It’s that time of year where you find yourself searching for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. If you’re like us, you wait till the last minute to shop. We’ve put together a list of places in Gainesville where you can find the perfect gift for that special someone.

1- Floral Expressions Florist: This family owned and operated florist creates the prettiest floral arrangements and gifts. If you are going to order from them, they recommend that you place your order a day before the holiday to ensure a timely delivery.

2- Thornebrook Chocolates: You CAN'T go wrong with chocolates for Valentine’s Day! Thornebrook Chocolates creates delicious confections year round. They will also have chocolate covered strawberries available for Valentine’s Day!

3- Dorn's Liquors: Who doesn’t love to get a bottle of wine or liquor as a gift?! Dorn’s stocks a wide variety of wines and liquors. Their highly knowledgable staff can help you pick out the perfect bottle for that special someone.

4- The Village Jeweler: Locally owned and operated, this boutique jewelry store located in Butler Town Center has gifts for everyone. They have a wide variety of jewelry and accessories for both men and women.

5-Romantic Dinner Spots: We have two places that we recommend for dinner on Valentine’s Day. Mark's Prime Steakhouse - Gainesville is located downtown, this restaurant creates a romantic environment for special occasions and serves the freshest beef and seafood in the area. The second restaurant is Dragonfly Sushi & Sake Company. Also located downtown, actually right next to Mark’s, has a funky atmosphere and serves delicious sushi creations and craft cocktails.

6- Cloud 9 Spa Salon: Did you say spa day? Treat you or your loved one to a day of pampering. They are offering a few specials when you purchase a gift card through them prior to Valentine’s Day. They also offer a couples suite where you can enjoy services together.

7- The Bungalow: If you’re looking for adorable gifts from Cupid, this boutique has the best gifts for your little ones. They also carry kids and women’s clothes.

8- down-to-earth: For the lucky lady in your life or even your galentine, this boutique has cute gifts and clothes for every woman. If you’re undecided on a specific gift, you can always get her a gift card.

We hope this list solves all your gift giving questions! Stay tuned for fun local date ideas!

It's the first week of January in Alachua County. Spent fireworks litter the streets and you're dressed for summer. You've rung in the new year and now, if you bought a home last year, it's time to apply for the homestead exemption, a tax break for permanent Florida residents that could reduce your property tax liability by up to $50,000. Read on to determine if you qualify for the popular exemption and how to apply.

What is the Florida Homestead Exemption?

The Florida Save Our Homes Act provides that if you've established your Florida home as your permanent residency by January 1 of this year, $50,000 of your assessed property value is exempt from taxation. If property taxes are imposed by your school district, the exemption is $25,000. (Another important stipulation of the Save Our Homes Act caps increases to your property's assessed value at 3% per year.) The typical homestead exemption saves homeowners anywhere from $500 - $1,000 in property taxes.

How Do I Qualify?

In order to qualify for the homestead exemption you must be a bona fide Florida resident. For property tax purposes that means your home deed was recorded before January 1 of this year. It also means you've signaled your intent to establish your primary residence in the state, such as obtaining a Florida driver's license, registering your vehicles in Florida, opening local bank accounts, and registering to vote.

Though not necessary, to really seal the deal you'll have filed a Declaration of Domicile with the county clerk's office before January 1 of this year. It also helps to cut ties with your old state. If the state you're leaving collects state income tax or an estate tax, confirm your change of residence by taking specific steps to terminate your “resident status" there. And it probably goes without saying, but if you have a homestead exemption in another state, your Florida homestead exemption application will be denied.

How Do I Apply?

OK, I'm a bona fide Florida resident. How do I apply for the homestead exemption? To ensure you're filing correctly, it's best to go in person to your local Property Appraiser's office. In Alachua County you'll want to head over to 515 North Main Street in Gainesville. Make sure to bring the following documents for all owners, including spouses:

• Florida automobile registration and driver's license
• If registered to vote, your Alachua County voter ID card
• Social security numbers (required even if spouses are separated or if only one is on the deed)

The deadline to file is March 1.

Note: If you purchased your property after January 1 and your Notice of Proposed Property Tax -- aka Truth in Millage or TRIM -- indicates a homestead exemption, this exemption was granted to the prior owner and will no longer apply in the new year. Except when passing on a home to descendents, homestead exemptions are not transferable from one owner to another. To qualify for the exemption for the current year's tax year, you'll have to file a new application at the Property Appraiser's offices by the March 1st deadline.

