Daytona Beach Real Estate Blog: November 2007

If you're planning to buy real estate in Port Orange, here are a few more great reasons to live here. Yes, I personally live here. I was also born and raised in the Daytona Beach area. I'm proud to have called Volusia County my home for my 40 years of life.

I just posted the information about the 30th Annual Port Orange Christmas Parade this Sunday. But I just ran across another fun thing to do this weekend. You can squeeze this one in before heading down to New Smyrna Beach for the Luau at Chases on the Beach. 

This Saturday, December 1, 2007, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., there will be an Arts and Crafts Fair at the Port Orange City Center. And for the record, the Port Orange City Center is beautiful!

And if you decide the Luau at Chases is not your thing, there will be a Tree Lighting Ceremony and Community Choir at 6:00 at the Port Orange Amphitheater, also located in the Port Orange City Center.

You're weekend can be packed full of fun things to do! You can spend your entire weekend in Port Orange, or take a break on Saturday night for the Luau in New Smyrna Beach. Either way, you won't need to stay home!

To buy or sell real estate in either Port Orange or New Smyrna Beach, make a Smart Choice and call Lisa Hill for all your real estate needs! 

If you live in or near Port Orange, Florida, you won't want to miss the 30th annual Port Orange Christmas Parade this coming Sunday afternoon. The parade will be on Dunlawton Ave., starting at 2:00 at Jackson Street and ending at Lafayette Street. This year's theme is Sea, Sand and Snow.

If you've never attended a Port Orange Christmas Parade, I can assure you, it's sure to entertain. Don't forget the city's motto is "Unique by Choice, Not by Chance". This, along the with city officials dedication to keep Port Orange a family friendly area, means you'll never be left wanting when you attend a community event.

I'm proud to be  a Port Orange resident myself, as well as a native of the Daytona Beach area. I hope to see you at the parade on Sunday! 

Also be aware that Dunlawton Avenue will be closed from 1:00 - 5:00 to accommodate the floats, bands and other entries. 

If you're interested in buying or selling real estate in Port Orange, FL, make a Smart Choice and call Lisa Hill! 

Once again, although my expertise is in real estate, I can also be a connoisseur of fun! So if you're looking for something fun to do this weekend, Chases on the Beach in New Smyrna Beach, is having a Luau on Saturday night, December 1, 2007.

• Music
• Dancing
• Limbo Games
• Hula Dancers
• Emceed by DJ Big Tom
  
• Over $1300 in prizes! 

There will be 2 seatings for the delicious Tropical Buffet.

1. 6:00 p.m.
2. 8:00 p.m.

Chases will donate 10% of Saturday evening's sales to the Lion's Club. And if you join the Lion's Club that night, you'll receive a complimentary $10 Chases gift certificate.

The regular menu will also available. If you've never been to Chases on the Beach, you owe it to yourself to enjoy the great food, swimming, music and all-around fun that's always available.

Arrive early and enjoy a tropical drink on the outdoor deck overlooking the ocean and swimming pool. Let the kids swim in the kiddie pool or play on the playground. The whole family can enjoy this unique environment! 

For more photos and information, read my previous post about Chases on the Beach.

• Looking to Move to New Smyrna Beach? Make a Smart Choice and call Lisa Hill for all your real estate needs! For recent real estate sales data, read my post titled Real Estate Market Report for New Smyrna Beach Florida.
• 3.2 Acre Lot available to build, in New Smyrna Beach FL
  

Yesterday I posted a rant titled "Let's Play the Real Estate and Mortgage Blame Game". Today I'm going to share a cute story about something my brothers did when they were toddlers. It has to do with blame.

I have twin brothers who are 3 years younger than me. When they were toddlers, they used to blame each other for everything. Considering they're identical twins, this was an effective method of getting out of trouble. It was hilarious because their exact words would be "Bubba did it!"  I remembered this yesterday when I was ranting about all the people who were pointing fingers and blaming so many others for all the problems related to the current real estate market.

