Jon Zolsky, your Daytona Beach, Florida connection

A very early Sunday on the Beach in Daytona Beach Dhores.

This Sunday August 16, 2009 started way too early for me. The alam clock mercilessly forced me out of bed at 5:30 AM, wihich usually happens only when I am have to catch a morning plane, and that does not happen often at all. I am an night owl, and sitting at the computer until 3-4 AM is OK, but getting up at 5:30 AM is not. However, there was an occasion that we could not miss.

"The Mayor, City Council, Staff and Residents welcome the participants of the triathlons and their families back to the city of Daytona Beach Shores for the 2009 season. This city supports the active life style associated with triathletes and has pledged to help in every way possible to make these events a success."

That's about us. No, me and my wife were not the participants in the triathlon, but our 17-year old grandson Daniel was, and we, along with his parents, younger brother and friends were his moral support team.

The city of  Daytona Beach Shores held 3 triathlons this summer season, with this one being the last and the most difficult. SPRINT TRIATHLON #3 was 800 yd. swim/15 mile road bike/ 4 mile beach run. Daniel is on his High School Swimming team, but he is not the fastest swimmer. He is a pretty good runner, but not the fastest either. He, turned out, is a good bicyclist, but again, he is not the best.

What is really good about him, however, is that he is a good organizer. He heard about triathlon, thought that it would be in September, made some preliminary arrangements with friends, but then checked and it was August 16. With one week left and friends could not make it, he started looking for teammates, and he put together a Relay team that they called Flagler (name of the county and the school) Guards, as they are working as lifeguards in different locations.

Trevor is a faster swimmer, so he started first with half a mile swim in the ocean, and he did it with absolute best time among all the participants: 8:43. Then it was Daniel's turn to test his skills on  the  bike. 15 miles exhausted him, but his time still was the best time among all relay teams. Tom Gillins ran the last leg of the relay - 4 miles on the Beach and his result was second among other relay teams. With 2 best results and one 2nd, they won the male relay. To much of our amusement. I thhink, to much of their own amusement.

There were men and women that did all three legs, not teams. The best results for both men and women are better than for the winner relay team. I saw the overall female champion Ashley Olsen from Mount Lauren, NJ, who had a better overall result that even the best relay team, wow. She ia a small girl, but a very tough cookie. That's endurance. I congratulated her with the victory and asked the permission to take her photo (this is Ashley). He said her boyfriend was still on the track. Well, he was not the only guy that she had left far behind.

This was the first time I watched the triathlon. I was surprised to see participants from teenagers, like our Daniel to people of my age. I have a lot of respect for all of them.

And, yes, Trevor, Daniel, and Tom, congratulations

Understanding Condo-Hotels In Daytona Beach. Condo-Hotels vs. Condos. Safety of your Investment is a second post in the series. The first was Understanding Condo-Hotels In Daytona Beach. Condo-Hotels vs. Condos

Today we will look at some aspects of the safety of your investment.

I keep saying the same thing to those who walk in my office. If you can afford a residential condo, it most probably is a better choice.

Condo-hotels are when you can't afford a condo on the ocean, and you want to have a place on the ocean. So far condo-hotels are an affordable alternative to vacation condos. So, if your budget pushes you into a condo-hotel, that's fine, but it is still a good idea to understand the difference between the two type of properties in terms of safety of your investment.

Residential condos in Daytona Beach area are those where the majority of people live permanently, and a lesser part own units as vacation properties. Even though they are governed by the Board of Directors of the Association, as in condo-hotels, they are less vulnerable, as the aspirations of the owners of condos in residential condominium are much closer, than in a condo-hotel. Here's why:

In residential condo the owners pretty much want the same: security, stability, and good value. Even if people may fight for details, they usually agree on the major goals.

In Condo-Hotels in Daytona Beach area you have 3 different groups of owners, and their interests do not coincide.

• Owners who bought for a long haul and who wants the stability and value. They are sensitive to the needs of the property and are willing to go with Special assessments if they help in achieving those long term goals.
• Owners, who bought it for investment, and who would flip them at first opportunity, and who want the units to be rented as much as possible, and who can't care less whether it is rented to prostitutes and drug dealers for as long as it is rented. They would fight any attempt of Assessment for beautification, would fight the reserve requirement. They do not care that the owners need to collect money for future roof replacement, elevator replacement, painting of the building, etc. They hope they would sell before this time comes.
• Owners that do not rent, and who use the units for themselves. Telling them that the property needs an upgrade so that it could attract better clientele, and allowing raise the rates is like talking to a wall. They do not care about your rent. Fewer people coming to stay even better for them.

Now, you are in the hands of the Board of Directors, and who they represent. If the board is split, there is very little you can do. If it is a 5 member board, 3 against 2 will always win, and if you are not lucky, these 3 can run the property into the ground with fanfares.

So, though the condo-hotels are like residential condos in legal structure, they carry significantly higher risks of instability.

