The island has a different vibe at the end of August.
It’s cooler in the mornings. Quieter in the evenings. Fewer people are walking on the beach.
Those of us who work in tourist related businesses have mixed feelings. We welcome the slower pace, and look forward to the opportunity to enjoy the perks of living by the beach. Yet, there’s still a sense of melancholy.
We say goodbye to our summer friends and neighbors. We look at the calendar and realize there’s a limited time to visit our favorite seasonal restaurants. There’s an urgency to get out on our bike while the weather is so nice!
September is peaceful and often referred to as “the best month at the shore”.
And meanwhile, we also look forward to Memorial Day weekend 2026 🙂
While sitting with sellers last week as they signed off for their upcoming settlement, we talked about our LONG history together.
They purchased their property through me 34 years ago! I joked that I had patiently waited for that “flip” 😉
As I think about my 45 years in the real estate business, it’s amazing to consider what has changed…and what basically remains the same.
Technology is the most obvious change. I thought faxing contracts was hi-tech back in the day! Now it’s all e-signatures and scanned documents.
Our Multiple Listing Service used to distribute actual books every 2 weeks- and only to the participating real estate offices. Today’s buyers, who have full access to information via Zillow and Realtor.com, can’t fathom this limitation.
Marketing our listings has evolved from ads in the Philadelphia Inquirer, to posts on a variety of social media platforms.
Cell phones, apps, emails, and texts allow for more immediate access to all parties in a transaction.
So what’s the same?
My office location has always been within a 3 block radius on Dune Drive- with 22 years in my current space. I’m very content with my view of Hoy’s 5 & 10 across the street!
Relationships: technology has not eliminated my role in the buying, selling, and renting process. Customers value my experience, knowledge and resources. The island is my life long home. That local perspective can’t be found on Google!
Owning a vacation home is a lifestyle decision, not just a monetary transaction. Yes, real estate is a solid long term investment, yet almost equally as important, is the emotional value for the whole family.
I am here to help you and your friends in the Avalon and Stone Harbor area, and appreciate your referrals!
On my father’s side: my grandmother was born in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland, and my grandfather grew up near Ballymena and the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland. A real mixed marriage!
They met and married in Philadelphia, and vacationed in Stone Harbor each summer while raising 6 children (pictured in front of their compact rental cottage).
In the 1950s, my grandparents built a modest year round home in Avalon. A family business brought the sons and daughters (including spouses and young children) from Philadelphia to Avalon shortly thereafter.
After visiting the beautiful windswept coast of Northern Ireland, I can totally understand my grandfather’s love of the shore.
Sand in our shoes… and salt air in our lungs 😉
Slainte!
P.S. According to family legend, my grandfather arrived to the United States through Canada. And my grandmother used her older sister’s ID to travel from Ireland to the US. Her grown children didn’t know her real name/age until she applied for Social Security! It’s important and relevant to consider that our family’s immigration history may be softened by nostalgia.
