Big Band Bach in the Park, Central Park, Winter Park, Florida. Saturday, February 13, 2010 3:30P.M. It's free and part of the Bach Festival Florida (bachfestivalflorida.com) They will be playing some of his best known tunes big band style. This will be followed by the Free Popcorn "Love Story" Flick sponsored by the City of Winter Park and the Enzian Theater. Get some picnic items from the Cheese Shop on Park Ave and bring a blanket or two because it will be chili. 02/10/2010

The number of houses for sale in Orlando FL is down 32% compared to 2008 inventory, which itself had decreased 8% compared to 2007 year-end inventory. While this is an encouraging sign, inventory will have to decrease at least another 40 - 50% — or 5,000 to 6,000 houses for sale — before the Orlando FL residential real estate market returns to normal levels. Until residential real estate inventory goes down to levels seen in the 2001 through 2004 timeframe, houses prices will probably remain relatively flat.   If the booming sales levels achieved in 2009 continue, we may actually see a true bottom to the Orlando FL real estate market and a resumption of modest appreciation gains of house prices by year-end. Until then, homeowners who need to sell will have to compete with all the other ... 01/31/2010

Residential houses sales in Orlando FL during 2007 and 2008 were anemic compared to 2009, which was up over 67%. Additionally, the sale of 20,647 homes during 2009 exceeded 2002 sales levels, up to then a record-breaking year.   Since interest rates are predicted to rise and tax credits on first-time and move-up purchases are due to expire at the end of April, homeowners who need to sell must be prepared to be competitive, both in terms of price and in making their house attractive to buyers. 01/30/2010

Existing home sales are up in December in Florida. Compared to December 2008, existing home sales are up 33% and 4.3% from November 09. Home prices continued to decline, this is due to the number of foreclosed and distressed homes sold. These homes sell for sonsiderably less than a traditional sale. Experts point to the extension of the First Time Home Buyer's Tax Credit for the increase. They also predict increasing sales through the spring and the tax credit deadline. It is hopeful that the market will become self sustaining once the credit runs out. Pat Kennedy Real Estate Winter Park Real Estate 01/25/2010

You may have heard that selling a house as a Short Sale is difficult. Short Sales aren’t difficult. They are tedious, time-consuming, frustrating, require a great deal of patience and enormous quantities of aspirin. In the end, Short Sales are worth the headaches because they allow homeowners to avoid foreclosure, keep their credit from being destroyed, and move out and move on.   Street Date Sold Original List Price Sold Price Sq Ft Pool Zip Code Southern Breeze 12/22/09 $2,800,000 $1,375,000 5721 Y 32836 Hillview 12/28/09 $865,000 $580,000 4127 Y 32819 Little Lake Sawyer 12/29/09 $899,000 $625,000 4822 Y 34786 Duncanson 12/23/09 $975,000 $485,000 3641 Y 32732 Sweetwater Club 12/22/09 $3,400,000 $875,000 6633 Y 32779 Maple Glen 12/30/09 $1,690,000 $750,000 4597 Y 32771 Foxfield 12/15/0... 01/24/2010

The Rowlett Career School is partnered with the finest Accredited Real Estate Schools in the nation to bring you the best Online Real Estate Courses at the lowest prices.  The Rowlett Career School is a Florida Real Estate School that offers the most Real Estate courses at the best prices in every state.  You can get your Real Estate License or fill your real estate educational requirements with just one click of the mouse.  Check out our website at www.RowlettCareerSchool.com.  The Courses provided have everything you need to prepare and pass your real estate exam or meet your continuing education requirements.  Captain Wayne Rowlett, chief administrator and head instructior is available to answer any questions you may have.  Give us a call at 850-547-1333.    01/23/2010

Villa Siena, located in the prestigious Winter Park neighborhood, features luxurious two, three and four bedroom condominiums. Winner of few awards of the 2008 Mid-Florida parade of homes, Best award for best community, people's choice award for best community, first place for communities under 100 units, outstanding feature award for attention to detail, and the outstanding feature award for overall concept. The beautifully appointed community, which is reminiscent of an old world European town, includes a lavishly decorated lobby, rooftop terrace, equipped with a grill, state-of-the-art workout facilities, business center, conference area, underground parking and large individual balconies. You can also access air-conditioned storage rooms and a 2,300 square ft. community clubhouse. ... 01/15/2010

