Recently Equifax, one of our nation's three major credit reporting bureaus, announced that it had been breached. This means millions of consumer credit reports were made available to hackers, including their credit card numbers, social security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and in some cases, driver's license numbers. To help, Equifax has created a website ? https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com ? where consumers can check to see if their personal information may have been exposed.In addition, below are additional steps that consumers should take.

Obtain your credit report every year from each of the three major credit bureaus ? Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. All consumers are entitled to obtain a free copy of their credit report from each of these companies every 12 months. You can do this by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com, or by calling each of them by phone (Experian at 888-397-3742, TransUnion at 800-680-7289, and Equifax at 800-525-6285).

Consider placing a "credit freeze" on your credit reports with these companies. In most states, including Illinois, each credit bureau may charge you up to a $10 fee for a credit freeze. (Equifax announced on Sept. 12 that it will no longer charge $10 for a security freeze.) A credit freeze prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit information, making it much harder for someone to open a new account of any kind in your name ? only your current creditors will be able to access your credit report. Also note that you can tell the credit bureaus to lift your credit freeze if you need to apply for new credit, which you can do for a particular credit application or temporarily for a chosen period of time. Keep in mind that a credit freeze won't prevent your creditors from reporting your payments on existing accounts to the credit bureaus.

Pay close attention to credit card and bank account statements for any unauthorized charges
Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report files. This alert warns creditors that you may be an identity theft victim, and they should take extra steps to verify that anyone seeking credit in your name is really you.

Consider enrolling in a credit monitoring service. Equifax is offering one free year of credit monitoring to all consumers, regardless of whether your personal information may have been stolen. You can find many other reputable companies that offer this type of service by conducting an Internet search for credit monitoring services.

Source: Equifax

Permission RISMedia ©2017 All rights reserved

Fall always kicks off with the Pensacola Seafood Festival. We normally walk over for lunch on Friday, but the festival runs thru Sunday afternoon.   Come and sample a huge variety of local seafood venues conveniently together in Seville Square. While you are here, make sure to check out the entertainment, art and craft vendors and children's area in Fountain Park. September 29 - October 1, 2017.

Another great opportunity to sample terrific local food is the Pensacola Greek Festival October 13-15, 2017. The Pensacola Greek Festival offers delicious Greek food and pastries, lively Greek music and dancing. Presented annually by the parishioners and friends of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 1720 W Garden St, the festival attracts more than 20,000 guests each year.

I love Halloween and Pensacola offers many fun options you do not see everywhere.  The Haunted History Segway Tour is running thru the end of October at 7:30 PM.  The Segway Tour is Pensacola's fun Haunted History Tour that makes the most of our 500-year history. You can participate in a guided Segway tour through the historic downtown district of Pensacola and learn our city's stories of ghosts, murders, and mayhem.

Segways not your thing? Historic Pensacola will host its annual Haunted House Walking and Trolley Tours on October 21, 27 and 28.

Ghoulish guests may choose from among three walking tour routes including the Seville Spirits, Murder and Mayhem, and the Adult-Only Red-light Tour. The Seville Spirits and Murder & Mayhem tours depart every thirty minutes between 7:00 and 8:30 p.m. The Adult Only Red-Light tour departs at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. The walking tours, led by volunteer guides who share the haunted history of Pensacola, last an hour and 15 minutes. Participants do not go into any of the buildings.

Those looking to cruise alongside the ghosts of North Hill may prefer the Trolley of the Doomed tours, are offered at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Participants do not get off the trolley. Little ghouls and goblins are welcome.

All tours depart from Voices of Pensacola, 117 E Government St. Tickets are available at www.historicpensacola.org or on the nights of the tours at the Voices of Pensacola.

This year's Boo at the Zoo is available for two weekends, October 21, 22, 28, 29 from 6-10pm at the Gulf Breeze Zoo.

