Florida home owner received their tax notices this month. A certain writer attempted a video to describe how it may affect the monthly payments for those that escrow their taxes. I provide you with this link to the video knowing full well that it is not a polished product. If you are able to accept a promise that the speaker promises to improve his video work, the message is helpful. Click Here To See The Property Tax Video . First Time Home Buyers: Get Off The Fence! There are 19 shopping days left to find your new home and allow a safe amount of time to close the purchase by the November 30 deadline. 09/12/2009

The past week has seen some interesting gains in the financial markets, as well as some optimistic viewpoints. I am encouraged by the recent increase increases in my business and would love to paint a picture of prosperous times ahead. My crystal ball tells me that while we are making strides, we still have some mountains to climb. I think we can all agree that I best serve my readership by providing an optimistic, yet balanced approach when advising my customers. Perhaps the best approach is to savor the fact that things are improving, while we to continue doing the things that have brought about this improvement.  Depending on who you want to believe, national Foreclosure and Loan Modification Efforts are either ON TRACK , or MISLEADING . Perhaps they are both. One thing I am certain ... 09/12/2009

1st Time Home Buyers hoping to purchase a home and qualify for the tax credit have 23 days left in their shopping season. If you or someone you know is renting, there is no greater opportunity to own your own home than right now. I am recommending that anyone seeking to beat the November 30 tax credit deadling to be under contract by Septmber 30. I can assist you in pre qualifying for a mortgage, and have you looking at homes the same day. Home prices are at 10 year lows, interest rates are at 10 year lows, and there is an $8000 carrot dangling out there for the tax credit. Seriously, does anyone need more convincing to at least give it a shot? I think we all know someone that has "been too busy" to look into it. It's time to MAKE THE TIME. If you know anyone purchasing a home, selling ... 09/07/2009

          Port Orange Real Estate Blog by Lisa Hill, "The Smart Choice" for your real estate needs As I was posting the price reduction to all my real estate blogs (using several is great for pushing your web site up the search engines!), for my real estate listing: Daytona Beach house for sale, within walking distance to the beach... as I got to my personal, Trulia real estate blog, I stumbled across a link that questioned the "walkability of the neighborhood". Well I can't say I've ever seen a web site like that before, so my curiosity was piqued. But not only am I a REALTOR®, I'm also a Daytona Beach native, so I already know the statistics and demographics of pretty much any neighborhood; such as whether or not it has sidewalks... how safe it is... and other factors you might want ... 09/07/2009

    Port Orange Flower Photo by Lisa Hill: Daytona Beach Native, and REALTOR®"The Smart Choice" It's time for another Wordless Wednesday post... with a few words  ;-)  I almost forgot about this photo. I just wish I could send the overpowering fragrance through the monitor, along with this photo. It's incredible! So incredible that if I bring a few inside, I can only place one in a room, at a time! So you'll have to imagine that part. And I hope you enjoy the photo =) If you're considering a move to the Daytona Beach and/or Port Orange area, Lisa Hill is a Daytona Beach native! I have experience selling real estate in every city in East Volusia County and beyond. I live in Port Orange, and I love it! I also have family in this area. My family is at least 6 generations deep in Floridian... 09/02/2009

I just closed a loan for a VA Buyer that got a great deal! He used a 100% finance VA Loan. I consulted with his agent and we asked for the maximum 4% seller concessions to help with his closing costs. He was a 1st Time Home Buyer, and is a long haul truck driver. He was only in town for a few days during the whole transaction, yet we were able to work together to get his deal approved and closed in just 45 days. There were many days when we were burning up the blackberry lines to get info back forth. He was a great buyer, and did a great job of finding libraries and fax centers to print, sign , and return pertinent docs. Constant communication was the key to meeting all terms of the contract. The best part of the deal? There were many. He got a home for less than the appraised value. He... 09/01/2009

        Port Orange Real Estate Expert, Lisa Hill: Local Native, and REALTOR® "THE SMART CHOICE!" Speechless Sunday Photo in Port Orange FL by Lisa Hill, Port Orange REALTOR® and local native. To buy or sell Port Orange real estate, visit www.PortOrangeRealEstateSales.com. Buy Port Orange real estate << click here. Sell Port Orange real estate << click here. Make a Smart Choice and move to Port Orange FL, to enjoy beautiful sunsets like this, with a rainbow of color, almost every evening. Or even better, buy an oceanfront condo or house and set on your patio or deck with your morning coffee, or get your daily exercise with a brisk walk on the beach, and take in our spectacular morning sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean.     *All material in this blog is owned and copyrighted by Lisa Hill... 08/23/2009

