Lakeland Real Estate Blog by Petra

Lakeland Real Estate Market Update for 02/16/10-02/28/10

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:45:53 -0600

Update for the Lakeland FL real estate market! There are 1912 homes for sale throughout Lakeland, Florida – as of 03/09/10. The inventory of Lakeland homes for sale in the past few months hovers around 1900. Newly listed homes for the period of February 16^th through February 28^th decreased to 135 Lakeland homes for sale. The average sales price of Lakeland homes listed with area Realtors® increased to $165,281 from my previous report.

The types of homes and average prices for sale in Lakeland, Florida according to the Multiple Listing Services (MLS) are as follows:

4 duplex units with a sales price of $138,425

4 condos listed with an average sales price of $61,325

10 mobile homes listed with an average sales price of $56,310

4Townhomes/Villas listed with an average sales price of $177,587

113 single family homes with an average price of $179,119

Lakeland’s newest homes listed! The priciest home on the market in Lakeland is a 2006 Hulbert custom built estate with pool features 5 bedrooms and 4 2½ baths with over 5,100 square feet of living space. This home is located in the Christina community and is offered at $1,899,000. On the contrary, the cheapest Lakeland home newly listed is a bank owned 3 bedrooms 2baths home listed for $16,400 – just over $12.00 per square foot – located in the Albert Park subdivision.

For more detailed information of where the homes are located and more, please continue to read by clicking this link

I hope you found this post useful! If you need help finding or selling your Lakeland, Florida home, please contact Petra Norris - REALTOR at 863-619-6918. If you’re new to Lakeland, I’d especially like to extend a warm welcome. I value my clients and provide them with honest, reliable service. Allow me to introduce you to the Lakeland real estate landscape and all it has to offer.

Lakeland Harrison School for the Arts presents “The Three Musketeers”

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:06:32 -0600

Lakeland Harrison School for the Arts presents “The Three Musketeers”

Did you miss this wonderful play of Micah Ariel James adaptations of Dumas’ renowned novel of “The Three Musketeers” this past weekend?

Great reviews of past performances! At last weekend’s almost sold out performances and raving reviews by patrons, you sure don’t want to miss this exciting production of “The Three Musketeers” that is being showcased by the Harrison School for the Arts’ talented group of theater students.

For another weekend, you are encouraged to see this performance in the new Black Box Theatre located on 750 Lakeland Hollingsworth Drive, Lakeland Florida 33801 on Friday, March 12^th @ 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 13^th @ 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinee, March 14^th, 2010 @ 2:00 p.m.

Under the direction of Ilene Fins, Dean of Harrison's Theatre Department, "The Three Musketeers" explodes onto the Harrison stage with fast and furious duels in the dangerous streets of Paris! James' version of this classic story follows the renowned adventures of country bumpkin d'Artagnan as he seeks entry into the prestigious King's Musketeers. Together they fight with courage to combat the malicious cardinal and save France.

"All for One and One for All!" Chock full of political intrigue, romance and exciting sword battles, this world premiere is not to be missed. En garde!

The troupe is lead by Britt Michael Gordon as d'Artagnan, Corinne Townsend as Aramis, Lance Taylor as Porthos, Amelia Marler as Athos, Demonte Cheeks as Treville, Justin Nipper as Bonacieux, Katie Ward as the Queen, Erika Williams as DeWinter, Jenna Creamer as Rochefort, Kevin List as the King, Chris Holseth as the Cardinal, Brooke Dixon as Constance,and Nicole Richard as the Innkeeper, with Courtney Lang, Beth Rousseau, Camila Araujo, and Annie Jaynes as the Fight Corps.

Seating is very limited and I encourage buying tickets online at www.harrisonarts.com

Pictures are courtesy of Andy Glowgower of Andy Glowgower Photography

Mark your calendar for these upcoming performances of The Harrison Fine Arts Series for 2009/10:

The Three Musketeers

Friday, March 12, 2010 - Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 7:30 PM in the Black Box Theatre

Sunday, March 14, at 2:00 PM

Harrison Wind Ensemble Concert - Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 7:30 PM

Chamber Music Concert - Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 7:30 PM

Piano Concert - Thursday, April 08, 2010 at 7:30 PM

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Friday, April 23, 2010 - Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 7:30 PM

Sunday, April 25, at 2:00 PM

Idealistic Notions, Professional Visual Arts Exhibit

Friday, April 23, 2010 - Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Reception at 6:00 PM

String Orchestra Concert - Monday, April 26, 2010 First United Methodist Church, Lakeland at 7:30 PM

Spring Dance Concert - Friday, May 07, 2010 - Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 7:30 PM

Symphony Orchestra Concert - Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 7:30 PM

Come On Bank Of America Get Your $%# Together!

