This post starts the beginning of a series on 365 Things To Do Around Orlando. We will be letting you know about fun places for kids, young and old! Please jump in and comment on fun things you know about!
First in our series, is Orlando‘s first major attraction, the Magic Kingdom. This theme park is one of four parks in Walt Disney World Resort and the place where fantasy is reality.
Cinderella’s Castle is probably one of the most recognized pieces of architecture in America and the hub of the park. What little girl hasn’t dreamed of living here?
Discover the enchantment of fairy tales and the beloved Disney characters. Enjoy the fantastical boat ride through ‘It’s a Small World’, soar to the sky with ‘Dumbo the Flying Elephant’, cruise down the river on a safari boat, take a whirl in a giant tea cup at the ‘Mad Tea Party’ and Oh! so much more!!
Whether you live in Orlando year round or just visiting for a few days, put the Magic Kingdom on the top of your list of things to do with the kids. They will talk about it for the rest of their lives!
Orlando Real Estate For Sale: 539 Hunter Circle Kissimmee, FL 34758
MLS#04964041
Come on in and take a look at this immaculate 2 bedroom 2 bath villa with split floor plan. Single level living at its best! Featuring a full sized kitchen with sunny breakfast area. Bright living room with easy access to private outdoor patio. Master suite boasting private bath and walk-in closet. Conveniently located to bus line, shopping center at Publix and Poinciana Towne Center. Beautifully maintained common areas with nice landscaping, community pool, tennis courts, clubhouse and a play ground all in a peaceful and quiet neighborhood. You won’t find a better villa for the money. This home has so much Potential, You will Love it! Great starter home, convenient location, and can be used for vacation home or permanent resident. Come look inside and welcome home! REALTOR/OWNER.
Learn more about 539 Hunter Circle and other Orlando Real Estate by visiting OrlandoAvenue.com
Getting Organized to Sell Your Orlando Florida Home
We have all heard the stories about buyers who list their homes and receive a qualified offer within a week of placing their home on the market. While it has and can happen, more often than not in today’s economy, it takes some organization and some time for sell your Orlando Florida home. With a little planning and a time line of six months to a year, you stand a better chance of being prepared for both a fast or slow sale.
While no one has a crystal ball, if you are anticipating a major life change, from a marriage to a divorce, or job change or business downsize, the time to start is now.
First day to first month:
Gather your paperwork on your home together. Make sure you know how much of your remaining mortgage you owe, as well as the dates when you made major capital improvements.
Look at and adjust your living expenses if necessary to cover three to six months worth of mortgage costs beyond the time you have estimated to sell your home. Find and retain a lawyer specializing in real estate.
Orlando Real Estate For Sale:4542 Philadelphia Circle Kissimmee Fl 34746
MLS#04961050
SHORT SALE – Liberty Village near all the attractions, restaurants, shopping, and only 12 minuets to Disney. Home is in a modern development within a conservation area. Family vacations will be a blast in this immaculate spacious 2 story home with heated pool, spa and screen enclosure. The bright and open floor plan with decorative coloring is makes for a welcoming retreat. There is room for everyone in this fully furnished 5 bedroom home. The formal living and dining area is perfect for family gatherings. The huge family room overlooks the conservation area. A cooks dream come true is in this designer kitchen. Beauty, warmth & value at an incredible price. Don’t just walk… run to this great deal of a home and make an offer today. Short sale subject to lender approval.
Learn more about 4542 Philadelphia Circle and other Orlando Real Estate by visiting OrlandoAvenue.com
It is true; the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 has been extended until April 30, 2010. This grant is for people purchasing a home for the first time. An additional grant of up to $6,500 is available to current homeowners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
First time homeowners must purchase a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010. Current homeowners purchasing a home in this same period must have lived in the home they are selling for five consecutive years.
A first time home buyer is qualified if he/she or his/her spouse have not owned a home three years prior the purchase of a new home.
