Blog

The Boys from Flourish Have Moved into Town and are shaking up the party scene in Solivita. Brian and Richard have been successful Florists and Event Planners in Florida for over 30 years with locations now in Solivita and in Winter Park. We are happy to welcome and announce that the Boys are Back in Town and are not only old friends but our neighbors too. Brian and Richard planned and decorated Our Office and our Home for the Holidays. The results the Flourish Team achieved were stunning. We enjoyed a candlelit Christmas with festive, elegant decorations. I walked around amazed at our space when it was complete. Every guest commented at the transformation of our home into an elegant party space complete with fresh flowers, greens, candles and beautiful decorations. When the Flourish team was done with our shared vision, we hosted a Holiday Extravaganza Party in honor of the Bella Verde Team of Professionals. A wonderful opportunity for the group to enjoy shared time together away from work and a good time to celebrate the folks that help make Bella Verde Realty a Good Place to work and a Successful, Trusted Real Estate Firm. https://flourishproductions.com

Happy Valentine’s Day to our friends, neighbors, family, and to our significant others.

Solivita has lots of Fun, Festive Valentine Day Activities to attend, but this year we are dining in on Valentine’s Day. Lee and I love to cook so we have planned a nice meal in advance and each of us will prepare a course. We do enjoy dining out and we especially love all the events Solivita hosts, but this year we have decided to enjoy a Valentine’s Dinner in the quiet of our own home while Miles Davis plays in the background. The Central Florida Weather in February is usually beautiful, so we plan to enjoy dinner under the stars on our lanai, and for extra fun, we developed our menu to include herbs grown in our garden.

This year we are enjoying Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint served with an Onion and Cucumber Salad dressed with Yogurt and Mint.

Simple. Lee will grill the chops and the onions. I am on Salad, Dressing and table setting. We are both looking forward to sharing the evening together. Dish Duty, well I hope it is shared, but as of now that remains to be seen.

Dressing:

1 cup plain yogurt, drained in a strainer

¼ cup fresh mint, chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil

¼ tsp cumin

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

S & P to taste.

Whisk the all ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and set aside

Salad:

2 red onions, peeled and sliced crosswise about ½ inch thick and grilled

Olive Oil to brush on onions

S & P

3 TBSP finely chopped fresh oregano

3 Cucumbers, peeled and sliced

½ cup crumbled feta

Brush both sides of the onion slices with olive oil and season to taste. Grill each side 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the grill and chop. Add all ingredients except the feta to the dressing. Sprinkle the feta on top of the salad before serving.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint

6 small rib lamb chops

4 TBSP Olive Oil

1/3 cup fresh mint leaves chopped

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

2 garlic cloves smashed

A few mint springs for decoration

Mix all the ingredients except the chops together. Brush the mixture onto the chops. Place the chops on the grill and cook 3 – 4 minutes per side depending on thickness of the chops and your temperature preference.

Dessert is simply a good box of dark chocolates and Florida Fresh Strawberries.

We wish you each a Sweet Valentine’s Day.

You may not be moving into a new home this year, but you can do up a room, or your entire home in a new decorating style! Take a look at your home, room by room. You may want to change your furniture placement in your great room to give you a better flow, or you may want to bring in a pop of color, or you may want to go big with a full renovation in your kitchen or one of your bathrooms. Whatever you want to do, do it with a sense of fun that will help you love your space and provide stress free living for years to come.

Open Plan Living is all the Rage and remains so, but you may want to consider turning one of your spare bedrooms or your office space into a “ZEN DEN”. Move your TV into the Zen Den Space, some comfy but stylish furniture, and some accessories and art. This plan does not split up the house but rather allows you to have a quiet space to enjoy TV or Movies while providing all the other residents and guests in your home the ability to pursue other activities while the TV is on. Plus, when the grand kids are in you will not have to listen to cartoons, or the same movie played on an endless loop.

 

Install new Stacking, Sliding and Folding Glass Door that blur the line between inside and outside. These new doors are a wonderful way to expand your square footage without adding a wing onto your home. With the beautiful Weather we enjoy in Central Florida throughout most of the year an expansion of your living space will add great value to your life while adding financial value to your home.

Grey seems to be out of trend and the replacement is dark shades of BLUE, NAVY being the color for 2020 for furniture, walls and kitchen and bath cabinetry. Pair dark blue with white and wow you have a stunning room.

A New Year is a Chance for a New Start. A lot can happen in a year “365 new days will provide 365 new possibilities” The Team at Bella Verde Realty hopes you make the most of every day and we hope you find new possibilities and joy in everything you do. Happy and Healthy 2020!

