2022:

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This Weeks News 3/31/2022

Miss Avalon is back in her slip at the Avalon Sport Fishing Center, ready for her 70th season! Spring fishing trips begin April 6th! Photo: Miss Avalon/Facebook.
 
MORE SIGNS OF SPRING! The Miss Avalon is back in her slip; ospreys have taken up residence in their nests surrounding area waters; restaurants and shops have reopened; houses are being painted, landscaped, and cleaned. Summer is coming!
 
PAVING WORK on Stone Harbor Boulevard has been completed, making for a smooth ride from the Parkway to 96th Street. A section of Avalon Boulevard at the foot of the Avalon Boulevard Bridge was repaved, too. Striping work on both roads remains to be completed.  
 
LOCK, SHOP, AND HOME: Prosperity Mortgage's Lock, Shop, and Home program provides a 90-day interest rate lock while you shop for a home--a valuable tool in a rising interest rate environment. Interested in locking in while you look for a property to buy?  Let's discuss the market, your plans, and your timing! Call or email me!
 
CLEAN OCEAN ACTION BEACH SWEEPS return again this spring in beach towns up and down the coast. Beach Sweeps will be held Saturday, April 9th, from 9am to 12:30pm, in Avalon, Stone Harbor, and Sea Isle City. Volunteers will help collect trash and debris from the beach and are asked to bring their own gloves and reusable bucket (to reduce usage of plastic bags).

MORE INFO & REGISTRATION - CLEAN OCEAN ACTION 
 
FLOOD INSURANCE SEMINAR: If you missed Stone Harbor's recent flood insurance seminar, you can watch it on YouTube. The hour-long seminar is filled with information on elevation certificates, understanding flood risks, and flood insurance requirements.

WATCH VIDEO - STONE HARBOR FLOOD INSURANCE SEMINAR 03 16 2022
  
YOU MAY BE SURPRISED to learn how much your shore property is worth! Take a look at the listings below, including properties recently placed under contract and recently sold. If you're even thinking about selling, let's talk. It may be the ideal time to do so, securing a top sale price for you!

 

This Weeks News 3/24/2022

Sunny but foggy! Warm spring sunshine often conspires with chilly ocean water to create fog. On a warm day last week, only the dunes remain visible; the ocean was completely shrouded in fog, despite warm sunshine above.
 
MARKET STATS: The median sale price during the month of February increased to $2,150,000, up from the year before, as limited inventory held back sales. For a detailed look at the market, see the latest Long & Foster Market Minute report below.


 
VIEW THE LATEST LONG & FOSTER MARKET MINUTE REPORT  |  DOWNLOAD/PRINT PDF
   
THE FEDERAL RESERVE increased its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point last week, in an effort to keep inflation under control. Most mortgage rates are not directly linked to Federal Reserve rates, though they're heavily influenced by them. Mortgage rates had already increased in anticipation of the Fed's move, which had been expected for some time. Average mortgage rates reached 4.16% last week, their highest level since 2019. While higher rates reduce affordability for those financing purchases, purchase demand could accelerate among some buyers as they try to beat future interest rate increases.  
 
STONE HARBOR ADOPTED a $19.8 million municipal budget last week, with no local purpose tax increase for 2022. Avalon introduced a $32.6 million budget in February which, if passed, would lead to a two-tenths-of-a-penny reduction in its municipal rate. Avalon's Borough Council was expected to vote on the budget this week.
 
CAPE MAY FIREFIGHTERS have donated used turnout gear to firefighters in Ukraine. According to a recent Cape May County Herald article, Cape May firefighter Jackson Pyle learned that a Ukrainian-American firefighter at the Clifton (NJ) Fire Department was collecting used turnout gear to send to Ukraine. Pyle approached his superiors and the donation of four sets of recently expired gear and three helmets was approved. The gear will be delivered to Clifton by off-duty firefighters. Clifton has already collected 400 sets of gear for donation and is working on getting it shipped to Ukraine.  
 
NEED A CONTRACTOR, PLUMBER, PAINTER or other service provider? I'm happy to pass along some recommendations for all those spring jobs. Email or call me for some names, then get in touch with your service provider as soon as possible to get on their schedule! 

