"Winter Meets Warm Front" here in Ocean City, New Jersey   That was the cartoon in the 12/18/2013 issue of the local paper, the Ocean City Gazette with an older woman dressed for the cold weather looking a younger one dressed for the summer with shorts.  That not only describes the way it is right now here on our barrier island as it slowly moves into the 50s and 60s this weekend, but it also describes the way many of our natives act all of the time.   If you go to the local grocery store or the well-used new public library, and elsewhere from the bakery to the deli to the WAWA; you will always run into "winter meeting warm front in terms of the people and how they are dressing. I tend to return home from our real estate office in the later afternoon after a fairly full day that starts ... 12/19/2013

"A somewhat bright and quiet island off the South Jersey coast" - Ocean City, NJ   It's the 18th of December.  I've been wrapping up a lot of things here - note the "wrapping concept" which has nothing to do with gifts.  The Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty moves from 909 West Avenue to 200 34th Street with the start of the new year 2014.  So part of my effort is preparation for the move. But the topic today is all about "Holiday Lights" which we begin with those on every window at "City Hall" on the corner of 9th Street and Asbury Avenue.  City Hall is always decorated nicely, but this year it just appears so much better.  Now for a community that has very few remaining year-round people, one should make it a point to drive around the community.  We don't tend to do a lot of de... 12/17/2013

"So What's The 'BIG IDEA' for 2014" in Real Estate ... from Ocean City, New Jersey   As the end of the old year comes around, and just before the new year arrives, you have all these ideas bouncing around in the newspaper, in magazines, and the obvious location ... the internet.  You should be working on your "business model" for 2014.  You should have reviewed much of your life to this date in hopes of making immediate and profound changes in just about everything you do.  Set goals, make new year's resolutions, think and think again, and what is that "magic thing" that you can do to become the realtor that you always wanted to be. But, if you haven't guessed it as yet, I have not as yet determined what I think the "BIG IDEA" will be for 2014.  Clearly, I need just a little more time t... 12/17/2013

"Summer Rental Strategies" ... from Ocean City, New Jersey Let's highlight some ideas and strategies to help perspective rental tenants in their search for shore rental properties in general, and shore rental properties in Ocean City (NJ) in particular.  (1)  We cover a time frame from early May through late September and early October mostly renting by the week (Saturday-to-Saturday) ... although you can obtain a different week configuration in May, late September, early October and other times throughout the calendar year.  By the way, we do rent almost any time of the year ... two and three day and longer arrangements ... but not all summer rental properties rent in the off season. (2)  After 20 plus year in the rental business, the time frame from mid-July to mid-August is the "most... 12/16/2013

"The Rental Process as it Relates to Real Estate" ... in Ocean City, New Jersey   The barrier island off the coast of South Jersey ... the northern most section of Cape May County ... is the largest community in the county - Ocean City, New Jersey.  It's also mostly surrounded by Atlantic County with Somers Point across the causeway and Egg Harbor Township acrosss the Longport Bridge which leads to Longport, Margate, Ventnor, and Atlantic City. And Ocean City is many different things ... but indeed, it is a "resort town" during the three month period from "  Memorial Day through Labor Day" each year.  However, during the other eight months it tends to be a sleepy community of about 10,000 to 20,000 depending on when the natives return to OC from Florida. We have a "spring buying period"... 12/16/2013

"Occasional Book Review" - "March Violets" by Philip Kerr - from Ocean City, NJ   If you have read Alan Furst or David Downing, you enjoy World War II fiction with a very sharp edge written by two of the best in this area.  Add a third one, who I had heard about and finally got an opportunity to read.  Philip Kerr writes about Berlin before WWII with his private detective, Bernie Gunther.  They are powerful noir-tinger mysteries at their best. First of all, Alan Furst is the only American in this group with the other two being British.  I've read all of the book by Furst ... a truly gifted writer of WWII fiction that reads like the real thing.  When I discovered Downing, I read all six books in the series that follows this newspaper man through WWII in Europe.  Again, exceptional works.... 12/15/2013

"As the Year Changes So do your Goals, Priorities, and Directions" ... Ocean City, NJ   The end of the year, or the beginning of the next one, represents a great opportunity for taking a careful look at where you are, what you are doing right and wrong, where you might want to be, how you might get there, etc.  No matter how one tries to explain it ... the goal for each of us would be to carefully think about the above comments and other ones too in order to arrive at some meaningful goals, possible changes, and maybe even so much more wider directions and efforts. Here is my approach.  I try to collect some good ideas, advice, books, etc. which has and is being included in my ongoing "journal," which often becomes two booklets some years, so that I can always reflect back on anything. ... 12/13/2013

