Daytona Beach Real Estate Blog: March 2009

An historic event is quickly arriving. And World Wildlife Fund needs our involvement. It's time to not just talk-the-talk. It's time to walk-the-walk. Many of us express our concerns for the planet... I won't even begin to address every element of concern as we slowly lose the health of our planet. But I will do my part when I can. And right now, this is something I can do. I can help spread the word about a global event that is about to take place.

On March 28 at 8:30 p.m. (Your own time zone!) Turn off your lights! World Wildlife Fund is asking for individuals, businesses, governments, organizations and more, to turn out the lights for one hour. This is Earth Hour! And it's about a global statement of concern about the changes in our climate, and to see if we're really committed to finding solutions to the Earths' devastating problems. It's just one hour. So get your candles ready, and Spread the Word!

Last year, 2500 cities in 8 countries participated in this event. This year there will be several television shows that are participating including American Idol, Bones, and Family Guy. Some states have pledged to turn off the lights in the governors' mansion and state capitol buildings. Check out this U.S. map of participating cities. I'm proud to say that MANY Florida cities have pledged to participate! =D

World Wildlife Fund is asking you to e-mail your friends, family and associates, and send them the link to the information. In their words, for this cause, "Your Light Switch Is Your Vote"!  We're going to "let the earth rest for an hour". 

You can download the official Earth Hour logo here. And join the movement by following Earth Hour on Twitter, and/or pledging your participation. Last but not least, on the worldwide Earth Hour site, there are four suggested ways for you to share your experience during your Earth Hour, so you can get involved in more ways than one. You can also share your own Earth Hour ideas! What a great way to bring the world together for one single cause... our global home!

So don't forget. On March 28, 2009, lights out at 8:30 p.m. in your time zone, and don't forget to pledge your support by adding your name to the list of participants. Then pick a way to record and share your experience.

More details about turning your lights off for Earth Hour.

View the long list of supporting organizations.

Watch the video for incredible scenes from around the world, as the lights went out for Earth Hour in the past 2 years.

Let's get involved, spread the word, and show that REALTORS® support our environment!

So many of us have widgets in our blog side bars that show the many social networking groups in which we've joined. But do we really use all those groups? I'll be the first to admit that I do not. The one I use most frequently is Facebook, and that's just because I kick butt in the Pirates: Rule the Caribbean plug-in. (Anyone want to join my crew? Arrr Mateys!)

OK. So this is not going to be a deep, philosophical post about why we should be doing more online social networking. I'm going to keep it simple. So here it is...

Many of you have already found me on LinkedIn, where I started a group called "Real Estate Services". The more real estate professionals we have in that group, the more likely you'll be found by consumers who are looking for real estate services in your area. And to spice things up, I just added a new topic of conversation =)

While I was adding the new topic, I also ran across a very cool poll that someone else had added. Another business professional posed the question, Do you think testimonials help people form an opinion about you? Cast your vote. The results are almost overwhelmingly unanimous atm!

And that's it for this blog post. Stay tuned for my upcoming post, featuring the latest and greatest blog posts from the Things to Do/Places to Visit group. These group members have been busy, and have done an excellent job on their posts. I can't wait to share them with you all.

Happy Blogging!

If you're a Daytona Beach area resident, or if you're interested in buying real estate in Daytona Beach... unless you've already lived here long enough to discover it's many hidden secrets, you're probably unaware of The Daytona Playhouse.

The Daytona Playhouse is a small theater located at 100 Jessamine Blvd., Daytona Beach FL. By it's own proclamation, The Daytona Playhouse is "The Best Entertainment Value in Town". Just check out their ticket prices if you need proof. And then choose an afternoon or evening this week to enjoy their production of "Deathtrap". Show dates and times are as follows...

• March 26, 27, and 28 at 8:00 p.m.

• March 29 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $10 - $15. For more information, call 386-255-2431 or visit their web site. There are a couple of links listed above.

