FLORIDA’S PREMIER COMMUNITY
May 2016
Meet Your Neighbors, The Dalton Family Photo by Jen Justiniano Photography
A publication of Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC
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May 2016
from the
Publisher Welcome to May 2016!
Bill Bokunic Publisher & CEO Quantum Marketing Communications 321.331.6398 Bill@QMCWorld.com
I have been getting a lot of feedback and questions regarding the front cover family feature and I will attempt to address them now. How do you choose a family for the cover of Harmony Life? Up until now it’s been just random. More and more families are requesting to be on the cover and we now have a growing list. How can we be on the cover? Send me an email: Bill@QMCWorld.com Please briefly tell me why you would like to be on the cover, how long you have lived in Harmony, and any other pertinent information. Please note that promoting a business or event is not a good reason to be on the cover. Going forward there will be special guidelines regarding this. Who edits your magazine? Well, mostly it’s the individual writers. I do have a Harmony resident who reviews my writings. So if you see something that has mistakes please show a little grace. Recently there was one section that should have come under better scrutiny, and we received many messages regarding it. The great news is that we know the magazine is being read! Going forward we are putting a more critical eye to everything, but 5 people can proof read and still miss things. Please feel free to message me with any questions and don’t hesitate to say hi when you see me out in the community. Bill Bokunic
Contact Info For Residents
CDD:
www.harmonycdd.org, 407-566-1935, BRIGHTHOUSE CABLE / INTERNET: Steve, Ray, Mark, Kerul or David@Harmonycdd.org CENTURY LINK CABLE / INTERNET: SHERIFF NON-EMERGENCY: 407-348-2222 OUC ELECTRIC: HROA:
First Services Residential at 866-378-1099 or FSResidential.com
CONDOS HOA:
Sentry Management, 407-846-6323
TOWNHOMES HOA:
TITAN Management, 407-705-2190
HARMONY DEVELOPER OFFICE: 407-891-8358 or www.HarmonyFL.com
877-892-3279 866-314-4148 407-957-7373
WASTE MANAGEMENT TRASH PICKUP:
407-843-7370
OSCEOLA COUNTY:
www.osceola.org “Citizen Action Center”
COUNTY COMMISSIONER FRED HAWKINS: fhaw@osceola.org
4
Meet Your Neighbors: The Dalton Family
Who’s on the cover? David Dalton & Christina Dalton with their children Gavin & Trent Do you have any animals? Scout & Ellie, Mini Australian Shepherds When did you move to Harmony? January 2011 What street do you live on? Beargrass Rd What do you love most about Harmony? There is so much to love about Harmony. We love the close knit community, the small town feel, the schools, the tree lined streets, the outdoor green space, and the close proximity to Orlando and the beaches. What are your kids’ favorite things about Harmony? The kids love that they have so many friends nearby. There is always a familiar face whether we’re at the park, the restaurants, or the pool. What is your background? Both of us are longtime residents of Saint Cloud and made the move to Harmony so that Christina could be closer to her job in Melbourne while staying close to
Saint Cloud family. Christina is the CFO of the Safety-Critical Engineering company, CERTON Software, Inc. David owns and operates Triple Palm Lawn Maintenance. His clientele in Harmony continues to grow so moving here was a no-brainer. Before living in Harmony, we visited it often to go to dinner, play golf, and attend festivals. What is unusual or unique about Harmony, in comparison to your previous home? We love the style of homes in Harmony. Nowhere nearby has the front porch appeal and alleyways that Harmony has. There is a traditional America look to the neighborhood. Our out of town visitors always fall in love with the picturesque neighborhood when they see it. What is your favorite weekend activity? We love that the boys are playing soccer right here in Harmony and that it is so close to home. You can always find us at the fields on the weekends. In the summers, we are avid users of the pool and love spending our weekend afternoons there mingling with friends and neighbors. We also love spending time at the beach or on one of the many nearby waterways paddle boarding. Do you have a cause or business that you would like to promote? Yes, Triple Palm Lawn & Landscape! David and his crew work hard to keep Harmony lawns and landscape beautiful. Triple Palm services over 140 residences in Harmony and David takes pride in making sure each client is happy with the service being provided whether it’s routine lawn maintenance, new sod, landscaping, and even patio pavers. Quite often he is out of the house at the crack of dawn on the weekends to make sure irrigation systems are running. What do you do for fun? We are beach bums. David and the kids like to surf, boogie board, and skim board. We paddleboard as a family when free time allows. Christina is a hobbyist photographer and takes pictures of it all. One of the wonderful attributes of Harmony is that there is always beautiful scenery to take pictures. She truly enjoys finding new and creative locations to take pictures for the Harmony Life Magazine cover.
