Northend & Gardens ... Single Family Sale Listings This posting continues from the last one dated 3/28/2009 going into more detail on single family sale listings just in the Northend and Gardens in Ocean City, New Jersey.   The widest part of the island (the barrier island called Ocean City, New Jersey) is in the Northend and Gardens.  An example of this would be that Central Avenue is about an eight minute walk to the beach in the Northend and a beachfront street way down in the Southend.  That's the same street just showing you how the width changes across the island. Another factor for the Northend is that the "800" and "900" beachblocks run west-to-east from Atlantic Avenue to the beach with only one other street intersecting (Corthinian Avenue) ... that occurs from 5th Street throu... 03/28/2009

A Single Family Sale Listing Update ... Ocean City, New Jersey This is an occasional market update on various property categories ... this posting - single family.   As of today, there are 253 single family sale listings throughout Ocean City with an average sale listing price of $1,447,314 and a median sale listing price of $1,079,900.  To give you some idea about the price points for singles now on the market, please review the following:                     37 single family sale listings are under $500,000                            21 single family sale listings are between $500,000 and $600,000                            17 single family sale listings are between $600,000 and $700,000                     51 more sale listings are from $700,000 to $1 million                     127 ... 03/28/2009

Reviewing Ocean City Landmarks ... Ready's   This will be a continuing feature of my blog postings.  Although Ocean City, New Jersey is not that large, it contains a variety of interesting locations, stores, shops, events, etc.  So I will be highlighting these in random fashion for your review and possible visit.   Our first posting will focus on Ready's located along 8th Street between Asbury Avenue and Central Avenue in the "Downtown" area.  "Ready's is a throwback to the good old days.  Walking into this restaurant, open only for breakfast and lunch (and the occasional Friday evening during the summer - I believe this continues), you immediately feel it is the 1950s again.  The whole layout probably hasn't changed since before that time.  You have a number of booths, a few smaller ta... 03/26/2009

Once More about the Ocean City (NJ) Real Estate Market   Just had the opportunity to read the section on "Market Rebound" in Ocean City Board of Realtors' Select Properties (Spring, 2009).  It certainly merits a quote or two as it reflects what I have been including in my own recent postings. "Market Rebound ... Will you be ready for the Real Estate REBOUND?  Sur things are a bit tough now, but they won't be for long; and all the best properties are being picked off now by smart investors and families who love Ocean City ... one of the cleanest and safest vacation/resort towns in Southern New Jersey." "Don't wait until everyone else is back in the game - that will be too late to have the choices you have right now in inventory and pricing." "Call your REALTOR today or go to www.ocbor.co... 03/24/2009

My Active Rain Groups   I started three (3) very unsuccessful groups with the Active Rain web-site ... three topics that I may know something about in hopes that others from the real estate field might step up and join.  The three groups are:                                                               Educators as Realtors                                                              Let Realtors Wine                                                              Realtors Playing Tennis   The intent behind all of these groups is to attempt to get interaction between real estate people on common topics that are outside the field of real estate.  The "educators" group reflects the fact that so many teachers and administrators move into real estate as their second career.  All of them bring... 03/24/2009

March Madness has multiple meanings in Ocean City (NJ)   You are still in your "winter nap" mode if you don't know what happens in the basketball world ... i.e. "March Madness."  Even my wife, Leslie, who does not enjoy sports on television knows this meaning because I am the recorder of games won and lost  r our group.  Talk about a way to liven things up as winter ends and spring begins.  No one in the television world could have invented a better opportunity than March basketball where every participant has that magic chance to go all the way.  And on any given day ... any team could win against the odds. So what does this have to do with real estate?  Quite a bit really because here in Ocean City, New Jersey; we have our own type of real estate "March Madness."  It happens sometime ... 03/24/2009

What did Susie Orman have to say?   It's Spring here in Ocean City, New Jersey ... and guess what, it's snowing.  Not a lot and probably not for long.  But what a spring greeting.  Got into the office early after watching the first half hour of the Today program.  One of the guests was Susie Orman ... the very interesting speaker and writer of financial information and wise investments.  So what did she have to say ... Among other things ... she recommends buying or investing in REAL ESTATE. Since it follows my last blog where I made the same statement, I thought that I should add some follow-up and an endorsement from others too.  I think this will continue.  For example, present shore property Owners know that if they want to move up, downsize, change from one category to another (for... 03/20/2009

