2014:

Jan.

Feb.

March

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

This weeks News 01/30/2014

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RENTALS ARE BEING BOOKED every day!  Begin your search, or call me or MaryAnn at (800) 967-7796.  Rental property owners: get your rates to me as soon as possible!

ANOTHER FOUR TO SIX INCHES of snow fell across Cape May County Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Combined with an extended period of extreme cold, it's made for some interesting and unusual scenes on the Island. Ice has formed on the beach at the edge of the surf, and also covers many areas of the bay.


A layer of ice has formed across many areas of the bay. Here a few seagulls take a break and rest on the ice, while bubbler systems work to prevent ice from lifting pilings out of the mud.

CONSTRUCTION SEASON! The cold hasn't stopped the construction of new homes during the off season--from nearly any vantage point it seems that you can spot at least one new home under construction. Off the Island other major projects continue, including the Garden State Parkway traffic light removal project,the emptying of Macchia's Island (behind Avalon) of dredge material, the removal of the Route 9 bridge across Great Egg Harbor Bay (linking Cape May County with Atlantic County), and preliminary construction work on a new Garden State Parkway bridge in an adjacent location.

CHANNEL 2 BECOMES CHANNEL 97: Local cable Channel 2 will become Channel 97 in the Comcast lineup on February 27th. The same local news and information will be broadcast around the clock on the new channel.

GOLDEN INN VALENTINE'S DAY GETAWAY: If you don't have your own place to escape to at the shore, you might enjoy the Golden Inn's Valentine's Day package. Enjoy Friday night accommodations, chocolate covered strawberries, a romantic dinner for two, a relaxing couple's massage, breakfast, and a late checkout for $289. To inquire, visit www.GoldenInn.com or call (866) 343-6111.

January 23, 2014

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MARKET REPORT: for a full market report for the 4th quarter of 2013, click here. Key takeaways from the report: the average sale price increased slightly over the 4th quarter of 2012, while the number of sales fell slightly The number of active listings was virtually unchanged against 2012, though both the 2012 and 2013 inventory levels are significantly lower than they were from 2008 through 2011.

THE TOWNSEND’S INLET BRIDGE will close for repairs beginning Monday, February 3rd. Work will be conducted on weekdays, with the full closure expected to last until April 30th.

MORE SNOW fell on the Island Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning. Initial predictions called for 5-9 inches in the area, but a changing storm track caused those predictions to be downgraded. Just a few inches fell in most of Cape May County, while the Philadelphia area is dealing with a foot or more

Sea smoke!  Extremely cold air temperatures cause this unusual effect on the surface of the water.  (Cape May Lewes Ferry photo.)

January 16, 2014

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RENTAL INQUIRIES have increased noticeably since the first of the year!  Get a jump on your vacation plans now!  Call me at (800) 967-7796 x212 or send me an email at Randy@RandyLeiser.com. You can also reach MaryAnn at extension 211, or MAM@LNF.com.  If you are a rental property owner and you have never rented with us before, try us, you will like us!  Please call or email to inquire about our many rental advantages!
 
MARKET STATS: in 2013 the average sold price was $1,191,288, up 1.7% over 2012, while the median sold price was $925,000, up 3.7%.  339 properties were sold in the local market in 2013, down 12% from the year before, while 37 properties are already under contract for 2014 settlements.
 
SEAL ON THE BEACH!  Last week a seal was spotted resting on Avalon 75th Street beach, and the little guy has made at least one subsequent appearance since then.  Though unusual, it is not unheard of for seals to make brief visits to the area.  In this case, 40 degree ocean water temperatures probably make the seal feel right at home.  Anyone spotting a seal is cautioned not to get too close or disrupt it in any way.
 
ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC crews will be in Avalon to complete a reconductoring project that began last year.  A total of 52 poles, 25 transformers, and 22 street light heads will be replaced from 36th Street north to 7th Street.   Residents in the vicinity of the project will be notified if a temporary outage will occur.  The work is likely to begin this month and conclude in April. 
 
STONE HARBOR CENTENNIAL will be celebrated this year with a series of events, beginning in the spring.  Events will include a re-enactment of the very first borough council meeting, four Jersey Pops shows, plus more to be announced.  The borough issued a centennial beach tag for the holidays, with another run to be produced in the spring, along with a commemorative centennial book, too.  Keep an eye on the Avalon/Stone Harbor Update for more centennial events as they are announced.

 

Dune grass trapped wind-blown snow as it fell, causing it to form small mounds around clusters of grass.  The snow has long since melted away

January 7, 2014

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"HOME-PRICE APPRECIATION should continue...albeit at a slower pace," according to a recent Barron's article (December 30, 2013) discussing the nationwide real estate forecast. Barron's cites housing affordability as a factor in their forecast. A subsequent USA Today article (January 1, 2014) cautions that rising interest rates could reduce affordability and temper rising demand. Rates have increased slightly thus far, with thirty-year fixed rates at a still-reasonable 4.5%.
 
THE AVALON HISTORY PROJECT will capture the community's history through the voices of its people. If you have a story to tell about Avalon's past, or if you'd like to be an interviewer, please contact the Avalon History Center at (609) 967-0090 or jangemi@avalonfreelibrary.org.
 
JERSEY SHORE POPS: Four performances by the Jersey Shore Pops are on tap for Summer 2014 in Stone Harbor. The free concerts will be staged in the water tower lot on July 1st, July 15th, July 29th, and August 12th. The public will be invited to bring a beach towel or blanket for the shows, which will feature music from a variety of eras.
 
GO EAGLES! No, not the Philadelphia Eagles, who lost in last Saturday's playoff game. Rather, bald eagles, who had a very successful 2013 according to a December 30th report in the Atlantic City Press. 177 baby eagles were counted in 148 bald eagle nests throughout New Jersey last year, a huge rebound from the one nesting pair left in the state in the 1970s. Ospreys had a successful year, too, with 542 nesting pairs and 777 chicks recorded. Ospreys are often seen near Cape May County's coastal waters, while bald eagles are usually spotted in more wooded areas of the state. Nearby Cumberland and Salem Counties are home to an estimated 41% of the state's eagle population.
 
TEMPERATURE'S UP, TEMPERATURE'S DOWN! This past Thursday and Friday, several inches of snow fell in Avalon and across the county. When the snow stopped falling, skies cleared but even daytime high temperatures were frigid, with cold winds to boot. By Sunday, temperatures were back up near 50 degrees, and combined with rain the snow melted away. The warm up was quick: by Tuesday daytime highs are expected to be in the teens again!

 
Shortly after the snow stopped falling on Friday a lone set of footprints could be seen on Avalon's boardwalk.