5
5 Biggest Mistakes When Choosing a Real Estate Agent by Jeanine Corcoran Spring and summer can be the busiest time of the year for real estate agents. As the school year is coming to an end, a lot of home owners decide to make their move to sell their home. Selling your home is one of the biggest transactions you’ll ever make and one you shouldn’t do on your own without the help of a real estate professional. Don’t be the homeowner that makes any of the following mistakes: 1. Choosing an agent who doesn’t know or who isn’t the expert in your community It’s important to choose an agent who is familiar with and active in your community. An agent who is active, is constantly promoting your property to neighbors and visitors. An agent who believes in the community is the best agent to sell your home. 2. Number of years’ experience isn’t the most important Honestly, that large number of how many homes they sold in the past 25 years sounds impressive but more importantly is their success rate. An agent who listed 100 homes last year but only sold 25, has a success rate of 25%. An agent who listed 15 homes and sold all 15 has a success rate of 100%. Success rate is important. 3. Flat Fee Service Companies The fact is, you get what you pay for. This is not the correct
approach when you’re dealing with such a large transaction. Chances are you think you are saving money but in reality you are probably not getting the most money for your property. Penny wise and pound foolish comes to mind. 4. Choosing the agent who gives you the highest listing price It all sounds good at the time, but when your house is still on the market in six months, are you really accomplishing your goal of selling your home? Go with the facts given to you on what sold in your neighborhood, they don’t lie. Knowing up front what a realistic price is for your property will avoid disappointment at closing. 5. Choosing an agent who cares about one thing…..commission The agent gives the best presentation but deep down you know they only care about their commission. That agent doesn’t care about getting you the most money for your home. The best agent is the one that listens and cares about your goals. Selling your home can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Don’t make the mistake of choosing an agent who isn’t an expert in your community, who has the most number of years in the business, who gives you the cheapest commission, who gives you the highest list price or the agent who only cares about one thing—making a commission. Making the right choice of who should sell your home will make your selling experience pleasant and profitable rather than a nightmare. Jeanine Corcoran is the Broker and Owner of The Corcoran Connection, LLC – A Real Estate and Property Management Company. Jeanine has been helping families with their Real Estate needs since 2005. Jeanine is Barbara Corcoran’s sister from ABC’s SHARK TANK. Jeanine can be reached at 407.922.3308, email her at JeanineCorcoran@gmail.com, or visit TheCorcoranConnection.com.
7
Putting Investors First by Jason Flowers MBA, CFA, CFP, EA
Trust in the financial industry is paramount to the sustainability of the industry. The CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals who award the designation of Chartered Financial Analysts, recognized the need for communicating the importance of this trust between the investing community and their advisors. One of the CFA Institute’s most significant statements came from the creation of a global initiative to unite the CFA community and investment professionals worldwide by “Putting Investors First.” The month of May has been adopted by the CFA community to highlight the importance of investor rights above those of all others in the industry. The CFA community spans 150 countries with over 135,000 CFA Charterholders. CFA Charterholders earn their designation from the CFA Institute after passing years of rigorous examinations and obtaining professional experience. The CFA Institute defined a “Bill of Investor Rights.” When you work with a CFA Charterholder, you should expect: 1. Honest, competent, and ethical conduct.
2. Objective advice and assistance. 3. Your financial interests over those of the professional and the organization. 4. Fair treatment with respect to other clients. 5. Disclosure of any existing or potential conflicts of interest. 6. All advice provided is based on your financial objectives and constraints. 7. Clear, accurate, complete and timely communications that use plain language. 8. An explanation of all fees and costs charged to you. 9. Confidentiality of your information. 10. Appropriate and complete records. Events in honor of the initiative of “Putting Investors First” are held throughout the CFA Community and are open to investment professionals and the investing public. To find an event near you reach out to your local CFA Society. Events from the CFA Society of Orlando can be found at www.cfaorlando.org. Herring CPA and Consultants is a professional CPA firm in Central Florida with over 25 years of experience serving businesses and individuals. Herring CPA and Consultants is affiliated with the brokerage firm, Certified Financial Advisors LLC / Money Concepts. We value professionalism, responsiveness and quality. Join us this May in “Putting Investors First.” For your accounting needs reach us at info@herringcpa.com. To speak with our investment professionals at Money Concepts call us at 407-696-6639.
