Silly Science at Alafaya Library

Sat 12/17/2011
2:30pm to 3:30 pm
Kids, enjoy a fun filled program of silly science. Make the ooiest and the gooiest of the goos and get grimy and slimy with us. Stories, activities and crafts with a science twist! Ages 8-12. Registration required.

Elves Workshop at Alafaya Library

Sat 12/10/2011
10:30am to 11:30am
We will be as busy as elves creating wintery crafts. Join us for this magical event! Recommended for ages 4 and up. Registration required.

Property Brothers

I am loving a new show on HGTV called Property Brothers. These two fellas - brothers Drew & Jonathan - help couples find, buy and transform extreme fixer-uppers into the ultimate dream home.

Halloween Calendar

Halloween calendar from East Orlando Sun:

http://www.eosun.com/news/2011/sep/26/halloween-calendar/

Avalon Park Movie Under the Stars

Fri 10/28/2011
7:30pm
downtown Avalon
http://www.avalonpark.com/weblinks/Great%20Pumpkin_LTR.pdf

Oktoberfest in Avalon Park

free family event in downtown Avalon Park
Fri, 10/14/2011 to Sun, 10/16/2011

- German music
- alpine dancing
- performances
- beer garden
- root beer garden for kids
- games & contests

Expect Multiple Offers

Starting summer 2011, the East Orlando market has seen the return of multiple offers. If you're buying under $200 (and want move in ready like everyone else), be prepared to be one of five, ten or 20+ offers. Inventory is so limited that affordable, move in ready homes are going under contract within days of hitting the market.

What is a Pre-Approval Letter?

A pre-approval letter is a written document from your lender that details the purchase price you are approved for & any terms that must be met for the approval of your home. You need to know (and your realtor needs to know) what home price you can afford - this is the first important step any buyer must take before beginning the home buying process. A pre-approval letter is included with any offer you write & sellers use your pre-approval letter to make a decision on your offer. As a realtor, a 'pre-approval letter' is preferred, though some lenders today will only provide a 'pre-qualification letter'.

Responsible Homeowners Left Out in the Cold

Consider it yet another cruel irony of the housing bust: While hundreds of thousands of mortgage borrowers have been able to squat in their homes without making a single mortgage payment in months or even years, many responsible homeowners who have good credit and consistently meet their monthly obligations haven't been able to refinance in order to avoid losing their homes. Read full story at CNNmoney.com.

Medical City Higher Ed

With UCF College of Medicine completing its first year and with plans for a Valencia campus, as well as a UCF new dental school in the planning stages, many of the initial large-scale education components of the Medical City are coming together nicely. read entire article

Orange Co School Budget Remains Flat

Even with the large cuts in federal funding for the school system, Orange Co schools will not see a change in the budget for 2011 while neighboring districts will be harboring steep cuts. The budget remaining flat is thanks to the county voters who approved a millage increase of one-mil to prevent the cuts.

Avalon Park iPhone App

If you live in Avalon Park, check out this free iPhone app.

Lake Underhill Sheriff Station

The Lake Underhill substation opened in Feb 2011 to help better serve the growing East Orlando population. East Orlando is the largest of the six sectors within Orange County and answers the most calls annually. East Orlando currently has 165 deputies assigned to answer calls for service, patrol areas and keep the community safe.

Governor's Job Fair

Hundreds of upper, mid and entry level career openings in Central Florida as well as job seeker and educational resources on hand to assist you with your job search.

Governor's Job Fair 9/7/2011
Central Florida Fair Exposition Park
4603 W Colonial Drive, Orlando
located between Kirkman & John Young

free admission & free parking
open to all job seekers
no children, please

UCF Dental School

UCF is considering a proposal to establish a College of Dental Medicine at the UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona. The college will fill a need to provide students with a local dental program and it is expected to create at least 110 local jobs as well as an initial economic impact of $73 million. The dental college also will benefit Central Florida’s community by attracting research that could improve oral and overall health care.

Waterford Lakes Lost Pets

LoveyLoaves has launched Waterford Lakes Lost Pets, a free community-service website to help reunite lost and found pets with their owners in Waterford Lakes, Avalon Park and the surrounding areas of east Orange County.

WaterfordLakesLostPets.com lets users post details about lost and found pets, download and print customized fliers and check out resources about pets and pet ownership. Once information is posted to the site, an automated message is sent to members of the community who have signed up for email alerts. That way, neighbors can look out for one another and their pets.

