Hidden Springs/Estates
Winter Newsletter 2022-23
|
Winter greetings, Hidden Springs/Estates residents. We hope you enjoy our quarterly newsletter, which highlights neighborhood news, area happenings and other useful community information. To contact the HOA, you can email us or visit our website.
|
|
Message from the President |
|
Hi, Neighbors,
So much for a quiet hurricane season. First and foremost, I think our neighborhood did pretty well considering we had two hurricanes in six weeks. It was a good thing that many of you trimmed up your Laurel Oak trees before the storms hit. That's an important task to do every year.
I'm sure some of you noticed flooding along Pitch Pine Dr. and Hidden Springs Blvd. We have a drainage issue. The curbed area next to the easements and the streets have been retaining water for months. We had the County and water department out. According to them, there was so much rain in August and September, the water tables underground were high and weren't able to drain. Then Ian hit. Over the next few months, I'm hoping to find out if there is anything we can do drainage-wise.
We also have a problem with debris that is all over the neighborhood. I personally have been in contact with the County. What they are saying is that small piles of leaves and branches WILL NOT be picked up. It has to be placed in trashcans or garbage bags. Unfortunately, if we don't do that, the debris will stay there ad infinitum. If you have large debris that cannot be placed into trashcans or yard waste bags, please email: Darrell.Moody2@ocfl.net. He's our best resource. The more of you that email in, the quicker the response. Just remember, only large debris - not little branches and leaves.
We also had a lot of problems at two of our entrances with electrical issues. Conroy on the east side went dark. We called Duke Energy and they brought the battalion of repair trucks. They repaired what was "their portion," but we had to hire private electricians to do the rest. (See pics)
|
|
The main entrance, Pine Springs (north side), also went dark and we lost our sprinkler system for two months due to lack of electricity. We didn't really notice the grass having a problem because of all the rain in August and September, but a couple of weeks after Ian, we noticed it started turning brown. That's when we realized the meter at Pine Springs had no electric juice. Again, Duke was out, but the onus was on us to have things repaired. (See pics) |
|
We also had a tree that was on a property on Cedar Pine that came down during Ian and broke our brick wall along Dr. Phillips Boulevard. The homeowner and Board both contributed to its repair. (See pics)
|
|
We fared well compared to many subdivisions in Orlando, so we can't complain.
On to happier news: The Board voted to get some help with Christmas decorations this year. Our current Board has been putting them up for years and years and years. Most of us are not 20 anymore, and it's getting harder and harder to climb up the walls, especially the Pine Springs entrance. We hired a company called Johannessen Lights Powered by Beacon Bay Construction. You'll have to go on YouTube and see his personal home. He opens up his home every Christmas season. My husband and I went last year. Pretty amazing and a fun thing to do during the holidays. The home has made national news a few times. Eric's company refurbished all the wreaths and swags so they're powered by electricity instead of battery. By doing that, the lights on all the decorations are whiter and brighter. Eric changed them all out to LED. We saved quite a bit of money by not having to purchase new decorations. He added a few things: Put lights up the palm trees at the Pine Springs entrance and added the lighted red bow on Pin Oak. We hope you all like them.
|
|
As you can imagine, we had a lot of additional costs. If any of you have still not paid your annual contribution of $110, please do. Your contributions are the only way we can maintain, repair and keep our subdivision attractive and safe.
The Board wishes all of you a safe and happy Holiday season. It's been quite a year. Let's hope things are calmer in 2023. Please remember to always reach out to us for questions, concerns or anything we can do to help.
Sincerely,
Donna Fontaine
HOA President
|
|
|
|
Johannessen Lights, founded by Eric Johannessen, provides customers with superior and customized Christmas lighting design services. They currently and effectively manage approximately 100 installations each year, each design being unique by adding that personal touch for each customer - never compromising and always providing the highest quality (and brightest) lights to their customers. |
|
Not only do they design and install your Christmas lights, but they take down, neatly label, and store them for you until the next year. They installed the lights and garland at the entrances in our community and would be happy to provide you with a quote to decorate your home as well. Feel free to call 407-636-3232 to schedule your free quote. |
|
By Treasurer Tina Dottino
Thank you to all who have paid their 2022-2023 dues so far! We are almost on pace to match last year’s record number of resident contributions. To date, 157 families in our neighborhood have paid their dues. Thank you to each homeowner who has made their contributions this year! Your donations go toward the safety and security of our residents with entrance lighting and Sheriff’s safety patrols, providing for the maintenance and landscaping of our common areas, offering welcome baskets to new Hidden Springs/Estates residents, maintaining our neighborhood walls, and improving lighting and signage. We could not do all of this without your support. We deeply appreciate all the neighbors who contribute! If you have not yet paid your suggested $110 dues this fiscal year, please do so by mailing a check or using our PayPal feature. Please click here to contribute.
|
|
National Night Out Neighborhood Block Party a Success! |
|
Thanks to everyone who came out on Tuesday, October 4, from 6:30-8:30pm for our annual National Night Out neighborhood block party. It was a great time to get to know our neighbors better! We grilled hot dogs, served refreshments, had the Jeremiah's Ice Truck serving up cool treats, crafts for the kids, giveaways and more! Special thanks to Yenny Rhoads with Party My Yard for the National Night Out yard sign! To see photos from the event, click here.
|
|
Yard of the Quarter Winner:
Ruben Ramos of 5527 Pine Shade Ct.
|
|
Congratulations to Ruben Ramos for winning the Winter Yard of the Quarter contest. Ruben is originally from Queens, New York. He moved down to the Central Florida area in 1986. He lived in the Poinciana area for a short time, then entered the U.S. Army. While in the Army, he served as a communications specialist. He spent time in different forts in the U.S., then was deployed to South Korea. We thank Ruben for his service.
