Welcome to Longwood, Florida  and the beautiful golf course community Alaqua.  Home of the finest Luxury homes for sale.  These luxury homes are surrounded by lakes and breathtaking landscaping and lets not forget the Championship golf course.  This golf community is also gated and very secure. Alaqua, the elite Longwood Community has to much to offer to residents.  If luxury is what you are looking for think about Alaqua Country Club, fine dining, a fitness club, swimming pool and tennis courts.  Among these fabulous ammenties are the golf and tennis pro shops. To preview Alaqua homes for sale | real estate, click here. If you are not familiar with Central Florida give me a call.  I would be happy to send you a relocation package or answer any questions related to the area.   04/24/2010

The following are the market sales statistics for Longwood, Seminole County, Florida for March 2010.  Longwood is made up of the zip codes of 32779 & 32750.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas. A couple of definitions are in order.  The median sales price means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time - in other words, it's the midpoint of sale prices.  So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it's specifically indicating which price range is more active. The average sales price, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the numb... 04/12/2010

  The hardest part of life is that it requires us to change. We may be intrigued by the idea of life. We may be inspired by stories about life. These and many other cognitive processes are relatively easy for us. But the doing of life is hard because it means change. And change is difficult. We understandably resist change. We are angry that we have to change. We feel shame that we need to change. And we are afraid that we will not be able to change. We know that there will be moments when we'll find ourselves saying, "I can't do it. It's too tough." See How I Make Change Work for Me Click Here But change is also the most exhilarating part of life. We don't have to live in bondage to our past. We don't have to run in fear from relationships. We don't have to live as if we were responsib... 04/09/2010

New Homes in Longwood, FL at Bella Vista built by Centerline Homes Centerline Homes is proud to announce Bella Vista, Seminole County's next great neighborhood. Located in Longwood Florida, Bella Vista will feature a brand-new collection of estate home designs in this sought-after area that you and your family already love. In the Centerline "Gold Standard" tradition of quality construction, exceptional design and incredible value, Bella Vista raises the bar for new homes everywhere. The six sensational new home floor plans range in size from 4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths and 3-Car Garage to 5 Bedrooms, 5 Baths and a 4-Car Garage. Courtyard entries, teen lofts, in-law suites, ultra-luxurious Owner's suites and baths are just a few of the design surprises that you'll find in your new home at Bella... 04/06/2010

Sales of luxury-level homes in the Orlando FL residential real estate market has markedly improved over the last year. Inventory of houses for sale has dropped by a healthy 32%. Moreover, the drop in inventory is directly linked to the number of houses sold rather than of homeowners giving up and ‘going home’. Additionally, the rate of sales has increased from an average of 1.2% to nearly 3% (represented by the yellow exponential trend line). 04/03/2010

Giralda Pictured Above Finding a luxury home community in a great location in Seminole County has been just about impossible. . .until now.  Bella Vista, located just one mile from Lake Brantley High School, opened in February with new estate homes by Centerline Homes starting in the high $300s. "This is the heart of Seminole County," said Deb Marton, Sales and Marketing Director for Centerline Homes.  "Bella Vista is one mile from an A-rated elementary school and Lake Brantley High School, and close to shopping, entertainment and recreation.  There are 10 golf courses within 20 minutes!" Centerline Homes just opened a spectacular furnished model - the Giralda - a 4-bedroom, 3-bath home with a Bonus Room and a den, plus a 3-car garage.  The home encompasses more than 4,500 square feet.... 03/17/2010

The following are the market sales statistics for Longwood, Seminole County, Florida for February 2010.  Longwood is made up of the zip codes of 32779 & 32750.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas. A couple of definitions are in order.  The median sales price means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time - in other words, it's the midpoint of sale prices.  So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it's specifically indicating which price range is more active. The average sales price, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the n... 03/15/2010

