Hidden Springs/Estates
Winter Newsletter 2021-22
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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.
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Message from the President |
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Dear Neighbors,
Welcome to the Holiday Season! We all hope you and your families are all doing well. This is definitely a stressful time of year but in light of everything that has gone on with this pandemic, I hope all of you can finally be with your families and enjoy them safely.
Our treasurer's report is great (see below). We had a record number of contributions, but even with the increased participation, costs are going up: landscape fees, water, electricity and just simply trying to maintain what we have. In addition, we had to incur some legal fees for violations to the HOA Declarations & Restrictions.
We also had some unexpected repairs. The brick wall on the North Pine Springs entrance started separating. There was a concern it was becoming unstable and could possibly fall down. We do not have insurance for our walls. It is too expensive. We hired a mason to shore up and fix the separations. (See the pictures below.)
The neighborhood does not have many rules. You can do what you want with paint, decorating and landscaping, but when it comes to equipment in your driveways, we do have rules on file with Orange County. We always have. We understand taking the boat out for the weekend or getting ready to clean that RV up, but to park these things in the driveway long-term is not permitted.
We are a patient and understanding Board. We know that many times folks don't know they can't keep recreation items or trailers in their driveway. Unfortunately, nobody alerted them when they bought the house. For those homeowners where we see these violations, we hand-deliver an HOA Friendly Reminder. We try to speak to the homeowner. We give them time to find a location for their items. Ninety-nine percent of the time the homeowners just don't know, but they usually make arrangements to take them off premises. There are times that we have homeowners who refuse. We feel, as a Board, if we let one person have their item in their driveway, we have to allow everyone. We can't pick and choose. Just picture what this neighborhood would look like if everyone had trailers, buses, pop-ups, jet skis, and RVs all around us. I don't think most of you would be very happy.
In better news, we want to thank some of you who graciously paid the HOA more than the $110. We thank you for that. It all helps. For those who have not paid, please consider paying the fees. We will be sending out second notices, but it would be great if we didn't have to go through the expense of paper, envelopes and stamps.
We wish you and your families a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and any other celebrations!
Sincerely,
Donna Fontaine
HOA President
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By Treasurer Tina Dottino
Thank you to all who have paid their 2021-2022 dues so far! We are almost on pace to match last year’s record number of resident contributions. To date, 167 families have paid their dues, and a few new families to our neighborhood have contributed as well. Thank you to each resident who made their contributions this year! Your donations go toward providing for the safety and security of our residents with entrance lighting and Sheriff’s safety patrols, provide for the maintenance and landscaping of our common areas, as well as offer social events and welcome baskets to our Hidden Springs/Estates residents. We could not do all of this without your support. We deeply appreciate all the neighbors who help maintain our neighborhood. If you haven't paid your dues yet, please click here to contribute.
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National Night Out a Great Success! |
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National Night Out was a great success this past October 5. The night is designed to get the community together and get to know each other, as well as learn some neighborhood safety tips from local sheriffs. Residents enjoyed grilled hot dogs, drinks, activities for the kids and raffles for the adults. A great time was had by all.
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The brick wall on the North Pine Springs entrance started separating. There was a concern it was becoming unstable and could possibly fall down, so we hired a mason to shore up and fix the separations. |
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AT&T to Upgrade Infrastructure |
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AT&T has alerted our HOA that they are planning to upgrade their existing infrastructure to a new state-of-the-art fiber to the home network. In order to do so, they need to upgrade portions of the existing infrastructure within the easements, pole lines and right of way in our community, depending on where the existing network is located. There is no cost to the community. This upgrade work will require digging, underground boring and boring under driveways, along with the installation of underground vaults flush mounted to the ground (similar to water meter boxes), connected by underground fiber and conduits at various locations throughout the community within the legally platted utility easements or right of way. Most homes in the community will be affected by the upgrade. AT&T and its construction contractor guarantee that all disturbed areas will be returned to like condition by the end of the construction project.
During this time, you will see increased traffic and construction workers in our neighborhood. Locate flags will be placed and paint utilized to mark underground facilities. These are for the protection of our community's utilities during construction. It is requested that you or your landscapers do not remove these flags as it is a State law that they remain in place during construction. AT&T will be starting the upgrades in the next few months. Residents should be notified by door hangers approximately 2-3 days prior to construction in the community.
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Yard of the Quarter Winners:
Andrew and Norel Harris -- 5025 Hidden Springs Blvd
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Congratulations to Andrew and Norel Harris, the final Yard of the Quarter winners for 2021. The Harris Family has lived in their home since 2012. Andrew grew up in the Oviedo area. Norel is originally from Oregon. They met in college at UCF. Andrew received his engineering degree at UCF and Norel received her Registered Nursing degree.
They love the Dr. Phillips area, especially Hidden Springs/Estates. The big bonus is it's close to where they both work. They have two young children, and both attend our local schools. They also have a little 13-year-old Maltese named Bailey. In their free time, they enjoy riding their bikes to Shadow Bay Park.
They recently made some significant renovations to their landscape during the lock-down of Covid. They decided to pull out all the shrubbery in the front of the home along the porch. They had a 6-to-7-inch retaining wall built and filled the ground cover with large river rock. They bought large white planters and placed them in the new area they created. They added purple Curcuma, which is in the same family as turmeric, and additionally added Heliconia, which is in the same family as Bird of Paradise. Please take a look at the before and after pics.
