Leesburg, FL

Since my wife gave birth to our baby girl December 29th, we have been couped up in the house doing the normal parenting stuff...changing diapers, feeding, not sleeping and definitely not excercising.

Yesterday, we decided to go for a walk with the baby. We wanted somewhere nice, not just the neigborhood streets. After eating lunch at the local Quizno's, we headed off to Leesburg, Florida's Venetian Gardens.

Located off of Hwy 44 (Dixie Ave) in Leesburg, Venetian Gardens was more than we expected. The best thing about the park is the fact that it was FREE.

When we got there, we noticed that the park runs right alongside Lake Harris. Beautiful views surrounded us. We started our walk down the paved trail and was just amazed at the beauty of the Lake and its various canals. Adults as well as little kids were all wetting a line, hoping to catch that big fish.

Walking further along, my wife was pointing out the pavilions, grills, picnic tables and well manicured sand volleyball courts. We were imagining having a big family picnic where we would play some ball, grill hotdogs, go for a canoe or kayak ride and just enjoy the compnay of each other and the great outdoors. On the south end of the park is a huge open field. The first thing that came to my mind was...football. But really, it would be a great field to teach my baby girl how to fly her first kite...or maybe let her loose in the field to play with her first puppy.

The breeze off of the lake was wonderful. It was a cool day here in Lake County, Fl., so we were very comfortable. Even during the summer, this park would be great, because of all the large trees that cast a ton of shade over the trail. The city pool that is located in this park would provide great relief on a hot, sunny day if you aren't into the lake scene.

Venetian Gardens is also home of Rogers Park Pavilion. This place was AWESOME. One of the biggest playgrounds I have ever seen! Where was this stuff when I was a kid? Fortunately, I can hide behind the "I don't want her to get hurt" line and be able to enjoy the playground myself here in a couple years. This pavilion also has tables where you can pack some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sip on a coke.

Not really a park type person? Or maybe your kids already have grown up? Venetian Gardens is a great place to just walk around and view all the different types of birds that are around the lake. I'm not really a bird watcher, but I have to admit, it was interesting. The Venetian Cove Marina is also located in Venetian Gardens. They provide wet slips, dry slips, and canoe rentals. Snacks, drinks and gas for boaters are provided there as well.

If none of this strikes your fancy, Venetian Gardens is also home of the Pat Thomas Stadium/Buddy Lowe Field where the Leesburg Lightning of the Summer Collegiate Baseball League play. Baseball by the lake. Doesn't it kind of remind you of San Fransisco, where the Giants play on the bay?

If you are ever in Leesburg, Fl. and are looking for a day of fun and relaxation, I highly recommend Venetian Gardens. And while you're here, if you fall in love with the area and decide you want to invest in Lake County, Florida real estate, contact me...we'll grill some 'dogs and talk real estate.

Until next time...

Johnny Davis

Davis Signature Realty LLC

www.iselllakecounty.com

Its cold outside and I have decided to wait a few hours before venturing out. My bird bath is frozen solid, I think of Snoopy and that little bird ice skating on the Peanuts cartoon. I have looked out several times, for all my imagining, there is still no one skating on the frozen bird bath yet. Uh OH,, wait a minute... A young squirrel has jumped off the trellis onto the bird bath..Its really funny. We see as many squirrels in the bird bath as we do birds. He doesn't seem to understand the water is now ice. He keeps trying to touch the ice, to move it.

Yes we have Ice a few times a year even in Fl, this was one of the coldest nights in years. I wonder where did the squirrel spend the night, I pulled out our electric blanket for my wife and I.

My phone has rang several times this morning. We have just put out 30 some lease option signs, we have decided to go this route on most of our recent acquisitions to ride out the current market. Its nearly impossible to get financing for a house now, we have decided to keep it in house for a few years and make the interest for us, instead of the banks getting all the money.

I am taking the time to review my upcoming auction lists and find a name that makes me just sit back and sigh. I know this family. Its not just a name. Its a father, wife, 2 daughters, and an adopted son. I know their grandpa, we go fishing sometimes.

This is not just a name on a list, its a name that represents so much more than that. This family was brought to me by a good friend and I did my best to help them. I did the counseling, I did the math, I referred them to a trusted mortgage guy with a heart, and a lot of years in the business.

Somewhere in the process, they decided to get a second opinion. Lo and Behold, they were suddenly qualified for much more than I had suggested, much more than the trusted mortgage guy had showed them they could afford. They did go on their own and find other houses that were available, and found one with my sign on it.

They were actually angry with me for not showing them this home!!

I explained again that this home would not allow for anything to go wrong in their life. It would stretch them to the limit. Their new Friend, the EXPERT mortgage guy, was a co-worker that did mortgages on the side, had had a license for about 6 months, and he was better at misrepresenting the facts than I was at telling the truth.

My sellers were desperate, and I did my best to make a deal that all could live with. I kicked in nearly half the commission to get the deal done. The sellers needed a sale badly and contributed the max, I gave my reduced commission back to them to help out. I had a commitment to the seller as well, and the buyers were hell bent to GET THIS HOUSE.

Its only 9 months later, and I am not surprised to see the name. I make a call to the grandpa, and he says they could not stop their spending on all the little things, pizza, movies, video games. The mortgage gave them about 62.00 dollars a month extra, they were used to spending over a hundred a week in just little fun stuff. He had helped them with the first payment, and refused to pay the bills since. He apologised to me for not pushing them harder to listen when I was trying so hard to make them play smarter.

We talked about going grouper fishing in a week or two, we could talk more then...........He didn't blame me, he and his wife were going let them move into their rental house to help them get on their feet again.

The squirrel is on the bird bath again now. He is jumping on the ice and then back to the edge, as a Florida squirrel, I would venture to say he has never seen ice before. I consider going out to explain to him that he should stay in the tree and that the ice will melt, he can get a drink later. I could give some good advice here, I have seen this situation before.

I wonder if even a squirrel would listen to me. With over 30 years of business experience, I have a lot to offer in the world. I have seen a lot of ice, even though I have lived in Fl over 50 years. I think I should figure out a way to make my experience a bit more sellable to the general public, even to squirrels that have never seen ice.

I take a deep breath, shake my head, get a nother cup of coffee.....Its going to be OK. This is just one of about thirty files I have to review. The heck with all this moping. I will just go bid on the freaking house and sell it again.