Commenting on a Good Blog - 05/31/10 11:56 PM
How often comments on a good blog tend to veer away from the original blog post… It seems that people come and do not read the post but catch a comment and then comment on the comment…
How often you get a feeling that you are seeing comment after comment, and feel that they have not read the post..; sometimes to the point where they say “I agree with you because…” while you were vehemently opposing to what they “agree”?
I am far from complaining and even saying that it is wrong, because it is not, it is communication, and even … (23 comments)

Is Real Estate on the Menu? - 05/31/10 01:44 AM
AR has had its share of fights about what to write, what is appropriate, why we are here... I am glad nobody ever won convincingly. If this was a pure real estate network, with high quality stuff... I am afraid it would very soon turn into another library, where if you need something, you go and get it...
In other words it would mean a shift from AR, which is home, to Google, which is an instrument. We all use Google all the time…  we go there to find something, but we do not stay on Google.
It is like having a … (18 comments)

What the Heck Are You Talking About? - 05/30/10 12:20 PM
Jerry Murphy from Arizona left a comment on my post Featured Blog... Is It Your Best?  that he wrote a quick rant and out of a hundred posts he has it was featured. I went to his post and left a comment.
I guess, he was frustrated with a short sale and thought that Everyone should have to work on commission!  The notion behind is very simple. If the bank employees were paid on commission, we would not have to wait so long.
Well, a rant is a rant. I disagreed with him, I thought it was a very … (6 comments)

Special Assessment in Hawaiian Inn –a Daytona Beach Shores Condo-Hotel - 05/26/10 09:47 PM
Special Assessment for $3,600 is the last in the series of assessments for concrete restoration that hit a popular Hawaiian Inn – a Daytona Beach Shores condo-hotel.

Hawaiian Inn, built
in 1965, added the fifth floor 9 years later in 1974.
It was fending off the Special Assessments for as long as they could. Their maintenance fee was always higher than in comparable resorts, and they were managing to avoid Special Assessments longer than any other condo-hotel.
 
 

When the time came, it was, as luck would have it, at the worst possible time. Money has not … (0 comments)

What A 5th-Grader Knows... - 05/25/10 01:13 AM
I just read a blog posted by Lewis Poretz  I'm just saying.... It is well written… not a demand, it is a thought… It made me think about why America is not taking care of their own when people are losing their homes? I think it does, maybe not in the proper way…
I can understand the frustration, the anger, the despair… and I know that all these emotions will soon fade out, even if at this moment it may seem that life is over or is close to it.
It is difficult to abstract from immediate reality when you … (19 comments)

From Fence To Lunch - 05/24/10 11:15 PM
A few days ago I received an e-mail. In all caps it shouted at me:
-  NEW! NEW! NEW!  **XXXXXXXXX BEACH – BEACH HOUSE** OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 1-3:30 5/23/2010    WITH LARGE INGROUND POOL!
Sunday 1-3:30 5/23/2010 with large inground pool? It reminds me an old army joke when the sergeant tells the platoon to start digging trenches from the fence to lunch… but I digress…
What I did not like was that the e-mail was sent to hundreds of agents and all the e-mail addresses were open. I had a problem with my client forwarding me endless jokes, resulting in … (11 comments)

'Take A Good Look, America' - 05/24/10 07:10 AM
We Are All Different
I have not written any purely political posts lately. So here is one coming. This is about the art of hearing each other. I am afraid that with time we move in the opposite directions, while both sides claim they are moving in the 'right' direction.
It is difficult, and that’s why it is called the ‘Art’. So, why don’t we check how it is done in nature, and I guarantee that you would be pleasantly surprised. If they can, why can’t we?
Watch this video.
… (22 comments)

Darn Brits, They Speak Funny English, But They Do Have Talent… - 05/21/10 05:09 PM
I have to admit that I am a huge fan of American Idol.  And ‘You think You Can Dance’. They fascinate me with their creativity, talent, ability to work under extreme pressure… It is a fascinating show, because it shows how much one can achieve if s/he is put in extreme competitive environment.
We do not know what we can do until and unless we are put to a test and are pressured to the limit. It is not what people can, that stuns me, and it is how they can grow creatively and talent-wise in such a short time. We … (17 comments)

