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Ocean City, NJ Real Estate News

By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
The Ebb & Flow  of  the island ... that's Ocean City, New Jersey   So we reach the mid-term of the summer, maybe even a bit further than that.  The 2009 summer moves along at it own pace ... each of us has a type of pace.  The "ebb and flow" of the island can be felt by walking on the boardwalk, driving through town, waiting for the opening or closing of the bridge, and much more.  It's not only how much is happening, but it is how you are adjusting to it all. I spent the morning at an open house on Morningside Road in the Gardens.  I had a sign on the corner of Beach Road and Morningside Road to attract the bikers riding by on their way to and from the boardwalk.  I had another sign on the property catching the early walkers to the beach.  The idea is to get them on the way "TO" the be...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
The Most Rented Week of the Summer ... in Ocean City, New Jersey   The ocean water is warmer ... that was the talk on the tennis courts this morning ... I play each Thursday just to keep "my game" in some state of repair and repeat."  My lob was working today.  There are few things in life more satisfying then lobbing the ball over the end of a tall opponent at the net in a doubles match.  But alas, we are talking about the most rented week of the summer ... it has arrived:  this Saturday with the change-over ... August 1 to 8, 2009. For almost the past 17 years the first full week of August has been the stand-alone winner in being the #1 rental week in Ocean City, at least in our part of town in the Northend and Gardens ... that section of Ocean City from 6th Street north to the end of...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
I'm a Writer, but I can't write "cursive"... but who can anymore   I just read an article in the most recent TIME magazine talking about the topic of "cursive" vs "printing" as a form of writing.  Let's give you a brief definition of cursive:  designating writing or printing in which the letters are joined together ... flowing. I was never very good with the "flowing" aspect of my personal cursive style.  I remember my Father, who wrote left-handed, who had a great and highly readable cursive style.  And my Mother who had a terrible style.  Some time in my last couple of high school years or my early college years, when I realized that the only way for me to pass a course was to take notes in print so that I could read them ... and the only way I'd be able to write an essay would be via...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Northend Grill ... on the beach in the Northend/Gardens on the corner of North Street & Beach Road in Ocean City, New Jersey (a new name, new management, great food, terrific views, experienced people)   I ran into Angelo a couple of weeks ago, and he told me he has opened "the NORTHEND GRILL" on the beach at the corner of North Street and Beach Road.  He and some friends operated another "Northend Grill" on the boardwalk in the Northend for quite some time.  Now a teacher and coach and working with his friend from before, Jim (a college coach in basketball in the Boston area), are bringing the Northend Grill back to life.  What a great idea!!! Well, this morning we finally got over to the beach restaurant.  Just as good as it always was ... a great cook (Angelo), excellent service, a b...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Summer "UP" Schedule in Ocean City, New Jersey   In our smaller office location we all handle a certain amount of "summer UP time, which means we are "up" or on duty in the office certain Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer.  Each of us has several different weekends to handle the rental problems that arise during these crazy times.  So here I am in the office with one other agent, but I'm the one handling all of the negative phone calls from rental tenants who have problems with garage doors, refrigerators, air conditioning, coffee pots, beach tags, and a whole lot of other problems too. Now don't get me wrong ... I accept this in all good faith because it is part of the rental process for which I am being compensated.  And right in between phone calls and walk-ins, I'm ponderi...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Night in Venice ... Ocean City, New Jersey   I've owned a property in Ocean City since 1988 when I was still working in the "real world."  And I recall about three or four years when I would read about "Night in Venice," but we were working on our little 1920s cottage on St James Place, or entertaining weekend visitors; and we never seemed to get out to see the parade.  Then a couple of years my wife, Leslie, and I would bike around the bay area in the Gardens checking things out.  We knew the most important step was to find a bayfront owner to invite us to a party ... which didn't happen right away.  I recall one summer when our son, Nick, was working here in Ocean City and dating a girl living on the Rivera lagoon.  He was the first to get an invitation to a "Night in Venice" party. S...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Another Rental Week in Ocean City, New Jersey   So we continue with our top five weeks of summer rentals in Ocean City, New Jersey ... this time it is the 2nd most rented week of the 2009 Summer:  July 25-August 1, 2009.  It also happens to be "Night in Venice Weekend" which is one of the top two or three summer weekends here at the shore. During these busy weeks, and even busier weekends, we have major traffic situations all week long.  For "Night in Venice" it also means bridge openings on 9th Street for much of Saturday night.  More on this weekend in a second posting today. We will continue for the next two weeks, August 1 to 15, 2009, to wrap up the top five rental weeks of the summer.  The last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August are always in the top five of every...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