Designed for a younger audience, Boo at the Zoo offers four days of scare-free fun. You can join the safe zoo neighborhood of Halloween entertainment, with kid-friendly fun around every corner.

3531 Dunwoody is a split Level Pensacola home in Cordova Park that has four bedrooms, a den, and three bathrooms. Some of the value plus features are a new roof, new windows, and a large In-ground pool is large that makes for entertaining and parties. The main living consists of a living room, formal dining room, family room, and den, so there is plenty space for a large family. The Kitchen overlooks the backyard and has a few stainless appliances. Conveniences are a dishwasher, stove, microwave, disposal, refrigerator, and a breakfast bar. The beautiful hardwood flooring helps make this home warm and Inviting. Other Amenities include the 21x20 side entry carport plus a storage area.

This home has a lot of character and will sell quickly. The Location is convenient to Cordova Mall, other shopping, restaurants, colleges, and hospital.

This beautiful 8th floor west-side oceanfront La Riva unit offers beautiful sunset views with floor to ceiling windows. Live the dream. This unit has unobstructed views from the key to orange beach. Unit 8-W features a private entry foyer to the elevator from the unit which takes you to the lobby. Walls are freshly painted throughout the unit from crown molding to baseboards. Updated tile on bar front that matches stove backsplash. Upgraded cabinets. Each bedroom is a suite has a private bathroom. Brand new carpeting in bedrooms. Soak in your jetted bathtub while looking out at the Gulf of Mexico. La Riva Condominiums are a fabulous rent restricted gulf front development located in Perdido Key, Florida.

The development sits on more than 500 feet of Gulf front beach, it feels like a private beach. Each tower has dedicated amenities for its residents: indoor pool, outdoor pool, hot tub, sauna, exercise room, community room with billiards table, and full kitchen. Climate controlled six-by-four-foot storage for kayak, surf board and any other items you choose.

Need to add some curb appeal to your home to get it ready for market? Or are you just in the mood for a quick refresh? Here are five easy DIY projects to help dress up your home using lightweight, decorative millwork accessories or architectural elements. The composition and durability of the products make them a long-lasting, low-maintenance way to dress up your home for years to come.

Entry Door - Make a front entry door 'pop' by surrounding it on both sides with a set of decorative pilasters and topping it off with a pediment. Select from simple peaked pediments or more ornate acorn or rams-head pediments.

Brackets - Install lightweight decorative brackets to a porch or under an eave for a fast way to personalize a home.

Windows - Add a simple header directly over the exterior of a window frame to add more visual appeal to the window. Select from straight or arched headers for the style that best matches your home.

Column Wraps - If your home has worn or boring porch posts, hide them with PVC column wraps. These decorative pieces fit right over a post for an instant makeover.

Shutters - If your shutters are suffering from peeling paint or worn finishes, consider replacing them with UV-resistant polyurethane shutters. Made to resist moisture and insects, such shutters can be quickly installed and will maintain their curb appeal for years to come.

Reprinted permission of RISMedia. ©2017. All rights reserved.

September starts to usher in cooler nights and crisper days here on the Gulf Coast. Fall may not be here yet, but we can't help thinking about it with the kids back in school and Labor Day just around the corner. Labor Day is widely considered to be the last big beach weekend of the season, even though we are still seeing our fair share of visitors well into the fall. Fall visitors tend to include fewer children, so my thoughts are turning to fun for grown ups.

There are sure to be lots of celebrations for the Labor Day holiday. Harbor Walk Village is offering live music all weekend long and fireworks over the Destin Harbor. If you head over to Pensacola's Community Maritime Park, you can enjoy the Jazz Edition of the Gulf Coast Summer Fest. Starting at 3:30 September 2nd you can bring your coolers, lawn chairs & umbrellas and catch Boney James, Mindi Abair, Cindy Bradley, Nick Colionne, Althea Rene and more.

