East Orlando Family Fun at Sliderz

Sliderz is full of bouncy castle fun and is terrific for children ages 2-12! They are offering a coupon for $3 off during the month of December. Just click on the link below!

Sliderz Coupon

Black Friday Mall Hours for the Orlando Area

The following store hours have been provided courtesy of Mark Skoneki at the Orlando Sentinel:

• Altamonte Mall, Altamonte Springs: midnight to 9 p.m.
• Prime Outlets, Orlando: midnight to 11 p.m.
• Orlando Premium Outlets: midnight to 11 p.m.
• The Loop, Kissimmee: 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Florida Mall, Orlando: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Seminole Towne Center, Sanford: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Lake Square Mall, Leesburg: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Melbourne Square Mall: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Orlando Fashion Square, Orlando: 6 a.m. to 10p.m.
• Volusia Mall, Daytona Beach: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Winter Garden Village: 6a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Oviedo Marketplace: 6a.m. to 9 p.m.
• West Oaks Mall, Ocoee: 6a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Mall at Millenia, Orlando: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Waterford Lakes Town Center, Orlando: 7 a.m. to 9:30p.m.
• Festival Bay, Orlando: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For an up-to-date report of store traffic, please click on the Sentinel’s blog link below:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_business_blog/black_friday/index.html

Store Gift Cards – Buyer Beware

Many stores with locations in our East Orlando area are in the process of bankruptcy. If you plan on purchasing a gift card for someone as a holiday gift, do some research and make sure the company is sound. These stores are selling gift cards, but once they have closed, the cards are useless.

Here is a list of companies potentially closing their doors:
Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide closing
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine’s to close 150 stores nationwide
Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January
Cache will close all stores
Talbots closing down specialty stores
J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots)
Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots)
GAP closing 85 stores
Footlocker closing 140 stores, more to close after January
Wickes Furniture closing down
Levitz closing down remaining stores
Bombay closing remaining stores
Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January
Whitehall closing all stores
Piercing Pagoda closing all stores
Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January.
Home Depot closing 15 stores
Macys to close 9 stores after January
Linens and Things closing all stores
Movie Galley closing all stores
Pep Boys closing 33 stores
Sprint/Nextel closing 133 stores
JC Penney closing a number of stores after January
Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores
Wilson Leather closing down all stores
Sharper Image closing down all stores
K B Toys closing 356 stores
Loews to close down some stores
Dillard’s to close some stores

East Orlando Residents: Protect Yourselves From Identity Theft

This link, http://topbusinessresources.com/legal/identitytheft, was sent to me containing tips to help protect ourselves from identity theft. It was written by an anonymous corporate attorney. I have copied and pasted the information below:
Avoiding Identity Theft

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.

2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put “PHOTO ID REQUIRED”.

3. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the “For” line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won’t have access to it.

4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.

5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We’ve all heard horror stories about fraud that’s committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.

Unfortunately I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But here’s some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:

1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

But here’s what is perhaps most important of all : (I never even thought to do this.)

3. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves’ purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, etc., has been stolen:
1.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
2.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
3.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
4.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289

Please forward this helpful information to anyone you think may benefit!
Dawn Pratt, East Orlando Real Estate Agent

Orlando Real Estate Agents – You’re Invited – Keller Williams Advantage II Realty!

Interested in how Keller Williams Advantage II Realty may help increase your business potential? At 4pm today, November 13th, we invite you over so that you may learn a bit more about the Keller Williams Way. This is your opportunity to learn how we have such major market share in East Orlando, and to discover how you may have the opportunity to see your business grow as well.

If you are unable to attend this afternoon, you are more than welcome to attend any one of our upcoming classes. You will have an Ah Ha moment no matter your experience level!
Next week’s classes include:
1. Synergy Mortgage: USDA Rural Housing (did you know the Avalon Park area qualifies for 100% financing?)
2. Real Estate Top 12 Freebies
3. Credit Restoration and Education

For more information about the party this afternoon, class times, or directions- please email Dawn Pratt.

Keller Williams Advantage II Realty
12301 Lake Underhill Rd., Ste. 111
Orlando, FL  32828

Avalon Park’s Movie Under the Stars

Friday, the 14th, Avalon Park will be showing Casablanca. Come support our local vendors and enjoy free popcorn at this family friendly event. Show starts at 8pm in the town park.

