Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Parkland Florida Schools Board issue and school  boundary issues.
this is re post of an article in the Coral Springs talk :October  16'th 2013
My thoughts : Parkland Florida  has always been a place where we knew our children would have good local schools. That stability is assured to us by Mayer Udine in the notes below. I know that many parents are worried. but I have every confidence in the mayor, its city fathers and the parents that the issue will be dealt with in a totally different way. please use this blog a place to share your thoughts.



By: Sharon Aron Baron
Residents are mad as hell and are venting their frustrations to Parkland Mayor Michael Udine over the proposed boundary changes from Broward School Board Member Abby Freedman.
Residents from Parkland and Coral Springs as well as those who have purchased or contracted homes in the newly developed “wedge” area are concerned that their community may be broken up or bussed to other schools to meet class size requirements based on boundary proposals by Freedman.  See Boundary Proposals.  They have formed online groups to discuss these issues and Mayor Michael Udine, of Parkland has been the liaison between the school board and concerned parents.
Udine, once a supporter of Freedman’s is angry that she has not pulled down her proposals that he says are senseless and are needlessly hurting potential home sales in Parkland when there is still plenty of room to accommodate students at Broward County Schools for the next three years.
We will not throw out years of prudent planning on the whim and under threat by our School Board Member. I can assure you that is not going to happen, nor is it proper,”  -Mayor Michael Udine
The new proposals by Freedman break up those living in the Coral Springs side of Heron Bay with those living in the Parkland side to attend two different elementary schools. Another has unbuilt homes that are currently in the boundaries for Heron Heights to attend schools like Deerfield Beach or Park Springs Elementary School. Those in middle would attend Deerfield Beach or Forest Glen Middle School, and those that are slated to go to Stoneman Douglas would be assigned to either Coral Springs High School or Blanche Ely High School.
Freedman had not pulled her proposals even though they go against usual Broward County policy by mixing innovation zones, skipping transportation zones, and clearly not following acceptable boundary guidelines.
From Mayor Michael Udine:
First, as people discuss back and forth, I would be remiss if I did not mention, both Park Trails and Heron Heights, are GREAT A Schools. Run by dedicated leaders in Mr. King and Mr. Rebshaw. They have amazing teachers that are doing great things for our children. Thank you!!!
Second, last night’s EAB (Education Advisory Board) meeting, is starting to put in perspective, that REAL people are being seriously affected by the outrageous proposal put forth by Abby Freedman. Parents, who are making the most important purchase in their lives, relying on reasonable assumptions in doing so, are having their lives turned upside down. Let me add that since these proposals were floated, sales in the affected Communities have seriously been affected. The wedge properties have come to a standstill. People are walking from deposits. HOMES ARE BUILT BY PEOPLE WITH JOBS, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THOSE JOBS ARE GOING AWAY DUE TO THE RECKLESSNESS OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. While clearly property values are failing in the Wedge area, they are also falling throughout Parkland, especially in the Communities on the fringes of the City, on any side. These are facts that I am hearing from local realtors. Not my opinion. While everyone knows that these proposals will not pass, they are, I am told, a disclosure type event that Realtors must tell prospective buyers.
I have inquired from our City Staff and other than approvals and compliance information from the County School Board, we have NEVER received anything from our School Board Member prior to her bomb, that she had any issue with how anything was developing in Parkland. HAS ANYONE IN HER SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT EVER RECEIVED A DISTRICT UPDATE OR BROCHURE?? I have never seen anything. Why not?
Had the City ever been approached by anyone questioning what we would do in the future, we would have explained that in addition to the land that was set aside for future schools and the related impact fees, we WENT A STEP FURTHER AND MADE SURE WE RECEIVED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE DEVELOPERS FOR AN EDUCATION FUND. THE CITY STANDS READY AND WILLING TO ASSIST SCHOOL BOARD STAFF IN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL STUDENT STATIONS AS WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE PAST. At no time did our School Board member ever even bring this issue up. NO ONE HEARD FROM HER, EVER on this issue!
Finally, some are commenting on other school board members thoughts on the issue. I have spoken to both Robin Bartleman and Donna Korn, the “At Large Members”. They know the proposals submitted are off the wall, violate virtually all of the policies and procedures of the School Board. Plus, and most important, Robin and Donna, care about children! So do the other school board members ,who I am being told are equally as disgusted by what Abby Freedman is trying to do. They have never and will never use our children and their education as pawns to pit us against each other.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Parkland Florida 33076 & 33067 Falls turns its leaves up north and sales have cooled down a bit locally.

Parkland Florida / Coral Springs Florida News for October 2013
After the frenzy of the summer season  the stampede has finally slowed down in Parkland Florida /Coral Springs Florida where ,Parkland Florida 33076 & 33067,  Falls turns its leaves up north and sales have cooled down a bit  locally.    Maybe its the government shut down, and the debt ceiling crisis, may be its the interest rate instability. For  some of us it's a nice breather to get back to normal. Sellers can now pretty much relax its their turn now and buyers  need to be patient, but ready to buy when that that right home comes up for sale. For buyers you need to do your homework and work a good lender to get your ducks in a row.