The Emerald Coast Beer Festival kicks off September 8th. Hailed as the premier beer festival on the Gulf Coast, the Emerald Coast Beer Festival will be held again this year at the Seville Quarter Good Time Emporium. More than 50 craft breweries from throughout the United States, including homebrew and several major brewing distributors, participate each year and provide samples of various craft beers, meads, ciders, and wines.

My husband and I have decided not to do any cooking until the weather cools down. You can catch us at the Taste of The Beach in Pensacola Beach September 16. The 10th Annual Taste of the Beach will feature cook offs, cooking demonstrations, a chef challenge, sample tastings and live concerts directly in the sand on Pensacola Beach. Great fun for beach visitors and Pensacola locals alike.

The 40th Annual Pensacola Seafood Festival will be in Seville Square Park September 29 - October 1. Sample a variety of mouthwatering seafood dishes and enjoy continuous entertainment in Fountain Park. Arts and crafts vendors will be displaying their unique wares, many items reflective of our area's unique Gulf Coast lifestyle. A children's area has activities for all ages. The Fiesta Seafood Grille offers cooking demonstrations where you can watch area chefs prepare regional delicacies.  

The Seafood Festival also features a 5K walk/run at 7:30 on the 30th. Participants will again be using the fast, new course that will run through Historic Downtown Pensacola around the Pensacola Seafood Festival. The course is both runner and spectator friendly. The Pensacola Seafood Festival Don McCloskey 5k Run/Walk is sponsored by the Pensacola Runners Association and Fiesta of Five Flags. This run kicks off the fall racing season in Pensacola and is a popular element of the Pensacola Seafood Festival.

Searching for that perfect place to come home to and enjoy life? Look no more you found it. This split floor plan three-bedroom two-bath brick home sits on a quarter acre corner lot with curb appeal that makes heads turn. As you enter the home, you step into your foyer leading you right into the tiled living room with a corner fireplace. You can not help but gaze out into the massive, perfectly landscaped backyard. The incredible kitchen opens up to the dining and living rooms. Step out back and take in the roses and vastness of the yard for your children to run and play, you can sit on the patio and lower the remote-control enclosure screens and enjoy the evening.

Minutes away from Interstate-10, this home is near the Navy Federal Campus, Historic Downtown Pensacola, shopping, and the Emerald Coast beaches. Head downtown and stroll the bay front sidewalks, take in the fine dining Pensacola has to offer, stroll the historic district and check out all the ladies dressed in period wardrobe, catch a baseball game, theater, or stroll through the local galleries and the talents of local artists.

Sold by Todd Atchison at Emerald Coast Realty.

People have heard many of the terms in this article to refer to the status or condition of a specific real estate market. These terms are important while evaluating a property or choosing an area to purchase a property in. Your best bet is team up with a knowledgeable real estate agent or broker that will assist you in evaluating properties you like enough to consider purchasing.

Days on market

This number comes directly from the MLS (Multiple Listing Service); it is the number of days from initial listing date to contract date.

Active listings

Again, this is a number provided by the MLS. The number of active listings is the number of properties currently for sale on a specific date. Many times, it is the 15th or the end of the month that are used. (See Example of Charts)

Average Sale Price

The average sale price, calculated by summing the price of all sold properties then dividing by the number of properties sold.  This number may not accurately reflect a specific neighborhood in an area with a wide range of values.

Monthly Sales

Monthly sales is the number of sales within a specific month, taken from the MLS.

Absorption Rate

The absorption rate is calculated using the number of active listings, divided by the number of monthly sales.

This value is typically used to identify the overall market status as a buyer's or seller's market. An absorption rate of six to three months is a neutral market not favoring buyers or sellers. Less than three months is a seller's market and more than six months is a buyer's market.

Example: 2590 (active Listings) / 890 (sales) = 2.9 months *

The example above  is a seller's market

Odds of Selling a Home

Divide the number of sales for a six-month period by the number of new listings for the same period. This will give you the odds a property will sell in one month.