It has certainly been an interesting sequence of events surround the $8000 tax credit that is available for 1st time Home Buyers that purchase before November 30,2009. Perhaps the best way to characterize the situation is to stop short of saying that there is misleading information, but rather say that there is a lack of complete information. The disconnect appear to lie in the fact that there are several initiatives, in various degrees of implementation, regarding the availability of the $8000 tax credit, as well as the use of such funds. The National Coalition of State Housing Agencies has information available their NCSHA Website for state specific updates.  As of this morning, here are a few facts for the state of Florida.  •·         $8000 tax credit can be received from a qualifie... 08/23/2009

      Port Orange Photo and Info by Lisa Hill: Local Native, and REALTOR® "THE SMART CHOICE!" This week's photo was found in a Port Orange neighborhood where I've listed and sold several houses over the years. The photo itself, needs no explanation. But the neighborhood of Summertrees in Port Orange FL, where I found this beautiful bird, is a great place to buy a home.   Just a few miles from Summertrees is a brand new elementary school, and just a few miles away stands less than a decade old middle school. As for the high schools, my daughter thoroughly enjoyed her high school experience at Spruce Creek High School. She was also a student in the first class to attend, and pass through Creekside Middle School when it first opened. So if you have school aged children... or even if you h... 08/19/2009

     Fun Photo and Video by Lisa Hill, Daytona Beach Native, and REALTOR® "THE SMART CHOICE!" In answer to all the question about my Wordless Wednesday post this week, I thought I'd tell a little story. In case you missed that particular post. Here's the little bugger that's causing all the ruckus. To answer the questions that were asked on that post... 1. Vickie Nagy: Nope. He didn't get in and hop around; at least not by himself 2. Kelli-Rhyanne Bartley: I think I had him pretty worn out by the time I took this picture =P 3. Crystal Kilpatrick: Nah. He was just a little slimy. lol 4. Johnny Huang: Son? Who says only boys can like frogs? =P 5. Tony & Darcy Cannon: That's exactly what I thought! 6. Mike Saunders: My sentiments exactly! 7. Betina Foreman: Actually, that's the comforter ... 08/06/2009

             Fun Photo by Lisa Hill, Daytona Beach Native and REALTOR®  "THE SMART CHOICE!" Well, it's Wordless Wednesday again. And as usual, my post is not wordless >.<  BUT, I'm not telling you about the photo  >=)  LOL. So enjoy contemplating, surmising, and commenting on this week's photo. (Hope you're not grossed out. Muwa ha ha haaa) And when you're done, I'll tell you what I had to go through to catch this leaping little bugger! Lisa is a Daytona Beach Native, and REALTOR® with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®. Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS® has been in business in the Daytona Beach area since 1967 (the year I was born =) ) We have 8 offices East and West Volusia county, and even into Flagler county. We're the largest real estate company in the area, with the most offices, the mo... 08/05/2009

The Villages of Royal Palm is an award-winning, maintenance-free lifestyle community in Port Orange, Florida just east of Orlando and south of Daytona Beach on the East Coast of Florida, voted one of America's 100 Best Master Planned Communities, by Where to Retire Magazine. The gated community offers many amenities, some of which are 12,000 square foot clubhouse with large banquet and social hall Fitness center, billiard room, & meeting rooms Full-time activities director on staff 2 swimming pools with spacious sun decks and a heated Jacuzzi 2 tennis courts Putting green, horseshoes, shuffleboard, and Bocce Villages of Royal Palm has been developed by Winston-James, who have over 30 years of real estate development and construction experience ranging from over 3,000 residential homes t... 07/18/2009

Chronicle of a First Time Home Buyer Chapter 6   On June 23rd, Rob contacted me about see a home that was back on the market. 5308 Georgia Peach is a 4 bd 2 ba 2020 sq ft home on a lake. This is the home they saw listed that started their home search. It had a contract on it that fell through, I talked with the listing agent and found out the bank would accept the asking price of $174,000. I wrote up a contract for $180,000 with the seller paying $6,000 towards cosing cost, before going to show the home to Rob and Tina. Rob and Tina both really liked the home and were ready to sign the contract. We talked about the timeline that would follow after submitting the contract, and both decided they needed to check on finances before signing. I told them I wanted them to be sure, and to take ... 07/12/2009