 

 

This Weeks News 3/17/2022

Ospreys are moving back into the area, another sure sign that Spring is just around the corner!
 
MORE SIGNS OF SPRING! In addition to an extra hour of daylight at the end of each day, another great sign of spring has appeared: Ospreys have returned to the area, and are taking up residence in many of the man-made nesting locations throughout the area. Ospreys typically return to the same nesting areas year after year, so if you have a favorite pair of ospreys from last summer, check to see if they're back in the same nest this year!
 
THE STONE HARBOR SHHHIVER POLAR PLUNGE takes place this weekend, along with the Pre-Shiver party at Stone Harbor Yacht Club Friday evening, Kegs & Eggs at Fred's Tavern Saturday morning, the 12pm Shiver Parade to toward the beach, a dip in the water about 1:15pm, and a post-party at Fred's afterward. For details use the QR code below. By the way, even though it's starting to feel like spring in many ways, the ocean water temperature is still a bone chilling 41 degrees!


 
STONE HARBOR BOULEVARD PAVING continued this past week, and the new road surface will soon be ready for traffic. Meanwhile, there is discussion of reducing the speed limit along the road from its current 50mph maximum to 35mph. Cape May County has the final say over the roadway's speed limit, but Middle Township's Committee passed a resolution last week in support of the speed reduction.
 
AVALON'S SAND BACKPASSING PROJECT won't be performed in-house by public works employees using rented heavy equipment, according to the Cape May County Herald. Borough Administrator Scott Wahl indicated that supply chain issues have left the rental equipment unavailable. Instead, the borough will seek a private contractor to handle the sand movement from a borrow area near 35th Street to north-end beaches in need of replenishment.
 
PLAN AHEAD FOR DUNE GRASS PLANTING in Avalon! Volunteers will plant dune grass on Saturday, April 23rd. Anyone who wishes to volunteer may call Sue Keen at 609-967-5924 or Community Hall at 609-967-3066, to sign-up. Volunteers will meet at Community Hall, 30th and Avalon Avenue, at 8:30 a.m. There will be a bagged light lunch provided at the end of the planting. The rain date is Sunday, April 24th. The roots of newly planted dune grass eventually help to strengthen and stabilize the dunes, providing protection to the island during storms.
 
CLEANING SERVICES, LANDSCAPERS, AND OTHER CONTRACTORS should be scheduled early this year. While planning ahead is always helpful, it's even more important this year as many service providers are still experiencing difficulty finding workers. If you haven't already begun your search for service providers, start now! If you need recommendations, please email or call me.
 
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY! May the Luck 'O The Irish be with you!

 

This Weeks News 3/10/2022

Shop-A-Holics Weekend runs through Sunday, March 13th! Check out your favorite stores in Avalon and Stone Harbor!
 
HAVE YOU EVER found a piece of sea glass while walking on the beach? After years of being tumbled by the ocean, and sand rounding away its sharp edges, sea glass is a smooth lump of colored glass, with a frosted look. Although it's actually pollution--glass bottles discarded and crushed long ago--many people like to find and collect pieces of sea glass, and some make art out of it. CBS Sunday Morning ran an interesting story on sea glass this past weekend:

SEA GLASS: HOW TRASH BECOMES A TREASURE
 
STRIPER FISHING SEASON has opened, and early reports are good, with catches being reported in a variety of locations, including "shorts" and keepers. Stripers must be a minimum of 28 inches, or must be released unharmed. 
 
SIXTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK the "Storm of '62" battered the South Jersey coast, as its northeast winds eroded beaches and damaged homes. Many of the things we consider to be routine today, such as extensive dune systems, building new homes at higher elevations, and flood mitigation efforts, are the result of past storms. Here's an Atlantic City Press article on the 1962 storm and its impact:

60 YEARS LATER, THE ASH WEDNESDAY STORM OF 1962 STILL AN ALL-TIMER
 
A MILLION DOLLAR lottery ticket was purchase Monday evening at a Wawa in Cape May County! The winning ticket was purchased at Wawa in North Wildwood, and matched five numbers, making it worth $1 million.
 
