| 2013: | Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |
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
AVALON MAYOR MARTIN PAGLIUGHI delivered a keynote address to an audience that included more than 100 U.S. Senate staff members and national emergency management officials in Washington, DC at last week's National Preparedness Fair. Mayor Pagliughi spoke about emergency management at the local and county levels; he was selected to speak because of Avalon's response to Hurricane Sandy as well as Avalon's commitment to storm mitigation and emergency preparedness. He also stressed the need for federal funding for beach and dune projects, calling them an investment that "provides a huge return for federal, state, and local stakeholders."
STONE HARBOR BACK BAY DREDGING: Borough administrator Jill Gougher reported at a recent Stone Harbor Property Owners meeting that the borough recognizes the need to dredge the back bays and is working on several aspects of this. The borough is negotiating to purchase Site 103, a location on Nummy Island (behind Stone Harbor) where dredge material from previous projects has been placed. Site 103 is currently full, so officials recently met with state and federal agencies to discuss offloading Site 103 (similar to Avalon's planned offloading of Machia's Island.) Stone Harbor is also preparing a dredging master plan with the intent of identifying the frequency and scope of future dredging projects, and funding for them.
Boats traverse Townsend's Inlet on a warm day.
THE WETLANDS INSTITUTE received a grant of nearly $25,000 from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) to assist with their efforts to reduce diamondback terrapin mortality on local roadways. This is the third consecutive year The Wetlands Institute has received a DWCF conservation grant. Congratulations!
LAST WEEKEND'S "SAVOR SEPTEMBER" FESTIVAL in Stone Harbor was a big hit, thanks to great food, music, wine, beer, and beautiful weather! Check the list of events below and select a few favorites while the weather is still fantastic!
2014 RENTALS: Yes, we're already booking 2014 rentals! Rental property owners, please return your rental listing to me if you haven't already done so. If you've never rented but you're considering renting your property for the first time, please call me!
AVALON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT will celebrate its 100th Anniversary with a ceremony, parade, and celebration on October 19th. Stay tuned for more details!
September 19, 2013
COMING SOON TO YOUR SMART PHONE! We're pleased to announce that an exciting smart phone app will soon be available to our rental clients and customers. The app is designed for easy access to our rental inventory and puts that information into prospective tenants' hands 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's just another way that Long & Foster, Avalon, demonstrates its leadership in the resort rental industry. We'll provide more information on the app in the very near future!
AVALON MAYOR Martin Pagliughi will be the keynote speaker at the National Preparedness Month Fair in Washington, DC, on Friday, September 20th. Mayor Pagliughi will deliver a 30-minute presentation to Senate staff members and national emergency management officials. In addition to his service to Avalon, Mayor Pagliughi serves as the Cape May County Director of Emergency Management.
STONE HARBOR, AVALON, Cape May Court House, and Rio Grande all sent fire trucks to cover fire stations that were fighting the enormous Seaside Heights Boardwalk fire last week. The huge fire destroyed several blocks of the boardwalk and dozens of businesses. Thanks to local volunteers for always being willing to help, both around town and around the state!
LAST CALL FOR SYLVESTER'S FISH MARKET & RESTAURANT! Sylvester's is open through Saturday evening--last chance to enjoy that fresh seafood dinner under the awning this season! You can also enjoy their great food at Stone Harbor's "Savor September" Festival on Saturday, and they'll also be at Avalon's Seafood Festival October 12 & 13.
SEASHORE ACE owner Jim Fisher was named "Citizen of the Year" by the Stone Harbor Property Owners Association. Jim has contributed to the town for years, including his service as chairman of the Stone Harbor Centennial Committee.
A late summer sunset reveals beautiful colors.
LOOKING AHEAD: the summer of 2013 may be ending but we're already working on the summer of 2014! Owners, please get your rates to us as soon as possible, as we are already booking rentals for next year. Tenants, call me or MaryAnn to find the perfect vacation spot for 2014!
AVALON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT will celebrate its 100th Anniversary with a ceremony, parade, and celebration on October 19th. Stay tuned for more details!
September 12, 2013
84 PROPERTIES are currently "under contract" in the local market...that's 84 families looking forward to their new shore property! It's a great time to make a purchase at the shore...the selection of available properties is broad, prices are reasonable, and interest rates are attractive. Call me to get started-you'll be glad you did!
SEPTEMBER'S WEATHER has lived up to its reputation, with warm days and cool nights. The ocean water temperature is still a very comfortable and refreshing 71 degrees, too! C'mon back for a visit. Whether you're staying at your own house, a rental property, or in one of the Island's hotels, you're sure to enjoy our wonderful "Second Summer!"