Chronicle of a First Time Home Buyer Chapter 5   6/18, We went to Coquina Cove to look at a home on the resale market. 5370 Cordgrass Bend Lane-nice house but they still the one under construction better. We then went to Bay Berry Lakes and saw a single story 4 br 2 ba brick home that backs up to a preserve area, 112 Briarberry Court. Rob and Tina's comments: "great single story house, very well taken care of, also high on our list right after the CC-under-construction". From there we went back to 109 McGill Circle, one of the houses we were unable to view on our first outing. Rob and Tina's comments: "very beat up, carpet stained in almost every room and writing on a lot of the walls, one wall had a piece missing!" Finally we we went to the Oakbrook subdivision in Port Orange to see 3... 07/10/2009

I have been learning how to use a wordpress blog by ...welll...blogging. I wanted to set up a mortgage as well as a real estate blog for my business, but wasn't all that confident in my ability to "make it look good". I chose beer as the subject for it, and it has worked out pretty well. I get a lot of comments on it at work and with my customers. I never intended for it to be part of my marketing campaign to attract new business, yet it has become a very effective way to meet new people. People are forwarding my link to others, and now I seem to be known as "that guy with the beer blog". I am sure that some of my readers had no idea that I write mortgages or work as a real estate consultant when they first started reading the blog. Now that they have found out what I do for a living, t... 06/27/2009

Photo Blog & Real Estate Information by Lisa Hill, Port Orange REALTOR®. "The Smart Choice" It's Wordless Wednesday again... although I'm starting this post so late that it will probably post on Thursday. Oh well  =) And as usual, it's not wordless either! LOL. But, I will adhere to the Wordless Wednesday standard of not discussing or explaining the actual photo. So enjoy. And 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 & Co., REALTORS®. (You'll find helpful real estate links below the photo.) =) Buy Port Orange real estate Sell Port Orange real estate View Port Orange and Daytona Beach real estate MLS listings 06/24/2009

             Port Orange Real Estate by Lisa Hill, Port Orange REALTOR®. "THE SMART CHOICE!" If you're a Port Orange home owner, here's a way for you to obtain up-to-date real estate information on our beautiful home town. And if you're a real estate buyer, or a real estate seller who is considering moving to the Daytona Beach area, I'd first like to direct your attention to the family-friendly and senior-convivial, all-age-amiable city of Port Orange FL, located just 7 miles south of Daytona Beach. Port Orange offers the best of both worlds to people who enjoy the close proximity of the Daytona Beach special events, the Orlando attractions, the all-around shopping, and the quiet of not having to be in the middle of any of this hubbub. And just for all of you Port Orange real estate cu... 06/18/2009

        Port Orange Real Estate Market Report by Lisa Hill REALTOR®. "THE SMART CHOICE!" For Port Orange real estate sellers: I believe you'll appreciate this information, which will help you determine the value of your house, manufactured home, townhouse, duplex, or condo, based on this years' total sales-to-date, compared to previous years for the same time frame. This can help you determine your asking price. (Data is from Jan 1 to June 5) For Port Orange real estate buyers: I believe you'll appreciate this information, which will help you determine the value of your next potential home, and how much to offer and/or invest, whether it's a house, manufactured home, townhouse, duplex or condo. The following chart contains data from the Daytona Beach REALTOR® Association, and shows the... 06/17/2009

WARNING....WARNING....WARNING HOUSE FOR RENT SCAM Another Craigslist SCAM...Craigslist SCAM Today's message from our Daytona Beach Area Association of REALTORS! The Port Orange Police Department wished to notify our citizens about a scam involving houses being falsely advertised for rent on Craigslist. It appears the criminal has found houses for sale on-line or snowbird residences and copied the information onto a Craigslist ad claiming it up for rent. The criminal claims to have moved to West Africa after winning a petroleum land bid and after much consideration decided to rent out the house instead of selling it. The e- mail states that they are looking for someone who cares about the house as much as they do. At the bottom of the e-mail there is a questionnaire for the potential ren... 06/12/2009

Cypress Head is a great golf community. The Cypress Head golf course which was built in 1992 is owned and operated by the City of Port Orange so the community of Cypress Head has all the advantages of a golf course but none of the expense. Cypress Head has 2 bedroom 2 bath golf villas and 3 and 4 bedroom homes. Several of the homes have 2 car garages with a golf cart garage. The golf club has a restaurant and there are tennis courts and a community pool. Part of the community is gated. There are currently 20 homes on the market starting at $169,900 for a golf villa up to $449,900 for a 4 bedroom 3 bath home. The residents love this community, it is one of the best kept secrets in central Florida. It is also conveniently located close to Venetian Bay, which has another golf course and wi... 06/08/2009