In the winter months, the daytime sky is often gray.
Yet the ocean moisture that creates those low level clouds, also provides for a colorful show at dawn.
Brilliant shades of orange, pink, purple, and blue coat the morning sky…and then fade to gray just after sunrise.
That’s my incentive to bundle up and hurry down to the beach!
My father was an avid Eagles fan, and had season tickets for many years. He and my mother would drive from Avalon to Veterans Stadium on home game Sundays.
Our dad shared his enthusiasm for the team with his four daughters- with the younger two carrying on the family torch of fandom 🙂
My younger sisters know the stats, the players, and the rules.  And, they despise the Cowboys!
For me, past Super Bowl games were more about entertainment and commercials.  But last night, I was proud to wear an Eagles’ t-shirt and cheer for the team…and my family.
P.S. Thursday 2/8/18   My 2 sisters are in Philadelphia for the parade!!
Frozen at the water’s edge…
A home was recently listed for sale in Avalon with all new interior finishes on the 1st floor. Because I know the area, I asked the agent if the house was flooded during Sandy (2012) and/or Jonas (winter storm in 2016).
The agent confirmed that the home was damaged and repaired using flood insurance funds after both storms.
Why is this important? Other than fundamental disclosure rules, a buyer should be aware of the history because flood insurance claims remain on the property even after a sale.  Basically a permanent record .
The flood insurance rate charged to the new owner will be based on the elevation of the structure and past claims.
If the structure is elevated or demolished (and replaced with a new home), the owner will request a re-evaluation of their flood policy and benefit from a lower rate.
Very “profitable” morning walks this week-  found a total of 5 sand dollars and a unique variety of sea glass!
Treasure hunting tips:
Search at low tide – plus easier to walk on the hard sand!
Check around the jetties -items accumulate near the rocks.
Sand dollars are usually in the hard sand down by the water- sometimes partially buried so easy to miss.
Sea glass is often mixed in with clusters of small shells near the water’s edge.  A sunny day helps – easier to see a reflection off the glass.
Happy hunting!
Views that make my freezing beach walks worthwhile…
I’ve written about my personal experience with dune grass planting as a child growing up on the island.
Needless to say, the finished product way back then looked a bit different than the symmetrical rows pictured!
Although I have twice seen a bald eagle on the beach, I’m designating the snowy owl as the official shore mascot for the Eagles.
On the back up team- the common neighborhood skunk 😉
Like many of you, I am reading up on the tax reform changes to determine how the laws will potentially affect property ownership.
Main observations-
1) Deduction of property taxes capped at $10,000 total.  An exception will be if a property is held as an investment and property taxes are listed as an expense on Schedule C of a tax return.
2) Mortgage interest deduction limited to the first $750,000 of debt (existing mortgages grandfathered).
3)  The interest paid on home equity loans and lines of credit will no longer be deductible.
4)  Fees paid to tax preparer no longer deductible.  Yet wonder if it’s a line item expense for an investment property on Schedule C- maybe?
5) The ability to transfer investment property via a 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange remains the same.
6) Capital gains rates – no changes.
Question for your accountant: are there benefits to change the classification of your shore property?  Second home versus an investment property?
Beach Treasures
I will admit, I’ve become a bit of a “cat lady” with my sea glass and sand dollar collections.
The winter months are especially profitable with finding beach treasures during my regular walks.
On display around my house, I counted a total of 18 sand dollars, plus several jars of colorful sea glass.
Will bring some of the haul to my office to share with customers!