"I should have stayed at home today" ... from Ocean City, New Jersey   I have a certain amount of "understanding" regarding snow days.  For 32 years I was in public education in Pennsylvania ... as a teacher (when you did not come in), as an Ast Principal (when I did come in), as a Middle School Principal (when I wanted to come in), and 17 years as a High School Principal (when I always had to come in).  Now as a real estate agent ... in mild weather in South Jersey on our barrier island just off the coast called Ocean City, New Jersey, we never had a snow day ever.  Of course, mostly bad weather which could be even the threat of light snow has caused many an agent not to come in.  But my previous training has impacted on my second career.  I was up and out clearing the driveway, the si... 01/29/2014

"It's been ten days since we have been out after 5 pm" ... from Ocean City, NJ   So it was Saturday night, and my wife and I were heading out to a dinner party with friends over in Longport ... just across the Longport Bridge and the smaller bridge into Longport.  And as we were leaving, she said:  "you know I don't think we have been out after 5pm in about ten days."  We both laughed ... and I said:  "Well, I guess it's time to go out again." Life on a barrier island in the winter months can be whatever you want it to be.  Since we have no neighbors on either side of us down at all in the winter.  We don't have anyone directly across the street ... except for one couple who tend to go to sleep quite early.  Overall, our residential street has about ten plus year-rounders in the neighbo... 01/26/2014

"Only '115 Days' Until Memorial Day" ... from Ocean City, New Jersey   So there I was writing my first draft for my "Rental Tenant Edition" of my BEACH NOTES newsletter which is scheduled to go out this Friday.  And I did some fast math starting with Saturday (February 1st) ... so my title here is off, but I liked the sound of "115 Days." Cold weather, windy weather, occasional snow days, damp wet rainy days, bad driving days ... and anything else you want to add.  This 2013 time frame into 2014 has not been very good for our barrier island here in Ocean City, NJ as well as almost any other place on the east coast. I recall 60 degree days on occasion here in Ocean City in mid-January.  I also remember playing tennis outdoors on some warmer, non-windy days ... but none of that this year.... 01/26/2014

Still Very Cold - "Cold Weather Stories" ... from Ocean City, New Jersey   We're starting our third week of cold, colder, and coldest weather throughout most of the country including our barrier island of Ocean City, New Jersey.  Normally, I am always dressed to the weather conditions.  I start to wear a scarf around Halloween ... and no matter what the weather I have one for the rest of the winter.  Well, I took a couple of hours on Friday afternoon to play some doubles tennis indoors over in Somers Point.  And I had a very good round.  Won three sets with changing partners.  So I was driving home, and I had a call on my cell phone.  I answered it, and the lady said:  "that they were driving around town and saw this single family for sale.  Would it be possible for me to meet them and ... 01/24/2014

"2014 Changes" ... in NAR The Code of Ethics ... from Ocean City, New Jersey   As all real estate agents know, "The Code" includes an interesting "Preamble" followed by "17 Articles" divided into three sections with Articles 1-9 under the heading, "Duties to Clients and Customers," with Articles 10-14 under the heading, "Duties to the Public," and Articles 15-17 under the heading, "Duties to Realtors." Under each Article, one may find "Standards of Practice" which help to clarify and explain the specific Article. In the Code of Ethics Arbitration Manual, which is not always seen or read by most real estate agents, one finds a great deal of information for several realtor committees in all Boards of Real Estate as mandated by the National Association of Realtors.  And at the back of said... 01/24/2014

"I'm a Pre-Boomer by about 4 Years" ... from Ocean City, New Jersey   I've always thought of myself as an older boomer ... and not a pre-boomer; but the reality is that I'm not a boomer.  What does that mean?  Not much at all ... but it is important that I let you know how I think about this topic. When I was a high school principal ... during my 17 years in that role, the internet and emails were really not around much.  I do recall that our math department was fond of that deck of cards they used to make computing happen through our local college.  That time period was from 1976 through 1993 when I was 35 though 52 ... without much thinking about boomers in general. When I retired in 1996 and decided to start a second career in real estate, the fax machine was king ... email was slowl... 01/22/2014

Occasional Book Review - "Wilson" by A. Scott Berg ... from Ocean City, New Jersey I try to read a non-fiction work about every three or four books with a good many of these being biographies of a wide variety of people.  This one written by A. Scott Berg, who also wrote the Pulitzer Prize winner - Lindbergh - was an unusual one for me.  Yes, I do read at least one book about a President each year ... but Wilson wasn't one of my favorite leaders.   So I took my time with this detailed book covering his entire life:  his early years, early jobs after college, becoming the President of Princeton University, Governor of New Jersey, and President of the United States.  And I gave him the benefit of the doubt ... I learned to appreciate his efforts and accomplishments.  He was indeed a very ... 01/20/2014