If you are looking for a long term, it may make sense even to look at residential condos on the Halifax River. They are less expensive than in direct oceanfront buildings, and a trade between stability and 10 minutes walk to the beach can make sense. At least you may consider this alternative.

Add to that that in a recession like we have now, people fight for their primary residencies, and even when some condo owners of residential properties are in trouble and stop paying maintenance fee, the percentage of these people to the total number of units is still manageable for the association. Condo-Hotel owners in Daytona Beach area do not live here, and if they hit the wall, they would fight for their primary residence in New York or New Jersey, but would easily stop worrying about losing their condo-hotel units. And when it happens, they stop making payments not only to the Bank, but to the association to maintain the property. But the association has to pay the bills. Guess what they have to do? Right, assess those who are paying to cover for those who are not.

I understand your indignation, and I know that you want to tell me that the association can foreclose on the unit, so why is the problem. Not so fast. They often can't, but this is the topic for our next discussion on Tuesday.

Do not forget to come back.

Understanding Condo-Hotels in Daytona Beach. Condo-Hotels vs. Condos is the first post in a short series of blog posts. If you like the first one and want to read the rest of them, subscribe to the blog.

Condo-Hotels in Daytona Beach area have a high turnover. For several years every time someone walks in our office and asks us to sell their unit, I always ask why people are selling. Every time it is about "idiots on the Board", "stupid rules", etc. Never because the condition of the building. Not surprisingly, condo-hotels are so often misunderstood.

Legally condo-hotels are condominiums. Actually, the term "condo-hotels" is only used here to describe condominiums with minimum rentals of one day, like in hotels. Of course, here the majority of condo-hotels were hotels, converted to condominiums, but which keep operating as hotel.

On a daily basis I am answering questions about condo-hotels. the major question is what to buy: a residential condominium (apartment condo) or a condo-hotel. The answer is surprisingly simple. If you can afford a residential condo, go for it.

Residential condominiums in Daytona Beach Area are generally a safer bet. Yes, there are some developments, that came on the market a little too late, and are unsold, and their future is not certain, but these situations are for the most part known. Condominiums that have been fully sold before the last recession hit them hard, are a safer bet.

Condos (residential or apartment condominiums) in Daytona Beach area are generally more expensive in our area. So yes, if your budget is $50,000 top and you want to be in the oceanfront building, condo-hotel may be the only option. The problem is that buyers are looking at $29K (yes, that's a real price) condo-hotels as a prize oceanfront, and it may be not without a caveat.

Price is not the only criteria in choosing the property in Daytona Beach area.

And how "cheap" is cheap? Let's look at numbers

Price per sq. ft.

370-SF hotel room for $50,000. Your condo-hotel comes at $135 per sq ft. Or you are buying a 2,927 sf super luxury 3 bedroom/ 3 baths plus den oceanfront condo for $400,000. Your condo comes at $136 PSF. But they are worlds apart in terms of quality, size, convenience, and luxury...

Maintenance (Association) fee

For a 372 SF studio in Plaza Resort you would pay $528.50 a month, or $1.41 per sq. ft. For a 2,927 sf 3-bdr unit in Ocean Vistas (one of the newest and best luxury residential condominiums in Daytona Beach Area) you would pay $702, or only $0.24 per sq. ft. or almost 6 times less than for a condo-hotel.

This is it for today. See you here on Sunday.

Interested in Daytona beach Condo-Hotels? Check what is available

Interested in Daytona beach Condominiums? Check what is available

I have known Nasi for 6 years now. He lived in Ocala, but wanted to move to Daytona Beach, and he and his wife bought a condo in the oceanfrnt building.

He became a chef in an Italian restaurant in Palm Coast, 30 miles north of Daytona Beach. The restaurant was dying when he came, and it took Nasi all his creativity and people's skills to get it back on track. It worked and the restaurant was voted the best restaurant in Palm Coast 2 years in a row.

When in Palm Coast, I used the opportunity to visit Nasi. When I would ask what is best, he  absolutely seriously would answer that everything was great. His interaction with patrons made him popular. He  is not afraid to deviate from the  menu, and if you ask for something, which is not on the  menu, he would do it for you.

Since the beginning of this year Nasi is a partner and chef of a small place in the heart of Daytona's downtown - Beach Street. A two-story restaurant is called Mediterranean Experience Cuisine, which gives you the idea of the type of food served. I needed Nasi's photo, and I called him to arrange it. He told me he had one party, which was already leaving, and that he had another party in half hour. It is 5 minutes from my office, so I was right in time between the parties.

Iranian born, Nasi has been in the United States for 30 years. He graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in computer sciences, but by that time he already worked in a restaurant, and he stayed true to his calling.

So, if you are in Daytona Beach, and are thinking of having a lunch, or dinner, check this place out. It is not going to make a dent in your wallet, but it can be your experience with good food in a nice atmosphere. If  you see Nasi, and you will see him, tell him Jon Zolsky told you.

