Lakeland, FL

Lakeland Local Events – First Friday, Red White and Kaboom, Independence Day

Lakeland Florida is the place to be for this weekend’s 4^th of July holiday celebration and local events are the best Family Entertainment.

First Friday is celebrated on the first Friday of every month and this free event is themed “Sundown Celebration”. It’s happening downtown Lakeland around Munn Park (Kentucky and Tennessee Avenue) July 3^rd, 2009 starting at 4 p.m. – an hour early this time just because it is a holiday and you should have an early start to share this wonderful celebration with your family Downtown Lakeland.

A classic car show will also take place, just like every month with some great looking cars.

Kentucky Avenue will be closed for bounce houses, kiddie train, and cake eating contests, face painting, hula hoops, sidewalk chalk and many more activities planned by our local merchants. Shops stay open late and downtown restaurants will have outdoor seating on Kentucky Avenue for you and your family to enjoy an evening dinner before heading down to Lake Mirror for the Red, White & Kaboom celebration!

Airbrush tattoos and balloon artists will add to the fun. Some of these activities will require the purchase of tickets.

This month’s art reception takes place at Mitchells Coffee House on N. Kentucky Ave. featuring local photographer Jon Boring from 6-9pm. Not to forget, if you are an arts enthusiast there is an art reception at Arts on the Park on N. Kentucky Ave. every month during First Friday from 6-9pm.

Speaking of Red, White & Kaboom celebration, this celebration almost did not happen with the economy

being blamed. Local Sponsors came through giving its citizens and folks visiting Lakeland, something to look forward to in the celebration of Independence Day.

This event takes place almost simultaneously with First Friday starting at 6:00 p.m. with live music – pop/rock sounds by the popular local band MillHopper. Plenty of drink and food vendors will be displayed around Lake Mirror. So, just bring your blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy this wonderful family celebration at the Lake Mirror Promenade.

Around 9:00 p.m. a spectacular firework display will round out the first day of the 4^th of July celebration – Trust me, you don’t want to miss this event!

Fireworks display two days in a row only happens in Lakeland

The celebration continues on Saturday, July 4, at the Joker Marchant Stadium. There will be a dazzling display of fireworks around 9:00 p.m. following the Lakeland Flying Tigers vs. the Tampa Bay Yankees baseball game. Joker Marchant Stadium, the home of the Detroit Tigers during Spring Training, is located at 2301 Lakeland Hills Boulevard in Lakeland.

Happy Independence Day - America!!!

The average sales price of $124,689 ($71.01 per sq.ft.) continues to dive for May at 23% from the previous year for Lakeland Real Estate. However, last month sold prices dropped only 2.66% from the previous month. The good news is that the number of homes sold is steady for the past three months, increasing at a small rate to 156 Lakeland residential real estate sold in May compared to 154 homes sold the previous month.

Analysis of the type of homes being sold shows Lakeland’s primary real estate market is single family homes with median sales price of $125,000. This pricing trend makes Lakeland with it’s centrally location between Tampa and Orlando very affordable when comparing to Florida’s median price of $144,400.

Let’s break it down for you to see the supply and demand for common properties for sale versus the distressed market.

Common properties only – Inventory active and pending 1729 homes resulting in 20 month of supply.

Distressed properties – Inventory active and pending 780 homes resulting in an 14 month supply.

Bank-Owned properties continue to influence Lakeland Real Estate

Since the beginning of the year, distressed homes and more importantly the bank-owned (REO) properties still play a major role in the sales activities here in Lakeland with 61 properties sold in May and recorded in our Mid-Florida Regional MLS.

With close to 2448 properties currently for sale and pending, we are experiencing approximately a 17 month of supply for the regular homes and distressed homes. Supply and Demand Theory -I have also noticed that our inventory is slowly shrinking with less than 2000 Lakeland Homes for Sale as of June 29^th, 2009. This is good news for Lakeland Real Estate as inventory decreases, the demand will increase.