HOAs: Culprits or Victims? - 05/21/10 02:00 PM
James Foxx posted HOAs Contributing to San Antonio Foreclosure Auctions
I am not in Texas, I am in Florida, and there might be difference in how it is handled, but I want to address some issues of basic understanding.
HOAs have a budget, and this budget is as lean as it can be. There is no serious reserve for covering unpaid dues. So, when someone is not paying, HOA may not have enough money to pay for the service. In this market it is often not just few people. It is widespread.
HOAs then have to increase the dues to … (6 comments)

Oceanside Inn in Daytona Beach Shores... What’s cooking? - 05/20/10 09:55 PM
Oceanside Inn, a premium Daytona Beach Shores condo-hotel (or hotel condo, if you wish to call it this way) was resisting the fall of the market for a long time. When Plaza Resort & Spa was selling for $30s and $40s, Oceanside Inn maintained its lofty status… but you can’t swim against the current for two long… you start drowning.
Units are in different buildings but in the same economy, and are “samely” affected.
There are 9 units currently offered for sale in Oceanside Inn on MLS. This is a very telling number, there were close to 40 just 2 … (0 comments)

How To Write Blogs For AR... The Easy Way - 05/20/10 07:12 PM
Computers are hidden enemies of mankind. I am absolutely convinced that they are. The fact that we can’t live without them does not change the basic. We are fighting and they are winning…If you do not agree about the mankind, then they are my biggest personal hidden enemies...and I love them...
Even when AR seems to be working, they always have something in store for me... usually something nasty...
Writing for AR is not the exception. You want colors, different fonts, some spice in your blogs... There are several programs like Kompozer, PageBreeze, and I am sure a lot more others. … (33 comments)

American Idol and Real Estate Investment - 05/20/10 01:28 PM
American Idol and Real Estate Investment
Last Tuesday on American Idol after singing the song of his choice ‘OK, It's Alright With Me’ Casey James sealed his fate. And on Wednesday he left the competition.
When asked why  he picked this song, he mumbled something that he loved it…
Fine, he loved it, it was a great song, he sang it great, but it was a very bad decision. His way of thinking is strikingly different from another contestant, Chris Daughtry, who was extremely diligent with his choice of songs. He was not coming from lightheaded ‘I like it’, or … (16 comments)

Update on Marina Grande on the Halifax in Holly Hill - 05/19/10 11:33 PM
Marina Grande on the Halifax, this magnificent project with 2 completed 25-story towers is still pretty  much a ghost place with very few owners (64 in two) and a few rentals…
The Lender is still trying to clear the legal mess, so that they can start selling the units and start bringing owners who would pay the Association dues.
I think it is already 2 years since Boca Developers returned the property for Lenders. Initially they had several people sales force on the property and no sales. Then they reduced the sales force to two agents and no sales.
Now there … (10 comments)

New From Google...Today - 05/19/10 06:07 PM
Google is a wonderful invention that has changed our lives for the better and Microsoft’s live for the worse (LOL)
Goggle, like many other significant inventions, was conceived and born in the garage by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. I could try to call it a Russian-American project, as Brin was born in Moscow in 1973, but he was brought to the United States when he was six, so I would have to leave national pride aside…
They created the ocean of applications making our life a constant navigation from good to better, and from better to perfect… We consume Google … (18 comments)

Club 500… Look Who’s Here...Wow! - 05/18/10 12:27 PM
Club 500… Look Who’s Here
I hit 500,000 points yesterday, wow… Can’t believe I did… I am wiping the sweat from the forehead, breathing heavily and gasping for air. I am afraid of the heights, feel a bit dizzy, clinch to the Olympus, looking around to see who’s got here before me.
I know that there is Todd Clark with his 1,017,744 points, but he is too high up the Olympus and there are clouds between us. I know that Lenn Harley, the shooting star, with her 979,246 points is close to him above the clouds, but it a steep climb there, visibility … (118 comments)

Grocery Store Exercise in Geography - 05/17/10 09:20 PM
We were buying groceries in a neighborhood store. There were several around there, all owned by Koreans, working hard from early morning till late in the evenings, and then going to apartments with dozens or more people in a room. They, as us, were new in the country and were trying to start a new life.
But this particular grocery store on the corner was owned by Hispanics, and everyone working there was speaking Spanish. But we were not discriminating, for us the most vocal thing at the time was the price and I shopped there because of the price, no … (18 comments)

Our Clients Are Watching Us… - 05/17/10 08:39 AM
Our Clients Are Watching Us…
How often when working with a client, we assume that s/he is loyal to us. If we did not send some piece of information right away, so what? I we failed to notify him of the property on the market because we thought it was not the best deal for him (and we might be right)?
But we are not the only agents on the face of the earth. How many times “our” clients suddenly surprised us that they were also getting information from other agents, and even were communicating with other agents.
I have a … (10 comments)

