CITY OF PLANTATION 2017 ANNUAL EVENTS

SPRING (March – May)

• Spring Break Camp:A program for children ages 5-10, held during spring recess.
• Spring Break Tennis Camp: The Parks and Recreation Department offers a tennis 
• program for children ages 6-16, designed for all levels of skill. It is held during spring
•  recess.
• Spring Equestrian Programs: Children ages 4-17 can sign up for Share-a-Pony
•  and horseback riding lesson weekly programs. Call 954-476-4316 for information.
• Multi-family Garage Sale: Anyone interested in participating can register at
•  Volunteer Park. Tables are not supplied. Space is limited. For more information
•  call 954-452-2558.
• Royal Egg Hunt: An egg hunt for children ages 3-10.
• Plantation’s Got Talent: Local top rated talent of all ages is spotlighted in
•  this competition. This is a fun and entertaining evening that the whole family
•  will enjoy.
• Teddy Bear Picnic: Bring your teddy bear, lunch and a blanket or chair to
•  the Helen B. Hoffman Plantation Library. Animated storytelling where children
•  become part of the fun!
• Memorial Day Service: Sponsored by the City of Plantation. Elected state and
•  local officials will be present as we honor our Veterans. For more information
•  please call 954-452-2510.

SUMMER (June – August)

• Summer Recreation Programs: The Parks and Recreation Department offers 
• a variety of summer camp programs for children ages 5-16.

• Fourth of July Celebration: A parade, concert and fireworks event is held.
• Children’s Summer Reading Program: A reading program is offered at
•  Helen B. Hoffman Library in June and July.
• Summer Equestrian Programs:  Children ages 4-17 can sign up for 
• Share-a-Pony and Horse Back Riding Lesson weekly programs. 
• Call 954-476-4316 for information.
• Daddy-Daughter Dance: Dads and their daughters, ages 6 – 12, are invited
•  to a night of fun. Tunes, pizza, punch, contests and prizes, and much more will 
• ensure a good time is had by all!
• Wine, Jazz and Taste of Plantation: Presented by the Greater Plantation 
• Chamber of Commerce. Sample over 100 varieties of vintage wines, in addition 
• to enjoying signature dishes from the area’s finest restaurants. Plus, join in the fun
•  with our Raffle and Silent Auction and bid on terrific items on display. 
• Call 954-587-1410 for information and sponsorship opportunities.
• Mother-Son Party: Mothers and their sons, ages 6 – 10, are invited to a
•  night of fun.  Join us for tunes, pizza, punch, contests and prizes, and a
•  good time for everyone!

FALL (September – November)

• Art Search: A visual arts competition for students in grades K-12, sponsored 
• by the City of Plantation Parks & Recreation Department and the 
• Plantation Junior Woman’s Club.
• Youth Hot Shot Basketball Tournament: Held in the Central Park Gym in
•  September. Various age divisions. For information, call 954-452-2510.
• Halloween & Safety Festival: Held in October, this event is presented by 
• the Plantation Parks & Recreation and Police departments. Enjoy a children’s 
• carnival, haunted house (not recommended for children under 6), Police and Fire 
• safety exhibits, live music, raffles and door prizes. Held at Volunteer Park.
•  Call 954-452-2510 or 954-916-5601.
• Plantation Volunteer Firefighter Association Barbecue: Annual fund-raising event,
•  which is open to the public, and offers the best barbecue in Plantation.
• Free Influenza Vaccination: For Plantation residents over 55 years of age or those 
• chronically ill.
• Veteran’s Day Service: The City of Plantation invites you to join elected officials 
• and local dignitaries as we honor our Veterans. For more information call 954-452-2510
• Art in the Park: Presented by Plantation Junior Woman’s Club and hosted by the 
• City of Plantation; an outdoor juried Art Show offering food and beverages for
•  purchase, musical entertainment and featuring a Kids Korner with arts and 
• crafts and entertainment activities for children of all ages.
• “It’s a Wonderful Life in Plantation” Holiday Parade: Presented by the
•  Chamber of Commerce and hosted by the City of Plantation.

