Volusia County Real Estate Listings vs Sales Review for 2008

Port Orange Real Estate Blog. Information and Reports by Lisa Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!" for all your real estate needs

I know I'm backtracking quite a bit here, but I just realized that I never posted the year-end, 2008 real estate results to this blog. (It happens when you're trying to keep up with several blogs!) So here are those results, which you can also find on my primary blog at www.RealEstateBlogConnect.com....

Being a REALTOR® can be a tough job. Especially when everyone who wants to sell real estate, or buy real estate, wants to hear some good news about the real estate market. Unfortunately, for the last couple of years, the one answer that everyone wants to hear, is not the answer I've been able to give them.

Last year, I posted a blog with a chart that showed the real estate market statistics for 2000-2007. <<>

And now it's time for the 2008 year-end real estate review for Volusia County. The following chart shows the listings vs sales comparison for the greater Daytona Beach area. The only difference between this chart and my previous charts is, this chart does not include the data for New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater. As silly as this may seem, the Daytona Beach Association of REALTORS® and the New Smyrna Beach REALTOR® Association are only about 20 miles apart. It's actually easier for me to work with real estate buyers and sellers who are interested in New Smyrna Beach or Edgewater than it is for me to work with clients who want to buy or sell real estate north of Ormond Beach. But Ormond Beach is part of the Daytona Beach area and New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater are separate. But many real estate brokerages will double post their listings to both the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS® and the New Smyrna Beach REALTOR® Association

All that being said, for now, here is the chart with the real estate data for all of 2008, from the Daytona Beach Multiiple Listing Service (MLS).

And here are the specific numbers for each city...

If you'd like to buy or sell real estate in the Daytona Beach area, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

Port Orange Real Estate: 1st Quarter Listings and Sales Report

Due to the improving market in most Volusia County cities, I wanted to go ahead and get started with the Port Orange real estate statistics. Being that a large portion of my real estate sales are listed and sold in Port Orange, I decided to start there, for my 1st Quarter Listings and Sales Review for 2009. And I've tried a different method of calculating the data this time. The first chart provides greater detail, and a better overview of the Port Orange real estate market.

This report is for single family houses in Port Orange, in order for interested Port Orange real estate buyers and sellers to get a true picture of this market.

The upper chart shows the details of the first quarter of 2009. (A few days short) And if you're a more visual person, I've created a pie chart which you can view at the left.

Compared to last years' statistics, the overall Volusia County real estate market is improving.

If you're interested in buying or selling real estate in Port Orange, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®. Lisa Hill is a Daytona Beach native, and Port Orange home owner with experience selling all types of real estate, in ever city in Volusia County.

Real Estate Buyers, find helpful information here.

Real Estate Sellers, find helpful information here.

View video tours of Port Orange and Daytona Beach real estate here.

Port Orange Residents, Are You Breaking City Ordinances?

I've lived in Port Orange for over 10 years, and in the Daytona Beach area since I was born. And my daughter is a 5th generation Floridian =) but I digress. I just think it's cool to have all my family nearby since it's somewhat rare anymore.

This blog post is about some information I recently discovered. When I found this page on the web site for the city of Port Orange, I started asking people if they were aware of this ordinance. (We do have a lot of unique ordinances. Many of them help keep Port Orange a city that's a step up from some of the others.) In this case, I discovered that many people were not aware of this ordinance, and some knew about it and were knowingly in violation. But it's for the good of our residents and our environment.

Ironically, I was planning to blog about our water restrictions anyway. But this seems to be more pressing. Port Orange home owners already know we have water restrictions and most people comply with them. Very few people choose to blatantly disregard our water restrictions. But I'm not sure what to think of this water ordinance.

Here's the simple, short paragraph about a Port Orange ordinance pertaining to our water restrictions.

"Rain sensors are required on all automatic irrigation systems by March 2003 according to City Ordinance 01-63. You can get rain sensors at local hardware stores. It is recommended that a professional electrician install the sensor. For information on the sensor requirement, please call Mary Kronenberg in the City’s Public Utilities Department at 506-5756. If Mary is not in, please leave your name and telephone number, someone will contact you as soon as possible."