So What is a Change-Over Day Really Like?    in Ocean City, New Jersey   Working on a Saturday has become quite natural to me after 17 years of it here in the resort community of Ocean City, New Jersey.  But there are two or three or more different kinds of Saturdays.  Throughout most of the year, Saturdays may mean a "9:30 AM to 12:30 PM Open House" where you meet interested potential buyers and answer questions and talk about real estate; it could also mean spending some time in the office ... called "up time" where several agents are required to be in the office on a particular Saturday.  Finally, one often takes buyers out to see sale listings on Saturdays ... a time when they are able to make a fast trip to the shore. But the "change-over" Saturday during the summer rental period i...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
 Top 5 Rental Weeks  of the Summer Begin on Saturday ... Ocean City, New Jersey   It's all been a preliminary for "the big summer dance" ... we're not talking basketball here.  The "5 top rental weeks of the summer here in Ocean City, New Jersey" kick off this Saturday ... from July 18 through August 22, the only game in town will be tourists, day-trippers, weekly rental tenants, and others enjoying the sun, fun, beach, boardwalk, biking, golfing, and so much more.  That's why Ocean City, New Jersey is recognized as "America's Greatest Family Resort."  It's the place to be.   So as one of about 600+ real estate agents in Ocean City, I'm preparing myself for the action.  Of course, the number one factor for me is "check-ins and check-outs ... changeover Saturday."  That's a full day for ...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Music Pier ... Ocean City Pops ... Ocean City, New Jersey   What a gift to have ... the historic Music Pier on the Boardwalk ... and running out into the beach.  A place for sitting, for people watching, for activities, and for music and entertainment.  There are certainly not very much resort communities along the Jersey Shore that can match what we have here in Ocean City, New Jersey.  And when you add to that the great "Ocean City Pops" you have ongoing entertainment that continues right up to "First Night" on December 31, 2009. Although my wife, Leslie, and I do not get down to the "Pops" that often; we did have an opportunity to get there on July 5th, one of the two days when the Ocean City Pops had their "American Tribute honoring America in their July 4th & 5th presentation.  Alo...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
July 11th to July 18th, 2009 ... Summer Rental Week ... Ocean City, New Jersey   On Saturday changeover we enter our 4th week of our 11-week summer rental season (the top 10 or 11 this summer, 2009).  My area is the Northend and Gardens so I base my stats on what is happening in this end of the barrier island known as Ocean City, New Jersey. In fact, July 11-18, 2009 is the 5th most rented week of the summer season this year.  About normal for the next full week after July 4th.  We had a major weekend bash with July 4th being on a Saturday this year.  But the overall week (July 4-11) was, as mentioned in a past blog posting, only 6th in rental rank this year. So we have one more week to go before we hit some of the "major summer rental weeks" ... when some things slow down:  like lines ...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Northend Grill ... North Street & Beach Road ... on the beach ... in Ocean City, New Jersey   Back in the days I would play beach volleyball at the Northend Beach right next to the hot dog stand that still exists there today.  Of course, I wasn't down but two or three long weekends a summer; but many of the players are still around today maybe a step or two slower than those days.  I liked that location, the hot dog stand, and the beach.  You'd finish a few games, lose a round, and run down to the water to cool off.  Once or twice some guys with extra money and a contact with the property sitting off the beach behind the volleyball area would bring a keg of beer along so losers could just jump off the beach and into private property and some cold beer. Well the hot dog changed names thr...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Tourism Recognition for Ocean City, New Jersey   I just received some of this information earlier today.  I would like to share with you all of the "tourism recognition," awards, ranks, etc. that Ocean City, New Jersey has been receiving.  Here we go:   Ocean City (NJ) was voted the #1 Beach in New Jersey in 2009. Ocean City (NJ) was voted the #1 Beach in New Jersey for Day Trippers in 2009. Ocean City (NJ) was voted the #1 beach in New Jersey for Ecotourism in 2009. Ocean City (NJ) "Downtown voted "Best Shopping District" in the Best of the Shore 2009 Edition of South Jersey Magazine. Travek Channel selected as one of the "Best Family Beaches in America" in 2007 and "Best Beaches in America" in 2009. One of the "Top Ten American Surf Towns" by Surfer Magazine. The Ocean City (NJ) area ...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Here are the 1st Half Stats for "Sold Properties" throughout Ocean City, New Jersey (January 1 - June 30, 2009).   Property Category               Sold               Pending   Single Family                           59                     10   Multi-Family                             10                       6   Condominium                        231                    65   Totals                                      300               81   For those readers who can recall our slower first half (which is typical with the first two months of the year being cold winter ones here in Ocean City), we have had an great second quarter.  And we arrive with another  81 pending properties which will be counted in the third quarter (which can be a bit slow with the July and August summer rental wee...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
