| 2012: | Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |
March 29, 2012
34 CONTRACTS IN THREE WEEKS! Improved market activity has continued in March as 34 new purchase contracts were written in the past three weeks. With interest rates still low (for now) and inflation potentially around the corner, now is a great time to buy while there is still attractively priced inventory available.
AVALON INFORMATION GUIDE: Avalon has released its 2012 Information and Recreation Guide, packed with info on local events, sports camps for kids, plus helpful phone numbers and much more. You'll find it here: http://www.randyleiser.com/reports.htm
CAPE MAY COUNTY TOURISM officials reported a 5% increase in tourism revenue in 2011. According to Cape May County Tourism Director Diane Wieland, "every sector experienced growth: entertainment, transportation, food, retail, and lodging." The announcement came on the heels of an announcement from the state indicating that statewide tourism spending was up 7%.
Read the article from The Press of Atlantic City: Tourist Spending In Cape May County
STONE HARBOR will receive an artifact from the World Trade Center as a tribute to the victims and first responders associated with the September 11, 2001 attack. The artifact is currently in a hangar at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City. Once final paperwork is completed, borough officials will travel to New York to bring the piece to Stone Harbor. A volunteer committee will be formed to decide on a location of a memorial that will incorporate the artifact.
VACATION HOME OWNERSHIP TIP: dryers that vent to crawl spaces, or debris stored in crawlspaces, create and trap moisture which could cause potential mold issues. Make sure your dryer is vented to the exterior of your home, and remove debris from your crawl space. If you have passive vents in your foundation, open them in the spring for maximum ventilation. For crawl spaces that are persistently damp, powered vent fans are available.
MEMORIAL DAY is just two months away! Come on, Summer!
March 22, 2012
TOURISM SPIKE IN 2011: tourism revenue in New Jersey jumped by 7 percent to $38 billion last year, despite a summer season shortened by a hurricane evacuation. A warm winter has boosted early-season crowds thus far this year, and combined with a $2.7 million marketing campaign by the state of New Jersey, business owners are optimistic that 2012 will be a banner year.
AVALON'S WATER & SEWER utility will be managed by Middlesex Water Company beginning July 1, 2012. Middlesex will take over for New Jersey American Water Company, and will be responsible for day to day operations. The Borough of Avalon continues to retain ownership of its water, wastewater, and sewer system, but saves taxpayers approximately $100,000 annually by allowing a private company to manage the system.
CHANGES TO BEACH ACCESS rules were proposed by the NJ-DEP due in part to Avalon's successful 2007 lawsuit in which it challenged unrestricted 24-hour access to beaches and marinas as required by the DEP. Public comment on the revised rules will be accepted at two public hearings, including one to be held in Avalon's Municipal Court meeting room on April 18th at 11am.
MARKET STATS: Through March 15 of this year, 48 properties have sold in the local market, up 26% over the same period last year. The average price was $1,265,017, down 5.2%, while the median price was $1,075,000, up 25.4%.
REUTERS INTERVIEW: we were pleased to be interviewed this week by a reporter from the Reuters international news agency. The Reuters reporter reviewed our PowerPoint presentation titled Second Homes and Investment Properties: Acquisition, Ownership and Disposition, and asked numerous questions about market trends in Avalon and Stone Harbor, the current state of the market, buyer mindset, and other relevant topics. When published in early April, the article will be available to Reuters news agency affiliates around the world. When the interview appears, you'll see it here!
THINKING ABOUT BUYING? Jump in while interest rates and prices are still low! Mortgage rates remain in the 4% to 5% range, and prices are reasonable. Let's discuss your needs, then I'll find you your very own vacation getaway!
COMING DOWN? Please call or email me ahead of time and I'll be ready for you when you arrive!
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March 15, 2012
A TASTE OF SPRING: daytime temperatures have reached the seventies this week here on the Island! Combined with warm sunshine and gentle breezes it made for delightful weather. The ocean temperature is still in the upper 40s to low 50s (it varies daily due to wind direction).
BOATERS are reminded by the New Jersey State Police that PFDs are especially critical during the early part of the boating season. In the event of a fall overboard, colder water temperatures can lead quickly to hypothermia, hampering the ability to swim or even breathe. Life jackets will keep the boater at the surface to allow a rescue.
SUMMER CAMP FAIR: Avalon's Department of Recreation will host a summer camp fair showcasing camps and recreational activities that will be offered during the summer season. Parents and children can learn about the various programs at the Summer Camp Fair, which is free and open to the public. It will be held on Sunday, May 27 from 10am to 2pm at Avalon's Community Hall.
SEA ISLE CITY will reconstruct the main entrance to the city, JFK Boulevard, beginning this fall. The $3.5 million project will include sidewalks up to 26 feet wide, to create a pedestrian plaza stretching from beach to bay.
In an unrelated project Sea Isle Boulevard will be elevated by 4.5 feet to allow traffic to flow during times of flooding.
