Several years back I decided to purchase an ocean view condo at the beach in Ormond By the Sea which is on the east coast of Florida just north of Daytona. There are many reasons why I decided on "Fairwind Sbores" but the biggest was that I felt that Ormond was very much undervalued in comparison to other beach communities close to Orlando (only 70 minutes from downtown). Plus I liked the sleepy nature of the town, and the building was a low rise which is what I was looking for.


Anyway, I started to write in the Fairwind Shores newsletter and I thought I would share this month's column because I thought it might be of interest and relevant if you are thinking about purchasing a condominium- particularly one that you may use as an investment property. You will see I have added notes here and there that I think might make the article more relevant to you. Here it is:

Michael Gonick's Real Estate Tips - Fairwind Shores- Volume I
I wanted to write some items in the next couple of newsletters regarding the state of Fairwind Shores because I look at
our condominium from a fairly unique perspective:
First, I am an owner.
Second, I am a real estate agent.
Third, I have sold or found buyers for a number of units in Fairwind Shores.
You can say I am bullish on our buildings. A good portion of my business is Orlando based. I have little interest in selling or bringing buyers to any other condo or development in Ormond Beach except for our building. Why?
Because I know ours is the best in Ormond By the Sea for a number of reasons.
A general rule of thumb- if a Realtor purchases in a building you know that is a good sign!

In this issue, I would like to put my Realtor hat on and tell you, from a Realtor's perspective what makes our buildings attractive to potential buyers and renters. I will touch upon some things we can do to make our residences even more appealing to prospects but get into more detail next time on this.
As an owner I would like my unit to have the maximum "value". As I see it, in this economy, this is good for all of us.
What makes Fairwind Shores unique and the biggest selling points...
1. Basically, every unit in our building is designed to be a corner unit.
2. We have a tennis court.
3. We have lobbies.
4. We have underground parking
5. We have elevators
6. Our rental policies
7. Cleanliness and new additions
1. I thank the architects of our building for the wonderful layout making every unit basically a corner unit- windows with views of the ocean on multiple sides as opposed to the "tunnel" effect that the other buildings in our area have. I think the builders of Fairwind Shores were ahead of their time and it is the single biggest selling point of our condos.
When looking at a condo building, what are the unique style and attributes that set it apart from all the rest?

2. Some of you may look at the tennis court being empty and think to yourself there may be a better usage for that space. I beg to differ. First off, I am a tennis player! YES I am the guy you see "serving" on the weekends and playing with my buddies. Is there another condo that has its own tennis court around us? I don't think so. It is an attractive feature not only for prospective buyers but for renters as well. Don't take the tennis court for granted. If the court looks good like it does now....big selling point. If it is neglected, it is a big negative.



3. Same goes for the lobbies. Our lobbies are a huge selling point for safety and security. Honestly, in my humble opinion, spending a couple of bucks to make them more attractive and updated would be a good investment for us. I think it should be something to consider in the near future. The saying is "You have only one chance to make a first impression".

Our condo building is the only low rise to have lobbies at all, and it was one of the major reasons I decided to purchase. Visitors must be buzzed in and I can monitor who is at the front door from my TV screen.
4. The fact that we have covered, underground parking is a major plus. Safety, security and also less wear and tear on our vehicles.
Also a unique feature of our buildings.

5. Our buildings have elevators which make units viable on all levels to people with physical disabilities who might only be able to purchase on the first floor in other buildings without elevators.
When you are looking at a condo that you may use as an investment, be thinking about amenities that would make it attractive for the most amount of people.

6. Our rental policies, including renting monthly is very attractive. First off, our buildings will stay in better shape than those buildings that rent weekly. Fairwind Shores, because of our rental policies, makes our condominium more attractive to owners (like me) who want to have their condo as primary residence. I wouldn't even have considered a weekly rental building....yet I like to know that there is the opportunity to rent out if I wanted to here.

7 Our property appears to be cleaner and better maintained than at anytime since I purchased here 5 years ago. Bravo to whomever is responsible- I guess this would be the board as well as the crew keeping our place fresh. The lawn looks great. The additional outdoor shower coming off the beach on our property is brilliant. I would never have thought of it but I would definitely point it out to prospects if I had units listed and/or buyers interested.

Our best interest, as I see it is to put our best foot forward at all times in a difficult economy and being able to showcase
the fantastic amenities and unique attributes of our condominium complex.
Please feel free to contact Michael Gonick, Realtor from Coldwell Banker at 407-383-2563 or
michael@michaelgonick.com.

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