Shawn Senecal's Porchlight Perspectives | La Rosa Realty Central Florida | Realtor® Blog

  🏡 Listing Spotlight: 505 Pentas Lane, Haines City, FL  33844:  $319,999 Welcome to 505 Pentas Lane — a beautifully maintained 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home in the sought-after Highland Meadows community. With vaulted ceilings, an open-concept layout, and modern finishes like tile flooring and stainless steel appliances, this 2019-built home offers both comfort and convenience. Enjoy Florida living with a partially fenced yard and rear patio, and take advantage of neighborhood amenities including a resort-style pool, playground, and dog park. Located near Hwy 17-92 and Hwy 27, you're just minutes from local shopping, top schools, and only 25–30 minutes from Disney. Whether you're a first-time buyer or looking for your next home, 505 Pentas Lane checks all the boxes. For more information about this property, click here .

🧱 New Construction Lingo Decoded: What Your Builder Isn’t Explaining (And Why You Still Need a Realtor on Your Side) Buying a brand-new home is exciting—but it can also be confusing if you're unfamiliar with the builder’s terminology. From “lot premiums” to “elevations,” you might find yourself nodding along without really understanding what you're agreeing to. Here’s a quick guide to common new construction terms— and why working with a knowledgeable Realtor (yes, even when buying directly from a builder!) can save you time, stress, and money. 🔑 Common Terms You’ll Hear in a New Construction Office Lot Premium A fee added to the base price of a home based on its location within the community. Corner lots, water views, or cul-de-sacs often carry a higher premium. Elevation The exterior design of the home. Builders often offer the same floor plan in multiple elevations with different facades, such as stone, stucco, or brick. Spec Home (aka Inventory Home or Quick Move-In) A ho...

🇺🇸 Honoring Heroes: The History and Meaning of Memorial Day 🇺🇸   🕰️ Observed on the last Monday in May, Memorial Day is more than the unofficial start of summer. It's a solemn reminder of the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 🏛️ The History of Memorial Day Memorial Day traces its roots back to the years following the  American Civil War , a conflict that claimed more lives than any war in U.S. history and necessitated the creation of the country’s first national cemeteries. As early as the 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities began holding springtime tributes to fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. One of the earliest documented Memorial Day observances was held in 1866 in Waterloo, New York — a town that later earned official recognition as the birthplace of Memorial Day. The idea gained national momentum, and by the late 19th century, ceremonies were being held across the country. Or...

 APRIL 2025 MARKET UPDATE FOR ORLANDO, FLORIDA Infographic provided by Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association.  Click here . As of the end of April 2025, the Orlando real estate market is showing signs of  balance and opportunity . After several years of rapid price growth and limited supply, things are beginning to level out — giving buyers more options and sellers a reason to price strategically. Here’s what you need to know about where things stand: 📊 Market Snapshot Median Home Price : $389,900 (virtually unchanged from April 2024) Active Inventory : 13,304 homes (up  41.9%  from a year ago) Closed Sales (April 2025) : 2,459 homes Average Days on Market : 70 Average Interest Rate : ~6.6% (Source: Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association & Florida Realty Marketplace) 🛍️ What This Means for Buyers For buyers, this is a refreshing shift. With inventory up nearly 42%, there's  more breathing room  to compare homes, negotiate terms, and avoid bidding ...

As spring blooms forth with its vibrant colors and rejuvenating spirit, it also heralds the arrival of Easter, one of the most significant Christian holidays worldwide.  Beyond its association with chocolate eggs and bunnies, Easter holds a profound historical and religious significance that spans millennia.  Let's delve into the rich tapestry of Easter's history, from its ancient roots to its contemporary celebrations.

The time has come again to adjust our clocks as we approach the much-anticipated daylight saving time change on November 5, 2023.  While many of us eagerly look forward to that extra hour of sleep or the promise of longer daylight hours, it's important to understand the history and rationale behind daylight saving time (DST). The History of Daylight Saving Time Daylight saving time was first introduced during World War I as a way to conserve energy.  The concept of shifting the clocks forward in the spring and back in the fall was initially proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784, but wasn't widely adopted until the 20th century. The primary idea behind DST is to make better use of natural daylight during the longer days of the year.  By moving the clocks forward in the spring, people are encouraged to wake up and utilize daylight more efficiently, theoretically reducing the need for artificial lighting and energy consumption. The United States officially adopted daylight s...

Every year, as October comes around, the world dons its most macabre masks and indulges in a world of spooky spectacles and sugary delights.  But, do you know the haunting history that lurks behind the masquerades and trick-or-treating?  Join me as I venture deeper into the depths of time to unearth the spine-tingling saga of  Halloween .  From its ancient Celtic origins to its current incarnation as a commercial extravaganza, Halloween's history is as enigmatic as the darkest corners of a  haunted house . Celtic Samhain:  When Spirits Roamed the Earth Our journey commences over two millenia ago with the Celts, who populated parts of what we now know as Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France.  For them, the turning point of the year was marked by  Samhain , a festival that celebrated the culmination of the harvest season and the descent into winter.  Occurring on November 1st, Samhain was a time of gratitude for the bounteous harves...