The funniest part about my brothers answer, happened when they were at the potty training age. My mom would ask them why they had pooped in their pants and they would say... you guessed it... "Bubba did it!" My mom would then ask them "How did your brother poop in your diaper?" and all they could say is "Bubba did it!" Aside from being hilarious, it's a preposterous answer when heard by an intelligent adult.

The absurdity of my brothers answer is similar to the absurdity of the real estate blame game. Not only is it impossible for a few unscrupulous mortgage brokers to have caused the demise of all B and C credit programs, it's just as impossible for the overall small percentage of speculators to have caused the entire country's real estate decline. 

So the next time you read a blog or print article, or watch a news program that is doing nothing but stir the blame game pot, remember my brothers in their poopy diapers, insisting that "bubba did it!". 

We all know real estate is cyclical. It always has been. It always will be.

So why does everyone seem so surprised that the market is down? And why are we so quick to forget the old adage "If we don't learn from history, then history is bound to repeat itself"?  This may be the first time you've experienced real estate-related negatives, but it's definitely not the first time it's happened. And unless you've been living in a cave, you knew that.

But this post is not about the real estate and mortgage market problems. This post is about finger-pointers, whiners and complainers. (All my favorite personality traits... NOT!)

How do I feel about the finger-pointers, you ask? Well I'll be happy to tell you. I place them in the same category as politicians. They're bottom feeders... the lowest of the low. Since when does finger pointing and trying to assign blame ever solve anything? (Try telling that to the politicians.) What purpose does it serve, other than to stir the pot? I would blame the media too, but they're only reporting what sells. If there weren't so many bottom feeders, the media would have to report differently. But apparently  the majority likes to point fingers, gossip, place blame, and make excuses for their actions. For everyone except the unfortunate buyers who bought at the wrong time or experienced unpreventable happenstance, how about just a modicum of responsibility for your own actions? We all make mistakes. (I've made plenty!) That's life. People with enough character to say "I made a mistake" are the ones who have my respect.

And here's a reality check. Gossip is a sin! Oops. Did I just step on another fragile ego? You weren't going to try to rationalize and make excuses for that one were you? Don't believe me? Look it up. Romans 1:28-30.

I'd like to hear less complaining and more solutionizing (new word!). I just want to say "ENOUGH ALREADY!" "Grow up!"

When I was in management I had a rule. When my agents came to me with a complaint, they also had to present a possible solution. I may not have used their solution, but it forced them to think all the way through the situation, instead of just dumping it on me, then blaming me if they didn't like the outcome of the problem THEY helped to create! It nipped the whining in the bud! As a matter of fact, that one rule cut down on a whole lot of stupid decisions in the first place. It placed the accountability squarely on their own shoulders. And it made them better agents!

As for the crappy real estate market, I'm on board with those who say we should let the real estate and mortgage markets correct themselves... (Janet Guilbault, Here's a Concept: Let's Do Nothing About the Mortgage Crisis) It has always corrected itself in the past. Yes, some people are going to lose their homes and have to rent for a while. Aside from that, credit can be re-built. Money can be re-saved. We're only a few days past Thanksgiving. Have we already forgotten why we should be thankful? Or did many people never leave their shallow prisons they call their lives, to count their blessings in the first place? We can always choose to be thankful for what we have, instead of focusing on what we don't have. But that goes against the image that U.S. corporations want us to buy into...IE: If we don't have the best name brands, the most expensive cars, the fanciest houses, the highest incomes, etc., then we must be inadequate. Come on! They've brainwashed us into debt!

If you really want to point fingers, you need to go further back. Go back before the subprime mortgage glut. Go back before the teaser ARMS. Go back before the interest-only loans. Start at the point when you first started believing what you saw on TV; when you started competing with your friends and neighbors; when you started believing the surface glitz of Hollywood. THAT is the starting point of this mess we call the U.S. And that is what led us so far down this path in the first place.

Now the question is, are we going to learn from our mistakes? Or are we going to keep repeating them?

(I think I'm reading too many posts by Evil Rich. I'll try to bring friendly Lisa back tomorrow.) 

*Hand photo- Public domain by www.LogoDesignWeb.com  

I recently posted a real estate blog for each city in East Volusia County, with a sales history report for the month of October, comparing that month with the same month in previous years. Check out those posts then view the chart below. 

