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
| 2021: | Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |
This Weeks News 9/30/2021
The iconic sign from Sylvester's Fish Market has a new home! Photo
courtesy Avalon History Center's Facebook page.
SYLVESTER'S FISH MARKET may be closed for good, but their
iconic sign will have a new home at the Avalon History Center. Bill &
Bernadette Selgrath donated the sign earlier this week. If you've never been
to the Avalon History Center, stop by. You'll find an amazing collection of
artifacts from Avalon's past, both distant and recent!
70S AND SUNNY! That's been the daily weather forecast all
week! Warm sunshine, low humidity, and cool evenings--the stuff of September
legends! The ocean water temperature remains a comfortable 73 degrees,
making it ideal for swimming, surfing, or beach walks.
Coming soon! We're looking forward to moving into our brand-new office
in 2022, at our familiar 30th Street & Dune Drive location!
OFFICE UPDATE: Our next chapter begins! This week our staff
moved to their temporary location at 2743 Dune Drive, where they'll remain
as our old office building is demolished and replaced with a brand-new
building. We're looking forward to moving into our new office on Avalon's
most visible corner in 2022! Our sale and rental business will continue full
time during construction--contact me via phone or email anytime!
A CLASSIC & VINTAGE CAR SHOW joins the list of great fall
activities to enjoy in Avalon & Stone Harbor. The all-new event will be held
on 96th Street in Stone Harbor on October 9th, from 10am to 1pm, with a
parade of vehicles to follow. The show is open to vintage & classic vehicles
of all sorts, 15 years or older. To register a vehicle email
TOURISM@SHNJ.ORG.
DR. STEVE SJUGGERUD posted an article in his Daily Wealth
newsletter outlining the reasons he believes the real estate market will
remain strong for years. Sjuggerud says "The answer is simple. While this
might feel like a mania, it's actually perfectly rational. And it will
likely last much longer than most believe..." He goes on to outline his
reasons, stating "It's economics 101...It's all about supply and demand." He
points out that there are more buyers (including millennials) entering
markets across the country, and "not nearly enough houses to buy." He also
sites Covid, which caused people "to reprioritize their lives," and the
relative lack of new homes, since homebuilders "can't fill the supply gap
overnight." Sjuggerud concludes "That means the current housing boom is more
sustainable than almost anyone realizes."
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2022? Whether you need a week at
the beach, or something more permanent, please call or email me!
This Weeks News 9/23/2021
September beach days are the best!
MARKET STATS: 35 new listings hit the market last month,
and 36 listings went under contract. The increase in new listings that we've
seen over the past couple of months hasn't quite matched demand, and the
overall number of active listings has continued to decline. For a detailed
look at the market see the latest Long & Foster Market Minute report.
VIEW
THE LATEST LONG & FOSTER MARKET MINUTE REPORT |
DOWNLOAD/PRINT PDF
"BEACH SET UP GUY" WILL BE BACK for 2022! During the 2021
season the Beach Set Up Guy provided beach goers with daily set up services
in Avalon and Stone Harbor, carting chairs, umbrellas, and boogie boards to
the beach each morning, then packing them up and taking them home in the
afternoon. His popular service ended in August, but "BSUG" reported that
he'll be back for the 2022 season with full time employees and may expand to
an additional shore town. Curious about using his services next season?
Visit him at
BEACH SET UP GUY.
THE 96TH STREET BRIDGE will close to automotive traffic
Monday through Thursday evenings 8pm to 6am, through September 30th, for
structural repairs to its movable drawbridge span. Traffic will flow freely
during daytime hours, and no closures will occur Fridays or Saturdays.
During closures, use the Great Channel Bridge (to North Wildwood), Avalon
Boulevard, or the Townsend's Inlet Bridge (to Sea Isle City) for access on
and off the island.
FALL PROJECT LISTS are a shore tradition, after a busy summer season of rentals or vacation usage. From carpet cleaning to repainting, to repairs and upgrades, NOW is the time to plan those offseason projects to make sure your shore home is ready for the 2022 season. With the frenetic pace of summer behind us, many contractors now have more time to meet with clients, provide estimates, and plan projects. Don't wait--make your wish list, then make some calls! Need a referral for a contractor or other service provider? Call me! MEET REGIS, A NEW ADDITION at the Cape May County Zoo! According to the zoo he's a 6-pound, 7-month-old red kangaroo who needed a home. Regis spends much of his time in a pouch, and gets supervised visits outside. The Cape May County Zoo is a wonderful local resource. It's open seven days a week, features an incredible variety of animals, and admission is free (but donations are greatly appreciated!) |
 |
EVENTS THIS WEEKEND include everything from trains, fire trucks, and classic cars to beer & wine, and Irish music. Here's a brief rundown of what's happening in the area this weekend:
Savor September, Stone Harbor: Beginning at noon on Saturday and running until 8pm, Savor September features four bands, several local wineries and breweries, artisan foods, crafts, and a corn hole tournament!
