About Volusia County, FL

Our local paper does a great job of publishing events and happenings around our Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach areas. I was properly impressed by the range of activities scheduled under the "Senior Lifestyles" heading, just for the week of Nov. 15:

'HUG-A-BEARS' HEADING TO SOLDIERS OVERSEAS
Members of Florida Chapter 39 of the AT&T Pioneers are making "Hug-a-Bears" as the group's annual Christmas project. Soon the bears will travel all over the world in packages sent to American service personnel.

"POKER RUN BENEFITS FAMILIES
For the fourth year, a bike run sponsored by the AT&T Pioneers and the Communications Workers of America will benefit Family Renew of Daytona Beach, which offers transitional housing for single-parent and two-parent families with minor children.

"DON'T GET TAKEN IN
The Council on Aging's consumer education seminars continue all month with information from the Florida Department of Financial Services concerning how seniors can avoid being victims of financial fraud.

"LEARN, LIVE, LAUGH Bishop's Glen Retirement Community, 900 LPGA Blvd., Holly Hill, is offering the following free presentations on topics of general interest:
2 p.m., Nov. 17, "Is it Alzheimer's Disease?" Learn the signs.
9 a.m., Nov. 18, bring your Red Hat group to a Red Hat Breakfast Buffet.
2 p.m., Nov. 19, a Holiday Blues Grief Workshop will discuss ways to celebrate and memorialize lost loved ones during the holiday season"

(resource: News-Journal Onlne)

Wow! Believe me, there are more - our seniors are active, enjoying our weather, and livin' the lifestyle they can't in the snow and ice. Come join us and call or email me about that 2nd home you'd love to have. Now is the time - prices couldn't be better!

I'm now on post number 5 (plus the additional post that compiled the information of the first 4) of my blogging series for each city in East Volusia County, providing real estate information on the available MLS listings; the types of properties, the number available, and the price ranges for each group.

For this post we're featuring the city of South Daytona, located to the immediate south of Daytona Beach, with the exception that South Daytona does not crossover to the peninsula/beachside/east side of the Intracoastal. But South Daytona does hold some incredible, brand new condos with stunning views of the Intracoastal.

That being said, the previously mentioned real estate listings are found in the chart below. All information is from the Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

If you're considering buying or selling real estate in South Daytona or any of the city in East Volusia county, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa Hill for all your real estate needs.

Great deal on a 2 Bedroom 2 Bath Condo in Venetian Bay. This unit is on the 4th (top) floor overlooking the lake. Wonderful views of the lake from both bedrooms and the main living area. Access to the balcony from both bedrooms and the living room also. Both bedrooms are master suites. This unit can be yours for $160,000.

Palma Bella is one of the newest and finest condominiums in Daytona Beach Shores. Developer - Doug Cook - brought the sense of luxury that simply was not there. Not in the name, as we call luxury any Oceanfront Condo, and though the Ocean is definitely a luxury, the condos very often not.

Palma Bella is one of the five oceanfront condominium buildings comprising the Costa Bella collection in Daytona Beach Area. Out of 5 planned 3 have been completed: Marbella, Bella Vista and Palma Bella.

Palma Bella is a gorgeous building with very spacious three-bedroom and 3 baths units. Developer used best materials and the lobby is very impressive. You find yourself in the art gallery with pictures on the walls, nice tiled common areas with a social room with full kitchen facing 100' pool and the ocean. The U shaped building has a bridge on the 9^th floor making it resemble the Atlantis on the Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

The bridge is facing west, and it is gorgeous place to watch sunsets over the city. Developer was lucky that he had all units reserved, but by the time they got to Closings, the market was not in great shape and some of the buyers/speculators walked away. That became a common challenge for condo developers getting caught in the declining market.

Palma Bella features include underground reserved parking, sundeck w/oceanfront heated pool & spa, oceanfront fitness room.

All units are 9'4" ceilings, crown molding, 5 1/4" baseboards, built-in electric fireplace, European style cabinetry in Kitchens, imported granite countertops, Jenn-Air electric grills on balconies.

Of course, everything is up to new toughest codes with impact-resistant windows and doors with saltwater protection.

Check the available units today. Everything that is under $500K is a terrific price, but look at $398,500. This is an incredible price at $164.33 per sq. ft. What an incredible market.

Call me if you want a million-dollar luxury oceanfront unit for less than 50 cents on a dollar. Call 386-405-4408 or drop me a line in the e-mail.

* The photo of the ocean is taken from unit 202. The least expensive unit 302 is just above it.

Improvements at the Daytona international Speedway for the Daytona 500
Construction has started to add an interactive fan area outside Turn 3 It is expected to be completed in time for the Daytona 500. Current plans call for a go-kart track, play area, Ferris Wheel, and a fan hospitality area.
Also under construction is phase one of the frontstretch renovation on the old dog track property behind the Keech and Lockhart Grandstands that will add two additional gate entrances and improved landscaping and lighting. Read the full story at the Daytona International Speedway web site at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Articles/2009/10/Superstretch-renovation.aspx