Do you see the date in the very first line of this ordinance? This went into effect six years ago! But in my little poll, I discovered that approximately half of Port Orange residents even know about this water ordinance, and about another half had chosen to disregard it. And what I really don't get is how real estate builders are building new construction, and the irrigation systems do not have this required rain sensor. How is that possible!?

OK. Here's the deal. I'm not a fanatic about most things. But about a year and a half ago I discovered and blogged about some unbelievable problems with Florida's ecosystem, wetlands, and aquifer. My first post along these lines was titled "Florida's Vanishing Wetlands". (You can follow the link to read that post.) Part two of that mini-series was downright alarming. The second post was titled "Florida's Aquifers (Vanishing Wetlands Part 2)". Read that post for the full information, but here's what everyone needs to know.

The Floridan Aquifer is Florida's primary source of fresh water. The details of that are in the second post. but the bottom line is, the Floridan Aquifer is becoming more and more polluted. Here is a partial list of the polutants in our aquifer.

• Antimony
• Asbestos
• Barium
• Cadmium
• Chromium
• Cyanide
• Fluoride
• Mercury
• Nickel
• Selenium
• Sodium
• Thallium
• Nitrate
• Nitrite

Please read the post to learn the effects of these chemicals, and to develop a better understanding of why it's so important for us to preserve our water resources.

If you're a Port Orange resident, or even a resident of anywhere in Central Florida, please educate yourself about the pollution of the Floridan Aquifer, and have your automated irrigation systems fitted with rain sensors, as required by city ordinance.

If you're interested in buying or selling real estate in Port Orange FL, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron REALTORS®, for all your real estate needs.

www.PortOrangeRealEstateSales.com

www.LisaHillRealtor.com

A Behind the Scenes Look at the Business of Real Estate (Pulling Back the Curtain)

As a REALTOR®, it's easy to forget that the public doesn't always know how we get paid and/or how the real estate business works. They don't see what happens behind the curtain. So I'm pulling back the curtain. I believe the consumer might enjoy learning about the hidden part of the real estate transaction, and at times, just how much can be hanging by a thread. Hopefully, you'll enjoy learning about the process behind the process. To keep this as simple as possible, I'll start by stating that REALTORS® are not employees. We're Independent Contractors. We don't get a W-2, with our taxes partially paid by an employer. We get a 1099 and are responsible for ALL of our own taxes and expenses. Think of every REALTOR® as an individual small business owner. Therefore, we have to itemize our taxes, and write off whatever is eligible for claim as a business expense. But those small tax breaks don't add up to much when each and every expense is our own to pay! Now for some specifics... REALTORS® work strictly on a commission basis. We do not get paid until we actually close on a property. And out of each commission, we have to pay for...

• All gas and vehicle mileage incurred by that transaction
• Any "extras" we may have donated to help facilitate the transaction
• The cost of postcards or paper, ink, envelopes, and postage that was needed to promote a listing, or send notification of a sale
• Paper, ink, color copier, (or we can pay someone else for this service) and yard boxes for flyers, if we've provided this service for a real estate seller
• Costs of all advertising for the duration of a listing, which in our current market, could take 2 years. (That's how much inventory we have in our MLS)
• Lockbox, if the brokerage doesn't pay for it, or a different kind of lockbox, as is sometimes needed
• Name riders or personalized signs, if for a listing
• MANY hours of our time

In addition to the costs incurred for an individual sale, there are the things that are needed just to keep our business running smoothly and professionally (some of these are only what I personally consider necessary)...