Have you been to Crystal River to Swim with the Manatees? If not, you need to go; It is a wonderful, Natural, Florida Adventure.
If you do not want to swim, you can kayak, take a scenic boat tour, or dive in. However, you choose to visit the Florida Manatees, this is adventure not to be missed. In the winter months you are in for a real up-close experience and one I promise you will never forget. Manatees are slow moving, gentle giants; curious by nature, and playful at heart. In the winter months great numbers of Florida manatees seek out the warm water springs, rivers and other waterways for sanctuary from the cooler Gulf of Mexico Waters making the winter months the perfect time to visit.
Visit Crystal River or Homosassa Springs to see this amazing sight. The drive is about 100 miles and makes for a nice overnight get away. No need to bring any fancy clothes with you for this adventure, Crystal River and Homosassa Springs are quite casual, this is a blue jean and sweatshirt trip.

For the Salad:

2 Cups Quinoa, cooked according to the package

24 Fresh Florida Strawberries sliced

2 scallions thinly sliced

¼ cup dried cranberries

Topping for Salad:

3 Tablespoons of toasted slivered almonds

Fresh Lime Zest

Dressing:

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Freshly Squeezed Lime to Taste

2 Tablespoons honey

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp pepper

Toss Salad to combine, mix dressing and pour over salad, top salad with almonds. Delicious, Light and Gluten Free! This salad is delicious when served on a bed of greens or stuffed in Pita Bread. When Bell Peppers are in, this salad is great used as a stuffing. You can also sub in Raspberries, Blueberries, or Blackberries or a combo of berries. Don’t like Almonds, sub in pistachios. Don’t like dried cranberries, sub in diced dried Apricots. Use your imagination and design this salad with your favorite flavors.

Cherry Pockets for Good Florida Fish Camp Fun

Cherry Pockets is open 7 days a week, and on Sundays on the deck there is live music in addition to the fresh caught fish and plump oysters. Cherry Pockets is far from fancy, in fact some may call it a dive, but it is surely fun especially when served with Fried Florida Seafood and Cold Beer. If you are new to Florida, you are probably new to fish camps. Florida has been blessed with an abundance of lakes and rivers plus a beautiful coast. With that said, Florida is home to a fair share of seafood shacks, fish camps and local seafood spots. LOCAL being the operative word. “When in Rome” (or Kissimmee), Embrace the local catfish, oysters, peel and eat shrimp, gator bites, cheap beer and sundecks, enjoy the fresh air and fresh seafood and have fun at one of our local camps. You will be glad you did. https://www.cherrypocket.com

Or

Cowpoke’s Watering Hole for Steaks and Seafood

If a fish camp sounds too fishy for you, how about Cowpoke’s Watering Hole, the perfect place to hang out on a Game Day under the outdoor tiki roof surrounded by 12 TV’s. Dine and enjoy your favorite NFL, SEC, or other big network game while drinking a beer and having a good meal. If you visit the Watering Hole on a Tuesday, Friday, Sat or a Sunday you will be treated to some fine Florida Entertainment. Tuesday brings free line dance lessons, Friday and Saturday is karaoke so bring your singing voice, and on most weekend nights on the patio you can enjoy live music. We love spending an afternoon or an evening at Cowpoke’s, the food is good, and the entertainment is always fun. http://cowpokeswh.com

Or

Do you love Disney or Universal, if so, do not miss out on an opportunity to purchase an Annual Resident Pass. Disney and Universal, offer great deals to residents, and now that you are retired this is a great opportunity to embrace our local entertainment options. Most of our clients love their annual passes, and there are so many options to choose from. Visit one park, once per month to enjoy dinner, music, an event, or just the wonder of the parks and you will quickly realize the value in an annual pass. Most of our clients spend at least one day or an evening out a month in one of the parks, catch a show, take a walk, see the fireworks, or just enjoy the beauty of a visit to a world famous venue in your own backyard.

It was a hoot. Our weather was perfect the music was great, and the Fireworks Display was a Blast! We enjoyed dinner in Mosaics with family and friends, the food was excellent, and so was the company. I love New Year’s Eve in Solivita. We dress up Florida Style and bring a sweater for later in the evening. We drive our golf cart downtown, enjoy a delicious dinner in a beautifully decorated dining room, listen to some great music and spend the evening enjoying each other and the beauty of our surroundings. We greet the New Year while dancing in the streets with neighbors and friends, the entire evening is a night to be enjoyed and a night we look forward to annually.

When living in the cold northeast, we never realized how much of an impact weather had on our daily life. It was not until we moved south and realized that every day is better, not to mention easier, when the sun shines and the sky is blue. You wake feeling energized, and the simple act of opening your window or walking outside is delightful. It is easy to plan, do and go places in nice weather, the fear of slipping or falling is eased, and good weather seems to put everyone in a better frame of mind. Although I do miss my friends and family from the northeast, I do not miss the weather and for that reason alone feel that I could never personally return to living life in the north again.

