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During our multiple-week cold snap, areas of the bay froze.
We've finally seen daytime and
overnight temperatures
moderate, with highs above 40 degrees.
LANSCAPING MULCH is now part of the New
Jersey Fire Code, which will regulate its placement in rental
properties. Combustible mulch products, including wood-based
mulch, will be prohibited within 18 inches of any building,
structure, deck, porch, or balcony of any building constructed
of combustible material. Non-combustible or fire resistant
mulch is allowed. The new regulation applies to all rental
properties, and local municipalities must enforce the code
beginning April 15, 2025. Owner occupied one- and two-family
homes are exempt, though the Borough of Avalon recommends that
all property owners consider compliance, as the Avalon Volunteer
Fire Department responds to multiple mulch fires each year, as
wood-based mulch spontaneously combusts under the right
conditions. Rental property owners should make their
landscapers aware of this new requirement, if they are not
already.
MARKET STATS: The number of units sold and
the number of active listings increased slightly during December
2024 compared to a year earlier, while the number of new
purchase contracts written remained the same. For a
detailed look at the market see the latest Long & Foster
Market Minute report:
$50,000 IN
ANNUAL RENTAL INCOME! Have you ever thought about
using rental income to help pay for your vacation home?
That's a very simple strategy, and one that can help you
maximize your return on a shore property. Our vacation
rental market remains strong, with very solid demand.
Depending upon what kind of property you ultimately purchase,
generating $50,000, $100,000, or even $200,000 is possible.
Curious? Let's talk about the options and potential rental
income of various properties!
LOOKING FOR A FUN
VALENTINE ACTIVITY? Try a ride on the Valentine's
Express aboard vintage railcars that used to bring passengers to
the Jersey Shore daily. Cape May Seashore Lines runs the
trains from nearby Richland and Tuckahoe train stations.
It's fun for all ages, especially train fans! The trains
run February 7th (from Richland) and February 8th (from
Tuckahoe) and there are tickets available each day.
For details,
schedules, and tickets
Take Your Child to the Library Day. Fun,
crafts, and a free book for children 12 & under. Avalon Free
Public Library, Saturday, February 1st, 10am to 4pm.
Winter Wonderland & Ice Skating: Synthetic
ice-skating rink, fire pits & heaters, food & cocktails, and
music. Icona Avalon, Fridays 5pm to 8pm, Saturdays 12pm to
8pm, Sundays 12pm to 6pm, through February 2nd.
Cape May Seashore Lines
Valentine’s Express. Ride aboard a vintage train
with your sweetheart! CMSL Tuckahoe Station and Richland
Station, Friday, February 7th & Saturday, February 8th. tickets and info
Friend in
Need Super Bash XXII. The 22nd Anniversary of the
Super Bowl fundraiser that supports those in need in Cape May
County. The Princeton Bar & Grill, Sunday, February 9th,
4pm.
Organizing Your Digital Photographs.
39th Street Tennis Building, Thursday, February 13th, 6pm.
Atlantic City Boat Show.
Dozens of boats, boat dealers, vendors, diplays, and
seminars. Atlantic City Convention Center, February 26th to
March 2nd. tickets and info
Stone Harbor Shiver Polar Plunge.
March 15th, 11am-3pm. More details soon.
Roller Skating at Cape May Convention Hall.
Roller skating with available rentals. Cape May
Convention Hall, Fridays 4-6pm and 6:30-8:30pm; Saturdays &
Sundays 1-3pm and 4-6pm, through March 16th.
Most of the snow is now gone, but Avalon Boardwalk is a very chilly
place to be this week!
WOW, IT'S COLD! Temperatures plummeted again this
past weekend, and a bit more snow fell Sunday evening. Early this
week, daytime temps were in the 20s, with overnight lows in the teens.
It has warmed up just a bit since then, but it's still cold! Next
Sunday and Monday we may see daytime highs around 40 for the first time
in a while.
ICE COLD TEMPS, HOT MARKET! Snow
and cold weather haven't affected our local real estate market: In
the first 17 days of the new year, 11 properties sold (settled) and 11
more properties were placed under contract. Call or email me to
schedule an appointment to view properties--and don't let cold weather
stop you!