"Island Time in the Winter in Ocean City ... New Jersey I often like to share "island time" information for those people who may never have spent much time on an island.  By about October of any year, but certainly in December, much of the island is very dark at night.  Street lights but often you will go a block or two without seeing lights in buildings.  The Southend of the island is mostly rentals with more vacant buildings.  Weekends will change this ... and holidays. On my residential street in the Gardens, only two blocks long, there may be about 8 properties that are year round ... maybe another 4-5 for many weekends.  I tend to take a half hour to hour walk most days ... don't often see a lot of people at this time of the year. During the Monday-Friday time frame, a lot of city ... 12/12/2013

"I Forgot How Much I Enjoy December!!!" ... Ocean City, New Jersey   Right away here on our barrier island off the coast of South Jersey, things slow quite a bit after the arrival of Thanksgiving that leads into the interesting month of December. Let's hit some personal thoughts first.  I tend to line up a lot of books for reading consideration in the new year ... from reading the major papers each weekend:  NY TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, etc.  I line up titles and buy a couple of "real books" plus several for my iPad.  This year we are car-hunting, and we're doing some of it in December ... and maybe even a purchase. Holiday parties are always interesting ... had one last evening which included dinner.  Going to a drop-in on Saturday evening.  Have an after work office party this year.... 12/12/2013

"How Many Coffee Locations can one small town have? ... Ocean City, New Jersey   Now we have two different ways of looking at this:  we can go by the potential size of the population at different times of the year ... i.e. about 10-12,000 during the off-season months which tend to get lower and lower from September to the end of the year, stay very low through the rest of the winter, and come back ever so slow until about the end of June when the summer season kicks off ... or we can go by the fact that there are now at least 15-20 coffee locations throughout Ocean City in the major off-season time frame - the winter months.  My guess would be that half of that number are major coffee sale locations with the others being available as needed for coffee. As mentioned in an earlier blog ..... 12/11/2013

What does the "Property-of-the-Week" Do for You ... Ocean City, NJ   Well, the latest issue of the Ocean City Sentinel (December 11, 2013) says it all:  "House of the Week" on upper section of the front page notifying you where to go.  The second section of the paper ... "Waypoints - Real Estate, Local Events & Sports" has a large exterior picture and headline ... "Single-family home has water views, is steps away from the beach," and two additional pictures plus the start of the written information about the property.  And at the bottom of the page is a large color section with Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty, the identification of "913 First Street" as the House-of-the-Week and the name of the agent plus contact information. On the second page, the written information continu... 12/11/2013

"2014 Do's And Don'ts" on the Light Side ... Ocean City, NJ   Yes, after 32 years in public education in Pennsylvania, with 17 of these as a high school principal ... and another 21 years in real estate here in Ocean City (NJ); I have set my annual goals, lived to talk about them, and survived by not taking all of it too seriously. But I am always someone who wants to know more about what everybody is thinking.  So I'm doing it again this year.  I've gotten "my business plan directions" from Market Leader, "a series of 14 New Year Resoultuions" from Trulia, and "Big Ideas 2014" from Linked-In.  What will I do with all of this ... certainly read it, many take a couple of notes, might even plan to "try an idea." Please follow this:  "try an idea" which means that anything could happen.  B... 12/11/2013

Condos for Sale Ocean City, NJ - Real Estate Market Trends - October 2013 The Ocean City Real Estate Market for Condos is up slightly in the number of condos sold as we head into the fall season. October was up 4.2% in new listings coming on the market with October of 2012. 100 condos where introduced to the market. Which is the same as in October of 2012. The number of new listings of Ocean City NJ Condos for Sale in the 12 month period ending October 31st is .1% over the previous 12 month period. Sold properties in October were up 10.6% over last October with 52 sold condominium properties. This brings the current total of sold properties for the 12 month period to 571. This represents an 6.5% decrease over the previous 12 month period. Combined, the total number of new Condo listings... 12/10/2013