Life in Solivita is so much more than good weather, it is fun, it is active, yet peaceful and beautiful. Our lakes and ponds are well maintained and enhance the community. Our walking paths meander through conservation areas, past ponds, and lovely landscapes. The wildlife around us is amazing. It is the usual day when you see Hawks, Deer, Turtles, Alligators and Sandhill Cranes before noon. In the evenings, we often see owls perched on our mailboxes and street signs. As far as activities in our community, they are bountiful and open to all residents. In addition to clubs and activities, Solivita has trainers that provide exercise classes, a spa with an entire menu of services, lectures, and classes for residents, plus a downtown area with restaurants, a library, an art studio, a community garden, a drug store and lots of areas downtown for activities with friends and neighbors. If you are considering a move to Central Florida, PUT Solivita on YOUR MUST-SEE LIST.

Happy Healthy New Year to Y’All!

We hope you had Wonderful Holidays and are ready to Enjoy and Embrace Another Fabulous Year in Our Beautiful Community of Solivita.

Lee and I had great Holidays and are Keeping Busy Showing, Listing and Selling Homes in Central Florida. As the Weather cools down and the snow flies up north, our Northern Neighbors begin to Fly and Drive South to see what we have to offer. We are glad to say, we have many lovely homes available, both resale and new homes, to show clients.

Although the Real Estate Market is Brisk in Solivita and Central Florida, our Weather is PERFECT. Bright Sunshine filled days with temperatures in the low 80’s, cool evenings perfect for hanging out on your lanai, the bistro, or the fireplace at the Palms. If you are not already here, we invite you to come on down and see for yourself how lovely life can be in Solivita and Central Florida.

As many of you already know, Bella Verde Realty was awarded a Top Producer Real Estate Award in the Orlando Area; the only Real Estate Firm in Solivita to achieve this award. We are very proud of our Real Estate Brokerage and Every one of our Hard-Working Realtors. When you are looking to buy or sell a home, we are the Real Estate Brokerage to Call in Solivita.

This month we are busy settling Snowbirds into their homes and finding new homes for recent retirees and for folks just looking to have more time to spend enjoying life. Solivita is Central Florida’s Premier 55+ Community and is the perfect place to enjoy life. We are an award winning 55+ Active Community offering resort-style living with 2 State of the Art Amenity Centers, 14 heated pools, two PGA 18-hole golf courses, on-site dining, tennis, pickleball, bocce ball, shuffleboard and so much more! You can be busy here and enjoy an Active Lifestyle with over 200 social clubs to join, or you can live a quiet life in a Picture-Perfect Community surrounded by the natural beauty of our environment.

In Solivita the average days on the market has for any home decreased due to low market inventory, you can assure a quicker sale by following a few simple steps.

Selling your home quickly, not only will allow you to move on with your life, but it also means fewer days of keeping your home in pristine condition and your leaving your home every time an agent brings prospective buyers in for a tour. But truly how fast your home will sell, and at what price, depends on factors beyond timing.

1. It is important that great photos be taken and posted of your home. Your realtor will ensure you have great photos, but only you can ensure your home is photo ready.
2. Clean Everything. Nothing will turn a buyer off more than a dirty house. Keep the counters clean and clutter-free. Declutter your closets and keep them organized.
3. Wash your windows inside and outside to let the light stream in.
4. Clean and Dust the baseboards and doors. If there are scuff marks on the walls, please clean them as well.
5. Keep your bathrooms spotless.
6. Depersonalize your home by removing family photos, political and religious items.
7. If you have a collection of items, (figurines, sports memorabilia, etc.) please edit the collection to a few items and box up the balance in anticipation of a move to your new home.
8. Open the blinds, curtains and drapes and let the sunshine in.
9. Put on all of your lights for every showing.
10. Keep your landscape looking fresh.
11. Set the Right Price for your home. Solivita is a production build community, so price is dependent upon your lot features and size, your model, your upgrades, and the condition of your home.

We are in Snowbird Season in Florida now, so NOW is the time to list and sell your home.

Call any of our Realtors for an appointment or call the Office at Bella Verde Realty and we will be happy to make an appointment for you. Our Office Number is 407-641-2688.

During the Holiday Season we are planning to spend a day away in Sarasota. It is an easy drive, especially if you take Route 27 South to 64 to 75. You can travel on I4, but to me, that makes for a stressful drive. There is a lot to do in Sarasota. It is a vibrant city on the water. Lee and I enjoy the Ringling Museum and we always enjoy a stop at the Tiki Bar and Grill in Downtown Sarasota; as it sits on Sarasota Bay, and is a great place to stop to enjoy a drink by the water, plus there is usually live, mellow music playing for your enjoyment. But this year, we are planning to visit the Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy plus make a stop at one or two of the wonderful Sarasota specialty stores to gather goodies for the holidays. We love Piccolo Italian Market & Deli and Geier’s Sausage Kitchen, both great spots; hard to choose between the two so I will leave the spot you choose up to you. When we travel to Sarasota, and plan to visit the specialty food stores, we bring an empty cooler with ice packs for the return trip home. Once we have made our specialty stops, we put the car on auto pilot, play some soft jazz, and make the leisurely drive home knowing that we have lots of goodies to enjoy upon our return.