Bella Vista is the coolest thing to hit Longwood since the springs at Wekiva. Longwood, long known as one of Seminole County's best addresses now offers a great alternative to remodeling your present home. Centerline Homes has recently grand opened its sensational Giralda model. Open daily 10-6 The Giralda is a family-friendly floor plan that's perfect for growing families. Featuring a split-bedroom plan, the Owner's Suite is luxurious beyond description. Two additional bedrooms share a "Brady Bunch" bath, while the fourth bedroom and third full bath are situated as to make an ideal in-law suite or guest room. A den or study is adjacent to the Owner's Suite near the home's front entry, making it the perfect place for a home office. The kitchen, breakfast area and family room are sized ... 03/10/2010

  Fewer homes went under contract in January as the housing market continues to limp through the winter months. According to the National Association of Realtors®, the Pending Home Sales Index fell to its lowest level in 3 quarters this January. By contrast, in October 2009, the index had touched a 3-year high. The Pending Home Sales Index measures the number of homes that have gone under contract to sell, but have yet to close nationwide. It's compiled using data from more than 100 regional listing services and 60-plus brokerages  -- the sample set encompasses 20 percent of all home resales in a given month. Economists have come to rely on the Pending Home Sales Index because of its.......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Pending Home Sales Drag In January, But Should Rebound For Sp... 03/05/2010

Longwood & Magic 107.7 Easter Egg HuntDate:  Saturday, April 3rdTimes:  9:30 - 12:30pmLocation:  Reiter Park (311 Warren Ave., Longwood, FL 32750) Bring the little ones for a morning of fun.  For more information about the event, go to www.scegghunt.com.  The Easter Bunny will be making an appearance so don't forget to bring your camera! Egg Hunt Times Crawler (Toddler) Continuous, simply bring your child to the designated area. 2 year old hunt 9:45am 3 year old hunt 10:00am 4 year old hunt 10:15am Kindergarten hunt 10:30am 1st Grade Hunt 10:45am 2nd Grade Hunt 11:00am 3rd Grade Hunt 11:15am 4th-5th Grade Hunt 11:30am For more information, please contact (407) 260-3484. Make sure you stop at Longwoods Newest Community Bella Vista after the event! 03/03/2010

These statistics should give you a feel for what’s happening in the luxury segment of the Orlando FL real estate market. Street Date Sold Original List Price Sold Price Beds Baths Sq Ft Pool TALA 01/14/10 $2,578,450 $1,060,000 4 3 6357 N FERNLAKE 01/11/10 $1,475,000 $1,100,000 5 5 5239 Y BERMUDA GROVE 01/08/10 $1,525,000 $1,275,000 4 4 5388 Y IVERNESS 01/26/10 $615,000 $510,000 4 3 3353 Y SQUIRE HILL 01/14/10 $1,200,000 $825,000 5 4 5232 Y   Properties have been listed and sold by various MLS members. Data drawn from the My Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service. Common concerns and doubts of all home sellers If the list price of my house is too high, no one will buy. If the list price is too low, I’ll lose money. Since this is a bad time to sell, I’m going to wait for the market to ... 02/28/2010

Be there for the Grand Opening at Bella Vista! Bella Vista | Longwood, FL | Grand Opening Feb 28th! Centerline Homes is proud to announce Bella Vista, Seminole County's next great neighborhood. Located in Longwood Florida, Bella Vista will feature a brand-new collection of estate home designs in this sought-after area that you and your family already love. Phone: (407) 278-0355 | Directions 02/26/2010

Be there for the Grand Opening at Bella Vista! Bella Vista | Longwood, FL | Grand Opening Feb 28th! Centerline Homes is proud to announce Bella Vista, Seminole County's next great neighborhood. Located in Longwood Florida, Bella Vista will feature a brand-new collection of estate home designs in this sought-after area that you and your family already love. Phone: (407) 278-0355 | Directions 02/26/2010

  The housing recovery showed particular weakness in the New Homes Sales category last month -- good news for homebuyers in Heathrow and around the country. A "new home" is a home for which there's no previous owner. New Home Sales fell 11 percent from the month prior and posted the fewest units sold in a month since 1963 -- the year the government first started tracking New Home Sales data. Right now, there are roughly 234,000 new homes for sale nationwide and, at the current sales pace, it would take 9.1 months to sell them all. This is nearly 2 months longer than at October 2009's pace. The reasons for the spike in supply are varied:...   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: As The Supply Of New Homes Grows, So Does The Opportunity For A "Good Deal"     02/25/2010

