Neighborly News DECEMBER

WELCOME! | December 2023

It’s December and the holiday season has officially kicked off! The Treasure Coast area is a fun place to be this time of year with so much to see and do. This past weekend, thousands of people watched more than 100 floats pass by our office here on Ocean Drive for the 39^th annual holiday parade presented by the Sunrise Rotary Club. If you missed this parade, it’s not too late to catch the Indian River County Boat Parade on December 16th.

The holidays we celebrate—and the ways we celebrate them—are different from country to country, and even neighborhood by neighborhood. As you make plans to gather with your own family, you might be interested in learning about the traditions of others, and pull inspiration from customs you might not have known about before.

This season, we encourage you to take a moment to reflect on what your favorite traditions are. Wherever and however you spend your holidays, we wish you joy, love, peace, blessings, happiness, laughter, good health and a prosperous New Year!

We invite you to see what's happening in and around Our Neighborhood. We are always open to your feedback about our newsletter content. Click here for past issues and feel free to share this with your family and friends.

Delivering Food To Families

Each year right before Thanksgiving, AMAC agents and staff donate money to purchase turkeys for families in need. We pick up the turkeys from a food distributor and personally deliver them to local food banks and charities. This year we donated more than 100 turkeys to ten different organizations. We believe in volunteering for and helping our neighbors. READ MORE about the organizations who received turkeys and our involvement in the community.

Click here to see a short video of our agents in action delivering turkeys.

The countdown for Bark In The Park has begun! It's a fun-filled family/dog festival on January 6th from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm at Riverside Park. This free event offers comic stunt dogs, frisbee dogs, dock diving dogs, a kid's zone, food, music and more!

AMAC will be there! Stop by our booth and pick up some great doggie swag while it lasts.

This community-based event raises funds and awareness for the nonprofit Humane Society of Vero Beach & Indian River County. They are celebrating 70 years in the community strengthening the bond between pets and people. They provide compassionate care, shelter and advocacy for animals, while also promoting responsible pet ownership through education and outreach.

AMAC is happy to give back to our community supporting the Humane Society. Come see us at this great event!

There are so many things to do in our amazing piece of paradise. There is something for everyone, whether it's cultural, food-related, charitable, educational, or environmental.......

Our Neighborhood has it all.

Check out these links to see what's happening around town and where to get involved and give back......

Top Winter Events

Non-Profits/Charitable Groups

Flash Newsletter

Cultural Council of IRC

Vero Vine News

Looking for some great live music and fun? Come enjoy the bands and festivities at Riverside Theatre's "Live in the Loop". Be sure to stop by our AMAC table to say "Hi!" and grab some swag.

FR Stats.Indian River County.November 2021-Single Family.jpg

FR Stats.Indian River County.November 2021-Condominium.jpg

October 2023 vs. 2022 STATS

Statistics developed by the REALTORS^®Association of Indian River County through its Multiple Listing Service and in conjunction with Florida REALTORS^® reflect the following for Year Over Year OCTOBER 2023 vs. 2022.

SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED HOMES

Residential Closed Sales totaled 175 homes vs. 207 representing a 15.5% decrease YOY.

Median Price was $391,150 vs. $364,900 representing a 7.2% increase YOY.

Active Inventory totaled 817 vs. 791 representing a 3.3% increase YOY.

CONDOMINIUMS

Residential Closed Sales totaled 74 homes vs. 57 representing a 29.8% increase YOY.

Median Price was $306,000 vs. $229,000 representing a 33.6% increase YOY.

Active Inventory totaled 441 vs. 211 representing a 109% increase YOY.

Report Prepared on November 21, 2023

To learn more about the FLORIDA Market Update for OCTOBER 2023, watch this video.

As we come across interesting content that we have found from various places around the web, we will share it with you here. Our blog, for example, is a great source for articles about our industry and Our Neighborhood.

Our Neighborhood Was Once Called Mosquito County!

In the early 1920s when the MacWilliam family settled in present-day Vero Beach, the area was part of Mosquito County which included present-day Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Seminole, Osceola, Orange, Lake, Polk and Palm Beach counties. The area was aptly named since a large portion of the land contained wetlands; the perfect habitat for mosquito breeding. Alex MacWilliam, Sr. was instrumental in creating Indian River County, and he is also credited with recognizing the need for local mosquito control. READ MORE

As we prepare to either cook or eat (or both) some delicious meals this December, you may want to price out some of your ingredients before you dive into the recipe. There is a spice that is more expensive by weight than gold! This particular spice has to be hand-picked and grows only in certain parts of the world. Happy eating!

Tis the season for toys! Both children and adults have fun with toys during the holidays as well as all year long. What are some of your favorite toys? See if you agree with some of the folks who voted on the latest Toy Hall of Fame entries for 2023. To some, it may be surprising that Barbie's boyfriend, Ken, didn't make the cut.

Planning a vacation in December can feel overwhelming alongside holiday shopping and year-end festivities. Go ahead and indulge to squeeze in time for a trip before the new year. There's a Florida city that has ranked in the top 15 of December's world travel destinations. It's not Vero Beach, but it's fairly close by.

Back in 1824, an American botanist named Joel Poinsett discovered a plant in Southern Mexico and sent cuttings back to his hometown in Charleston, South Carolina. This discovery led to an industry that has created a 250-million-dollar annual boon to the U.S. economy at the wholesale level. For some, it's an annual tradition to buy this plant in December.

As a former, and hopefully lifelong AMAC client, or neighbor of an agent, the referral of your friends and family is the greatest compliment you can give.

Thank you for your trust.

A Global-Mindset For a Community Driven Brokerage. ^SM