STONE HARBOR PLAYGROUND SURVEY:
Stone Harbor's 82nd Street Playground was closed a while ago due to
safety concerns. Stone Harbor wants to hear from those who will
utilize the new playground in order to design it in such a way as to
benefit as many people as possible. Residents, homeowners,
visitors, and the business community are invited to take a five-minute
survey to provide valuable input on the new playground.
Read More/participatee
OFF SEASON PAINTING:
Your shore property might not be top of mind during the winter season,
but it's a great time take care of some property improvements—including
painting. Whether you need to refresh your foyer or repaint your
entire interior, take advantage of the winter months when you're not
using the property, and schedule some painting work. Need a
painter? I whole heartedly recommend Richard Ennis of Independence
Painting! He's done quality work for me, my dad, our office, and
our clients. Contact Rich and get on his schedule! You can
reach him at 609-675-4512 or
richardennis67@aol.com.
GO BIRDS!
Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles on their victory
last Sunday. Here's to another one this Sunday, fella! Go
Birds!
Winter Wonderland & Ice Skating: Synthetic
ice-skating rink, fire pits & heaters, food & cocktails, and music.
Icona Avalon, Fridays 5pm to 8pm, Saturdays 12pm to 8pm, Sundays 12pm to
6pm, through February 2nd.
Preschool Science Morning.
Children ages 3 to 5 are invited to participate in simple,
hands-on experiments. Avalon Free Public Library, Saturday,
January 25th, 10am.
Cape May Seashore Lines Valentine’s
Express. Ride aboard a vintage train with your
sweetheart! CMSL Tuckahoe Station and Richland Station, Friday,
February 7th & Saturday, February 8th.
tickets and info
Friend in Need Super Bash XXII.
The 22nd Anniversary of the Super Bowl fundraiser that supports
those in need in Cape May County. The Princeton Bar & Grill,
Sunday, February 9th, 4pm.
Atlantic City Boat Show.
Dozens of boats, boat dealers, vendors, diplays, and seminars.
Atlantic City Convention Center, February 26th to March 2nd. tickets
and info
Sure it's chilly now...but it won't be long before we're all ready to
take
a dip in the bay on a hot summer day!
CAPE MAY COUNTY was named the top luxury vacation
home destination in the country by Pacaso. Ranked based on a
combination of factors including price growth, demand, and the
proportion of vacation homes to primary residences, Cape May County beat
other luxury destinations such as Florida's Gulf County, Hawaii's Maui
County, and Rhode Island's Newport County. But perhaps the most
important part of Pacaso's report is a quote from the company's founder,
Austin Allison, referring to vacation homes: "These aren't just weekend
getaways anymore—they're lifestyle investments for people looking to
create endless cherished memories with friends and family." Ready
to be a part of it? Call or email me!
SPIKE THE
SNAPPING TURTLE, well known as one of the turtles cared for by
the Turtlesinger, has passed away at the age of 19. Spike and the
Turtlesinger who sings and educates the public about turtles are well
known through many public appearances in Stone Harbor and throughout the
county. Most recently, turtles Gracie and Rocky rode in the Stone
Harbor Christmas Parade Thanksgiving weekend.
"A
COMPLETE UNKNOWN," a recently released film about singer Bob
Dylan, was partially filmed in Cape May. Standing in for the
famous seaside town of Newport, RI, several scenes in the movie show
Cape May, including the recognizable Congress Hall, Washington Street
Mall, Beach Avenue, and even the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. Filmed in
the spring of 2024, many Cape May buildings were temporarily lettered to
reflect names of establishments in Newport in 1965, a key turning point
in Dylan's musical career. The movie is still playing at the
Harbor Square Theater in Stone Harbor through Thursday of this week, as
well as at other area theaters.
WEEKEND WARM UP?
After an extended stretch of frigid weather, we had a brush
with forty-degree daytime temperatures earlier this week, before
temperatures dropped again. Despite all the cold, we've had a good
bit of sunshine. This weekend we may finally see forty degrees
again on Saturday, but with a chance of rain.