Mortgage markets reeled Wednesday after the Federal Reserve released the minutes from its January 26-27, 2010 meeting. Mortgage rates in Florida are now at their highest levels since the start of the year. The Fed Minutes is a follow-up document, delivered 3 weeks after an official FOMC meeting. It's a companion piece to the post-meeting press release, detailing the debates and discussions that shaped our central bankers' policy decisions. The Minutes is a terrific look into the Fed's collective mind and, yesterday, Wall Street didn't like what it saw.  Specifically, the report disclosed that: The Fed plans to break support for mortgage markets after March ... 02/18/2010

The following are the market sales statistics for Longwood, Seminole County, Florida for January 2010.  Longwood is made up of the zip codes of 32779 & 32750.  For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas. A couple of definitions are in order.  The median sales price means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less during a certain period of time - in other words, it's the midpoint of sale prices.  So basically what this means, is that the median sales price is showing market activity in that it's specifically indicating which price range is more active. The average sales price, as opposed to the median sales price, is the total volume of sold properties divided by the nu... 02/16/2010

The economy's improving but lending standards are not. Nationally, banks are making mortgage approvals harder to come by. Underwriting guidelines are tightening. The data comes from the Federal Reserve's quarterly survey to its member banks.  The Fed asks senior bank loan officers around the country to report on "prime" residential mortgage guidelines over the most recent 3 months and whether they've tightened. For the period October-December 2009: Roughly 1 in 4 banks said guidelines tightened Roughly 3 in 4 banks said guidelines were "basically unchanged" Just 2 of 53 banks said its guidelines had loosened. Combine the Fed's survey with recent underwriting updates from the FHA and generally tougher standards for conventional loans and it's clear that....   ----------------------------... 02/09/2010

On the first Friday of every month, the U.S. government releases its Non-Farm Payrolls data from the month prior. The data is more commonly known as "the jobs report" and it swings a big stick on Wall Street. Especially now -- many analysts believe job growth is tightly linked to the future of the U.S. economy. Therefore, when January's jobs report hits the wires at 8:45 AM ET tomorrow, home buyers would do well to pay attention. A net job reading that is much higher (or lower) than Wall Street's expectations can make a serious change in home affordability. Wall Street expects that the economy added 13,000 jobs last month.  It would mark the second time in 3 months that the jobs report showed a net monthly gain. In November 2008, the economy added 4,000. Jobs matter to the economy for a... 02/04/2010

The Federal Open Market Committee ends a scheduled, 2-day meeting today in Washington. It's the first of 8 scheduled meetings for the policy-setting group in 2010. The group adjourns at 2:15 PM ET. As is customary, upon adjournment, the Fed will issue a press release to the markets recapping its views of the country's current economic condition, and the outlook for the near-term future. The post-meeting statements from the Fed are brief but comprehensive. And Wall Street eats them up.  Every word, sentence and phrase is carefully disected in the hope of gaining an investment edge over other active traders. It's for this reason that mortgage rates tend to be jittery on days the FOMC adjourns. Wall Street is frantically rebalancing its bets. Today should be no different. The FOMC is expec... 01/26/2010

Securing an FHA mortgage is about to get more expensive. In a statement issued Wednesday, the Federal Housing Authority outlined policy changes to its mortgage assistance program. The shift is meant to both reduce the government group's portfolio risk while strengthening its overall financials. For consumers, the changes mean higher costs. As listed in the official announcement, there are 3 major guideline updates for the FHA: Upfront mortgage insurance premiums are increasing to 2.25% from 1.75% Minimum downpayments for applicants with sub-580 FICOs are rising to 10 percent Seller concessions are being limited to 3%, down from today's allowable 6% Furthermore, the FHA has appealed to Congress to raise an FHA borrowers' monthly mortgage insurance premiums. To read the FHA's statement, i... 01/21/2010