Why Location Matters in Real Estate
 AUTHOR:BRENDON DESIMONE  Ask just about any real estate agent to list the three most important things a property should have, and you’ll likely hear: “location, location, location.” That phrase has been in use at least since 1926, according to The New York Times, and is just as relevant now as it was then.
But why does location matter so much? For starters, you can’t move a home — at least not easily or inexpensively. When you buy a home in a good location, it’s usually a solid long-term investment.
Real estate agents often advise their clients to buy the worst house — a property that could use some TLC — on the best block. Why? Because fixing up a home in a great neighborhood will give you the best return on your investment. Quite simply, it will be easier to sell later on. Conversely, you can buy a beautiful home that doesn’t need any work. But if the block is sketchy or just plain bad, you could have a hard time selling the property at a decent price.
So if “location, location, location” is so important, what makes a location good? Here are five characteristics to look for when buying a home. If you can get all five, chances are the home’s a great investment.
1. A safe neighborhood
People want to live where there’s little or no crime. Naturally, they want to feel safe in their homes and will pay extra for it. A safe neighborhood means people will feel free to walk around, be outdoors and interact with their neighbors. Communities still exist today where people don’t lock their doors, and they know their neighbors are there for them in a pinch.
2. Good schools
Being in a good school district is important, even if you don’t have school-age kids and never plan to have any. Fact is, young families always will be buying their first or second homes. They will do their home search based on location in general and good school districts in particular. The better the school district, the higher the values of the surrounding homes can be.
Found a home you love but the school district is subpar? Be aware of that issue for resale down the road. Bottom line: When you buy a home, you should always think like a future seller.
3. Convenient access to popular places, shops and restaurants
Everyone wants to be near the best commercial districts. The closer to the hubbub of a particular town or the best parts of a city, the better the location — and the more someone is willing to pay for a home. In beach communities, the closer to the beach, the more valuable the property.
4. Water access and views
No matter which town or city, someone will always pay for a great view or to be on or near the water. Put a home right on a waterway or on a hill with panoramic views and you’ve got a great location.
5. Access to public transit and/or freeways
In major cities, the farther you live from the bus, subway or other types of mass transit, the less valuable the home. A good location means being very close, and having easy access, to public transportation. Being near a train or bus can get you anywhere in a short amount of time. In some towns, where a commute by car is inevitable, easy access to the freeway makes for a good location. Adding 20 minutes to a commute just to get to the freeway never helps a location.
What makes a bad location?
There are some common characteristics that make a location “bad,” no matter where you are.
Ever see a home with a backyard that faces the freeway? Whether the home is in Denver, Dallas or Dubuque, such a location is likely always going to be considered undesirable. Is the home on a busy intersection or a four-lane road? Again, it’s probably considered a bad location, no matter which town it’s in or what the nearby neighborhood is like.
Other factors that can make for a “bad” location: very close proximity to a fire station (good if your house is on fire, not so good if you’re trying to sleep); a hospital (frequent ambulance sirens); an airport (sounds of jet engines 18 hours per day) or a school (traffic from buses or parents dropping off children or kids yelling and playing).
Some “good” and “bad” qualities simply vary by community. If you know your local community, you know which parts of town are less or more desirable. It’s always smart to rent in a new community before committing to a home purchase. Renting allows you time to become familiar with the location.
All these things matter when you’re considering the location of a home for sale. But never lose sight of what matters most to you about the location. If you’re crazy about baseball, for instance, you might love owning a condo near your city’s professional baseball team ballpark. Someone who doesn't like baseball, on the other hand, would probably not want to live near all the commotion.
Location, location, location really does matter — a lot. But as always, the most important thing is to buy the right home for you, at the right time.
Search the MLS    Our Blog    Our Lisitngs   Our Bio If you are thinking of selling you need to weigh many factors, such as the market where you are planning to move to, how you are going to finance and if you are buying new construction or re-sale.
New construction allows you to lock in the price today so when it closes in 10 to 12 months or more depending on the builder and where the home is, you have a built in profit-but at what interest rate? A lot to think about and it is much easier when you have a professional to bounce things off.
Buyers ! search for a home yourself!
I have a new tool to aid you in your home search!
Simply go to http://searchflorida.agentfolio.com and set up your home search criteria.
Agentfolio is revolutionary new product that enables you to search current listings, while staying in communication with everyone that is part of your home search.
Don’t forget to download the mobile app.for
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.buyfolio
or https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/agentfolio/id418332670?ls=1&mt=8
Happy Hunting!
If you are planning on buying a home in South Florida or Selling one, the Team of Lea Plotkin and Rubin Wites, Realtors with Prudential Florida Realty are the realtors you should speak to:  954-802-8451 or leaplotkin@gmail.comemail us