WINTER (December – February)

• Forrest Gump Table Tennis Tournament: Held annually in December.
•  Double elimination tournament. Trophies awarded for 1st and 2nd place
•  winners in all divisions. Call 954-452-2510 or 954-585-2344.
• Winter Wonderland Museum Exhibit: During the months of December
•  and January, the Historical Museum displays an exhibit on various Christmas
•  and Chanukah items.
• Winter Wonderland Winter Break Camps: The Parks and Recreation Department
•  offers a children’s camp program held during winter recess for ages 5-10.
• Holiday Tennis Camp: The Parks and Recreation Department offers a tennis
•  program for children ages 6-16, designed for all levels of skill. It is held during
•  winter recess.
• Holiday Equestrian Programs: Children ages 4-17 can sign up for Share-a
• -Pony and Horse Back Riding Lesson weekly programs. Call 954-476-4316 for 
• information.
• Santa’s Visit: Santa and his elves will visit every street in Plantation on Christmas Eve.
• Doggie Palooza: Presented by the Parks & Recreation Department,
•  this event is designed to provide canines and their owners with information
•  on products and services local companies have to offer. Vendor Space is available.
•  For more information call 954-452-2506

Natalie West/Keller Williams SE Florida Realtor/Laurie Finkelstein Reader Team: Top 10 Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holid...

Natalie West/Keller Williams SE Florida Realtor/Laurie Finkelstein Reader Team: Top 10 Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holid...: The holiday season from November through January is often considered the worst time to put a home on the market. While the thought of ...

Top 10 Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holidays Attract homebuyers even during the holidays with these useful tips.

The holiday season from November through January is often considered the worst time to put a home on the market. While the thought of selling your home during the winter months may dampen your holiday spirit, the season does have its advantages: holiday buyers tend to be more serious and competition is less fierce with fewer homes being actively marketed. First, decide if you really need to sell. Really. Once you've committed to the challenge, don your gay apparel and follow these tips from Front Door.

1. Deck the halls, but don’t go overboard.
   Homes often look their best during the holidays, but sellers should be careful not to overdo it on the decor. Adornments that are too large or too many can crowd your home and distract buyers. Also, avoid offending buyers by opting for general fall and winter decorations rather than items with religious themes.
2. Hire a reliable real estate agent.
   That means someone who will work hard for you and won't disappear during Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's. Ask your friends and family if they can recommend a listing agent who will go above and beyond to get your home sold. This will ease your stress and give you more time to enjoy the season.
3. Seek out motivated buyers.
   Anyone house hunting during the holidays must have a good reason for doing so. Work with your agent to target buyers on a deadline, including people relocating for jobs in your area, investors on tax deadlines, college students and staff, and military personnel, if you live near a military base.
4. Price it to sell.
   No matter what time of year, a home that’s priced low for the market will make buyers feel merry. Rather than gradually making small price reductions, many real estate agents advise sellers to slash their prices before putting a home on the market.
5. Make curb appeal a top priority.
   When autumn rolls around and the trees start to lose their leaves, maintaining the exterior of your home becomes even more important. Bare trees equal a more exposed home, so touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Keep buyers’ safety in mind as well by making sure stairs and walkways are free of snow, ice and leaves.
6. Take top-notch real estate photos.
   When the weather outside is frightful, home buyers are likely to start their house hunt from the comfort of their homes by browsing listings on the Internet. Make a good first impression by offering lots of flattering, high-quality photos of your home. If possible, have a summer or spring photo of your home available so buyers can see how it looks year-round.
7. Create a video tour for the Web.
   You'll get less foot traffic during the holidays thanks to inclement weather and vacation plans. But shooting a video tour and posting it on the Web may attract house hunters who don't have time to physically see your home or would rather not drive in a snowstorm. 
8. Give house hunters a place to escape from the cold.
   Make your home feel cozy and inviting during showings by cranking up the heat, playing soft classical music and offering homemade holiday treats. When you encourage buyers to spend more time in your home, you also give them more time to admire its best features.
9. Offer holiday cheer in the form of financing.
   Bah, humbug! Lenders are scrooges these days, but if you've got the means, then why not offer a home loan to a serious buyer? You could get a good rate of return on your money.
10. Relax — the new year is just around the corner.
    The holidays are stressful enough with gifts to buy, dinners to prepare and relatives to entertain. Take a moment to remind yourself that if you don't sell now, there's always next year, which, luckily, is only a few days away.