Homes for Sale Ocean City NJ Market Trends October 2013 Single Family Homes for Sale in the Ocean City Real Estate Market are showing mixed conditions as we head into the fall season. October saw a 56.3% increase in new listings coming on the market over October of 2012. 50 newly listed single family homes where introduced to the market. The number of newly listed Ocean City single family homes for sale in the 12 month period ending October 31st is up 15.3% over the previous 12 month period. Sold properties in October where up 47.1% with 25 sold single family properties. This brings the current total of sold properties for the 12 month period to 207. This represents a 1.5% increase over the previous 12 month period. Combined, the total number of new listings of Ocean City NJ Homes for S... 12/10/2013

"The Times They are a-changing - Indoor Tennis Begins Today" - OC/NJ So I've been playing "doubles tennis" once or twice a week since early spring ... played last week once, but it is getting too cold, damp, wet to play outdoors anymore.  So we move indoors over in Somers Point for our first time this year.  Today.  After my mid-50s, I decided to give up on the "singles game;" and I really enjoy "doubles."  I like the angles, the net play, and the give-and-take with three other players on the court. The tennis and regular walking have been the major exercise for me ... along with some yard work and stuff around the house.  I may try indoor workouts again in January with my wife.  And my game has improved since my quadruple bypass surgery back in June, 2010.  I usually refer to this as "... 12/09/2013

Real Estate "Agency Relocation" ... in Ocean City, New Jersey   It's probably old news to many of us in Ocean City, NJ ... but it remains exciting news as well.  Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty (from the corner of Asbury Avenue and 18th Street - with a knockout punch from Hurricane Sandy, to 909 West Avenue - as a temporary location since November of last year, and now on to 34th Street - taking over the old Hager building and renovating it on the same side as the WAWA location) is getting ready for action in 2014. The moving date is very early January, 2014 as we line up our efforts to move in, jump into business, and start a great "2014 Sales and Rental Year ... that's a 'Goldcoast Sotheby's Year' here in Ocean City, New Jersey."  It will be my second move in a full year beca... 12/06/2013

"913 First Street - House of the Week" in Ocean City, New Jersey   Each week the weekly paper in Ocean City, NJ ... the Ocean City Sentinel has a special section called the "House of the Week."  I was fortunate enough to get my single family at "913 First Street" into the December 11, 2013 edition of the newspaper.  Let me highlight some of the points that I hope are emphasized for this lovely single family home in the "Northend" section of Ocean City on the "900" beachblock ... the third house from the beach and boardwalk: 3BR/2.5BA single family on a 40x65 foot lot ... "Stenton Place Neighborhood 40 Zoning - all single family location ... Listed at $1,250,000 Existing single family was built in 1985 with a major kitchen renovation in 2001 Gas heat and central air Large 2-Car Garage on... 12/06/2013

"BEACH NOTES "Buyer/Owner Edition" Online Newsletter - Ocean City, New Jersey   I started mailing out my "BEACH NOTES" newsletters on a monthly basis back in 1996 when I didn't even have a computer.  Later I did an online newsletter where I had to send out about 25 email addresses per email so as not to appear to be a spamming exercise.  Later I connected with "Constant Contact" which continues as the service that I use with this newsletter and all of my other ones. The idea behind this weekly online newsletter was to get out important information to both "buyers" and "owners," the two most important links in the real estate chain.  It can be almost the same information because all buyers want to be owners, and some owners also intend to continue to be buyers. I try to make my newslette... 12/04/2013

"Now is the Time To Sign Up for One of My Online Newsletters" ... Ocean City, New Jersey   My location is a small barrier island off the coast of South Jersey.  Ocean City (NJ) is about nine miles long and about 1.5 miles wide at the most.  This is a "resort market" with summers by the ocean drawing crowds up to 100-150,000 by late July through early August.  It is a summer rental market, a investment market for interested buyers many who rent their units during the summer months.  It is also a second home market and a retirement location as well. The winter months of December, January, and February bring our population down to about 10,000.  That is also some of our slowest months for the real estate business.  This represents my second career following a 32 year one in public educatio... 12/03/2013

Occasional Book Review - "The World Until Yesterday - What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies?" (2013) by Jared Diamond ... Ocean City, NJ   Having previously read Collapse and Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond, a Professor of Geography at  UCLA and the Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for "Guns, Germs, and Steel," I decided to make this book one of my three non-fiction selections for the new year.  I picked three because I'm almost finished with two of them already before the arrival of the new year, 2014. He breaks these groupings into "hunter-gathers and some garden farmers," "bands" with next larger and more complex grouping, "tribes," and "complex states."  He continues with three chapterson dispute resolution, two chapters on childhood and old age, two chapters on danger an... 12/02/2013