• REALTORS'® Personal Web Site
• Multiple Blogs
• Errors and Omissions Insurance
• Computers: Desktop and Laptop
• Portable Hard Drive/Memory Stick/Jump Drive
• Cell/Smart Phone with Contact Manager, plenty of minutes, text messaging, and internet capability, so we can provide full-service for our clients
• High Speed Internet Connection
• Additional Phone Lines for fax or DSL
• Cable Modem if DSL is not used
• High Quality Camera for taking quality listing photos, or to take extra photos for buyers and insurance companies
• Video Camera for filming listings
• Photo Editing Software
• Video Editing Software
• Word Processing Software
• Contact Management Software
• Power Point Software for miscellaneous presentations
• Personal Printer/Scanner/Copier/Fax
• Personal Brochure, Business Cards, and other miscellaneous handouts
• Extra Vehicle Insurance, since we use our vehicles for business
• More Gas and Vehicle usage, as we travel to each appointment, even if we don't get the business!
• Personalized Open House signs
• Office Supplies
• (We have to replace these items on our own, as they break or become outdated)
• And let's not forget, a true real estate professional is going to be knowledgeable of any recent changes in real estate laws, and is proficient in the Social Networking of Web 2.0

In addition to all this, REALTORS® pay to be members of their local REALTOR® Association, and for access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Then they have to pay for ALL their own taxes, which are higher due to non-employee status. We also pay for our own health insurance and medical costs. And there are always additional marketing materials that are needed, to keep new business coming in. Let's also not forget that with everything I've listed, there are many, many, many hours of work that is done... all without knowing if the work we're currently doing is going to lead to an eventual sale. And some clients may take years before they buy. I recently sold a house to someone I've been working with for 3 years. In order to bring these types of clients to a successful closing, we have to maintain contact with them, and meet their needs for the entire time, until they buy.

With all that being said, I'll finish this post by stating what I thought would be obvious, but apparently is not. And I'll preface this by saying, the next section is not meant to be rude or offensive. It's just the reality of the situation. So here it is... When a REALTOR® works with a real estate buyer, the REALTOR® expects that buyer to be loyal, and not call other real estate agents. Many times, a buyer can unintentionally, with one phone call, or by stopping by one open house, land in the cross-hairs of another agent who is not ethical enough to ask if that buyer is working with another REALTOR®, and end up negating all of the costs, and hours, and dedication they've been given by the REALTOR® who has been working diligently to help them find that perfect home. Actually, when this happens, their former REALTOR® ends up with less than zero... it's worse than ending up with nothing. It's a deficit of the worst kind. That loss of time, income, and expenses paid, not only amounts to bad business, it also means that all this was taken away from our families who depend on us. It's a loss of our time and expenses that could have been better spent on a client who is loyal. This is why many REALTORS® will require a real estate buyer to sign a buyer/broker real estate agreement.

To elaborate just a bit more, if a real estate buyer is going to call other agents, that buyer's agent is not going to be able to do their best work. If we (REALTORS'®) know our real estate buyer(s) are working only with us to find their next property, we'll go out of our way to find the perfect property; we'll set aside extra time for that buyer; we'll always have the needs of that particular buyer in the back of our minds, even when we're on a non-related appointment. Also, with the Multiple Listing System (MLS), all REALTORS® have access to each others' listings. The agent who is working for a loyal real estate buyer, can setup a customized MLS search for that buyer, and keep them apprised of new listings as they come on the market. It's about going the extra mile for that loyal buyer, and doing what is necessary to meet their needs. It's a win/win relationship.

One last note: With all this information, I didn't even touch on all the details of the individual real estate transactions. I guess that will be a future post.

If you'd like to buy or sell real estate in the Daytona Beach, Port Orange, Ormond Beach and encompassing areas, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill with Adams Cameron&Co., REALTORS® for all your real estate needs.

2008 Year-End Real Estate Review for Countryside in Port Orange

Port Orange Real Estate & Community Events Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

Earlier this week I wrote a post to my real estate blogs, about the Community of Countryside in Port Orange, FL. This is not the first time I've blogged about this beautiful community. I may be a bit partial to it, since it's my home neighborhood. I live in The Hunt Club in Countryside. The Hunt Club is just one of several communities within the greater community of Countryside. And the fabulous Port Orange location is as convenient as it gets. To learn more about the master community of Countryside, or some of the smaller communities within, just follow the links within this post, and keep clicking from there.