Irish Fall Festival, North Wildwood: Friday & Saturday, 8am to 7pm daily, hang out along Olde New Jersey Avenue and surrounding pubs for Irish music all day, plus food & drink!
Classic Car Show, Pacific Avenue in Wildwood: The Fall Boardwalk Classic moves to Pacific Avenue (this year only), with cars on display Friday and Saturday from 9am to 3:30pm. Also, at the Wildwood Convention Center Exhibit Hall the Big Show Invitational will featured a hand-picked selection of high-end specialty cars, vehicles for sale, and vendors.
Tuckahoe Transportation Heritage Festival, Railroad Avenue, Tuckahoe: Live music, vintage trains (both on display and available for rides), a G gauge garden railroad, are all centered around the Cape May Seashore Lines Station in Tuckahoe, from 11am to 4pm.
Antique Fire Truck Show, Wildwood: Sunday, September 26th, 10am to 2pm. Head to Byrne Plaza at 3501 Pacific Avenue to view an array of antique fire trucks on display.
Coming in two weeks: Avalon's Seafood Festival! Details to follow!
This Weeks News 9/16/2021
Exciting news! Long & Foster Real Estate will soon be moving into a
brand-new building to be constructed at our familiar Avalon location!
EXCITING NEWS FOR LONG & FOSTER AVALON! We're delighted to
announce that we'll soon be moving into a brand-new building at our familiar
Avalon location! In just a few weeks our iconic office building will be
razed to make way for a beautiful new structure. Long & Foster will occupy
the prime first-floor office space in the new building. Our sale and rental
business will continue to operate full time during construction, with our
administrative operations moving temporarily to 2743 Dune Drive. Contact me
via phone or email anytime!
AVALON'S DUNES WILL BE FERTILIZED during the week of
October 25th-29th. Once again, aerial fertilization will be utilized, and
an aircraft will "buzz" the dunes while dropping non-toxic fertilizer
pellets. The process will begin at approximately 7am one day that week
depending upon weather conditions, and will take approximately 2 to 2.5
hours.
STONE HARBOR BIRD SANCTUARY will close temporarily for a
wetlands restoration project, beginning September 20th. The Borough has
contracted with wetlands restoration experts who will apply herbicide to
non-native, invasive plants that have crowded native vegetation. Some hand
cutting and removal may follow the treatment. The project is expected to
last five days. Signage will be posted at the entrances to all four bird
sanctuary trails.
EVEN THOUGH IT PASSED SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES OFFSHORE,
Hurricane Larry sent large ocean swells toward the east coast. Blue skies,
puffy white clouds, and an offshore breeze seemed almost at odds with the
big incoming swells. Surfers rejoiced while most others stayed out of the
ocean Friday and Saturday. Large swells also made for difficult conditions
in inlets, including Townsend's Inlet, shown below.
Avalon's 8th Street Jetty provided protection as well as a great vantage
point from which to watch large ocean swells roll toward the beach last
Friday.
Incoming ocean swells were stopped by Avalon's north end seawall
adjacent to Townsend's Inlet.
SYLVESTER'S FISH MARKET & RESTAURANT served its last
seafood dinner September 11th, after more than 40 years in business. The
long-time favorite opened in 1978, and served fresh local seafood each
summer on their trademark open-air picnic tables. Many Avalon old-timers
remember when the location was known as Shutes, which first opened 77 years
ago.
THE REEDS AT SHELTER HAVEN topped Travel & Leisure
Magazine's recent list of the Top Ten Resort Hotels in the Mid-Atlantic,
based on voting by travelers, citing its location, quality, and the Salt
Spa. Number 2 on the list was Cape May's Congress Hall. Congratulations to
The Reeds and Congress Hall!
OVER 200 PROPERTIES HAVE SOLD locally through September
1st--and over 100 more are scheduled to close this fall. Three hundred buyer
families have made their shore dreams come true, while three hundred seller
families have achieved their real estate objectives and begun the next
chapter of their lives. What's next for you? Whether you're ready to buy or
sell, or simply need to consult with an expert on the local market to help
evaluate your next move, call or email me today!