Not sure if you qualify or still have questions? For further information on the homestead or other exemptions, feel free to contact Kristen Rabell of Rabell Realty Group at (352) 213-6760, or the Alachua County Property Appraiser's office at (352) 374-5230. 

Porting Your Homestead Exemption

A homeowner asks, "How do I go about cancelling a homestead exemption if I have moved into a residence that already has a homestead exemption?"

This is a great question! You actually do not wad exemption, but rather port, or partially transferit to your new Florida homestead. The deadline is still March 1st. By porting your homestead exemption, you will be able to take whatever home savings you have in your currentthem to your new homestead. Remember, property taxesare paid in arrears, meaning they are paid at the end of the year and that is why you get your bill in November.

Filing for a Florida homestead exemption is only your new Gainesville home. Visit the Rabell Realty Group Gainesville Relocation Guide for helpful information about buying a home in Gainesville changing your address, understanding local schools, navigating major roadways and finding essential community resources throughout Gainesville and Alachua County. Our experienced local real estate agents can help make your Gainesville experience easier from your initial home search through closing and move-in.

For our neighbors in Bradford, Columbia, Levy, are the addresses and phone numbers of propertyappraiser's offices:

Bradford County
945 North
(904) 966-6216

Columbia County
139 NE Hernando Ave, Suite 238
Lake City, FL
(386) 758-1083

Levy County
355 South Cour>(352) 486-5222

Marion County
501 SE 25th Ave
Ocala, FL
(352) 368-8300

Agent Spotlight: Meet Trey! This compassionate realtor has been in real estate for six years.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
□ What is it like working at Rabell Realty? “It’s like working with your friends. It’s a wonderful atmosphere. Working is fun!”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
□ What is your favorite part about Rabell Realty? “I love the people, brokers included. The office is in a great location and always has a positivevibe.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

□ How would you describe the brokers? “They are ambitious! They are always motivated and extremely helpful.”

Our team at Rabell Realty Group celebrates success together! This truly is a team effort with a culture of support and kindness. Mike Rust and Trey Anderson are celebrating a NEW contract on a listing! Thinking about getting into real estate? Make sure you chat with one of our team members about how to get started and what it's like to be a team member at Rabell!

Agent Spotlight: Meet Jackie! This dedicated agent has been a realtor for 17 years! We asked Jackie a few questions:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
□ What is it like working at Rabell Realty? “I can’t say enough about how amazing this company is. I’ve found my forever home.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
□ What is your favorite part about Rabell Realty? “I love how busy I am! They have wonderful resources and are very supportive.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
□ How would you describe the brokers? “They always find solutions to any problem. They also share their knowledge, experience, and resources with their agents. I love that they are always available when I need them.”

Agent Spotlight is the sweetest soul. Meet Tara! One of our realtors who has been in real estate for 6 years. We asked Tara a few questions:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
□ What is it like working at Rabell Realty? “I love that it’s like my second family. We’re quirky and it’s such a fun atmosphere”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
□ What is your favorite part about Rabell Realty? “I’m treated like a peer and a professional. Everyone is treated as an equal and always respected.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
□ How would you describe the brokers? “They work together well and are able to recogni

Here we are mid-September and other than SEC Football and preparing for the upcoming cooler weather and holidays, September brings the dreaded “Plecia Nearctica,” aka lovebugs!
Oh how we love to hate these seasonal black flies with dark red thoraxes when their prevalence thickens this time of year. Lucky for us, they will come and go quickly with the only memory being their smashed bodies on the front car grills and window-shields.

During the remainder of their short life span here, we have a few tried and true ways of keeping them from compiling at your front or back doors and how to effectively wash them from your cars.

These are some natural and effective ways to keep them from getting into your house:

Keep your lawn mowed: Love bugs are born of the earth, in the thatch of ti actually. Thatch is the the layer of dead and living plant material that forms between the soil surface and green vegetation. Mowing the top 1/3rd of grass helps control the breeding grounds for love bugs.
Light mosquito candles: As it does to mosquitos, the scent drives love bugs away too!
Make your own insect spray: Every where we looked this homemade, easy recipe showed up with positive results. Mix warm water with a citrus-scented detergent (Ajax dish liquid with 100% real citrus orange extract is a common choice) and a splash of minty mouthwash; shake up; add to a spray bottle; and cover your doors and window ledges. The bugs won’t land so they don’t end up congregating and entering any openings.
Keep fan on: This is suggested to keep them off of porches.

