08.16.2024

Today’s Forecast

94º | 15% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7 a.m. | Sunset 8:01 p.m.

🏡 This info is on the house

How difficult is it to buy a home in Lakeland?

The index’s data is updated regularly. | Photo by LALtoday

Whether you’re planning your next move or just love scrolling Zillow, NBC’s home buyer index — which debuted in May and is updated regularly — might help you keep better tabs on the Lakeland real estate market as it shifts from month to month.

How it works

The study uses a 0-100 scale to measure the level of difficulty when purchasing a home; the higher the score, the more difficult. It’s measured using four factors: cost, competition, scarcity, and economic instability (think: market volatility, unemployment, and interest rates).

Is it legit? A real estate industry analyst, bank economist from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and other experts helped develop the tool, according to NBC News. Examine the methodology.

A few caveats: The index does not capture additional homebuying difficulties for certain groups, such as those with lower credit scores, and it can’t always capture data for more rural communities.

Polk County’s rating

The data listed below comes from June 2024, but it’s updated regularly — in other words, you can check back whenever you’re curious. Check out Polk County’s numbers, on a scale of 0 (easy) to 100 (difficult):

Overall difficulty index | 60.1
Cost index | 86.2
Competition index | 26.4
Scarcity index | 8.7
Economic instability index | 91

The index also shares that a median income buyer here in Polk County can afford a $328,000 home — compare that to the median list price for a home, which is $340,000.

Feel good about buying, but want to stay updated on what it’s like to live in Lakeland? Check out our City Guides for the 411.

Asked

As of June 2024, what is the overall home buyer difficulty index for the entire nation (100 being most difficult)?

A. 56.5
B. 70.2
C. 83.8
D. 90.3

Slide into home with your answer

Events

Monday, Aug. 19

Yoga for Beginners | Monday, Aug. 19 | 10-11 a.m. | Simpson Park Community Center | $5 | Bring your mat to this class for all levels of yogis.
Power Hour Fitness Class | Monday, Aug. 19 | 6:30 p.m. | Black Swan Venue | $10 | Work up a sweat in this strength + aerobics class led by world record-holder Ayecia Bryant.

Tuesday, Aug. 20

Tasty Tuesday + Tunes in Munn Park | Tuesday, Aug. 20 | 4:30-9 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | $25 | Grab tickets from the LDDA for this self-guided tasting event of downtown Lakeland eateries.

Wednesday, Aug. 21

Line Dancing + Karaoke | Wednesday, Aug. 21 | 5-11:45 p.m. | Union Hall | Free | Cut loose with line dancing starting at 5 p.m., followed by karaoke at 8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 22

Build a BluePrint for Your Business | Thursday, Aug. 22 | 8:30-10 a.m. | Lakeland Chamber of Commerce | $10 | Entrepreneurs can learn key business strategies from SCORE Mentor Brad Luckhaupt.

Friday, Aug. 23

August Parents’ Night Out | Friday, Aug. 23 | 5:30-9:30 p.m. | XP League Lakeland | $40 | Drop the kids off for a night of pizza, gaming, and friends.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Older Adults

🥇 Volunteering wins gold

AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP volunteers restore the grounds at a neighborhood park. | Photo provided by AmeriCorps Seniors

Calling all adults 55+: What’s next?

How about:

Getting active
Staying sharp
Making new friends
Learning new skills
Sharing your talents
Positively impacting our community
Enjoying a sense of accomplishment

If that sounds like something you’re interested in these days, volunteer with AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP.

Volunteers address critical community challenges with opportunities that match their interests, skills, and schedules — from grocery shopping with a neighbor to organizing a community garden or mentoring local youth.

Learn more + volunteer

News Notes

Sports

Play ball. The Detroit Tigers recently announced their spring training schedule, which includes 15 home games at Joker Marchant Stadium. Season ticket deposits start at $100 — a date for individual ticket sales is TBA.

Number

999. That’s how many volunteer hours were logged at this year’s Lakeland PigFest — a record amount. Last week, the barbecue fundraiser also donated the $70,000 it raised for Camp Fire Sunshine. Save the date for next year’s PigFest, happening Jan. 24-25, 2025.

The Word

Demure — meaning “affectedly modest, reserved, or serious” (in the literal sense) — is TikTok’s latest trend. Being demure is “all about being mindful, not doing too much and of course, being very cutesy.” See how we applied this trend to Lakeland.

Kids

We may still have 33 days of summer left, but it’s never too early to start thinking about next summer. Registration for Aerospace Center of Excellence’s 2025 summer camps is now open — secure your kiddo’s spot before Sept. 1 to get 20% off.

Open

Hemingway’s Cuban Kitchen, the next vendor at Bowen Yard, is now open for business. The downtown Winter Haven spot is open daily with dishes like croquetas, ropa vieja, and empanadas.

History

Do you know which theme park called Florida home first? If you guessed Cypress Gardens, you’re correct. While the park has since been transformed into Legoland, in its heyday it served as the water ski capital of the world. The more you know.

Try This

Keel Farms launched its first-ever Adventure Pass promotion today. Stop by the farm and complete all four experiences to win a free bottle of wine or 4-pack of cider. An excuse to go to a winery? Say less, we’re in.

Cause

Got a good cause? Local organizations making a positive impact in Lakeland may be eligible for up to $1,000 as part of Lakeland Electric’s Community Giving Grant. Schools, arts + sports programs, and nonprofits are encouraged to apply.*

Travel

If the summer heat has you dreaming of cooler weather and fall colors, this is your sign: Orlando International Airport (MCO) has new + resuming flights to Connecticut, Maine, Nova Scotia, and more. Plan a fall trip.*

Answered

To build or not to build — that is the question

A Buc-ee's store facade with cars in front and a blue sky behind it.

Buc-ee’s is set to open its third and fourth locations in Florida over the next two years in Ocala and St. Lucie County — should location No. 5 be in Polk? We asked, and you answered. | Photo by YoItsCapture/Pexels

We recently shared how Polk State College grad Jackson Lord completed a research project to determine an ideal next location for Buc-ee’s, a franchise that markets itself as being “part gas station, part Walmart.”

According to Lord’s findings, exit 48 off I-4 near Polk City and Lake Alfred came out as the top spot based on traffic patterns, available land, and proximity.

While Buc-ee’s has no current plans to build in Polk, Lord’s research got us curious about what our readers + followers thought of the prospect. According to our survey:

93.1% voted in favor of the build
6.9% voted against it

We also brought the conversation to our social media. After garnering nearly 170 comments across Instagram and Facebook — you all are really passionate about your Beaver Nuggets — here’s a few that stood out.

The Buy 8.19.24 (Affiliate)

These reusable food storage bags. They’re made from food-grade silicone, making them dishwasher and microwave-safe, leak-free, and an eco-friendly solution to disposable plastic bags.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Amelia

From the editor

This weekend we welcomed college students from SEU, FSC, Florida Poly, and Polk State back to Lakeland for the new school year. It’s been nearly 10 years since I moved to Lakeland for my first year of college (throwback photo below), and now I get to write about the city every day for a living. Pretty cool full circle moment if you ask me.

A girl stands in front of a packed car trunk filled with things for moving into college.

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