Occasional Book Review - "Sycamore Row" ... from Ocean City, NJ   Every reader has come across the books by John Grisham ... or you have enjoyed a film based on one of his books.  Along with a number of other writers that I enjoy, Grisham is a dedicated producer of interesting novels that make the top ten list most of the time.  I have to admit that I haven't read all of his work ... I tend to pick and choose with some of these ever producing writers.  But when I saw that Sycamore Row by John Grisham was out over the holiday ... and that it was a follow-up to his first novel, A Time to Kill, which dealt with the young lawyer from Ford County, Mississippi, Jake Brigance, who represented the black farmer who found his  daughter raped and went out and killed the two Klan members who commit... 01/19/2014

"Playing Indoor Tennis" this Winter in Ocean City, New Jersey   I play most of the spring, the summer, and the fall outside on various courts in Ocean City.  But in the winter we make the move indoors over in Somers Points playing twice a week for exercise ... and to keep a bit of the polish on our "less than polished game."  I have been playing tennis for most of the years that I have been here in Ocean City dating back to about 1996 when I got into real estate full time.  I played "singles tennis" throughout my 20s, 30, 40s and a bit in my 50s, but I also started to play "doubles tennis: starting in my 40s, and I continue to do that today.  I love tennis like many guys love golf.  But golf is a bit too slow for me, takes 3 or 4 hours often, plus a few drinks after the game.  I played ... 01/16/2014

"Single Family Listings And Sales" In Ocean City, New Jersey   There are (as of 1/13/2014) 191 single family sale listings throughout Ocean City with an average listing price of $987,173 and a median listing price of $729,000.  We find 50 of 191 or just over 25% of these sale listings under $500,000.  There are also 55 of 191 or about 29% of these sale listings over $1 million.Only the Northend/Gardens has a significant number of sale listings to be so identified as a separate entity with 67 of 191 or about 35% of the single family sale listings with an average listing price of $1,107,902 and a median listing price of $769,000.  We find 21 of 67 or about 31% of these sale listings under $500,000.  There are also 21 of 67 or about another 31% of these sale listings over $1 million.As re... 01/14/2014

Occasional Book Review - "King & Maxwell" ... from Ocean City, NJ David Baldacci is a well known and popular writer who has moved around quite a bit with his books, his characters, etc.  He moves into the mystery category off and on ... and I really enjoyed one his first books, Absolute Power, his later "Camel Club" books, and most of his "King and Maxwell" ones with five others including Split Second, Hour Game, Simple Genius, First Family, and The Sixth Man. I believe I've read all of the above, but he is one of the very few popular and regular major writers who knocks them off so quickly that I sometimes miss one along the way.  That's why I said "most" when referencing the "King and Maxwell" books.  I did find King and Maxwell a very fast read, a great story, and an exciting ending.... 01/13/2014

The "Ebb and Flow" of the Real Estate Market in Ocean City, New Jersey   This represents a series of blogs reflecting the real estate market in Ocean City, New Jersey.   Having been around this market since 1993, I have seen a lot of up and down, ebb and flow, plus and minus, etc. throughout the Ocean City real estate market. In 2013 we had some concerns about the impact of October, 2012 and Hurricane Sandy on our real estate market here on the barrier island of Ocean City, NJ.  My personal concern related to the amount of information in newspapers, radio, television, etc., that even when it was positive, it tended to reflect back to a terrible time here on our island.  It never seemed to go away.  And although we appeared to be having a fairly good year ... the overall result at the en... 01/11/2014

"Countdown to "Spring Buying Period" in Ocean City, New Jersey   The holidays and new year time frame goes by, the cold weather arrives, and everything slows down for a short time.  But we now experience a six or seven week slowdown through the heart of the winter as we prepare for the "Spring Buying Period" which depending on the weather kicks off around the end of February or early March.  But it isn't really slow here on the island as the "summer rental bookings" pick up as perspective rental tenants mostly utilize the internet and phone to find available rental property for the summer months. It can also be a busy time for some Owners who are now considering the possibility of listing their shore property for sale during the up and coming busy time of the year.  The time necessary t... 01/10/2014

