This morning, I could start to feel the panic set in as I looked at the calendar...only to realize that Seminole County Public Schools are dismissing for the Summer in LESS THAN A MONTH...OH MY, it feels like just yesterday when we were buying school supplies, meeting with the teachers and yes, breathing a sigh of relief that we would have a few months of freedom from the infamous "What are we going to do this Summer?" question I'm sure many of you have been starting to hear lately.
Well, if you live in Lake Mary, Florida, I am pleased to announce than IN ADDITION to being voted by Money Magazine as the #4 Best Place to LIVE (which was probably voted by grown-ups), I'm confident that this Summer, we'd earn "Best Place to PLAY" bragging rights too!
Why, you ask? Well, it's because the City of Lake Mary has added a new Splash Park to the Lake Mary Sports Complex, which is pretty cool...(literally and figuratively speaking, of course)...especially since we already had a Skate Park!
So, in addition to baseball, softball, batting cages, soccer/flag football fields, tennis courts, basketball courts and the fishing bridge, City residents can enjoy the Skate Park and the Splash Park this Summer!
For those who don't live in Lake Mary, but would like to, LaShawn Norden, PA, ALHS would love to help you find a home that meets your needs.
As a graduate of Lake Mary schools and a 30+ year Lake Mary/Seminole County resident, LaShawn Norden is the only Florida Native you'll need!
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Often times, when a Buyer is relocating or an "in-town" customer wants to move, schools are a hot topic they question their agent about. Because not all schools are created equal, Buyers often seek the guidance of their Agent based on their family needs.
Just recently, I was invited to participate in a "Realtor Tour," which was sponsored by the Sanford Chamber of Commerce and SunTrust Bank.
At first, I was skeptical about whether spending half a day on a bus would be the best use of my time. But, after making our first stop at Seminole High School, I quickly realized that this type of event was not only important, but critical in enhancing my knowledge of the local school system in Seminole County.
While on this "Realtor Tour" I was reminded that not only were all schools not created equal, but there are some schools within our "system" that have a lot more to offer students who have certain aspirations in life than other schools offer.
Take Seminole High School for example. Seminole High School, which is in Sanford, Florida, has an "Academy of Health Careers" program for those students who wish to enter the medical field. On our tour, we visited the newly renovated school, which has two gyms, a full-blown hospital ward and a new auditorium. Nestled in an area that has been challenged demographically and financially for the past 30+ years, the Seminole County School Board has devoted more than $60M in renovation funds.
And boy, did they put that money to good use. I was thoroughly impressed with not only the campus (which seemed like a small college) but I was equally enamored with the quality of programs they offered.
At Seminole High, the Academy of Health Careers offers a comprehensive program of rigorous classes that include advanced placement classes, dual enrollment courses, hands-on learning and job shadowing.
As a matter of fact, students in this program (which is in partnership with Seminole Community College) have an opportunity to learn the skills needed to obtain their EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) and CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certifications. They even have an ambulance on site that students use to get on-the-spot training in.
The program at Seminole High School is the only one of its kind in the County and according to their interest list, there is high demand...
And why not? With the aging of the baby boomer population, it's important that we continue to have enough people who are interested in obtaining medical careers in the future!
Seminole High School is what is classified as a "magnet school" which means that any student who resides in the County is eligible to attend.
Simply put, if you live in Seminole County, your child can gain admission rights. Once admitted, transportation is even provided! Wow, another impressive facet of this fine program!
So, if you are considering a move to Florida and have a child who you think would benefit from a magnet school that offers the type of unique programming that Seminole High School has to offer, I'd love to help you find the right school for your family...and of course, the right house too!
As a previous educator and a parent myself, I've made it a point to learn more about the programming offerings of all of the "magnet schools" in Seminole County and would be happy to share this knowledge with you!
Servicing Buyers and Sellers in Lake Mary, Sanford, Winter Springs, Winter Garden, Windermere, Winter Park, Oviedo, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, College Park and Downtown Orlando, LaShawn Norden is the Central Florida native you need!
"STOP or I'LL SHOOT!!"....
O.K., so maybe I'm exaggerating just a tad bit! Just recently, I was scheduled to host an Open House in St. Johns Landing, a gated community in Winter Springs, Florida.
Just as I was about to slide my handy-dandy "Open House" sign into the ground at a nearby cross-street, I was immediately hollered at by one of the fine code enforcement officers of Winter Springs...who had a few other signs in his hand that he had just unearthed as proof mine could be next!
When he approached, I kindly asked if I could "please" keep my Open House sign out for "just three hours," hoping that my niceness would grant me the answer I was seeking.
No such luck!
Mr. Officer simply stated that there are no FOR SALE, FOR RENT, FOR ANYTHING signs allowed and that he would be back around within the hour to make sure I complied.
And so I did.
Now I am wondering if he would have carted me off too if I would have decided to stand out on the roadside holding my sign while dancing a little jig like I see many of the new home community sales reps doing these days...