Here are the links to my recent posts with the real estate sales for each city in East Volusia County for the month of October, comparing the past few years. 

Real Estate Market Report for Daytona Beach

Real Estate Market Report for Daytona Beach Shores

Real Estate Market Report for South Daytona 

Real Estate Market Report for Ormond Beach

Real Estate Market Report for Ormond by the Sea

Real Estate Market Report for Ponce Inlet

Real Estate Market Report for Port Orange

Real Estate Market Report for  Holly Hill

Real Estate Market Report for New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater

Below is a graph of each city's year-to-date sales, and a comparison of each year's real estate sales data, going back to 2002. If you have any questions, feel free to call me. I'd love to help in any way possible.

Visit my web site at www.DaytonaBeachHomeSales.com  

This post will finalize my reports for real estate listings and sales for the Daytona Beach area in the month of October. (My next excursion of this nature will be in the beginning of January, with the data for each city, for the entire year.) This final October post is for the city of South Daytona. If you're not familiar with the layout of the cities in East Volusia County, view this map of the Daytona Beach area. As a  sales comparison, read my post with the real estate sales and listing data for Daytona Beach.(I have posts covering the other cities in this area as well.)

On November 17, 2007 there were 159 active residential listings in the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in South Daytona. Here is the breakdown for the types of residential properties found in the 159 total...

• Single Family Houses 103
• Condos 37
• Single Family Attached Homes 15
• Manufactured Homes 3
• Land Value Only (tear-down) 1

For the month of October, there were 5 residential sales recorded in our MLS for the city of South Daytona. All 5 of these sales were single family houses.

View the chart at the right to see the sales for October 2007, compared to previous years' sales for the same month.

If you're interested in buying or selling real estate in South Daytona or any cities in the Daytona Beach area, make a Smart Choice and call Lisa Hill. 

If you're interested in buying an affordable 4 bedroom house in South Daytona, I can help! 

I'm continuing with my report of real estate listings and sales for the Daytona Beach area, this post will cover Ponce Inlet. If you're not familiar with the layout of the cities in East Volusia County, view this map of the Daytona Beach area. You'll see Ponce Inlet on the far south end of the map, only on the beachside.  As a sales comparison, read my post with the real estate sales and listing data for Port Orange.(I have posts covering the other cities in this area as well.) 

There are currently 299 active listings in the city of Ponce Inlet, found in the Daytona Beach Area Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Here's the breakdown for those listings...

• Condos 29
• Houses 74
• Single Family Attached 14
  

View the chart on the right side of this post to see the sales history for each year in the month of October. 

For more information about the city of Ponce Inlet, read the following posts...

Visit the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet

Memories of Ponce Inlet - The Grand Old Lighthouse

Ponce Inlet Real Estate

To buy or sell real estate in Ponce Inlet Florida, make a Smart Choice and call Lisa Hill.

Real estate appraisals and true market value. Where do I start?

You'll have to eExcuse me while I ramble a little bit on this post. I'm just going to dump all my thoughts right here, without choosing a side, or even sticking to a specific angle. Please read carefully!

I just read a post my Rich Kruse, titled "Appraisals vs Market Value". Read Rich's post to find out the drastic differences he found when he had other real estate agents do a market analysis/BPO to compare to recent appraisals on the same properties.

Rich made the statement that he doesn't believe appraisals anymore. That got my mental wheels spinning. I know we have a lot of appraisers here on Active Rain.

I read a post yesterday by Sara Goodwin, titled "More Crazy Things That Lenders Decide to Put in Writing". Sara is an appraiser in Oregon.

I'm not trying to pit the REALTORS and Appraisers against each other. Let's face it. We need each other. But I am interested in hearing opinions from professionals in both fields.