Of the 156 homes sold last month in Lakeland, 61 distressed homes were sold with an average sales price of $91,289 ($56.38 per sq.ft.) compared to only 27 homes that were sold the previous year, due to Short Sales and/or Foreclosures. To break it down even further, of the 61 distressed homes sold in Lakeland 47 were Bank-owned properties (REOs).

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.

Which zip codes represents the most sales activities since January 2009?

For more information on the location of these sold properties in Lakeland, price and size of the home click on map picture which leads you to the interactive Community Walk map created by Chuck Welch of Lakeland Local.

Let’s take a look at last month sold report for the surrounding cities in Polk County:

Winter Haven - 77 properties sold - average sold price $120,959 - average $63.33 per sq.ft.

Bartow - 12 properties sold - average sold price $119,707 average $71.07 per sq.ft.

Mulberry - 16 properties sold - average sold price $109,089 - average $65.21 per sq.ft.

Auburndale – 20 properties sold - average sold price $105,992 - average $57.67 per sq.ft.

Polk City - 3 properties sold – average sold price $160,166 - $78.62 per sq.ft.

Lake Alfred – 13 properties sold – average sold price $91,758 - $48.94 per sq.ft.

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.

Just the other day as I was reading The Ledger - Letter to the Editor - from a couple who moved to Lakeland in a couple of years ago. They expressed their gratitude and appreciation for Saturday night's Lakeland Flying Tigers baseball game that was followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

I thought I would share with you in this article what the Flying Tigers are all about to support our local community whether you have lived here and perhaps have not realized that you can enjoy baseball year-round or thinking about a move to the Lakeland area.

Florida and Spring Training. They’re synonymous. But when the Detroit Tigers MLB baseball club leaves for the regular season, the Lakeland Flying Tigers keep the baseball activity at Joker Marchant Stadium alive.

The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a minor league baseball team located here in Lakeland, Florida. The Flying Tigers are part of the Florida State League and have enjoyed a relationship with the Detroit Tigers as their High-A affiliate since 1967.

This is a big deal, since theirs is one of the longest unbroken Major League Baseball affiliate relationships still in existence. The Flying Tigers play in the Florida State League – a Class A-Advanced Minor League Baseball league operating in connection with Minor League Baseball but as a independant entity all the same.

Click here to continue to read

My first ever article I wrote about Lakeland, Florida titled "I love Lakeland" was indeed short and sweet. Today, I want to take the time and elaborate more about Lakeland in greater detail and express to you what makes this town special.

• What Lakeland has to offer?
• What makes this city so special?
• Is there a place for you?

Since residing for almost 16 years here in this charming and beautiful town in Lakeland, I have come to the realization that “there is no place like home”. Just between Tampa and Orlando with a growing population of over 93,000 Lakeland is located in Polk County – voted in 2007 as the All-American County.

Did you know that in 1883 Lakeland’s citizens were to name their town Munnville in recognition of Abraham G. Munn, a Kentucky businessman who purchased 80 acres which the town was located? I’m so glad that he declined the honor and eventually a more adequate name was sought out, due to the serenity of the many lakes surrounding this great community in Central Florida – the Lovely City of Lakes became “Lakeland”

What Lakeland has to offer?

Lakeland has 38 named lakes – the most visited lakes are near downtown Lakeland at Lake Hollingsworth – 3 miles of prime location for jogging, bicycling, walking, exercise and nature, Lake Mirror – a great place of art and design with the background of the botanical Hollis Garden & Barnett Park, Lake Morton - the trademark location for our mute swans, wild life and bird sanctuary. From the ½ mile circumference of Lake Wire and the 22 square mile of Lake Parker – each and every lake is unique providing its residents with great recreational opportunities. Lakeland has the appeal of small town flair with its big city sophistication.

The downtown Lakeland location including the Dixieland neighborhood and various districts such as Lake Morton Districts has undergone extensive renovation influenced by its own charm, constructing pedestrian friendly walking areas. Moreover, predominantly enhancements were completed with gorgeous manicured lawn around Munn Park and the Antique District.

A fine collection of specialty shops, such as art galleries, boutiques, antique stores and a General Store, as well as exceptional dining facilities and cafes that enhances the quality of the City of Lakeland are all within leisurely strolling distance of Munn Park.