Ruben more recently relocated from Davenport to Hidden Springs. His main motivation was to be closer to his younger children who happen to also live in Hidden Springs. He works as an in-house manager for Westgate. So now he's a bit closer to work, too.
Ruben's home underwent a massive transition. One of the first things he had to do was get rid of a lot of the oaks and shrub debris around his home. He had over 4.5 tons of yard debris. His home also sloped downward. After getting rid of all the yard debris, he had two full trucks of filler brought in -- 2 tons worth. The front yard is now even and not sloping towards the home. Then came sod and some new landscaping. Click here to see the before photo!
The renovation challenge was the reddish bricks on the exterior of the home. He had them painted gray, added bronze-colored decorative shutters and new exterior lighting. He also had the cement driveway demolished to install gray-and-white brick pavers. The front porch was revamped using the same paver color and style.
Ruben didn't just stop at the outside of the home. He's completely renovated the interior adding 30 x 30 porcelain tiles throughout and a new kitchen/family room. Next on his list is to gut the 2nd-floor room and make it an in-law suite with its own full kitchen for family to come and stay.
One thing Ruben is so happy about are his neighbors. He said he's never lived anywhere before and had such wonderful, kind neighbors. One set brought him Gatorade and cookies while he was in the midst of all the modifications; another neighbor just recently stopped by to bring over Florida avocados from their tree. All around him are great folks. He's grateful to be here and have them as neighbors.
Ruben was awarded a $50 Ace Hardware gift certificate from our esteemed Realtor in Chief, Hidden Springs/Estates Yard of the Quarter Sponsor, John Scolaro. Thank you, John, for always being so supportive of our Yard of the Quarter program.
|
|
Real Estate Market Update |
|
Orlando's Market (November 2022) |
Per the Orlando Regional Realtor Association: “We have the perfect storm of economic uncertainty in the U.S. accompanied by the highest interest rates Orlando has seen in more than 20 years,” said Tansey Soderstrum, Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association President. “Rapidly rising interest rates are having a huge impact on buying power. Home prices and sales are flat from September to October, but rising rates are causing buyers to look at different price points in order to find a monthly mortgage payment that they are comfortable with.” |
|
Hidden Springs/Estates Activity
For the period September 1-November 30, 2022, our neighborhood had 1 sale! Currently, we have 3 homes on the market and 1 home under contract. One home is temporarily off the market but expected to be active in the near future. Mortgage interest rates in January 2022 were 3.25% and to date the rates are hovering at 7.0%. Obviously, buyer’s purchase ability is more challenging. IE: Loan amount of $400,000 for 30 years at 3.25%, the monthly payment was $1,740.83. At 7.0% the payment jumps to $2,600.21. Assume Hidden Springs/Estates future home sales will follow the trend of buyer’s negotiating aggressively and seller’s finding an increase of days on the market.
|
|
Real Estate Report for Hidden Springs/Estates
September 1-November 30, 2022
|
|
Contact John Scolaro with Coldwell Banker Realty at 407-230-5567 or email orlandorealtor.john@gmail.com if you're thinking about selling your home and would like a free market home evaluation.
|
|
Your annual contributions help Hidden Springs/Estates pay for a deputy to watch out for suspicious activity, monitor motorists' speed and help protect our community overall.
Safety Report August-November
There was one reported residential burglary in late August on Pitch Pine Dr. and a vehicle was stolen in the Bay Springs subdivision. From reading the report of the incident, the vehicle was left unsecured overnight with the key-fob left in the center console.
In November, there was a vehicular burglary that occurred on Rustic Pine Ct. It appeared the victim may have been followed home and equipment was taken from the vehicle. Another vehicle burglary took place on Tamarack Dr. There was roof work being done at the residence, and while the workers were on the roof, their vehicle was parked out front and unlocked. Five wallets containing thousands of dollars were taken. There was also an attempted break in on Caspian Ct.
Please lock your vehicle doors and don't leave anything valuable inside! Also advise any workers at your home to lock their vehicle doors. Get to know your neighbors, keep an eye out for each other and call 911 immediately to report suspicious activity. If you have a camera that has captured video of an event, please share it with the Sheriff Department.
In addition, there have been people going door to door offering roof inspections and tree removal/trimming. Remember, this is a NO SOLICITING neighborhood. Please do not let solicitors in your house or buy anything from them. If you are interested in what they are selling, call the company directly and make an appointment.
