; natural gas prices have jumped by 25%.

Yun also warns that the increase in inflation is a primary reason that mortgage rates will likely rise in 2022. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is predicted to reach 3.7% by the end of 2022. Rates averaged 3.10% last week, according to Freddie Mac.

“One aspect of inflation is that real estate has proven to be a good hedge,” Yun says.

As he explains in a recent statement:

“In the 1970s, a high inflationary period when [the Consumer Price Index] averaged 7.1% per year, home price gains outpaced inflation with a 9.9% gain. Even when interest rates soared in the 1980s and thereby crushed home sales, home prices still held up to consumer price inflation: 5.5% versus 5.6%. That’s because rents are soaring. Other decades also show similar patterns. Therefore, for those concerned about the loss in purchasing power of money and savings, be assured that real estate has proven to be a good hedge against inflation.”

 

Source: “Instant Reaction: Consumer Price Index, December 10, 2021,” National Association of REALTORS® Economists’ Outlook blog and “Inflation Is Running Rampant in the U.S.—Here’s Where It Is, and Isn’t,” MarketWatch (Dec. 11, 2021)

Treasure Coast Weekend Happenings

Mass in A Major: A Christmas Celebration

Date: Friday December 17, 2021

Time: 12:00 am

Location: First Presbyterian Church

Address: 520 Royal Palm Boulevard, Vero Beach, 32960

Price: free; $10 donation suggested

Category: Concert / Live Music

The Music and Arts Department of First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach, in a large collaboration with several local choirs and high school musicians, will present a Christmas Celebration of the Mass in A Major by Cesar Franck this Holiday season. Two performances are scheduled to be held in the sanctuary at 520 Royal Palm Boulevard in Vero Beach. They will be held Friday, December 17, 2021, at 7:00pm, and Sunday, December 19, 2021, at 4:00pm. Admission is free to the community; a $10 donation is suggested.

Francks mass was originally written as a large orchestral work and featured three choir parts- soprano, tenor, and bass. Likely after concerns presented by the publisher due to the size of the work, Franck adapted the mass for smaller forces only to include harp, organ, cello, and double bass. It was this version that was originally printed in 1872. Eventually, the full orchestral score was printed, along with an adaptation for 4-part vocals to account for modern-day choirs. It is this larger work with the modern-day vocal score that will be presented at First Presbyterian Church in December.

This mass en masse endeavor will feature the First Presbyterian Chancel Choir in collaboration with singers from The Vero Beach Choral Society, Sebastian River High School Choirs, Vero Beach High School Choirs, and Indian River Charter High School Choir. The Youth String Orchestra will be joined by newly formed FPC Youth Winds and Percussion ensemble under the direction of Jessica Russell, Assistant Band Director at Vero Beach High School. As such, this will be the first performance of the newly established First Presbyterian Youth Symphonic Orchestra.

For more information, please contact Ginger Lagemann, Music and Arts Administrator, at (772) 562-9088 or ginger@firstpresvero.org.

http://www.firstpresvero.org/events

 

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Historic Downtown Art Walk

Treasure Coast Events

Date: Event occurs the third Friday of every month.

Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Location: Treasure Coast Events IRC

Address: , , FL,

Price: Free

Category: Cultural

Every 3rd Friday, the rendezvous is at Downtown Fort Pierce, 5-8 PM! Join your local arts community on March 19 for the next Art Walk. Artists will line up the historic streets, and musicians and other performance artists will further entice you to visit art galleries and businesses. Plus, get discounts from participating retailers and much more. Mark your calendar! 3/19/21

https://artstlucie.org/event/march-art-walk

 

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Heathcote’s Garden of Lights

Date: Friday December 17, 2021 through Saturday December 18, 2021.

Time: 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Address: 210 Savannah Rd

Price: $10 adults children 6-12 $ 3.00 under 3yrs old free

Category: Christmas & Holiday

Garden of Lights visitors will enjoy enchanted gardens that feature favorite light displays from last year, as well as new additions to dazzle audiences. A sparkling blue River and Waterfall forms the centerpiece of the Garden, along with a kaleidoscope of colorful flower beds, potting benches, vegetables, a vineyard pathway and more to amaze guests at every turn. Purchase tickets online on our website or at the gate.

Heathcote’s Garden of Lights

 

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The Jazz Market

Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society

Date: Event occurs every Saturday of every month.

