Jersey Shore Views...: April 2009

Don't Sell Yourself Short If You Don't Have To!

There’s plenty of news out there about homes in foreclosure and many owners going to short sales to get out from under a home or mortgage they can no longer afford. 

While I am happy to help sell your Ocean County home either in a traditional or short sale, let’s be sure that’s your best option.

Remember a short sale will have an impact on your credit.  So perhaps a loan modification or refinance will be better in the long run.

Visit this government website,  MakingHomesAffordable.com, to see if you qualify for a mortgage refinance or home loan modification.

Answer a few simple questions for a loan modification or refinance and you can find out if you qualify for either program. 

Contact me with any of your questions not addressed on this site.  And if its necessary to sell your Ocean County home, whether in a traditional sale or a short sale, contact me..

Here at the Jersey Shore we're ready for summer!  If your summer plans include boating (any motorized boat or jet ski), beginning June 1, 2009, you're required to have a New Jersey Boating Safety Certificate.  

You can take the course online, and also download the information you'll need to complete the New Jersey Boating Safety Certificate course. After completion, an in person exam is required.
  
In addition to the education requirement that takes effect on June 1, 2009, operators must meet age requirements in order to operate a motorized vessel.

• A person less than 13 years of age may not operate a motorized vessel.
• A person under the age of 16 may not operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC).
• A person 13 through 15 years of age may operate a vessel powered by an electric motor or vessels 12 feet or longer and powered by a motor less than 10 horsepower only if he or she has successfully passed a boating safety education course approved by the New Jersey State Police.
• A person 16 years old or older, may operate a motorized vessel if they have successfully completed an approved boating safety course.

The US Coast Guard Auxiliary has launched About Boating Safety, designed as an introductory course to meet the new education needs of New Jersey's recreational boaters. USCG Auxiliary Flotilla 7 is offering  these courses at various locations for Jersey Shore boaters.

Manahawkin Boating Safety

Little Egg Harbor and Tuckerton Boating Safety

Forked River Boating Safety

There are other New Jersey locations offering the Boating Safety course, you can find them here.

Another great service of the Coast Guard is its FREE Vehicle  Safety Check (VOC).  The inspection doesn't take long.  It will point out any deficiencies and the Auxiliary will give you the most up to date state and federal boating laws and regulations.

After you've received your NJ Boating Safety Education Certificate issued by the State Police, you must carry it with you, as well as photo ID, such as a driver’s license while on board.  

Happy Boating!  Stay Safe!

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

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After a weekend of weather in the 80's, even higher in some places along the Jersey Shore, thoughts turn to the beach!  And now is the time to think about picking up your full season badges, at pre-season prices.  

Yes, we do need those stinking badges, as soon as the lifeguards come on duty, usually in mid June.  

The good news is that in light of the current economic turmoil, beach badge prices on Long Beach Island, NJ have remain unchanged in most communities.  

And remember, day trips to Long Beach Island are a great alternative to a most costly vacation.  It's a family friendly place!

.      .   

The cost of badges varies from town to town.  Beach Haven on the south end of Long Beach Island charges $20 (up $2 from last year) for a seasonal beach pass, provided you purchase before the fourth Friday in June.  Compare that to $5 for a daily pass!  

All Long Beach Island communities offer seasonal, weekly and daily passes, as well as reduced fee badges for senior citizens.  In most communities, you can mail in your beach badge order, and pick up your badges at a later date.

If you weren't already confused by housing market statistics, don't turn to your local papers for clarification! 

Jeffery G. Otteau, of the Otteau Valuation Group,  New Jersey's go to housing market analyst addressed the Atlantic Home Builders Convention in Atlantic City this past week.  I did not attend the Convention, so I scoured the papers for this guru's predictions.  From the Press of Atlantic City I get 'Housing Forecast Dire:  99-Month Supply of Homes for Sale'   and from the Asbury Park Press I get 'Expert: Housing prices down but leveling off'.

Yep, these headlines are from the same speech!  What does that mean to you?  

