Jersey Shore Views...

Give thanks for the day....

Before we had access!!

So Where's the Food, Aunt Phyl..

Thanks it was great...sorry I was too tired... no dessert pix, but Tori made a mean rum cake! 

So, all I can say is...a great Thanksgiving!  The only thing could make it better???  If we all could be there!

A Slice of My Life!

Happy Day!

You know when your favorite cartoon characters turn 50, you're getting up there.  Last week two of my favorites, Rocky and Bullwinkle celebrated the big 5-0!

Actually when you talk about Rocky and Bullwinkle, you're talking about many more memorable characters.  You have the evil Boris and Natasha, Mr. Peabody (the smart dog) and Sherman (his pet boy) and the WABAC Machine (pronounced Way-Back) and who can forget Dudley Do-right and the lovely Nell! 

Most of these cartoons within the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show came from the imaginings of Jay Ward and Bill Scott, pioneers of TV animation.

The prime time cartoon premiered in November, 1959 6:30 p.m. on ABC. The series, Rocky and His Friends, was an instant hit among children and adults. Kids loved the witty characters, while adults enjoyed the social commentaries and satire. I remember watching this with my Dad!

So in honor of this milestone, I thought I'd share some Moose and Squirrel factoids!

Frostbite Falls:  Rocky & Bullwinkle's hometown, is actually based on a real place, International Falls, Minnesota. Jay Ward, the creator, nicknamed it Frostbite Falls after one reporter called the area the "icebox of America". On a map, it's located on the northern border of Minnesota, right next to Canada, thus the "international" in the name. Today, it's known for its recreational activities and beautiful national parks.

The Middle Initials:  The full names of the characters are Bullwinkle J. Moose and Rocket J. Squirrel. The two J's come from Jay Troplong Ward (voice talent and creator) and/or Bill J. Scott (co-producer and head writer).  It's believed the letters really don't stand for anything.  It's been rumored that Rocky's middle initial is Jet, Rocket Jet Squirrel, but there's been no documentation.

Boris Badenov:  Boris's name was really a pun from Mussorgsky's opera titled "Boris Godenov". The Russian last name sounds like "Bad Enough," yet another pun that the series embraced.

Moosylvania:  Moosylvania was a small island, on the show, that Bullwinkle was in president of. No country wanted to claim Moosylvania as belonging to them, so it remained on its own. Well, Jay Ward bought a private island and dubbed it 'Moosylvania'. He even petitioned to get turned into the 51st state on a cross-country campaign, collecting thousands of signatures. Needless the say, the attempt failed. It's reported that Jay Ward lead a small rally of supporters to the White House to present the petition, but they were stopped by the armed Secret Service agents. No one was authorized to get close to the President...It was the first day of the Cuban missile crisis.

The Cold War:  Boris and Natasha were in the series as a parody of the Cold War. There was a great fear back then that Russian spies were invading America to steal secrets.

So, Happy Birthday Moose and Squirrel!

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Mystic Island, New Jersey - Waterfront Homes and Chunks of History!

Mystic Island is a section of Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey...Ocean County's southernmost municipality.  

It's main road, from Great Bay Boulevard to Mystic Beach at the Great Bay, used to be known as Shore Road.  It winds through Mystic Island, Hickory Island and Osborn Island.  This thoroughfare is now known as Radio Road.

That name came about in the early 1900's with the construction of the Tuckerton Wireless Tower, the tallest and strongest radio tower in 1912.  Its guide wire foundations are still visible, though the tower is long gone.

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The tower was built by the German company known as HOMAG, The High Frequency Machine Corporation for Wireless Telegraphy.  This tower was used to communicate with an identical station in Eilvese, Germany beginning in 1914, just before the outbreak of World War I.

  

Though taken over by the US Navy to assure the messages sent and received did not violate America's Declaration of Neutrality, the tower was still manned by German nationals employed by HOMAG.  It's rumored that this tower was used to send the message ordering the attack on the Lusitania!

When the US entered the WW I, all radio stations were taken over and shut down by Executive Order. All the German employees of HOMAG were taken as prisoners of war and the Tuckerton Tower was assigned to the US Navy.  They used it as a back up for the Navy's main transatlantic wireless station north of here in New Brunswick, NJ.

After the war, the Tuckerton Wireless Tower was included in German war reparations paid to America.

  

The government then sold the tower to RCA which used it as a backup a facility in Rocky Point, NY.  It operated until 1948.  The Tuckerton Wireless Tower was demolished in 1955 and that's when the single family homes in Mystic Island began cropping up

This 820 foot wireless tower was anchored by 3 huge blocks that exist today; one is in the backyard of a home on North Ensign Drive, one in the middle of the street on South Ensign Drive, and the other in the middle of Staysail.

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South Ensign Drive, Little Egg Harbor, NJ

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Staysail, Little Egg Harbor, NJ

Many smaller foundations for supporting towers are still visible in the lagoons of Mystic Island.  If you'd like to see some great photos of the Tuckerton Wireless Tower, its construction and demolition, visit the Giffordtown Schoolhouse Museum, home of the Tuckerton Historical Society.