The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit applies to residences including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops. The credit is based on the price of the home being purchased ($800,000 or under) and the buyer’s income (up to $125,000 for singles, and $225,000 for married couples to receive the full tax credit).
Give me a call today for more information on the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit and learn how it can help your buy your Orlando home
You can check out the latest HUD home repair and rehabilitation programs available. You might qualify a mortgage to cover the cost of rehabbing a property as well as buying it. Talk to me or call your City Community Development Block Grant Program Coordinator.
There is no better Orlando Valentine than a new home. You will want to check out this lakefront home in Ocoee on an acre with its own dock and sandy beach. It is a great price and perfect for a rehabilitation loan.
Top Ways to Make Your Orlando Florida Home Buyer Friendly for Little or No Money
Valentine’s for Orlando Florida
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to ‘feel the love’ – for your home. Now is the time to start assessing ways you can make your house look more attractive to potential buyers as you get it ready to put on the market. Surprisingly there are many ways to make what you already have more attractive for little or no money.
1. De-clutter
Go from room to room with your goal to reduce what is in the room by one-third to one-half. Buyers respond to a house that looks and feels spacious, airy, and appears to have room. Remove everything from papers and magazines, to bulky, over-sized furniture. Whatever detracts from that particular room as an attractive living space should go – pack it, store it, or sell it, but make sure it is gone and out of sight.
2. Clean
Buyers also respond to that shine that can only be gotten by a little elbow grease. This means cleaning the baseboards, buffing the floors, wiping down the lighting fixtures, and dusting the furniture. Sparkling windows and clean counter-tops say that you love this home and you know someone else will too.
3. Easy access
If you live in the part of the country where it is snowy, shoveled paths and driveways must be ready to receive visitors. Remove anything that makes the entrance and access to your home unattractive and impossible. Take down the holiday lights and invest in good lighting around the entrances to your home.
4. Landscape
While this might not be the time for gardening for most of the country, check your landscape and remove any fallen tree limbs, leaves, and lawn clutter. As soon as Mother Nature cooperates, plan on pruning shrubs, and painting and repairing any fencing around the yard.
Orlando Real Estate For Sale: 2694 Manesty Lane Kissimmee, FL 34747
MLS#04959643
Short Sale. Most sought after, prestigious resort community-less than 2 miles to Disney! After a day at the Theme Parks, take a swim in heated pool/spa. Short walk to community amenities-includes clubhouse, movie theatre, tennis. There is room to relax in this 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom family-oriented floor plan. Impressive great room, volume ceilings, art nooks, archways & tile. The spacious kitchen features plenty of cabinets, breakfast/snack bar, dinette area and opens to family room area for great entertaining space. Living Room/Dining Room combo is a great gathering place. There are three large suite style bedrooms. Fully furnished pool home is located in the most prestigious and well booked short term rental community in the Disney area. Enjoy all amenities of this Gated Resort-Clubhouse with lagoon style pool, giant Jacuzzi, water slide, game room, movie theater, work out facilities, ping pong tables, convenience store, lighted tennis courts, basketball, putting green & sand volleyball. Giant Children’s Castle playground is right across the street. 1/2 mile from Mystic Dunn’s Golf Course. Celebration school system. Guarded with gate for private entrance. Zoned short term for the vacation home family. Come look and delight yourself when you visit your home.
