: January 2011

Dock Road, Eagleswood NJ
January 30, 2011

I had a late afternoon meeting today.  I prepared this morning, so I could take out buyers and then meet my new clients at 4:30.  Early afternoon they called, had to cancel, work obiligations.

We resecheduled and I found myself with some free time and the sun was still shining!  I took a ride down Dock Road in Eagleswood, saw some ducks on the bay and I think I saw a hawk intent of finding a snack in the marsh grass.  But mostly I enjoyed the views, and relaxed!

I have sticker shock...How did they come up with the property taxes on my New Jersey home?

New Jersey taxes are often questioned, and more often criticized. At the top of the list are questions and criticisms of New Jersey’s property taxes.

Property taxes in New Jersey are based on the value of the land and the 'improvements' which is a different name for your home. The total of land value and improvements gives you the assessed value.

Assessed value is the figure used by a municipality to determine taxes on a particular piece of property. 
 
New Jersey property taxes are local.  Your taxes pay for your county and municipal governments, school districts, and in some areas fire districts (I’ll refer to all these as taxing authorities).

Your total property tax obligation in New Jersey is based on a combined figure from the taxing authorities once they come up with their individual budget needs.  Property taxes in New Jersey do not support state government.

So when the taxing authorities determine each of their budget needs, a tax rate is set by combining these figures and dividing it by the total assessed value of the community. It's usually expressed in dollars per $100.00 assessed valuation. Then get out your calculator, multiply that per $100.00 figure from your municipality by your assessed value and you'll have the total tax liability.

New Jersey is a strong 'home rule' state.  States are generally governed either by "Home Rule" giving municipalities autonomy or "Dillon's Rule" which gives states more power.

New Jersey, governed by Home Rule, has 566 municipalities, each with a separate administration and government.  Add to that New Jersey’s 21 counties, 604 school districts (according to NJ DOE) and 187 fire districts, all with taxing authority!  That’s a whole lot of home rule.

This adherence to the concept of home rule, many say, is the reason for New Jersey’s high property tax rates.
 
New Jersey residents do have a voice in electing representatives to these taxing authorities, and voters can directly vote on school and fire district budgets.  

Little Egg Harbor Retirement Communities - Sunrise Bay

Sunrise Bay

The Sunrise Bay retirement community in Little Egg Harbor was built by the Kleiner Group and is located about 15 minutes off of the Garden State Parkway (Exit 58).  

There are currently (January, 2011) 9 homes for sale in Sunrise Bay in Little Egg Harbor.  Those adult community homes range in price from $180,000 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath ranch style home to $275,000 for a 3 bedroom, 3 bath loft model.

Last year (2010), according to the Jersey Shore Multiple Listing Service, two homes in the Sunrise Bay adult community sold.  They were both 1600 square foot ranch style homes with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths.  They sold early last year (April and May) for $205,900 and $217,000.

The Sunrise Bay adult community completed construction in 2005.  Homes at Sunrise Bay range in size from nearly 1300 to just over 2100 square feet.  There are both 1 story ranches and 2 story loft homes at Sunrise Bay in Little Egg Harbor.

The Sunrise Bay Clubhouse features a pool, exercise room, billiards, card rooms and meeting rooms for diverse community groups.

Sunrise Bay Club House

Monthly homeowner association fees at Sunrise Bay in Little Egg Harbor are $120 and have remained stable over the last few years.  Taxes range from about $4000 to $4500 annually.  This adult community is professionally managed. 

The Sunrise Bay retirement community in Little Egg Harbor consists of 325 single family homes.  It is located between Radio Road and Center Street, just north of Oak Lane.

Homes for Sale in Little Egg Harbor's Sunrise Bay

If you’d like more information on Little Egg Harbor’s communities or any neighborhoods in Little Egg, contact Little Egg Harbor REALTOR® Laura Giannotta here, or call 609.384.6121.

Other Adult-Retirement Communities in Little Egg Harbor (click on the links for more information)
Sea Oaks - Little Egg Harbor's Golf and Retirement Community
Cranberry Creek - For Active Adults in Little Egg Harbor
Mystic Shores - Affordable 55+ Living at the Jersey Shore
Harbor Bay - Little Egg Harbor's Newest Adult Community  

It's Wednesday morning...Hump Day (if there is such a thing in real estate)!

While I love living at the Jersey Shore, this time of year I think about the sun warming my old bones on a beach somewhere.  Feet buried in the hot sand, sun glasses and a a good book.  No such luck, at least for another few months.

This is what we woke up to this morning...could be 7 inches or more by the time it's done tomorrow morning!  It's just wet and sloppy now.

5:30am 1/26/2011 in my corner of the Jersey Shore!

Homes for sale in Barnegat averaged at about 340 during the month of December, 2010.  18 Barnegat homes sold last month, ranging in price from $13,000 to $277,000 (with a seller's concession).

Three homes in Barnegat that sold were manufactured homes on leased land in adult communities, five were in Barnegat's newer adult communities, one a new construction condo in Whispering Hills. The remainder of the homes sold were in the Barnegat neighborhoods of Settlers Landing, Rosehill, Windward or Pebble Beach.  No Barnegat waterfront homes sold in December 2010.

  Compare that to the Barnegat Housing Report for December, 2009.

These figures when compared to the Homes for Sale in Barnegat Report from November-2010 seems to indicate a leveling off of the housing market in Barnegat.  I expect the January 2011 Barnegat Housing Report to show fewer home sales because of the rough winter weather and the usual January decline in homes sales at the Jersey Shore.

If you'd like more information on moving to Barnegat, any of southern Ocean County's neighborhoods or have questions about life at the Jersey Shore, click here to contact Jersey Shore REALTOR® Laura Giannotta...Or call 609.384.6121.

What's the Best Blog Comment You've Received?

I'm human, I like the feedback from ActiveRain, both in emails and blog comments.  Most are well thought out, some raise issues that I hadn't thought about and some are the proof that people are reading, so it keeps me writing.

Perhaps the best feedback I have received came in this morning in response to a blog written Friday called Dog Training Tips at the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter. I wrote about Martha Windisch, a certified dog trainer from Chatsworth, who volunteered to provide tips and answer questions at the Shelter.  This is her comment on my ActiveRain Blog:

I'm having trouble getting started today.  We missed the predicted snow at the Jersey Shore this week, but it's cold!  

My mind is on Jersey Tomatoes from the garden, fresh herbs and flowers.

I took a few minutes and looked at some spring photos, but that didn't do the trick though.  

So I made a virtual spring garden (on Picnik.com) from a photo last year before any plants were blooming.

Think Spring!

    

A Chatsworth based dog training expert will be available at the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter in Manahawkin Saturday, January 22 for questions and tips.

According to the Human Society of the United State, 6 to 8 million dogs and cats find themselves at shelters each year.  About half are euthanized because there aren't enough good homes.

Martha Windisch a certified dog trainer, living in Chatsworth, thinks most behaviors that cause people to abandon their pets are easily solved by training and socializing.

The Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter is located on Hay Road in Manahawkin, just off Recovery Road.  The trainer will be available from 1pm until 4pm.  

Dogs and cats will also be available for petting, loving and adopting!