Russian Roulette In The Time Of Hurricanes - 08/30/11 10:12 PM
There are several natural disasters that can be very destructive and even deadly. Earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires.
Imagine if we could know about a coming earthquake a week in advance. Would people in California leave? Would they be complaining after the earthquake that it was not strong enough and that they could have stayed in their homes?
Or people in Midwest, if they knew where and when the tornado is going to hit? Would they later complain that it was mild and did not destroy any homes?
But with Hurricanes people do whine that they have evacuated while they could just … (13 comments)

Was Irene Overrated? - 08/29/11 01:09 AM
J. Philip Faranda posted Was Irene Over-hyped by the NY Politicians and Media? The sentiment is that what happened was not a big thing. Or, better say, much less than anticipated, and it can make people complacent, and should another one come, they may not take it seriously.
I can understand the sentiment. I understand that many people think that hurricane is not really dangerous, and become compacent. It is the same feeling that I had after all those hurricanes before 2004. I know that in Florida it was a serious problem in the Florida Keys, as people quickly get tired … (50 comments)

A Pretty Name Irene - 08/28/11 11:58 PM
The week is over. Irene did not visit Florida, just grazed us with a little bit of rain and brushed the shoreline with rough pounding surf.
I called my friends in New York and listened to their frustration with closing subways... This is first time they really start understanding what it means when hurricanes hit Florida.
Now New York is in this sense became closer to Florida.
Some people say Hurricanes are the curse.
They are not. Hurricanes are one of the ways the nature does the cleanup. The other being fires. And the other one being flooding.
It becomes … (3 comments)

You Got Pre-Approved. So What? - 08/27/11 06:53 PM
Judi Barrett, one of the bloggers who I like and follow, posted Would you go grocery shopping if you didn't have any money? This is an excellent blog, where Judi compares shopping for groceries without money in the pocket to shopping for real estate without being pre-qualified or, better, pre-approved for a loan.
This is catchy, and cool, and over 125 comment gave a stamp of approval to the analogy. But there is always the other side of the coin, and I thought about my three deals involving financing. Why three? Because in the last two years we only had three customers looking … (26 comments)

Can Bill Gates Get a Mortgage? - 08/27/11 02:30 PM
More specifically - Can Bill Gates get a mortgage to buy a $50K condo-hotel unit in Daytona?

Forget that he does not need a mortgage. The question is whether Bill Gates with all his billions can get a mortgage to buy a $50K condo-hotel unit in Daytona?
I highly doubt that he would have a problem to get pre-approved for a $50K purchase. So, according to an excellent blogger Judi Barrett, who posted Would you go grocery shopping if you didn't have any money? , that would be enough reason for me to start showing him condo-hotel units in Daytona Beach. He has a … (8 comments)

Me And Trump... Or Trump And Me? - 08/26/11 11:09 PM
How «High» is High Rise?
Did you ever ask yourself this question? How high is high rise? Is there a definition of a high rise? I googled, and the king of answering every stupid question out there choked on this one. You can read about tower block, vertical construction and all this, but I could not find a definition of how high is a high rise.
But today I found the answer, thanks for Florida Statutes. There, in Chapter 718.112 (I) (Condominium Law) I ran into this « ...a high rise building, meaning one greater than 75 feet in height.» So, now … (18 comments)

Meet Erica Ramus - 08/26/11 02:18 AM
About a week ago I ran into Erica Ramus' blog. She wrote that she was coming with her son to Daytona Beach, and was offering to meet whoever is by I-95. I am not big at meet ups, but hey, it was right here in Daytona, and how could I miss it?

She came to town later on Tuesday, and we set the meeting for later Wednesday, so that I could make it from Orlando REBar Camp. Erica said that she preferred local places, and seafood was on her mind.
With that the most logical place in Daytona Beach Area … (16 comments)

REBar Camp Orlando - 08/26/11 12:05 AM
Yesterday I spent a day at REBar Camp Orlando at magnificent Rosen Shingles Resort. This was my first REBar. A couple of years ago I went to Orlando for a RainCamp, and ReBar Camp, which was next day.

After a day at AR Camp I decided that another wasteful day would be too much, and I did not stay for REBar Camp. Katerina Gasset, aka Coach Katerina, later told me that it was a very good event and a wonderful learning experience, making me regret missing it. I put it on my memory shelf and when I read about REBar … (17 comments)

Best Priced Large 3-bdr Condo in Daytona Beach Shores - 08/23/11 04:11 PM
This 3 bdr / 3 baths condominium unit just became available for showing. Best priced ocean view 3 bdr / 3 baths large (2,140) sq. ft. condo in DiMucci Towers Grande.
Built in 2004, Towers Grande is one of the most popular condos among investors in Daytona Beach Shores, because of their liberal rental restrictions (2 weeks minimum), and allowing pets, and, of course, it has all conceivable amenities

Association fee is about $437 a month (fee paid quarterly).
Here is the best part about this condo. At $249,900 it is exactly $100K less than next lowest priced unit on the same line … (12 comments)

FSBOs... Who Is Letting Genie Out? - 08/23/11 02:20 AM
Linda Edelwich posted Just say NO to the FSBO  As you can easily guess, It is about FSBOs, and not surprisingly for a blog written by an agent, the angle is that sellers should not risk selling on their own and instead hire real estate agents. It is featured, quite a number of comments, and in the best AR tradition, shows depressing envious unity in responses.
I am far from bashing Linda's blog and the comments it has generated. I simply want to say that there is usually more to every story than what is on the surface. And it is … (32 comments)

Mutual Disappointment - 08/20/11 08:56 PM
I do not have buyers this weekend, but I have two showings of our listing in Towers Grande in Daytona Beach Shores. We actually have more showings but others have lockboxes, but Towers Grande,  like many other condos, do not allow lock boxes. Plus the managers are not there on weekends and getting into the building is not easy on weekends unless you have the Master key.
This is a short sale, and we are in a rush to beat the foreclosure. It is a 3 bdr/3bath 2,140 sf oceanview condo in Towers Grande, built in 2004. The price reflects the … (11 comments)

Unsatisfactory Satisfaction? - 08/19/11 05:55 PM
I am just curious whether anyone else had a similar experience. Short sale closed a year and a half ago. One mortgage only, Chase.
On my table is the Satisfaction of Mortgage from Chase Bank. The Bank acknowledges full payment and satisfaction. However, the Seller is now getting constant calls from a collection agency, which claims they have bought the defaulted notes from Chase and have the right to collect.

Do you know of such other examples, and is the Collection Agency just trying to scare my client, or they really could buy a right collect in a situation … (23 comments)

Any Karma With Your Credit? - 08/19/11 05:21 PM
There is a very cool website offering to show your credit score. I do not know whether this is an actual FICO score, but it looks like the closest that you can get besides going to mortgage guys.
I like it. You create an account and you can come and monitor your credit score. I was watching mine go up, and then suddenly it dropped. So, I investigated, and yep, there was some wrong info, I took care of it, and checked today and saw that the score was back.
It is a cool site, with a way to learn how … (11 comments)

Free... Or Priceless? - 08/19/11 02:46 AM
People call me, looking to buy a vacation condo to escape a few times a year, especially in winter, I am looking for the best deal for them, go into details why this and why not this. I am good at that. I know some nuances, I learned to foresee things that are not obvious at the time of showing…
I am comparing sq. footage, amenities, ceiling heights, moldings, windows, doors, vanities... But is it the most important? Or the amount of maintenance and what the condos were selling at the peak of the market?
Am I here because of the biggest sq footage and … (19 comments)

Time of Roses... - 08/18/11 10:14 PM
I have an announcement to make. For those who has been on AR long enough, it is like a public service. In 3 days it is Brad Andersohn's birthday. So, if you know who he is, then you most probably like him a lot, and then you can go to his page and tell him that.
I have a bit of nostalgia for the time when Brad was not yet even an employee of AR and not yet ActiveBrad. The time when he was writing those highly educational/useful/eye opening, practical blogs and hundreds of members flocked to them every day. What a … (18 comments)

St. Kitts Condominiums in Daytona Beach Shores. August 2011 - 08/18/11 03:06 AM
St. Kitts Condominiums. 2855 S Atlatic Ave, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118
St. Kitts is one of the condominium buildings in Costa Bella collection by Cook Development. Other condominiums in the series are Marbella, Bella Vista, and Palma Bella. All of them are in Daytona Beach Shores.

