From real estate updates and community highlights to local events and everyday moments, this is where we share what’s happening across Central Florida’s active adult communities.
Some posts will help you compare communities or understand the market, while others give a closer look at the lifestyle, events, and people that make these communities unique.
The current housing market is still strong but is showing signs of cooling off, driven by climbing interest rates. The number of active listings and the length of time homes are on the market are climbing along with the interest rates, but homes are still selling at fair prices. Predictions
Have you ever entered someone’s home and immediately felt relaxed and comfortable? What is it that makes the difference between homes that exude an immediate sense of welcome and hospitality, and those that may not? Is it the home environment, or the host? In my experience, both play an important
Enjoy Globally Inspired foods from around the world. Stone Crab Festivals. Lots of Florida Towns host Annual Stone Crab Festivals and not only are they fun but tasty too. Visit Dunedin for their festival is on October 26 Or Frenchy’s for their Stone Crab Weekend. October 28 – 29th. Clearwater
Not cool yet, but in another 5 or 6 weeks we are in for a wonderful warm fall and winter season. Every year I love Florida Weather more and more. No need for a winter coat, boots, or gloves. Our sky is always blue, but in the cooler weather the
½ cup Gaeta Olives, pitted 1 jar Greek Seasoned Pitted Olives about 12 oz 1 jar Imported Pitted Castelvetrano Olives about 12 oz. ½ Lemon sliced 5-6 fresh Rosemary Springs, with leaves from two springs chopped. 1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil Ground Black pepper to taste. Preheat your oven
Bella Verde Realty will match every gift or gift card donated. You give One Gift and the Children will get two. Every year the gift drive gets bigger and bigger. Last year Bella Verde Donated a check for $3,000.00 plus with your help over 500 gifts. Please bring an unwrapped
Florida is the largest producer of citrus fruits in the US and much of our citrus harvest goes into juice making. In addition, Florida leads the world in producing grapefruit. Interesting, makes you wonder why they are so expensive in our local markets. Lake Okeechobee is the largest freshwater lake
Lee and I came from NY and NJ and have had Pizza from Rome to Florida with many slices in between. Fact – each time we are up north we cannot leave without taking a trip to Connecticut to visit Frank Pepe’s Pizza or Sally’s in New Haven. Pepe’s for
Good News for Seller’s – We are Still in a Seller’s Market and Home prices are holding near record highs, but sales have slowed slightly. Nationwide, Redfin Reports that roughly 60,000 home purchase agreements fell through in June or about 14.9% of homes that went under contract in June. In
Time to Take a Trip to the Beach. In Florida we have great beach choices, we have 825 miles of accessible beaches and an extensive coastline. Lee and I always choose an East Coast Beach in the Summer and a Gulf beach in the Winter. August is a great time
When it is hot the last thing any of us want to do is turn on the oven, but Lee and I have the fix for dessert on a Hot Summer Day, Watermelon Granita. This recipe makes a cool, refreshing dessert and no special equipment required. Only a few ingredients,
Did you know that Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous US. We have 825 miles of accessible beaches, and the coastline is 1,197 statute miles. Did you know that Florida has more than 700 freshwater springs. Did you know that Florida has 7,700 lakes, 11,000 miles of rivers,
MOAS – Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach A Wonderful Museum for all. Do you love paintings, sculpture, ceramics, furniture, and other works of art? If so you have come to the right museum, the Dow Gallery covers several eras of American History from the Pilgrim Century the
The Seafood Fest has lots to offer and is a nice way to spend the afternoon or the evening. The seafood is local and fresh from the Gulf of Mexico and served by local restaurants. You can enjoy shrimp, crab, scallops, grouper, alligator, crawfish, and for the folks who don’t
5 Cups cubed watermelon 1 Cup Seeded and diced tomato 2 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber ¼ cup chopped red onion ½ jalapeno chili, seeded and minced. If you like hot leave a few seeds 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar 1 Tsp Kosher salt. Process watermelon, tomato, cucumber, onion,
