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Hidden Springs/Estates
Spring Newsletter 2025
| Spring 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 Hidden Springs/Estates residents,
Spring is in the air!! We managed to get through a gloomy, but not terribly cold, winter. Finally the Florida weather we love is here.
This is a perfect time to start thinking about your landscaping. Planting flowers, trimming any dead or old bushes, getting that lawn green or purchasing new sod. It's a little bit of a challenge because this can be a drier time of the year, but at least the weather is pleasant to be outside. Just remember, if you do decide to replace sod, be sure to call the water department at (407) 423-9018. The water department will allow you to water more often and they will work with you on the temporarily increased water bill. It takes a couple of months for the new sod to take, then you're back to your normal watering of a couple of times a week.
This is also a good time to pressure wash your sidewalks and driveways. In Florida, if someone slips on a moldy sidewalk, the property owner adjacent to that sidewalk is usually responsible, as they have a legal duty to maintain their property, including sidewalks, and keep them safe from hazards like mold growth.
As many of you may have noticed, we had a challenge at the Pin Oak and Dr. Phillips entrance. (See photos below.) Duke Energy has been working in the area hardening the electrical grid so electricity will be less likely to go out during hurricanes and/or bad storms. What Duke did at that entrance was to take down the old wooden telephone pole that had a streetlight on it and also all the utility cables and wires. The problem was two-fold: they broke the old wooden pole in half, took all the wires and sharp cables down but left everything at our entrance on the side of the street where the school cross-walk is and where the crossing guard is. It was not only an unsightly mess, but extremely dangerous. There were sharp, pointy two-inch cable wires hanging from "our" bushes and where the kids from Palm Lake Elementary cross.
Members of the board called and called time and time again. Finally, just a few weeks ago Duke came out and removed the debris.
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By Treasurer Tina Dottino
Thank you to all who have paid their 2024-2025 dues so far! To date, 209 out of 380 homeowners have made their contributions to the HOA. Thanks to each of you who have done so, and special thanks to the many of you who have made additional donations this year! They are greatly appreciated and allow us to continue providing for the maintenance and landscaping of our common areas with mowing and tree trimming; offering welcome baskets to new Hidden Springs/Estates residents; hosting events such as the National Night Out Block Party and our annual HOA meeting; repairing of our neighborhood walls; and holiday decorations, lighting and signage at our entrances. We could not do all of this without the financial support of our residents. If you have not yet paid your 2024-2025 dues, please do so via check or PayPal at your earliest convenience.
Please click here to contribute.
Click here to read more and view this year's budget.
Spending by Category - Year to Date
9/1/2024 through 2/23/2025
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| Administrative expenses | $962 | | Common area maintenance | $8,391 | | Community events and promotion | $347 | | Holiday decorations | $2,217 | | Newsletter & website | $769 | | Utilities | $1,125 | | OVERALL TOTAL TO DATE | $13,811 | | |
Bring your basket and bunny ears and hop on over to 5543 Sago Palm Drive for an Easter Egg Hunt on April 19 at 11am. There will be different egg hunts for each age group. The hunt will start with the little kids at 11am and move up to the big kids. Thank you to resident Tara Savage who is once again hosting at her home with the HOA. It is always a fun event! Refreshments will be provided. Kids of all ages are welcome to attend with a parent. Please R.S.V.P. to Karen Butler by April 12 at VLN7807@aol.com with the age and number of children to help us prepare. | |
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Save the date and join us for our next Happy Hour on April 25, from 6-9pm hosted by David Rask at 5724 Pitch Pine Dr. Bring your drink of choice and an appetizer to share, and join in the fun. It's always a great time getting to know our neighbors better and enjoying a great spread of food and drinks! Adults only.
Please R.S.V.P. to Karen Butler at vln7807@aol.com.
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Resident Realtors: Real Estate Market Update | |
This neighborhood market report is brought to you by our Resident Realtors, John Scolaro with Coldwell Banker Realty and Kendle Arribas with The Agency. Both are long-term residents of Hidden Springs and have a deep understanding of our community. If you're thinking about selling your home and would like a free market evaluation, please contact either of them below. | |
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John Scolaro, REALTOR®
Coldwell Banker Realty
(407) 230-5567 orlandorealtor.john@gmail.com
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Kendle Arribas, REALTOR®
The Agency
(407) 902-8468
kendlearribasrealtor@gmail.com
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Orlando's State of the Market
"Sales slowed in January coming off the holidays, which is typical for this time of year," says Lawrence Bellido, president of the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association. "More notably, though, new listings and pending sales rose as people kicked off the year by entering the market. Higher inventory is exactly what buyers have been waiting for, and with more homes to choose from, now is a perfect time for people to make their homebuying dreams a reality. Sellers today will need to make sure their homes are market ready and be realistic with pricing to set themselves apart."
In the greater Orlando market:
- New listings spiked 68.1% from December to January, with 4,220 new homes on the market in January, compared to 2,510 in December.
- Inventory for January was recorded at 11,697, up 16.4% from December when inventory was recorded at 10,049. This is the highest inventory since July 2015.
