April - May 2017

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Priscilla’s Corner

April is here already, and the warmer weather is upon us. It’s time to start planting new flowers and completing spring-cleaning.

We distributed gate survey letters in January and the date to get your vote in was Monday, February 13. If you haven’t responded yet, please drop off your gate survey questionnaire to the office as soon as possible.

I want to thank those residents who have emailed me with helpful suggestions about problem areas or about a new resident that you feel might not be registered to live in the Fairways. Your input really helps our staff stay on top of these situations. Please keep bringing them to our attention by emailing pherrick@hometownamerica.com or drop us a note.

I have seen many residents painting and power washing their homes. I want to thank the following residents for improving their homes and home sites: thank you, Ralph Dann, Joseph Amaral, Donald Ferdon, Francis Jessie, Victoria Saxton, Norman Phelps, and Wade Sheets.

In this Bulletin, you’ll read about the hugely successful Hometown Invitational, upgrades and improvements to the community, the cornhole tournament, and more.

- Priscilla

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Fairways Improvements

It’s been a busy season here at the Fairways.

The Greenbrier Clubhouse has received several updates since the last Bulletin that we’re sure are pleasing to the eye. What a great transformation of this clubhouse, starting with the bright painting of the main meeting rooms, the improvement of the white library shelving, and the restrooms. The improvements have created an inviting meeting space.

The restroom upgrade is complete. We now have bright and modern restrooms instead of the dark drab restrooms of the past.

The card access and cameras project is rapidly reaching its conclusion. We are working on the electronic and computer component of this project. I will let everyone know when we are ready to distribute the access cards.

The only things left to do are to install fresh, new carpeting, which will be done in the coming weeks, and to make improvements to the kitchen area. We will install a new countertop so that residents can have counter space to use the microwave and coffee machines.

View some of the Greenbrier Clubhouse renovations below.

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Meet Our Activities Director

We’re pleased to introduce you to the new Fairways Activities Director, Christine Snow, who joined the team in February.

For the past few years, Christine was a stay-at-home mom while serving on the executive committees of various PTAs. Her jobs have included fund raising, working on yearbooks, and setting up special programs for the schoolchildren.

In addition to her new role as activities director of our community, Christine still works with her children’s elementary school and high school PTAs in her former capacities.

Christine shares, “Working with Priscilla is not like working at all. It’s great. I’ve had a chance to attend one pickleball event so far and look forward to many more celebrations and events. Since I’ve been here for such a short period, I’ve only had the opportunity to meet a few of the residents. In the coming weeks, I hope to meet many more people in the community. I would love to hear all of their ideas for exciting trips and fun events.”

Welcome to the Hometown America family, Christine!

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April Movie Night

Our April Movie Night features the film Singin’ in the Rain, the 1952 classic starring Gene Kelly. Get ready to take a trip down memory lane.

• Thursday, April 27
• 7:00 p.m.
• Masters Clubhouse

Hometown America will provide popcorn, water, and sodas. Just bring yourself and enjoy a night at the movies with your friends from the community.

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Cornhole Tournament

The Cornhole Tournament at Fairways Country Club last August was awesome. Everyone had blast.

We held it in our beautiful Masters Clubhouse. This was an elimination event with five teams playing. The tournament went into the evening with the team eliminations battling for the first-place award.

Winners and Awards

Congratulations to Bill Kirchner and Debbie Yeagley, who won the tournament. Each won a golf shirt, golf umbrella, and tote bag. Equally important they walked away with bragging rights.

Everyone enjoyed copious amounts of pizza, snacks, and drinks. We hear it was so much fun that residents can’t wait for the next tournament. See the photos for the event below.

Get in on the Cornhole Action

Stay tuned for more cornhole fun. If you’ve never played watch the short video below. It will explain all you need to know to get ready for the next tournament.

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The Hometown Invitational Tournament

On Friday, February 10, Fairways Country Club held the Annual Hometown Invitational Golf Tournament on a beautiful, sunny day. It was a huge success.

More than 144 residents and friends joined us for a brisk round of golf followed by lunch from the new restaurant on Alafaya, Newk’s Eatery.

This year’s lunch was great, and Priscilla highly recommends that you give Newk’s a try.

We held a 50/50 raffle at the event and raised more than $800. Fifty percent of the proceeds went to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.

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Upgrade to a New Home

You’ve seen the homes going into Fairways Country Club. Take a virtual tour of the beautiful interior without leaving home.

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Homes are Selling Fast

Our new-home sales are in full swing, and we can’t keep inventory in stock!

We are almost out of new homes available for sale. Our amazing sales team is on fire with only two new homes remaining. We will be taking delivery of five more new homes shortly.

If you have a friend who is thinking of relocating to Florida, it’s time to let them know about new homes in our community before they’re all sold! If you have a friend in the area or maybe in your hometown who wants to enjoy our lifestyle and country club living, please let the sales office know. You will earn a referral bonus if they purchase a new home.

As an added bonus, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have your best friend living on your block or next door? For more information, contact our sales team at 407-270-6700 or email Deb at dthayer@hometownamerica.net or Judith at JStebbins@hometownamerica.net.