The cuisine is Lebanese and Mediterranean and is served in a modern, spotless, restaurant that you might just drive past, as it is in a strip mall. Please don’t let the location stop you from giving this eatery a chance. Lee and I drove past this location many times and
Downtown is a nice spot to spend an afternoon or an evening, and it is within 20 minutes of Solivita. The Historic Downtown District has come a long way from a Rough and Tumble Cow Town to a modern, outdoor, safe, yet fun downtown destination. Take a walk in the
Choosing the Correct Real Estate Agent is an important step in every real estate transaction. A good agent will come to the table with contacts, experience, and the ability to save a transaction that may not be moving forward smoothly. An Educated Consumer is the best consumer and all BVR
Although we love to play golf, tennis, pickleball, and go to the pool, we all need a change of pace, and it always nice to have a diversion. Our local theatres have the solution. It is Easy and fun to Visit and Enjoy local theatre. Due to Disney and the
This is the perfect easy summer recipe, no cooking involved, yet you can serve this with chicken or pork, or serve in a taco, on a salad, or a fajita. We enjoy this salsa on a slice of cucumber or a taco chip. Sour Cream on the side is a
When living in NY and NJ we could get great pizza with lots of flavor, sometimes we would order a thin crust, well done pie and sometimes we would order a Wood Fired Pizza with lots of crispy, burnt edges. Living in Florida we almost forget the taste of a
Our housing market is highly competitive and has been for quite some time. There are more folks looking to buy a home than folks looking to sell. Housing prices, like all commodities, are based on Supply and Demand. Many of our buyers have found themselves in situations with multiple offers,
Time to Plan an End of the Summer Trip. Awhile back, Lee and I enjoyed a trip to the “Sippin Safari “ held at Zoo Atlanta on September 17th. The whole zoo becomes uncorked for everyone over 21. This event is always fun and features wine sampling and delicious bites
Summer is here and a great way to cool off is with a delicious ice cream cone. A short road trip to Frostbite, Florida can solve your ice cream craving, and a car ride to Frostbite is an easy, traffic free trip. The location of Frostbite Ice Cream & More
Inflation is Up. But since our last housing market crash in 2007 we have many protections in place to prevent a crash similar to the crash we experienced in 2007. In the old days, “anyone with breath in their bodies could get a mortgage” but not so today. Underwriting standards
While Most of our Clients look forward to the time they can officially stop working full time and change their work status to “Retired” we do have some clients that want to live in Solivita yet still work. It is all possible, Solivita is a great place to live, gated,
4 Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 cup of Teriyaki marinade 1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and sliced into strips 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded and sliced into strips 1 Red Onion, chopped 1 Ripe Florida Fresh Pineapple cut into chunks Pepper to taste (salt is already in the marinade)
Recently Lee and I enjoyed a late lunch at Tempo 1930 in Winter Haven. We were in Winter Haven shopping for vinegar at the Treasured Olive Store on 4th Street when we noticed this small, but enticing, restaurant with a curious name. After tasting and buying an interesting assortment of
If a Beach Adventure is more your style why not try STUART, a lovely Atlantic Coast City, known as the “Sailfish Capital of the World,” just north of Palm Beach and South of Vero Beach. Stuart has an historic, pedestrian friendly downtown, beautiful Atlantic beaches, great river views, charming cafes,
Most folks that have relocated to Florida full time adjust to the summer sun by being active early in the day, relaxing by the pool or the clubhouse in the hot summer afternoons, and then enjoy the evening in the cool of the air conditioning. Lee and I have been
The latest trends are not trendy at all say the designers. Gone are the days of making your home look like a catalog, instead embrace old family pieces and mix them with new treasures. Homes are reflecting the individuality of the owners, comfortable, authentic, and sentimental. When you mix old
Real Estate is Hot, Hot, Hot, and not just in Florida, but all over the USA. It is a Seller’s Market as prices are up, but it is also a good opportunity for a Buyer to jump in. Looks like the hot market will remain hot for a while and
