Oak Valley and Russell’s Pond subdivisions in northwest Tallahassee with nice homes

Off of N Monroe, or Hwy 27, in northwest Leon County, just outside ot Tallahassee, Florida, sit two single family home subdivisions: Oak Valley and Russell’s Pond. Most of the homes were build after 1990. The homes are very affordable, have three bedrooms and two baths, nice yards, front and back, and a pond in the community.

Most of the homes in these two subdivisions, are contemporary in style, with or without ranch style home features, but there are some small ranch style homes as well.  Some homes have brick exterior, some vinyl siding, and some wood, or hardie board. Although, the homes are relatively small, (most under 1500 square feet of heating and cooling space), they come with popular features that so many buyers like: walk-in closets, cathedral, or vaulted ceilings, open floor plans, ceiling fans, and some with fenced in back yards, not to mention all the many other characteristics.

Both neighborhoods are close to several parks, both with recreational facilities, and a playground. One of the parks is situated on Lake Jackson, which is one of the biggest lakes, among the many lakes in Leon County, Florida. This park has bike trails, hiking trails, a boardwalk along the lake, with a view of a lake ecosystem, and there are picnic pavilions with grills, for big groups, as well as small groups. One of Tallahassee’s and Leon County’s newest schools, Canopy Oaks Elementary School, with just down the road. There is a new athletic community park next to this school, with soccer, tennis, running, and baseball facilities. Canopy Oaks Elementary is a very good school, but I am partial, my son attends there, and is a happy Cardinal. The school’s website is, http://www.canopyoaks.leon.k12.fl.us/ 

Russell’s Pond subdivision has 141 homes.
There are 9 homes currently listed with real estate companies, with the average price of $149,633. Since January, 1 home sold, and the sold price was, $145,000.

Oak Valley subdivision has 159 single family homes. There are 5 homes currently on the market with real estate companies. The average home price is, $167,00. Since January, 1 home sold, and for the price of $145,000.

As a real estate agent, I always like talking homes and neighborhoods with people. If you would like to know about other neighborhoods in and around Tallahassee, Florida, please let me know. If you are from Tallahassee, Leon County, and have information about neighborhoods, that you would like me to post, please tell me. I am always looking to learn more about the many neighborhoods from people who have lived there man years, or from the birth of neighborhood.

Please read my other real estate blog posts on this site, and don’t forget to leave a comment. Blogging is sharing ideas, and learning from one another.

Kenneth Fach, REALTOR, ePRO
Weichert, REALTORS-Anchor
1607 Village Square Blvd., Suite B103
Tallahassee, FL 32309
Cell 850-339-5753, Web http://KennethFach.com
Blog http://KennethFach.wordpress.com

Each office is independently owned and operated.

Camping at Paynes Praire State Park

What is more fun than camping, and especially for a couple sunny and cool autumn days at beautiful Paynes Praire State Park near Gainesville, Florida, one of 161 state parks in Florida, all well maintained by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

We set up our camp among the many upland oaks, palms, and palmettos in the woods. We were very private with all the green surrounding us and separating us for the most part from otther campers. Just how I like it. We immediately created a good fire after buying wood at the gate. Wood was going fast. We managed to have enough for the two days we were camping there.

We drove to the visitor center on the other end of the park, and looked out at the praire, as far as the eyes can see almost. Yes, a real Florida praire, but probably not the kind of praire that you would see in the west.

The information we read at the visitor center stated that there are 31 bison on the park’ praire. There are also wild horses, wild cows and wild boar. The horses and cows are descendants of the animals brought over by the Spaniards during the era of New World exploration.

I did not spot bison or cows at the lookout tower,which my son and I had fun climbing, but as we hiked out into the praire, we saw three black horses. They were so majestic looking, so pure. I wanted to see how close I could get to these shiny, black hoofed animals, so I calmly walked to within about 100 feet of two of the horses which stood close together side by side wagging there thick hairy tails. The third horse was further in the distance but as I started approaching the couple, the distant horse ran up to them and stopped. It was as if that horse was the protecting parent. The horses did not appear to be afraid of me or mind my presence. However, they stared at me in what appeared to be fascination. I tried walking closer to them. My son stayed way back in the distance, somewhat scared to approach the wildlife. As I started getting closer, the third horse who was the more distant horse earlier, started walking toward me. I stopped and hesitated to go closer. The horse stopped, and I decided to turn around and head back toward where I came from.

That day I saw the most beautiful horses.

The camping loop offers some more secluded, private campsites for tents only. Overall, there was a balance of tents and RVs in the camp ground loop.

This state park is unique for its praire basin ecosystem,with its abundant diversity of grasses and other plant types. The basis is partly wet through out the year, and is a winter harboring ground for many northern birds. The camp ground is in the upland woods beside a big lake.

This is the first time I ever visited Paynes Praire, and I am happy I did.