It means if you're buying or selling a home in New Jersey, speak to a local expert.  New Jersey is a diverse state, and the NJ housing market is far different in Bergen County, NJ than it is here in Ocean County, NJ.  And northern Ocean County's housing market is different than southern Ocean County's housing market.  

So I can't tell you what happening in Bergen or Essex counties, but I can tell what's happening to the housing market in the southern Ocean County towns of Waretown, Barnegat, Manahawkin, Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor!  

My advice?

If you're planning to buy or sell in southern Ocean County, New Jersey, don't base your decisions on what you're REALTOR friend in Ohio said, or even what Uncle Joe in Sussex County, New Jersey said!  

Consult a local expert!

I love a few glasses of wine in the evening or with dinner.  I like a hearty red, a real Chianti from Tuscany or if I'm feeling very extravagant Brunello (lately, a little out of my price range). 

While I've always recycled the bottles, I never really thought about the corks!  

Well, there is an effort underway to recycle corks.  

The Company's flagship product is TerraCycle Plant Food

 

Toms Zacky is the CEO and founder of TerraCycle.  He has a blog you really should check out, The Eco-Capitalist!

Well, I'm off to make sure I have what I need to save the world this evening...one bottle of wine!

Many first time home buyers, while figuring the expense of owning a home, neglect to budget for home maintenance.  

You're figuring mortgage payments and utility costs, right?   But did you remember to budget for home maintenance?  If not, you're threatening the long term value of your investment (home)!  

Home maintenance is a very important part of home ownership, and essential to maintaining the value of your home.  

You're not a tenant anymore.  If something breaks, it's your problem!  And while you're just moving in, with no thoughts of resale, failure to perform routine maintenance will affect the eventual sale price of your home.  

It's recommended that homeowners set aside at least one percent of the home's purchase price to cover things like painting, routine system maintenance (furnace, water heater, well water treatment systems), window caulking and gutter repair.  

If you're purchasing an older home, your annual home maintenance fund may require more than one percent of the home's purchase price.  That will largely depend on how well the home has been maintained over the years.  

Once you decide on your annual home maintenance account, put that money away so you aren't tempted to spend it!  If you don't use it all in one year, it's not a bonus or extra payday.  Leave it alone, continue to contribute.  That will give you a cushion for major repairs like roof replacement or new siding down the road.  

Good home maintenance is relatively inexpensive when you compare it to the cost to fix something that you've allowed to get progressively worse.  And, if you keep records of this routine maintenance, and have those records to share, you'll make a big impression on buyers when you eventually sell your home.  

While your search for a new home is still fresh in your mind, remember all the homes you've just seen.  Make a list.  Which homes made a better impression;  those that were well maintained and showed pride of ownership or those with haphazard or negligible repair and maintenance?  

In 5 years, where will your home stand on that list?  

If you'd like more information on buying your first home, or homes for sale in Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton, Manahawkin, Barnegat or Waretown, give me a call!
   

I visited a friend yesterday, she's a cat person.  As you may know I'm a dog owner, but love all animals. After spending some time talking to her about life with a cat, I found many similarities.  So here's a memo for dogs and cats.
  
TO:       Dog & Cats  
FROM:  Your Human Companions  
Re:        Our Lives together
 
It's a king size bed!  I cannot buy anything larger than a king-sized bed. I apologize. But do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep.
 
It is not necessary to sleep stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I'm also hip to the fact that sticking your tail straight out and having your tongue hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

There are dishes in the kitchen that have a paw print.  Those dishes hold your food.  All other dishes belong to me! They contain my food.  Understand that putting your paw print in my plate does not make it yours, nor does it stake your claim to the food on the plate.

Stairways were not designed by HotWheels or NASCAR.  It's not a racetrack.  Getting to the bottom first is not the point.  Also, you should know by now, that tripping me isn't a good idea, I fall faster than you can run!

This could be a tough one!  There is no secret exit from the bathroom. That makes it unnecessary, if by some miracle I beat you there and get the door shut, to claw, whine, howl or meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the door trying to pull it open.  

I will exit through the same door I entered. And just for your information, I've been using the bathroom for many years, and feline and/or canine attendance is not necessary.  

