"Richard was very helpful in the search for our home. He went out of his way to take us around to different locations meeting our criteria, even one that was not on our list-which is the one we bought! He was very prompt in returning calls and aiding us with financing. He played the advocate for us with our mortgage lender. The whole process was pleasant and almost stress free." Amanda H.

A Long Enjoyable Relatioship: "Over the year that it took to sell our house in Knoxville and buy a house in Winter Springs I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Richard Shuman. From the beginning he understood what we wanted to buy. He took us to a good selection of homes in Winter Springs and we managed to refine what and where we were hoping to buy. When our house in Knoxville finally sold Richard moved into high gear with us to find an excellent house and help us negotiate a good deal. He handled all the transactions, including our mortgage, with a high degree of professional competence and efficiency. Our closing went smoothly and effortlessly and we moved in just 7 days after closing on the sale of our Knoxville house. Perfect timing! My wife and I recommend Richard, especially to "experiened" buyers, because of his ability to quickly learn what the buyers are looking to purchase and then his laser sharp focus on helping them find it." Dave W.

(Click images to enlarge.)

The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida for April 2008. Winter Springs is made up of the zip code 32708. For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas.

32708 - Single-Family Homes

23 homes sold during the month of April.

The average sales price, which is the total sold volume divided by the number of homes sold is $259,130 with 130 days on the market.

The median sales price, which means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less, is $235,000.

The most expensive home sold for $753,000 and appears to have been a pocket listing. It was a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3-car garage 3532sf conservation frontage home in a golf community with a screen enclosed heated pool & spa built in 1989 on 1.1 acres of land, with a fireplace, tongue and groove ceiling in the family room, wrap-around porch and summer kitchen complete with a flat-screen TV. The HOA is $252 quarterly.

The least expensive home sold for $105,000 after 186 days on the market. It was a bank-owned 4 bedroom, 2 bath 1443sf home with no garage built in 1972 with no HOA.

The average sales price for the same period a year earlier was $325,274 with 116 days on the market.

32708 - Condos, Townhomes & Villas

6 homes sold

The average sales price was $176,000 with 142 days on the market.

The median sales price was $175,000.

The most expensive condo sold for $220,000 and is new construction. It was a 3 bedroom, 2½ bath 1690sf townhome on a conservation lot with a 2-car garage in a gated community with 42” cabinets, downstairs master with a jetted tub and lots of tile. The community offers a pool and maintenance is $576/quarter.

The least expensive sold for $138,500 and and was on the market for 183 days. It was a 3 bedroom, 2½ bath 1370sf townhome built in 1987 on a conservation lot with a screened patio. The community offers a swimming pool, tennis courts and playground with a monthly maintenance of $107.

The average sales price a year earlier was $151,800 with 138 days on the market.

For information on Winter Springs and Seminole County real estate and Winter Springs and Seminole County homes for sale in addition to Winter Springs and Seminole County relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Winter Springs and Seminole County Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County real estate, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Marc It Sold!

Winter Springs, FL is a north-eastern suburb of Orlando, FL. with a population of over 34,000 people, and eight high-rated public schools. There are various communities and neighborhoods, all with their own distinct character, the largest and most established of which being Tuscawilla, which is an 18-hole championship country club community. Boasting a wide variety of housing options in the area: from apartments, condos, and town homes to multi-million dollar estates, there is something for nearly every budget.

In recent years there has been a boom in development projects that enhance the community and quality of life. Certain intersections and streets are embellished with brick inlay and meticulous landscaping, and many streetlights have been upgraded from the ubiquitous and unsightly concrete poles to charming "old world" black iron posts.

Several large Shopping Plazas, myriad grocery, restaurant, and other convenient options abound within the city limits, as well as neighboring Oviedo- including the Oviedo Marketplace mall.

The city also has quite a few public and neighborhood parks, the largest and best known of which being Central Winds Park, located next to Winter Springs High School. This park is frequently used for intramural sports and citywide celebrations such as the annual Fourth of July fireworks, as well as other holiday festivities. In addition to parks, there is the Cross Seminole Trail, which spans 30 miles of Seminole County, and is a popular choice for walking, jogging, and biking.

