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.

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

Parkland Florida Residents Speak Out To School Board Members Regarding Boundary Changes

Parkland Residents Speak Out To School Board Members Regarding Boundary Changes
 Heron bay has always been a place  where you knew you would attend good schools. changing the boundaries  is certainly unfair .

Parkland Florida & Coral Springs Florida :The chicken or the egg of Real Estate in South Florida

The chicken or the egg of Real Estate in South Florida

Since April 2013 we in Florida and the country in general have found that real estate values were escalating some say into another bubble and other say just a normal high after being at such a low for so long. This was spear headed by the new construction in many states and resale homes selling at a nice pace if they were priced at value, combined with interest rates being the lowest in history.

 Rising property values and a flurry of new construction have restored profitability to markets whose collapse sent South Florida’s economy into a tailspin. Even last year which showed signs of promise did not have interest rates that were in the low 3% range and escalation of value swing up in homes appraising at higher than the sales price. Finally as interest rates went up in the last 90 days we saw the bubble burst and the local market did not stop but without a doubt slowed down since mid Augusts, as rates climbed to their highest level in 2 years, which is still historically low.

 For those buyers who did not wish to be buying in the middle of a bubble and thought values would go down when things slowed down this is not happening. Instead the values are staying steady and escalating to the degree they were which looked like around 20 percent per year or 2 percent per month for the first 6 months of the year. With Ben Bernanke  resolve to keep our economy going and keeping interest rates low we feel he will try to keep them in the 4 percent range giving buyers on the sidelines still time in the next 4 to 6 months to get into the real estate market and take advantage of todays great values before they are gone !

article by  Lea Plotkin & Rubin Wites

954-802-8451 or email  leaplotkine@gmail.com

Parkland Florida  & Coral Springs

Florida Real Estate

Berkshire Hathaway home services Florida Realty  coming soon

Read more click here on our Parkland & Coral Springs Blog. book mark it . we keep it up to date weekly.

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.

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.com or Rwites@gmail.com

Florida Insurance with Citizens is going away Real estate in Parkland Florida & Coral Springs Florida will be affected

This is a very important article on your home insurance in Florida with the state run insurance called Citizens which was not that great anyways to be gone in the next few years and your choices with other private insurance companies to be available to you #parklandflorida#RealEstateinParklandFlorida. Gilway to Citizens policyholders: Please leave - South Florida Sun-. Gilway to Citizens policyholders: Please leave - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com http://ow.ly/oU9dr http://ow.ly/oUac5 ^LP Gilway to Citizens policyholders: Please leave Barry Gilway is a decidedly rare breed: A chief executive who really wants you to take your business to one of his competitors. When you get that letter form your insurance company saying you will be given to another you have options. please read the article. let us know your thouhgts

Parkland Florida & Coral Springs Florida Home owners will not sit on the Fence forever

Homeowners in Parkland Florida or Coral Springs Florida have seen their home values rise to  between 10 percent positive equity and 10 percent negative equity in their present homes these  account for 15-18 percent of all Parkland Fl and Coral Springs Fl  homeowners with a mortgage as of the beginning of September.

Heron Bay 

This  pretty much mirrors  the nationwide home statistic.   In the cities of Parkland  Florida  and Coral Springs Florida  Florida the total active home  inventory is 401  single family homes.  In that number there are  38 active short sales and 20 active Foreclosures.  This is a very small number of underwater homes relative to past years. The prices in our northwest corner of Broward are steadily rising. You will be surprised at the values you can get today .  Call us 954-802-8451 or email us    for a Comparative market analysis of your home. There is no obligation.
Parkland  FloridaTotal active homes:164 with 53 of them listed  over 1 million
& 20 homes in parkland Florida  listed at over 2 million
In Coral Springs   there are 237 homes on the market with  6 of them listed at over 1 million.
Rates are historically still low and mortgage money is available.  There are strategies we have that will allow you to  buy a home and list your home for sale Call Lea & Rubin to find out more details. (954-802-8451)

"Nearly one in four homeowners in foreclosure has at least some equity, "giving them a better chance to avoid foreclosure without resorting to a short sale," Mr. Blomquist said.
"Steadily rising home prices are lifting all boats in this housing market and should spill over into more inventory of homes for sale in the coming months," said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac. "Homeowners who already have ample equity are quickly building on that equity, while the 8.3 million homeowners on the fence with little or no equity are on track to regain enough equity to sell before 2015 if home prices continue to increase at the rate of 1.33 percent per month that they have since bottoming out in March 2012." RealtyTrac. "

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 ( soon to be Birkshire Hathaway Home Services )are the realtors you should speak to:  954-802-8451 or leaplotkin@gmail.com or Rwites@gmail.com

Parkland florida and Coral Springs florida

Parkland Florida and Coral Springs Florida :during these first few 
weeks of school there will be changes 

I found this on another blog and found it nurturing. 

Please feel free to share and comment.

As a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, 
confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held
 by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages.
It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime can break 
away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not.

He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood 
there and made no attempt to get away. “Well,” trainer said,
 “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same
 size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. 
As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot
 break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they
 never try to break free.”

The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break
 free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn't
, they were stuck right where they were.

Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto
 a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed 
at it once before?

originally blogged by Jason Stewart (Stewart Estates):

Best regards

Lea Plotkin & Rubin Wites || Prudential Florida Realty  
2780 University Dr CS Fl 33065 P:954-802-8451|E: leaplotkin@gmail.comLea Plotkin |      

| www.heronbayrealestate.com | | www.FloridaWaterfronts.com | | www.e-buyhomes.com

|www.luxuryfloridaliving.com | | www.parklandhome.com

"Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level! Our Knowledge empowers you !