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:35:47 -0600

CAVEAT EMPTOR - Lakeland Short Sale buyers and sellers be aware that Bank of America still don't have their act together. A true story and an eye opener for everyone who is involved in Short Sales.

This goes right along with an article I read in my local newspaper about a homeowner being foreclosed on their home despite owning the home free and clear.

Via Florida Real Estate Trainer | Daytona Beach After School Training | Midori (Sunnet Realty):

Last night I recieved an alarming call from one of my past customers...that's right...alarming...you see we closed on their short sale in October...the closing took place without any hitches...the title company did what they were supposed to and at the end...the buyers moved into the house..commissions checks cut......but there is one problem....

The seller continues to get statements...bills....and phone calls! WHY? Because this closed and funded transaction is still in Bank of America's closing department?

Come on Bank Of America Get Your %#%^ Together!

So far the explanation is that the Negotiator who had this file...no longer works for them...someone dropped the ball but they have never seen anything like this before...and they are not sure what to do......and the seller will just have to be patient.

This hold up...creates stress...the seller can't file their taxes and what they thought was behind them is still in front of them because someone dropped the ball!

The biggest mistake here is that Bank of America is making them jump through hoops, you know the typical where you talk to not one but two customer service clerks...and then shuffled around to various deparments causing frustration...aggravation..and no true answers...

I got the willies...its as if the seller must relive the short sale transaction all over again.

I'm lucky the seller and I have become very good friends and they have a financial background, however someone who might not be so well versed in real estate and mortgages..might very well panic and create havoc. We have taken steps to get his file out of the closing department and hopefully according to Bank of America, their transaction will be closed soon otherwise the seller will have to file an extension on their taxes.

Short sale sellers....BEWARE....

This could happen to you....if you continue to recieve bills, letters and phone calls after your, what you thought was a successful closing....do yourself a favor...follow up...ask questions and make sure your short sale transaction is really closed!

If you found this useful please subscribe! Midori Miller authors DaytonaRealEstateTrainer.com | The Business Center | Celebrity Truths and her Active-rain blog DaytonaRealEstateTraining.com. Feel free to contact her via email or phone.

Polk County Existing Home Sales for January 2010

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:27:13 -0600

Polk County Existing Home Sales for January 2010

Slow start of the overall Polk County Home Sales in January when comparing sales history for the past year. Although average Polk County home prices have somewhat been stable in recent months, the number of homes sold in Polk County took a nose dive when comparing the number of sales from the past few months. If you are a person that is visual like me, just take a look at the chart below to see what I’m talking about. Please keep in mind, the figures reflect all homes as indicated below, not just single family homes you see in media reports.

500 existing homes sold – a decrease of 21% from the previous month (636 sold homes) in Polk County – an increase in sales activity of 111 Polk County homes sold from the previous year. Overall Polk’s median price for existing homes decreased by 1 ¾% from the previous month to $97,950, however remained almost the same from the previous year of $98,000.

Take a look at the city you live in and see what the numbers are for January 2010 for existing home sales – single family homes, condominiums, manufactured homes, duplex, villas, and townhomes -including distressed properties in Polk County. Please take note only sales recorded by Realtors® are taken into account. The source for this data is Mid-Florida Regional MLS Service, it is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

City Average Sold Price Median Sold Price # of Homes Sold

AUBURNDALE	110,675	111,950	16
BARTOW	106,201	80,000	8
CLERMONT	88,000	88,000	1
DAVENPORT	117,716	110,000	122
DUNDEE	75,000	75,000	2
EAGLE LAKE	9,100	9,100	1
FORT MEADE	140,750	106,500	4
FROSTPROOF	64,283	63,000	3
HAINES CITY	91,398	79,900	32
KATHLEEN	40,000	40,000	1
KISSIMMEE	138,545	100,000	11
LAKE ALFRED	92,450	92,450	2
LAKE HAMILTON	60,500	60,500	2
LAKE WALES	64,199	45,000	19
LAKELAND	126,320	112,900	145
MULBERRY	108,136	118,620	14
POINCIANA	85,345	72,000	51
POLK CITY	38,451	47,000	3
WINTER HAVEN	112,701	91,000	63