"Sale Listing Information" in Ocean City, New Jersey   I plan to highlight a good bit of information regarding sale property in the three major property categories:  single family, multi-family, and condominium.  I will review all of this information under two headings ... "All Ocean City"  sale properties and "Northend & Gardens" sale properties.  I have found that the above breakdown is a good division because I have listed and sold a great many sale properties in the Northend & Gardens areas ... with the Northend beginning north of Sixth Street and ending south of North Street ... and the Gardens beginning north of North Street and going to the end of the island at the Longport Bridge. So the next few blog postings will highlight present listings ... this being a good time to do that... 01/06/2014

"A Big Chill" arrives in Ocean City, New Jersey   Note:  this is not "The Big Chill" which is a 1983 comedy/drama directed by Lawrence Kasdan with some great stars ... Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams.  By the way, Kevin Costner was as the dead character, Alex, with all the scenes of his face showing his face cut from the final edit. Sorry, got off the topic.  Back on again:  we reached "zero" last night and it should be in the single figures for at least one more day.  Maybe a record breaker ... certainly the coldest in a number of years. By the way, "A Big Chill" was the headline in THE PRESS of Atlantic City (NJ) issue for today ... and since I reflected back to one of my all-time favorite films ... I ... 01/03/2014

"End of the Year Changes" ... Always on the Move ... Ocean City, New Jersey   As that saying goes: "Time waits for no man."  And the end of a year, and the start of the new one; that is perhaps the most trying time in terms of looking back and forward to change.  The Philadelphia Eagles won last night in a close one ... they will play again in the new year.  I've been reading the new Malcolm Gladwell book - "David and Golath," and I may finish it before 2014.  A very powerful book with a lot to offer.  We lost a close friend in 2013 ... spent the holidays with her husband visiting with us.  As one gets older, this can be the most challenging time of life.  We (Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty) move to our new location at 200 34th Street in Ocean City, New Jersey in early January... 12/29/2013

"The Film of the Year" ... Ocean City, New Jersey   At most, my wife and I may get to two films in movie theatres per year.  Now we watch a lot more films at home ... by the way, I collect my favorite films to watch many of them a number of times. So we read a number of "best films of the year" lists.  We try to clip out some good ones to consider.  We plan to go on New Year's Eve day, have some dinner before or after the film, and get home probably before 9 pm.  That's a great New Year's Eve for us. I'm the easy one ... I enjoy almost all films to some extent.  My wife is a bit more particular ... so the burden for me is to channel us toward one that we will both enjoy.   "Silver Linings Playbook" was our choice last year.  A great film.  Excellent acting ... and the director has anoth... 12/22/2013

"Keeping a Journal" every year ... from Ocean City, New Jersey   For about the last 8-9 years, I have maintained "a journal," a nice leather-bound one that my wife buys for me as a present each year.  I enter my thoughts on a somewhat regular basis (not daily), the books I'm reading, some good and bad situations that I encounter, and notes on things from books to newspaper topics, etc.  I also cut some things out and paste them to a page.  So you ask, what will you (or someone else) do with those journals ... I've asked my wife and son to read them and do with them what they want.  It is certainly a history of sorts about a somewhat interesting fellow.  By the way, I also enter a lot of thinking about my mystery novel that I've been writing and want to finish in 2014 (maybe by March or ... 12/22/2013

"A Couple of Days" before Christmas Day ... in Ocean City, New Jersey Now I'm not a good or crafty shopper at any time of the year.  Maybe moreso during this critical time.  I'm not good at it, but I do worry a lot.  So it's December 23rd ... what do I do.  I good to work.  It's a safe and honest place.  My wife is pleased that I'm not shopping or worrying about it.  But I am.  I stopped at the post office to send our last card because we had lost his address ... and other ones too.  So I'm worry about that. Now that I'm at work, I'm wondering what I will do when I leave work ... which will probably happen about noon today.  Now I have improved in my shopping talents ... but I'm not even "average" in any kind of rating.  So I want to make another stop at the book store in Ocean City, an... 12/22/2013

"Stopping for Coffee ... in Ocean City, New Jersey   As many of you might know, and others not know ... I stopped drinking coffee for about 3 years back in 2010 after a serious illness (although I doubt that coffee played much of a role in the matter).  Now I've never smoked a cigarette, but I know how much I missed coffee ... and back in November as the cold weather arrived, I started to drink the occasional cup of coffee.  But not at home since my wife still sticks to our tea drinking (she also stopped when I did). Well, what is this blog about.  I wrote an earlier one about all the places to get coffee.  Now I want to say that I stop at one of three locations for coffee.  My most frequent stop is at WAWA on West Avenue since I buy my morning papers most days there.  However, if I ski... 12/22/2013