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The over hyped “blizzard” will (thankfully) only produce a few flurries later tonight. Based on the number of cars in town, the weather forecast did not scare property owners and visitors from spending the weekend at the shore.Â
Presidents’ Weekend is the traditional start of our sale and summer rental season. Here’s to a busy 2012!
When I was younger, my exposure to Wildwood was somewhat limited. We had the tradition of Easter Sunday on the boardwalk, as well as one or two visits in the summer when relatives were in town.  And, there is the legendary story of the nuns (including my aunt) on the Hunt’s Pier log flume during a thunder storm 😉
I attended Wildwood Catholic High School, where I met and later married my “Wildwood boy”. We continued the Easter tradition with our sons, and added trips to Morey’s water parks.
During the quieter months, we enjoy walking the length the boardwalk; and of course the boardwalk food. A more recent tradition is opening day at Sam’s Pizza (yesterday). Based on the crowds, others have the same tradition.Â
I still can’t say I’m a fan of the crazy atmosphere- it’s sensory overload to me! But I understand the attraction and appreciate that it’s nearby.
Over the weekend, I had a conversation with a woman who lived in Stone Harbor year round when she was younger.  She and her siblings are in the process of selling their mother’s home.
Two of her siblings have no interest in spending time at the beach; while the other two are more emotionally attached to life at the shore.
We laughed as we talked about reactions from others once they know you ACTUALLY live on the island. No gray area here - it’s either envy or pity!
If you are reading my blog…my guess is that you are in the “envy” camp 😉
 Calm and mild morning. Whew…glad those 2 days of winter are over 😉
An appropriate time to say “thank you” to my loyal customers.
I value the friendships grown from business relationships. And appreciate the continued support of your referrals and repeat business.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Real estate agents all along the New Jersey coast are optimistic for 2012 after a busy start to the new year.
In Avalon and Stone Harbor, there are currently 37 properties sale pending with settlements scheduled over the next few months.
Breaking down the numbers: 12 of the 37 are condo/townhouse units, ranging from $439,000 (asking price) for a 3 bedroom condo on 79th Street; to $1,350,000 for a large bay front side by side. The median asking price for pending condo/townhouse units is $644,950.
As typical in our market, the majority of pending sales are single family homes (23 in this case). They range from $699,999 for a basic cottage on 31st Street; to $3,295,000 for a bay front home on Flamingo Drive.  The median asking price for pending single family homes is $1,299,000.
Also pending: 1 commercial parcel in Avalon, and 1 duplex in Stone Harbor.
Sellers are realistic and buyers are confident; the right balance as our market continues to recover.
2/14/12 P.S. Setting appointments for a Thursday showing, and 2 of the homes I planned to show are now under contract. Also heard that there were 3 offers on a well priced duplex in Stone Harbor- pushing the final selling price just over asking. So happy to see this activity!
 More ice than snow from last night’s storm. Streets are clear, but walkways and decks will be slippery for my sale showings later this morning. Will bundle up and shuffle along!
Well, no snow yet in Avalon or Stone Harbor.Â
That would have been an improvement over the semi-frozen rain I faced (literally) on my early morning beach walk.
Today’s walk made possible by: a hooded LL Bean jacket with inside pockets to keep my electronics dry, my new hiking boots, and other not so fashionable attire.Â
Today’s walk motivated by: my followers here and on Twitter :)Â
Have a good weekend. Will be watching for snow from my office window!
When I posted this picture last week on Twitter, I thought the beach equipment was positioned by the Avalon fishing pier as a staging area.
Today, I heard the details. Turns out, in order to redistribute the sand from the south end of the island to the north end, the large trucks faced a major height obstacle: the fishing pier.
The contractor solved the problem by digging out a section between the pilings, allowing the dump trucks to clear the bottom of the pier. And because the ocean naturally washes sand back in the hole, the area has to be maintained daily during the beach restoration process.
There are sections of beach closed during this project. However, you can safely observe from a nearby beach path.  And who doesn’t enjoy watching an over-sized Tonka truck speeding along the water’s edge?!
A short video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FALLhMVnvZg&list=UUU6fmwEHluNBeqiKwi4H67g&index=1&feature=plcp
Shore Real Estate
However, for buyer looking for a traditional “beach duplex”, there are options. Currently, 21 multi-family properties are for sale on the island.  The sale includes the land, and at least 2 living units. In many cases, the property is non-conforming, which means the structure can not be expanded unless it’s converted to a single family use dwelling.
The median price of a 2 family property in Avalon and Stone Harbor is $995,000.  As an example, the duplex pictured above is listed for $850,000 and includes 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths on each floor.
Keep in mind that the lenders view a duplex as an investment property rather than a second home. A larger down payment may be required, along with an adjustable rate loan. Yet for a buyer who would like to spend the summer at the shore, AND collect some rental income, a duplex is ideal.
Please contact me for additional information ann@anndelaney.com or 609-967-7950 office
Thank you for your interest!