We know that banks have been kicking back many appraisals in the last few months, and taking it upon themselves to lower the appraised values. The bottom line is, the banks believe there is more correction to be made in the real estate market and they're going to cover their assets. (No pun intended)

So here are some of my thoughts... If appraisals are coming in too high, I personally have a huge problem. One of the ways I help my buyers feel comfortable with making an offer on a house, condo, land or whatever they're interested in buying, is to add a clause that's similar to this... "This purchase is contingent on the subject property appraising at or above the contract price. If subject property does not appraise, buyer's deposit will be refunded in full". This type of clause will usually calm the buyer's concerns about over-paying. But if the appraisals are no longer the determining factor of real estate values, then what is?

Of course there's always the age old rule that "A property is worth whatever a buyer is willing to pay". But right now, buyers aren't even sure what to offer. They need a professional in the field of determining real estate values. If the banks, are no longer valuing the opinions of the appraisers, that sends a strong message to the buyers that the appraisers can't be trusted. Of course that just puts the appraisers in the same boat with every other professional in the real estate industry. The finger pointing is at an all time high, which is further eroding the confidence of the consumers. I'm not saying I disagree with Rich's opinion on appraisals. The erroneous values he discovered are alarming! So my questions to appraisers are...

1. When you're doing a appraisal on behalf of a seller, do you try to keep the seller happy by valuing the property as high as possible? (Many real estate agents have made this same mistake.)
2. OR is there a possibility that some appraisers are still doing business the way they would in a seller's market? (Many real estate agents are guilty of this one too.)
   
3. How big of a problem do you think it is, that lenders have required the appraisal to come in as closely as possible to the contract price? (Read my post titled "The House Appraised For How Much?")
   
4. Based on question number 3, with each lender now making drastic changes in their policies pertaining to the appraised values, are we seeing a complete breakdown in how real estate is valued?
   

I had one more thought about the appraisal factor. Call it a conspiracy theory if you like... Banks have been trying for years, to position themselves in every aspect of real estate. By eroding the confidence of the consumer, are they trying to position themselves in the eyes of the consumer, as the only accurate and reliable source for all things pertaining to real estate?

I just wanted to share a couple of interesting tidbits about my Thanksgiving Day.

This morning, as I was getting ready to leave my house in Port Orange, to drive up to Jacksonville for the rather large family gathering that we always have, I got a text message from one of my clients, whom I sold a house a few months ago. It simply said "Happy Turkey Day!". I stood there staring at the message, simply dumbfounded. I'm not really sure why it struck me as so odd, but for some reason, it still seems slightly strange. I mean, this particular real estate buyer is a great guy, and it's not the first time I've worked with him, but the simplicity of the message and manner of transmission was unique. So of course, I sent him a return message and proceeded with my day.

After traveling to Jacksonville, visiting with family and eating a LOT of food, I noticed another text message on my phone. This one was from the seller of one of my current condo listings, wishing me and my family a happy Thanksgiving. Again, I sent a response, and again I was left feeling both flattered and befuddled.

Now I'm not opposed to text messaging. I both send and receive them. It's just not my first choice method of communication, so I don't use the feature that frequently. If I hadn't received 2 messages on the same holiday, just sending me a simple greeting, I would have never thought to do something like this.

Did anyone else get this type of greeting today? Am I the only one who feels like I forgot to read some new  manual? It's pretty scary when my clients are ahead of me on something like this! Is it just a fluke, or should I be scrambling to keep up before I get passed by on this one?

I've been reading the posts by other Rainers, prompting us to help those in need. And they're not talking about small needs. Broker Bryant Tutas, in his post "Active Rain Members CAN Make A Difference. Will You?" gave us links to foundations that help children who are literally starving to death. He also provided a link to an article about widespread genocide. I highly recommend that you read his post! What is happening is unfathomable to us.

Elizabeth Nieves wrote a post titled "PLEASE look at this photo before Thanksgiving Day..." This is heartbreaking.

And Inez Garcia has offered up a "Thanksgiving Challenge" with a link to Stop Child Slavery.

Let's also not forget about Jeff Turner's wife, Rocky, and her recent trip to Africa. Rocky has a lot of information posted about Mothers Fighting for Others.  

Now that I've directed you to the places where you can help, and we ALL need to do so, I'd like to encourage everyone to be thankful for what you have. No matter how small and insignificant it is, just the fact that you can find ONE REASON TO BE THANKFUL means you have more than millions of other people in the world. Don't be a chicken about reading these other posts, and following through on helping others. One day, you will be held accountable for everything you did and did not do in your life.