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The family was awarded a $50 Ace Hardware gift certificate. Thank you to all of you who are beautifying your yards. The Yard of the Quarter program is the Board's way of noticing you and saying Thank You!
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Let's Keep Our Neighborhood Beautiful |
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Here are some tips:
- If you see trash on the streets and can pick it up, please do. At times, the sanitation waste trucks do not allow for all of the trash to go into the truck and some is blown out of it on windy days.
- Put your trash and recycle bins out the night before (Monday evening after 6pm) for pick up on Tuesday.
- Put your yard waste out the night before (Tuesday evening after 6pm) for pick up on Wednesday.
- Please pick up your pet's waste and take it home with you. Pin Oak has seen numerous piles of dog waste not being picked up. This is a code violation.
Thank you for your help in keeping our neighborhood looking desirable, clean and a great place to live.
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Real Estate Market Update |
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Orlando's Market (October 2021) |
According to the Orlando Regional Realtor Association, October’s median home price was recorded at $325,000, increasing once again after a slight drop in September to $318,000. Orlando saw a 10-month steady increase in the median home price prior to September when the record high hit $320,000 in July (maintained in August). Overall sales in October dropped by 0.77%, with a total of 3,760 sales. Homes spent an average of 27 days on the market in October, the same amount as September 2021. Inventory dropped for the first time in six months, decreasing by 7.12% from September to October, for a total of 3,406 homes on the market in October.
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Hidden Springs/Estates Activity
For the period August 25-November 30, our neighborhood had seven sales posting an average of 21 days on the market! This is an increase of 14 days from the summer sales. Currently, five homes are under contract and expected to close soon. The majority of the sales were conventional financed, one VA financed and one cash transaction.
Homes sold between $375,000-$550,000 with the average sold price of $480,857. This is an average increase from the summer sales by $29,000! Four homes under contract are expected to close in December, and one is scheduled to close in March 2022. Low interest rates are expected to remain into the first quarter of 2022 which should continue to generate demand for homes in Hidden Springs/Hidden Estates!
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Real Estate Report for Hidden Springs/Estates
August 25-November 30, 2021
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All content displayed above is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Website users are advised to verify all information with their real estate representative. Copyright® My Florida Regional MLS DBA Stellar MLS. Digital Millennium Copyright Act Take-Down Notice
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.
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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-October
There have been several vehicle thefts in communities around us. Do not leave your keys or any valuables in your vehicle.
Remember, this is a NO SOLICITING neighborhood. Signs are posted at all entrances. Please do not let solicitors in your house or buy anything from them. If you are interested in what they are selling, please call the company directly and make an appointment. Let's continue to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
Tips on how to stay safe from IDENTITY THEFT & CYBERCRIME can be found HERE.
If you notice anything suspicious in the neighborhood, please call 407-836-HELP (4357) for a non-emergency or 911 for an emergency.
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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.
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Code Enforcement & Watering Days |
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As part of our effort to keep our neighborhood beautiful through code compliance, we have developed an "HOA Courtesy Notice." This is used to notify homeowners of an Orange County code, traffic or HOA restriction violation they may not be aware of so it can be corrected.
Several homeowners have been asked to move boats, trailers and RVs from their driveways. Most have done so, thank you. Legal action is being pursued for a few who continue to violate section 15 "Trailers, Campers, Etc." of the HOA Declarations & Restrictions. You can view and download a copy of the HOA Declarations & Restrictions at https://www.hiddenspringsestates.org/declarations-and-restrictions.
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. Learn more at 311 Help & Info.
Watering Restrictions:
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You may currently water your lawn ONE DAY A WEEK. Orange County Watering Restrictions and Irrigation Schedule can be viewed here. If your irrigation system is automatic, please update it to water just one day per week if you haven't already to avoid any citations and fees.
- 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).
- 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.
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Trellis 925 specializes in unique and memorable experiences! They offer a unique and customized environment for special events such as weddings, corporate events, meetings and private parties. They offer two locations with custom packages, flexible setups and intimate atmospheres. Their office is located at 7594 W Sand Lake Road, Orlando, Fl 32819. Visit their website at https://trellis925.com to learn more. |
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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. And thanks to Woof Gang Bakery next to Fresh Market for always donating items for our baskets. If you have anything you can contribute to our welcome baskets, please contact us.
Current list of sales and purchaser information:
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July 16, 2021
5435 Split Pine Ct.
Robert Assaf
Jizell Assaf
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Not pictured:
August 25, 2021
5512 Cedar Pine Dr.
Abdulmalik Haiderali & Janbibi Kabani
September 13, 2021
5260 Abelia Dr.
Baoliang Wang
September 14, 2021
5417 Cedar Pine Ct.
Robert & Amy Battocletti
September 16, 2021
5514 Meadow Pine Ct.
James M. & Cara Morgan
September 28, 2021
5712 Cedar Pine Dr.
Jonathan Allen Bostic
October 13, 2021
5905 Cedar Pine Dr.
Stephen & Jessica Kimball
October 29, 2021
5632 Pitch Pine Dr.
Frank R. Cordero
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Database Updates
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.
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Board of Directors and Supporters |
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President
Donna Fontaine
Vice President
Fred Hawkins
Treasurer
Tina Dottino
Secretary
Charles Simonel
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Contact Management & Welcoming Director
Karen Butler
Sr. Database Director
Denise Bradley
Communications Director
Kendle Arribas
Orange County Code Enforcement Liaison
Anonymous
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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.
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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.
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