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
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!
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.
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!
Photos Courtesy Randy Leiser. (C) 2011-2012.
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!