Time: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Location: Historic Downtown on the Waterfront

Address: 200 N Indian River Dr

Category: Festival

Every Saturday, the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society hosts a Jazz Market “featuring creative arts & crafts” in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce on the waterfront of the Indian River. Original hand made crafts, stained glass, Highwaymen paintings, hand-painted glassware and much, more are available for purchase. Funds raised support education programs and local scholarships.

The Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society Jazz Market is a year-round event.

The Jazz Market summer hours are 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Although we enjoy promoting our local Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County resident artists and crafters, our market is open to all crafters who wish to participate, given space available and our Market Managers discretion. If you are interested in displaying or selling your items, download the The Jazz Market Guidelines and Vendor Application.

If you are an interested new vendor, applications are now being accepted.

Print and fill out an application and return it with pictures of your items to:

P.O. Box 1086, Fort Pierce, FL 34954-1086

For more information, please email: JazzMarket@jazzsociety.org

Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society

 

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Outdoor Greet Market in Tradition

Date: Event occurs every Saturday of every month.

Time: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Address: 87 Village Pkwy, Port St. Lucie, 34987

Price: Free

Category: Food Special

Come for a nice stroll through the Tradition Green Market every Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Completely outdoors and perfect for social distancing.

Over 30 different vendors on one long strip with organic fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, fresh produce, raw local honey, free-range organic eggs, kombucha, fresh juices, baked goods, gluten-free bread, pastries, desserts, spices, marinades, jams, marmalades, plants, herbs, flowers, orchids, fresh local beef.

We also offer home decor, custom jewelry, fabric masks, clothes, shoes, custom and handmade products, arts and crafts, unique gifts, goods, services and so much more.

Our vendors and farmers rotate so we don’t always have the same products but we’ll always have something good every Saturday.

Brunch food trucks too!!

Come spend the morning with us, and support your local vendors and small business, we’ll have a nice gourmet coffee and warm breakfast waiting for you every Saturday from 9am to 1pm “Rain or Shine”

“Tradition Neighborhood Market “ is located in the parking lot across from Target and Michael’s in Tradition – Port St Lucie.

Free Parking-Free Parking lot and Pets are always welcome !!!

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Hot Weelz 6th Annual Tokyo Car Show

MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center

Date: Saturday December 18, 2021

Time: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Location: MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center

Address: 9221 SE Event Center Pl, Port St. Lucie , FL, 34952

Price: Free

Category: Arts / Exhibits

Hot Weelz presents the 6th Annual Tokyo Car Show and Toy Drive!

The event is free and open to the public! The car show will take place in the Event Center parking garage.

Cars, trucks and bikes welcomed. Over 100 trophies to give away!

https://hotweelz.com/

 

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Winter Solstice Drum Circle

Date: Sunday December 19, 2021

Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Location: Savannas Preserve State Park Main Entrance

Address: 2541 SE Walton Road, Port St Lucie

Price: $6/person

Category: Concert / Live Music

Celebrate the beginning of Winter with local drumming enthusiasts at the 8th annual Winter Solstice Drum Circle hosted by the Savannas Preserve State Park and Kevin Beatkeeper!

Savannas Preserve State Park is going to host a drum circle on the evening of December 19, 2021 from 6 pm to 8 pm. Tickets can be pre-purchased online or can be purchased at the event entrance with cash only (no credit card or checks). Cost is $6 per person (infants and toddlers are free).

The drum circle will take place out front of the Education Center of the Savannas Preserve State Park. You are encouraged to bring your own chair. You are welcome to bring your own drum or borrow an instrument during the event. A variety of musical instruments will be available for sale for cash or credit. You can also just come and enjoy the sights and sounds of the drums in this beautiful and natural Preserve.

Come celebrate the Winter Solstice with us at the Savannas Preserve State Park located at 2541 SE Walton Road, Port St Lucie, FL 34952. Questions about the event can be directed to the Education Center at 772 398 2779.

https://www.friendsofsavannas.org/

Choices for 2022 Color of the Year: Green Is Gold

Another green hue has been selected as the hottest color for the new year. Sherwin-Williams announced its 2022 color of the year: evergreen fog, an earthy gray-green tone.

The paint firm’s announcement comes on the heels of two other paint companies that this year chose gray-green shades as their 2022 leading color picks. PPG chose olive sprig, while Behr selected breezeway.

