Florida Real Estate, Tourism and Immigration News

Something new for Disney in 2009 – Free Admission on your Birthday…all you need is a valid ID including proof of birth date. To get this wonderful birthday gift for yourself, your children or others in your family, follow these simple steps:

Register your birthday (site listed below).
Print the confirmation message you receive after registering your birthday.
You will also receive an email reminder two weeks prior to your birthday, which you can also use to redeem your free admission on your birthday.
Bring proper ID and your confirmation message to the gate at one of the Theme Parks at the Walt Disney World® Resort or Disneyland® Resort on your birthday in 2009.

If you are a Passholder or already have a Multi-Day ticket you will use on your birthday, still register and bring the free admission on Your Birthday confirmation and proper ID to the designated Will Call windows and you can choose from one of their other birthday gifts instead.

Enjoy!

Guests can get more details here http://home.disney.go.com/parks and click on the ‘Free Admisison on your Birthday’ banner.

Walt Disney World named leading theme park in the world at the World Travel Awards this week.

Orange County Convention Center was amongst the winners also as well as Carnival Corp and Royal Caribbean – all local companies.

The awards were voted on by 167,000 travel agents and professionals in the industry sector online. This year the leading destination award goes to London – Orlando in 2006 held this title.

In the regional awards sector Orlando was listed as North America’s leading destination

Space Shuttle Atlantis was orginally scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida this last thursday but a technical issue with Fuel Sensors pushed back the launch which is now scheduled for Saturday December 8th 2007 at 3.43pm.

Florida tourists and residents alike all enjoy seeing this spectacular sight of a shuttle launch. Each launch is precious as the Shuttle Fleet is due to be retired in 2010 and has no immediate replacement. There are a scheduled 13 missions still planned.

The shuttle is carrying another section of the International Space Station – the section is names Columbus and is built by the European Space Agency at a cost of over $2.1 billion. The section has been in development since the early 1990′s.

So check out the launch either from Florida or online on www.nasa.gov

In the last few years the US "Greenback" has seen some substantial changes. The notes have been redesigned and -whilst keeping a certain amount of green on the back – now come in a whole host of colours.

However, the $5 and $100 bills have yet to be changed. All this will change when early next year a new $5 bill will be unveiled and the $100 bill is scheduled to be redesigned late 2008.

The new $5 incorporates purple and grey colouring and has new security features. The $100 bill which makes up 70% of the $776 billion of currency in circulation (2/3′s of which is held overseas) is getting an extra effort in the redesign process which will include 650,000 microlenses which give the appearance of the note shimmering in the opposite direction when moved.

All of this may be exciting to notaphilists but it is important for tourists to accustom theirselves with the new note designs. At present the $1 bill will not be changing design as it is not a target for fraudsters – it has had the same design since 1963.

Check out the links below to the new pastel coloured US notes!

Theme parks a definately an exciting topic for discussion, however someone always wonders; who designs the rides? Who comes up with the ideas? What rides may be in store in the future?

Well, the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) trade association is holding an expo in the Orange County Convention Center to show off the latest ideas and technology to industry insiders.

This is where inspiration occurs! Check out the article below for the weird and wonderful ideas that are at the expo!

Magic 107.7′s morning show is well known in Orlando, its two presenters Dave and Leslye have just embarked on a trip across the pond to Ireland where they took part in the Dublin Marathon! – They Did Finish!

They then visited London, saw friends in Oxfordshire and saw Windsor castle and more!

They are rounding off the trip with sightseeing in an open top bus in London!

If you would like to see what they are up to in the UK check out their blog (linked below also)

It is interesting to see the UK through the eyes of an tourist from Orlando as Orlando hosts so many Brit Tourists each year!

Florida is known for its population growth and economic growth as being great in the last few years.

Who would not want to live in such a beautiful place with its favorable climate as well as gorgeous property and fun activities.

MSN Career’s has drawn up its list of the top ten cities for Job growth in the Nation. Cities in Florida number 5 in the top ten including the top spot of Cape Coral!

The Florida cities that made the list are as follows:

…1. Cape Coral

…3. Naples

4. Sarasota

…6. Port St. Lucie

…9. Ocala

This is great news for the state!

How does a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo in Kissimmee sound? How about the added bonus of being just minutes from the most famous theme parks in the world – Disney!

The British Homes Group is proud to present 5005 Laguna Bay Cir # 21 in Kissimmee. As a real bonus the property is also fully furnished and would be a great holiday home as well as investment opportunity – Ideal for renting ou! At this price of $155,000 (roughly £77,500 at an exchange rate of $2 to £1) it is a bargain that will not last long.

The property is located in a great complex that has its own pool, tennis court, clubhouse and more! It is convenient for shopping as well as the theme parks its location is great!

This property is definitely something for you to consider if you are looking for that great Florida home in the heart of the worlds playground.

With over 300 days of sunshine a year and average temperatures up in the high 20′s Centigrade it is no wonder that people love coming to Florida to avoid the British winter.

Please contact us on our freephone UK number 0800 096 5989 to find out more about this property as well as allow one of our Mortgage Advisors to discuss the option of having a mortgage on a Florida property – with downpayments as little as 20% (so on this property you could own it with only around $31,000 -£15,500!- down!)

Fisher Island is a man made island that is home to the rich and famous in Miami Beach, with average property prices toppling $3.5 million easily.

The island was names after developer Carl Fisher and is awash with waterfront homes and boat docks. There is also a Country Club which is world renouned and with the median income of $200,000 residents are definately high income earners.

Residents include Chairman of the Vector Group, Bennett LeBow & mutual fund manager Martin Zweig.

In fact due to recent price increases this top spot it now shared with Apline, New Jersey (07620) who posted a $1.06 million median price increase this year, that area is well known as a haven for stock brokers and wall street money magnets.

The Guardian is one of the UK’s leading Newspapers and on Saturday released an Article about holiday homes you can afford and one of the locations it selected was Florida, it notes the downturn in the market – which is slowly coming to an end, with home prices in the area seeing a slight upswing! – this has lead to many bargains being available and for British investors the saving is even better by the current exchange rate of $2 to £1 – the best rate in 26 years!

Florida property offers exceedingl good value, with a 4 bedroom luxury  pool home near to the world famous theme parks costing just $250,000 – or in pound, £125,000!

Check out the article to see what the Guardian have to say.