New Sale Listing:Â 295 65th Street, Avalon, NJ
 
Spacious 3 level townhouse style unit with 5 bedrooms, plus a bonus 3rd floor loft. 3.5 elegant baths. Gas heat and central air. Private sun deck. Walk just 2 blocks to a wide beach.  Totally renovated interior. $839,000.
For more info and pictures: http://www.powerplayrealty.com/sales/detail/245Â or e-mail questions to ann@anndelaney.com
The brilliant colors of the leaves in the Avalon high dunes and Stone Harbor bird sanctuary. Clouds tinted red and yellow at sunset.  And cooler temperatures…as of today!
A Children’s Halloween Party will be held Saturday in the Avalon Community Hall at 1pm.
Trick or Treat takes place on the island Sunday night between 5pm and 8pm.  Have a good weekend!
The first annual Avalon Elementary Reunion was held tonight at the Windrift Bar. The main purpose- raising funds for a community track/ fitness stations in the school yard.
A large turn out, with a mix of parents, local residents, and alumni.  Great to see familiar faces and “not so old” former classmates!
My 7th grade class is featured on the Just For Fun page of the booklet- 23 students with really bad hair 😉
P.S. Received a call today that I won 2 silent auction gifts Saturday night. Thank you to the reunion committee and the generous sponsors!
During the past 30 days, 20 properties SOLD on the island; with an additional 46 sale pending (settlement in the near future).
The sold properties ranged from $310,000 for a hotel/condo on 79th Street, to $2,815,000 for a large custom home on 65th Street. There were 16 sales in Avalon, and 4 in Stone Harbor. 11 were single family homes; 9 condo/townhouse units. 4 beach block; 3 bay front. The median selling price was $1,277,500.
Of of 46 sale pending, 16 are in Stone Harbor; 30 in Avalon. The median list price is $957,500.
Join your Avalon and Stone Harbor neighbors for the 25th Annual Fall Beach Sweep this Saturday, October 23rd.
Enjoy a morning walk along the sand while contributing to a clean environment. Volunteers will meet at 9am on 30th Street in Avalon, and on 95th Street in Stone Harbor. For more information: http://www.cleanoceanaction.org/
 
Looks like the weather will cooperate for the free events scheduled for Columbus Day weekend.
In Avalon, The Green Fair will be held in the Community Hall on Saturday, October 9th from 10am to 3pm.  In the open lot next door (29th Street), the annual Seafood Festival will take place both Saturday and Sunday- 11am to 5pm.Â
The Art & Music Festival will take over 96th Street in Stone Harbor, Saturday and Sunday between 10am and 5pm. The local art galleries will join in with special exhibits for the weekend, too.
Well, yes, I was the only car on the road this morning.  Yet, defensive driving skills were needed to avoid 3 separate rolling trash cans!
Part time Avalon residents often place their trash cans at the curb when leaving town Sunday afternoon. High winds (common in the off season) topple the cans…and then the sea gulls arrive for a feast!
A better option? The Borough of Avalon provides a courtesy trash/recycling collection area at the 15th Street facility (just off Dune Drive).  Open Monday through Friday 7:30am to 3pm; and on Sunday, from 12 noon to 5pm.
Good article today about shore real estate in the Business section of the Philadelphia Inquirer (I would link the article, but the pop up ads drive me crazy).
An interesting quote: “In Avalon and Stone Harbor, home to some of the Shore’s most expensive dwellings, prices rose 59.3% between 2000 and 2010. They have fallen 18.8% since 2006’s second quarter…”
The bottom line is that residential real estate (including seashore real estate) is a solid long term investment.  Â
For a vacation home purchase- pick a great location, and spend only what you can afford to carry. Rental income will help with the expenses, but will not pay the mortgage. It’s a lifestyle decision.  Will your family enjoy time at property?  Will the home be a gathering spot for your grown children? Will this provide the needed escape from the real world?
I feel so fortunate to be part of the dream – helping hundreds of buyers/sellers/tenants on our seven mile island over the years.  This is my home as well as my business, and I appreciate the real “value” of our real estate!
My work computer is once again “talking” with my cell phone for e-mail and pictures.
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For those of you missing my exciting beach walk photos…   😉
By the way, the Ocean Drive toll bridge between Avalon and Sea Isle City will be closed for approximately 3 weeks starting next Wednesday (10/6). After looking at the corroded metal while waiting for a boat to pass under, I can confirm that this bridge is in SERIOUS need of repair!
The salt air can be a challenge for home owners who want a colorful seaside garden. Yet there are numerous blocks in town with beautiful lawns, colorful trees, and flowers.Â
Green thumb owners create peer pressure within a neighborhood. The plain stone yard with minimal landscaping previously represented the typical shore house. On some blocks, that property now looks out of place.
Related observation: Have you noticed how many landscape vehicles are on the island each week? Obviously, most owners do NOT have a green thumb 😉