9
Business Spotlight by Bill Bokunic
This month we spotlight our friends and Harmony residents, Victor Russell Salon! Victor Russell, (Joe and Rick) have supported Harmony Life magazine since day 1 and really help me bring the publication to you! It’s fantastic to find New York, world class, stylists in our area. Please show them some Harmony love by giving them an opportunity to earn your business. Here’s a little more about Victor Russell Salon: Victor Russell Salon is dedicated to superior service and personal attention in an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. Our focus is to provide our valued clients with unsurpassed excellence in every aspect of hair care and beauty while attending to each client’s individual concerns and style. We achieve this high standard of service with our professionally qualified team and their continuing education. HAIRCUTS – COLOR – MAKEUP – SKINCARE – MASSAGE – BRIDAL – BOUTIQUE – MEN’S CORNER – FRAGRANCES - EYELASH EXTENSIONS
Spring is here and so are the exciting May Specials.... We have not one, but two awesome deals this month to get you out and about; enjoying all spring has to offer. Thank you.
Bobby Kisselback
Deal One
ALL 2016 New Ford Escapes. 0% for 72 months Plus 500.00 FMCC Bonus Cash. (With approved credit Ford Motor Credit)
Deal Two
ALL REMAINING 2015 New Ford's. 0% for 72 months
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plus tax
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15
Did You Know by Kerul Kassel PHD Harmony CDD Board Member
"DID YOU KNOW that Harmony was designed to promote the peaceful coexistence of human and animal residents within the community while striking a balance between the preservation, use and enjoyment of Harmony's natural areas? Underlying these objectives are the values of fostering a respect for the land, the protection of wildlife and the sensible use and enjoyment of Harmony's abundant natural and manmade amenities by its residents. Did you know that you are likely to meet or see dozens of species of wild animals in Harmony, daytime or night? Many people are not used to being around wildlife and are not sure how to handle the situation, so this month we will talk about the best ways to respond to nearby wildlife that you might see during the daytime. During daylight hours you’ll definitely see lizards (not so scary), and sometimes snakes (scary!!). There are at least 29 lizard species in Florida. They eat bugs like ants, mealworms, and cockroaches, so leave them alone to do their job! Most of our snake species are harmless, like the black racer and the rat snake, that also eat pests. We do have some poisonous snakes, so it’s always best to keep your distance. If you are walking in tall grass, or if you see a snake and want it to go away, stomp your feet so the snake will feel the vibrations and go the other way. Some species, like the water moccasin (also known as the
cottonmouth), found in fields and near water, have a reputation for being aggressive, but in reality, they rarely bite humans. They will, however, stand their ground, unlike many nonvenomous water snakes that flee from threats, so back away and leave the area immediately. Sandhill cranes and turkeys are frequently seen around Harmony. We can’t stress enough not to feed them! It’s not only illegal, it’s dangerous for the birds and for you. Cranes have really large beaks than can inflict serious injury, and when they get used to being fed they are not shy about asking for a handout. Turkeys have spurs on their legs, and when feeling threatened and cornered will use them! Did you know that if you look directly at wildlife they usually consider it a threat and will flee, but if you pass by without looking at them they will usually stay in place? There is an art to observing inconspicuously. Be still or keep walking in the same direction as when you saw them, at the same pace. Look away from them, only glancing very briefly at them. If you’re wearing a hat, angle the brim down low so your eyes are somewhat hidden by the brim. Keep your body angled away from them. Recently, an alligator was pulled from a residential area pond and killed. Reports were that people had been feeding it and it had gotten too people-friendly. Someone reported it and FWC came out to “remove” it. That alligator paid the ultimate price for human misbehavior. If you see people feeding wildlife, please take a photo or video and report the incident to Fish and Wildlife at http://myfwc.com/contact/wildlife-alert/. We are blessed with an abundance of green space and wild creatures. Keep a respectful distance, stay hidden, even, and enjoy their presence for longer."