The area is within easy commuting distance of UCF, Rollins College, Valencia Community College, and Seminole Community College.

Because of it's location near many areas interest and of commerce, there is convenient access to several major roads and highways- SR 434, SR 436, SR 17-92, I-4, and the 417, 408 and 528 toll roads to name a few.

Links pertaining to the Winter Springs/Tuscawilla/Oviedo area:

Tuscawilla Home Owners Association

Oviedo-Winter Springs Chamber of Commerce

Winter Springs Town Center

Seminole County Public Schools

City of Winter Springs

Cross Seminole Trail

Oviedo Marketplace mall

Links pertaining to some things in the metro area:

Culture:

Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens

Orlando Museum of Art

Leu Gardens

Morse Museum

Cornell Fine Arts Museum

Orlando Philharmonic

Orlando Opera

Orlando Ballet

Orlando Repertory Theatre

Business, Entertainment, Etc:

Orange County Convention Center

Downtown Orlando

Shopping:

Altamonte Springs Mall

Mall at Millenia

Seminole Town Center

Orlando Fashion Square

Florida Mall

Festival Bay Mall

Pointe Orlando

Orlando Premium Outlets

Orlando Prime Outlets

International Drive

Higher Education:

Rollins College

University of Central Florida

Valencia Community College

Seminole Community College

A few days ago the City of Winter Springs FL did pass a controversial fire assessment ordinance. The ordinance was revised from the original proposal, however the average homeowner will pay an non-ad valorem assessment of approximately $115 per year in addition to their current property taxes. This is a big sting to landlords and apartment complex owners who have to pay this fee for each unit they own. At least the fee was reduced from the original $216 proposal.

Many tax payers consider this fee a slap in the face since it circumvents the spirit of the tax reform of Amendment 1 passed overwhelmingly by voters. Other cities and counties in the area including Longwood and Orange County have looked at the example of Winter Springs and are considering a similar fee. Luckily the City of Casselberry just recently decided against this idea at their last commission meeting.

Watch for more and more cities and counties to try and reach into your wallet as they face budget cuts because of the struggling economy.

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold, ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318 www.SDRhouses.com/ www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando. Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Mount Dora, Eustis, Clermont, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port Saint Lucie, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Gainesville, Volusia, Brevard, and more.

We buy houses cash, sell properties, and list properties throughout Central Florida and the metro Orlando area.

The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida for March 2008. Winter Springs is made up of the zip code 32708. For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas.

32708 - Single-Family Homes

23 homes sold during the month of March.

The average sales price, which is the total sold volume divided by the number of homes sold is $271,682 with 166 days on the market.

The median sales price, which means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less, is $238,000.

The most expensive home sold for $650,000 and was on the market for 169 days. It was a 5 bedroom, 4 bath 4009sf golf frontage home on a cul-de-sac with a 3+-car garage, a screen enclosed heated swimming pool and spa built in 1999 on .46 acres of land in a gated community with a fireplace, bonus room, etc. The HOA is $500 semi-annually.

The least expensive home is a short sale sold for $125,000 after 153 days on the market. It was a 2 bedroom, 2 bath 1183sf home with 1-car garage & 1-car carport built in 1986 with wood & tile. The HOA is $55/month.

The average sales price for the same period a year earlier was $339,424 with 124 days on the market.

32708 - Condos, Townhomes & Villas

2 homes sold with an average sales price was $199,500 with 174 days on the market.

The more expensive was a short sale and sold for $243,000 and was on the market 179 days. It was a 3 bedroom, 3 bath 2176sf end unit townhome with a 2-car garage built in 2006 in a gated community with a pool and maintenance of $500/quarter.

The least expensive sold for $156,000 and was on the market for 168 days. It was a 2 bedroom, 2½ bath 1279sf renovated golf front townhome with a 1-car carport built in 1981. The monthly maintenance is $130.