Real Estate and Dining Out - 05/16/10 12:07 AM
Real Estate and Dining - What is there in common?
We dined at Lighthouse Restaurant in Ponce Inlet first time a year ago. We had friends from New York with us, and this is usually the time when we go out.
It is right on the Intracoastal, across from the famous magnificent Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, still operational. The restaurant has its own smaller version of Lighthouse, and it is funny to look at both of them. It is a rustic place. A large deck for outside seating is perfect with us. There is a tree right in the middle of the … (24 comments)

For English Press One... - 05/16/10 12:05 AM
Bank of America is issuing credit card to illegal immigrants. I guess it is their way to tap into more business and cover the losses or increase the gains. Well, business is business.
They issue credit cards to people who do not have Social Security card. But when you call the bank and try to get a card, they do ask you for the number. When you need some information and call the bank, they would ask you for the last 4 digits of your Social Security number for identification purposes… So how can you get a card without the Social … (25 comments)

THE NUMBERS GAME - 05/15/10 07:57 PM
THE NUMBERS GAME
Real estate is no different than any other business… or is it? We are often told to look at it as business. And we do. Some agents employ different business models. One of those is so called 'Numbers Game'.
The idea is simple. If you get certain number of listings, you can create the income stream that you would like. So, the more listings you get the better…. Better for the agent? Better for the client?
I see it especially with short sales. The agent used his contacts and got several properties, and listed them as short sale. … (18 comments)

My Friend Said I am Crazy… Can You Call Her? - 05/14/10 01:26 PM
My Friend Said I am Crazy… Can You Call Her?
I was reading blogs on AR, and a discussion thread on one post reminded me an ‘old’ story.
I have been communicating with the prospect for over 6 months. She was Russian, and a lot of questions stemmed from her experiences there, and she wanted to make sure it was safe here.
There were many question, long conversations on the phone, with veering astray most of the time…
And then the day came, she walked in our office with her husband, and she was ready to explore, and to … (20 comments)

Free Real Estate Advice. Yes...No…Maybe? - 05/14/10 12:44 AM
Mini Samuel posted FREE REAL ESTATE ADVICE? NOT!  
It is about the situation when you get call asking for advice about a real estate transaction while you do not work with the caller.
I do get such calls and it depends on the situation. I can be from my friend, who is not in this area, and calls me about a sale or purchase in some other state, and I am usually torn between trying to help them and the feeling that they should not have asked me as I do not know how things should be done there. For … (10 comments)

'DIY' Renting … There May Be Surprises - 05/12/10 12:52 PM
Renting by Yourself… There May Be Surprises
How often people ask me about renting their condo-hotel units on their own. All they want to know if they legally can do it. But it is extremely rare when they ask if they should do it.
So, even if they can, and they do just that, what is going to happen?
Let’s go from the beginning. The whole idea is that if they rent themselves, then they would not to split with the Rental Management company, and in condo-hotels they take a serious chunk of what they get in rentals. Owners get … (9 comments)

AR Sequels: Is Brevity a Virtue? - 05/12/10 10:04 AM
When I was new to Active Rain, and the lure of points was very tempting, I thought of writing a comprehensive blog and then divide it into smaller parts and then post them as Part 1, part 2, etc. I even did one and called it Part 1, but never posted the second half of it.
As I was maturing on AR, I started looking at it more as a reader, not a blogger, and I started thinking differently about ‘sequels’. I noticed that when I am on AR, and I see Part 2, I practically never search for Part 1. … (18 comments)

SPMART Commenting.... - 05/12/10 12:23 AM
I have a WP condo-hotel blog site http://daytonacondohotel.com/blog/
For me, who concentrates heavily on AR - practically exclusively – it is a new experience. I got comments that were spam, and I got some comments, where there are very telling websites, clearly indicating what they are selling there, and all you need to do is click there. Here’s the last comment I received:
Well spoken. I never thought I would agree with this opinion, but I’m beginning to see things from a different angle. I have to research more on this as it seems quite interesting. One thing I don’t get … (8 comments)