Ideas of how to keep them off of your car and best practices to wash them off after a long journey:

Use cooking spray on your car: Lightly spray a thin layer on the front hood and back of side mirrors. This helps remove them much easier, but you should still wash them off immediately because their acidic guts are known to destroy your paint if left on too long.
Wax you car: Some types of car wax are designed to reduce the effects of bugs on your car. Spreading a healthy layer of wax on your car just before love bug season helps reduce their damage.
If you failed to follow the advice above, just remember to always wash your car immediately after a long drive. The best cleaning solution is Dawn dish soap and water. It is also a great car cleaner on normal days too!

Happy September and remember these pesky love bugs will be gone long before Halloween so we should only have them around for a few more weeks.

To get the best results with the homemade insect spray, use this formula:
3 cups water
1/2-cup dishwashing liquid
1/2-cup mouthwash
Mix it well! This would make 1 quart of the mixture. You can adjust for a larger or smaller batch. Hope this helps!

Click Here to see the original solution recipe and article.

Hey All,

I'm so excited we are finally moving along in Grand Oaks Gainesville. If you don't already know, we are located across from Oak Hall School with the front entrance at the circle on Tower Rd. What an amazing location!!

About Weseman Builders and Grand Oaks

This is a Weseman Family neighborhood with 3 Weseman builders. This family consists of the father, Gary Weseman, who started Weseman Construction in 1976. He graduated from the School of Architecture with a degree in Building Construction from Auburn University, but laid his foundation  in Gator Country where he has been building homes with his certified general contractor license in Gainesville, Newberry, Alachua County, and North Central Florida since then. When they were just young boys, his sons, William and Michael, started working for their father in all aspects of the construction process, mainly focusing on framing from floor to trusses. Once they realized their own talents, both sons created their own businesses alongside Gary's Weseman Builders LLC brand. The three of them forged together to build out Newberry Oaks in Newberry Fl behind the Canterbury Equestrian Center, which is now know as the Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center. Now in 2019, they have completed all of their homes in Nine (9) total phases, with phase one (1) having started in 2003. In fact, Phase 1, lot 1 was sold on December 15, 2003 by Gary Weseman, Weseman Builder's Inc. What an amazing 16 years!

In that time, both sons built their separate careers as builders but still frame their daddy's houses even to this day. The oldest son, William Weseman, is the successful owner of William Weseman Construction, Inc. If you have ever known a true work horse and forager, that is William. He loves to hunt not only for deer, duck, swine, and whatever else is lurking in the woods but also for beautiful floor plans and finishes at great prices to offer in his Craftsman style homes. His passion is work and it certainly shows in all that he does. Currently, he is underway with at least 6 homes in Grand Oaks Gainesville with the schedule to be completely finished with his first plan by November 2019 for a December 2019 move in to benefit from those low land taxes for the buyer! William has a lovely family. He is married to Ashley, who is equally as dedicated to hard work, perseverance, and staying ahead of construction and design. Ashley is known for helping William pick out all of their finishes and you can be sure she is up to date on the latest designs. They have one son who is sure to be next in line to create his own business and showcase his family tradition of true grit and their renegade spirit.

Just like William, the younger son by only two years, Michael Weseman, has been building under the Weseman Builders Inc family name since a boy. He decided to not only continue building under his own business, Weseman Homes & Renovations, but also to get his real estate license. This allowed him to hone is craft in selling homes (such as Gary's in his earlier days) while also offering a unique perspective to not only building and selling general real estate, but also  specializing in new construction sales. Both sons are also know for building custom homes; and just like his company name describes, Michael Weseman is not only a Realtor and on-site contractor for his own personal builds, he also focuses on home renovations. Some of his most complimented jobs are kitchen remodels, porch remodels, additions, fences, and even tree repairs. He not only loves building, construction and home sales, but he also touts himself as the quintessential American family man. He and his wife, Lauren, love traveling to the beach and lake. The have 2 young children and another baby on the way in December 2019.