CHARLES HARVEY HOME FURNISHINGS hosted a session for Avalon Real Estate Agency team members this week in which they highlighted the latest trends in home furnishings. It's part of our on-going program of staying informed in fields related to our clients' needs. Our thanks to Carol Harvey for hosting us! Visit Charles Harvey Home Furnishings, or stop by their store at 31st Street & Dune Drive the next time you're in Avalon!
Members of the AREA team meet with Carol Harvey and her staff at Charles Harvey Furnishings
REMEMBER WHEN? Remember when you could have breakfast at Sullivan's Department Store in Avalon, where the locals met daily? Times have changed--Sullivan's closed its doors many years ago. Have a favorite Island memory? Please share it with me by replying to this email!
READY TO LIST your property for sale or rent? Please call or email me! Good property listings are always in demand, and now is no exception!
PLEASE FORWARD this newsletter to someone who enjoys Avalon & Stone Harbor! To subscribe, please email me at Randy@RandyLeiser.com.
March 8, 2012
AVALON'S BEACH TAG BOOTH will open on weekends beginning Saturday, March 31st. Beach tag fees are: pre-season (purchase on or before May 31) $21.00; season tag (price effective June 1) $26.00; weekly (Saturday through Saturday) $12.00 and daily $6.00. Reciprocity of beach tags is observed between Avalon and Stone Harbor.
Seasonal beach tags can also be ordered through the mail this spring. Please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope, along with a check, to: Avalon Tax Office/Beach Tags, 3100 Dune Drive, Avalon, NJ 08202. Make check payable to: Borough of Avalon. Please indicate how many seasonal beach tags you are ordering at the $21.00 pre-season price. You will be mailed a receipt from the tax office. During your next visit to Avalon, redeem your receipt for the number of beach tags that you ordered. Actual beach tags are not sent through the mail. Weekly and daily tags cannot be ordered through the mail.
WETLANDS, or more precisely, a lack of wetlands, is the reason behind yet another delay in the removal of traffic lights along the Garden State Parkway in Cape May Court House. New access ramps and highway overpasses would destroy about 3.5 acres of wetlands; regulations call for wetlands to be replaced at a two-to-one ratio, meaning seven acres of wetlands must be created from high ground in the same watershed. Available sites are being explored, but thus far, suitable ground has not been found. Some local land owners have refused to sell. Ironically, the NJDEP owns 887 acres of adjoining land, including 100 acres of high ground, as part of the Green Acres program.
SEA ISLE CITY property owners will qualify for reduced flood insurance rates thanks to the city's efforts in flood management. Flood mitigation efforts are designed to minimize losses due to flooding. Avalon property owners already enjoy discounts on their flood insurance premiums thanks to borough efforts including stricter building codes, better storm drainage, and higher bulkheads along the bayfront.
BUS SERVICE along Ocean Drive will end on April 7th according to New Jersey Transit. Weight restrictions on the Townsend's Inlet Bridge, plus low ridership were cited as reasons. The days of buses rumbling along Ocean Drive are coming to a close.
2012 marks Avalon Real Estate Agency's 50th anniversary as proudly reflected in our newly designed logo shown below. Our longevity in the Seven Mile Island marketplace is an exciting milestone and we enthusiastically look forward to providing the best possible real estate service to each and every one of our friends and clients for the next 50 years!
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March 1, 2012
MORE SAND: Avalon Borough Council authorized the placement of an additional 14,000 cubic yards of sand on its north-end beaches as far as 11th Street. Nearly 45,000 cubic yards have already been backpassed from two south-end beaches as part of the original project which covered 16th Street through 26th Street.
DUNE GRASS PLANTING: volunteers are needed to help plant dune grass in Avalon's dunes on Saturday, April 21st. Volunteers should report to Avalon Community Hall at 8:30am for donuts, coffee, and a demonstration on how to plant dune grass. Volunteers will be transported to the dunes by the borough. A complimentary lunch will be served at noon at Community Hall. Rain date: Sunday, April 22nd at 8:30am.
GIVE 'EM A BRAKE while construction work continues along Avalon Boulevard. A 25mph speed limit has been put in place for the entire length of the Boulevard until the replacement of water and sewer mains is completed.
Following construction a 4,150 foot section of Avalon Boulevard will be repaved in the spring.
REMEMBER WHEN? Who remembers the LaHacienda Motel, which used to be located at 10726 Third Avenue? The motel has been gone since the early 1980s by my recollection, having been replaced by the Holly Bay Condominiums.
2012 marks the 50th Anniversary of Avalon Real Estate Agency, and it has prompted us to take a nostalgic look back at some fond memories from around the island. Have an Island Memory you'd like to share with us? Send it to me!
WHAT A VIEW! Take a look at the New Jersey coastline as seen from the International Space Station! The Delaware Bay is nearly in the center of the image while the New Jersey coastline stretches toward the right.
Avalon & Stone Harbor visible as narrow strands of lights, view from the International Space Station.