Investing In Gold... Another Scam? - 05/11/10 06:01 PM

Jason Potrzeba posted Buy Gold. The Best Financial Advise I got that I Never Took...
And I remembered an article that I ran into just recently. About investing in gold… It came by e-mail, so I can’t give you the link to the article. It is written by Jim Gillespie, a commercial Real Estate coach… And this is him, who I quote in this blog post.
In the article they were labeling this gold rush as “the greatest scam in history”.
In a nutshell, what they were saying was that for every 100 ounces of gold that people think … (13 comments)

UNDERSTANDING INVESTMENT IN RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE - 05/10/10 04:40 PM
I did not plan it as a sequel, it just happened that after posting Definition of a Buyer's Market I felt that I did not say something important.
First let me say that I am not looking here at professional investors, who use numbers, and numbers, and numbers. No emotions. They do not buy only because of the view, or the hardwood floors, or something that they personally love. They buy when they figured that $xxx would provide for $xxx in profit in xx of months, provided that they would have to spend $xx for maintenance, repairs, carrying costs, and costs … (8 comments)

Definition of a Buyer’s Market. - 05/10/10 12:24 AM
There are many definitions of the Buyers market. It is when Sellers can’t easily get what they want… it is when buyers can be picky…
Let me introduce another definition of the Buyer’s market. Buyers’ market is when Buyers are scared to buy.
The funny thing is that Buyers have the Seller’s glasses on them at all times. They are worrying about weak economy, but this is a worry of the Seller
They would like a bit more stability, but this means that Buyers are no longer scared to buy, so this means higher prices, fewer choices, fewer days on the … (6 comments)

Advice for Men. It is Mother’s Day. - 05/10/10 12:02 AM
It is Mother’s Day. There will be cards, flowers, kisses, laughter…
Making a woman happy is very easy… but expensive. Keep in mind that ‘lady’ means a woman, who managed to create the conditions when the only thing left for you is to be a gentleman. So, don’t dispute her taste… just pay for it.
And if you go for clothes as present, be careful… It is easier to undress a woman against her will, than to dress her according to her desires…
Now you are armed.
Go and make it a Happy Mother’s day!
Image courtesy of katkimchee via … (27 comments)

Real Estate Market. No Artificial Flavors - 05/06/10 07:00 PM
I love that sentiment that a few years ago the market was artificial. As if some MSG was added, and now it is without MSG, sort of normal.
I do not really get it. For me it is the same as 'right' price or 'wrong' price. And then, if the market is cyclical (that's the latest I heard), then it is 'normal' only short periods of time...I think that this is BS.
Was a gallon of gas at 10 cents a gallon 50 years ago more normal than $3 per gallon today? Or is a $125K price for a luxury riverfront … (3 comments)

Can We Teach Creepy Sergeant A Lesson? - 05/06/10 03:32 PM
We are all used to all sort of creeps sending us e-mails pretending they are willing to transfer millions of dollars and for "helping" them promise a very nice chunk in millions. We delete and go on with our lives. And they come up with another "great idea", and try to exploit what is close to our hearts. In a way they are working hard to make us more cynical. We used to rush to help... and now we first try to figure if this is not a hoax. The compassion, which was spontaneous is replaced by caution... we got humiliated … (10 comments)

Biggest Liar In The World - 05/06/10 01:14 AM
I still can't believe that this happened. If someone told me in 2005-2006 that it would be possible to buy a 2 bedroom 2 bath unit in super modern luxurious riverfront Marina Grande on the Halifax in Daytona Beach area for $125,000, I would have openly laughed in their face. Actually I would laugh even if someone suggested $250K, or even $375K...
But it happened, a unit on the 20th floor of the South Tower is for sale now at $125K. This is REO. It was sold in December 2007 for $490,000.
Imagine financing it now if the bank … (12 comments)

Have We Let The Goats Out? - 05/05/10 07:37 PM
I posted A Toast
It was a sigh of relief and a wish for the better and technically uneventful AR future...
The second comment came from Jennifer Pirkle: "Cheers! I am glad that we AR continues to improve."
I read it and started laughing. It reminded me an old  tale of a poor man, who came to a rabbi and complained that he could not take it any more in a tiny shack with no floor, and his big family, all in the same room...
An old rabbi listened to him and then told him to bring a dog inside. … (21 comments)

A Toast - 05/05/10 06:49 PM
We had a tumultous time.
We are slowly recovering.
There are still a few bugs out there, and the pest control is still out there.
There are maybe a few other surprises ahead.
One is the change of time zone. Now you, guys, live on our time rules - Eastern Standard Time (gotta be proud of something).
We noticed it when we were still commenting for yesterday and the comments were going into tomorrow...
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I propose a toast.
Let this surprise with the change of the time zone be the biggest problem that AR is and will ever … (6 comments)

