Welcome

1 Feb 2010


I have been getting reports back from friends holidaying in Europe. They cannot believe the price of food and drink. A bottle of water on the beach in the South Of France can be as much as 11 Euros, with tip that’s up to £10 or $16. May people are just not going to Europe this year for holidays because of the steep rise in prices and the weakness of currencies compared to the Euro.


Even if it has got a bit pricy in Florida compared to the days when we had two dollars to the pound. Restaurants have always been great value and my favourite is a simple Burger and Fries chain called Five Guys who have locations in Central Florida one in Dr Phillips and the other at Fowler Grove in Winter Garden which is a new shopping district highly recommended and the Florida Mall. The fries or chips to us Brits are the best I’ve ever had fried in Peanut Oil and Idaho potatoes. The bill for a Burger fries and as much soda as you can drink should be less than $10. Check out there Website www.fiveguys.com






2 February 2010


I have had feedback that some of our friends looking for homes inOrlando do not understand the extent of the service provide by Licensed Realtors and Brokers in Orlando. In the UK you would typically register with numerous Estate Agents and have to search through masses of homes which may or may not fit your brief. If you are lucky enough to find what you are looking for the agent will usually do the minimum to get the sale completed. I have myself gone into an Estate Agents office to collect keys on the day of completion and got the usual ‘heads down’ from the staff, pretend to be on the phone and had keys thrust into my hand. That’s it goodbye and don’t bother us again.


The service in Orlando is somewhat different and can be hard to adjust to as I have again found from experience. Realtors it could be argued do too much for you but my advice is sit back and enjoy the ride.


Firstly, and most important difference is that a Realtor has to be licensed and follow very strict regulations about conduct and money. If you buy a property the funds are held with a ‘closing agent’ and they should carry insurance and be licensed.


In the first instance your Realtor has access to every home available in the area you are looking via a system called ‘ The MLS’. That is Multiple listing system so you have no need to register with numerous agents. The agent that you are using will accompany you on every visit and if you are still in the UK do what they call a preview of homes and pick the best out to show you which saves valuable time to get some sun.


Once you have negotiated a price for the home the Realtor will work on every aspect for you from contracts to surveys mortgages furnishing if required and stay with you right up to and beyond the closing process. The Realtor is paid through the seller so the service costs you nothing. You become a priority to the Realtor as they know you will usually buy the priority is to find the right home at the right price . And that is how I met Ray Venditti and his wife Catherine who is a main Realtor at the Keene's Pointe sales office my favourite community, they put me first and I liked it.
This applied also when you are selling. The job of the Realtor is to get your house looking it’s best even if they have to cut the grass themselves and because of the MLS list your home to every potential buyer in the area.


Travel Tip of the Day


Visitors are required to apply for a VISA known as an ESTA which needs to be done on line at least several days before you travel to the USA