A Decent Saturday Arrives Soon ... Looking for Property in Ocean City, New Jersey   We will still have snow around, and it may be difficult to get into some sale properties ... but it appears that this Saturday will be a fairly nice day.  That means a day without snow ... even a cold day sounds good to be right now.  The important point has been to prepare the buyer for the potential difficulty of getting into a particular property ... I believe we have about ten to get into. Our first issue will be parking ... as noted before, most sidewalks have not been shoveled (no one living there right now ... a resort town), and all of the snow has been pushed to the side of the street ... no openings into the property.  Second floors could be dangerous with ice and snow lingering on the steps.  ... 02/11/2010

E-Mail Newsletter ... entitled Beach Notes (would you guess) from Ocean City, New Jersey   About 11-12 years ago I decided to convert from a print newsletter sent out monthly to "Buyers & Owners" to an email newsletter which was to be sent out weekly.  For several years I began to collect "email addresses" from almost anyone and everyone.  I got them at open houses, when I met people in the office, or over the phone ... "an email address concept was on my mind." Obviously, my print and my email newsletters were entitled BEACH NOTES.  And I started to average about 42-46 weeks per year with my email newsletter.  One year I made 50 weeks ... no vacations that year.  I email out on Friday mornings ... on occasion on Thursday afternoons and/or Saturday mornings.  My goal is to keep in touch... 02/11/2010

Snow Again ... "Something's Happening Here, and It ain't exactly clear ..." in Ocean City, New Jersey   So I'm an early riser ... to read, to watch a film, and today to shovel out the wet snow.  I was up and out the door by 5:15 AM working to get the wet snow off my original shoveling from the weekend.  So we now have a water issue as rain started just as I finished ... and some of the wet stuff is starting to melt.  Coming into the office this morning, I stepped into deep snow that immediately became a puddle of water.  But I had my high boots on and brought slippers along for my office time.  I suspect that we will be leaving the office sometime in the afternoon if things go as the weatherman suggests.  Note:  that doesn't always happen ... but we are expecting 3-6 inches plus later t... 02/10/2010

The Listing Log Update ... a useful tool for your listing owners in Ocean City, New Jersey ... or anywhere else for that matter   One of the real problems that confound owners is the lack of follow-up by real estate agents after they have obtained a listing of a particular property.  One must wonder why that happens ... maybe it relates to the zeal to obtain sale listings and the more difficult aspect of keeping owners properly informed.  Often it also relates to the fact that many agents simply contact listing owners to request to lower the listing price ... that becomes the main and often only reason for the contact.  Regardless, one of the easy ways to lose sale listings in tough markets as we now find ourselves is to simply not take enough time to property talk about the real estate... 02/09/2010

Bakley's Deli in Ocean City, New Jersey ... an occasional posting about stores/restaurants/etc. that are open throughout our community   Harry Bakley, his wife and daughter, and a dedicated crew of workers during the summer months handle this corner deli and mini-grocery store in the Northend of the island ... northwest corner of 4th Street & Ocean Avenue.  I enjoy the people working there as well as the people coming into the deli.  I buy my newspapers there ... where can you find a copy of the Friday and Saturday WALL STREET JOURNAL in this small community in the winter?  Why at Bakley's Deli ... that's where. I also buy the occasional breakfast sandwich there ... usually a sausage and egg on a kaiser roll.  But I'm trying to slow down with this choice.  They also have some great sand... 02/09/2010

870 7th Street ... #216 ... in Ocean City, New Jersey   The Ocean 7 Condominiums located in the Central part of town on the 7th Street beachblock may be some of the best and closest efficiency and 1BR condominiums in Ocean City (NJ).  There is also a large swimming pool along the east side of the complex plus a parking space for each unit.  Some of the units also have ocean views from the balcony area in front of each unit.  And they are certainly close to the boardwalk.  Finally, they have on-site management who handle weekly rentals for the individual owners throughout the complex.  There are obviously plus and minus factors to the purchase of this type of unit.  But for those who have the money, it does have the potential of being a possible investment.  One guiding point is the list... 02/08/2010

House Inspection after a fully executed Agreement ... in Ocean City, New Jersey   I put two contracts together in January, 2010 ... one on behalf of a Seller (my listing) and the other on behalf of a Buyer (another agent's listing).  Both were single family properties in the Gardens.  As we continued on with the House Inspections, I thought it might be interesting to write a posting regarding this phase of the closing process.  Obviously, it is the Buyer's responsibility to obtain the services of an inspector ... and often the participating agent on behalf of that buyer makes a couple of recommendations.  Of course, there is a time frame involved as per the contract.  In Ocean City (NJ) it is usually a 15 day time frame from the time both the seller and the buyer have signed a fully exe... 02/08/2010

