Things To Do In SW Florida

The year 2025 was one for big stories in real estate and development in the Orlando area — big openings, big deals, and big controversies.

Universal’s Epic Universe opened its gates in May, inviting thousands of guests to experience the delights of Nintendo World and How to Train Your Dragon. With the park came new hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues along Orlando’s world-famous International Drive corridor, driving tourism spending to record highs.

Cities and counties are suing the State of Florida over a law that stifles their ability to regulate new development. And here in greater Orlando, a mayor’s private negotiations with a potential developer exposed a rift with the town council that threatens to stymie one of the region’s most significant infill development projects.

Here are Central Florida’s biggest real estate stories for 2025, as chosen by GrowthSpotter.

STORY OF THE YEAR: Hungerford School sale to Dr. Phillips Charities

In September, the Orange County School Board advanced a land deal involving the historic Hungerford property in Eatonville that would sell it to Dr. Phillips Charities. read more

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium was riding expansion plans coming into the new decade, buoyed by rising attendance and revenue.

And then came the death of its star attraction — a world-famous dolphin named Winter with a prosthetic tail and movie credits.

A string of other dolphin deaths, a voyeurism scandal and 2024’s hurricanes further hurt the aquarium’s reputation and ticket sales.

Four years after her death, the aquarium is still figuring out how to reinvent itself and survive after the loss of Winter. Its search comes as the city of Clearwater grapples with how to draw visitors to its quiet downtown, where entities connected to the Church of Scientology have snapped up prime real estate and left it fallow.

The aquarium is maintaining its focus on rehabilitation and to better highlight the challenges sea animals face, including those from humans.

“In order for us to be sustainable, we need the continued support of the community‚” said Chief Executive Officer Joe Handy, who took the job after Winter’s death. “We need people to come visit and better understand what we do to be a differentiator in the aquatic community.” read more

At the end of another year of answering readers’ real estate-related legal questions, I often reflect on the recurring themes in the questions people ask.

While the specifics of each situation vary, the core issues tend to remain the same. Whether it is about managing relationships, tackling financial hurdles, or making decisions about the future, the underlying threads are often preparation, communication, and perspective.

If there’s one piece of advice I repeat time and again, it’s this: Take a step back and think before you act. In moments of stress or uncertainty, it’s easy to let emotions take the wheel.

But whether dealing with a family disagreement, a career decision, or a financial setback, the best outcomes usually come from a calm, informed approach. Gather the facts. Ask for help if you need it.

And remember, reacting impulsively often creates more problems than it solves.

One area where this advice is especially true is in personal relationships. Misunderstandings and conflicts often arise not because people are inherently at odds, but because expectations are not clearly communicated. read more

By JOSH FUNK

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The advice that legendary investor Warren Buffett offered on investing and life over the years helped earn him legions of followers who eagerly read his annual letters and filled an arena in Omaha every year to listen to him at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meetings.

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Buffett’s last day as CEO is Wednesday after six decades of building up the Berkshire conglomerate. He’ll remain chairman, but Greg Abel will take over leadership.

Here’s a collection of some of Buffett’s most famous quotes from over the years:

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“Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.” read more