So, until I get up the courage to pack my jail house clothes, I'll continue to be respectful of the law...that is, until the next Open House date, of course!
And, even though we still had traffic, we don't yet have a contract...so I guess I still have time to work on securing my bail money!
For those seeking a beautiful masterpiece in a gated, lake-front community in Central Florida, this fine home is truly a gem worth going to jail for!
103 St. Johns Landing Drive, Winter Springs, FL 32708
5 beds, 4.5 baths, 3500+ sq ft
$750,000
To view the virtual tour, please visit: www.LaShawnNorden.com
Custom designed & built by Austin Homes, in a premier Winter Springs gated lake-front community of only 32 residences, this elegant home offers exceptional curb appeal, breathtaking pool & spa area, gourmet kitchen, double-sided fireplace in Master Suite, hand-crafted glass block shower, and a versatile floor plan ideal for entertaining. Entering the home, you are greeted with an impressive sweeping view of the stunning award winning tropical pool & spa through a triptych of windows in the formal dining room. The Living Room features a fireplace and french doors which open to the covered lanai and pool area. Adjacent to the kitchen, an 18 x18 Bonus Room is currently used as a Guest Room, but would also be ideal as a Game Room, Family Room or Media Room. The Master Suite is a romantic fantasy with the double sided fireplace, glass block shower and Jacuzzi garden tub. Upstairs are two additional bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a common room and an additional bonus area which is being used as a loft.
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REALTOR & advocate for BUYERS, SELLERS & RELOCATION clients in Central Florida! Education, communication & negotiation are my passion & the key to a client's success~Serving Seminole & Orange County
A Seminole County resident for more than 35 years, I can and do share my knowledge of each city and the neighborhoods within those cities with both Buyers and Sellers. Being a Central Florida Native, I spent my early childhood years as a resident of Orlando, Maitland and Altamonte Springs. When I was 10, my family moved to the city of Lake Mary, Florida where I went to school at Lake Mary Elementary, Lakeview Middle (which is now Millenium Middle School) and Lake Mary High School. After graduating from high school in the late 80's, I worked at the Central Florida YMCA in Lake Mary and for the Seminole County Regional Chamber of Commerce before starting my real estate career in 2002. As the Marketing Director for the YMCA and a Sales Consultant for the Chamber, I learned valuable methods of advertising and developed many beneficial relationships with area business owners and individual homeowners...all of which have been the reason for my growing success in Real Estate. It is my belief that Buyers and Sellers alike deserve an agent who will listen to their needs, understands and explains the process and is more concerned about building a relationship than in getting a sale. I pride myself on my response time, communcation skills and knowledge of the Central Florida marketplace and look forward to continuing to build lasting relationships for the next 25+ years! Fortunately, for the last five years, I have been ranked in the top 5% of agents in the Orlando marketplace and wish to continue to offer exceptional service to many more over the course of my career. We have four children: RJ, Nickolas, Konnor and Elvis (our Puggle)! We live in a Cambridge Home that my husband built in a small Sanford community in Seminole County near Lake Mary and Winter Springs.
My husband, Rick, is a residential building contractor who owns his own company, Priority One Homes. He specializes in home renovation projects such as bathroom remodels, room additions, painting, drywall, crown and trim work and general household improvements...which of course, means we talk a lot about homes and real estate in our household!
I am dedicated to my family and my clients and truly enjoy being an advisor to those I work with! I hope to have the opportunity one day to add you to my list of clients and friends as I want to be the only "Central Florida Native You'll Need!"
I have consciously made efforts to extend my knowledge and experience to all clients, regardless of their price range or level of experience. I have successfully represented first-time homebuyers as well as clients selling or buying million dollar homes and every price range in between!
Because I have lived and worked in Seminole County and Orange County for more than 35 years, the areas I feel can best service clients are:
Lake Mary, Longwood, Sanford, Winter Springs, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Fern Park, Oviedo, College Park, Winter Park, Windermere, Winter Garden, Ocoee, Orlando and Apopka...all of which are in Central Florida!
Because I have school-aged children also, I particularily enjoy working with families with children. I am very knowledgable about the area schools, recreation opportunities, YMCA locations and other interests that families might have and can relate to those who have similar interests.
Although there are many directions one can take when having a real estate license, my areas of expertise are: Buyer representation & negotiation with new home construction; Buyer and Seller representation with their home, condo or townhome sale or purchase; Buyers and Seller representation with their luxury home & estate sale or purchase and Buyer representation for those seeking investment opportunities in the residential market.
For those interested in commerical property, property management, short and long term rentals, leasing, vacation homes and time share, I do not feel that I am the best agent to service your needs...but I am happy to refer you to an experienced and effective agent who does specialize in those areas.
I am a member of the National Association of Realtors, Florida Association of Realtors and the Orlando Regional Realtor Association.
I have advanced certifications as a Accredited Luxury Homes Specialist and as a Transnational Referral Certified agent.
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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