Cool Idea For Students In Daytona Beach - 05/05/10 06:09 PM
Idea, Which Is So Cool
There are several colleges and universities in even such a relatively small place like Daytona Beach Metro Area, which is considered 3rd tier Metro Area.Does not mean that we are any worse than those who are second, like Orlando and Tampa... or first like New York and Chicago. We are simply smaller. Which is often a good thing. And some schools, like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a first class school, no doubt about it.If you are student in any Metro Area, you need a roof above your head and laptop. Options range from traditional (dorms) to … (4 comments)

The New Time On AR - 05/05/10 12:42 AM
For a few days I was running in a surprise when the date on AR changed an hour earlier, but did not pay 4attention.
Was posting comments today, and suddenly noticed that I am already in May 5, and it is correct for me, as I am in Florida, and we are in Eastern Standard Time zone.
We always had an hour difference.
I think what happened is that the change is because the new servers are in the different location somewhere in the EST zone.
Would it make life of California AR members more difficult because their deadlines will now be … (15 comments)

AR Sobriety Test - 05/03/10 01:22 PM
You Can Post, But Can You Comment?
I actually was able to post all these days. Yes, it was frustrating, but through a series of attempts, you could still post a blog.
However, when it gets to commenting, I could not do anything. No matter how many attempts you make, it is not 'sticking'.
Also, on my home page there is no change. It all stopped a few days ago.
It is funny to read the blogs with outpouring of love and support of Active Rain. As if we do not understand the value and simply do not love it. We … (23 comments)

Terrible Short Sale Turned Perfect Foreclosure - 05/02/10 09:22 PM
Rose was not a loyal client. Others simply called her 'Bitch'. Well, they are entitled to their opinion.
She bought that gorgeous oceanfront unit for just pennies over $200K. It was a phenomenal price at that time. Only two such units on the floor, the rest just regular studios.
The other - smaller unit - we sold to our Maine clients for $350,000 and the Seller did not agree to go a penny lower. The market was already not great, and Rose (name changed) got it for less than half price.
It is an exclusive unit, and she never rented … (2 comments)

You Are Hurting Me, Don't You Get It? - 05/02/10 06:52 PM
I have bad luck referring business to AR members.
Does not mean there are no decent people on AR, there are...
My client owns 4 duplexes outside of my area. He needs an agent to sell his duplexes. First he needs to know what the prices are today. They are rented, and he is not desperate, so he is not going to walk away, or short sell... so it is either a sale today, or a sale tomorrow. I go to Active Rain, I go to the County, and check the top on the list.
Oh, I know this … (3 comments)

News About Condos and Condo-Hotels In Florida - 05/02/10 02:12 AM
Friday morning started with a press-conference in the Conference room of Oceanside Inn, a Daytona Beach Shores condo-hotel.It marked a significant event for condo associations in Central Florida. A week ago Judge Graham appointed David Ryder from Coral Springs, FL to be a receiver after granting blanket receivership to Oceanside Inn Condo-Owners Association.
Attorney for the Association Jason Harrof Jason L. Harr, P.A. explained that this was not the first such court decision in the state of Florida. Receivership has already been granted in Lee, Broward and Palm Beach counties, but this is the first in Central Florida, and it … (2 comments)

Hawaiian Inn - a Daytona Beach Shores Condo-Hotel - 05/01/10 07:33 PM
Hawaiian Inn Resort 2301 South Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118
Hawaiian Inn Resort is a popular resort in Daytona Beach Shores. It has been converted to condo-hotel a decade ago and since then enjoyed quite a popularity among both owners and guests.
Hawaiian Inn was built in 1965 as a 4-story hotel. 9 years later another floor was added. The resort has maintained higher than others maintenance fee to avoid Special Assessments, and were quite successful for a number of years. But maintenance itself could not sustain an older building and eventually they were forced to start a … (1 comments)

 
Jon_photo_condo Ambassador_large

Jon Zolsky, your Daytona Beach, Florida connection

Daytona Beach, FL

More about me…

Jon Zolsky, Daytona Condo Realty LLC, 386-405-4408

Address: 313 S Atlantic Ave., Suite A, Daytona Beach, FL, 32118

Office Phone: (386) 255-5355

Cell Phone: (386) 405-4408

Email Me

hit counters View Jon Zolsky's profile on LinkedIn


Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog