| 2012: | Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |
November 29, 2012
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND is a popular one here on the island, and this year was no exception. Avalon and Stone Harbor kicked off the holiday season in a big way. Avalon's Festive Friday featured an ice skating rink, tree lighting, face painter, and other entertainment. Stone Harbor's weekend celebration was capped off with its traditional Christmas Parade along Third Avenue and 96th Street, featuring marching bands, floats, fire trucks from all over, and a visit from the big guy himself, Santa.
STONE HARBOR CENTENNIAL BOOK PROJECT: Stone Harbor will mark its 100th Anniversary in 2014 with a book containing historical photographs of the town. Do you have one (or more) to contribute? There are three ways to submit your photos: drop them off at the borough hall (they'll be scanned and returned), post them on Facebook (look up the "Stone Harbor Centennial Book Project"), or scan and email them to: stoneharborbook2014@gmail.com. Whether you have photos from one hundred years ago or from Hurricane Sandy, please submit them!
WINTERIZE NOW: Call your plumber to have your outside water turned off and winterized. Also, close your foundation vents to retain heat inside your crawlspace and prevent frozen pipes! A brief warm up is expected in the next few days, but it's going to get cold again soon.
TOPPING OFF: Most of us have watched as the new Reeds at Shelter Haven has risen at 96th Street and Third Avenue over the past several months. The Reeds at Shelter Haven will hold a "Topping Off" ceremony on Thursday, November 29th, at 2pm, as they thank the architects and construction team for the work they've put into the project. Light refreshments will be served immediately after the ceremony. Construction of the luxury hotel is scheduled to be completed this summer.
AVALON REAL ESTATE AGENCY CARES:
Holy Redeemer Food Bank: The Avalon Real Estate Agency family donated 23 turkeys and more than a dozen bags of food to nearby Holy Redeemer Food Bank. Representatives from Holy Redeemer reported that the need is greater than ever.
Red Cross Donation: The A.R.E.A. management team made a donation to the local Red Cross for the benefit of those impacted by Hurricane Sandy. We wish the very best for our neighbors to the north.
Toys for Tots: Continuing our annual tradition, the A.R.E.A. team will collect new, unwrapped toys for local children who otherwise might not receive any this holiday season. Want to contribute a toy? Please stop by our office Monday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm to drop it off. (During our renovation, please come to the back door on the 29th Street side of the building.)
SHOP LOCAL this holiday season! Big box stores and online merchants are fine, but check out some of our local shops this holiday season! Whether you're searching for decorative or gift items, clothing, restaurant gift certificates, or a box of fudge, there are plenty of options right here! On your next trip to town stop in a local shop!
SUNDAY CLOSINGS: On Sundays our office will be closed to allow our staff time to prepare for and enjoy the holidays with their families. Our last Sunday closing will be December 30, 2012.
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL ANY TIME! Despite the approaching holidays we're still listing, renting, and selling properties! Let me know your needs and I'll be glad to help!
November 15, 2012
SEVENTY ONE properties are under contract in the local market, including several new purchase contracts written since Hurricane Sandy passed through the area. We've been able to get back to full speed quickly with settlements occurring as planned, and property showings happening every day.
2013 RENTALS: property rates and information continue to come in each day, and we're off to a strong start for next year. Property owners: I need your rates and availability as soon as possible! Tenants: contact me or MaryAnn to get started--and don't forget you can pay with a credit card!
WE'RE WORKING FULL TIME while our office is being renovated. Our six thousand square foot first floor office operation has been condensed into our second floor space, which is less than one third the size. The office is staffed Monday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm. Due to space limitations, many of us are working from home most of the time.
PLEASE CALL AHEAD if at all possible. With so many of us working from home, chances are you'll miss me if you pop into the office unexpectedly. But if you call ahead, I'll be ready for you! Let me know when you're coming so I can prepare for your visit!
ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE: The Avalon Real Estate Agency team is proud to hold our annual food drive for local families in need. In keeping with tradition we'll have a spot in our office for our staff, clients, and visitors to drop off non-perishable food items. In previous years we've collected dozens of bags of food items, but time is short this year, so please stop by our office with your non-perishable donation by next Monday.
NEXT WEEK is Thanksgiving! What better way to kick off your holiday season than by spending it at the shore? As always, both Avalon and Stone Harbor have great holiday activities planned for the Thanksgiving weekend.
AVALON'S Festive Friday features more than 40 activities including a tree lighting, skating rink, bounce house, pet pictures, and more. It kicks off at 10am Friday, November 23. Be sure to visit the face painter who will be stationed outside Avalon Real Estate Agency between the hours of 11am to 4pm on Friday.
STONE HARBOR'S "An Island Holiday" runs Friday and Saturday, November 23rd & 24th, and includes Breakfast with Frosty, entertainment on the 96th Street stage both days, and Stone Harbor's great Christmas Parade Saturday evening at 6:30pm.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and your family. We're thankful for your business, referrals, and friendship over the past year. May you enjoy the holiday with loved ones.
THE AVALON/STONE HARBOR UPDATE will return the week of November 26. In the mean time, you know where to find me! (800) 967-7796 x212 or Randy@RandyLeiser.com.
November 6, 2012
WE'RE BACK on the Island and have been since last Wednesday when officials allowed people to return after Sandy's departure. Like other property owners and businesses, we were eager to assess the condition of our office and the properties of our clients.
AVALON & STONE HARBOR damage was minimal compared to other areas. Most damage on the Island falls into one of a few main categories:
-beach erosion along much of the beach
-damaged or missing docks along the bayfront
-flood damage to low lying buildings. Our office, one of those low lying buildings, had about a
foot of flood water inside. Newer homes and buildings, built at higher elevations, saw no flood
damage.
-wind damage was surprisingly minimal given the size and strength of the storm. Most wind
damage was limited to lost shingles, siding, or trim.
Perhaps the most notable damage on Seven Mile Island is the "wash out" of Ocean Drive at the foot of the Townsend's Inlet Bridge. The bridge will remain closed until repairs can be made. All other roads and bridges to Avalon & Stone Harbor are open.
REASONS we were spared the worst of the damage include large beaches and a large, protective dune system to buffer the island from storm waves/waters, excellent storm drainage, and properties built to meet the latest construction codes, allowing them to avoid flooding and withstand storm winds. Also, having the eye of the storm pass over us turned out to be a blessing, as a brief period of calm was followed by shifting winds that helped blow the storm surge back out to sea.
FOR AN EXCELLENT ARTICLE about how our dunes and beaches helped protect the island, see:
Andre Pattantyus / Meteorologist: Dunes Saved Avalon and Stone Harbor - PressOfAtlanticCity.com
THANKS TO OFFICIALS from both Avalon & Stone Harbor for their careful planning, which started many, many years before this particular storm. Without their advance planning and leadership, we would not have been as fortunate.
THANKS TO FIRST RESPONDERS from Avalon & Stone Harbor who remained on the Island during the storm protecting the few who didn't evacuate, as well as the properties of everyone who did. Those same first responders provided some of the only real-time local updates during the storm, with pictures appearing on www.AvalonEmergency.org, as well as the Facebook pages of the Borough of Avalon and the Stone Harbor Fire Department.
THANKS TO OUR CLIENTS! So many of you called, emailed, or stopped by to express your concern and to offer help. We appreciate that immensely!
OUR SYMPATHIES go out to our neighbors along the New Jersey coast and elsewhere who suffered far worse damage than we did. We sincerely hope that power can be restored, roads cleared, and damage repaired so those affected can begin the road to recovery.
OUR OFFICE is being repaired; wet carpet was removed last week, the building is dry, and we're using our second floor meeting room as a center of daily operations.
WE'RE OPEN during our normal business hours! We're working both from home and in the office, meeting with clients, and yes, selling and renting properties. Call me at (800) 967-7796, or email me, as I stand ready to help!
The day after Sandy departed, a beautiful sunset graced Avalon & Stone Harbor. Brighter days are ahead!