LaShawn Norden

 If you're not hungry yet, you will be after reading this post!

If you like to eat (and really, who doesn't?), there are several fine establishments in Lake Mary that recently won "Best of Seminole" Restaurant Awards and were featured in the Fall 2008 edition of the Seminole Magazine.

Considering I've lived in Seminole County and worked in the Lake Mary area for more than half of my life, I've been fortunate enough to enjoy most of the restaurants featured.

Some of my favorites listed (and award winners too!) were:

Ruth Chris Steakhouse, which won "Best Restaurant Overall," "Best Restaurant for Special Occasions," Best Romantic Restaurant," "Best Restaurant for a Business Meeting," "Best Service," Best Steakhouse," and "Best Overall By City" awards...wow, pretty impressive, don't you think?

Although I think that no steak is as good as my husband's cooked on our grill at home, whenever I have dined at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, I have always been impressed by the service and the "melt-in-your-mouth" quality of meats. For residents who live in Lake Mary or Sanford, Ruth's Chris is conveniently located in the Colonial Town Park area just off of I-4 and H.E. Thomas Parkway. Based on the number of "awards" they earned in this month's magazine, I'd say you should make reservations now! (407) 804-8220. Can you add one more to your party? Just tell me when to be there, and I'd love to join you!

Liam Fitzpatrick's, which is also located in the Colonial Town Park area, won the "Best New Restaurant Award."  As the new Irish Pub in town, they offer a variety of lagers and their portions are plentiful. If you are looking for a great place to take a date, Liam's would be a good choice. Their bar area is stunning and they offer indoor and outdoor dining.

TooJay's was voted as the "Best Family Restaurant" and "Best Breakfast Restaurant".Honestly, I would have never thought of TooJay's as a & "family restaurant," as I think of going there when I want a bagel, lox and cream cheese...not for a kid's cheeseburgers and fries...but I guess now I'll have to add that to my list of  places to those hollow-legged boys of mine! There is a TooJay's in Lake Mary and in Altamonte Springs which is quite convenient for those of us who want bagels in the morning and Killer Chocolate Cake at night :) By the way, TooJay's also won an award for "Best Desserts" too...I bet it was that chocolate cake!

Dexter's...one of my all-time favorite places to eat spinach salad...was voted "Best Outdoor Dining", "Best Wine Bar", and "Best Restaurant for a Business Meeting."

If you've read my previous posts, you already know how much I like Delano Everyday Cafe! Delano is located in Olde Lake Mary, behind the City Hall and they make the very BEST chicken salad I've every eaten anywhere! I'm telling you this because I really do love their food and because as the "Best Kept Secret" award winner, I know they'll appreciate the recognition!

Peach Valley, home of the fresh baked donuts, also won an award for "Best Breakfast."  I haven't been to Peach Valley in a couple of years, but when I read that they were awarded a Best Breakfast award, I wasn't surprised!

Lastly (and certainly not because they are not worthy), Amura, which is also located in, won the "Best Sushi" award. If I had my choice, this is where I would eat every day. They have great sushi rolls (I love the spicy tuna, the Super Mexican Roll, the Bubba Roll and the Pink Lady) and the ambiance is very relaxing and trendy.

To know which other Lake Mary restaurants topped the list, you can get your very own copy of the awards by contacting Bill Ernst at Seminole Magazine. Bill can be reached by email at Bill@seminolemagazine.com or by phone at (407) 788-5159.

When working with a REALTOR, some say it doesn't matter if the agent is locally focused. I'd disagree. Local Real Estate agents know neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, roadways, shopping and most importantly, dining!

As a Seminole County resident for more than 35 years, I'd welcome the opportunity to share with you all that Lake Mary and the neighboring cities have to offer! Feel free to call me at (321) 377-0157 or email me at LaShawn@LaShawnNorden.com to find out the best place to live and the best place to eat!

I focus my business on representing Buyers and Sellers who want a local agent with proven results in Lake Mary, Sanford, Winter Springs, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry and Oviedo.

As you might recall, I listed a home in St. Johns Landing in Winter Springs, Florida earlier this year for $750,000. This custom home featured five bedrooms, four and one-half bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, stunning hardwood floors and a salt-water pool that was showcased in a local pool builder magazine.

Although only in the home for two years, the Sellers decided to move to Pennsylvania for a job opportunity and with seven other homes for sale in the community, knew that they needed an agent who was savvy with Internet marketing and also experienced in the luxury market. Thankfully, they hired me!

As part of my marketing plan, I hired a professional photographer to take pictures and put together the virtual tour. When the tour was complete, I posted it on more than 20 websites. In a few short months, the Sellers had more than 40 showings and three offers.

