I am honored that my beach blog was named one of the “best New Jersey blogs” in the April issue of New Jersey Monthly Magazine (page 76…by the way).  There is also a nice feature piece about the gardens at Hereford Inlet Lighthouse in North Wildwood (page 64). Otherwise, it’s hard to find a reference to any town or business south of Toms River in the publication.
In contrast, I am a long time subscriber of Philadelphia Magazine. It keeps me connected to our customer base.  And, when the magazine references the Jersey shore, our beach communities are included.
The north/south divide in New Jersey is the subject of a popular blog: http://nsjersey.blogspot.com/ – funny observations on everything from sports teams to food preferences. We really are a state divided!
Shore Homes & Vents
The cost for flood insurance is based on the elevation of the home (how high it sits off of the ground), and proper venting of the structure.  If the venting does not conform to current codes, the home owner will pay a substantially higher insurance premium.
Interesting facts: the bottom of all vents can be no higher than 12″ above grade (for example- the upper row of vents shown in the photo are disqualified); the standard sliding aluminum vents must be disabled in the open position to qualify (not practical in the winter months with exposed pipes); garages and detached buildings must be vented; and if the inside grade on all 4 walls of the crawl space is lower than the outside grade, insurance regulations classify the space as a basement.
Engineered vents (such as SmartVents) are common in new construction and to retrofit an exisiting house to conform to the codes. For more information: http://www.smartvent.com/ or contact your insurance agent.