Now that Newberry Oaks is completed, the Weseman family is focused on a new Gainesville subdivision in the SW corridor off of Tower Road. The current plat map plans include 126 lots with future development in the horizon, a pool with covered seating area, green space, and surrounded by commercial development to include shopping, restaurants and more. The area schools are all A rated and considered top tier education with only a short drive to Celebration Pointe, Butler's Plaza, Shands at UF Health, The University of Florida, and I-75. We are excited to present this wonderful new Craftsman style neighborhood with homes ranging from 1700SF -2200Sf and pricing starting in the low $300,000 range. We look forward to sharing more with you along the way! Build your home today in Grand Oaks Gainesville!

Visit us at GrandOaksGNV.com

For more information or floor plans:

Kristen Rabell, Broker

Rabell Realty Group, LLC

Cell

Cell: 352-213-6760

Email Info@BuySellRabell.com

Gainesville, FL is a charming city full of historic homes, old-world charm, and untouched natural wonders. One of the best spots to check out Florida History is the Matheson History Museum. The Matheson Museum complex includes Gainesville’s second-oldest residence, the Matheson House, as well as the museum itself, the Tison Tool Museum of antiquated and recovered tools, and the Sweetwater Park Reserve, ideal for a Florida hike. 

The Matheson Museum is the ideal spot to read up on local history, it actually serves as a library as well as a museum! While you’re there check out the beautiful Mary Ann Cofrin Exhibit Hall, where temporary and permanent historical exhibits reside.

Stop by while you’re wandering through downtown Gainesville to learn more about this wonderful city!

It’s the 4th of July! Got a long weekend and wondering what to do? We’ve got you covered. If you attend these events make sure to tag us on Facebook or Instagram @buysellrabell so we can see!

1. Florida Museum hosts free Creative B movie ‘Ever After: A Cinderella Story’

July 5 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

The Florida Museum is hosting a screening of “Ever After: A Cinderella Story” on Friday, July 5, at 7 p.m. An opening reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by a panel discussion at 7 p.m. just prior to the movie with scientists, artists and special effects experts exploring the balance between science and art. The museum’s permanent exhibits, except the “Butterfly Rainforest” and “Discovery Zone,” will be open to the public for extended hours until 10 p.m. Released in 1998, the movie is rated PG-13, and parental discretion is advised. For more information, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/creative-b-ever-after or call 352-273-2061.

2.Organic Blueberry Harvest 2019

July 6 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

We delight in sharing the 2019 crop of organic blueberries and with North Florida foodies and invite the community to help with the harvest season at the farm retreat in Alachua.

Know before you go: https://www.deepspringfarm.com/organic-blueberry-harvest-2019/.

The harvest experience and Deep Spring recreation is intended for adults and possibly older children.

Organic produce and U cut flowers also available.

RSVP required at the website

3.Guided Walk at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens

July 6 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Kanapaha offers a guided tour of the Gardens the first Saturday of every month, starting at 10:00 am. Regular admission price for non-members and members are admitted free of charge.

4.Million Dollar Quartet

July 6 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Goodness gracious, great balls of fire! Four legends, one night and a whole lot of rock ‘n’ roll! Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley have one of the greatest jam sessions of all time in the TONY AWARD-WINNING musical “Million Dollar Quartet,” opening at the Hippodrome Theatre Friday, May 31 at 8 p.m.

Tickets on sale now at the Hippodrome Box Office open Tuesday – Sunday from 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. at 25 SE 2nd Place, Gainesville, (352) 375-4477 and https://tickets.thehipp.org/TheatreManager/1/login?event=1854

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is on stage with 7 shows a week starting May 31! Tuesdays at 7 p.m. | Wednesdays at 7 p.m. | Thursdays at 7 p.m. | Fridays at 8 p.m. | Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. | Sundays at 2 p.m.

5.Satchmo at the Waldorf

July 6 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

A one-man, three-character play in which the same actor portrays Louis Armstrong, the greatest of all jazz trumpeters; Joe Glaser, his white manager; and Miles Davis, who admired Armstrong’s playing but disliked his onstage manner. It takes place in 1971 in a dressing room backstage at the Empire Room of New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, where Armstrong performed in public for the last time four months before his death. Reminiscing into a tape recorder about his life and work.

6.Kulaqua’s River Ranch Water Park Community Day

July 7 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Kulaqua’s River Ranch is open to the public on select days over the summer!

Admission is $12.50 per person

Children ages 3 and under are FREE

Park opens at 10 am and closes at 6 pm