Florida offers so much biodiversity and many different ecosystems. With so much human expansion and development in Florida, there is also much nature for everyone to experience.     

                                                      

Northwest Florida adds a new State Park

Many people from all over the world, including myself, are attracted to Florida’s many state parks. There are now 161 state parks in Florida, many of them in northwest Florida. The parks offer natural Florida ecosystems, campgrounds, well maintained bathroom/shower facilities, hiking trails through the forests, fishing, swimming, boating, canoeing and much more. I grew up learning a lot about nature in these parks.

Florida’s newest state park, St Marks River State Park, is just 20 miles from Tallahassee, the state capital and home to Florida State University, where I worked on my graduate program.

St Marks State Park is so new no infrastructure has been created for the park. Currently, the historical and archeological resources are being studied and planning is being developed regarding where to put roads, restroom and picniking facilities, and whatever else will be available to the public. The park does have hiking trails that can be used now. There are old dirt roads through the park from the historical days. The forest products industry was an important industry through much of northwest Florida’s history. Today there are still vast forest lands all over Northwest Florida, but new real estate developments are anchoring in many places in the region.

Northwest Florida is a healthy, good place to live in. Nature is abundant here.

Kenneth Fach, REALTOR ePRO
Weichert, REALTORS-Anchor
1607 Village Square Boulevard, Suite B 103
Tallahassee, FL 32309
Direct/Text 850-339-5753 KennethFach.WordPress.com

Each ffice is independently owned and operated.

Get Free Acorns With Your Home

The acorns are on the ground now all over, here in northwest Florida, a sign that autumn is here. I like walking in the parks, and in neighborhoods, stepping on many acorns and hearing the crunchy sounds this creates. However, there is more to acorns than just the announcement of a change in seasons.

Squirrels eat acorns. The native Americans ate acorns. This member of the nut family is nutricious, and abundant. There are tons of acorns everywhere, enough to feed a lot of people. So what do you do with acorns? They are on the ground waiting for harvesting hands, and they are free.

When I was an archeology student at the University of West Florida,I had an interesting assignment during a fall semester.I had to gather wild acorns and make bread or muffins out of them. Other students had to gather or hunt other foods in the native American way. We were to have a natural harvest feast with everyone bringing what they were to bring: roots, rabbit, deer, an edible bark type, seeds, vegetables and more. So, I wandered through the vast forests surrounding the University of West Florida, and collected buckets of acorns. Fall is a very comfortable time to be outdoors anyway, after the long, hot Florida summers. I took the acorns home, boiled them in hot water to get the toxins out of them (something you must do), and I let them sit in the water, I think overnight, but I do not remember exactly. I do remember breaking the shell, and roasting the acorns in the oven. They became ready to eat, with or without salt or sugar. Delicious is how I would describe roasted acorns. I took other acorns, and before it was over with, I had tasty acorn muffins, enough to share with professor and classmates.

I only made acorn muffins once, but I would be willing to do it again. Here we have an edible, natural food, right in our own yard, and instead of eating them, we walk on them. Nature is abundance. Just look around.

Kenneth Fach, REALTOR, ePRO
Weichert, REALTORS-Anchor
1607 Village Square Boulevard, Suite B 103
Tallahassee, Florida 32309
Direct/Text 850-339-5753

Each office is independently owned and operated.

There is a Bald Eagle in These Parts

We have bald eagles around Tallahassee, Florida. They like our many forests that constitute the fabric of northwest Florida. My son and I recently saw one. Many live their entire lives and never see one.

I recently went to St Marks National Wildlife Refuge, outside of Tallahassee, Florida, with my son and his about pack. They went to pick up trash as they do each year. After picking up the trash the forest park service provided lunch for everyone. The kids got to view and touch native water species from the area’s shoreline.

Anyway, as we were picking up trash, a couple boys shouted, “Look, there is a bald eagle.” I went over and saw the most beautiful sight, a bald eagle proudly perched at the top of a tall, dead tree. It stood at a height taller than all the other trees around it. It truly is worthy of being a symbol of power, leadership, 8&2@?6, strength, courage. I was in awe looking up at that bird, which was igboring all of us.

Seeing a bald eagle is one of the benefits of living in this region. Within the city of Tallahassee, bald eagles have been spotted. There is a newer neighborhood, called Piney Z which is home to a bald eagle family, right there in a neighborhood of over 200 up scale single family homes. There is a big nature green zone, park and lake in that community. That is a very peaceful community with much natural beauty beside it.

That day at St Marks, was the second time in my life I saw a bald eagle in the wild. I will remember that experience.

Kenneth Fach, REALTOR, ePRO
Weichert, REALTORS-Anchor
1607 Village Square Boulevard, Suite B 103
Tallahassee, Florida 32309
Direct/Text 850-339-5753 Blog: KennethFach.wordpress.com

Each office is independently owned and operated.