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services coming soon!

Parks In Parkland Florida

Movies in the Park In Parkland Florida 2013-2014 Movies In The Park The City of Parkland, Northwest Medical Center,  North Broward Preparatory School, Paragon Theater,  Marrecau & Rodriguez Orthodontics and WCI announces its Movies in the Park program, where a new movie will be shown for your family's  viewing pleasure. There is no better place to be than your neighborhood park. Grab a picnic basket and a blanket and enjoy the show! You bring the snacks , we'll bring the stars. For more information, contact the Main Parks and Recreation phone number at 954-757-4105. Upcoming Movies in the ParkPine Trails Park Ampitheater 7:00pm Showtime Friday, November 15, 2013        Escape from Planet Earth (PG) 89mins. Friday, December 13, 2013        Happy Feet 2 (PG) 100mins. Friday, January 10, 2014           Smurfs 2 (PG) 105mins. Friday, February 7, 2014           Despicable Me 2 (PG) Friday, March 14, 2014             Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (PG) Friday, April 4, 2014                 Planes (PG) *subject to change* Lea Plotkin & Rubin Wites || Prudential Florida Realty   2780 University Dr CS Fl 33065 P:954-802-8451|E: leaplotkin@gmail.comLea Plotkin |       | www.heronbayrealestate.com | | www.FloridaWaterfronts.com | | www.e-buyhomes.com |www.luxuryfloridaliving.com | | www.parklandhome.com "Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level! Our Knowledge empowers you ! Berkshire Hathaway Home Services coming soon!

Parkland & Coral Springs Florida Schools

With schools in Parkland Florida  & Coral Springs Florida  starting this past week it would be appropriate to mention that  there are a lot of 1/2 days and full days off . As parents sing with joy(: there is still something to be noted in the calendar)

Here is the school calendar for our local area of Parkland Florida and Coral Springs Florida

school started in Parkland Florida & Coral Springs Florida  

Please make sure your  going to the right school here is the school locator map so you can plug in your address and the school boundaries for parkland Florida and Coral Springs Florida
T: 754.321.0000 student placement.

 **I have a question for all of you . when you were younger did you have as many half days and full days off?
 I grew up in Toronto Canada and we definitely did not have this many days off.
My kids grew up here in Coral Springs Florida and they did not have this many days off?



Lea Plotkin & Rubin Wites || Prudential Florida Realty  2780 University Dr CS Fl 33065 P:954-802-8451|E: leaplotkin@gmail.comLea Plotkin |      

| www.heronbayrealestate.com | | www.FloridaWaterfronts.com | | www.e-buyhomes.com

|www.luxuryfloridaliving.com | | www.parklandhome.com

"Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level! Our Knowledge empowers you !

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services coming soon!

Parks in Parkland Florida 33076 7 33067

Parkland Florida is known for its parks in Parkland Florida, great schools and wonderful  community.
I always say its the closest city I know to the old fashioned small town.  With the new WMCY  in full swing with  many activities for young and old it has really put parkland on the Map.
 MY families favorite Park is  Liberty Park at 9200 Ranch Rd.
Parkland, FL 33067 . Parking at the park is usually not an issue loads of shade and great water fun for everybody.

	Sunrise to Sunset

swings and baby swings as well at Liberty Park in parkland Florida ark 

slides at Liberty park in Parkland Florida 

castles at liberty park In parkland Florida 

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Lea Plotkin & Rubin Wites || Prudential Florida Realty  2780 University Dr CS Fl 33065 P:954-802-8451|E: leaplotkin@gmail.comLea Plotkin |      

| www.heronbayrealestate.com | | www.FloridaWaterfronts.com | | www.e-buyhomes.com

|www.luxuryfloridaliving.com | | www.parklandhome.com

"Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level! Our Knowledge empowers you !

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services coming soon!

Parkland Florida New Construction Options

In the last 6  months Parkland Florida boasts  4 builders: WCI builders  in Heron Bay Parkland  Florida , Toll Brothers Builders  in Parkland Golf and Country Club, Standard Pacific Home building Watercrest in Parkland Florida ,  Lennar Builder with Mira Lago  in Parkland Florida. each community has its own flavor and in the next few blogs I will talk about each one.
As Realtors these builders all love our help in bringing them qualified buyers and they  actually wine and dine us to  do so . There is no extra fees to you as a customer when you are brought in by a realtor and in some cases there is an incentive to buyers  to  bring a realtor in with you . Call us to ask us how this works.

 DO NOT GO IT ALONE building is a different animal  in Florida than anywhere else. You should have someone in your corner  helping  you, representing your needs  through the building experience in Parkland Florida.

While inventory is low in  resale homes, builders have found that the buyers who have the time and the vision can build for about the same price as a resale home.

Lea Plotkin & Rubin Wites || Prudential Florida Realty  2780 University Dr CS Fl 33065 P:954-802-8451|E: leaplotkin@gmail.comLea Plotkin |      

| www.heronbayrealestate.com | | www.FloridaWaterfronts.com | | www.e-buyhomes.com

|www.luxuryfloridaliving.com | | www.parklandhome.com

"Marketing Florida Real Estate at the Highest Level! Our Knowledge empowers you !

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services coming soon!

Parkland Golf and Country club in Parkland Florida announces new Basket Ball Court and tot lot

http://www.parklandhome.com

 call Lea or Rubin  for a personal Tour new construction and resale homes

South Florida housing prices have hit bottom, Zillow analysts declare

South Florida housing prices have hit bottom, Zillow analysts declare

end of Aug thoughts

Our real estate market although it has been slow is starting to show signs of lif.kind of weird - but interest rates went down the other day and I guess buyers are feeling that they should move befor th emarket changes again and speeds up