Property Values Down, Property Taxes Up

Real estate values may still be sinking, but tens of thousands of Orange County homeowners are about to get word that they still face a bigger tax bill. Property Appraiser Bill Donegan said the rude awakening should start arriving in the mail this weekend through Truth In Millage, or TRIM, notices. They are the annual heads-up owners receive showing how their assessed value and proposed tax rates compare with last year.

Overall property values in Orange shriveled by 2% from 2010, but because of a 30% school tax increase that voters approved last fall, all property owners likely face a bigger tax bill.

East Orlando Mega Developments

Two mega-development projects, Innovation Way East and Rybolt Park, located in East Orange County were supposed to wait two years before re-emerging after their defeat in 2010. But developers behind each one wanted to move ahead sooner on plans to build thousands of new residences and millions of feet in commercial construction. Read full article

Sales Tax Holiday

Sales tax holiday is 8/12/2011 to 8/14/2011. more info

Eastside Cycling Club

Check out the Eastside Cycling Club in Avalon Park.

National Night Out in Avalon Park

Come join your neighbors at National Night Out 2011
downtown Avalon Park
Mon, 8/2/2011
6pm to 9pm

- fire trucks
- free child id card
- kid activities

Food Truck Bazaar

a gathering of the area's best food trucks, carts & wagons
family-friendly, all ages event of sampling & snacking
downtown Avalon Park
Sun, 7/24/2011
6pm to 10pm

What is Rybolt Park?

Rybolt Park is east Orlando is envisioned to be a “traditional neighborhood development” incorporating residential, commercial and office space in a compact village environment. Part of the innovative design of the community will be its incorporation of green housing and pedestrian, bike and electric vehicle roadways. It will also be home to hundreds of acres of parks, lakes and open space for the use and enjoyment of residents and visitors to the community. See the community

President's Job Fair

Hundreds of upper, mid and entry level career openings in Central Florida as well as job seeker and educational resources on hand to assist you with your job search.

President's Job Fair 7/13/2011
Central Florida Fair Exposition Park
4603 W Colonial Drive, Orlando
located between Kirkman & John Young

free admission & free parking
open to all job seekers
no children, please

Speed Hump Program

The Orange Co Speed Hump Program helps concerned citizens to fund the installation of speed humps through homeowner assessments. read more

New Library For East Orlando

During Jan 2011, more than 27,000 people walked into the Orange County Public Library’s Alafaya branch, second in foot traffic only to the main downtown branch. Five years ago, the county planned to open a new branch on Chickasaw Trail to ease the traffic at the Alafaya location and serve residents in the east Orange County area.

Despite more traffic overall and an already-strained Alafaya branch, the Orange County Public Library system is in a wait and hold pattern, which means the anticipated Chickasaw branch is off the books.

Read full article from East Orlando Sun

It Can Pay to Snoop on Neighbors

Going to the open house of a home for sale down the block may make you feel like a nosy neighbor. But there are good reasons, beyond sheer curiosity, to take a peek inside.

By knowing the selling prices and how properties look inside, homeowners can become more educated about values in their neighborhood.

Read full story at wall street journal.com

Where Are The Deals in 32828?

There's a high level of buying activity in 32828 with over 100 homes sold just in the past 60 days. The majority of these homes are under $200,000.

Few Homes Available in Avalon Park

Buyers considering Avalon Park be prepared for low inventory, high competition & multiple offers. There are only 26 single family homes on the market plus 14 townhomes. see homes

Woodbury Road Extension

Opened 5/4/2011, the Woodbury Road extension now provides an much needed alternate route from Alafaya Trail north toward UCF.

After two years of construction, the project widened Woodbury Road from Lake Underhill Road to East Colonial Drive and extended the road from East Colonial Drive to Challenger Parkway about one mile.

Read full article from East Orlando Sun

Simple Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill

We’ve reached the time of year when our electricity bills double in size due to our increased power usage to keep cool in east Orlando. Here are 13 simple ways how to stay cool and keep electricity bills reasonable.

Read full story at smartmoney.com

Apartment Therapy

Ok, design & home decor junkies...this site is truly addicting. Love it!

apartmenttherapy.com

East Orlando Commuter Rail

Gov. Rick Scott is set to make the final call on whether to bring the $1.3 billion commuter rail project to Central Florida on 7/1/2011.

Read full article from East Orlando Sun

These Days, Buying Wins

For the first time in years, buying a home may beat renting.