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Love It or List It?
 

Your full-time, in-house Sales Department is excited to remind you this month of two important items when it comes to you and your home in the community.

First and most important, Hometown America wants to make sure everyone in the neighborhood knows we are in search of new people to live in our community. We’re looking for folks just like you!

We have beautiful new and pre-owned homes for sale and would enjoy giving you a monetary reward for trusting us with your referral should you know of someone interested. Even if you have someone who just wants to browse through the new homes to see what cool features or colors are available, send them our way.

When you send us your friends or family members and they purchase a home from your Hometown America Sales Department, we will reward you with a monetary payment up to $500.

Call your sales associate for exact dollar amounts, which vary if the referral purchases a new or a brokered resale home. Let’s spread the good word about how great it is to live where you live in the neighborhood… and we will pay you for it!

See Fairways Country Club homes for sale.

Second, we want to let you know that if you are thinking about moving, you can entrust listing your home with the dedicated sales professionals working daily in the Hometown Sales Department. We are the resale authority for many good reasons! We are able to provide you with better, more professional service than anyone else. Consider these points when deciding with whom to list your home:

• • Practically all of the prospects and potential customers first come to us because we have professionally staffed offices on site. The best chance of making a sale is to capture potential buyers as they first enter the community.
• • Your Hometown sales team sells homes faster and for more money than the competition, and we have the facts to prove it!
• • We have the best forms of advertising so your listing can be seen by qualified buyers looking for our type of community lifestyle and homes. Hometown’s website, targeted media outlets, the “Live Chat” website feature, print advertising, open houses, road signage, and secondary internet lead-generating sites are all working powerfully together to increase “eyes” on your listing and sell your home faster.
• • The Hometown sales team will beat any competitor’s listing fees/prices. Just get it in writing, show us the listing agreement, and we will match it!
• • We offer a seamless sales process from contract to residency-approval application, a one-stop shop. Don’t let your home sale get delayed in the process!
• • Hometown sales associates work with the best banks if a buyer needs to finance the purchase.
• • Our sales professionals will complete a home market-value assessment, so you can be assured of listing your home for its full value. Don’t leave money on the table when you sell!
• • List with those you can trust to do the job you expect. Hometown America performs background and credit checks on all of its sales associates and requires each one to complete specialized sales training.
• • The question is, “Do you want to list your home or do you want to sell your home?” Clearly, listing it with a Hometown sales professional is the best, fastest and most profitable solution.

For more information, contact our sales team at 407-270-6700 or email Deb at dthayer@hometownamerica.net or Judith at JStebbins@hometownamerica.net.

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11 Tips to Manage Stress

Does that plaque describe your mornings? Stress can lead to high blood pressure and a host of medical problems. The good news is you don’t need expensive and potentially harmful medication to lower your anxiety level.

You already know that eating right and getting enough exercise is vital to overall health, so there’s no need to elaborate on the obvious. Instead, we’ll look at a number of easy methods to reduce stress. Some of them will help you rediscover fun. You’re sure to find one or more that works for you.

1. Deep Breathing

Take a deep breath to the count of four, hold for a count of four. Then, exhale completely for a count of four. Once you’re comfortable with that process, work up to an exhale count of eight while maintaining an inhale count of four. The object is to take twice as long to empty your lungs.

2. Smile

The Smithsonian reports that even a forced smile can make you feel better. That fact gives new meaning to “grin and bear it.”

3. Play With Your Pets

I’ll bet you can’t play with your pets for more than a few minutes before you begin to smile. It’s a genuine smile, not a “grin and bear it” smile. The little darlings have a way of lighting up our lives if we give them more than food and water. They need our love and return it in spades.

4. De-Clutter

De-clutter your surroundings, your calendar and your mind. Clutter has a negative effect on health, so out with the junk. Start by clearing the clutter in your home. Learn to say “no,” and don’t take on things you don’t really want to do to free time for yourself. Try a guided meditation or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT; otherwise known as tapping). Jessica Ortner’s Tapping Meditation for Morning Clearing is a great way set up a serene day.

5. Sleep Tight

A surefire way to increase the quantity and quality of your sleep is to turn off electronics an hour before bedtime and use that time to wind down. Take a warm bath, read a book, or drink a cup of herbal tea. Do anything that doesn’t rely on the blue light put out by electronics.

6. Take an Electronics Break

Take a weekend off from the computer, the smartphone, and the TV. No emails, no skyping, no internet, and no phone calls. Turn them all off and just be silent. Take a walk in the park, go for a swim, or treat yourself to a home-spa day. When you’ve had enough silence, walk down the street and visit a neighbor. Maybe take him or her out to lunch or dinner or go to the beach where you can walk barefooted in the warm sand. Let your hair down and have some old-fashioned fun.

7. Express Gratitude

Buy a small notebook and keep a gratitude journal. Start your day by writing one sentence that describes something for which you are grateful.

8. Dance or Sing

Put on some uplifting oldies music (Beach Boys comes to mind) and belt one out while you dance around the house. It’s great exercise that will melt away your worries.