And finally, there is an order to things in life.  I cannot stress this one enough.  The proper order is to kiss me, then go smell the other cat's or dog's butt!  

Keller Williams Atlantic Shore

It’s spring at the Jersey Shore, and time for the 24^th Annual Clean Ocean Action’s (COA) April Beach Sweep.  For 24 years, volunteers throughout New Jersey have participated to rid our waterways of unsightly debris.

In 1985, COA launched the first Beach Sweeps program, ridding beaches of trash.  The Beach Sweep is one of the longest running cleanups of its kind in the world.
 
Over the years, more than 70,000 volunteers have removed more than 3 million pieces of trash from New Jersey’s waterways!  From the “Roster of the Ridiculous” items in 2007 were three toilet seats, a television, an 8-track tape (there's a picture if you don't know what this is), a car bumper, and an EZPass tag.

Volunteers gather from Raritan to Delaware Bays and along the ocean to clean beaches and waterways, as well as underwater sites.

You can help!  Join as a group (community, school, business, and organization), family, or individual.  Groups of ten or more are asked to pre register with this form.
 
Participants collect and record valuable data about debris, which is presented in annual reports and used to advance federal, state, and local programs to reduce litter.

I’ll see you at the Barnegat Municipal Dock next Saturday (April 25^th) from 9am to 12:30pm.  If you’d like to volunteer at another location, click here for all New Jersey Beach Sweep locations!

The clean up goes on rain or shine!  Bring along gloves, and wear them, dress for the weather (layers at the Bay, it’s still a bit chilly in the morning), bring sunscreen and respect wildlife!

Keller Williams Atlantic Shore

On May 7th, we will boldy go where no man has gone before!  The new Star Trek movie (Star Trek XI) will be released, and this is what we'll see.

Kirk as an angry, wayward and headstrong young man looking for trouble.  Since Kirk has always thought outside the box, he wreaks havoc on Starfleet’s rules and regs.
 
Mr. Spock begins his career as a tortured soul.  His mixed heritage has him battling his emotions, as he decides which path to follow; a life in the Vulcan world (which views him as an outsider and 'half human') or Starfleet Academy, worlds away from everything he has ever known.
 
We’ll also meet Dr 'Bones' McCoy (maybe we’ll find out why he’s always so cranky) and a young linguist Uhura at the Academy.

Of course, Starfleet is mobilized to save the Federation.  And Kirk and Spock, for the first time, join forces and save the day!

Believe it or not Paramount Studios has announced that AMC Theaters, National Amusements, Pacific/Arclight, and Regal Entertainment are among the chains already offering the chance to buy tickets early!  Click here to buy Star Trek XI tickets in Manahawkin  at the Regal on Route 72 East.

Whatever the story, I can't wait to see the original Starship Enterprise NCC 1701!  The original USS Enterprise was launched in 2245 and destroyed in 2285, in Star Trek III (The Search for Spock)!

 
 
This is the original Enterprise model used in the TV show back in the 60’s.  It’s on display in the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C. 

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER!

It's spring at the Jersey Shore, the rains have stopped (at least for a few days); yard work, gardening and outdoor activities have taken the place of TV, books and games.             

For many this means a return to the outdoors, oftentimes with pets in tow!

While most Jersey Shore residents and visitors are careful to dispose of empty water bottles, sandwich wrappers, cigarette butts and other trash in designated containers, many are not aware that pet waste is one of the culprits in non point source pollution of our wetlands, bays and ocean.

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many sources.  

It happens when rain or snow melt moves through the ground and carries with it pollution.

Ocean County covers three watersheds.  It's a unique eco system, on top of the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer System with 17-trillion gallons of water which is replenished annually by approximately 45-inches of rain fall.  So we're sandwiched between the New Jersey Pinelands, coastal wetlands, bays and the Atlantic Ocean.

That makes our responsibility to control non point source pollution critical.  

One small way we can protect our Ocean County environment is by picking up after our pets, in and out of the yard.  

So, unless you've trained your dog to do this...

 Please do this...

Keller Williams Atlantic Shore

   "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead(1901-1978) quoted in John M. RIchardson, ed. Making it Happen