Let me break down January 2010 Polk County existing homes sales into various categories:

447 Single family homes, townhomes, villas and ½ duplex – median sold price $103,000 – 148 Average Days to Closing
19 Condominiums – median sold price – $65,000 – 149 Average Days on Closing
34 Modular, manufactured/mobile homes in park/out of park – median sold price $56,500 – 233 Average Days to Closing

Let’s take a look at the distressed Polk County real estate market!

There were 183 existing homes sold, not categorized as distressed properties, at a median sold price of $130,000 with 206 average days to closing, which counted for almost 37% of our total sales. The distressed properties however; which includes Bank owned, pre-foreclosure, in foreclosure and short sales counted for 63% of our total sales in Polk County for the month of January.

234 sold homes were Bank Owned – median price $79,450 – Average Days to Closing 81
83 sold homes were Short Sales – median price $102,000 – Average Days to Closing 247

Lakeland FL Real Estate Update for 02/01-02/15/2010

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:12:00 -0600

Update for the Lakeland FL real estate market! There are 1923 homes for sale throughout Lakeland, Florida – as of 02/19/10. While Lakeland homes inventory remains stable, newly listed homes for the period of February 1^st through February 15^th increased by 16.75% to 203 Lakeland homes for sale. The average sales price of Lakeland homes listed with area Realtors® increased to $165,715 from my previous report.

The types of homes and average prices for sale in Lakeland, Florida according to the Multiple Listing Services (MLS) are as follows:

3 duplex units with a sales price of $48,267

6 condos listed with an average sales price of $141,417

18 mobile homes listed with an average sales price of $62,678

5 Townhomes/Villas listed with an average sales price of $107,440

171 single family homes with an average price of $181,178

Lakeland’s newest homes listed! The priciest and also currently the most expensive home on the market in Lakeland is this 2008 McQuillen custom built pool home which features 6 bedrooms and 5 ½ baths with over 6,700 square feet of living space of the main house and is located in the Crescent Woods community. Its current list price is $2,100,000. On the contrary, the cheapest Lakeland home newly listed is a HUD bank owned 2 bedrooms 1 baths home listed for $15,000 – just under $15.00 per square foot – located in the Valencia Heights subdivision.

For more detailed information of where the homes are located and more, please continue to read by clicking this link

Lakeland Florida Short Sale and Foreclosure Market Report – January 2010

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:04:45 -0600

Lakeland Florida Short Sale and Foreclosure Market Report – January 2010

The foreclosure and short sale market has affected all of us here in Lakeland, Florida with the ever decreasing home values in most neighborhoods if not all neighborhoods in our city. High unemployment rates, influx in foreclosed properties for the foreseeable future and shadow inventory that has yet to hit the real estate market, highlighting the Lakeland distressed housing market for sellers, home buyers and investors is very important in determining their options whether buying or selling.

Starting with this month Lakeland Florida Short Sale and Foreclosure market report, the distressed market report will have its own report.

For the month of January, Lakeland’s real estate market of short sales and bank-owned (REO) properties had a market share of 60%. There were a total of 88 properties sold in January compared to 60 distressed Lakeland homes sold the year prior, according to Mid-Florida Regional MLS.

Currently there are a total of 1,910 Lakeland homes for sale and 498 Lakeland homes under contract (02/18/2010). By calculating total inventory, homes that are under contract because these properties have not closed is included in my inventory share.

Bank owned properties – Inventory share is 12.17%
Short sale properties – Inventory share is 25.42%

The Graph below compares sold homes in all categories – Traditional Sales (None Distressed), Bank Owned Properties (REO) and Lakeland Short Sales

Average days on market (DOM) for bank-owned properties are 45 days
Average days to contract for other distressed properties are 136 days.

25 Distressed Homes Sold - average sold price $146,724 – median sold price $139,900

63 Bank-owned (REO) sold – average sold price $88,319 – median sold price $81,000

Distressed sales are scattered in all parts of Lakeland Florida as you can see from this graph below.