9. Diffuse Essential Oils

Add some calming essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, frankincense or rose to a diffuser and smell your way to calmness.

10. Worry

Even though worry doesn’t solve problems, if something serious is troubling you, go ahead and indulge yourself. Set an alarm for 15 or 20 minutes and allow yourself to worry only until the alarm rings.

11. Plan Ahead

Do you always run late? Attempting to avoid tardiness is a huge stress producer. Plan ahead, get your clothes ready the night before, set your alarm early, and leave the house with plenty of time to spare. You can’t control the traffic, so it’s always best to leave some wiggle room.

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Homeowner Tip of the Month

Springtime is a time to clean up, check up, and spruce up your home and property. We’ve included a handy checklist below to jog your mind on many of the chores that have piled up over the winter.

Get started now so you can enjoy the warm-weather season with your friends and neighbors.

In the last newsletter, we reviewed roof maintenance and gutter cleaning. That’s a great place to start, but in this issue of the Bulletin, we go further.

Outdoor Checklist

Use warm days to work outside and accomplish the following tasks:

• • Check your irrigation system. Ensure none of the heads are damaged and reposition them to avoid spraying your house and windows, driveways, walkways, porches and patios, and any non-pervious areas.
• • Check faucets for leaks.
• • Check window screens and screen doors for damage.
• • Check driveways, slabs and patios for cracks and repair them.
• • Check lawnmower and other power equipment. Repair or replace tools before you need to use them.
• • Check for loose railings and tighten them.
• • Prune shrubs and trees.

Indoor Checklist

Use dreary days to check off interior chores.

• • Spring-cleaning is no fun, but the final product is worth the effort. Deep-clean one room at a time.
• • Wash interior windows. Wait until after rainy season to wash exterior windows.
• • Vacuum refrigerator coils and air return covers.
• • Clean rugs.
• • Get air-conditioning unit checked (indoor and outdoor).
• • Check washing machine hoses.
• • Clean dryer vent and hose.
• • Get your water heater pressure tested.
• • Test security and smoke alarms. Change batteries if necessary.

We’ve hit the high points, but no one knows your home better than you do. Take the time to repair whatever you find while you’re cleaning, such as chipped paint, a loose doorknob, etc.

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Scam 101: "Can You Hear Me Now?"

What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear, “Can you hear me now?” I’ll bet you think of the Verizon commercial. Unfortunately, those were the good old days.

Today, the question has taken a nefarious turn as a new scam.

Before we launch into the scam, answer a question. Are you still answering phone calls from numbers you don’t recognize? If you answered, “Yes,” you could be the victim of a scam. Scammers target seniors because they think they’ll be slow to hear about their latest tactics. The joke is on the criminals as the word spreads and technology helps us avert their tactics.

How the Scam Works

1. You receive a call from an unknown number.
2. The caller asks, “Can you hear me?” or a similar question to which you will most likely answer, “Yes.” Other questions might include, but are not limited to:
   • • "Are you the homeowner?"
   • • "Are you registered to vote?"
   • • "Do you have a computer?"
3. The scammer records your answer. After you hang up, your “yes” is spliced at the end of a different question, such as, “Do you authorize payment for [fill in the blank]?”
4. You receive a bill for some unknown charge, and you contest it.
5. The creditor presents “evidence” that you authorized the charge, and it’s your voice.
6. You are left to wonder, “How on earth did that happen?” as you pay the bill under duress.

According to CBS New York, voice signatures are considered verbal contracts.

Tips for Protecting Against Phone Scams

Resolve to change one die-hard habit from a simpler time. Don’t answer the phone unless you know the caller. If it’s an emergency, you’ll recognize the number or Caller ID will display the number of a doctor’s office, hospital, etc. A few more tips to keep you safe:

• • Don’t confirm your name, phone number, address or other information.
• • Don’t give out any personal information.
• • If the caller says they’re calling from a financial institution or any of your service providers, tell them you’ll call them back (but not at a number they provide). Then call a number listed on a bill or statement, not a number the caller gives you.

To Report a Scam

The more reports received on a scam, the more likely it is that the media will pick it up and inform their audiences. File online reports with the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau online to help keep other seniors informed.

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Betcha Didn’t Know

Who knew margarine used to be pink? The butter substitute was first introduced in the United States in the 1870s.

Some of the dairy-producing states demanded that instead of adding yellow coloring to the paste-white concoction, margarine should be pink so that it wouldn’t have the familiar appearance of butter. The U.S. Supreme Court found that food manufacturers could not be forced to add artificial ingredients to their products and overturned the “pink laws.” Wisconsin was the last state to repeal its margarine-color law in 1967.

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SafeHaven National Insurance Agency

Hometown America is proud to promote SafeHaven National Insurance Agency for all your homeowner protection needs. The company specializes in covering manufactured homeowners and renters.

In today’s market, many insurance companies are either very difficult to work with or do not write insurance policies that provide adequate protection. When it comes to your home, make sure you are dealing with an insurance company that not only offers competitively priced policies but also provides the protections important to you.

Visit their website at www.safehaveninsurance.com or call SafeHaven National Insurance Agency today at 1-800-206-2753 for a quote.