Looking to live in a fabulous gated community in Port Orange FL? This house is beyond perfect! A couple of weeks ago, I added a couple of blog posts about this beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bath lakefront house with pool and covered lanai, and a full in-law apartment with complete privacy. This quality-built home is concrete block construction with safe room by the Johnson Group.

The day after my blog about this fabulous house, I followed up that post with one about the fantastic sellers, and a bit of history about the house.

Now this blog post is to share with you, the video of this beautiful house. Port Orange is a fabulous place to live, and this gated community is absolutely beautiful. If you’d like to buy a house in Port Orange, call me today. There are very few homes with full in-law apartments that offer complete privacy. So enjoy the video, and when you’re ready to move to beautiful Port Orange, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

www.PortOrangeRealEstateSales.com

View Port Orange and Daytona Beach area real estate MLS listings

View Port Orange and Daytona Beach area Real Estate Video Tours

I was just reading a blog post by a REALTOR® who has a listing that is a short sale property. This agent was upset with a buyers' agent who had submitted an offer on the short sale listing, and was now complaining about the lack of response from the bank, and the banks' refusal to sign the standard real estate forms that real estate agents' are generally required to include with every offer. It was the opinion of this listing agent that the buyers' agent was lazy and just didn't want to "work hard for a living".

I beg to differ! I've said before that I hate working with short sales and foreclosures. My reasons are because of the difficulty involved in trying to get any answers from the banks. In my experience, when dealing with the banks, it's like the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. I've dealt with banks who act like they actually want to screw up the process.

When working with my real estate clients, I need to be able to effectively represent my client, and advise them in advance of what to expect as things progress. But the banks don't follow the process. They each have their own process. And the banks' process will always be a detriment to the buyer. They take no responsibility for the condition of the property, and have buyers sign documentation that releases the bank from any and all future liabilty, regardless of the known, pre-existing problems.

As for not wanting to "work hard for a living", are you kidding me!?! Yes, I expect to be paid for my services, at the standard commission. When selling a short sale or REO, we do twice the work, for a lower commission, and can't properly represent our client. It's not about being a spoiled Diva, as I saw in some of the comments that were in response to that blog post. It's about doing what's best for our clients.

How familiar is this story?..... We list a property for a seller who is at the end of their rope. They're desperate to sell their house or condo as fast as possible, and in order to accomplish this, we need to be able reach the banks' designated contact person who has all the information on the property involved. But instead, we call the bank on behalf of our client, and we get transferred from one department to another, over and over again, spinning our wheels while apparently nobody is able to help us. It seems that each department doesn't know what the other is doing. It's incredibly frustrating! Just think of how the seller feels.

This past week, I was working with real estate buyers from out of the country, who were only here for a few days. They had found a short sale property that they were very interested in. The listing had expired from our MLS, so I called the owners directly. And the owners actually had a name, fax number, and e-mail address for the contact person at the bank. They had spoken to their contact before, and had been given an approximate amount that the lender would accept. I was pleasantly surprised! Unfortunately, the sellers couldn't find the phone number for their assigned contact (kind of important) but since I had a name, fax number, and e-mail address, I figured I should at least be able to get some information before my buyers left the country. So after viewing the house on Thursday, the buyers were sure they wanted to attempt to buy this property. So early on Friday, I faxed and e-mailed the contact person, letting him know the urgency of the situation, and that these were very interested buyers! I waited all day, then later in the afternoon, after receiving not response whatsoever, I re-faxed and once again e-mailed the rep. I never got any response, and although REALTORS® are expected to be available almost 24/7, bankers hours are extremely different. We were completely at the mercy of someone who had decided to either not cooperate, or was taking some vacation days, with no one to cover for them in their absence. So it's now Monday night, and I have yet to receive a response from the lender. This morning, my buyers left the country, and I never got even the courtesy of a phone call from the lender. I guess I'll try again tomorrow.

But I have a couple more short-sale stories...

• I recently sold a house to buyers who previously had an offer on a short sale. They waited 3 months and never got an answer on their contract. So they bought my listing instead. 