If you are interested in a specific area or neighborhood, feel free to contact me at petra@petranorris.com or click the search button below.

Is The FDIC Killing Indymac OneWest Bank Short Sales?

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:31:01 -0600

Our voices of the Real Estate industries has to be heard. It is sad when deals are being made to the expenses of taxpayers and homeowners who face short sales, foreclosures and are in the midst of getting the impossible - loan modification.

Via Robert G Hertzog (Summit Home Consultants):

Is The FDIC Killing Indymac OneWest Bank Short Sales?

As some of you may already know, I specialize in helping homeowners avoid foreclosure through the use of short sales. Recently, I dealt with a very interesting case involving Indymac/OneWest Bank, that I felt needed to be brought to the attention of all American taxpayers.

Basically, IndyMac Bank (now OneWest Bank), is holding one of my clients hostage, demanding a $75k promissory note, or they will proceed to foreclosure. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why they were doing this. The BPO came in at the contract price of $275k, with a net to IndyMac of $241k. What advantage could there possibly be for them to proceed to foreclosure?

Yesterday, I figured it out. You see, IndyMac was taken over by the FDIC and sold to OneWest Bank in March/2009. Guess who the investors are behind OneWest? George Soros, Michael Dell, Steve Mnuchin (former Goldman Sachs executive), and John Paulson (hedge-fund billionaire).

Now, listen to the deal they got from the FDIC....

Basically, they purchased all current residential mortgages at 70% of par value (70% of the outstanding loan amounts). They purchased all current HELOCS at 58% of Par Value!!!

Next, in order to "sweeten the pot", the FDIC stepped in and guaranteed the following: For any residential mortgages where OneWest experiences a loss, the FDIC will step in and cover anywhere from 80%-95% of the loss. The loss is calculated using the ORIGINAL LOAN BALANCE, not the amount that OneWest paid for the loan. Let's use my clients actual situation as an example:

Loan Amount is $478,000, plus 6 months of missed payments, for a grand total of $485,200

OneWest pays $334,600 for the loan

We have an all cash offer of $241,000, net to OneWest.

So, let's do the math, shall we? The net loss, according to the FDIC formula is the ORIGINAL LOAN AMOUNT minus the amount of the offer. In this case, $485,200-$241,000, or $244,200. Next, the FDIC, according to their Loss Share Agreement, writes a check to OneWest for 80% of the so-called "net loss". So, in this case, OneWest gets a check from Uncle Sam for $195,360 (.80 X $244,200).

Add the $195,360 to the sales price of $241,000, and you get a grand total of $436,360. Remember, OneWest paid $334,600 for the loan. So, OneWest puts $101,760 in their pocket, thanks to the FDIC. Folks, that is over $100k of our hard-earned tax dollars!

So, you ask...Why does this program hurt short sales? Because, our brilliant government offers this SAME PROGRAM FOR FORECLOSURES! The only difference is, the government picks up 80% of the tab on all of the extra costs associated with a foreclosure (BPO's, upkeep, utilities/maintenance, legal fees, etc.)

So, If I'm OneWest, why would I want to waste my time negotiating through a Short Sale, when I can make the same amount of money (if not more) by just letting it go to foreclosure? And we wonder why nobody can get a Loan Modification? Why would OneWest approve a loan modification for this guy, when they can foreclose and make over $100k? And, to add injury to insult, they have held this loan for 6 months! Not a bad ROI, huh?

What infuriates me the most is that in my particular case mentioned above, they have the guts to hold my client hostage for a $75k promissory note, after they are already making more than $100k on the sale!!! This is his primary residence, 1st Position loan, and OneWest has NO RECOURSE! Imagine if they could make $100k, then get a deficiency judgement! Talk about making some big bucks!

Can you say "GREED"?

But wait, here's the best part... I sent letters to Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl, with a cc to the CEO of OneWest, explaining the current loss-share agreement, as well as including the FDIC worksheets, with the actual numbers in this case, showing them that OneWest was making a profit of over $100,000 on this deal, thanks to the FDIC. Within 24 hours, I received a response from the PR Firm representing OneWest, telling me that OneWest would dismiss the promissory note requirement, and the short sale was approved. We closed escrow 3 weeks later. My client not only avoided a $75,000 commitment, but also salvaged his credit by short-selling his home, versus handing it back to OneWest via foreclosure.