Harmony Calendar of Activities April 2016 Toddler Story Time: Friday, May 6, 9:30 AM at Granddaddy's Zumba Fitness: Every Monday (5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30), 6:30PM at Harmony Community School Harmony Volleyball Club: Every Tuesday (5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24, 5/31) 6:00-7:00 PM at Lakeshore Park Zumba Toning: Every Thursday (5/5, 5/12, 5/19, 5/26), 6:30PM at Harmony Community School Harmony Hike: Saturday, May 21, 9:15 at Billy's Trail Bubble Soccer: Saturday, May 21, 4-6:30 PM Buck Lake soccer field RSVP required “Did You Know?" The Social Committee posts all activities on the Harmony Community Activities Facebook page.
17
What’s Going on in the CDD?? Part 2
by Steve Berube, Chairman Harmony Community Development District
POOLS: There are continuing rumors and requests floating around about pools. Here is my view on pools which certainly will not make some people happy: THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER CDD-OWNED POOL IN HARMONY. That statement is likely to hold true unless some other entity builds a pool and deeds it to the CDD. Why no additional pool?? Several impediments: a) The CDD does not own any land to build one on. So, a land donation would be needed and b) a pool will cost about $500,000. So, with the current 800 homes here, EACH home would be assessed around $625 just to build the pool. And c) each pool costs around $25,000 per year to operate and maintain. It is a simple math equation folks. How much do you want to spend for another pool which leads to the next line. d) pools sit largely unused for about 6 or 7 months each year. AND, with rare exception—mainly weekend mid-day hours—they are not crowded, never reaching their rated capacities. How do we know this? Those keycard swipes are counted and recorded. We know exactly who and when and how many folks are at the pools at any given time. Simply put: the capacity demands are not very great. A NOTE ABOUT KEYCARDS: I use the pool on a near-daily basis and watch what goes on. Unauthorized entry remains a problem. By that I mean I routinely watch people show up at the gate and holler for someone to come open it for them. And someone always does. The security system works quite well-but when it’s defeated from the inside it’s useless. Please do not open the gate for anyone and inform others to not do so either. Even if someone has a card, don’t open the gate. Cards go dead and/or are deactivated for a reason. Keeping out those who don’t belong helps relieve the perceived capacity problem. I am fully aware that this paragraph will not make some folks happy—but that’s the way I see it. RECREATION: We are close to contracting the new “linear
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park” which will run parallel to Butterfly Drive and the pipeline easement. When finished, this will provide a finished look to this area as well as be a new buffer between the G & F neighborhoods. It will also provide several acres of finished play area for the expected influx of kids as all those new homes are sold. The Blazing Star//Sundrop park was recently refurbished and touch-ups to those mods continue as we realize the new play patterns there and adjust for them. We also have added another electric boat to the fleet at Buck Lake which has a new-technology high-efficiency motor powered by new-technology high capacity lithium battery. All these recreation improvements came about without any budgetary impact. How? Remember the bond refi’s mentioned above? As part of the second one, we were able to get a couple of Developer contributions to the process which provided $100,000 for streetlight buydowns and another $100,000 for Parks & Recreation. So, we are now reaping the benefits of the Developer’s generosity to the process. THE ABOVE is just the tip of the iceberg in how we manage the $4+ million budget. It is important to understand that we employ professional Managers, Attorneys, Engineers, Accountants, Auditors, Trustees and a multitude of others to assist us in maintaining the high standards that you both expect and deserve. As always, please feel free to contact David, Kerul, Mark, Ray or Steve@Harmonycdd.org with any questions, concerns or comments you might have. Also, if you have any ideas of what you’d like to see in this space, let me know those as well. See you next month…