"After the Snow" in Ocean City, New Jersey So the snow arrived about 9-10 PM on Friday evening.  I thought it might be earlier than that, but most weather people don't pinpoint the time for you in their reports.  Another agent in our office was planning to drive to Florida on Saturday ... obviously, he decided to wait.  But now if he leaves on Monday, he will run into another one coming from the southeast to arrive on Tuesday evening.  Never very easy to make a vacation decision while working. I got up on Saturday morning and decided to do some snow shoveling and blowing while it was coming down.  It was a wet snow which is not my favorite type of storm ... and it was a blowing snow, even more so here at the shore.  Again, not a great time to be outside.  However, I felt that spending a... 02/07/2010

"r.i. cafe" ... mandarin-cantonese-hunan-szechuan in Ocean City, New Jersey Located on 403 East 14th Street ... just off Asbury Avenue going south, turn left and look left Free Delivery ($15.00 min Mon - Thurs 11AM - 10PM Fri - Sat 11AM -11PM Sun - 12 Noon - 10PM A periodic restaurant review by Dustin A. Peters, Real Estate Agent (French Real Estate)   I was in the office a few days ago when Sandra walk into our office dropping off menus for the restaurant owned and operated by her and her husband.  They opened in early December, certainly a challenging time for a new location in Ocean City, New Jersey.  So it has been somewhat difficult spreading the word around the community.  But I showed the menu to my wife and headed out on Wednesday evening to check out the location and order a ta... 02/05/2010

Sand & Snow (or mybe just wet weather) in Ocean City, New Jersey   One more snow report with feeling, but I decided to connect it to beach erosion to make a more interesting posting ... regardless, stay out of Ocean City (NJ) this weekend.  Predictions go from 12-24 inches, 30 mph wind, whiteout conditions, etc.  It's a "comfort food weekend" for my wife and me.  She was out grocery shopping yesterday, and I left early this morning leaving a note regarding any pick-ups that I should make today. As anyone who has ever stayed on our barrier island knows; the weather is everything, and the tide charts are important.  Flooding is usually an critical aspect with any type of wet weather.  We tend to lose more beach with the regular run-of-the-mill "nor'easter than the hurricanes that get more... 02/04/2010

Single Family Sale Listings in the Northend and Gardens in Ocean City, New Jersey   My area of interest and expertise is in the Northend and Gardens sections of Ocean City, New Jersey ... with the Northend starting north of Sixth Street and the Gardens starting north of North Street ... in other words, the area of Ocean City stretching from about Sixth Street to the Longport Bridge ... the entire northern part of the island. That is the location of French Real Estate, Inc. since 1921, where we sell and rent properties over and over again.  It is also the location where I live and work and play.  I walk and bike and drive around this part of the island every day.  I personally think it is the best part of Ocean City, but I don't like to say that too often or loud. Sale Listings ... Singl... 02/04/2010

The Weather Report for the weekend of February 6-7, 2010 in Ocean City, New Jersey   And the headline reads:  "Foot or more of snow expected as weekend storm approaches" from THE PRESS of Atlantic City (2/4/2010).  So what does this have to do with real estate in Ocean City (NJ).  Oh, not much ... just everything! We no longer depend on perspective rental tenants coming down to see properties now that we have our interactive web-sites with properties, comments, pictures, etc.  When I started in the business back in 1993 ... part-time for 3 years as I finished my public education career, I recall working about 46-48 weekends a year at one point because very few agents wanted to come into the office on Sundays.  During that time frame, I must have picked up more tenant names, numbers, lat... 02/04/2010

Another Historic Community in Cape May County ... that's right, we're talking about Ocean City, New Jersey.   Along with a great historical district in the community in the great Northend section of the island, we also have a variety of selected landmark properties as well.  Let me tell you about one of them:  the historic Life Saving Station which is now for sale for $887,500 ... note:  you can't pay more, or less, than that figure.  No commissions involved.  It was arrived at after a significant legal effort by the "Saving our Station Coalition (SOS)," and it must be sold by May 20th of 2010 or it will be torn down and become condominium properties ... a major tragedy.  The 185-1886 Ocean City (NJ) Life-Saving Station is certainly historic, in decent shape for its age, attractive, and... 02/03/2010