I am thankful for...

• Christ. My mind went in so many different directions when I tried to list all the different ways He has continually changed and molded and blessed me that I narrowed it down to one word. Christ.
• My husband, my daughter, and all of my family
• My job. I may not have a lot of work right now, but it's more than many others.
• My church, pastors and leadership
• My friends, both face-to-face and online
• My pets- 2 cats, 1 guinea pig =)
  
• My hobbies- my You Tube channel, video games, sewing, singing, song writing, involvement with our church worship team, floral arranging, video editing, making Swarovski jewelry
• Food on our table and clothes on our backs
• Electricity, clean water, hot water, soft mattresses, fluffy pillows, comfy furniture
  
• My home
• Our vehicles
• Blue skies, palm trees, flowers, ponds, the river, the ocean, shopping, warm weather, air conditioning
• Computers, the internet, fast access connections
• Cell phones, voice mail and text messaging
  
• Having choices!

I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. Do some of these things seem small? If they do, go back and read the aforementioned posts and really look at those photos. It doesn't take long to realize that nothing on this list is small when you look at the big picture.

Happy Thanksgiving and God bless!

A few weeks ago I spent a leisurely afternoon at Ponce Inlet. I walked through the nature trails, climbed the lookout tower, spent some time on the jetty, watched the sunset, and took lots of great pictures. Ponce Inlet is an absolutely beautiful, popular place to live. It's near Daytona Beach, but not in the thick of all the tourist trappings. The local residents love living there!

On my outing that afternoon, I wanted to visit the Ponce Inlet Marine Science Center but I didn't have time then. So I'm planning an afternoon there soon and I thought I'd share some of the cool information I've gathered so far.

As you may have gathered, the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet is located within walking distance of the actual Inlet and the lighthouse, which is the second tallest in the U.S. Some of the greatest aspects of the Ponce Inlet Marine Science Center are

• 7 Turtle Hospital Pools at the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Facility and
  
• The Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary. 

On October 19, approximately 3,000 rehabilitated Washback Green Sea Turtles and Loggerhead Sea Turtles were loaded onto two 35 foot Bertram boats and taken 40 miles offshore, and released into the Gulf Stream. (Aren't they cute little buggers?) Read the story about the rehabilitated and released Sea Turtles.

The Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary, named after a local bird rehabber who took care of sick and injured birds in Volusia County for over 30 years, has treated more than 1800 birds since June of 2004. This number is far higher than what they had originally anticipated.

If you find a sick or injured sea turtle, you can call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-888-404-FWCC. Since Sea Turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act, only the proper authorities can handle and/or transport them.

Sick and injured birds can be dropped off at the Bird Rehabilitation Facility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Follow this link for more injured turtle or bird pickup or drop-off information.

The next Marine Science Center Calendar Event that is open to the public is a beach walk at "The Rocks" at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park in Palm Coast, on November 28.

you're interested in buying real estate in Ponce Inlet, I'd love to help! I'm a native of this area and have experience selling real estate in every city in East Volusia County and the Greater Daytona Beach area. My web site is jam packed full of information about this area. You can find it at www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com. Be sure to check out my personal listings! 

I'm continuing with my report of real estate listings and sales for the Daytona Beach area, this post will cover New Smyrna Beach. If you're not familiar with the layout of the cities in East Volusia County, view this map of the Daytona Beach area. New Smyrna Beach is not really part of the Daytona Beach area, but it lies to the immediate south, and is part of East Volusia County. I'm a member of both the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS® and the New Smyrna Beach Board of REALTORS®.  I have listings in both areas and MLS systems.

If you've been following my posts of each city in East Volusia County, the posts for the New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater area will differ slightly from those for the Daytona Beach area since the MLS categorizes the listings differently. Here is the data from the New Smyrna Beach Multiple Listing Service (MLS). There are currently 2296 active residential listings. The breakdown is as follows...

