Hopefully, Earl just buzzes by our coast.  Yet high winds can still be an issue.  Best bet is to secure all outside furniture, the grill, kayaks, trash cans, etc.

If you need to hire someone to help with these tasks, Maids Available Services has staff available:  maidsavailable@yahoo.com  or 609-263-1747.

For more information:  ann@anndelaney.com   Direct link to detail sheet (and more photos) on www.Realtor.com    http://tinyurl.com/22p25f3

With the recent heat…the beach is the best place to be!

P.S.  We have rental openings during the next few weeks- if you know someone considering a last minute vacation at the shore,  I am happy to help.

The change over cleaning services work hard every Saturday, but they can only do so much.  And many items are not in their job description.

For instance, the stones in the yard.  Are they all over the sidewalk and curb?  Do you need a touch up spray for weeds?  Same with the deck- a cleaning service will not typically check the deck for sand or dirt.  Is the deck umbrella still in one piece (it’s been a windy summer!).  How about the grill?  Is there a grill brush nearby to encourage tenants to scrub it down after use?

Inside- check ceiling fans for accumulated dust; and with the recent heat, the air conditioning return vents are likely in need of a good cleaning.

By August, the homes can be a bit “tired”- a disappointment to the prime time tenants when they arrive.  The extra effort by owners to keep their property in top condition pays off.  Plus, happy tenants = happy rental agents

Of those SOLD- 1 commercial property, 3 classified as vacant lots, 18 condo/townhouse units, and 23 residential properties.  The median selling price was $1,060,000, including a low of $145,000 for a Beachcomber condo (motel) to $5,150,000 for a southend Avalon custom beach block home.  11 were in Stone Harbor; 34 in Avalon.

Of the condo/townhouse sales- the median selling price was $692,000.  10 were townhouse style (2 levels) and 8 were traditional condo style.  3 were in Stone Harbor and 15 in Avalon.

The median asking price for the combined 41 “sale pending” properties is $1,099,000- in line with the median price of those recently settled.

July has been HOT- even for us at the shore.  Hopefully August will provide the preferred sea breeze and cool nights.

Today and next Saturday are our biggest check in weekends of the summer.  The island is very busy!

I’ve noticed that many of the bay cottages in Stone Harbor have expensive new bulkheads and fancy boats- sometimes bigger than the actual house! 

The dock pictured (adjacent to a large, beautiful home) has 6 Jet Skis and a large motor boat- required toys when you live on the water

My observations?  Most homes under construction are not “spec” homes.  Long time property owners (as well as those who purchased more recently) know that this is a great time to tear down and build new.  The slower real estate market means more competitive pricing from builders and related services. 

As mentioned in the article, the homes are built for personal use.  Therefore, the owners want quality amenities plus functional space.  The basic beach house now includes: granite counter tops, flat screen televisions, marble/tile baths, hardwood floors, custom interior trim detail, high end siding, roof, and deck materials, and often a pool!

The Power Play Realty site features rental and sale updates for Avalon and Stone Harbor.  The Ann Delaney site has island news and information- plus my perspective as a year round resident.