Daytona Beach Real Estate Blog: October 2009

Today's photo is once again a photo by my friend Nick (used with his permission of course). This photo reminds me of the many beautiful birds that migrate to Florida at this time of year... right along with our seasonal residents =)   We may not have leaves that change colors, but we have entire species that arrive every winter! And we welcome the many real estate buyers who come to beautiful Central Florida who are looking to find a warmer climate, out of the snow.

If you're a "snowbird" I'd like to extend a warm welcome to beautiful Central Florida! And if you're not already one of our seasonal residents, feel free to call or e-mail me for a list of houses, townhouses or condos that may meet your real estate needs. You'll be in good company with the thousands of other residents in the Daytona Beach area, who choose to spend their winter months with us.   =)

If you're interested in buying real estate in the Daytona Beach area; including Port Orange, Ponce Inlet, Ormond Beach, New Smyrna and all of East Volusia County, I'm a Daytona Beach Native and would love to be your personal REALTOR®! Feel free to search my web site for houses/condos/townhouses that my meet your needs. My site is there for you! My goal is to take the stress out of buying real estate, and my web site is there for the convenience of all my real estate clients. Feel free to browse the site, and if you still have questions, feel free to call or e-mail me. I can setup our automated Multiple Listing System (MLS) to send you listings within your criteria, as soon as they come on the market. You won't have to worry about ever missing out on the home that's right for you.

Lisa Hill, "The Smart Choice" for all your real estate needs 

Some of you may remember this photo from a townhouse I had listed for sale. The community pool was closed with no explanation why. I was trying to get pool photos for my listing. Well, I think I discovered why the pool area was closed. ROFL!

For all your real estate needs, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill

View some of Lisa's Featured Real Estate Listings.

Search for real estate listings for sale in the Daytona Beach, Port Orange, Ormond Beach, Ponce Inlet areas.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

ALL CONTENT, INCLUDING IMAGES AND PHOTOS, IS OWNED BY LISA C. HILL AND PROTECTED BY U.S. COPYRIGHT LAWS. DO NOT COPY!

Biketoberfest for 2009 has ended. But this coming this coming weekend, we now have... BARKtoberfest!  (^o^)

October is "Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month". And Humane Societies everywhere, but more importantly, the "residents" who are waiting for a new home, are hoping for plenty of support this month! And considering the month is almost over, some of them who are waiting for a new home, may be running out of time!

So on Saturday, October 24 (2009), from 10:00 a.m. til 2:00 p.m., the Daytona Beach, Halifax Humane Society is asking for your support. All they're asking is for you to stop by and drop off a can of pet food =) And I know I'll want to visit all the pets while I'm there too!

Even if you can't afford an addition to your family right now, I know these animals who are in desparate need of a home, will appreciate some extra attention and affection.  It can actually be a fun, and FREE way for you to spend some time on a day when you don't have any plans. When my daughter was younger, we used to enjoy the occasional visit to the Humane Society, just to talk to, and pet all the animals who were waiting for homes.  And of course, we adopted one of our cats from our Humane Society as well.  =^.^=  (The other one had been abandoned, so I took him home with me after finding him at a house whose owners had moved out and left him there! And he's so sweet!)

But back to the doggy month (^o^)... During "Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month", when you adopt a dog, it will only cost you $50 instead of the usual $70. Adopting from the Humane Society is such a great way to help these poor animals. If you think about it, the amount it would cost to buy a store-bought pet, then take it to the vet for it's shots, spaying or neutering, and general checkup, the $50 or even $70 Humane Society fee is just a drop in the bucket in comparison! And even better, the Humane Society has been watching these animals, and they already know the personality and temperament of each animal! I know this because they post specific info on each cage, or pen.

So please support your local Humane Society and other Animal Shelters. This Saturday, drop off a can of pet food to the Daytona Beach Halifax Humane Society between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. It costs so little for us, and saves so much money for the organizations who care for these unwanted pets, who did nothing to deserve what has happened to them.

I don't know if you're aware of this, but in this economy, and with so many people going through foreclosures, loss of wages, hardships, etc., many people have had to give up their family pets! Some just couldn't afford to care for them, while others, after losing their homes, have had to rent in places that did not allow pets! So our Humane Societies and other Animal Shelters are bursting at the seams with discarded animals! And this recession is making it difficult for the care-givers to provide for them as well! By adopting a pet, you could be saving it's life.

