A dreary start to Easter weekend at the shore.
The bright spots?  The glow of lights in the many businesses now open for the season…and the flowering trees!Â
By the way, heard that there will be yet another new owner taking over the bar and restaurant at the former Henny’s location in Stone Harbor.  And, they will return to a more casual (guessing that means less expensive) format. Will update when an official opening date is announced.
I posted this last fall, and decided to re-post after working through yet another sale with mold in the crawl space. Tips to avoid an expensive remediation:
Our beautiful “Seven Mile” island…surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, tidal creeks, and back bay. There are many days when we can actually SEE the moisture in the air.
This unique environment requires homes to be properly vented to prevent damage from moisture and mold.Â
1) Crawl Space: Open the foundation vents in the spring and replace the crawl space door with a screened door (Richardson’s Screen on 39th and Ocean Drive will make one to fit). Or, replace the old aluminum vents with Smart Vents for even better air flow (and often lower flood insurance cost).
Remove any debris in the crawl- especially wood products.  Left over decking is “lunch” for termites. Unless your ground regularly floods, a vapor barrier is recommended (basically, a thick plastic cover for the dirt). Close the vents/ crawl door in the fall to protect exposed water pipes during the cold months.
2) Attic: The soffit vents (around the perimeter of the house) need to be clear of insulation. Newer homes have ridge vents to help with air flow.
3) Drainage: Most newer homes do not have gutters. This drives the home inspectors crazy! Make sure water does not flow toward the house (and into the crawl space) after a heavy rain. Also check the water flow from the outside shower- proper grading will help.  Trim landscaping away from foundation vents. And, remember the old landscaping design with raised beds and railroad ties? This is a termite and moisture combination that will ultimately cause major problems.
The churches of Avalon and Stone Harbor, NJ participate in an annual Easter sunrise service by the beach.
This year, the community service will be held at the 88th Street beach pavilion in Stone Harbor at 6am.
The equipment is in place on the 9th Street beach in Avalon, and sand will start pumping this weekend according to a Borough of Avalon press release.
The project will work south from 8th Street to 30th Street, with beaches in the immediate pumping area closed for safety reasons. The boardwalk will offer excellent spectator viewing once the equipment moves to that section of the beach!
For more information and regular updates, visit www.avalonboro.org
Tuesday 4/26 Update- there are workers on site preparing for the beach fill, however, weather has delayed the arrival of the dredge from Cape May. Sand pumping now likely to begin on Thursday 4/28.
The weather forecast for tomorrow: 75 degrees by mid-day.
I’ve already started my to do list: wash off the deck furniture…and my car while the hose is unraveled…oh, and maybe a quick rinse of the windows to remove the salty film…and then clean up the outside shower.Â
Will also try to fit in quality time with a book and a beach chair 😉
Dune grass is turning green, awnings are up, grass cutting by landscapers and Borough workers has resumed, more businesses are open, and…I didn’t need a hat or gloves to walk on the beach this morning!
See you on the beach 🙂
During the last 30 days, 23 properties sold (settlement) in Avalon and Stone Harbor, NJ. The median selling price for all sales: $980,000.
15 single family sales: ranging from a low of $624,000 for a newer cottage on Bower Court in Stone Harbor, to $3,035,000 for a custom 3 level home on a large lot in the south end of Avalon. The median selling price for single family homes: $1,450,000. There were 11 sales in Avalon, and 4 in Stone Harbor.
7 condo/townhouse sales: ranging from $290,000 for a basic 3 bedroom condo in Stone Harbor, to $1,350,000 for a new 3 level, side by side townhouse style on the bay in Avalon. The median selling price: $535,000. 5 sales in Avalon, and 2 in Stone Harbor.
1 vacant lot in the west block of 14th Street in Avalon sold for $980,000.
There are an additional 48 properties sale pending- with settlement scheduled within the next few months. The median asking price for all properties sale pending: $972,500.
If you would like additional information regarding buying, selling, or renting in the Avalon/ Stone Harbor area, please let me know: ann@anndelaney.com  I appreciate your interest!
Wild night of storms- including heavy rain, high winds, and lightning.
The “horizontal rain” caused minor leaks in 2 south facing windows- I could hear the rain hitting our house in an unusual way and was on high alert!
The wind pushed the ocean up to the dunes along the beach. The Point at the south end of Stone Harbor was completely exposed, and flooded over…an unusual sight.Â
On the plus side, the equipment for the beach fill project continues to arrive.Â
This pipe is connected to others that extend out to the inlet. Soon, large metal pipes will be lining the beach to pump in the new sand.
It’s a fascinating process to watch- and I will of course post pictures 🙂
We brought along a few beach chairs while visiting family in the mountains of North Carolina last week.
Although we had to dress for the cooler temperatures, time out in the sun felt great. No harm in practicing for upcoming days on the beach!
Only 41 days until Memorial Day weekend 🙂
Easter Weekend
This was the view at the end of the Easter Sunrise service on the 88th Street pavilion in Stone Harbor.
Another warm one today…and many owners/visitors still in town to enjoy a beach day 🙂