Sherwin-Williams says evergreen fog is a calming color with nods to nature that could make a neutral backdrop not only for interiors but also for commercial spaces’ entry areas and lobbies.

 

© Sherwin-Williams

 

“Evergreen fog is a sophisticated wash of color for spaces that crave a subtle yet stunning statement shade,” said Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. “Create depth and texture with a mix of natural-looking textiles. Add a little gleam with a fusion of metals—champagne gold, warm brass, or inky black.”

This is olive sprig, PPG’s 2022 color of the year.

 

© PPG Paints

 

This is breezeway, Behr’s 2022 color of the year.

 

© Behr Paint

More color inspiration: 2021’s Most Popular Paint Colors in Pictures 

Source: Sherwin-Williams

Contractors Hard to Find Amid Renovation Boom

Homeowners have been busy sprucing up their properties during the pandemic. Even as the year winds down, their desires aren’t fading. More than 70% of U.S. homeowners recently surveyed say they are planning or considering a home renovation project before the end of the year, according to a survey from Dewalt, a tool manufacturer and Stanley Black & Decker brand. They’re focused on bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, porches, patios, decks, and landscaping projects in that order, the survey shows.

But finding a contractor to help do the job has become a pressing challenge. Also, material shortages abound. Both issues are delaying many projects and making them more expensive.

Eighty-four percent of consumers surveyed say they plan to use a professional contractor for their project. But more than half of survey respondents—56%—who’ve reached out to a contractor say they were told they’d have to wait at least three months for work to start.

The contractors most in demand are electricians, flooring installers, plumbers, window contractors, and structural work contractors, the Dewalt survey finds.

Why Renovations Are Growing

Home renovations are being motivated for multiple reasons, from making homeowners happier with their current home to adding extra space to even make a home more sellable.

“In the short term, many homeowners who deferred projects—both large and small—in 2020 are expected to complete those renovations once the pandemic is over,” Kermit Baker, director of the remodeling futures program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies, said in a report this spring, Improving America Housing 2021. “Additionally, there has been an upturn in homeownership as younger households look to purchase homes, the number of multigenerational households has been growing, and remote work has given people more locational flexibility and the desire to modify their homes.”

Many recent renovations also are being driven by natural disasters, too, such as hurricanes and tornadoes. The U.S. had 22 disasters that caused a record high of $1 billion or more in damages last year.

 

Source: “Renovation Boom Drives Demand for Contractors,” Austin Business Journal (Dec. 13, 2021)

Home equity gains reach record $3.2 trillion

It’s one thing to sense huge equity gains for homeowners amid a surge in refinancing, but it’s quite another to see the actual number. According to analysts at CoreLogic, US homeowners with mortgages – representing some 63% of all properties – amassed collective gains of $3.2 trillion in the third quarter alone.

The findings are contained in CoreLogic’s Homeowner Equity Report, which shows a 31.1% increase from last year’s comparable period. The amount represents an average gain of $56,700 per homeowner since

It’s one thing to sense huge equity gains for homeowners amid a surge in refinancing, but it’s quite another to see the actual number. According to analysts at CoreLogic, US homeowners with mortgages – representing some 63% of all properties – amassed collective gains of $3.2 trillion in the third quarter alone.

The findings are contained in CoreLogic’s Homeowner Equity Report, which shows a 31.1% increase from last year’s comparable period. The amount represents an average gain of $56,700 per homeowner since

Frank Nothaft, chief economist for CoreLogic, attributed home price growth as the principal driver of home equity creation. According to the report, home prices were up 17.7% for the past 12 months ending in September. Price growth has proven to be the fuel spurring record gains in home equity wealth, the economist added.

The latest data shows steadily increasing equity growth from previous reports.

The Q1 report showed an equity increase of 19.6% year over year, representing a collective equity gain of more than $1.9 trillion. The average gain then was $33,400 per borrower in the 2020 comparable period.

The upward trend was seen in this year’s second quarter, when the nation’s homeowners saw a 29.3% increase in equity gains to $2.9 trillion. The average gain was $51,500 per borrower, the previous report indicated.

The gains are hardly surprising in light of robust home price growth, Selma Hepp, CoreLogic’s deputy chief economist, told Mortgage Professional America.

