Beautiful New Smyrna Beach Community

For anyone who's been considering buying real estate in New Smyrna Beach Florida, you should know about the beautifully upscale Venetian Bay Town & Country Club. This elegant development has a distinctive Italian feel and several different subdivisions.

The Venetian Bay master community is like a self-contained city unto itself, featuring a downtown shopping center and restaurants, a fitness center, community pool, nature trails, a golf course, country club and more. Featured builders are Paytas Homes, Johnson Group Homes, Engle Homes, KB Homes, & Tiffany Homes. Prices range from the $200,000s to over $1,000,000.

This weekend I found some very interesting and unexpected surprises while doing a market analysis for a home owner who is considering selling their house in Venetian Bay.
Aren't they adorable?
If you're interested in buying real estate in Venetian Bay or any area of New Smyrna Beach, contact Lisa Hill today!

www.NewSmyrnaHomeSales.com

These Prices Just Keep Getting Better

If you're looking to buy a house in the Daytona Beach area, here are a couple of great possibilities.

4 bedroom, 2 bath house in South Daytona. Was priced at $195,000, drastically reduced to $187,000. Make this your new home. For complete details, read the post here 1678 Louisiana Rd., South Daytona, FL

Or how about this 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on 1 acre in Port Orange? Previous asking price was $379,900. Drastically reduced to $349,000. For more information on this house, read the post found in this link: 822 Bayridge Lane, Port Orange, FL

For more information about living in the city of Port Orange, try these articles...

• Picture Yourself in Port Orange
• Plan A Fun Outing in Port Orange
• Port Orange City Center and Family Days

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Memories of Ponce Inlet Florida-The Grand Old Lighthouse

As I've stated in previous posts, I'm a native of the Daytona Beach area, and am knowledgeable about many fascinating historical facts. But I still enjoy researching and sharing the new things I learn.

In a recent post, I was sharing some childhood memories of the time my family spent in Tomoka State Park, in Ormond Beach. As I let my mind wander to other pleasant memories of my childhood, I found fond memories of the lighthouse and park at Ponce Inlet. The best part about these memories are not just of my own childhood, but from a parental perspective as well. You haven't truly enjoyed life until you've witnessed something through the eyes of a child.

While I have fond memories of my own childhood days; of my grandmother buying me trinkets in the gift shop, and of running as fast as I could across the park, to stand and look up in awe, at the towering red lighthouse; then the wonder of looking down and across several cities, after climbing the 194 steps of the circular stairway all the way to the top, those memories pale in comparison to the memories of swinging on the swings with my own daughter when she was younger, and buying trinkets for her in the gift shop, then gasping for breath as I once again climbed 194 steps to the top of the lighthouse, and seeing the terrifying joy in her face and she stood in the open air and looked down over several cities, and out across the inlet toward the Atlantic Ocean.

If you've never been to the lighthouse park at Ponce Inlet, I highly recommend you do so, no matter what your age. It is a gorgeous tower, built in 1886 in what was once called Mosquito Cove. (I think Ponce Inlet is a much better name!) The Ponce Inlet lighthouse is the second-tallest in the United States and can be seen from 19 miles away. It was decommissioned in 1970, but in 1982 it was fitted with a new navigational beacon and is once again active.

You can also take a walking tour of the grounds, or walk down to the beach and climb out on the jetty rocks, picnic at the covered picnic tables and play in the dunes. (Only the ones that are allowed. See my post about beach conservation)

If you're considering investing in real estate in Ponce Inlet, Florida, visit my web site or call me for MLS listings. It's a great place to call your first or second home.

You may also be interested in my blog about the distinction between the different cities in the Daytona Beach area. or about the city of Port Orange which is just over the bridge, on the mainland side of the Intracoastal Waterway.

New Home Owner's Association Laws

This is important information for anyone who owns real estate that is governed by deed restrictions and/or covenants and restrictions.

As of July 1 2007, during the Legislative Session, amendments were passed that changed the procedures that Home Owner's Associations must follow when collecting delinquent assessments. These changes are to the benefit of the home owners.

The new law states that before a claim of lien can be filed against a parcel owner for unpaid assessments, the real estate owner must be given written notice of the past due assessments, plus, the HOA must give another 45 day notice of it's intention of foreclosure before they can file a foreclosure lawsuit.

There is additional language in this act that says a parcel owner is liable for all unpaid assessments that came due, up until the closing, along with the previous owner.

More language of this act says that payments made will be applied

1. to any interest accrued
   
2. to any late fees
   
3. to any any reasonable attorney's fees
4. to the delinquent assessment

However, the Lender's Lobby is planning to appeal this amendment because of one more bit of verbiage. Mortgagees are also now liable to pay HOA's for all unpaid assessments due at the time of the title transfer.

This is good news for owner's of real estate in HOA governed communities, if they need additional time to get caught up on any unpaid assessments. It will be interesting to see if this amendment stands, once the Lender's Lobby makes their appeal.

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