  
If you'd like information on the real estate market or homes for sale in Mystic Island, Little Egg Harbor or Tuckerton, give me a call!

Keller Williams Realty - Atlantic Shore
Laura Giannotta
609-384-6121
Laura@JerseyShoreViews.com

GET YOUR OWN JERSEY SHORE VIEWS!

  

New Jersey's coastal counties have been declared a disaster area by Governor Corzine.

Though the rain and wind subsided over the weekend, yesterday was the first day local and state officials could take a firsthand view of the damage.  They were out in force on Long Beach Island, calling last week's storm the worst in a decade.

Most lagoon front property in Little Egg Harbor and  Manahawkin fared well, some of the beaches on Long Beach Island were not so lucky.

Bulkheads and jetties saw some real action during the 4 days of wind and rain.

 

The beaches in Surf City handled the storm far better.  Last year, Surf City received beach replenishment help from the Army Corps of Engineers.  The wider beach and plenty of dune grass helped against the winds and high tides.

 

That's not to say the Surf City beach was debris free...

So as state and municipal officials continue to tally the costs to repair the damage on the Island, some were just enjoying the remnants of the storm.

 

Can I use the expanded and extended tax credit program to buy a home in New Jersey if I don’t have perfect credit?

You might have thought that you couldn’t meet the deadline to qualify for a tax credit on a home purchase because your credit score is less than perfect.  But the expanded and extended tax credit program to buy a home in New Jersey is now law, and you have six more months!  That will give you some room to work on your credit score.
 
The extended tax credit program offers first time home buyers six more months to get a home under contract to qualify for the $8,000.  The expanded tax credit program allows homeowners, who’ve lived in their homes for five of the last eight years, to qualify for a $6,500 credit.
 
The first step to see if you can take advantage of the expanded and extended tax credit program to buy a home in New Jersey is to check your credit score, and work on improvements.
 
The best place to learn about your options to check your credit and increase your credit score is to speak with a mortgage professional.  You can click here for a list of active mortgage professionals in New Jersey…they’re part of the ActiveRain professional real estate community.

The higher your credit score, the easier the mortgage approval process.  Your credit score is made up of your payment history, the amount you owe, the length of your credit history and the types of credit you have.

Very simply, your credit score improves by paying bills on time, paying down credit card debt and having lines of credit.

But a mortgage professional after reviewing your credit report can offer suggestions to tweak your score.  It’s important to speak with some one experienced in the world of home finance because, while not mysterious, credit scores are quirky.
   
This simple step will get you on your way to taking advantage of the expanded and extended tax credit program to buy a home in New Jersey if you don’t have perfect credit.

If you’d like some suggestions on mortgage professionals I’ve worked with feel free to contact me.  And when you're ready to buy, give me a call!

Homes for sale in Tuckerton - October, 2009 Housing Market Report

Homes for sale in Manahawkin - October, 2009 Housing Market Report

The number of homes for sale in Manahawkin (inventory) was down in October, 2009 over 2008 by more than 100 units.  

As you can see, prices are also down.  With enactment and expansion of the homebuyers tax credit, I expect the prices of homes for sale in Manahawkin to continue to inch up.  The median sold price of homes in Manahawkin increased in October, 2009 more than $10,000 over September, 2009.

If you'd like neighborhood specific information on homes for sale in Manahawkin (Stafford Township, NJ), or are interested in pricing your home to sell, contact me via email or phone.

Keller Williams Realty - Atlantic Shore
Laura Giannotta
609-384-6121
Laura@JerseyShoreViews.com

Homes for sale in Little Egg Harbor - The October 2009 Housing Market Report

There are just over 300 homes for sale in Little Egg Harbor, NJ.  Last year (2008) at this time there were 435 single family homes for sale in Little Egg Harbor.   

Fewer homes were listed last month, and prices are inching up in Little Egg Harbor.  The median sales price in October, 2009 was $2,000 more than in September.  

With these market trends this might be the perfect time to buy or sell a home in Little Egg Harbor.

If you're looking for homes for sale in Little Egg Harbor, NJ, call or email me.  I'll get you the neighborhood specifics you need.

Keller Williams Realty - Atlantic Shore
Laura Giannotta 
609-384-6121
Laura@JerseyShoreViews.com

Homes for sale in Barnegat - The October 2009 Housing Market Report

Current inventory of homes for sale in Barnegat, NJ is roughly 188 single family units.  That compares to the huge inventory during the same month last year, 360 units.  

The market appears to be leveling out in Barnegat, NJ, so if you're planning to buy or sell a home in Barnegat call me for more information on neighborhood specifics.

If you're looking for homes for sale in Barnegat, NJ, call or email me.

The votes have been counted…it’s official.
  
New Jersey has a new Governor-elect, but exit polls reveal Garden State voters have little hope things will change!
 
Republican Chris Christie out polled incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine in voting yesterday with members of both political parties saying their most important concern was the economy and jobs. 

Second on their list of concerns is New Jersey’s high property and income taxes.
 
What’s most interesting though is that when asked who had a viable tax reform proposal, New Jersey voters said no one!
 
So is the outcome of this election change for the sake of change?