- Pending sales rose by 24.8%, with 2,661 in December and 3,320 in January.
- The median home price for January was recorded at $375,000, down from $380,000 in December.
- January’s interest rate was recorded at 6.8%, up from 6.5% in December.
- Homes spent an average of 74 days on the market (DOM) in January – up from 68 in December.
- Overall sales decreased by 29.7% from December to January. There were 2,154 sales in December and 1,514 sales in January.
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Hidden Springs/Estates Activity
For the period of November 26, 2024-February 27, 2025, our neighborhood had three sales ranging from $540,000-$635,000. There is one home active on Cedar Pine Dr. for $625,000. Updates to your home, proper maintenance and curb appeal all add value. When our neighborhood looks good, it helps increase everyone’s home values. Please do what you can to keep your homes looking their best both with interior updates as well as landscaping and lawn maintenance.
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Real Estate Report for Hidden Springs/Estates
November 26, 2024-February 27, 2025
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Accuracy of all information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. © My Florida Regional Inc. DBA Stellar MLS, ©️ 2023 FMLS, ©️ 2023 GCMLS, all rights reserved. Matrix v11.2. Copyright © 2024 CoreLogic. All rights reserved. | | |
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With the elimination of our deputy patrol services, it is more important than ever to 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's Department. | |
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If you notice anything suspicious in the neighborhood, please call 407-836-HELP (4357) for a non-emergency or 911 for an emergency.
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.
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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.
| In addition, please do not dispose of your yard waste in our retention ponds. This yard waste was found in the retention pond area on Hidden Springs Blvd, and had to be relocated by one our Board members. There was also yard debris placed at the Abelia retention pond. | |
311, Code Enforcement, AirBnB Update & Watering Days | |
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Dial 311 - It Works!
This is how Board members stay on top of code violations.
Be a good neighbor and call 311 if you see a hazard i.e.; broken sidewalk, mold/slippery sidewalk, falling tree branches, etc. The Orange County 311 system is a great way to connect with local government services. They can also 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 ocfl.net/311.
The last Airbnb that we are aware of in the neighborhood is advertising for a long-term renter. We will continue to monitor to make sure they aren't still doing short-term rentals. 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.
Watering Restrictions:
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You may begin watering your lawn TWO DAYS A WEEK beginning March 8. Orange County Watering Restrictions and Irrigation Schedule can be viewed here. 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.
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Backflow Valves Installed | |
If residents found a new green lid/box placed on their property, Orange County water installed a backflow valve to the residents who do not currently have a backflow valve. The backflow valve prevents non-potable water, such as irrigation water, from mixing with potable drinking water. Hidden Springs/Estates does not have separated reclaimed water meters which would not require a backflow valve. If residents have questions about backflow valves or would like advice about the water on their property they can contact the Orange County water department. | |
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Nola's Ice Cream
Nola's Ice Cream, located at 7988 Via Dellagio Way in Dr. Phillips, is a new addition to the local dessert scene. Founded by high school sweethearts Keren and Khoa, who grew up in the Dr. Phillips community, the shop is named after their only daughter, Magnolia. They also have 4 sons! You may know them from their popular YouTube channel, KKandbabyJ, that provides a glimpse into their daily family life. Fulfilling a long-held dream, Keren and Khoa recently opened Nola's Ice Cream shop and have partnered with The Greenery Creamery and Sampaguita to offer a variety of unique flavors. Visit their website at www.nolasicecream.com.
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Playa Bowls
Playa Bowls is replacing Clean Juice in the Marketplace at Dr. Phillips. Their Grand Opening is set for March 2 with a free bowl for anyone who is in line before 11am. The first 50 in line get a free swag bag. There will be a DJ and a mermaid for photo ops. This is their first Orlando location. More information can be found at playabowls.com.
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Perkins American Food Co.
Say goodbye to Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, as the brand reintroduces itself as Perkins American Food Co., here in Dr. Phillips. The new Turkey Lake Road location is a modern space with a refreshed menu and classic Perkins hospitality. 7625 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32819
perkinsrestaurants.com
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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 for her 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 receiving our newsletters, please have them reach out to the HOA to get added to our list.
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Pictured above:
November 18, 2024
7718 Pine Springs Dr.
Romeo Hosh
December 5, 2024
5632 Pitch Pine Dr.
Eric Benson
Doris Benson
January 2, 2025
5644 Pitch Pine Dr.
Denise Jackson
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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. | |
Like and Follow Our Facebook Page | |
Follow our Facebook page for Hidden Springs/Estates where we share news, events and updates related to our neighborhood! This page is another great place to stay informed about what’s happening in our community and to connect with fellow residents. Please note, this page is intended for sharing positive updates and information. If you have any concerns or issues, we kindly ask that you direct them to our HOA email at HOA@HiddenSpringsEstates.org. We invite you to like and follow our page at: Hidden Springs & Estates Facebook Page. We look forward to connecting with you online! | |
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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 © 2025. All Rights Reserved.
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