The Ponte Vedra Recorder | Page 17

24 Tribute to Realtors & Builders Ponte Vedra Recorder ·September 24, 2015 Watson Realty Corp. associates honored as ‘America’s Best’ Watson Realty Corp. announced this week that 19 of its associates and five teams, totaling 24 associates, have been selected as the “Best Real Estate Agents” by Real Trends’ America’s Best rankings. “I am pleased to congratulate our 24 associates on this outstanding honor,” said Ed Forman, president of Watson Realty Corp. Broken down by state and metropolitan area, REAL Trends’ America’s Best ranks over 9,900 of the nation’s top real estate professionals and teams. This year’s America’s Best averaged an impressive 74 sides and more than $39 million in sales volume for individuals, and 139 sides and $58 million in sales volume for teams in 2014. Given that the national averages are fewer than 10 closed transactions and less than $1.2 million in closed volume per associate or team, these results speak to the extraordinary success of America’s Best. “In addition to their impressive sales, I am proud of their hard work and the leadership they bring to the Watson Realty Corp. team. I know they will continue to excel in their profession and in providing the Legendary Quality Service Watson Realty Corp. is known for,” said Forman. Realtors selected include: Jan Shields of the Atlantic Beach office; Jane Crosby of the DeLand office; Julie Van Beek and Jonathan Colon of the Gainesville office; Russie Weidl of the Heathrow office; Paula Pou of the Hodges office; Sandy Miller of the Intracoastal office; Geri Weisman, Mary Van Boskerck and Misty Williams of the Jacksonville Relocation Services office; Nancy BarBera of the Keystone Heights office; Doris Arnold of the Mandarin North office; Debbie Shagnea and Randy Martin of the Mandarin South office; Greg Rokeh and Frank Dahlstrom of the Orlando Relocation Services office; Missy DeKay of the Ponte Vedra office; Lori Clark of the Port Orange office; Joseph Poletto of the San Marco/ San Jose office; Team Johnson and Dawn Gaffney Team of the St. Augustine office; Crum Gatchet Team of the St. Augustine Beach office; Menton and Ballou Group of the St. Johns office; and David Butler & Clair Corbett Team of the Mandarin North and the San Marco/ San Jose office. For more information about Watson Realty Corp., see www.watsonrealtycorp.com. For more about Real Trends, visit realtrends.com. 5 tips for settling into your new home (BPT) Though summer is winding down, for many families, hectic moving schedules are still underway. Whether you are moving this season or planning for a move in the near future, consider some helpful guidelines on packing up, moving out and settling in without a hitch - plus, the latest technologies to turn your new house into a home. Here are five tips to help you minimize moving stress and settle in quickly: Make a list, measure it twice. After celebrating the signing of your new home (congratulations!), it’s time to begin the moving process. Even before you start packing, it’s important, if possible, to visit your new home with a tape measure. Carefully measure and take note of the square footage and dimensions of every room in your new home. Do the same with any existing appliances and furniture you plan on relocating to your new home to ensure that everything fits through the door and in the space. LG’s moving guide (www.lg.com/us/moving) is designed to help and includes tips on measuring your current appliances to make sure they’ll fit. If you’re purchasing new large appliances or furniture, be sure to measure everything in the store or take note of each item’s dimensions online to make sure it fits. Removing or replacing a refrigerator, for example, is a time-consuming and expensive task that can be avoided with careful planning. If you aren’t able to visit before moving in, ask your broker or real estate agent for a copy of the floor plan. Pack strategically, unpack easily. Pack and label items by category, such as dishes, winter clothes and books, or by appropriate area, such as bedroom, kitchen and living room. To limit damage, be sure to pack fragile and valuable items carefully with padded packaging, and communicate fragile items clearly with your movers. To save even more hassle, pack a couple of boxes of essential items, specifically for the first night in your new home, which would otherwise be hard to find. You’ll thank yourself when items such as cleaning supplies, fresh linens and a coffeepot are right at your fingertips. Staying organized is key to avoid losing your belongings - resulting in saving time and unnecessary repurchasing expenses in the process. Find savings and convenience in new technology. Moving is a common time to buy new electronics - and there are some simple ways to make these new purchases more customizable than ever. For example, rather than choosing surround sound speakers that require lots of cumbersome wiring to install, select a wireless speaker and TV surround sound system like LG’s Music Flow. It offers a range of speakers and soundbars that you can mix and match to create a customized and easy-to-use home audio system for your new living space. With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and Google Cast built in, systems like this let you can stream your favorite online music services, including Spotify and Pandora, straight from your mobile device. There’s no need for additional hardware or wires. Share your new address. Take initiative and update your employer, bank, school, doctors, pharmacist and credit card company with your new address as early as possible. This can affect billing statements and formal records, which are a headache to change at a later date. Be sure to call your electric, cable and internet companies to swap your address, and inquire about any potential changes in your service. Sign up for USPS mail forwarding to ensure all of your mail reaches you in a timely manner. And don’t forget to keep your friends and family in the loop! It’s a busy and exit [