Email Forward- The Next Survivor Series

My mom sent me this email forward and I thought it was hilarious! And no, dear husband, I know this doesn’t pertain to you, lol!

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and
3 kids each for six weeks.

Each kid will play
two sports
and either take music
or dance classes.

There is no fast food.

Each man must
take care of his 3 kids;
keep his assigned house clean,
correct all homework,
and complete science projects,
cook, do laundry,
and pay a list of ‘pretend’ bills
with not enough money.

In addition, each man
will have to budget in money
for groceries each week.

Each man
must remember the birthdays
of all their friends and relatives,
and send cards out
on time–no emailing.

Each man must also
take each child to a doctor’s appointment,
a dentist appointment
and a haircut appointment.

He must make
one unscheduled and inconvenient
visit per child
to the Urgent Care.

He must also
make cookies or cupcakes
for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for
decorating his own assigned house,
planting flowers outside
and keeping it presentable
at all times.

The men will only
have access to television
when the kids are asleep
and all chores are done.

The men must
shave their legs,
wear makeup daily,
adorn themselves with jewelry,
wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes,
keep fingernails polished
and eyebrows groomed.

During one of the six weeks,
the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches,
and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or
slow down from other duties.

They must attend
weekly school meetings,
, and find time
at least once to spend the afternoon
at the park or a similar setting.

They will need to
read a book to the kids
each night and in the morning,
feed them, dress them,
brush their teeth and
comb their hair by 7:00 am .

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information:
each child’s birthday,
height, weight,
shoe size, clothes size
and doctor’s name.
Also the child’s weight at birth,
length, time of birth,
and length of labor,
each child’s favorite color,
middle name,
favorite snack,
favorite song,
favorite drink,
favorite toy,
biggest fear and
what they want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote them off the island
based on performance.
The last man wins only if…
he still has enough energy
to be intimate with his spouse
at a moment’s notice.

If the last man does win,
he can play the game over and over
and over again for the next 18-25 years
eventually earning the right
To be called Mother!

East Orlando Single Family Home Sales

Postal Code 32828	August 2008	September 2008	October 2008
Number of Sales	47	47	40
Median Sales Price	$251,000	$236,000	$231,500
Median Sales Price per Sq. Ft.	$113	$101	$101
Active Listings (homes for sale)	557	563	560
New Listings	103	100	102
Median Days on Market	113	102	90

EAST ORLANDO HOME BUYERS:
There are still plenty of homes currently listed at or below current market value, and with rates hovering around 6%, now is the perfect time to buy in East Orlando. Email me at WaterfordLakes@yahoo.com and lets go over the figures to find you the most home for the least amount of money!

EAST ORLANDO HOME SELLERS:
If you are serious about selling, contact me for a free comparative market analysis of your home. Let me sell your home at a discounted brokerage fee and a listing agreement of 90 days. Just mention that you are a www.EastOrlandoLife.com reader. If you are unsatisfied with my performance, you may cancel our listing agreement at any time- no charge to you whatsoever.
My promise to you is to provide you with personalized service, consistent contact, and to do what it takes to reach our ultimate goal- to get your home sold!

Waterford Lakes, East Orlando Florida, Home Sales for October 2008

 

Address	Sq. Ft.	Listing price	Sold date	Sold price
872 Ferry Landing Ln	1380	170,000	10/31	145,000
12209 Calaboose Ct	1556	193,000	10/24	170,000
12720 Raftsmen Ct	1568	189,900	10/17	180,000

For more information regarding real estate in East Orlando, please contact me via email at : Your East Orlando Real Estate Agent – Waterford Lakes

Waterford Chase, East Orlando Florida, Home Sales for October 2008

 

Address	Sq. Ft.	Listing price	Sold date	Sold price
1054 Crystal Bay Ln	1929	164,900	10/13	163,250
418 Canary Island Ct	2284	242,400	10/2	226,000
522 Hardwood Cir	2363	244,500	10/15	244,600

For more information regarding real estate in East Orlando, please contact me via email at : Your East Orlando Real Estate Agent – Waterford Lakes