$1M WINNING POWERBALL LOTTERY TICKET SOLD IN CAPE MAY COUNTY NJ
 
IF YOUR BEACH GEAR weighs you down, check out the newest development for well-heeled beachgoers. It's the E-Beach Wagon, a soft-tired, motorized beach cart designed to carry your gear across the sand, and even hold your umbrella once parked. The wagon is controlled by a thumb-operated throttle, and travels at walking speed, up to 6mph. Check it out!
 
E-BEACH WAGON - ELECTRIC MOTORIZED MULTI-TERRAIN BEACH CART WAGONS
    
RENTAL PROPERTY OWNER'S TIP: If you're planning to hire a landscaper or cleaning service, begin the process now. I've heard multiple times that these service providers are short staffed, and some are not taking on new clients. It's always important to line up your service providers early, but especially so when it comes to scheduling cleaning for your rental property. If you need recommendations--for any type of service provider--please email me!

 

This Weeks News 3/3/2022

The new Stone Harbor lifeguard headquarters is currently under construction; behind it, about a block north, is the Pebbles Guest House, which is undergoing a major renovation.
 
A LOBSTER HOUSE CLAM APPETIZER yielded a pearl for Michael and Maria Spressler, who were dining at the restaurant earlier this month. While enjoying clams on the half shell, Michael discovered a pearl in his last clam! According to a CBS-3 report, the Spresslers first visited the Lobster House 35 years ago, in February 1987. Watch the report here:

NJ COUPLE FINDS PEARL WORTH THOUSANDS DURING DINNER, LOBSTER HOUSE IN CAPE MAY
 
ELECTRIC OUTAGES in Southern New Jersey fell to their lowest level ever in 2021, according to a recent Cape May County Herald article. Atlantic City Electric has recently invested in new infrastructure to increase capacity and improve reliability, especially during adverse weather. Newly installed utility poles are a visible sign of this investment, but other improvements include substations, switches, and cabling. Read the article here:

FEWEST OUTAGES EVER FOR AC ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS
 
80 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, US Navy Destroyer Jacob Jones (DD-130) was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine off the Southern New Jersey coast, during World War II. The Jacob Jones had been patrolling southward from New York, and the day before her sinking had picked up survivors off Barnegat from the wreckage of the R.P. Resor, a tanker that had also been torpedoed, and later sank. The sinkings, along with others, led to the rapid construction of 15 lookout towers along the coast from North Wildwood to Bethany Beach, Delaware, including one that still stands on Sunset Boulevard in Cape May, overlooking the Delaware Bay. The towers were built to keep watch over the entrance to Delaware Bay, and help guide shore-based artillery, in order to protect shipping on the Delaware River. The lookout tower on Sunset Boulevard is open for tours during the summer.
 
WIND FARM AUCTION: Last week the federal government announced a $4.37 billion sale of offshore wind leases for six locations off the coast of New Jersey and New York. The sites, totaling 488,000 acres, are expected to eventually produce 7 gigawatts of energy, powering 2 million homes. The Ørsted's Ocean Wind 1 project off the coast of Southern New Jersey is the state's first offshore windfarm project, and could be operational by the end of 2024. Ørsted's Ocean Wind 2 project site is adjacent to Ocean Wind 1, and together the projects could generate 2,200 megawatts.
 
STONE HARBOR BOULEVARD will undergo repaving now through March 9th. The entire width of the roadway will be resurfaced, from east of Bayberry Drive to the foot of the 96th Street Bridge. Expect alternating lanes of traffic, and lane shifts, during the paving work.
 
SIGNS OF SPRING: It's March, and although we still have a few cold weeks left, there are encouraging signs of spring everywhere! Here are just a few: Avalon Hardware has reopened; Stone Harbor's Wawa has reopened after its renovation; the Concord reopens this week. Look for more signs of spring in the coming weeks!
 
WATCHA NEED? If you need a contractor, plumber, or landscaper, or a restaurant suggestion, or just want to talk about the market, please email or call me anytime!