July 4 - 11, 2009  Rental Week ... Ocean City, New Jersey   We now enter our third of the "top eleven (11) rental weeks" of the summer, 2009.  It is an unusual one in that the 4th of July is on a turnover day.  So all of us will be working during this holiday.  The rental week where the 4th of July appears is not always a great rental week.  In other words, some years it is #3 in the top list of weeks, often it is 5th or even 6th.  Having the 4th on a Saturday hasn't helped this particular week.  It will be a major holiday weekend in Ocean City ... but not the best rental week of the summer season.   It is clearly a good Friday, Saturday, and Sunday not to do too much driving off of our barrier island.  Maybe a bike ride, definitely a long walk, but wait until Monday to do any serious d...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Local Population Growth ... Cape May County   I recently ran across this information from the U.S. Census Bureau ... it compares 2008 estimates with the population counted in the 2000 census.   Location               July 1, 2008               2000 Census               Percent (%) Change   Lower Twp           20,328                         22,945                                  -11.4% Middle Twp              16,278                         14,405                                  -0.8% Ocean City              14,756                         15,378                                  -4.0% Upper Twp               10,941                         12,115                                  -9.7% Dennis Twp                5,725                           6,492                                  -11.8% W...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Deep South Jersey Auto Rally ... Leaving Ocean City, New Jersey on 6/29/2009 following a rainout from several weeks ago.   My wife, Leslie, and I had an opportunity to participate in a road rally ... a day trip throughout Cumberland County (NJ) by car with a number of participants.  We had 17 participants in 8 automobiles ... 7 convertibles and one hard top.  That included 2 BMWs, 1 T-Bird, 2 Sebrings, 1 Mercedes, and 1 VW (all convertibles) and 1 Jaguar.  One man drove alone because his wife was unable to attend.  The rest were all couples except for 4 ladies in one larger convertible.  A beautiful and informative day ... we started with a short meeting with an overview from our "rally leader," Hank Mazzoni.  He briefed us on our ride overview ... 150 mile round trip and about a 6+ hou...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
Route #52 Causeway Update ... Ocean City, New Jersey   The initial work during the past few years has resulted in a new two-lane causeway for much of the route from Somers Point to Ocean City ... although the other two lanes are not finished or open, and the two bridges at either end are also not started.  But the initial project effort went quite well with a minimum disruption during the busy summer months, and not a lot of big problems much of the other time as well. The bidding on the second half of construction has now taken place with the state awarding a $251 million contract to two partner companies.  Route 52 Constructors, the name of the partnership between R. E. Pierson Construction based in Pilesgrove Township and F. C. Wagman based in York, PA.  The bid coming in was about $...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
The New MLS VOW Rules   As part of of the Department of Justice settlement with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) regarding the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) content, the following has taken effect for all MLS participants ... by the way VOW is Virtual Office Website.  Effective Monday, June 15, 2009, in accordance with the settlement by the US Department of Justice and NAR several fields will default to "YES" for new listings and existing listings ... which means all listings will be sent to the Internet/VOW unless the Seller specifically states that they do not want their property to show on the internet.  Note:  these rules do not allow for Broker Opt Out of listings.  If the Seller does not want tehri listing on the internet, they must complete a Seller Opt-Out form. Now I...
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By Dustin A. Peters, Your "Northend & Gardens" Contact in Ocean City!!!
(Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty)
The Closing Days of the "Spring Buying Period," but Summer will be interesting too!!!   I tend to my personal analysis about the real estate market here in Ocean City, New Jersey via a somewhat less than technical avenue.  Now my emphasis remains in the Northend and Gardens ... that section of Ocean City (NJ) north of 6th Street for the Northend, and North of North Street for the Gardens.  Now with my emphasis on sale listings in that area, one of my review categories is "how many showings" of my sale listings are happening in a given day, a given week.  Another way is "how many emails or telephone calls" regarding sale listings I receive throughout the week.  A third way is "how many visitors I receive to my open house weekend openings."  A more tried and true approach is to clearly "a...
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