Quick Reference Directory ACCOUNTANTS Larry Herring CPA, PA 611 N. Wym ore Rd Winter Park, Florida 32789 407-647-7777 www.herringcpa.com
GARAGE DOORS & OPENERS D.S.I. Sales / Service / Repairs 407-970-5847 dsigaragedoor@yahoo.com dsigaragedoorandopener.com
ACUPUNCTURE Catherine Coudray Tuesday -Friday (Saturdays by appointments only) 9 am-5pm 7262 Harmony Sq. Dr South Harmony Fl, 34773 321-303-5240
GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGN Energy Graphics Shannon Danford 407-267-6300 www.energy-graphics.com
ADVERTISING AND MAGAZINES Harmony and Eagle Creek Life Magazines Bill Bokunic 321-331-6398 Bill@QMWWorld.com www.QMCWorld.com AIR-CONDITION SERVICES Eric Farnsworth *Harmony resident* 407-921-0760 ELFarnsworth@live.com BANK Trustco Bank 1525 E Osceola Pkwy (407) 932-0398 CARPET CLEANING Eco Steam 407-556-5651 CHURCH’S Harmony Community Church Meeting 10am Sundays at Harmony High School (844) 444-FBCH http://www.harmonycommunity.church Life Church 10:10 am Sundays at Narcoossee Middle School www.lifechurchcfl.com COMPUTER REPAIR I Repair PCS Efrain RODRIGUEZ 773-865-2697 WWW.IREPAIRPCS.NET efraincfd@gmail.com DJ SERVICES HPE House Party Entertainment 407-738-3409 FINANCIAL PLANNING & INVESTING Steve A Mullins *Harmony resident* Primerica 1301 Bedford Dr Ste 102 Melbourne, Florida 407-738-7479 stevamullins@primerica.com Edward Jones Kerry L. Scott 4725 Old Canoe Creek Rd. Saint Cloud, Florida 34769 407-498-0417
GYM Anytime Fitness 3380 Canoe Creek Rd. Saint Cloud, Florida 34772 407-891-9111 www.Anytimefitness.com HANDYMAN The Good News Handyman Rick Wade 407-468-1352 HAIR Victor Russell Salon *Harmony Resident* 105 East 13th Street Saint Cloud, Florida 407-892-1005 www.victorrussell.com Hospital Health First-Holmes Regional Health Care 1350 South Hickory Street Melbourne, Florida 32901 321-434-7000 HOUSE CLEANING Neat & Shinny 407-334-5614 www.neatnshiny.com INSURANCE Farm Bureau Michael Long 407-847-5189 www.floridafarmbureau.com Kocher Insurance, LLC 1312 Illinois Ave, Suite H Saint Cloud, Florida 37769 407-957-1918 www.Kocherinsurance.com LAWN CARE Triple Palm Lawns *Harmony Resident* 407-957-3489 Triplepalmlawn@aim.com MORTGAGE Trustco Bank SARAH NEAR - BRANCH MANAGER REBECA ESCOTE - ASSISTANT BRANCH MANAGER Gateway Commons 1525 E Osceola Pkwy ste.120 Kissimmee Fl 34744 (407) 932-0398 MOVIE THEATERS Cinema World East of 95. On 192 next to Sam’s club. Melbourne, FL CWTheaterts.com
MUSIC LESSONS Music in Harmony Piano lessons and Vocal Coaching by Dawn Korzen 7130 Indiangrass Harmony Florida, 34773 Musicinharmony2013@gmail.com Call 407-301-4561 for interview PEST CONTROL Luv-A-Lawn & Pest Control 407-908-9139 PHOTOGRAPHER Amanda Yachmetz Photography 813-842-6473 Amandayachmetzphotography.com
TIRES NTA National Tire and Auto 304 13th Street, Saint Cloud, Fl 34769 407-593-2136 TRAVEL Meisner Cruise and Travel *Harmony Resident* 407-738-7088 tvlwithlinda@gmail.com Facebook : Harmony Get A Way with Meissner Travel WATER SYSTEM’S Dependable Water Treatment 407-242-7150
PRINTERS Creative Printing Services 1115 Pennsylvania ave Saint Cloud, Florida 34769 407-891-9797 POOL TABLES Florida Game Rooms 9350 S. Orange Blossom Trail tr #12 407-859-4400 www.myfloridagamerooms.com REAL ESTATE The Corcoran Connection, LLC *Harmony resident* Jeanine Corcoran Owner/Broker Selling/Buying/Renting/Property Management Now serving international clients with Portuguese/Brazilian and Spanish speaking team members 407-922-3308 Jeaninecorcoran @gmail.com www.thecorcoranconnection.com RESTAURANTS Stone Bridge Tavern The Royal Crest Room 5530 Michigan Ave Saint Cloud, Florida 34772 407-891-0903 www.stonebridgetavernandgrill.com
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