Sunday On The Beach By Harbour Village in Ponce Inlet

I have written about our beach in Ponce Inlet many times, and it keeps fascinating me again and again. This year I forced myself to leave office when it is still light, and it is not difficult in Summer with its long evenings. I have my swimming trunks, a towel in the trunk, my wife has a few more pieces there, and we go to the beach practically every day.

Sunsets on the beach are indescribable. I am walking this beach for years now, and it is always beautiful and always different.

Sunday we had our grandchildren with us. We were a bit late in the morning, and when we got to the beach, it was getting hot. The beach was unusually crowded, which means that there were more than 2 dozen people, and maybe even 3. I am not used to crowds on the beach, and the only time when we really have crowds is when there is shuttle launch. You can see it from our beach in Ponce inlet, but you do not hear the thunder.

The complex that we live in, Links in Harbour Village, has three Club Houses, one of which is right on the beach. We have parking underneath, a social room with full kitchen upstairs (on the dune), a gym, steam room, sauna, lockers. Outside on the dune is a small pool. the Clubhouse is gated, and all the doors are secured. From the Clubhouse we go straight to the beach.

This part of the beach is a natural one. It does not have a sea wall, and instead we have dunes. Our beach in low tide is about 500' wide, and even in high tide there is more than enough room for everyone. The softer sand by the dunes is what attracts sea turtles, and it is a seal turtle nesting season, so we already sea their nests staked out by Turtle Patrol, who checks the beach every early morning to see whether the turtles came to leg eggs in the nest. Lady Turtles are large, from 4 ft in length, and they leave the track behind, which tells Turtle patrol what type of Turtle, loggerhead or green turtle laid eggs. The nests are protected and interfering with them can easily land you in jail.

Last year we "adopted" two nests at $100 each, and it gave us the privilege to attend opening of the nest by beach Patrol 3 days after the tiny baby turtles hatched and left. They open the nest to see if any turtles are left behind and can't get out on their own. In one nest there were no baby turtles, they all left to the ocean, but the other was not that lucky, and our guide got 14 tiny baby turtles, and we played moms and dads and watched in admiration how they were literally fighting for life trying to reach the ocean.

You can't just take them and bring to the ocean, they will most probably die. they have to make there themselves, as in the process they are getting the strength to get to the Gulfstream, which is 40 miles away in the Atlantic.

But I digress. It is another month or more until they start hatching.

Meanwhile we separate, and I go jogging with my older grandson, who is 17, and who is a head taller than me, then I ran out of gas and we continue a brisk walk, and talk about life, is life, of course. he is a patient guy, and tolerate all that crap, even though could easily run away. He is a good kid. In a year I will not be seeing him that often as he will be in college. So, I enjoy my time with him now.

The youngster, who is nine, stays at the "base". He is on a surfboard, and his grandma is watching him from a distance. By the time we come back, the sun is straight up, it is hot and the sand gets hot. Time for me to get to my computer in the air-conditioned condo to my laptop, and to Active Rain. But the program is far from over yet. We go to the clubhouse, and the little one simply switches the ocean for the pool. There are kids with their moms, and our shy Shane is flirting with them.

Meanwhile my grandson is eager to play ping-pong with me, and we do it with all the enthusiasm of amateurs. then a sauna for 20-30 minutes, cold shower, and a few minutes later I am at home... until later in the evening, when the heat is over, and there are few people out there, and this is our precious time with my wife.

It was 88F and on the beach with its constant breeze, it feels even cooler. It is 93F just a couple of miles inland. You will never be hot on the beach as long as you are not under the sun. And you have to be respectful to Florida sun. I see a young woman. She is already covered, but it is a bit late. Instead of a sexy chocolate suntan that she tried to get, she looks like a freshly cooked lobster, and a large white cross on her back is not the testament of her Christian beliefs, but rather an imprint of her swimsuit, that failed to protect her from the sun.

If you think that you deserve a paradise while still here, just do it. Paradise is called Ponce Inlet. There are no businesses besides marinas ad restaurants. There are no hotels or motels. It dead ends at the tip of the island, and we do not see many transients. It is a place that I enjoy since 2004, and where we have never closed our entrance door at night.

If you think that it would be great to live or have a vacation condo by the ocean, and enjoy all the amenities of Harbour Village like a 149-slip State-of-the-Art Marina, or a 9-hole golf course with its beautiful greens, or tennis courts, or a mile-long raised walkway in 102 acre preserve, just come here. Not a single condo on the whole 23 miles of Daytona Beach can offer the amenities like these.

If you are not longing for a piece of Paradise, stay home and get your shovel ready for winter.

Florida is beautiful. Florida is contagious... I live here. Do you?

To search local MLS for homes in Ponce Inlet, click HERE
To search local MLS for condos in Ponce Inlet, click HERE
To search local MLS for vacant land in Ponce Inlet, click HERE