• Residential 1454
• Condos 741
• Manufactured Homes 72
• Mobile Homes 29

For the month of October 2007, there were 58 real estate sales in the New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater and outlying areas. The chart on the right shows the sales for October 2007, compared to previous years sales for the same month.

Visit my web site if you're interested in buying or selling real estate in New Smyrna Beach FL. Make a Smart Choice today! 

View my real estate listings. 

OK, so it wasn't first place; it was third. But there were only a total of 10 winners. If you were at the annual REALTOR® Convention in Las Vegas this week, you may have heard my name at some point. Or maybe not... But I still won =)

Are you curious? I was one of the winners in the 2007 HP Real Estate Technology Contest. I REALLY wanted the first prize award, but I'll be content with the third place HP Photosmart R927 camera. 

To enter the contest, REALTORS were asked to write an essay on how technology saves us time and money. According to HP " The contest recognizes real estate professionals who use technology in inventive ways to save time, close more deals and beat the competition when both in and out of the office." 

Here's the link with the faces and bios of each winner. 2007 HP Real Estate Technology Contest. Ironically, I searched Active Rain to see if the first place winner was among us and she is! But she hasn't posted anything =(

Here's the article written by Business Wire, about the contest and winners.

Now I have to write a press release. Any ideas? Yeah, I wrote a winning essay and I blog daily. And now I'm completely out of ideas. Help!

I'm continuing with my report of real estate listings and sales for the Daytona Beach area, this post will cover Ormond by the Sea. If you're not familiar with the layout of the cities in East Volusia County, view this map of the Daytona Beach area. You'll see Ormond by the Sea on the far north end of the map.  As a  sales comparison, read my post with the real estate sales and listing data for Daytona Beach.(I have posts covering the other cities in this area as well.)

As of November 17, 2007, there were 196 active residential real estate listings in Ormond by the Sea, according to the MLS for the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS®.  Here is the breakdown for those 196 MLS listings...

• Single Family Houses 122
• Condos 73
• Single Family Attached Homes 1

For the month of October, there were 7 residential sales recorded in our MLS for the city of Ormond by the Sea. That breakdown is as follows... 

• Houses 6
• Single Family Attached 1

Ormond by the Sea is a small town, so the sales figures are going to be low, but when you compare the sales to the number of listings, that paints an entirely different picture. This market has got to change soon!

To continue my report of real estate listings and sales for the Daytona Beach area, this post will cover Ormond Beach. If you're not familiar with the layout of the cities in East Volusia County, view this map of the Daytona Beach area.

As of November 16, 2007 there were 1157 active residential listings in Ormond Beach. Here's the breakdown for each type of listing...

• Houses 882
  
• Condos 140
• Condotels 3
• Single Family Attached Houses (IE: Duplexes) 113
• Manufactured Homes with Land 15
• Tear Down Value Only 4

For the month of October, there were 52 residential sales recorded in our MLS for the city of Ormond Beach. The breakdown is as follows...

• Houses 32
• Condos 7
• Single Family Attached 11
• Manufactured Homes 2

What's really interesting about this particular report is the fact that the sales in October of this year were higher than the last 2 years. Taking into consideration that we have 2.3 years of inventory in the Daytona Beach Area MLS, and that the entire country is experiencing an extreme decline in real estate sales, this is pretty amazing.

Follow this link if you're interested in buying or selling real estate in Ormond Beach FL. I'd love to help!

If you're not familiar with the Daytona Beach area, there are actually several small towns within a 20 mile radius that make up what many people think is all Daytona Beach. Holly Hill is a small town that borders the north side of Daytona Beach. I just posted a market report for Daytona Beach and a couple of the other towns in the immediate vicinity. Follow this link to view a map of Daytona Beach and some of the neighboring towns.

To continue my real estate update for each city, below is the current market analysis for Holly Hill. This information is from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS®.

As of November 16, 2007 there are 192 residential listings in the city of Holly Hill. Here's the breakdown for each type of listing...

• Houses 150
• Condos 21
• Single Family Attached (IE: Duplexes) 20

For the month of October, there were 7 residential sales recorded in our MLS for the city of Holly Hill. The breakdown is as follows...

