The view from the beach in Stone Harbor Tuesday night.
With the recent heat…the beach is the best place to be!
P.S. We have rental openings during the next few weeks- if you know someone considering a last minute vacation at the shore, I am happy to help.
Soon after paddling off in my kayak this morning, a heavy mist fell over the back bay and marsh. It was actually quite cool- a nice relief from the heat!
I don’t know how “real” boats manage with the fog/mist-  very disorienting. Thankfully, I can stay close to the docks and marsh- no worries about water depth with a kayak.  It’s important to avoid boat traffic when visibility is poor- I can’t paddle out of the way that fast!
High tide means less hard sand…and the beach walkers have to share the tight space.
Unwritten rules:Â those without sneakers should hang along the water’s edge; large groups may need to pair off to allow oncoming “traffic” to pass; and a friendly hello or smile on your first pass is appropriate (include the beach cleaner on this, too!)
The view from my kayak this morning as I paddled around the back bay.Â
Saw a Blue Heron in the marsh, and a Snowy Egret on a dock.
Ideal weekend weather for the Arts & Crafts Show. This big event continues today at the 80th Street field.
A busy weekend requires an early start to my day. This morning’s beach walk was just in time for a beautiful sunrise.
The Arts & Crafts Show has taken over the 80th Street field.  It’s impossible to park anywhere near that area- so look for the Trolley Stop signs and catch a ride!
Perfect weather today- and a major rental change over. The departing tenants will be sad to leave on such a great beach day…and the incoming tenants will be stalking the properties to check in early 😉
Early morning beach walk was a combination of…
Sweat-  High humidity levels this morning- the drier air hasn’t reached the Seven Mile Beach yet.Â
Sweet- Watched a dad walk along the ocean’s edge with a sleeping baby- the best white noise machine ever!
Have a great weekend!
Why is the walk home from the beach sooooo much slower than the walk there?Â
Must be the strain of taking down the umbrella, folding up the chair, shaking out the beach towels, etc.  It’s exhausting…
If you own a rental property at the shore, it’s helpful to make at least one personal inspection during the summer season.
The change over cleaning services work hard every Saturday, but they can only do so much. And many items are not in their job description.
For instance, the stones in the yard. Are they all over the sidewalk and curb? Do you need a touch up spray for weeds? Same with the deck- a cleaning service will not typically check the deck for sand or dirt. Is the deck umbrella still in one piece (it’s been a windy summer!). How about the grill? Is there a grill brush nearby to encourage tenants to scrub it down after use?
Inside- check ceiling fans for accumulated dust; and with the recent heat, the air conditioning return vents are likely in need of a good cleaning.
By August, the homes can be a bit “tired”- a disappointment to the prime time tenants when they arrive. The extra effort by owners to keep their property in top condition pays off. Plus, happy tenants = happy rental agents 🙂
Sales at the Shore: Since May 1st, 45 properties have SOLD (settlement) in Avalon and Stone Harbor, with an additional 41 currently sale pending (settlement in the near future).
Of those SOLD- 1 commercial property, 3 classified as vacant lots, 18 condo/townhouse units, and 23 residential properties. The median selling price was $1,060,000, including a low of $145,000 for a Beachcomber condo (motel) to $5,150,000 for a southend Avalon custom beach block home. 11 were in Stone Harbor; 34 in Avalon.
Of the condo/townhouse sales- the median selling price was $692,000. 10 were townhouse style (2 levels) and 8 were traditional condo style. 3 were in Stone Harbor and 15 in Avalon.
The median asking price for the combined 41 “sale pending” properties is $1,099,000– in line with the median price of those recently settled.
Stone Harbor Video
Justin Gaynor http://www.justingaynor.com/   a loyal seashore visitor, expresses his love for Stone Harbor, family, and his fiance http://www.genevievefaust.com/ in his new video. Very sweet!
http://www.vimeo.com/14106147