The scary thing is that over 50 banks have Shared Loss Agreements in place with the FDIC. Some of them include: Bank of America (go figure), CitiMortgage, Wells Fargo, etc.

This entire agreement between the FDIC and OneWest can be found here, on the FDIC website. It's all there, for the world to see! They have it all laid out. All of the formulas, worksheets, etc.

Now, it's up to us to bring it to the attention of our elected officials and the media. Enough is Enough!

Wait, it gets better...The FDIC just announced that they are "considering" borrowing money from the U.S. Treasury in order to replenish it's deposit insurance fund (the same fund being used to pay all of these banks in the Loss Share Agreements). Go Figure! Don't believe me? Click Here to read it.

Robert G. Hertzog

Phoenix Real Estate Consultant

www.foreclosureuturn.com

Overall Lakeland Florida Real Estate Housing for January 2010

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:51:14 -0600

Overall Lakeland Florida Real Estate Housing for January 2010

Last year’s overall Lakeland Florida Real Estate market was somewhat of a roller coaster ride with home prices up and down throughout the year. Will the roller coaster ride continue in 2010? From the graph below you can see that Lakeland home prices have increased since October 2009 by almost 9%.

Lakeland Homes sold in January: 145 - previous month: 194 – previous year January 09: 115 sold

January - average sales price $126,320

Previous month: $123,866 (+ 2%) – previous year January 09: $130,334 (-3.08%)

January - median sales price $112,900

Previous month: $113,950 (-0.92%) – previous year January 09: $96,000 (17.60%)

The graph below represents average and median prices in Lakeland for various categories. When our media provides us with a real estate market reports, generally these reports outline only Single Family Homes and Condominiums. Lakeland Florida has a variety of homes, such as manufactured homes, townhomes, villas and duplex units.

What are the various average prices in each Lakeland zip code?

Take a look at my spreadsheet below. I’ve separated the report by zip code instead of school zones; it gives you a more accurate report in my opinion. The data and graphs for this report were obtained from the Mid-Florida Regional MLS, it is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This report does not include “For Sale By Owner”. The numbers highlighted in pink represents the zip codes where average sold prices have exceeded.

Distressed properties in Lakeland, Florida

For the month of January, Lakeland’s real estate market of distressed homes and bank-owned (REO) properties had a market share of 60%. There were a total of 88 properties sold in January compared to 60 distressed Lakeland homes sold the year prior, according to Mid-Florida Regional MLS. After further evaluation of my Lakeland Real Estate Market and to my readers who follow the distressed market report closely deserve clarity. Starting out with January’s Real Estate Report, the distressed market report will have its own report. Please check back soon for your detailed Lakeland Florida Real Estate report that highlights bank-owned properties (REOs) and Lakeland Short Sales.

If you are interested in a specific area or neighborhood, feel free to contact me at petra@petranorris.com or click the search button below.

How to stop Short Sale Buyers from walking away?

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:32:41 -0600

How to stop Short Sale Buyers from walking away?

More than ever before Short sales likely will be a part of the housing market for years to come. One of the major obstacles for a short sale to reach a successful closing, the seller’s lender must approve the short sale. Before it would get to that point the negotiation is only between the seller and the buyer and their real estate agents.

I have and have read that Short Sale Buyers walking on more than one occasion, the major reasons for this the buyers are not committed, uninformed of the short sale process or simply are in fact false buyers. The Effective Date dictates the timeline of the contract for sale and purchase. An Effective Date occurs when the last one of the buyers and sellers has signed or initialed the offer or the final counteroffer. In a traditional sale, at the time of the effective date or within days of the effective date, the buyer is required to make a reasonable good faith deposit, follow up with a timely inspection and meeting financing contingency as stated in the contract. This can also be achieved when there is a Short Sale.

There are measures to keep buyers from walking away during a Short Sale:

Buyer must be committed to a longer waiting period – at least six months
Buyer must have pre approval letter from a reputable lender
Buyer must make good faith deposit upon acceptance of contract
Buyer must make timely inspection after effective date

Sellers should not accept any offers because they are desperate. The offer must be at fair market value which is determined by an experienced real estate agent who is knowledgeable of the short sale process. Banks don’t want to foreclose, it costs them more than a short sale but they are not willing to approve a Short Sale contract with an unrealistic purchase price.