If you don't live in the Daytona Beach area, I'm sure your local Animal Shelters of all kinds, would appreciate your help as well. Although the Daytona Beach Humane Society is having a special day and time for "Bark-toberfest", I'm sure they would never turn away some donated food. And the animals wouldn't mind  that someone cared enough to just spend some time with them.

I hope to see you Saturday at the Daytona Beach, Halifax Humane Society! You might even make a new friend, with whom  you can share your love and affection (^o^)

If you're a pet lover who is buying or selling real estate in the Daytona Beach area, Lisa Hill is a Daytona Beach native with experience selling all types of real estate in every city in East Volusia County and beyond. Feel free to visit my web site, and enjoy clicking through the many pages of information. Whatever your real estate needs, you'll find the information on my web site. And if you need more information, just give me a call, or send me an e-mail, and I'll be more than happy to help.

For all your real estate needs, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill.

Want to learn more about Lisa Hill?

*All content, including images and video, is owned and copyrighted by Lisa Hill. Do not copy, under penalty of law! (You may use the round copyright logo.)

Hello again Biketoberfest visitors. Biketoberfest is almost over, and you wouldn't want to miss out on the opportunity to buy your own slice of heaven in beautiful Dayton Beach.

Here are 2 beautiful, affordable homes, each unique in drastically different styles. View the photos and full descriptions of these listings below, and visit my web site for more photos, directions, and specific details about the spectacular houses for sale.

First we have an almost new, gorgeous 3 bedroom, 2 bath manufactured home, NOT in a rental park! Own your own land and home. You'll love the large, bright kitchen, huge living room, formal dining room, beautiful master suite and more!

Next, we have a home that's elevation is deceptive. This Daytona Beach, beachside home has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sparkling pool, is within walking distance to the beach, is bright and roomy; the living room has pecky cypress walls and ceiling; and it boasts a formal family room with fireplace and wall of windows, plus formal dining room, and huge bonus room which could be a 4th bedroom!

One of these houses would be perfect for your full-time home, or a vacation getaway. Why pay sky-high hotel or rental property fees during special events, when you can own your own piece of real estate? Now is a great time to buy, while prices are low!

For all your real estate needs, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill. Lisa Hill is a Daytona Beach Native, and expert local real estate professional.

--> Contact Lisa Hill

Buy Daytona Beach Real Estate

Sell Daytona Beach Real Estate

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

Welcome Bikers! It's Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach, so I thought I'd share some of my photos from some local biker favorites. If you're here for Bike Week/Biketoberfest, you may enjoy these areas as well. And don't forget, if you're interested in buying real estate here, I'm a Daytona Beach native, and professional REALTOR®. I'd love to help with your real estate needs!

Once again... to all our biker friends, we wish you a warm welcome. Be careful and safe, and enjoy the rest of your stay in beautiful Daytona Beach.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

Lisa Hill, the Smart Choice for all your real estate needs

*ALL CONTENT, INCLUDING PHOTOS IS OWNED BY LISA HILL AND PROTECTED BY U.S. COPYRIGHT LAWS.

This morning I received a call from a real estate buyer who wants to buy a condo in Daytona Beach Shores or Ponce Inlet. He had found my web site and wanted to get setup on our automated MLS program, that will send him listings via e-mail. It's a fantastic feature in the the Daytona Beach area MLS!

As I was speaking with this real estate investor, we were discussing his options, his criteria, his past real estate experiences, etc... normal real estate chit-chat. Then he mentioned something that got my attention. As we were talking, we were discussing how we were going to find him a condo with ocean or river views that was NOT a "condotel", that would allow him to rent the unit for a term shorter than 30 days. That's a tall order around here since the year-round residents don't want their buildings to be too transient. The longer someone stays in a unit, the better the care they tend to take of it.

Moving on to the title of this post... this particular real estate buyer owns a few properties that he rents out and manages himself. All he needs is a few names and numbers of people to call if or when something has a problem... IE: Air conditioning, refrigerator, carpet cleaning, etc. And since he and his family will be using the condo as well, there's always someone who can come down to check on things. And these are the only types of clients I have if I'm renting a unit, after selling it to them, since I am not in property management (nor do I have any desire to ever be involved in it). But this real estate buyer happens to mention some of the fees that one property manager wanted from him, as well as the demands they were attempting to make on HIS real estate for rent. I was shocked!