The offer the Seller accepted was made by Buyers who found the home on one of the websites that I advertise on.  According to Buyers, after seeing the virtual tour and the pictures, this home quickly became first on their list to see when they visited from Colorado. I know this because they (and their Relocation agent) told me personally! I'd say this proves that good pictures and virtual tours are well worth their cost...wouldn't you? 

In less than 30 days from the initial contact from the Buyers, this fine home closed successfully last Friday! It's amazing how quickly Buyers can identify the homes they want to see (and the ones they want to rule out) based on the pictures and virtual tours...which is just one more reason why I provide complimentary virtual tours on every one of my Luxury Home listings!

If you have a luxury home to sell in Seminole County, including Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Longwood, Sanford, Oviedo, Altamonte Springs or Casselberry, I'd welcome the opportunity to share with you how my marketing plan and internet presence can get you the results you want!

As an Accredited Luxury Homes Specialist (ALHS), I advertise my properties locally, nationally and globally.

Feel free to contact me at (321) 377-0157 or at LaShawn@LaShawnNorden.com to schedule a complimentary analysis of your home, it's value and how to best showcase it to the world!

10 Reasons Why I am Celebrating Today!

Often times, I find that most people tend to focus on the negatives in life...what they didn't get, what they don't have and what they missed out on...instead of, what they did get, what they do have and what they've been blessed with each day.

Even though I've had my fair share of challenges this year (who hasn't), I make a dedicated effort every day to remain grateful to and thankful for all that God continues to bless me with each day.

Today was no different. Even though I am personally facing stumbling blocks that continue to test my internal strength, my faith and and my general perception of reality, I wanted to end the day by sharing "10 Reasons Why I'm Celebrating Today" with you...if for no other reason than for you to know that even though times might be tough, there are AT LEAST 10 things we should all be thankful for each day. Here are mine for today:

1. I am alive and healthy. Short of the gall bladder I had removed in June, I continue to be a strong and vibrant woman! Watch out world, I may have one less organ now, but the two organs I've got and use the most (my heart and my brain) are working in overdrive these days!

2. I am married to the most wonderful man in the world. No, really I am. Rick is the best husband, father, friend, soul mate and partner any woman could wish for. One of the traits I love about him most is that he not only loves me, but he adores me and treats me like a queen... even when I don't feel like one! Shhhhh, if I'm not careful, I'll have women at the door waiting to clone him...

3. My children are smart, caring, funny, sincere, thoughtful and generous....not too bad considering they are 7 & 13 year-old boys...Just kidding, of course! Both Nick and Konnor are such a pleasure to be around and parent and I cherish each moment I have with them.

4. My family is wonderful. Not only do my parents live in Seminole County (Lake Mary area), but so do my two sisters, Rachel and Natalie. Unlike many families who live in the same city and don't see each other EVER, we do talk and visit with one another often...Some say that's strange..we say it's rewarding...

5. My friends mean the world to me. Short of my husband, my friends are those that I talk with, bounce ideas off of and generally...share life with. Most of my closest friends I've met through Real Estate over these past six years (Macey, me, Debbie, Gretchen, Sue & Carole...us at Houstons in Winter Park last month)...and I am grateful for them and the impact they make in my life daily! Thanks Girls...you ROCK!

6. We're Not In Financial Ruins. In an economy when many are struggling to pay their mortgage, car notes and grocery bills, I can thankfully say that even though the tightening in the economy has effected us too, we have been fortunate enough to keep our bills current and to fund our boys' college funds along the way...who said sleeping with no A/C and eating bologna sandwiches wasn't worth it?

7. We're swimming in the pool and not in the house. During Tropical Storm Fay last week, we were fortunate enough to only have minor water intrusion while others in the County and State are facing serious flooding issues. This is no joke. I am truly grateful that our damage was minimal and am deeply saddened for those who were not as lucky.

8. Gas prices have actually gone down this past week! Yipppeeeee!! I can actually eat more than bologna sandwiches this week or if I dare, drive a few miles further than normal...who ever thought a drive to New Smyrna Beach would be so exciting??

9. My dog, Elvis, should poop out the game piece he ate...by tomorrow (I hope!). It's a long story but...I am praying for a positive outcome!

Elvis is a Puggle, which means he is part Pug and part Beagle. Even though he might look cute (and is), I'm the first to admit that he'll inhale anything and everything on the floor (or on the coffee table... or on the dining room table or on the...(you get my point) and as a result, we often have "prizes" waiting to be discovered the following morning.