Lakeland Florida Real Estate Market Review

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:50:11 -0600

Lakeland Florida Real Estate Market Review

The graphs below provide you with some insight in the Lakeland Florida real estate market since 2003 – the rise and the fall of home sales and property values in Lakeland. Real estate sales started to drop in 2006 as the number of Lakeland homes for sale increased by the month reaching the highest inventory of 2,303 homes for sale in 2006. During the years 2007 and 2008 the inventory increased as sales tremendously decreased. Supply exceeded the demand by so much that if no other properties came on the market; it would have taken over 2.2 years to absorb all of Lakeland properties listed in the Multiple Listing (MLS).

Year	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Sold Homes	2663	3116	3517	3137	2059	1624	1971
Average List Price	124,992.00	142,289.00	179,141.00	203,132.00	208,766.00	173,250.00	139,113.00
Average Sold Price	120,596.00	138,042.00	175,547.00	197,362.00	198,907.00	162,788.00	130,967.00
DOM	108	94	58	79	139	134	153

The Distressed Lakeland Housing Market of 2009

Property values continued to decline as homes were being foreclosed and supply started to decrease from over 3,000 to an average of 2,300. Sales of homes increased in 2009, a total 1971 properties were sold in Lakeland:


	Average of List Price	Average of Sold Price	Number of Homes Sold
Non-Distressed Homes	165,712	154,728	1045
REO/Bank Owned	96,874	93,841	673
Short Sale	141,613	131,586	253

The Lakeland distressed real estate market for last year was at 47% and I suspect the percentage will increase in 2010, due to unemployment rates and declining property values.

Buyers must be aware that appraisers will include foreclosure sales in appraising of the home you are purchasing. Also be advised that the lender decides how the appraisal will be done and they will adjust appraisals to include bank owned properties. Just recently, my client’s loan was denied because of the appraisal, which did not include sales of bank owned properties within the neighborhood.

For your monthly report of the Lakeland Real Estate market in 2009, please click the links below:

Lakeland Real Estate Market - January 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - February 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - March 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - April 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - May 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - June 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - July 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - August 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - September 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - October 2009

Lakeland Real Esatate Market - November 2009

Lakeland Real Estate Market - December 2009

Lakeland Florida Annual Pancake Festival – February 13th, 2010

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:52:03 -0600

Lakeland Florida Annual Pancake Festival – February 13^th, 2010

Hungry for sausage and pancake? Lakeland Kiwanis Clubs is in full preparation for their 52nd annual Pancake Festival on Saturday, February 13^th, 2010. Local volunteers from the Kiwanis Club will be up early to serve all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage and coffee at the hanger at Tiger Town starting at 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Come out and support Lakeland’s Kiwanis Club community programs. There will be displays and booths by local merchants along with entertainment in the afternoon. Tickets at door is $5.00 adults; $2.00 children.

Last year, my family enjoyed the good food and we were very impressed of how smooth and efficient the volunteers cooked and served pancakes, sausage and beverages. The Kiwanis Club of Lakeland started early morning around 7:00 a.m. to serve over 25,000 pancakes along with 100 gallons of syrup, massive amounts of cups of coffee and juices to about 8,000 people here in Lakeland in just one day. As we made it through the reception table towards the tent where volunteers of the Kiwanis Club flipped pancakes, gallons and gallons of pancake batters were brought in to keep the grilles cooking to feed the people graving for pancakes such as myself. There were plenty of stations set up, so waiting for fresh pancakes did not take a long time and off we were to get our tasty sausages.

Plenty of cooking stations for pancakes and sausages

Coffee and juice bar - Fresh coffee and juices were plentiful as well, even at closing time of 7:00 p.m.

Lakeland Florida Real Estate Update ~ 01/16-01/31/10

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:11:54 -0600

Lakeland Florida Real Estate Update ~ 01/16-01/31/10

Update on the Lakeland real estate market! There are 1903 homes for sale throughout Lakeland, Florida – as of 02/06/10; the number of homes for sale remained constant for the month of January. Newly listed homes for the period of January 15^th through January 31^st increased slightly to 169 Lakeland homes. The average sales price of Lakeland homes listed with area Realtors® decreased to $160,386 from my previous report.