"GO
BIRDS!" It's a phrase you'll hear spoken between friends and
passersby, in Wawas and restaurants, and offices and gas stations, as
the entire region gets behind its favorite football team. From the
beaches to the city, people are rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles in
this week's playoff game. Go Birds!
It's always fun to be
acknowledged for a great performance, but those who know me well know
that I don't like blowing my own horn! For me, it's about working
with great people and helping them achieve their real estate goals.
And to all of those who gave me the opportunity to do just that in 2024,
I want to say thank you!
Winter Wonderland & Ice Skating: Synthetic
ice-skating rink, fire pits & heaters, food & cocktails, and music.
Icona Avalon, Fridays 5pm to 8pm, Saturdays 12pm to 8pm, Sundays 12pm to
6pm, through February 2nd.
An Afternoon of Jazz with
Brian Betz, followed by Q&A with the musician. Avalon
Free Public Library, Saturday, January 18th, 2pm.
Preschool Science Morning. Children ages 3 to 5 are
invited to participate in simple, hands-on experiments. Avalon
Free Public Library, Saturday, January 25th, 10am.
Cape
May Seashore Lines Valentine’s Express. Ride aboard a
vintage train with your sweetheart! CMSL Tuckahoe Station and
Richland Station, Friday, February 7th & Saturday, February 8th.
For tickets and info visit
Cape May seashorelines.
Friend in Need Super Bash
XXII. The 22nd Anniversary of the Super Bowl fundraiser that
supports those in need in Cape May County. The Princeton Bar &
Grill, Sunday, February 9th, 4pm.
Atlantic City Boat
Show. Dozens of boats, boat dealers, vendors, diplays,
and seminars. Atlantic City Convention Center, February 26th to March
2nd. For tickets and info visit www.ACBoatShow.com
More
than six inches of snow fell on Monday.
By Tuesday
morning sunshine and blue skies were back, but the snow
remained!
SNOW AT THE BEACH! Monday morning Avalon
and Stone Harbor awoke to heavy snowfall, which continued all
day. By nightfall over six inches of fluffy white snow
blanketed the beach and the rest of the island. Public works
crews plowed snow all day Monday and again Tuesday. By mid-day
Tuesday local roads were mostly clear, but with day time highs
in the low thirties, and evening lows in the twenties, the piles
of snow will be around for a while! happiness in the New Year!
By early Monday the beach was covered with powdery
snow! Snow continued to fall most of the day.
NEED A POST-STORM CHECK of your house? I'm
happy to help. If you need a quick drive by, or an interior
check of your shore property, let me know. If you need
regularly scheduled winter property checks, I can recommend
companies that provide formal winter watch services.
MARKET STATS: 29% more properties sold in
November 2024 versus November 2023, while the median sale price
decrease. For a detailed look at the market see the latest
Long & Foster Market Minute report
NEW YEAR, NEW SHORE HOME? You love
the shore, your family loves the shore...is this the year for
you? During 2024 over 200 families purchased a shore
property in our local market; another 31 are scheduled to close
on their shore property early this year. With active
listings beginning at $350,000 (for an efficiency condominium),
there's a way to make your dream of shore ownership a reality.
Let's talk! Call or email me today!
A FEW
EXTRA MOMENTS of daylight make all the difference!
Sunset in Avalon is occurring about 4:52pm this week, as opposed
to 4:36pm during the darkest days of December. Longer days
are a sign we're on our way to another summer season!
135 DAYS until Memorial Day Weekend!
Fishing & Boating Expo: 80,000 square feet
of new boats, boat dealers, plus local vendors, to get ready for
the season. Wildwood Convention Center, Friday, January 10th to
Sunday, January 12th. For more info visit:Read
More
Avalon History Center Presents: When the Sheriff Was
the Executioner: The Evolving History of Capital Punishment in
New Jersey. 39th Street Tennis Building, Saturday, January
11th, 1pm.
An Afternoon of Jazz with Brian
Betz, followed by Q&A with the musician. Avalon
Free Public Library, Saturday, January 18th, 2pm.
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