Countryside, The Hunt Club, Steeplechase, The Meadows, The Villas, and the other interior neighborhoods, are deed restricted communities with mini and master associations. has a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis courts, and is situated on a beautiful lake. All home owners and residents of the smaller communities within Countryside have access to these amenities, which are paid for, in the very affordable annual Home Owner's Association (HOA) fees. And since my husband is the President of The Hunt Club in Countryside, I just finished typing the first 2009 newsletter for him. So I decided to share it with you. This is a great way for you to have a taste of our fabulous community.

If you're a real estate buyer, or a real estate seller, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill for all your real estate needs.

www.PortOrangeRealEstateSales.com

www.PortOrangeRealEstateBlog.com

CFL Light Bulbs and Mercury in Your Home

As a REALTOR®, I feel that it's a large part of my job, to look out for, and educate my clients, and potential clients about anything relating to their homes, or any real estate they may be buying or selling. In light of this sense of duty, I felt an obligation to share what I know about the new CFL light bulbs that are supposed to be more environmentally friendly than the ones we've been using for our entire lives (pretty much).

I don't know if everyone is aware of the fact that the new CFL light bulbs contain mercury. I've known this for a while, but it seems like the EPA and the government pushing the new CFL light bulbs on us, are deliberately not stating all the facts.

I guess the question that remains, once you've discovered that there is mercury is this supposedly eco-friendly bulb is, are you OK with that? Have you asked yourself the important questions, such as, what happens when one breaks in your home? Here are a few facts about the cleanup process...

• All pets and humans should immediately leave the room.
• Central heat and air units should be turned off immediately.
• No one should re-enter the room for a minimum of 15 minutes.
• Glass particles and mercury dust should be scooped up with something solid and place in a glass jar with a metal lid, or sealed bag.
• Remains should then be taken to a toxic waste dump!
• Even if the bulb is not broken, do not through it in the trash because it will break in transit to the dump. They must always be taken to a toxic waste dump!

I made the following video on this topic, for my YouTube channel and subscribers. I discuss these points in the video, and I included links to scientific data about these so-called "environmentally friendly" light bulbs. And yes, It's a little bit long, but I made the video for my YouTube subscribers (and they don't mind), then decided to use it in this blog, rather than the other way around. But you can find plenty of info in a Google search, if you'd like to do your own research. I'm not in any way exaggerating the facts! If anything, I didn't place enough emphasis on the problems.

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

Get all your real estate information here.

Welcome Port Orange Residents!

This is it! Your new and improved Port Orange blog (web log), created especially for Port Orange residents, and even our wannabe's. =) Here, you'll be able to find (and comment on) Port Orange real estate, news, events and more.

Creating your own Blogspot account is easy. And once you've done so, you'll be able to leave your comments, suggestions and constructive opinions on the blogs posted here. You can even suggest your own ideas for future blog posts, or if you have a knack for writing, feel free to write your own post and receive credit for it! This is blogging, Web 2.0 style!

Do you have something well-written and constructive to contribute? If so, leave a comment on this post, and we'll get back to you, with details on how you can add your content to this blog.

I hope you'll find this to be a fun, interactive source of Port Orange information, for you and your friends. Let's all contribute, and create a well-rounded, safe place, for optimistic Port Orange-ites (new word) to interact.

The next post will be specifically for Countryside, with the year-end data for 2008. (Unfortunately, there wasn't enough data to write an entire post just for the Hunt Club.)

If you'd like to see the 2008 year-end real estate data for a particular Port Orange community, post a comment and we'll be happy to compile that data for you, just as soon as we can.

I'm excited about having our own, Port Orange online community that is not too big to enjoy, and I hope you all look forward to getting to know each other through your supportive, constructive comments.

I will be tweaking, and adding some more interesting and interactive tools to this site, and a few simple guidelines. After all, sometimes the written word does not completely convey the true intentions of the one who posts the comment. So we will be taking steps to do the best we can, to avoid any misunderstandings or miscommunications.

Bookmark/Favorite this blog and check back often for new Port Orange information as we grow our little community!

Lisa C. Hill, Port Orange Resident, REALTOR®, and Daytona Beach native.