The types of homes and average prices just listed in Lakeland, Florida according to the Multiple Listing Services (MLS) are as follows:

1 duplex unit with a sales price of $95,800

7 condos listed with an average sales price of $97,243

15 mobile homes listed with an average sales price of $65,793

14 Townhomes/Villas listed with an average sales price of $92,798

132 single family homes with an average price of $182,141

Lakeland’s newest homes listed! The priciest Lakeland real estate is a 1995 home on approximately 6 acres; featuring 5 bedrooms and 6 baths with over 5,100 square feet of living space currently offered for $675,000 located in the Oakmont Acres. On the contrary, the cheapest Lakeland home newly listed is a bank owned 3 bedrooms 2 baths home listed for $19,900 – just under $19.00 per square foot – located in the Winston Heights subdivision.

For a more detailed report such as homes listed by zip codes and distressed properties please continue to read by clicking this link

UPDATE:First Friday in Lakeland Florida – Local Event “Dancing in the Streets” – February 12th, 2010

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:37:30 -0600

First Friday in Lakeland Florida – Local Event “Dancing in the Streets” – February 5th, 2010 12th, 2010

The rescheduled First Friday event of February 12, 2010 is canceled. We don't expect any snow in Lakeland unlike the folks in the panhandle of Florida, but we will get drenched in rain.

UPDATE: The weather was not co-operating yesterday for Lakeland's First Friday event. I was downtown yesterday, only to find out that the event was postponed due to rain for next Friday (February 12th, 2010).

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and what

better theme Downtown Lakeland Partnership could have chosen other than “Dancing in the Streets” for its First Friday event in Lakeland Florida on February 5^th, 2010. The event starts at 6:00 p.m. It is recommended that folks arrive early to enjoy dining at local restaurants and shopping at downtown’s stores, galleries and boutiques.

Put on your dancing shoes and bring your Sweetheart. Flowers by Edith has a special price for corsage and boutonniere orders in advance. To wine and dine may I suggest the Antiquarian, the Terrace Hotel, or Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grill, then take a stroll around Munn Park enjoy the sites of the Classic Car Show on Tennessee Avenue, beautiful Lake Mirror and the botanical Hollis Garden.

“Dancing in the Streets” performances brought to you by:

Sapphires Dance Studio – salsa and swing
Samira’s Belly Dancers
Florida Dance Theatre – various style of dancing
Lakeland Montessori School – chorus and dance performance in Munn Park @ 6:00 p.m.
Special performance of the night Rae’s Retro “Dirty Dancing” in remembrance Patrick Swayze “I’ve had the Time of my Life”

Take the dance floor with your sweetie and dance the night away on Kentucky Avenue – can you give your Sweetheart the “infamous” lift?

There are so many other activities for the whole family to enjoy. So, c’mon down to Lakeland’s Munn Park and enjoy an evening of arts and entertainment.

Speechless Sunday:Fried Oreo Cookies - Yummy!

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:12:53 -0600

Have you ever had Fried Oreo Cookies? Most people eat Oreo cookies with milk, I was at the Lakeland Pig Fest and noticed a sign "Fried Oreo Cookie". Interesting concept and worth a try.

I took the picture just before consuming this delicous treat at the annual Pig Fest in Lakeland Florida.

Polk County Existing Home Sales for December 2009

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:14:14 -0600

Polk County Existing Home Sales for December 2009

Overall Polk County Home Sales rose and prices fell in 2009 from the previous year. Is this true in your neck of the woods? I’m sure you heard about that this is a buyer’s market in the news and media outlets, but is it really? Real Estate still remains very local and real estate statistics in each town or even in each neighborhood/community could differentiate by a great margin resulting in a seller’s market. Therefore consulting with a local Realtor® with market knowledge and experience is essential to your home buying or home selling needs.

636 existing homes sold – an increase of 7.98% from the previous month (589 sold homes) in Polk County – an increase in sales activity of 185 Polk County homes sold from the previous year. Overall Polk’s median price for existing homes decreased by 4.59% from the previous month to $99,700 and declined 18% from the previous year of $122,000.

For a more detailed report such as homes listed by cities throughout Polk County and distressed properties please continue to read by clicking this link

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Speechless Sunday:Fried Oreo Cookies - Yummy!

Polk County Existing Home Sales for December 2009