What makes this city so special?

Annually, the city of Lakeland in conjunction with local sponsors hosts a number of fairs and festivals throughout the year. Each spring, one of the nation's largest conventions, the Sun n’Fun Fly-In is held in Lakeland, drawing nearly 150,000 aviation enthusiasts from around the world, making Lakeland’s Regional Linder Airport one of the busiest airports in the world during this event. The downtown area is the site of many of the town's activities, such as First Fridays, Farmer’s Market, Maifaire by the Lake, classic car shows, Lakeland Red, White & Kaboom – 4^th July celebration, annual Christmas parade in December.

In recent years Money Magazine ranked Lakeland at the 10^th “Best Place to Live in America" among medium sized cities in the South, referring to issues such as affordable housing, public safety, modern health care and school systems. The city also enjoys an ideal subtropical climate that averages a balmy 72 degrees per year. With such a pleasant climate, outdoor activities are extremely admired in Polk County.

Lakeland residents tend to be highly involved in the community. The numerous volunteer groups and service organizations in the area have a strong presence in Lakeland and it shows when visiting such venues such as the Lakeland Community Theater, The Imperial Symphony Orchestra, SPCA, Lakeland Habitat for Humanity, Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine, just to name a few.

Lakeland is known to its residents when being asked where you live in Lakeland to give an answer to live in North Lakeland or South Lakeland. To me there is no distinction or separation between the two besides the name; living in North Lakeland or South Lakeland has many valuable aspects and while I have traveled the roads of Lakeland, each location and each neighborhood brings value and its own characteristics to the city of Lakeland, which why I call Lakeland as “there is no place like home”.

Is there a place for you?

You may now recognize that Lakeland has plenty to offer, nonetheless its closeness to Orlando and Tampa provide its residents with the opportunity to visit such notorious attractions as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Sea World and Epcot. While visiting the Kennedy Space Center, the Daytona Speedway and the white sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean you may realize that Lakeland is the perfect fit for you.

The City of Lakeland’s financial stability along with many local contributors and philanthropists providing support for its citizens quality health care, convenient public transportation, an established public school system, and great inexpensive tourist attractions, such as the beautiful Hollis Botanical Garden and the adjacent Barnett Park, the Polk Museum of Arts, the world’s largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright at Florida Southern College, and the Florida Air Museum, just to name a few.

Majority of the Lakeland resident’s workforce finding employment in the wholesale and the retail trade sector, as well as in the manufacturing, production, mining, tourism, distribution and service industries.

Lakeland, Florida may well just be the biggest little small town in America. With a cozy feel, friendly neighbors, and surely something to offer residents of all ages, Lakeland is truly one of America's finest cities that I call home.

Have I enticed you yet! Well, if you are thinking about moving, consider Lakeland, Florida!

Want to know more about Lakeland, Florida?

Check out these links!

• The City of Lakeland
• Polk County Public Schools
• The Imperial Symphony
• Lakeland Community Theater
• The Ledger
• The Lakeland Center
• The Lakeland Library
• The Polk Museum of Art

The theme for this month's First Friday event will be very familiar to fans of rock ‘n roll star, Alice Cooper. June's First Friday will be titled, "School's Out for Summer." If you have children I probably didn't need to tell you that though, right? As per usual, shops & restaurants open late. Music and entertainment along the streets and a Classic Car Show will be on Tennessee Avenue.

All along Kentucky Avenue you will found countless fun activities for the kids! Bubble-gum blowing contests, hula-hoop contests, water gun games, & an art contest. If the kids still have energy to burn, take them to the bouncy house. There will also be a DJ at Lloyd's of Lakeland, & face-painting at Lofty Ideas. Traditions Unlimited & Brooke Pottery will also host artistic-related activities. North Kentucky will feature fun geared toward adults. Popular local band, the Sofa Kings will be playing on the patio of the Garden Bistro next to Hollis Gardens on Lake Mirror.

Don't forget to visit Central Florida's premier real estate website at www.GateArty.com for all your real estate needs!