The average sales price a year earlier was $224,858 with 83 days on the market.

For information on Winter Springs and Seminole County real estate and Winter Springs and Seminole County homes for sale in addition to Winter Springs and Seminole County relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Winter Springs and Seminole County Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County real estate, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Marc It Sold!

The following are the market sales statistics for Winter Springs, Seminole County, Florida for February 2008. Winter Springs is made up of the zip code 32708. For purposes of this analysis we are only splitting the data according to single-family homes vs, condominiums, townhomes and villas.

32708 - Single-Family Homes

21 homes sold during the month of February.

The average sales price, which is the total sold volume divided by the number of homes sold is $297,469.

The median sales price, which means that 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less, is $285,000.

The most expensive home sold for $667,000 and was on the market for 145 days. It was a 4 bedroom, 3½ bath 3573sf golf frontage home with a 3+-car garage, a screen enclosed swimming pool built in 1997 on .39 acres of land, with corian counters, fireplace, etc. The community offers a pool, tennis courts & racquetball with a HOA $350 annually.

The least expensive home sold for $147,000 after 38 days on the market. It was a 2 bedroom, 2 bath 1014sf home with 2-car garage built in 1987 with a newer roof. The HOA is $171/year.

The average sales price for the same period a year earlier was $336,117.

32708 - Condos, Townhomes & Villas

3 homes sold

The average sales price was $196,833.

The median sales price was $182,500.

The most expensive condo sold for $259,000 and is new construction. It was a 3 bedroom, 3 bath 2215sf townhome on a conservation lot with a 2-car garage in a gated community with a pool and maintenance is $192/month.

The least expensive sold for $149,000 and and was on the market for 106 days. It was a 2 bedroom, 2½ bath 1156sf townhome built in 1985 with a screened patio and new kitchen, baths & carpet. The monthly maintenance is $141.

The average sales price a year earlier was $176,500.

For information on Winter Springs and Seminole County real estate and Winter Springs and Seminole County homes for sale in addition to Winter Springs and Seminole County relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Winter Springs and Seminole County Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County real estate, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.

Marc Grossman, GRI - http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ - 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Marc It Sold!

The local governments are at it again. Trying to sneak around the property tax cuts with new fees and assessments. This time we turn the spotlight to the City of Winter Springs, Florida.

The city has proposed a new fire assessment fee. The average fee to homeowners would be between $216 and $256 per year. The real killer is for multi-family properties that would be assessed on a per unit basis. Imagine $216 times 100 units. Ouch! And tenants are typically the poorest people in the community.

Here are some articles from the Orlando Sentinel and the Seminole Chronicle about this new fee. The next city hearing about this proposal will be next Monday, March 10, 2008.

These local governments just don't get it. The reason the people of Florida voted for tax cuts is so that property owners can give less money to the government, not so the local governments can find new ways to fund their out of control spending sprees.

Every time the government adds a new fee onto your property, the cost of owning it goes higher and higher. Is it any wonder that so many people can't afford to buy a home?

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(Copyright © 2008. Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rob Arnold, ABR, CPL, CRB, GRI, Managing real estate broker, Licensed mortgage broker, Notary Public

407-389-7318 / 1-877-389-7318 www.SDRhouses.com/ www.WeBuyHousesFlorida.com/

Your full service and investor friendly Realtor in Orlando. Learn to invest in Central Florida real estate and Orlando real estate. Investor mentoring and counseling available. I also provide flat fee MLS listings, For Sale By Owner, and menu-based services in most parts of Central & South Florida, the Space Coast, and the Treasure Coast including Orlando, Tampa, Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Ocala, Volusia, and Brevard.

We buy houses cash, sell properties, and list properties in Central Florida including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, College Park, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Apopka, Pine Hills, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Longwood, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, Debary, Deland, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, Mount Dora, Eustis, Leesburg, Clermont, Kissimmee, Saint Cloud, Davenport, Winter Haven, Lakeland, and more.