Two factors are at play - first, rents are expected to head higher as more people bitten by the housing bust turn to renting. Rents could rise 7% in each of the next two years. Second, home prices have finally dropped enough to create a buying opportunity. Nationally, prices are down 32% from their peak set in 2006.

Read full article from CNNmoney.com

How To Sell In Tough Times

It's not enough to show buyers your house is a deal: you have to convince them it's a total steal. That means slashing your price, bringing in a pro to pretty it up and creating a killer website for your home. Here's how to do it right.

Read full article from CNNmoney.com

Alafaya Road Construction

What's happening along Alafaya between Avalon Park Blvd & Mark Twain Blvd?

Read full article from East Orlando Sun

Redrawing East Orlando

It’s time for East Orlando to be cut down to size – at least in terms of its County Commission district lines.

Recently released 2010 Census data shows that Orange County’s District 4, which houses nearly all of East Orlando, is now not only the largest geographical district in the county, but the largest in population with over 250,000 residents – almost a 100,000 more than live in Districts 3 and 6 combined.

Read full article from East Orlando Sun

What? Mortgage Denied!

Getting a mortgage just keeps getting tougher and many homebuyers are getting rejected for loans they could easily afford. In fact, 25% of mortgage loan applicants get denied for loans according to the Federal Reserve.

Read full article from CNNmoney.com

Nemours Children's Hospital

In anticipation of the new Nemours Children's Hospital, a preview center has been created for the community to get a sneak peek of some of the hospital's rooms including inpatient, outpatient and intensive care spaces, which are fully stocked and equipped as if it were Day One at the hospital.

Read full article from East Orlando Sun

Mail Away Closing

In a ‘normal’ market, buyer and seller come together for closing at one location – the local title company’s office. However in today’s market, it is now the norm for buyer, seller and the title company to be located in three different states - particularly with distressed home sales (bank foreclosures and short sales). To accommodate this kind of closing, the title company will conduct a ‘mail away’ closing, which generally follows these steps: - Title company prepares the closing documents one or two days in advance of the closing date. - Closing docs are emailed to a local closing agent near the buyer/seller. - Closing docs are printed by the closing agent. - Closing agent arranges a time and location to meet the buyer/seller in person for signatures. - Closing agent walks the buyer/seller through the closing packet and answers any questions. - Closing agent overnights the original signed docs back to the title company.

Problems With Buying Bank Foreclosure

Read this family's story of buying a foreclosed home in Waterford Lakes.

Read full article.

1031 Exchange

Property owners considering “selling” their investment property may want to consider “trading” it in a 1031 exchange.

What Is It? In a 1031 exchange, a property owner “trades” a relinquished property for a “like-kind” replacement property while deferring the payment of federal income tax and some state tax on the transaction.

A 1031 exchange is tax-deferred - not tax-free. When a replacement property is ultimately sold (not as part of another exchange), the original deferred gain plus any additional gain realized since the purchase of a replacement property is subject to tax.

Like-Kind Property All real property is considered “like-kind” with other real property of the same nature and quality. Both a relinquished and a replacement property in a 1031 exchange must be held for investment purposes or for productive use in a business. A primary residence, second home or vacation home does not qualify for a 1031 exchange.

Some examples of qualified like-kind real property include:

- rental property
- office suite
- retail space
- vacant land

Benefits Some of the benefits of a 1031 exchange include:

- Postpone or potentially eliminate tax due on any gain in the sale of qualifying investment property.
- Acquire and dispose of property to reallocate your investment portfolio without paying tax on any gain.
- More money available to invest in another investment property. In effect, you receive an interest-free loan from the federal government in the amount you would have paid in tax on any gain.

Qualified Intermediary A Qualified Intermediary (QI) - an independent party who facilitates the exchange - is required to transact a 1031 exchange. The exchange ends the moment the taxpayer has actual or constructive receipt of sale proceeds of a relinquished property. The QI holds all sale proceeds until funds are needed to acquire a replacement property. The QI then delivers the funds directly to the closing agent.

All About Deeds

With a sharp increase in short sale, foreclosure and bank-owned property sales today, the transfer of title (ownership) in real estate from seller to buyer is less likely to be conveyed through the traditional Warranty deed and more likely to be conveyed through one of three other types of statutory deeds.

