Randy Leiser, Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc., 2997 Dune Drive, PO Box 10, Avalon, NJ 08202
toll-free: 800-967-7796 x212  |  local: 609-967-3001  |  fax: 609-967-3057  |  e-mail: Randy@RandyLeiser.com
2012: Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.  

January 26, 2012

ELITE CONFERENCE: my father and I were asked to speak at the 2012 Janney Montgomery Scott Elite Financial Advisor Conference in Philadelphia on January 19.  Held at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, the conference was for Janney's top 200 financial advisors.  We presented an hour long discussion titled Second Homes and Investment Properties: Acquisition, Ownership, and Disposition.  Subjects included mortgage financing, tax benefits, financial planning considerations, and Section 1031 tax deferred exchanges.  View Our PowerPoint Slides
 
Conference Photo
Paul and Randy Leiser addressed a group of top Janney financial advisors in Philadelphia last week.

NOW'S THE TIME!  Looking to secure your 2012 vacation?  We're booking properties NOW!  Call or email me (randy@randyleiser.com) to get started! 

Owners, check your property and schedule any repairs or improvements now, so they are completed well in advance of the rental season.
 
AVALON HOME AND LAND OWNERS will meet on Saturday, February 11th at 10am to hear a discussion titled "The MUA and You."  The group will meet again on Saturday, March 10th at 10am for a presentation on the Cape May County Park and Zoo.  Both meetings will be held at the Avalon Senior Center.
 
YES, PARKWAY TOLLS went up by 50% on January 1, but NJ Turnpike officials say traffic has decreased by just less than three percent so far.  Here's an idea: save the toll and have some fun exploring the "road less traveled!"  When you're not in a hurry, try using Route 9 or another alternate route--you're likely to find a great antique store, coffee shop, or restaurant that you would have missed!
 
LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION in Stone Harbor would have been underway if Borough Council hadn't appointed a site search committee.  The required CAFRA permit was the final item needed to begin construction.  The permit was received in time for construction to begin January 20th, the original deadline.  However, in the interim Borough Council, including two newly elected members, appointed the site search committee.  The county will now delay construction until the site committee's work is done. 

HOW 'BOUT THIS?
  A two bedroom Avalon condo just two blocks to the beach for $339,900?  Or maybe a three bedroom bayfront condo in Avalon for $565,000?  Perhaps a four bedroom Stone Harbor beachblock single family home for $1,575,000 is more your speed?  These opportunities exist right now!Call or email me for details!

January 19, 2012

MMM, MMM GOOD!  Who doesn't love Henny's famous clam chowder and snapper soup?  Good news--Henny's is now shipping its soups!  Call Gary at Henny's Seafood Takeout and place your order.  (609) 368-TO-GO.
 
THE WEIGHT LIMIT on the Townsend's Inlet Bridge has been reduced to three tons from five tons after an early January inspection.  According to the executive director of the county bridge commission, plans are being developed for repairs to the bascule (lift) span.  Private vehicles may still use the span, but large trucks and buses must detour around it.
 
EXPANDED HOURS:  Avalon's trash and recycling center will be open seven days a week throughout the year, closing only for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.  The center will be open 7am to 3pm daily, making it convenient for those weekend visitors who can't put their trash curbside during the week.
 
NEED A TASTE of Avalon during the off season?  If you don't have your own place on the Island, you can still enjoy the peace and tranquility of the off season at the Golden Inn during one of their Getaway Weekends!  Upcoming Getaway Weekends include Girlfriend's Weekend (January 27-29), Big Band Dance Getaway (February 3-5), Valentine's French Wine Weekend (February 10-12), and President's "Long" Weekend Getaway (February 17-20).

Visit www.GoldenInn.com or call (866) 343-6111 for reservations. If you'd like help finding your very own getaway spot, email me or call me at (800) 967-7796 x212.