Example: 4280 (Sold Listings) / 5871 (New Listings) = 72% *

There are many factors that sellers can affect to improve their odds; price, curb appeal, marketing, home condition and more. There are also things that cannot change such as location and the home itself, but this is a guide to your home in a specific market.

*Examples are for the Pensacola area, 1st half 2017

Emerald Isle offers the best of both worlds for Pensacola Beach living. This condo is located on the eastern edge of the beach commercial district. This popular condominium is easy walking distance to restaurants, entertainment, shopping and loads of fun amenities that the beach offers.  Picture yourself walking over to enjoy Bands on the Beach, a game of putt putt miniature golf or lunch on the sound. There are plenty of boating opportunities offered at the marina for fishing charters and leisurely boat tours.  Boat owners can secure slips at local marinas and can be minutes away from boating adventures. This spring you will be able to catch the ferry to downtown Pensacola and the park at Fort Pickens as well.

Pensacola Beach has an abundance of restaurants from which choose. Whether you would prefer a casual beach vibe to take the kids, a quiet cafe for date night or a fun filled atmosphere to meet your friends, Pensacola Beach has you covered. The boardwalk offers music venues, shopping for more upscale tastes as well as bargain hunters and fun water activities. You can rent a jet ski, paddle board, bicycle or sign up for lessons at local businesses. Free trolley service is provided during the summer months if you need a ride back to the condominium.

The beaches in Pensacola Beach are truly beautiful and unlike any coastline in other parts of the country or the world for that matter. Our beaches are made up of quartz sand that washed down rivers to the Gulf and found a home on our barrier island. Imagine walking out the back to miles of pristine coastline. Hike to the east towards the park if you are in the mood for peace and quiet. Watch the dolphins and other sea life or simply opt to catch a few rays on a beach chair.

Your luxury gulf front condominium will be ready for you to kick back at the end of a sun soaked day. Emerald Isle is a gulf front resort with two sparkling pools, hot tub and an expansive pool deck leading to the beach walkover with a shower conveniently provided. This ninth-floor unit provides amazing views of the Gulf, the pools and the beach from the living room, kitchen, dining area and the master bedroom. Emerald Isle is an excellent vacation rental property as well as a nice place to live.

Emerald Coast Realty was founded in 2003 and at that time real estate websites were becoming the initial starting point for homebuyers. Before this time, buyers began with picking up a newspaper, real estate magazines or stopping by a real estate brokerage. I am sure you remember "Agent On Duty" signs that companies would have on the sidewalk in front of their offices. This was also the time of the real estate directory. There were dozens of directories during this time but the only ones we think of now are Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com. Things have progressed a long way since then.

This same time period also marks the beginning of the weblog, truncated to "Blog." 2003 is the same year Google purchased Blogger, and blogging was off to the races. In our business sector, the real estate blog was becoming ubiquitous, and it seemed like every realtor had a blog whether they had something to say or not. By the middle of 2006, there were 50 million blogs.

Blogs were the primary line of communication by individuals online 15 years ago, but this has changed with the rise in social media. Now people look to Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus to network with friends and business associates and share ideas. People have become less inclined to blog back and forth to one another.

Today blogs seem to provide a way for individuals to publish information and opinions and distribute these at little or no charge for broad exposure. While exposure is very important for any business, it is especially so for real estate firms blogs. Here are three important categories for real estate professionals.

• Real Estate Market Conditions

Buyers and sellers need to know the current market condition to help them price a property correctly understand the number of days a sale may take.

• Real Estate Listings

Homes just listed for sale need all the exposure they can get, and a blog post is a good way to do this.

• Upcoming Events

Upcoming events consist of; local fun events, new construction announcements or other events that will affect property prices.

Our company is committed to continuing to use blogging to educate and inform our customers through timely and relevant articles. By doing this we can also provide excellent exposure for our seller's homes and condos. Visit the Emerald Coast Realty real estate blog to get our point of view and provide your comments about what you read.

By Emerald Coast Realty