Here's Another Spring Buying Prediction   Yes, I've given you a number of thoughts, predictions, maybes, maybe-nots, and more in these postings.  So here is one more:  just maybe housing will be "up-up-and-away" again this spring IF the interest rates move into the "4s" as might possibly happen with the goings-on in Washington right now.  If so, many areas around the country, maybe most areas, will get just the push and boost that is needed to jump-start the housing market. Remember we talk about housing as if it were a national market ... but the reality is that it is is local market ... a series of local markets all over the United States.  I only want to focus on one small local market ... the barrier island of Ocean City, New Jersey.  Maybe a short history will help> Somewhere in 20... 03/19/2009

So Where Have I Been?   I've spent a few days the past three weeks in "the real world."  That represents all of the world's location that take you away from our barrier island ... Ocean City, New Jersey.  So where have I been?  Actually selling our Pennsylvania house which had become our "second home" during the past sixteen years.  It was the right time so I did those things I tell all of my Buyer/Seller clients:  get organized, find the right real estate agent, etc. etc.  You've heard much of it before.  But being on the receiving end of the services instead of one of the people assisting with said services made for an interesting time.  I was more than satisfied with our real estate agent.  I told me that on a somewhat regular basis.  I will also follow-up with a nice well organized ... 03/19/2009

Reflecting on causal visitor, customer, prospect, and client   In teaching our new "Realtor Basics" workshop as a part of our OCBOR (Ocean City, NJ) Real Estate Specialist Certification a couple of days ago, I went back to our "CODE OF ETHICS and STANDARDS of PRACTICE of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS.   Reviewing Article 1, Standards of Practice 1-2, I again reviewed these terms as mentioned above ... (causal visitor), customer, prospect, and client (with all of these terms in the code except "causal visitor" which I added myself to our workshop. Why did I choose to zero into to these terms as we talked about the sale and rental process in our location:  Ocean City, New  Jersey?  Because I think that this can be a very confusing situation for many new agents.  Let's define the te... 03/12/2009

OCBOR creates the "OCEAN CITY REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION"   I thought I'd share this effort by the Ocean City Board of Realtors (Ocean City, NJ) and their Education Committee who worked long and hard to obtain state and national approvals along with some sound thinking about what should be required in order for local agents to achieve this certification.  I won't go into all of the details regarding the requirements ... just visit www.OCBOR.org or phone our hard-working, great Executive Officer for our Board, Christine Bauder at 609-399-0128. Part of the effort is "continuing education" which involves on-gong workshop programs (mostly two hours in length) such as "Short Sales" which was given two different times a month ago.  We have also scheduled a variety of other programs ... 03/12/2009

The Late Arrival on a Sunday Afternoon   Well, it's 4:30 PM, and I'm sitting in the real estate agency alone waiting for my final perspective summer rental tenant to return keys (this happened several weeks ago).  It may not seem that late, but it's a Sunday and our office usually closes around 3PM).  Continuing, they arrived late; here I am waiting to finalize the rental process for the day.  It's the way it often works in a small resort town office catching the last visitor before they head up the Expressway. That's the way it always was in the old days.  Now this happens much less because people call for appointments. often just call and request a property they saw on-line, or simply ask a couple of rental questions.  But it remains an interesting process:  "the waiting game."  Often... 03/07/2009

More Thoughts about the "Spring Buying Period"   As the thoughts go ... "these were the best of times, they were the worst of times ...," it is certainly true that "the times they are a-changin" too.  It seems like every day things are getting a bit worse, or occasionally a bit better, depending when you tune in or read the national news.  Obviously, there is the national news ... but real estate markets are made up of isolated pockets of housing all over the country.  For example, Ocean City (New Jersey) represents a small barrier island on the Atlantic Ocean ... a resort market with about 15,000 give-or-take year round population that increases in the Spring and Fall shoulder seasons (mostly on the weekends) and increases quite dramatically in the summer months from Memorial Day throu... 03/07/2009