Academy Award Predictions from a long-time film watcher/reviewer ... I don't just sell and rent real estate ... I read books and watch films a good bit as well.   Moving to ten films to increase television viewership of the Academy Awards Program, I continue to have faith in the older Academy voters ... the last time they had ten films was in the 40s when "Casablanca" won.  So I continue to have confidence here. My personal predication's: "Avatar" is not only a great film, but it is a change in the way films will be made ... it noses out a lot of other good films and just gets by "The Hurt Locker." The Best Director Award will be given to James Cameron for the same reason as above again just beating out his former wife who directed "The Hurt Locker."  By the way, she is only the third w... 02/02/2010

So  when  is the  best time to  buy in Ocean City, New Jersey?   It is always better to be down here when fewer buyers are here ... so the answer is the colder, wetter, terrible weather times are best.  Last Saturday and Sunday would have been wonderful.  This weekend may be another bad one.  Putting it another way ... when the inside of houses are colder than the outside, you know it is the right time to be looking for a property at the shore. I always come prepared ... a good warm wool hat, my father's old but in style wool overcoat, flannal pants with long johns underneath.  Plus a good scarf and gloves.  Make sure you remind your buyers what to wear as well. Be careful about getting in and out of property ... most will still be snow covered.  Have an extra key in case the one doesn'... 02/02/2010

30 Ocean Road ... Single Family Listing "in the Gardens in Ocean City, New Jersey ... JUST REDUCED   Check out this listing at French Real Estate, Inc. - www.FrenchSales.com 30 Ocean Road is an older single family in great condition in the Gardens section of Ocean City (NJ).  On a 45x91 foot lot, this 5BR/2.5BA has the charm that many houses just don't have.  It has been upgraded with central air along with its gas heat.  It has a backyard which many single lack just waiting for the summer gardener willing and able to complete it.  The first floor includes a fairly large entrance "sun room" that leads into a living room.  The large inviting dining room includes about 7-8 windows on two sides for lots of light.   A new renovated kitchen blends in the old with the new.  The kitchen leads ... 02/02/2010

SNOW DAYS in Ocean City, New Jersey   We missed the first major snow storm of the season right before Christmas.  But we were in town for "the maybe yes, mabe no storm" that arrived Saturday (January 30th).  Mostly, the weather people said maybe one or two inches.  As it started, quite fast and furious, we were past that by noon.  Coming from Pennsylvania, I know snow storms and even the worst here is a piece of cake ((with some exceptions).  In fact, when we finally sold our PA house; I gave my good snow blower to my close friend reminding him that it required a maintenance each year.  He didn't get it, and it didn't work for him.  I purchased a small cord snow blower with limited power and almost no direction to it.  But for 90% of our snow storms, it is the best blower on the block. ... 02/01/2010

So there are all sorts of amusing things that happen to real estate agents.  Let me share one for you.   I live and work in a resort community in South Jersey ... Ocean City, NJ ... about an hour from Philadelphia. One winter evening about 5PM ... getting dark, I drove about three blocks through town to check out a sale property for a buyer.  I had the keys ... the house was dark as were most of them on the street.  So it is with a resort town in the middle of December or any other winter month. All I wanted to do was walk through the small rancher, lock it up again, and drive a few blocks to my house.  So I entered the house, and I could not find a light that would go on.  I then looked up and saw a man in the dining room.  He wasn't moving, but I jumped a bit from surprise (maybe shoc... 01/30/2010

New Listing in Northend ... Ocean City, New Jersey ... 109 Atlantic Avenue 1st Floor   Listed in mid-December, this 3BR/2BA new construction, Northend Condominium is a very interesting model that has been built to fit on a 47x60 foot lot along Atlantic Avenue.  The result is a larger frontage and a smaller depth than for the typical Northend new construction condominium. Let's review the floor plan which includes a great deal of open space in the greatroom which includes the modern kitchen, the dining area, and the living room with a gas fireplace.  The result is open space both wider as well as higher with a two-story effect here and double windows with some at the typical floor height and others much higher in the entire great room... an interesting effect including a great deal of li... 01/28/2010

2010 Real Estate Market  in Ocean City, New Jersey   We have given you some opinions regarding the real estate market for 2010; and we have analyzed the inventory from the Multiple Listing Service and gone into detail on property categories: single family, multi-family, and condominiums.  And we covered some other real estate thinking as well.  So if you have been following the postings, hopefully you are ahead of the game. Let's focus on one more topic:  sold/pending property for the month of January 2010 ... 28 days to be exact.  We find 27 single family under contract ... 6 of the 27 sold to date, 4 multi-family under contract ... none sold to date, and 66 condominiums under contract ... 10 of the 66 sold to date.  That make a grand total of 97 properties under contract during the 20... 01/28/2010