In the transfer of ownership from seller to buyer, there are varying levels of protection among the four types of statutory deeds. Starting with the deed that offers the most covenants and warranties and ending with the deed that offers the fewest covenants and warranties, the four types of statutory deeds are:

Warranty The seller forever covenants and warrants the title and provides every possible future guarantee to protect the buyer’s title. With a warranty deed, the seller is the rightful owner and has the right to transfer title; there are no outstanding claims on the property from lenders or other creditors using the property as collateral; and the property cannot be claimed by another party. This type of deed is commonly used in a traditional arms-length transaction between Joe Seller and Joe Buyer.

Bargain & Sale The seller does not covenant or warrant to defend the title against any future claim or attack. This type of deed is sufficient to convey all the title the seller has, but does little to protect the buyer from clouds or claims on the title. This type of deed is commonly used by court officials for property that has been seized from the property owner and held by force of law by the authorities.

Special Warranty The seller does not covenant or warrant the title in any manner except against acts by the seller or the seller’s rep. The seller guarantees that nothing has been done to encumber or cloud the title during their ownership. This type of deed is commonly used by major corporations in the sale of property.

Quitclaim The seller makes no covenants or warranties about the quality or extent of the title being conveyed. The seller does not warrant to defend the title or to transfer a valid interest. The buyer has no legal recourse if title problems surface at a later date or if a forgotten lien holder emerges from the woodwork. This type of deed is commonly used when a property owner dies and bequeaths their property to someone; when a property owner gets married/divorced and adds/removes the spouse's name to/from the title; or when property is transferred to a living trust.

What's a Lockbox?

Today more then ever, it is critical for a seller to accommodate every showing request no matter the date, time or circumstance. To assist in this, the use of a lockbox - a small, hollow metal box that holds home keys and is securely attached to the front doorknob - is a great tool for a seller while their home is on the market.

By using a lockbox, there is no need for a seller to be home, for the listing agent to attend or for the buyer’s agent to pick up a key at the office. The home key is already located in a secure location at the home for the buyer’s agent to access.

A buyer wants a showing. Their agent wants a hassle-free, smooth showing. The use of a lockbox accomplishes both of these things. Showings are scheduled by the buyer’s agent at the convenience of the buyer, so a showing could take place on a Wed morning, a Fri afternoon or a Sun evening. A lockbox makes all of these showings possible.

There are two lockbox styles commonly used in the Orlando market.

Electronic An electronic lockbox provides a reliable, automated system for home access while a home is on the market. Any time an electronic lockbox is accessed by an agent using their “e-key” and pin number, their name, member ID, and the date and time is electronically recorded. An agent’s e-key is deactivated every 24 hours and requires a daily download of showing activity to be reactivated. A detailed record of all showings can be retrieved online at any time.

The electronic lockbox most commonly used in the Orlando market is the Supra iBox. Orlando Regional Realtor Association (ORRA) distributes and manages all iBox lockboxes and e-keys in the Orlando market. ORRA distributes iBox lockboxes and e-keys only to licensed Florida agents/brokers who are members of ORRA. An iBox and e-key are costly for an agent to obtain.

An iBox can only be accessed 9am to 9pm every day of the week. An iBox automatically locks out access for all other times. If an agent attempts to access an iBox at 7am, the iBox will register the attempted access and give the agent a “rejection” error message on their e-key.

Manual The Shurlok and GE KeySafe are the most popular manual lockbox styles used by Orlando realtors today. The listing agent self-selects an access code before securely attaching a manual lockbox to the front doorknob. The listing agent will then provide the access code to authorized agents for scheduled showings.

Manual lockboxes are helpful for providing easy access to other professionals involved in a real estate transaction such as home inspectors or repair personnel who are unable to access an iBox (these folks don’t have an e-key).

A manual lockbox is inexpensive and can be purchased by anyone at Lowe’s or Home Depot. This style of lockbox is also commonly used by FSBOs.

What Are Doc Stamps?

Doc stamps are excise taxes imposed by Florida law on the transfer of ownership or interest in a real estate transaction. Doc stamps are one of the most expensive closing cost items for both a buyer and a seller. Doc stamps are paid one time at the time of closing and can be seen on lines 1200 to 1206 of the closing statement (also known as “the HUD”).

The rates for doc stamps are as follows:

- Deed $0.70 per $100 of purchase price; customarily paid by seller
- Mortgage $0.35 per $100 of mortgage; customarily paid by buyer
- Intangible Tax $0.002 per $1 of mortgage; customarily paid by buyer

Example: $400,000 purchase price; $300,000 mortgage

- Deed $400,000 / $100 = 4,000 taxable increments x $0.70 = $2,800 customarily paid by seller
- Mortgage $300,000 / $100 = 3,000 taxable increments x $.035 = $1,050 customarily paid by buyer
- Intangible Tax $300,000 x $0.002 = $600 customarily paid by buyer

Ideal Time to Sell: Holidays

Fresh in to 2011, I am reminded of an odd experience I had working with a buyer over a 'holiday' weekend.