“The tremendous gains in equity we’ve seen over the last year are not surprising given home price growth has surpassed 20% in some regions in the same timeframe,” Hepp said. “While considerable home price growth has not been favorable for first-time homebuyers, or buyers with budget constraints, it has created wealth stability for existing homeowners.”

To achieve its findings, CoreLogic surveyed more than 3,000 consumers to check the pulse of the housing market.

Yet amid the rosy assessment, analysts warn of potential negative equity should home prices take a modest dive next year. Because home equity is affected by home price changes, analysts explained, borrowers with equity positions near (+/-5%) the negative equity cut-off are most likely to move out of or into negative equity as prices change, respectively. Stated another way: “If home prices increase by 5%, 145,000 homes would regain equity; if home prices decline by 5%, 191,000 would fall underwater.”

 

 

SURVEY: SELLERS WAITING OUT PANDEMIC ARE READY TO LIST IN NEW YEAR

Owners who postponed selling during the pandemic – perhaps waiting for a sign that price increases were slowing – appear ready to list their home within the next six months. Many, however, plan to overprice it – and they expect bidding wars to push the final price even higher.

 

Many homeowners hunkered down during the pandemic, and some feared the housing market because selling might be easy but finding a new home? Not so much.

A survey conducted by HarrisX for realtor.com, however, suggests that many of those people might be planning to list their home in 2022, with 65% of them planning to do so this winter and spring. The survey of 2,583 consumers was conducted online in September-October 2021.

Many sellers, however, want to set an asking price higher than they think their home is worth, and they expect buyer bidding wars.

“The pandemic has delayed plans for many Americans, and homeowners looking to move on to the next stage of life are no exception,” says George Ratiu, manager of economic research for realtor.com.

“Buyers should be ready for high asking prices and offer deadlines as seller expectations of the upcoming market are greater than in the spring, but an increase in new sellers could mean some relief from the inventory crunch,” he says, saying price growth has moderated some, and many sellers will likely wait until after the holidays to make a move.

However, early 2022 home listers may have an advantage, he adds. “As buyers race against the clock of rising mortgage rates, sellers who price their homes in line with today’s market and stick to their plans will likely see their expectations met.”

When will sellers list?

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  Among homeowners who seem prepared to enter the market in the next year, 65% will do so within six months, including 19% who have already listed their home.

  
  


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  Compared to the spring (76%), more prospective sellers (93%) have already taken steps toward listing their home, including working with an agent (28%).

  
  


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  More than one-third of prospective sellers (36% each) have researched the value of their home and others in their neighborhood, and started making repairs or decluttering.

  
  

 

Top reason for selling? More time at home during COVID

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  Compared to the spring (15%), nearly two-times as many prospective sellers (33%) want different home features.

  
  


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  With more sellers having children at home this winter (65%) than in the spring (43%), family considerations are a top reason behind homeowner decisions to enter the market: 37% of prospective sellers say their home no longer meets their family’s needs and 32% want to move closer to friends and family.

  
  


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  The rise in remote work is also a key driver: 23% of sellers want a home office and 19% don’t need to live near work, up from 6% in March.

  
  

 

Seller expectations

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  Nearly half of today’s prospective sellers want to take advantage of the current market and think they can make a profit (45%), nearly doubling from the spring (24%).

  
  


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  When asked about current market impacts, 42% said they plan to list their property for more money than they think it’s worth, and 29% will push for a quick close.

  
  


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  Compared to the spring, more prospective sellers anticipate buyer bidding wars, more offers above asking price, and more buyers willing to forgo contingencies like inspections and appraisals.

  
  

 

Price range changes

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  Sellers with homes at the core of the market ($351,000-$750,000) remained the same over March (29%). However, more sellers plan to list in the $500,000-$750,000 price range.

  
  


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  More than three-quarters (77%) of prospective sellers would be willing to accept a lower offer to close quickly versus just over half in March (54%).

  
  


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  Compared to spring sellers, a higher number plan to take alternative routes to moving out, such as living with family initially (19%) or temporarily renting their home back from the buyer (29%).

  
  

 

“For homeowners who do feel ready to sell, getting pricing right from the start is key to a fast and successful home sale in any market – take the Goldilocks approach,” says Lexie Holbert, home and living expert at realtor.com.

 

Source: Florida Realtors®