If you notice anything suspicious in the neighborhood, please call 407-836-HELP (4357) for a non-emergency or 911 for an emergency.
|
|
Curbside Collection & Pick Up After Your Pets! |
|
Let's keep our neighborhood a desirable place to live. Please keep your trash and recyclable containers on the side of your home. Keep yard waste on the side of your home. If you see trash on the streets, let's work together to pick it up and keep our streets clean. We want to keep our neighborhood looking attractive and our home prices on the rise. We continue to see pet waste and waste bags littering our streets. Please pick up after your pets and dispose the waste bags in your trash cans. Orange County Ordinance Section 5-50 includes a fine for undisposed of pet waste.
|
|
Garbage and Recycling is picked up on Tuesdays for Hidden Springs/Estates residents. Yard waste and Large Items are picked up on Wednesdays. Items should be placed at the curb no later earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before and no later than 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Roll carts should be placed behind your home/fence or in your garage so they are no visible from the street when being stored. Frequently asked questions can be found here. For more information, please visit the Orange County website.
|
|
Code Enforcement, AirBnB Update & Watering Days |
|
In the last two newsletters we told you about three Airbnbs in the neighborhood. Short-term rentals (less than 6 months) are not allowed anywhere in Orange County zoned for single family residences (R1). Our neighborhood is in Orange County, not Orlando, and is zoned R1. Orange County Code Enforcement has issued violations to the owners of these three homes, and two are pursuing other long-term solutions. The third resumed short-term renting again and Code Enforcement started daily fines as ordered by a Magistrate. They appear to have stopped again. If you suspect a home is being used for short-term rentals, report it to Orange County 311 (see below) or send an email to hoa@hiddenspringsestates.org. For more information about zoning for short-term rentals call (407) 836-3111.
The Orange County 311 system is a great way to connect with local government services. They can help you with animal concerns, neighborhood inquiries, traffic matters, road conditions and more. You can contact them via phone, website or an easy-to-use app. You can report issues anonymously. Learn more at ocfl.net/311.
Watering Restrictions:
|
You may water your lawn ONE DAY A WEEK. Please reprogram your irrigation system to water once a week. Orange County Watering Restrictions and Irrigation Schedule can be viewed here. Outdoor irrigation is limited to one day a week during Eastern Standard Time (from the first Sunday in November until the second Sunday in March) and two days a week during Daylight Saving Time (from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November). Water only if necessary and not between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Water for no more than one hour per zone. Watering Violation Enforcement Process: First-time violators will receive a warning through a door hanger notice and by letter. Repeat violators will be subject to a fine of $25 per violation. A violator can appeal to a Hearing Officer after a written request is submitted and a $25 filing fee is made.
|
|
Start untangling those lights and make our neighborhood bright! We are once again holding our annual Holiday Lights Contest among residents. We will select the top three most festive homes from the nominations. Winners will be awarded a $25 gift certificate to The Home Depot. Please email us your nomination by Saturday, December 17, 2022.
|
|
Please welcome the following new residents to Hidden Springs/Estates! Each is given a welcome basket from the HOA filled with goodies and neighborhood information. Special thanks to Karen Butler and John Scolaro for their work in putting together and delivering these wonderful welcome baskets to our new residents each quarter. If you have anything you can contribute to our welcome baskets, please contact us.
The HOA makes an effort to keep our directory of homeowners current. If you have a new neighbor and they are not receiving our newsletters, please have them reach out to the HOA to get added to our list.
Current list of sales and purchaser information:
|
|
June 24, 2022
7626 Majestic Pine Ct.
Thomas Gainer
Sherry Lee Gainer
|
|
Please make sure that you keep the Hidden Springs/Estates Homeowners Association updated with your latest email address and any resident name changes. We continually update our records by adding proper names and email addresses into our database. If you know someone who has recently moved in or who does not receive our emails, please tell them to contact us so they can receive our quarterly newsletters, event updates and alerts form the HOA.
|
|
Not pictured:
August 29, 2022
7805 Pine Marsh Ct.
John Eric Smith
Christine Marie Smith
|
|
|
President
Donna Fontaine
Vice President
Fred Hawkins
Treasurer
Tina Dottino
Secretary
Charles Simonel
|
|
Contact Management & Welcoming Director
Karen Butler
Sr. Database Director
Denise Bradley
Communications Director
Kendle Arribas
Orange County Code Enforcement Liaison
Anonymous
|
|
Click here to see our supporters. If you are interested in promoting your business to Hidden Springs/Estates residents with a business card ad on our Supporters page for $25, please contact the HOA for more information.
|
|
Although it is the Hidden Springs/Estates Homeowners Association's (HSE HOA) intent to provide accurate and up-to-date information, no warranty, express or implied, is made regarding accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information contained on the pages of this newsletter. The HSE HOA assumes no liability for damages, incurred by the user of this information, which occur directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omissions or discrepancies in the information. The HSE HOA provides this information on an "as is" basis. The HSE HOA reserves the right to make changes and updates to the information at any time and without notice. Any person or entity who relies on information contained herein does so at his or her own risk.
Copyright © 2021. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