Located at 2855 S Atlantic Ave in Daytona Beach Shores, St. Kitts, built in 2004, is the first and at 6 storeys and 24 units - the smallest building in Costa Bella collection (Marbella also has 24 units, but it is a 7-storey building).
St. Kitts is the last condo on the north … (6 comments)

Ocean Vistas Condominiums in Daytona Beach Shores. August 2011 - 08/16/11 10:06 PM
Ocean Vistas Condominiums. 1925 S Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118
I consider Ocean Vistas in Daytona Beach Shores the best oceanfront condo in greater Daytona Area.  «A uniqueness of this project is bringing the Art Deco style to the Daytona Beach area» wrote the architect, the Principal at Charlan Brock & Associates, David Portwood. 
And as Ocean Vistas' website says «Premier among Florida's luxury condominiums, this beautiful community features 108 graciously sized, two- and three-bedroom residences on 400 feet of beachfront.
Spacious balconies with glass rails for unobstructed views; Access-controlled entry to building, parking garage and pool area; Gourmet … (9 comments)

Why I Chose Real Estate - 08/15/11 11:59 PM
Hmm, Actually, I did not choose Real Estate. It sort of had chosen me. After immigrating in 1991 I was looking for every opportunity to brush up my rusty English, and without a penny in my pocket I heavily relied on free English, so I would go to any presentation open to public. That's how I ended one day in Marriot in Manhattan listening to a Real Estate self made (and self proclaimed) millionaire.
That was where I first heard the term Real Estate. I walked away with very vague idea of what it was about and with some headache … (20 comments)

Spreading Luck in Thick Layer - 08/15/11 02:43 AM
I always say that those who feel the market and acts a few months before others feel it, do best. Yes, they risk the most, but they do best. Not everyone is cut to run with big dogs, not everyone has that excellent sense...However, if your risk tolerance is different, the initial changes in the trend are good indicators. Yes, it is a bit less risk, but still excellent rewards.
Of course, you can still wait until you see that only lazy don't make money in real estate. Then you may join the ranks of those who bought real estate in 2005 … (5 comments)

Have You Really Missed the Boat? - 08/14/11 05:16 PM
Have you really missed the boat and is it too late to buy a condo in Daytona at great price?
The prices in Daytona condo market started stabilizing in the second half of 2010, they are still all over the place, but inventory is lower, fewer choices and in general lower priced units go fast.
We are also down with unsold inventory by a developer except for MG on the Halifax (former Marina Grande on the Halifax) in Holly Hill, and Opus Condominiums in Daytona Beach Shores. Of course, whoever bought units at low prices, are not in distress and will not … (6 comments)

Piece of $hit... Can I Buy It? - 08/13/11 06:27 PM
Alan May posted this Kopi Luwak - good to the last "droppings"? It is written in his, and only his, engaging style, that makes him one of the most interesting bloggers.
I guess the way this coffee is done is a surprise for many, and the thought of it may not be the most pleasant one. I am sure it is not the only thing that comes to us from animal dung.
Many plants can grow from a seed. Some, however, are going through the stomach of birds and animals. They would eat a berry, and then the acids in the … (12 comments)

How Good Is Your Parachute? - 08/10/11 07:02 PM
Imagine a man or a woman buying a plane ticket. S/he goes on the net and searches for the best deal. S/he finally finds one. It is an exceptional price, so s/he is thrilled.
Small problem, however. The seat is not by the window, and s/he would like it by the window.
Is there anything by the window? Yep, but $200 more. What if s/he waits? Well, the seats are going fast, and the deal might be gone.
S/he still decides to wait until there will be a seat for the same money but by the window.
One hour later … (16 comments)

I Could Have Bought for Less... - 08/10/11 03:14 PM
Every now and then I sit and scroll through old e-mails, deleting some and stumbling upon those that at one point were very hyped about buying a condo on Daytona Beachside, requested tons of information, asked me go to the unit and take dozens of photos...
But it is part of the job, and I do it.
Just last January-February I have exchanged 17 e-mails with a customer, who was looking at something definitely oceanfront or great oceanview, 2 bdr/ 2 baths... Finally he picked the least expensive unit in 89 Oceanfront Condominiums in Ormond Beach, cut it by another $30K and wrote … (13 comments)

Honestly, Why Do I Need An Agent? - 08/09/11 04:28 PM
This is a story from the peak of the market, but with the first signs of slowing market. We were negotiating a condo unit in Bella Vista in Daytona Beach Shores. Developer was a straightforward guy, and it was a pleasure to negotiate, no tricks, arm twisting, and all that. This somehow sent a wrong signal to the Buyer, who came with demands, and with every demand answered, now wanted more and more... and when everything he wanted was met, he demanded another discount and the developer said «No». So, the buyer walked away. The pasture was not green enough...
I … (28 comments)