Now maybe I shouldn't be shocked. As I've already stated, I'm not a property manager, and I have no interest in that side of the real estate industry. But I wanted to share this list of fees and demands with my fellow real estate bloggers, to see what your thoughts were.

Before I state these fees, I will say that I'm well aware of how demanding some tenants can be! That is precisely why I have no interest in being a property manager! I already know I do not have the patience for several things that would be inevitable ;-)  So here is the list of "demands" that one real estate agent/property manager wanted from this real estate owner, in order to manage his property for him...

1. They would change all the locks.
2. They would have ALL keys!
3. They would take over ALL control of the property. (This real estate owner felt like he was being pushed away from his own investment.)
4. The property owner would not be allowed to choose his own service people for the pool, lawn, carpet cleaning, or any other maintenance. The property managers would only use their own people. (Obviously, the real estate owner was looking for ways to save money... and from all appearances, the property manager was looking for more ways to put money in his or her own pocket... and I haven't even told you the fees yet! (Feel free to correct me if you know otherwise! I and this investor can only specuate at this point.)
   
5. The property manager expected to be paid between $300 & $600 per month (depending on the condo unit they would be servicing) PLUS an additional 18% for all those services, for which the seller could not choose his own people, to find someone more affordable.
   

OK Property Managers. Here's your chance to explain this to the rest of us who are not involved in that end of the business. I personally have rented condos and houses for previous clients to whom I sold the real estate they now wanted to rent. But I made it clear that I was not a property manager, and I was hired strictly to find them a tenant for their investment. I did so by using a listing agreement, and eventually a lease, that I found on www.FloridaRealtors.org, that had been drafted by the Florida Association of REALTORS®. Yes, I did a little bit of extra work, such as let a carpet cleaner in to clean the carpets, without charge to my client/owner, because I wanted to go the extra mile in providing good service. But my listing was a percentage of the gross amount of the lease. Period! So I'd like to know, for my own knowledge, is this list of "demands" that was given to this real estate investor, a standard list of expectations on the part of propety managers? Or was someone getting greedy!? Because this propety owner was not going to make any money at all on his own investment, by the time he paid all these fees, and he was not given the option of choosing his own service people either.

The way I see it, if this is what has been "the norm", it's not wonder the face of real estate is changing, across the board, causing so many new business models to be introduced.

So what are your experiences, either WITH property managers, or AS A Property Manager? And if there are any consumers reading this post, please feel free to weigh in. I'd like to see the big picture, from all sides.

This real estate blog post has been written by Lisa Hill; "The Smart Choice" for all your real estate needs. If you're considering buying or selling real estate in Daytona Beach, Port Orange, or anywhere in East Volusia County, I'd love to help!

(Copyright protected. All rights reserved.)

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

Search Daytona Beach Real Estate for sale

Bonus Links...

• Real Estate Buyer Info

• Real Estate Seller Info

Welcome Daytona Beach visitors! And hello to my Daytona Beach real estate sellers (thanks for your loyal readership and business) and hello also to my Daytona Beach real estate buyers (thank you for your loyalty as well). I appreciate ALL of your loyalty in business. You are the reason I take the time to write these frequent blog posts!  =D

Today's post is to give you all a head's up. As you may already know, this weekend is Biketoberfest (Yay!) As for the head's up, I thought I'd let you all know, if you're planning on attending this year's annual Biketoberfest, it has started early! Yep. I haven't even been to the Biker Hot Spots, and I'm already seeing those beautiful motorcycles all over the place! So if you're planning to attend, and you're waiting for the official start date (October 17, 2009), don't wait! You can get in a couple of extra days, and have plenty of company. And don't forget to contact Lisa Hill to buy your own Daytona Beach house. You can save money on hotel bills (which are grossly overpriced during special events) and be able to come to Daytona Beach at any time of they year. We have many special events, beautiful beaches, cultural events, and anything you can dream of.

Click here to view a few houses for sale in the Daytona Beach area.

Click here to view information about Port Orange real estate... www.PortOrangeRealEstateSales.com.

