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Hidden Springs/Estates
Fall Newsletter 2026
| Fall 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 | | |
Hello, Hidden Springs/Estates Homeowners,
Welcome to Fall, Hidden Springs/Estates!
We dodged another hurricane season—thank goodness!
First and foremost, the Board would like to recognize Charlie Simonel, who has served as our dedicated secretary for well over 10 years. Charlie and his wife, Suzanne, have moved to the East Coast to begin their next chapter.
Charlie has contributed far beyond the responsibilities of secretary. He has been our eyes and ears on neighborhood security, our Orange County Code expert, and our go-to handyman. He helped spearhead the streetlight project seven years ago, played an important role in reinstating our covenants and restrictions, and saved the HOA money countless times by taking care of minor repairs himself.
Most importantly, Charlie became a friend to all of us, and we will miss him tremendously. We cannot thank him enough for everything he has done for our community. We wish Charlie and Suzanne many years of health, happiness, and wonderful new adventures!
We Need Your Help!
With Charlie’s departure, we are looking for a secretary and residents who are willing to volunteer a little time. We could use help keeping an eye on the neighborhood, assisting with minor repairs, and organizing occasional social activities.
Being involved does not require a major time commitment. Our typical Board member spends only an hour or two a month, and helping occasionally would require even less. This neighborhood doesn’t run itself, and every bit of help makes a difference!
Community Improvements
Thanks to an anonymous donor, we were able to replace the damaged Ixoras at the Pine Springs entrance with beautiful plum-colored Loropetalums. The previous plants were severely damaged by this year’s freeze. Please see the before-and-after photos below.
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Wall Sconces at Conroy Entrance
We have also replaced—or are in the process of replacing—the four wall sconces at the Conroy entrance. The old fixtures were no longer working and had begun to rust away from the brick walls. Thanks to two volunteers who helped find attractive, weather-resistant fixtures at a great price, we were able to make this needed improvement.
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Entrance Damage at Conroy and Hidden Springs Blvd
On October 5 an accident occurred at our Conroy and Hidden Springs Blvd entrance. The island experienced damage and several signs were destroyed. The Board notified 311 to replace the road signs and we will have to replace our No Solicitation sign and possibly the tree, and we don't have insurance to cover the expenses. See photos below.
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HOA Dues
Finally, if you have not yet paid your HOA dues, please do so. The cost of maintaining our community continues to rise, including landscaping, fertilization, irrigation maintenance, pressure washing, tree trimming, wall maintenance, and other essential services.
The recommended annual contribution is $125, but any amount you can contribute is appreciated and helps us maintain our neighborhood. And to those of you who have contributed above and beyond the recommended amount, thank you!
Thank you all for helping make Hidden Springs/Estates a wonderful place to live.
Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and enjoyable Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Donna Fontaine
HOA President
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By Treasurer Tina Dottino
A huge thank you to all who paid dues last fiscal year, especially to those who donated extra to cover
unbudgeted costs! Our fiscal year wrapped up on August 31 with a total of 206 households paid. Our
expenses for last year were much higher than anticipated, due to unbudgeted but necessary sprinkler and wall repairs, as well as budgeted tree trimming and mowing/maintenance. Many residents were very generous with extra donations, which enabled us to undertake a major wall planter upgrade along
Dr. Phillips Blvd, as well. Your generosity is tremendously appreciated!
Our new fiscal year is now underway, and 147 residents have already made their donations towards 2026-2027. Thank you to several homeowners who paid for the first time! Our community grows stronger when we all participate and support it. If you have not yet made your contribution, please pay your dues via check, PayPal, or Zelle. Though we are a voluntary association, everyone in the neighborhood benefits from the donations. Your HOA dues go toward providing for the maintenance and landscaping of our common areas, including mowing, sprinkler repair, and tree trimming; offering welcome baskets to new Hidden Springs/Estates residents; hosting events such as the National Night Out Block Party, repairing of our neighborhood walls; and maintenance of the lighting and signage at our entrances. We could not do all of this without the financial support of our residents. Please click here to contribute.
Spending by Category 2025-2026 Fiscal Year
| | | Administrative expenses | $2,289.00 | | Common area maintenance | $20,703.00 | | Community events and promotion | $523.00 | | Holiday decorations | $2,120.00 | | Utilities | $2,841.00 | | Insurance | $7,350 | | Newsletter & Website | $318.00 | | Reserves | $2,500 | | OVERALL TOTAL TO DATE | $38,644 | | | Haunt Your Home Halloween Decorating Contest | |
We're excited to announce the 2026 Hidden Springs & Estates "Haunt Your Home" Decorating Contest! We invite every home in Hidden Springs & Estates to join the fun and out-boo the neighbors in the third annual Best-Decorated Halloween Homes contest!