I receive many phone calls from people who need a real estate agent to list their property as a Short Sale. They often ask me how much experience I have doing Short Sales. I tell them a good Short Sale agent only needs to handle one file to know what they’re doing, provided they — Are ready to tackle 3-4 times the work of a regular sale Understand what banks are looking for in terms of price Know how to strategically price the property to attract a buyer in weeks and not months Are serious about the process Care about their clients Know how to follow up, follow up, and follow up some more Are prepared for twists and turns Are ready to solve unexpected problems. Just looking at that list, anybody would rightly wonder why a sane real estate agent would actually want to tackle Short Sales.... 01/14/2010

Luxury Real Estate Sold In Winter Park and the US should continue to rise. Comparing figures from 2008 to 2009, the luxury real estate is seeing considerable increases over the past year. These trends should continue for the Winter Park, Florida market and the US as a whole. In a Forbes article by Francesca Levy, she predicts that real estate will increase as an investment strategy for 2010 and will devote more of their portfolio to it. I believe we are already seeing this in the $300K and under market but we should see increases through all markets over the next year. She also states that the financial trouble that started in Dubai will help the US luxury market. As more people look for alternative luxury real estate markets, the US should see an influx of some of these investments sin... 01/13/2010

The Orlando FL real estate market is pockmarked like Swiss cheese with Short Sale properties. Even in this climate, many real estate agents don’t want to deal with Short Sales, particularly at the listing end. This is understandable since Short Sales consume 3-4 times the amount of work & time compared to regular listings. Many agents, however, don’t mind handling the buyer’s end so much because they figure the other agent is doing most of the work. Don’t make that assumption or you’ll wind up like my colleague did. When I closed my most recent Short Sale and brought the papers into the office, one of my fellow agents told me the story of how she just lost a Short Sale at the closing table. Yep, the sale had gotten all the way up to funding on the buyer’s side ... and collapsed because ... 01/11/2010

The Residences Condo is an upscale condominium community in affluent Winter Park. The luxury one, two, and three bedroom residences have functional, state-of-the-art floor plans so that you may decorate any way you see fit. Residences Condo features many amenities such as complete gym facilities with an indoor racquetball court, a childrens playground, 3 beautifully landscaped swimming pools, complete with a dramatic waterfall, and stunning landscaped walkways and picnic areas. Each condominium is outfitted with striking interior finishes, including large private patios and balconies, granite countertops, fireplaces and a stylish serving bar. The ultra-chic units also boast a cutting-edge security system and full-size washers and dryers. The schools zoned for The Residences Condo are B... 01/11/2010

Comstock Park is an upscale, waterfront community located in the chic town of Winter Park, Florida. Most of these magnificent homes have remarkable waterfront views of Lake Osceola. You are sure to find a home-style to match your taste. Comstock Park has an outstanding collection, from elegant all-brick houses to Mediterranean to Old-World European styles. Amenities included with the neighborhood are: immaculately landscaped biking and jogging paths and lighted tennis courts. You can enjoy a leisurely stroll amongst nature, or walk to the ritzy Park Avenue boutiques, restaurants and cafes. Whether you are looking for a family-friendly abode or something private and intimate, this community has it all! The schools zoned for Comstock Park are Lakemont Elementary School, Maitland Middle S... 01/09/2010

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 Genius 12/01/09 $1,309,900 $1,250,000 4 3 4003 Y Lookout Landing 12/07/09 $2,495,000 $1,650,000 4 4 5137 Y Venetian 12/11/09 $3,495,000 $1,955,000 4 4 5066 Y Sunset 12/17/09 $995,000 $980,000 5 5 3701 Y Chestnut 12/18/09 $799,000 $750,000 5 4 3712 Y Oakhurst 12/21/09 $899,000 $816,000 4 4 3595 Y Elizabeths 12/23/09 $849,900 $669,000 4 3 2647 Y Via Lugano 12/30/09 $799,500 $765,000 4 2 3129 Y Via Tuscany 12/31/09 $775,000 $715,000 4 3 2815 N   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 ... 01/09/2010

The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Park, Seminole and Orange Counties, Florida for December 2009.  Winter Park is made up of the zip codes of 32789 & 32792.  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 properti... 01/08/2010