This Weeks News 9/9/2021
The remnants of Tropical Storm Ida passed through our area last week,
bringing wind and rain. A day after the storm cleared out the flag that
flies over the bay behind Stone Harbor was replaced. Here the brand-new flag
waves in a breeze just before Labor Day Weekend began.
CAPE MAY COUNTY TOURISM was up by 25.8% during the first
half of 2021 compared to the first half of 2019 as measured by occupancy tax
collections, according to a recent Atlantic City Press article. The boost in
tourism is a welcome change over 2020, in which tax receipts show tourism
was down by 21%. Pent up demand and a desire to return to normalcy are
credited with boosting tourism for 2021.
LABOR DAY WEEKEND brought good crowds and mostly good
weather to the island. Cool and dry weather at the start of the weekend was
briefly interrupted by rain showers and some wind, but sunshine and pleasant
breezes returned to finish off the weekend. Beaches were busy until late
Monday, and most restaurants and merchants reported a strong weekend.
MORE TO COME! Even though Labor Day has passed, and schools
are back in session, there is plenty of fun to be had. Here are a few great
examples:
AVALON'S END-OF-SUMMER SHOP HOP is set for September 10th,
11th, and 12th. More than two dozen participating shops throughout Avalon
offer sales and promotions on clothing, shoes, home decor, and more!
SAVOR SEPTEMBER returns Saturday, September 25th in Stone
Harbor, the tenth anniversary of the event. Centered around 96th Street, the
wine, beer, and food festival combines tasting with shopping and dining,
along with great music! A $20 tasting package includes a wine glass.
AVALON'S SEAFOOD FESTIVAL is a perennial favorite, and
returns October 9th and 10th, from 10am to 5pm. Enjoy fresh seafood from
local vendors, live music, crafts, and live-streamed football games.
DO YOU DISCARD your decorative tropical plants at the end
of the season? If so, consider donating them to the Cape May County Zoo
instead. According to the Zoo they can use non-toxic indoor plants like most
palms, Ficus, spider plants, corn plants, (Dracaena), hibiscus, and Boston
ferns. The plants are used in indoor monkey dens and World of Birds
displays. Please send a message to the Cape May County Zoo via
CMCZAAZK@GMAIL.COM
to make sure they can use your plants before dropping them off.
Nico the marmoset enjoys a plant donated to the Cape May County Zoo!
This Weeks News 9/2/2021
Cloudy skies and a high tide made for dramatic reflections in our back bay waters last week. Scott Zimmerman captured this great shot behind Seven Mile Island. Thanks Scott!
OVER 50 LIFEGUARDS from across the state came to Cape May last Friday to guard the beaches, so Cape May lifeguards could attend the funeral of 16-year old lifeguard Norman Inferrera, who died during an on-duty accident. Inferrera was seriously injured when a rogue wave broke and capsized his boat, and later succumbed to his injuries. The Cape May Beach Patrol later reached out to more than 20 beach patrols for assistance covering the beaches during Inferrera's funeral and were overwhelmed with rapid responses from Cape May Point to North Jersey. According to a recent Atlantic City Press article, Avalon Beach Patrol Lieutenant Erich Wolf was among those who volunteered at Cape May, and even manned Inferrera's lifeguard stand.
Lifeguards from across New Jersey guarded Cape May's beaches last Friday, so Cape May Lifeguards could attend the funeral of one of their own. Photo by Richard Demers/Facebook.
THE GREATEST THING ABOUT EVERY SINGLE JERSEY SHORE TOWN! That was the title of a recent NJ.com article which listed highlights from towns up and down the coast. Curious what the article listed?
Here are a few of them:
- Avalon: Avalon Freeze
- Stone Harbor: Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary
- Sea Isle City: Fish Alley
- Middle Township: Cape May County Park & Zoo
- Cape May: Victorian homes
- Wildwood: the Tram Car
MOSTLY SUNNY, HIGHS IN THE 70S: That's the forecast for the three-day holiday weekend! After the remnants of Ida finish dropping rain this week, skies are expected to clear up. Hopefully the forecast will hold so we can all squeeze in some extra beach days and family barbeques!
IT'S NOT OVER! Although Labor Day Weekend traditionally marks the end of summer and the return to the school year, those lucky enough to be able to stay on the island during September and October call it the "Second Summer." Warm days, cool nights, and smaller crowds are among the highlights to be enjoyed!