NEED SOME IDEAS? While traditional favorites such as the beach and fishing are still fantastic in September, there are a lot of other great family activities to enjoy during the fall season. Here are just a few ideas: climb to the top of the Cape May Lighthouse; visit the Cape May County Zoo (see below); visit Stone Harbor Point or walk through the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary; stroll along Avalon's boardwalk; visit the municipal marinas at 54th Street (Avalon) or 81st Street (Stone Harbor) and take in a magnificent sunset.
Catch a beautiful sunset on your next visit to the Island!
THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY'S southbound lanes will close temporarily the night of September 17th, beginning at 10pm so electric lines can be moved as part of the ongoing traffic light removal project between mileposts 9 and 11. Further north, where the Parkway crosses Great Egg Harbor Bay and enters Atlantic County, numerous cranes are present in the area. One has driven a test piling in preparation for the eventual construction of a replacement southbound bridge span, while several others are working on the removal of the adjacent Beesley's Point Bridge which used to carry Route 9 across the bay.
LAST CHANCE FOR BREAKFAST ON THE BAY at The Marina at Avalon Anchorage! Stop by Saturday or Sunday for one last breakfast this season. Bayside dining, with views of the Intracoastal Waterway, wetlands, and passing boats can't be beat!
TRIP ADVISOR has recognized the Cape May County Park & Zoo with a 2013 Certificate of Excellence. Ask anyone who has visited the Zoo...it's a hidden gem! Animals on display include a newly born bison, four Chinese alligators, peacocks, reptiles, and more. It's worth a visit!
September 5, 2013
RETURN TO "ARMS"? The recent increase in interest rates has caused some to turn to adjustable rate mortgages because of their lower introductory rates. According to recent data, adjustable rate mortgages represent about 15% of recent mortgage originations, up from about 4% of mortgages last year. Should you use adjustable rate financing? Most experts say it depends upon how long you'll have the mortgage. For those expecting to hold the loan for a short period of time, an adjustable rate mortgage (now starting anywhere from 2.75% to 3.25%) might make sense. For those expecting to hold the loan for a longer period, thirty-year fixed rates might be a better choice-they're still in the 4.5% to 4.75% range, and remain a pretty good deal! Whether you're purchasing or refinancing, call me for the names of reliable mortgage lenders!
PROPERTY OWNER'S MEETINGS: Both Avalon and Stone Harbor property owners will hold public meetings on Saturday, September 14th.
The Stone Harbor Property Owners Association will meet at 9am at Stone Harbor Elementary School, and will receive an update on issues facing the borough.
The Avalon Home and Land Owners Association will meet at 10am at Avalon Community Hall. On the agenda is Atlantic City Electric's plan to replace the Peermont substation located in Avalon. The public will have the opportunity to ask questions of Atlantic City Electric officials. Mayor Martin Pagliughi will also be attending the meeting.
STATE PERMITS have been obtained allowing Avalon to remove dredge material stored at Graven's Island (in the back bay), and a federal permit may be received by the weekend. Approximately 130,000 cubic yards of dredge material will be offloaded from the island via a temporary road, making room for the storage of material from future back bay dredging projects. It is possible that construction of the temporary road could begin at the end of September, with offloading of dredge material beginning in November.
FEMA HAS RELEASED updated flood maps for Cape May County, along with other areas. These maps replace the Advisory Base Flood Elevation maps released earlier, and according to FEMA, "include the results of a more refined analysis of shoreline conditions."
View The Updated Maps or Read More About FEMA Mapping.
| FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT,
visit Imagine Butterflies at Woodland Village in nearby Clermont.
Their live butterfly display features dozens of butterflies in a
lush greenhouse. As you walk through the display colorful butterflies may land on you in between stops atop beautiful flowers. It's fun for kids young and old-be sure to bring a camera!! Imagine Butterflies is open till Halloween. Call (609) 624-0909 for hours. Pictured Right: A butterfly rests on a leaf at Imagine Butterflies. |
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TERRAPIN RESCUE: We're all familiar with efforts to assist turtles as they cross local roads to lay eggs in the early summer. But every year baby terrapins fall into local storm drains and become trapped. The Wetlands Institute is looking for volunteers to monitor storm drains on a schedule of their choosing, and to rescue any terrapins that may be trapped. The Institute will host a Terrapin Storm Drain Rescue Workshop Tuesday, September 10th, at 6pm. To register, please email ksellers@wetlandsintitute.org with your name and number of people attending by Friday,
September 6th.
LOOKING FOR A GREAT PLACE to spend the rest of September? How about a beautiful 3 bedroom, 3 bath condo, centrally located at 2322 Dune Drive? Park your car and walk to the beach, shops, and restaurants! This unit is available for $1,000 to $1,200 per week during the month of September! Call me for details!