• I also had a short sale listed, and in 6 months, I was never able to get a straight answer from that lender. I got transferred over and over again, and never found a person who could help. The house eventually ended up in foreclosure.

If you're a seller of a property that needs to be sold as a short sale, read this post by Randy Hooker titled "Writing a Hardship Letter for A Short Sale". In spite of my difficulties with short sales, I'll continue to do my best to list and sell whatever my buyers and sellers need. Let's face it. We have real estate sellers with desperate needs. So it's our job to keep doing our best to represent them, in spite of the difficulties.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

I'm in the process of writing a blog on Short Sales and Foreclosures. But I saved it in "Draft" mode so I could take some time to think for a bit. I do that quite frequently. I have to kind of let the thoughts run through the process in my mind before I can continue.

So while my Short Sales and Foreclosures post is still "processing", I decided to read some other blog posts by some of my favorite bloggers. And I found the following post by Janet Guilbault. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I decided to just "re-blog" Janets' post for my readers, and any other bloggers who may have missed it. So, enjoy Janets' post about the absolute lack of demand in the real estate market, and how it's impacting real estate sellers.

I must mention, for real estate in the Daytona Beach/Port Orange FL area, the demand is picking up, although it seems to be primarily limited to the properties that are on the market for $200,000 to $300,000. While this is great news for people with houses to share in this price range, it really stinks for the real estate sellers with homes that are genuinely worth a higher value. If you're a real estate buyer in need of this type of home, follow the link for complete details, photos and video, and contact me today for all your real estate needs.

Now for Janets' information. Here is her blog post about the lack of demand for all the houses and condos that are sitting on the market, and How to Be A Seller When No One Wants to Buy!

It's that time again. It's Bike Week in Daytona Beach! And it's not too late for you to join us. We still have a good 5 days left. Be sure to click on the numerous links on the site, to find the origins of Bike Week, and how to get the ultimate ride on The Loop.

If you've never been to Bike Week in Daytona Beach, you don't know what you're missing... really! There's nothing else like it. If you enjoy the party scenes of Main Street, there are plenty of bars, bands, booze, and scantily clad women to be found. I could show you photos that would knock your socks off... but I won't. LOL

And for the true Motorcycle enthusiast, you'll enjoy the large, city-like environment on the 150 acres of Bruce Rossmeyer's Destination Daytona. At Destination Daytona you'll find hotels and suites, specialty motorcycle shops, live music; including Greg Allman, Hog Brawl, and Jackyl. You'll also find over 100 vendors, and the usual assortment of bars and pubs... but there's still more. You can have your Harley Davidson fully customized with authorized parts for your Dyna, Softail, Sportster, Touring, and VRSC. Or you can get aftermarket parts and accessories for the ultimate, head-turning Harley. If all this is still not enough to keep you entertained, click the following link for a list of 2009 Bike Week Events, including the most raucous of all Bike Week locations at Sopotniks' Cabbage Patch in New Smyrna Beach, where Cole Slaw Wrestling is their main attraction... (Do not bring the children to the Cabbage Patch!) Heck, I wouldn't be caught anywhere near there. LOL. It's truly, only for the most hard core party people ;-)

This week I'm working with a couple of gentlemen who came from overseas (after finding my Active Rain blog), to enjoy this weeks' festivities, and buy real estate while they're here. Their plan is to buy a house they can enjoy with their families whenever they visit the Daytona Beach area, and rent it out on a short-term basis, to other visitors who want to enjoy our fabulous climate and year-round special events. We have many part-time residents who own real estate in this area for the same reasons. And with values now leveling off at fantastic low prices, it's a great time to buy your own piece of Daytona Beach real estate.

If Bike Week's not to your tastes, you can enjoy our many other events. And during Bike Week, you can rent your house in the Daytona Beach area to others who want to stay in a house instead of a hotel while they're here. And Bike Week rental rates are much higher than at other times of the year. Race Week is another great time to get an incredible return on you real estate investment.