These days, we are thankful when Elvis doesn't need a trip to the vet to recover a prized toy left within reach...with good luck, we'll get the missing Avatar game piece from the "Scene It" game we played earlier this week (and if we're really lucky, we'll find a diamond ring too) when we take him out in the morning. Like I said, I'm a positive thinker, so I'm planning on getting that game peice back tomorrow and sporting some new BLING too! And no, I'm not missing any BLING, but maybe something will mysterously appear :)!

10. This is my 100th post!!

Hip Hip Horray!!

Even though most of us have never met in person, I feel like I have a whole new group of friends/family members throughout the country and am looking forward to developing life-long friendships and business relationships over the years to come.

I hope that you too will take a few moments today to reflect on all that you have to celebrate in life...As the saying goes, "Life is Good!"

Please, feel free to share your most recent "celebratory" event...I'm confident the world will benefit from it...

If all goes well and Tropical Storm Fay stays away, a listing I have in St. Johns Landing in Winter Springs, Florida, will close this Friday.

The Buyers have had inspections, the home has appraised, the package has been delivered to the title company and one of the family pets has been given up for adoption...

Yes...you read that correctly. In order to move into the community, the Buyers had to put one of their pets up for adoption.

Like many other communities with a required Home Owners Association, the documents for this particular HOA indicate that there are only two (2) pets per household permitted.

The Buyers, being the nice people that they are, requested to see a copy of the Home Owners Association documents and upon realizing that their three dogs surpassed the HOA limit, contacted the Board President for guidance...hoping to obtain a "special exception" since none of their dogs were big, loud or classified as dangerous.

Unfortunately, the Board President said the Association couldn't revise the documents or provide written permission to the Buyers to have their three dogs.

Ouch...if the Buyers would have closed and moved in with their three dogs, the burden would be on the HOA to enforce a covenant that is in writing, but instead, the Buyers asked for permission to have their three dogs, although they knew it was against the "rules."

As a result, the Buyers were faced with either putting one of their pets up for adoption or walking away from the home of their dreams!

If you were in their situation, what would you have done?

P.S. Not all Home Owners Associations are created equal. It's important that you know what the "rules" of your community are and what family members you might need to leave behind when you move in. :)

If you are a Buyer, your agent should write that your contract is contingent upon your review of the Home Owners Association Covenants and Restrictions...Regardless of whether you have pets or not, you need to know what's expected of you once you become a resident.

If you are a Buyer who is interested in knowing more about a Seminole County city such as Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Fern Park, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Longwood, Sanford or Winter Springs, contact LaShawn Norden, PA, REALTOR, ALHS at (321) 377-0157 or at LaShawn@LaShawnNorden.com.

If you are a Seller who has a home to sell in Seminole County and values having a marketing specialist with Real Estate license on your side,
LaShawn Norden, PA, REALTOR, ALHS is the expert for you!

LaShawn Norden is the Only Central Florida Native You'll Need!

You'd think that most banks would try to keep critters out of their lobbies...but not Fifth Third Bank!

As one of the "Preferred Realtors" for Fifth Third Bank, I was invited to the Grand Opening of their new Lake Forest Branch in Sanford last weekend. When I got there, I was shocked to see that the conference room was full of snakes, big lizards, raccoons and even a skunk!!

To make the most of their celebration of the opening of the new location, Fifth Third invited local vendors such as Critter Encounters (and yes, there really were a few "encounters"), Platinum Gym, Firehouse Subs, Wekiva Falls Resort, Schwan's and others to connect with local residents.

Brian Panzella, Branch Manager for the Lake Forest location and Amy Carlson, Regional Vice President for Seminole and Volusia County, were excellent hosts. They had Customer Service Staff on hand to answer questions about services and products and had lots of cool & exciting give-aways, including a laptop computer!

The event was well attended, the food was great and the critters were fun to see!

If you haven't noticed lately, Fifth Third Bank is growing! Everywhere I go, there is a Fifth Third Bank on the corner. In addition to offering checking, savings, business banking, home loans and equity lines, Fifth Third Bank also has great CD rates and many other products.

For a list of Fifth Third Bank locations, products and services, check out their website here.

I am a customer too...

See you at the drive-through!

If you are a Buyer who is interested in knowing more about a Seminole County city such as Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Fern Park, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Longwood, Sanford or Winter Springs, contact LaShawn Norden, PA, REALTOR, ALHS at (321) 377-0157 or at LaShawn@LaShawnNorden.com.

If you are a Seller who has a home to sell in Seminole County and values having a marketing specialist with Real Estate license on your side,
LaShawn Norden, PA, REALTOR, ALHS is the expert for you!

LaShawn Norden is the Only Central Florida Native You'll Need!