Click here for more information about Lisa Hill, Daytona Beach Native and Professional Real Estate Consultant.

*All content contained in Lisa Hill's blog and blog posts in fully owned and copyrighted unless specified otherwise, (with exception of the actual copyright logo found at the beginning of this sentence). Do not copy Lisa's logos, images, or any other copyrighted content.

Daytona Beach residents and visitors, here's something fun to do this weekend. If you're interested in buying or selling real estate, I'm a Daytona Beach native, an experienced REALTOR®, and I frequently use this blog to provide you with a variety of information about local events, in addition to blog posts about the Daytona Beach area estate climate.

Tonight, at the Manatee Island Amphitheater & Riverfront Park (just south of the Main Street Bridge), as part of a weekend Blues Festival, you can enjoy Hot Blues Music, and Smokin' BBQ with Peter Tork of The Monkees, and his band called Shoe Suede Blues.

Purchase your (all-day) Saturday tickets for $20 at the News Journal Center Box Office, or at Angell & Phelps Cafe. For more information, call 386-226-1927. Enjoy the fun!

For Daytona Beach Real Estate Info, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

*All content is owned and copyrighted by Lisa Hill (the copyright logo is public domain)

What can I say? My real estate assistant is photogenic. And this time she's holding down the fort, right at my desk! Although I think the attitude may need a bit of work  o.O  Should I hold off on that pay raise? =P

For all your real estate needs, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill (or my assistant; but she kinda naps a lot)

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

*All material is copyrighted. (Copyright logo is public domain)

In Daytona Beach, we don't have a lot of Willow Trees. But I LOVE them! Ever since I decided to actually research them (I'll give reasons in a future post) I've had a fascination for them. And then I found these in the most unexpected spot, right in the middle of Daytona Beach. So of course I had to take tons of pictures!

The Willow Trees, and the words I wrote on this image have significance for me, that will be lost on most of you. But I thought you'd at least enjoy the photo =) 

(Image is copyrighted! No use is permitted.)

Moving to Daytona Beach? Work with a Daytona Beach native!

• Daytona Beach real estate buyer info

• Daytona Beach real estate seller info

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

It's only Tuesday and it already feels like Friday for me. This weekend and Monday, have been crazy busy for me! So my plans for a Silly Saturday post never happened... then my plans for a Speechless Sunday post never happened... then my plans for a Manic Monday post.... you guessed it. >.<

So today I'm sending you a couple of random posts, on the wrong days, just for the heck of it. I've decided that's just the way it's gonna be. So there! LOL

So because I need a break, I'm starting with a Silly Saturday'esque' video for you all to enjoy. Take a one minute break (actually less than a minute), while I try to describe this really important object! I'll have to explain later =P

Now my challenge to you. Can you help us describe this? Please! We really need the help! LOL

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

It's that time of year again. Starting today, Thursday Oct. 1 through Sunday, October 4 it's Port Orange Family Days 2009! As far as this REALTOR is concerned, this is just one fantastic reason to buy a home in Port Orange, Florida!

The mission of Port Orange Family Days is: "To bring our Community together in the spirit of family and friends, and to broaden the awareness of the benefits and quality of life that Port Orange has to offer."

Every year, residents from Port Orange, Daytona Beach, South Daytona and many other cities around Volusia County will be attending Port Orange Family Days, to drop by the booths of local businesses and exhibitors, to enjoy the food from local restaurants, and last but certainly not least, to have a blast on the midway rides!

Port Orange Family Days is the biggest event of the year in Port Orange, luring up to 80,000 people! And to think it all started as a neighborhood Block Party =). If you're planning to attend this year's festivities you might want to Print Out A free Carnival Coupon, view the layout of all the booths and exhibitors, or view a few pictures from previous year's festivities.

For those of you who are a little bit curious, click the following link to learn some more about the history of this fun event. I hope to see you all at this year's Port Orange Family Days!

For more information on the city of Port Orange, go to www.PortOrangeRealEstateSales.com.

If you need personal information on Port Orange Real Estate, I'm a native of this area, and I live in Port Orange myself! I'd love to help you buy or sell your Port Orange your real estate.

Click here to contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

 *Lisa Hill's real estate blog is fully copyrighted.