What a Baby-Turtle Can Teach the President - 08/09/11 02:00 AM
One summer a few years ago my daughter adopted 3 turtle nests. When time to hatch was close, Olga and I would go to the beach and we would make sure that the path from the nests (they are staked out and circled with a yellow tape) to the ocean was easy for the baby turtles ready to hatch any day. We would remove the seaweeds, and try to smooth the sand.
After they hatch, they wait till evening and then make their way out and go to the ocean. This is how their journey starts, and many years later those … (40 comments)

Isn't It Overpriced? - 08/07/11 11:59 PM
My clients came to see this three-bedroom/three baths direct oceanfront unit in Bella Vista in Daytona Beach Shores.
The view is excellent, view east to the ocean and north, making it a panoramic spectacular view.
Unit is in perfect condition.
They liked the unit. The question is: «Isn't it overpriced?»
I know why the question came. Just yesterday another unit, just next to it (not direct oceanfront) was closed for just under $400K.
So, is it overpriced?
There are 7 units for sale in Bella Vista and this particular unit for $421 is the least expensive unit. Next unit just one … (14 comments)

Palma Bella in Daytona Beach Shores. August 2011 Update - 08/07/11 05:58 PM
My blog resulted in a call from snowbirds. They have been renting here for years, and now are getting ready to retire and settle in Daytona Beach Shores. They are familiar with the area, have seen condos on the beach and know what they want.
In 2009 they fell in love with a unit in Palma Bella in Daytona Beach Shores. Priced at $398,500, this large 2,425 sq. ft. direct oceanfront three bedroom-three baths unit on the 3rd floor was an excellent buy. They were tempted, but there was an issue with getting money from the retirement plan, and, I believe, they … (6 comments)

How long can YOU tread water? - 08/05/11 11:22 PM
Mimi said what I was trying to say all along. Americans know that they have to live according to their means, and every housewife is doing it, better or worse. However, the government just can't figure the way to do it.
Read Mimi's post. If this is still difficult to understand, than nothing can help. If we can't see that we are in self destructing  mode of operation, then we really deserve this government
Via Mimi Foster - Colorado Springs Realtor (EPIC Real Estate Group Real Estate Colorado Springs):
While ActiveRain is not usually the place that I want to get political, … (2 comments)

Bread, Butter and a Slice of Freedom - 08/05/11 12:16 AM
20 years ago on July 30th 1991 we boarded Pan Am Boeing 747 in Sheremetjevo Airport, Moscow, and after a long, exhausting and hostile border patrol checks and uncertainty of the last minute, when you are tight as a string of a bow, we finally got into our seats and the plane took off, and about 300 of lucky ones finally breathed the sigh of relief....We were leaving the Soviet Union, and we were leaving it for good.
It was our son's birthday. He turned 19 on that long-long day...
It was a flight from the past to the future. It … (33 comments)

You Really Want to Send Me A Referral? - 08/03/11 06:36 PM
Referral is a magic word on AR. Luckily for me, I came for knowledge and pleasure. I did not believe there ever would be any business as a direct result of blogging on AR, and it took quite a long time to really become a source of business. Actually, a major source of business...
Anyway, when I read that somebody would send me a referral in this area, I feel uncomfortable. After doing this for long enough, I figured that it does not really work for me.

I work a specific niche, and it is both a type of product … (60 comments)

Oceans Four Condominium in Daytona Beach Shores. Market Snapshot - 08/03/11 03:00 AM
I posted yesterday Oceans Four Condominium in Daytona Beach Shores. It is a general blog post about the building and the amenities.

Today we will look at sales in Oceans Four condominiums in Daytona Beach Shores.
There are currently only 4 units for sale in Oceans Four. Two 2 bdr/2 bath units, one 3bdr/2 baths unit and one unit which consists of two 2 bdr/2 bath units, a rather unique situation.
 
4 units for sale is an interesting sign. In stable (healthy) market we usually have 7% of total number of units for sale. So, with 115 units in … (7 comments)

Oceans Four Condominium in Daytona Beach Shores - 08/02/11 02:53 AM
Oceans Four Condominium in Daytona Beach Shores
 
This is one of 15 condominium buildings in the family of The Oceans, even though two or them do not have «Oceans» in the name (Cloverleaf South and Cloverleaf North), this is know in Daytona as the Oceans.

Oceans Four was built in 1980, and this is a unique Oceanfront Oceans. Only one building like it.

At the time it was built, it was a benchmark for luxury. Imagine a 21-story oceanfront building with 3 stacks of elevator each opening to two units. The first condo to have an indoor pool … (10 comments)

 
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Jon Zolsky, your Daytona Beach, Florida connection

Daytona Beach, FL

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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

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