I worked with an out-of-state buyer on Superbowl Sunday. They had a tight time frame, their checkbook and a pre-approval letter - they were there to buy. I attempted to schedule eight showings several days in advance. Still, five of eight sellers denied the showing request because “we are having a Superbowl party”. The buyer saw three of the homes on their list and made a full price offer on one of them the following morning.

There is an incorrect assumption that buyers don’t house hunt during the holidays; this could not be further from the truth. “Buyers take time off, too” and “everyone leaves town for such-and-such holiday” are seller misconceptions. In reality, any extended weekend - national holidays, federal holidays and school closings – is an ideal time to sell your home.

Buyers Have Time & Energy A ready, willing and able buyer wants to house hunt when they have the time and energy for it. A serious buyer will plan an outing with their agent well in advance. These buyers come armed with a good agent, their checkbook and a pre-approval letter. Isn’t this exactly the kind of buyer you’re looking for?

Minimal Competition There is a limited number of homes available for showing – and therefore, minimal competition - during the holidays. A majority of sellers “close up shop” during the holidays. Some sellers go out of town and choose to deny showings while they are away. And other sellers remain home, but choose to deny showings because they are at home with their families and don’t want to deal with the inconvenience of showings.

The upcoming 2011 holidays will afford many buyers an extended weekend to house hunt and potentially buy your home - let them in!

Cut Your Closing Costs

Whether you’re a first timer or have been through the drill half a dozen times, buying a home is a stressful proposition. In addition to the anxiety of sinking what may be your life savings into one huge investment, there's the nagging fear that you're getting ripped off in some capacity.

When it comes to closing costs, that may very well be the case. Like car leases, closing costs seem to be designed to confuse the buyer. Most folks don't understand all the mysterious fees they're paying their lender when they close on their home - and sometimes they end up overpaying.

Read full story at smartmoney.com

Foreclosure Help?

With the availability of government programs such as Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) - a plan designed to help borrowers afford their mortgage payments by lowering their interest rate, extending the mortgage or holding a portion of the loan in forbearance - it was expected that foreclosures would decrease. But instead, many of those people who participated in HAMP are defaulting again.

The number of foreclosures in Central Florida has increased since 2009 including nearly 17,000 foreclosures in Orange Co alone in 2010. Industry experts expect that number to grow even more in 2011.

Read full article at East Orlando Sun.com

Five Things to Know About Homeowner’s Insurance

Want a little insight to your hard-to-understand homeowner's insurance? Here are five things to know about your homeowner’s insurance from CNNmoney.com.

Should You Rent Out Your Home or Sell It?

In most cases, moving means selling one's home. After all, it's usually a necessary step in affording a new home.

But for various reasons some people choose to rent out their homes instead. In some instances, people know that they'll be leaving only for a year or two. Sometimes the would-be seller simply can't sell at a price deemed acceptable, so she chooses to hang on until the market picks up. Or if property values are rising, an owner may want to wait to be able to ask for a higher price later.

Whatever the reason, it's important to have a healthy grasp of the financial issues at play when weighing this decision.

Read full story at smartmoney.com

Florida-Friendly Plant Database

I found a great online resource for my gardening projects. I found the Florida-friendly plant database helpful in selecting the best plants & flowers for my garden.

The Reluctant Landlord

You may need to move on from your home - for more space, for family reasons, for work - but if you're worried you can't sell your home for get a decent price, renting out your home until the market improves may be your best move. These simple steps will help you maximize what you make while minimizing hassles.

Read full story at CNNmoney.com

Appliance Care

Many modern appliances are so well designed that it’s easy to forget they need annual attention. Unlike the yearly spring cleaning of a house, appliance maintenance does not take long - and best of all, it can extend the lifespan of an appliance.

Read full story at New York Times.

32828 Super Sales

Great sales activity taking place in 32828…370 homes are presently under contract & will soon have new owners in place.

Townhouse Bargains

Plenty of opportunity to buy a townhouse in 32828 as low as $69,000.

Affordable Homes in 32828

96 affordable home under $200,000 sold in the past 60 days in 32828.