January 12, 2012

IT'S THAT TIME!  Make up your to-do list now, and schedule contractors while they're not busy.  Interior painting, carpet cleaning, appliance repair--get the work done now before contractors are swamped by the "before Memorial Day" rush.  If you need a contractor recommendation, email me.
 
300,000 CUBIC YARDS of new sand are already on the beach in nearby Strathmere, where a dredging project recently began.  The dredge will soon begin pumping sand onto Sea Isle City beaches, which are due to receive almost 500,000 cubic yards.

Avalon is planning a beachfill by "backpassing" sand from south-end beaches, where it is plentiful, to north-end beaches, where it is needed.
 
MARKET UPDATE 2011:
Information obtained from the Cape May County MLS (Percentage change from 2010 shown in parentheses)
 
  Avalon
Number of Sales: 188 (+16.7%)
Total $ Volume: $226,680,041 (+20.1%)
Average Sale Price: $1,205,744 (+2.9%)
Number of Active Listings: 299 (-8.2%)
Stone Harbor
Number of Sales: 80 (+35.5%)
Total $ Volume: $112,302,750 (+37.2%)
Average Sale Price: $1,403,784 (+1.2%)
Number of Active Listings: 229 (+7.5%)
     
  Avalon Manor
Number of Sales: 5 (0%)
Total $ Volume: $1,449,000 (-53.3%)
Average Sale Price: $289,800 (-53.3%)
Number of Active Listings: 36 (+16.1%)
Stone Harbor Manor
Number of Sales: 3 (0%)
Total $ Volume: $1,244,900 (+5.5%)
Average Sale Price: $414,966 (+5.5%)
Number of Active Listings: 17 (-19.0%)  
 
SOLDIERS RETURNING home to Cape May County after serving in Afghanistan were escorted down the Garden State Parkway by fire companies, veterans, and other groups.  After a year in Afghanistan, about 25 members of the New Jersey National Guard 253rd Transportation Company returned to Fort Dix on January 3.  They were met on the Parkway at 1:45pm Wednesday, January 11th and escorted to the armory at Crest Haven Road in Cape May Court House, where they were met by family members and the public.
 
WHAT A WAY to ring in the New Year!  Our family gathered to watch the fireworks over the Philadelphia skyline on New Year's Eve, and I thought I'd share the view with you!

New Years Eve, Philadelphia 
Photos Courtesy Randy Leiser. (C) 2011-2012.

January 5, 2012


LIBRARY REVIEW:  Stone Harbor's Borough Council has appointed a special committee to review potential sites within the borough for a new county library.  Cape May County had been awaiting a CAFRA permit and had already awarded a contract to construct a library at 95th Street and the beach.  Newly elected Council Member Joselyn Rich introduced the resolution to form the "Library Location Committee", which was unanimously supported by council members. 

The committee will be accepting public input for the next six months.

AVALON BOULEVARD will be resurfaced from the west end of the newly completed Avalon Canal Bridge to the Graven's Thorofare Bridge, some 4,150 feet away.  Look for that work to begin in April with an expected completion date around Memorial Day Weekend.  Meanwhile, the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority sanitary sewer main pipe project is underway, and the majority of pipe is expected to be installed by February.
 
MORTGAGE RATES finished the year at near record lows.  Thirty-year fixed rate mortgages up to $417,000 are about 4%, while those over $417,000 are about 4.5%.  Whether refinancing or buying, it's a great time to lock in low financing costs for the duration of your ownership.  Contact me for the names of reliable mortgage lenders.
 
LOOK FOR a comprehensive year-end market update next week.
 
PLEASE LET ME KNOW what you need in the upcoming year!  I'm ready to help.  If you're contemplating a purchase, let's discuss your situation and begin the work of finding your place at the shore.  If you're preparing to sell, let's discuss the market and plan our strategy.  Email me or call me at (800) 967-7796 x212.
 
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!  Best wishes for a successful 2012!