So hurry down to Daytona Beach Bike Week while you still have time. But if you can't make it this time, there's always Biketoberfest in October! Like I said, we have MANY special events! Bookmark my blog, to stay abreast of these events. And if you're interested in buying or selling real estate, I'm a Daytona Beach native, and would love to help you with all your real estate needs.

Visit my web site at www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

Contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®

If you're interested in buying real estate in Daytona Beach Shores, this is a great time to buy! The Daytona Beach real estate market seems to be stabilizing and there are lots of great real estate buys to be found.

In the last few days, I've written a couple of blog posts about some fun things to do in Daytona Beach Shores. You can read those here...

Home Buyers and Residents of Daytona Beach Shores, Let's Have Some Fun?

Real Estate Buyers and Residents of Daytona Beach Shores, Let's Have Some More Fun!

Now for those of you who would like to join our long list of seasonal residents, and those of you who are interested in living here year 'round, here's what Daytona Beach Shores has to offer. To buy real estate in Daytona Beach Shores, there are an abundance of condos available to buy, and just a few houses available.

While the previous catch phrase that was heard most frequently was "location, location, location", today's market dictates "price, price, price". I recently wrote a blog post about pricing properties to sell. It may provide some helpful information if you have a house or condo to sell.

And now for the breakdown of the Daytona Beach Shores real estate market...

Condos for sale in Daytona Beach Shores with at least 1 full bedroom (I've attempted to eliminate all condotels) are as follows...

39 condo units for sale from $100,000 to $200,000.

85 condo units for sale from $200,000 to $300,000.

82 condo units for sale from $300,000 to $400,000.

79 condo units for sale from $400,000 to $500,000.

57 condo units for sale from $500,000 to $600,000.

30 condo units for sale from $600,000 to $700,000.

21 condo units for sale from $700,000 to $800,000.

16 condo units for sale from $800,000 to $900,000.

22 condo units for sale from $900,000 to $1,370,000.

Single Family Houses for sale in Daytona Beach Shores range in price from $124,900 to $1,900,000.  There are currently 18 on the market.

Last but not least, there are 6 single family attached houses for sale in Daytona Beach Shores. Single Family Attached means duplexes, quadriplexes or homes of this nature. The 6 homes of this nature range from $239,900 to $309,900.

If you're interested in buying a house or condo in Daytona Beach Shores, I'd love to help. In order to help you make an educated decision, here are 2 more links to help you make your decision.

• Volusia County Real Estate Listings vs Sales Review for 2008 

• Real Estate Sales and Market Report and Chart for Volusia County FL, 2000-2008

I hope this information helps you make an educated decision on buying real estate in Daytona Beach Shores. If you have any questions, or need further information, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®, for all your real estate needs.

Visit my web site at www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

Daytona Beach Shores real estate buyers and residents who are looking for fun things to do in this beautiful city, read the blog below. Now this is fun! Before I get started, let me say that I'm a REALTOR® with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®. We have 8 offices in Volusia County. So if you want to buy a house or condo in Daytona Beach Shores, call or e-mail Lisa Hill. Now let's focus on the fun stuff!

Last weekend while I was driving around Daytona Beach Shores, enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I stopped and took photos of this quaint little park on A1A, named Seaspray Park. (There's another similar park just a little bit south of this one.) 

Seaspary Park is right across from the Atlantic ocean, and there's a beach access walkway point directly across A1A. It's a convenient spot for bringing the family up off the beach for a few minutes for a bit of lunch and frolicking on the playground. But I found a surprise when taking pictures of the tables and chairs under the pavilion. There are little checkers or chess board designs painted on the tops of the 2-seater side tables. What a great idea!

And to top things off in this quaint little park, there are little starfish decorations on the beautiful, low, concrete and stone decorative walls.

If you're interested in moving to Daytona Beach Shores, I'd love to help. Make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS® for all your real estate needs. And be sure to check out my other blog post from my drive around Daytona Beach Shores, and enjoy some more fun at Pirate's Island Adventure Golf. Make a Smart Choice and choose to buy real estate in beautiful Daytona Beach Shores.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com