• Houses 6
• Attached 1

The chart at the right shows the sales history for each year, in the month of October. 

To buy or sell real estate in any of these cities, make a Smart Choice and call Lisa Hill.

This week I'm providing real estate market reports for each city in East Volusia County. These reports contain data from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS®. (The chart below shows the sales history for the month of October, for Daytona Beach.)

As of November 16, 2007, there are 1408 active residential MLS listings in the city of Daytona Beach. Here's the breakdown for each type of listings...

• Single Family Houses 667
• Condos 410
• Condotels 241
• Manufactured Homes 3
• Single Family Attached Homes (IE: Duplexes, etc) 87

For the month of October, there were 38 residential sales recorded in our MLS for the city of Daytona Beach. The breakdown is as follows...

• Houses 23
• Condos 12
• Condotels 2
• Attached 1

When looking at previous years' sales for the month of October, as I found to be the case in Daytona Beach Shores, I once again found that 2003 held the record high. Although the Daytona Beach difference from year to year was not as drastic as in The Shores. (Note that for the city of Port Orange, 2004 was the year that topped the charts.)

I've also posted the listing and sales data for October 2007 for Daytona Beach Shores. I'll be covering Ormond Beach, Ormond by the Sea, Holly Hill, Port Orange, South Daytona, Wilbur by the Sea, Ponce Inlet, New Smyrna and Edgewater in the next few days.

To buy or sell real estate in any of these cities, make a Smart Choice and call Lisa Hill.

I just posted the market update and sales history for Port Orange Florida and proceeded to investigate the data for Daytona Beach Shores. I made a strange and interesting discovery. 

First I'll provide the same basic data I found for Port Orange. For Daytona Beach Shores, as of November 15, 2007, there are currently 692 active real estate listings in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS®.  Here's the breakdown of the 692 active listings.

• Houses 32
• Condos 550
• Condotels 104
• Single Family Attached (Duplexes or Townhouses) 6

For the month of October in 2007 there were only 12 sales. Here's the breakdown. 

• Houses 1
• Condos 8
• Condotels 3

Now here's where the data got really interesting. Look at this bar graph to see the month of October for the past several years and comparable the data. In the Daytona Beach area, our overall market didn't see a significant change until the middle of 2006. But in Daytona Beach Shores, the only year that showed a large amount of sales in October was in 2003. That was before the greater Daytona Beach real estate market hit it's peak. Apparently Daytona Beach Shores real estate sales peaked in 2003. Oddly enough I personally sold a few houses in the Shores in 2004 and 2005 for higher than the asking price. We sure have come a long way from that point.

The only logical explanation I can think of for why the data is showing Daytona Beach Shores peaking the real estate market in October of 2003 is that some information may have gotten miscategorized in our MLS. That will be determined when I finish researching all of Volusia County. I'll post the same information for Daytona Beach, South Daytona, Holly Hill, Ormond Beach, Ormond by the Sea, Wilbur by the Sea, Ponce Inlet, New Smyrna and Edgewater over the next few days so check back soon.

To buy or sell real estate in Daytona Beach Shores or any of these other cities, make a Smart Choice and call Lisa Hill.

Port Orange real estate sales have been slow, as have all areas of Volusia county. So I decided a market update was in order. 

I've had so few real estate calls lately that I'd be checking to make sure my phone is working if it weren't for the calls I was getting from parties who were interested in renting my condo conversion project listing.

For this update, I gleaned the information from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS® and decided to share it with you.

As of November 15, 2007 there are 972 active MLS listings for Port Orange Florida. Here's the breakdown of the active listings.

• Houses 685
• Single Family Attached (IE Duplexes) 134
• Condos 87
• Manufactured Homes with land 60
• Condotels 4
• Homes selling for land value only 2

For the month of October there were only 40 sales. Here's the breakdown.

• Houses 28
• Manufactured Homes with land 7
• Single Family Attached 5

I guess this isn't showing me anything I didn't already know. So to further depress myself I decided to compare sales for the month of October each year for the last few years. Here's a graph of the data.

Read my other post about real estate listings and sales in Daytona Beach Shores. 

To buy real estate in Port Orange FL, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill.