Jersey Shore Views...: March 2010

Homes For Sale in Tuckerton - Tuckerton, NJ February, 2010 Housing Market Report

The number of homes for sale in Tuckerton averaged 67 units in February, 2010.  The only home for sale in Tuckerton that closed on February was in Tuckerton Meadows, a condo community off Route 9.  It has 2 bedrooms and one and a half baths.  That's down from five homes in Tuckerton that sold in January, 2010.     

The February, 2010 housing market report for Tuckerton is not surprising.  Check out last year's figures!

 
The homes for sale in Tuckerton, listed in February, range in price from $125,000 for a condo in Tuckerton Meadows to $375,000 for a custom built contemporary with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.

There are 35 waterfront homes for sale in Tuckerton.  They range in price from $199,000 for a two bedroom one bath waterfront bungalow to $699,000 for a modern four bedroom three and a half To Be Built home.  This home for sale in Tuckerton is not on a lagoon, it's BAY FRONT!

If you're interested in homes for sale in Tuckerton and need the assistance of an Accredited Buyers Agent (ABR®) give me a call.  Or if you are considering listing a home for sale in Tuckerton, let's talk!

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Tuckerton Seaport, Route 9, Tuckerton


Figures used in this report were provided by the Jersey Shore Multiple Listing Service.

Homes for Sale in Manahawkin - Manahawkin, NJ February, 2010 Housing Market Report

The average number of homes for sale in Manahawkin during February, 2010 stood at about 430 residential units.  That figure represents Manahawkin's adult communities, condos, manufactured homes and single family residential units.  

New listings in Manahawkin were down in February when compared with the previous month, and so too the median sale price of homes sold in Manahawkin. 

Compare the figures of homes for sale in Manahawkin to February, 2009.  More homes in Manahawkin sold in February, 2009, but homes for sale in Manahawkin going under contract more than doubled in February, 2010.

 
Two of the homes for sale in Manahawkin that closed in February, 2010 were in the Fawn Lakes Adult Community, and ranged in price from $65,000 for a 2 bedroom, 1 bath quad to at 2 bedroom, 2 bath duplex for $115,000.  Three of the waterfront homes for sale in Manahawkin closed in February, closing prices ranged from $224,000 to $550,000.  All closed at well below asking price.  One bank owned property in Manahawkin sold in February and one short sale closed.

If you're interested in homes for sale in Manahawkin and need the advice of an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) at the Jersey Shore give me a call.  Of if you're considering listing a home for sale in Manahawkin, let's talk!

Homes For Sale In Manahawkin - January, 2010 Housing Market Report
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Spring in Manahawkin, NJ

All figures in this Manahawkin Housing Market Report are provided by the Jersey Shore Multiple Listing Service.

As the special inspector general for the federal financial bailout program faults a lack of planning and "constant changes" for the failure of the Obama Administration's home loan assistance program, the President is set to announce a new initiative to help homeowners by potentially refinancing a million of them with government back loans!

The New York Times article also states that the plan will require banks to reduce mortgage payments for a minimum of three months for unemployed borrowers.

While I'm not an economist shouldn't the government be more concerned with stimulating the economy to create jobs, than rushing through another program that's sure to have problems down the road and cost already overburdened taxpayers millions more?

What was the quote that won Bill Clinton an upset victory in 1992...oh yea..."IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID!"

Or no need to beam us up Scotty, We've Got the Cloaking Device

We all know humanity's earliest encounter with cloaking technology was in 1986 in San Fransisco.  You'll remember Admiral Jame T. Kirk decloaked his pirated Klingon Bird of Prey as he was trying to save some humpback whales from Japanese hunters.  Could have been the pilot for the first Whale Wars Episode.

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Well we might not have to wait for another Klingon ship to pass our way to steal this technology.  Researchers at Germany's Karlsruhe Institute of Technology just reported they were able to cloak at bump in a layer of gold, preventing it's detection.  It's the first to work in three dimensions!!!

Ahh today a bump in a piece of gold, tomorrow the space shuttle!

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Welcome to the future...Live Long and Prosper!
 

Are we our own worst enemy?

I had a conversation with a buyer client last night.  We've been looking at modest acreage (8 to 15 acres) in south Jersey.  This is a dream buyer; cash and quick closing. We've made several offers, some very low, and have dealt with several selling agents.

His question to me last evening was "How can the National Association of REALTORS® tout using a REALTOR®, when these people (REALTORS®) really don't seem to care?"

This question came after the latest shenanigans on the property he's interested in.  We wrote a contract last weekend for less than asking, with a couple of contingencies.  The sellers, according to the seller's agent, rejected the offer and said full price, no contingencies.

After thinking about it, and viewing the property once more, the buyer agreed to meet the seller's demands.  Another written contract was delivered to the seller's agent on Wednesday.  I checked Wednesday night, and Thursday morning and finally spoke to the seller's agent about 3pm on Thursday.

At that time I was told that he (the Seller's Agent) only uses contract forms from his office (you couldn't tell me that beforehand and provided a copy for my buyer) , and he'd have to re write the contract to submit to the sellers.  That means my buyer has to re sign the contract.  DELAY  

The seller's agent also said I should not expect a signed contract before next Tuesday because he was going on vacation (leaving at 4am Friday) and wouldn't be back til then.  WHA!!!!

Knowing my buyer's desire to close quickly (the closing date in the contract is April 12), I said that was unacceptable, and we would be withdrawing the contract.

The seller's agent said he'd get back to me.  He apparently scrambled and came up with this (I'm hoping it's not just a delaying tactic).  His office administrator will draft the contract today, he will review it via Internet, and it will be emailed to me for my buyers signature.  It will then go back to his office, where the sellers will sign.  Then on to the attorneys!

The agent let slip he had seen the seller when he dropped of the seller's net sheet Thursday evening.  I'm confused, you couldn't take the contract along.  Wait, I'm more confused!  The offer was for asking price, wasn't the seller's net discussed when you listed the damn property?

Technically, we could be in attorney review tomorrow and I'm trying to remain optimistic...but I see this contract circling the bowl.

If the seller's agent hadn't spent so much time questioning why my buyer had to close by April 12 (none of your business), explaining to me how he's been in the business to 20 years (yea, it surprises me too), telling me how thorough he is (it's not rocket science), and pointing out that he started this agency (because no other agency could deal with him) perhaps he could have presented to the sellers the contract on his agency form, or at least had it for my buyer's signature this morning.

Sometimes I too have difficulty in seeing the value of REALTORS®.

I had thought about making this rant post  members only, but  I tired of pretending all's right with our profession.

It's called Patti's Prom Project, and last year over 2,000 prom dresses were donated to the first ever southern Ocean County Prom Project.  Patti's Prom Project is back in 2010, and donations are now being accepted.

Patti's Prom Project provides everything young high school women need to attend the prom.  For a very small fee the students can pick out a gown, shoes, handbag and everything to complete the outfit. Those donations are contributed to the American Cancer Society's 'Relay for Life'.

Right now Patti's Prom Project is gathering dresses, shoes, jewelry and purses for the Boutique scheduled on April 5th in Forked River. 

This Boutique is open to all girls in the southern Ocean County, including Pinelands Regional, Southern Regional and Barnegat High Schools. 

Not only is apparel being accepted, we still need business contributions from nail salons, hair dressers and flowers.

Check out Patti's Prom Project on Facebook and email the Project organizers at ppromproject@gmail.com for more information.

More tall tales...

A guy on a Harley was riding along a California beach when suddenly the sky clouded over and thunder rumbled.

In a booming voice, God said to the man, "Because you have tried to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish."
 
The biker pulled over and thought for a moment.  He said, "Could you build a bridge to Hawaii so I can ride over anytime I want."
 
God was a little disappointed and replied, "Your request is materialistic; think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking; the supports required reaching the bottom of the Pacific and the concrete and steel it would take!  

"I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things.  Why don't you give it a little more thought and think of something that could really help mankind."

The biker thought and thought some more.  Finally, he said, "God, I wish that I, and all men, could understand women.

"We should know how a woman feels inside, what she's thinking when she gives the silent treatment, why she cries, what she means when she says nothing's wrong, why she snaps and complains when I try to help, and how we can make a woman truly happy."
                                                                 
God replied, "You want two lanes or four on that bridge?"   

ActiveRain members have a lot to say about how we, as REALTORS®, can better our image with the public and be recognized as professionals.  Well, we might  be fighting an uphill battle!

In one of my local daily newspapers, a headline in the weekly real estate section caught my eye.  "Are you ready to become your own boss through real estate?"

I had no problem with most of the article...statements like "Real estate can be an exciting profession..." or "Helping others achieve the dream of homeownership is not only emotionally fulfilling..."  Yada, yada, yada!

What really bothered me were the statements about being a REALTOR® New Jersey "...it only take a few weeks and several hundred dollars to get started in real estate."

OK, that can be true, and it might be an "attractive option for the unemployed or individuals who can't afford an expensive two or four year education."

But for this broker to state, "Perhaps the greatest benefit a career in real estate provides is flexibility."  Not so bad you say?

This broker goes on this say, "The flexibility also makes real estate a great choice for those who have another career or are pursuing other interests, but would like to supplement their income."  HUH?

What other industry advertises employment opportunities by saying, "Our industry is a great choice for you while you continue your current job, and pursue your other interests?"

Until our brokers and fellow agents begin treating real estate as a profession, we're fighting an uphill battle!

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The Battle of  Old Cedar Bridge Tavern, 2009