Coming down tomorrow to prep your shore house? Besides the obvious of securing the outdoor furniture and trash cans:
Lock all windows and doors (casement windows can rattle open in the wind if not locked).
Empty the ice maker bin (in case the power goes out).
Turn off circuit breakers for non-essential appliances/electronics.
Turn off the fireplace gas pilot.
Secure the outside shower door.
Walk on the beach…smell the salt air…and convince Sandy to stay out to sea!
Hey Sandy…what’s the deal? This is our quiet off season. We don’t need all of this commotion 😉
Unfortunately, the storm track looks serious for Cape May County, especially the island communities. Â
Will post more updates as we know more. In the meantime, it’s a beautiful day at the shore! Crazy…
Although it makes sense to be prepared, we are always concerned about the “hype” common with impending bad weather.
If you have a shore house, take the time to secure the outdoor furniture, grill, trash cans, etc. Thankfully, that’s normal procedure for this time of year anyway.
If your neighborhood tends to flood, make sure there is nothing in the crawl space area or garage that could be damaged.
And then follow along here and on Twitter for real time updates.
P.S. Borough of Avalon Emergency Management- web site
The vacation home market continues to thrive.Â
In the last 30 days, 39 properties SOLD (settlement) in Avalon and Stone Harbor, with a median selling price of $1,030,000.
From that total, 11 condo/townhouse units sold, ranging from $500,000 for an ocean view 2 bed/2bath unit in Golden Shores; to $1,300,000 for an ocean front townhouse style unit on 28th Street and the boardwalk.
26 single family homes sold, ranging from $525,000 for a basic rancher on 78th Street (across from the Concord Suites), to $5,325,000 for an ocean front home on 109th Street (will be torn down). The median selling price for single family homes: $1,325,000.
There were 2 multi-family properties sold- a duplex on 99th Street for $682,600, and a four-plex on 30th Street for $850,000 (both sold for land value).
In addition, there are 71 properties sale pending, with settlement scheduled to occur within the next few months.
If you would like more details regarding market values in Avalon or Stone Harbor, please let me know ann@anndelaney.com  I appreciate your interest!
Add this to your “To Do” list: turn off the outside water at your shore house.
The plumbing for the outside shower WILL freeze and crack if not properly winterized. Many home owners do this themselves by shutting off the valve in the crawl space, and then removing the cartridge in the shower and allowing the water to drain.
Two other important items: 1) Even if you have a frost free hose bib outside, remove the hose from the faucet when not in use. Water will freeze in the hose and push ice up into the faucet and crack the pipe. 2) Faucets on upper decks are typically NOT frost free, and the therefore subject to freezing. Drain those faucets with the valve in the crawl space.
FYI- we typically experience our first “freeze” by late November.Â
If you need a recommendation for a plumber to help with these tasks, please let me know. ann@anndelaney.com
Back to my normal shoreline walks after 10 days of more challenging terrain!Â
Guess I shouldn’t whine about the soft sand 😉
Chilly morning- so I walked near the dunes to block the wind. And, wore a hat. Not quite ready to transition to the next season.
It’s always worthwhile to be on the other side of the vacation experience. And, I try to incorporate the benefit of a fresh perspective in our summer rental business.
For example, I appreciated that our rental cottage was immaculate and thoughtfully equipped. The owner supplied all of the extras needed for a comfortable week. And, she provided instructions regarding disposal of trash, recycling, and even composting (a container in the yard).
The best meals were in restaurants that also happened to make us feel the most welcome. We called for a reservation in a popular beach side restaurant. The hostess said they were filled for the night, yet suggested that if we come early, we will be able to sit in the bar area and enjoy the same view/menu.  It worked out perfectly- an outdoor table with a front row view of the sunset.
My final lesson was from the attendant at the car rental return. He was so upbeat as he asked us “How are you this evening?” When I replied that we were sad to leave, he gave the best response ever: “No need to be sad. The island will always be here- so come back!”  What a nice thought.
The attendant then mentioned that he loves to visit the Philippines- it’s his favorite place. So here is this man living in Hawaii…yet talking about vacationing somewhere else. We laughed because we understand that even when you live by the beach, it’s normal to be drawn to other destinations.
We returned last night from our vacation on another island- Kaua’i, Hawaii.
The beaches are beautiful, yet it’s not the “lounge in a beach chair reading a book” type of environment. Â
 To really SEE the island, you have to hike remote trails- and wear serious footwear!
The Power Play backpack came in handy, too!
This is my official “Out of the Office” post.
Leaving the Seven Mile Beach to walk along another beautiful beach!
No blog posts until I return. However, I may post a few pictures on Twitter, so follow along!
Prepare and Wait
The island is very active today with owners in town preparing their properties. Avalon Coffee and Wawa have a steady flow of customers- as well as Hoy’s and Seashore Ace.
Effective tomorrow, there is a mandatory evacuation of all New Jersey coastal communities. It’s very hard to leave my “home”, yet foolish to think I can out wit Mother Nature by staying on the island.
Will continue to post here and on Twitter…