Next Up

Official News for me

MORE PARENTS BUYING CONDOS FOR GRADS

For some parents, a handwritten check with a lot of zeroes just isn’t good enough as a graduation present. It seems so insubstantial and unoriginal. So how about a piece of SOUTH FLORIDA in the form of CONDO? A fabulous idea!

Real estate brokers say that in the last year, they have seen more parents shopping for condominiums for their grown children, hoping to take advantage of low mortgage rates and prices that are still about 20 percent down from the market’s peak.

These congratulatory condos are often small one-bedrooms, but on occasion they are bigger-ticket items because the parents see it as a long-term investment and a good place to park their money.

In many cases, brokers say, the parents often don't live in the area and view South East Florida as a potential second home for themselves when the child decides to move on. Some buy it as a straight-out gift, a gesture of affection sweetened by the present generous tax exclusion. Others buy it as an investment and retain ownership, and still others acquire it through a family trust for joint ownership.

There are mundane issues to be figured out, like who pays the maintenance and for any work that needs to be done, and who gets any profits when the condo is sold. Make an agreement preferably in writing.

In one of the simplest scenarios, the parents buy and keep a condo in their name and agree to pay the monthly carrying costs, and the child lives there as a family member, not a renter. Condos permit this, but some co-ops allow only owners to be residents and may require that the child’s name be put on the proprietary lease.

If you’d like me to show you some CONDOS don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at your earliest convenience.

The upside of Florida real estate: 15 market positives

The upside of Florida real estate: 15 market positives

Link Out: Take a Break

Enjoy your time off, starting right now!

July is National Anti-Boredom Month. Not that you have time to be bored with all of your responsibilities but as you wrap up personal and business appointments and prepare for Summer Break, you might be looking for some welcome distractions. Enjoy your time off, starting now, by listening to this relaxing song,

Take Off Your Cool by Outkast on ...Featuring Norah Jones

 
and visiting some of these fun sites.

Anyone who’s ever been stuck at a desk for long periods of time has likely tapped into the glorious time playing online casual gaming. Over at Kongregate, they save you some trouble by ranking the best games, so you can quickly find a winner to start unwinding to. In one of the highest rated new games, you could become an elephant chasing a wooly bully to retrieve a stolen bowler hat. Almost as fun as Mario Bros. and just as whimsical, you could also go for the most frequently played, highest rated game Platform Racing 2. Looking for a specific type of game to get lost in for a moment? Check out 1Up’s 101 Free Games 2011.

Of course, if it weren’t so expensive, everyone would probably rather use the time over the break to travel to an exotic new location and indulge in some new scenery. As a substitute, you could go exploring by clicking here and enjoying an impressive collection of free online nature documentaries, where you can visit all the great natural wonders of the world in one fell swoop. If you like documentaries, there are equally impressive collections here and here.

There are tons of ways to let go a little, but for true comfort, many of us turn immediately to our favorite foods for an easy indulgence. Cupcakes are a pretty trendy go-to, and I found a great list of inspired cupcakes, complete with recipes so you can get to replicating! However, if you listen to ABC News, they say cupcakes are out this year, and pies are the new comfort food of 2011. For awesome pie recipes, wander over to the Tasty Kitchen. For something a little more savory, feast your eyes on what Huffington Post has declared America’s Top 10 New Sandwiches. (Vegetarians: don't worry, someone posted recipes for veganized versions of these same sandwiches!)

Did you know that laughing is one of the body’s natural ways of counteracting stress? A quick source for laughs is Qwantz, a clever webcomic that recently had a series commenting on popular games like poker, monopoly, scrabble and solitaire.

Have a fun and relaxing Summer Break!