Best of the Best

In my earlier publishing career, I worked for city/regional magazines. And every city/regional magazine published an annual "Best Of" issue, which touted the best of everything its coverage area had to offer-from watering holes to sports teams to news anchors.

There's a reason these kinds of features continue to be city/regional magazine staples-people love them. They're fun, informative and offer an opportunity to shine a spotlight on people, places and things that make an area unique.

As you already know, Jacksonville Homebuyer is a real estate magazine that acts like a city/regional magazine. Same high-quality editorial, same stylish graphics, same informational mission. So we asked ourselves, "Why can't a real estate magazine do its own 'Best Of' featuring housing-related categories?"

Obviously, we couldn't think of a good reason not to do it. In fact, we figured our readers would enjoy this different, somewhat whimsical approach to real estate reporting.

But hey-it isn't a scientific survey. What we're presenting represents our own opinions augmented with feedback from dozens of industry professionals. Some of the categories are serious, some a bit tongue-in-cheek.

Like all "Best Of" compilations, this one is sure to spur discussion and disagreement. Still, I think you'll enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed compiling it.

Also in this issue is a profile of Don Wilford of ICI Homes. Don is one of the most respected builders in Northeast Florida-and one of the reasons is his willingness to give back to the community through such initiatives as Builders Care.

The image I'll always have of Don is of his 38-hour-straight stint working on the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project, which was a partnership between Builders Care and the hit ABC-TV reality series.

Some bosses would have ordered their crews to drive the nails and hang the wallboard, then happily taken the credit for the project's success. But Don, who his admirers compare to an Old West hero, leads by example.

When you finish the article, we think you'll be as proud to know Don as I am.

And then we deal with one of the hottest-and most welcome-trends in homebuilding. It's called "green building," and it means planning and executing homes and communities that are compatible with the natural environment. Expect to see the trend spreading to Northeast Florida, thanks in part to efforts of the Northeast Florida Builders Association.

We've got all that-plus the usual comprehensive listings, directories and neighborhood roundups. In all, I think it's a terrific issue of Jacksonville Homebuyer. I hope you agree.