Our special poetic greeting for the 4th of July from Orlando Florida

My country, tis of thee,
Marching bands, floats,
Children waving flags,
Red, white and blue,
Banners of liberty.

Hot dogs, beaches, barbeques,
Marshmallows, watermelon,
Fun! Let freedom ring,
America.

Fireworks, red, white
And blue, passion bursting
In air, crowds, proud of our
Sweet land of liberty.

What’s new downtown Orlando Florida?

This is the start of a blog for Teri Isner and the Orlando Avenue Top Team. We are real estate professionals and we can help you with all of your real estate needs. My name is Teri Isner and I’m the Team Leader of the Orlando Avenue Top Team. This blog represents a group effort but, mostly, it’s mine!

First of all you should know that all of us at the Orlando Avenue Top Team are in synch when we say that Orlando is a great place to live. It is simply wonderful to be in an area where so many people come to have a good time. We can share this enjoyment any day and so we consider ourselves very lucky to be here. Furthermore, some of us come from another climate – I come from way up north – so we think we are especially fortunate to live where there’s wonderful weather.

The Greater Orlando Area is very big. You can drive about an hour each way and you’re still in what’s considered Orlando . Other large cities such as Houston and Las Vegas are like that too.

Orlando consists of several counties – Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Lake and Volusia. I-4 runs through Orlando and 417 loops around. Some of us at the Orlando Avenue Top Team prefer taking 417 even though it has tolls because usually traffic moves along fast.

The center of Orlando is the City of Orlando itself. I thought this blog should start right in the center, downtown, in the city. Sometimes it’s called the Metro area. Among other attractions it has tall office buildings, the historic Church Street Station, beautiful Lake Eola, The Orlando Science Center, the Orlando Art Museum and, of course, the arena where the basketball team The Orlando Magic play. The city has something for everyone and business in the city is booming.

Recently, huge investments have been made in the city. According to a related article in the Orlando Business Journal, 41 projects are either proposed for downtown or are already under construction and they have a value of over $1.5 billion.

This project calls for a 150-room Hampton Inn & Suites, a 13-story condo tower and a 15-story office tower. The proposal also calls for up to 15,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. Construction is slated to begin this year and the project is valued at $100 million.

Mt Everest Expedition addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdomin Orlando Florida is coming soon.

As one whose idea of a fun ride is the carousel, perhaps I am not the one to tell you that the new Animal Kingdom ride, Expedition Everest, is set to open this Friday…but I will. The new ride is described as a ‘family thrill ride’ and combines some tricks and turns from favorite coasters Space Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad while adding the special Disney Imagineering magic of its own.

The Expedition Everest coaster features a runaway train spiraling, dropping 80 feet, and running backwards through the dark, all the while escaping a mythical creature guarding the mountains. Everest, tall and stately and snow-covered, looms large in the Animal Kingdom and there’s a new mountain village of Serka Zong, looking appropriately aged and weather distressed.

In a related thought…the new entrance to Walt Disney World is scheduled to open April 4th. This is a four-lane divided boulevard called the Western Way. It will let you all come through Florida’s Turnpike without having to go on I-4. This road will connect with the roads that are close to Disney’s Animal Kingdom…and the roller coaster! Have fun!

The Florida Film Festival and other great activities here in the Orlando Florida area.

Welcome to spring! We’re a few days behind on the date – spring began March 20th – but a few days ahead of daylight savings time! We get an extra hour of daylight starting April 2nd. We spring ahead. Remember to turn clocks forward the night before. We’ll have more time to enjoy our beautiful Orlando Florida spring weather!

The Florida Film Festival showcases independent and foreign films and has been an annual spring event for the past 15 years. Films, forums and special events are at three locations; The Enzian Theater in Maitland, the Regal Winter Park Village 20 in Winter Park, and the Best Western Mount Vernon Inn, also in Winter Park. I myself have never been to this event but friends tell me it is a wonderful experience for people who love film, filled with film makers, students and people like you and me who love movies. The festival runs through April 2nd and more information can be found at FloridaFilmFestival dot com. Next year I think I’ll go!

Usually I see movies at the AMC Pleasure Island 24 at Disney World. Movies all day long, comfortable seating, good popcorn! What more could a movie lover want!

Which reminds me – if you want to know what’s happening at clubs or at restaurants or with music, a good website to use to check it out is OrlandoCityBeat dot com. They are always up to date and feature lots of pictures and downloads. Enjoy the start of spring!

Sharing some of the many ideas from Keller Williams Family Reunion

What has been happening in the 2005 Orlando real estate market.

I want to let you know that 2005 was a really terrific year for real estate investments around the Orlando area. Realtors sold 29,995 existing homes – that’s just under 30,000 houses – and, with that number, 2005 became the 13th consecutive year there was an increase in existing houses sold.

Here’s another number: there was 8.4 billion dollars in home sales in this area in 2005! And another number: there was a 15% increase in annual sales from two years ago to this.

From the wisdom and knowledge I’ve gathered in this business over the years, the Florida housing market seems extremely healthy. I’m thankful to tell you! And why not? Every week statistics show us that 1,275 people are moving into the Orlando area. This figure is projected to continue for the next ten years, so now is a great time to be part of the real estate market.

Interest rates look like they’ll stabilize at around 7%. Home prices are more stable, too. In 2004, there was a shortage of homes which produced a ‘buying frenzy’ and raised up prices of homes. Now, though, more houses are being built and there’s been an increase in existing homes for sale. This increase in inventory is serving to stabilize prices.

The Orlando area is really coming into its own and I’m glad that I’m a part of it!

More later,
Teri

Super Bowl Sunday

This is an introduction to our Orlando Avenue Top Team by Team Leader Teri Isner

February 1, 2006

Today is the beginning of my blog.