Learn more about 2694 Manesty and other Orlando Real Estate by visiting OrlandoAvenue.com
Orlando Real Estate For Sale: 511 E Lakeshore Drive, Ocoee, Florida 34761MLS#04926183
SHORT SALE APPROVED PRICE $260,000. Enjoy many hours of fun on Lake Prima Vista that connects to Lake Starke, both are ski and fishing lakes with seawall, dock and sandy beach. Lakeside Living at an incredible price! Approximately 1 acre with mature oak trees. Master Suite upstairs. The home needs some TLC but at this price for a home on the Lake with a dock it is a great opportunity. Inside add your personal touches a lot of the updates inside are complete. The previous owner added a huge family room all permitted correctly. The exterior needs work but at this price you could create your own elevation and dress it up. Lakeshore is a beautiful treed street with access to Starke Lake from Lake Prima Vista too for your watersport enjoyment. Seawall is grandfathered in and the dock is waiting for your boat! Great deck out back to enjoy evening sunsets and there is a room off the master with windows that could also be changed to doors if you ever wanted to add an upstairs deck. So what are you waiting for come look inside today!
Learn more about 511 E Lakeshore Drive and other Orlando Real Estate by visiting OrlandoAvenue.com.
“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.”
~ Burton Hillis
Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated festivals globally and is no longer viewed as a purely religious holy day. It is now a time enjoyed by people of many countries and faiths, and there are numerous universally recognized icons which we associate with the yuletide. In fact, these symbols have become so commonly associated with the celebration of Christmas that when we see Santa riding on a reindeer, a mantle hung with stockings, coniferous green trees decorated with tinsel and ornaments, or houses festooned with evergreen wreaths and mistletoe, we know that the magic spirit of the season is upon us.
The tradition of the Christmas stocking dates back to approximately 250B.C. in Asia Minor. There Nicholas, rich man who became a very generous Christian priest and a saint, is said to have secretly filled the stockings of three poor sisters with gold, thus giving them a dowry and allowing them to marry. Legend has it that after that “miracle,” neighbors of the fortunate women followed suit with their stockings, and the tradition slowly spread across the globe. Children throughout the world now hang stockings–or even put out shoes–to be filled with small gifts and food by Santa (Saint) Claus (Nicholas). Many people create their own stockings, personalizing them for themselves or for others and often providing a family activity that is fun for all. Find instructions for making your own Christmas fireplace stockings.
With only 15 shopping days left until Christmas, the Orlando Avenue Top Team Shopping and Travel Tips will make the rest of your shopping much easier and stress free while earning Cash Back on all your purchases. That’s right CASH BACK!!
You can shop at all your favorite online stores. Over 700 top name brands. No wasting gas running all over town. No hassling crowds and impatient shoppers. No waiting in lines.
Shop 365 days a year. 24 hours a day. Whenever it is convenient for you. EARN CASH BACK!
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Carnival Cruise Gift Certificates on Sale Now
For a limited time only!
Just in time for the holidays give a wonderful gift certificate for 2 on a Carnival Cruise, offer it as a sweepstakes prize to fund raise at your organization, reward a good employee or just treat the family.
The perfect for parents, relatives and that special someone in your life.
Cinderella’s Castle is probably one of the most recognized pieces of architecture in America and the hub of the park. What little girl hasn’t dreamed of living here?
We have all heard the stories about buyers who list their homes and receive a qualified offer within a week of placing their home on the market. While it has and can happen, more often than not in today’s economy, it takes some organization and some time for 
It is true; the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 has been extended until April 30, 2010. This grant is for people purchasing a home for the first time. An additional grant of up to $6,500 is available to current homeowners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
You can check out the latest 
Valentine’s for Orlando Florida
3. Easy access
“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.”
priest and a saint, is said to have secretly filled the stockings of three poor sisters with gold, thus giving them a dowry and allowing them to marry. Legend has it that after that “miracle,” neighbors of the fortunate women followed suit with their stockings, and the tradition slowly spread across the globe. Children throughout the world now hang stockings–or even put out shoes–to be filled with small gifts and food by Santa (Saint) Claus (Nicholas). Many people create their own stockings, personalizing them for themselves or for others and often providing a family activity that is fun for all. Find instructions for making your own Christmas fireplace stockings.
You can shop at all your favorite online stores. Over 700 top name brands. No wasting gas running all over town. No hassling crowds and impatient shoppers. No waiting in lines.