You can earn an award for:
- The Most Haunted House
- The Best Not-So-Scary House
- The Best Overall Halloween Home
Nominate any house by emailing its address to SpookySpringsEstates@gmail.com by October 28. Judging takes place October 30 between 7–9pm, so make sure your decorations are on full display.
Winners will be announced on November 3. Happy Decorating!
| | Save the Date for Our Next Happy Hour November 13 | | Everyone had a great time at our Karaoke Happy Hour on Friday, June 12 hosted by Sacha and Leslie! It's always a great time getting to know our neighbors better. Save the date for our next Happy Hour tentatively scheduled for Friday, November 13 and hosted by Damon Nicholson. Adults Only. If you would like to host an upcoming Happy Hour, please contact Karen Butler at VLN7807@aol.com. | | Resident Realtor: Real Estate Market Update | | | | |
This neighborhood market report is brought to you by our Resident Realtor, Kendle Arribas with The Agency. She has lived in Hidden Springs for more than 20 years and has a deep understanding of our community.
If you're thinking about selling your home and would like a free market evaluation, please contact her at Kendle.Arribas@TheAgencyRE.com.
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Orlando's State of the Market
New Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association data show that home prices held steady in September, while rising mortgage rates slowed sales and pushed inventory to 5.3 months of supply.
- The median home price for September was recorded at $399,610, down from $400,676 in August.
- September’s interest rate was recorded at 7.4%, up from 6.7% in August.
- Homes spent an average of 66 days on the market (DOM) in September, slightly more than August’s 64 days.
- Overall sales fell by 6.2% from August to September. There were 2,478 sales in August and 2,325 sales in September.
- New listings increased by 3.1% from August to September, with 3,546 new homes on the market in September, compared to 3,439 in August.
- Inventory for September was recorded at 12,464, up slightly from August, when inventory was recorded at 12,144
“A 7.3% rate changes the math for a lot of families, and September’s sales reflect that,” said Chris Atwell, 2026 president of the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association. “The good news is that prices have stayed stable. Buyers who run the numbers with a REALTOR® may find there are more opportunities out there than they assume."
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Hidden Springs/Estates Activity
For the period of July 29-October 16, 2026, our neighborhood had 3 sales ranging from $600,000-$630,000. Two homes are currently active on the market in our neighborhood.
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.
To see what your home might worth in today's market, I am happy to provide a complimentary consultation and develop a strategy customized for your property. You can contact me at Kendle.Arribas@TheAgencyRE.com.
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Real Estate Report for Hidden Springs/Estates
July 29-October 16, 2026
| | 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. | | | | 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. | | |
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.
PLEASE contact the Sheriff Department via the non-emergency line at 407-836-4357 for any significant disruptions in the neighborhood that you think need to be addressed. The Sheriff Deputies have been very helpful.
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We have noticed quite a few homeowners are placing their yard debris at the front or the sides of their homes without bundling it and/or placing the debris in trash receptacles. The county will not pick that up. Please bundle it and/or place it in trash cans.
Recycling and Yard Waste is picked up on Mondays for Hidden Springs/Estates residents. Garbage and Large Items are picked up on Tuesdays. 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 stored. For more information, please visit the Orange County website.
| | 311, Code Enforcement, AirBnB Update & Watering Days | | |
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. There are a couple of houses that are being fined or charged for cleanup work performed by the county.
Short-Term Rentals
If you think a home is being rented out as a short-term Airbnb, please notify the board. We are in unincorporated Orange County, and it is illegal to run an Airbnb in a subdivision. If you suspect a home is being used for short-term rentals, please also 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.
Home Businesses are allowed in Orange County but, they must not have employees or customers coming to the house. If you have a neighbor who has employees and/or customers coming to the house, contact Code Enforcement using the Orange County 311 system and they will investigate.
Tree Hazards
We have noticed a few trees that are on a homeowner's property but are hanging over the sidewalk almost blocking passage on that sidewalk. If you have a tree like that, please have it trimmed. Tree branches should not be overhanging so low as to create a hazard.
Watering Restrictions:
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You may water your lawn TWO DAYS A WEEK until November 1. 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. Water enforcement has recently been seen in the neighborhood.
| | We are honored to announce one of our homeowners, Nick Wunder, has created the Wunder Perpetual Scholarship Fund for any graduating high school senior from Dr. Phillips or Olympia High Schools. Please see the information below. This is a fantastic opportunity for students. | | |
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 not receiving our newsletters, please have them reach out to the HOA to get added to our list.
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4940 Caspian Ct
5905 Cedar Pine Dr
5410 Rustic Pine Ct
| | | 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! | | |
President
Donna Fontaine
Vice President
Fred Hawkins
Treasurer
Tina Dottino
Secretary
Vacant
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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
| | 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 © 2026. All Rights Reserved.
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