Single Family Sale Listings ..Ocean City, New Jersey   THIS JUST MAY BE THE VERY BEST TIME TO BUY a "single family" sale listing in Ocean City, New Jersey.  Why?  Because we have a selected number available in average-to-good-to-even better condition ... with many of them in the Northend and Gardens listed from the mid-$600,000 range to just under $1 million.  Obviously, there are many others priced over a million; but it remains a real time for consideration regarding single family sale property in Ocean City. Although the national economic indicators and conditions don't bode well for optimism or encouragement, the general and specific factors in and about Ocean City (including market inventory for sale, mortgage rates, motivated sellers, minimal competition, etc) suggest that "buying... 03/06/2009

This is what I've been Reading lately   I've been working on "TEAM of RIVALS:  The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Dorris Kearns Goodwin (2008) which goes into minute details about how Lincoln organized his cabinet with the men who ran against him when he won the Presidency.  It's my "on again/off again read ... which means as others arrive, I may put it away for a few days or a week. "AMERICAN LION:  Andrew Jackson in the White House" by Jon Meacham (2008) was another non-fiction book that I completed ... part of my once a year read of the life of a past President.  Very good ... Jackson is a favorite of mine (the old history teacher still hanging in there). A favorite writer of mine, James Grippando, who writes the Jack Swyteck continuing character who solves the mysteries fin... 03/05/2009

Spring Buying Season ... you wouldn't know it with the snow around Ocean City, New Jersey ... but we're only 16 days until March 20th when Spring arrives ... "Remember fall back & spring forward   How do you get excited about a big snow fall in a resort town on a barrier island?  Easy ... it was a big one, and unusual for our little community.  But "the sun will come out again," and most of it will melt away in about seven days or less.  Maybe a few more, but I doubt it.  I'm so excited that I think I may set out the front patio porch furniture this week.  It may rain in the Spring ... but it won't snow again.  How do you get excited about putting out the patio porch furniture?  Easy ... it will look good when my wife returns in a few days.  It clears out some space in our garage ... wh... 03/04/2009

Returning from a Vacation   No postings for a a few days ... we took, what is quite rare for me these days, a short vacation.  As one of my February postings suggested ... is it more difficult to plan to leave, or much more difficult when you return?  Of course, I'm talking about real estate ... but clearly it fits a wide variety of jobs.  But personally, I feel that it is much more difficult when you are in a busines where so many different people want to stay and maintain contact with you ... as it is in the real estate business. Now that I'm back, I must say it is much more difficult catching up and getting into the groove again.  I recall that Angelia Basset film, "How did Stella get her Groove Back?"  Well I did enjoy some days away, had decent coverage and assistance covering for ... 03/03/2009

Ocean City, New Jersey ... A Resort Destination Worthy of Note   I am always amazed how much coordination and effort takes place within this small barrier island a short drive from Atlantic City, NJ and the first resort location on the road through South Jersey.  First of all, you have the City of Ocean City and their outstanding efforts ... some great people doing an excellent job to promote and maintain the "special features" that make Ocean City what it is.  Add to that the leadership and efforts of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce who has also taken the lead in promoting Ocean City.  Just visit either one of their web-sites:  www.ocnj.us or www.oceancityvacation.com ... these are informative, outstanding internet site locations.  Finally, let's add the county component ... the Cap... 02/19/2009

Realtors Don't Socialize Enough   Real estate can be quite a lonely business.  You are an independent contractor which means that you hook up with a particular Broker and Agency where you work ... but in reality, you could do much the same thing wherever you might want to be.  On our particular little barrier island, Ocean City (NJ), we have almost 600 real estate agent right now ... quite a number, but we had a few more several years ago when we were in our 4-5 year boom period.  Now an agent meets a lot of people ... in the office, in the neighborhood, downtown, at open houses, etc.  And obviously, you do also meet other realtors.  But mostly, you see those in your office.  If you are in a smaller office, you don't really see all that many agents. My theory is that more must be done t... 02/18/2009

Realtor Vacations ... Resort Real Estate Agent takes a Vacation   There are two problems as one prepares for a real-time vacation ... getting ready to leave and getting back to work when you return.  I'm really not certain which one is the more difficult.  You might think that "getting back" is the bigger problem ... you return, in two days you forgot where you were, and by the weekend you are exhausted falling asleep at your open house.  Yes - these kinds of things can happen.  But returning to a place like Ocean City, New Jersey is like going on a vacation again.  We're a resort town ... the wind blows, the waves flow in, you walk the boards, you feel good about being home.  Let's look at the other side:  maybe it is more difficult "getting ready to leave."  You check your lists twice... 02/17/2009