Lakefront home in Winter Park, Florida Open House. I will be holding an Open House on Sunday, January 10, 2010 from 1 to 3P.M. at beautiful lakefront home in Winter Park Florida. The home is located at 3802 Kinsley Place, Winter Park, Florida. It is a 4 bedroom, 3 bedroom home that is 3,287 square feet. It is a two story single family home that was built in 1986 in the exclusive subdivision of BEAR GULLY BAY on private Bear Gully Lake in Winter Park, Florida. This is a must see for anyone looking for lakefront property in Winter Park. There are spectacular views out to Bear Gully Lake and conservation views from the front and side. You will fall in the love once you pull up to the home, with the long front porch that is reminiscent of old Key West. Once inside you will not be disappoint... 01/06/2010

Windsong Real Estate is a Luxury, Lake Front Community located in the center of "old" Winter Park; Wind Song is a one-of-a-kind community. This elegant community is situated along the shores of three of the most beautiful lakes in Winter Park, Florida. Living here gives you exclusive access to the Chain of Lakes from a private boat dock, where you can rent a neighborhood pontoon boat, ski boat or canoes or kayaks. There are two resident pools and many waterfront parks, including a Residents Club Water Park. There you have private access to a children's water playground, as well as a baby pool and a family pool. Many lake-front homes and manors range from 6,000 to 100,000 square feet. Many of the luxurious custom homes range from $500,000 to over $1,000,000, and are award-wining designe... 12/29/2009

Maitland Shores Real Estate is a luxury custom-home community, steps away from scenic Lake Maitland. This small, but exclusive neighborhood features a wide array of home designs from French chateau-inspired houses to British colonial and Spanish-style residences. This wonderful community gives you lake access to Maitland Lake where you can go boating, Fishing, or water ski so that you can treat your family to an amazing Florida day. You are sure to find the perfect home to match your lifestyle. All the Maitland Shores single-family homes have a lush surrounding landscape, perfect for privacy and retreat. At the same time, you are within close proximity to many of the city's cultural spots, such as art galleries and art studios. The schools zoned for Maitland Shores are Brookshire Eleme... 12/28/2009

Bear Gully Pointe Real Estate is an upscale, gated, and waterfront community with lake access located in prestigious Winter Park, Florida. These magnificent and elegant homes are some of the most luxurious residences in Central Florida. Each glorious house is expertly-designed and is enveloped with splendid landscaping and outstanding community amenities. The community features a children's playground, community lake docks on Bear Gully Lake, and tennis courts. With only 60 ultra-exclusive residences, this elite neighborhood remains amongst the most sought-after area in Winter Park. The schools zoned for Bear Gully Pointe are Eastbrook Elementary School, Tuskawilla Middle School, and Lake Howell High School. Bear Gully Pointe is conveniently located off Bear Gully Road and Old Castle D... 12/28/2009

Winter Park is a charming and endearingly antiquated town located just 15 minutes from downtown Orlando Florida. The city, which is situated in Orange County, is known best for its historical buildings, architecture and cultured past. An ideal place to call home, Winter Park is only a short drive to Orlando's downtown nightlife and sporting events. However, many people choose to stay within Winter Park and enjoy all that the city has to offer. The town has numerous lavishly-landscaped parks, and holds several popular festivals each year such as the Winter Park Sidewalk Arts Festival, the Bach Festival and Winter Park Concours d'Elegance. There are also many museums, theaters and historical landmark buildings that are of unique interest to locals and Central Florida residents. Winter Pa... 12/28/2009

Want to know what’s selling in Winter Park FL? These statistics should give you a feel for the market value of your house. Keep in mind that many of these sales are for Short Sales or Foreclosed/Bank-Owned properties. Under these situations, the Sold Price may be considerably below the Original List Price. Sorry to say, ‘distressed’ sales drag down the values of all the other homes in the neighborhood, whether or not they’re Short Sales or Foreclosures. Street Date Sold Original List Price Sold Price Beds Baths Sq Ft Pool RIDGEWOOD 11/17/09 $254,900 $230,000 2 1 1417 N WINTER PARK 11/13/09 $319,900 $298,000 3 2 1556 N WINTER PARK 11/10/09 $350,000 $305,000 4 4 2710 Y BRYAN 11/16/09 $489,900 $350,000 3 2 1812 Y VIA CONTESSA 11/30/09 $499,000 $375,000 3 2 1611 N CARDINAL 11/09/09 $475,000... 12/21/2009