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.