Dustin Peters

Rental Activity in Ocean City, New Jersey

"They're Back! No, it's not another science fiction film ... and they aren't really back ... but they will be back for "SUMMER 2009" ... where? All over the beach and boardwalk and downtown Ocean City, New Jersey. The "regulars" are returning - rental tenants who usually start booking from September through November have joined my January and February "regulars" ... it's summer rental time in Ocean City, New Jersey again.

You won't know it by the traffic in the streets ... it's web-site hits at www.FrenchRentals.com; it's emails arriving at Dustin@BeachNotes.net; it's phone calls to 888-215-9935 ... that's the ongoing rental process these days by everybody from as close as Philadelphia, and as far away as California.

They're back ... after all, it's only about four months until June, about five months until July, and about six months until August ... "the big three months of the Summer, 2009. It's rental time in Ocean City, New Jersey.

Happy Days are Here Again!

Footnote: The summer and "shoulder season" (Spring and Fall) rental markets play a major role in the economic activity of Ocean City. They directly relate to the Boardwalk Merchants and the Downtown Businesses. When past Ocean City tenants consider summer vacations, they may take more than one ... but they always come to Ocean City for one of them. In these more difficult economic times, or those past ones with higher gas prices ... you're only a tank of gas away from Ocean City.

Moreover, these same rental tenants represent "the pool of potential Buyers" who come along to later make the property purchases that produce more "second home owners," investment owners who continue to rent to summer tenants, and even full-time resident owners who make a future decision to move to Ocean City or to retire to Ocean City.

We're always happy to see Memorial Day arrive ... and many are always happen to see Labor Day arrive. But no one wants to rush the time along. That's what Ocean City is all about.

Dap

A Couple of Days Off the Island ... But we're Back!

So I had to take my wife, Leslie, back to Pennsylvania for some difficult oral surgery. We're back ... a long four hour drive in major Philadlephia traffic and snow avoidance all the way. Actually it could have been worse ... we hit the traffic, but missed the snow. She's relaxing, and I'm back at work. Crossing the Causeway last evening around 7PM, I had that same old feeling ... back on "island time" again.

Spending a couple of days in the "real world" is always an adjustment after being on the island (Ocean City, NJ) for the past sixteen years. I was always going back and forth a couple of times a month visiting my father, seeing friends, taking care of our other home in Lancaster County. But I have to tell you that life "on the island" can be addictive. The pace of things is just a tad slower; the people a bit more open and friendly. We're all on somewhat "common ground" here in the off-season. We know who we all are ... and feel good about knowing it. We live in one of the great places along the East Coast ... maybe on both coasts. Keep it a secret ... don't just anyone know.

Now I'm just kidding ... because historically everyone knows. It's been the summer retreat for New Jesey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and parts of Maryland (lots of extended families). The ones who don't rent anymore; they often buy. and their children buy too. And others that come and visit with them from the real world ... they are potential Buyers as well.

So getting back is always a positive and a negative ... on the plus side - I'm where I want to be; on the negative side - I missed some visitors at the office, have several additional phone calls to return, must get back into the "realtor island time" mode. But it appears I'm on the island for a couple of weeks straight.

Happy to be Back! Wish you were here.

Dap

Downtown Ocean City, New Jersey ... 1st Restaurant Recommendation of 2009

"Jon & Patty's Coffee Bar & Bistro ... 637 Asbury Avenue, Ocean City, New Jersey (609-399-3377)

Any new discovery in Ocean City is always exciting, but the discovery of a great eating establishment is much more than that ... it means there is another place to go in a very limited assortment of places particularly in the off-season. First of all, I must give credit to my bro, Sam, who has been trying to get me down there for some time. Well, I made it down for a cup of coffee about 6:45 AM the other morning. There's a regular group of mostly men who talk about anything and everything in the right way ... a good bit of it, but not all, is sports in season. The recent Sunday football games were the topic when I was there. It would now be the coming Super Bowl. But baseball trades ... the Phillies, and college basketball would also be in-topics.

Personally, I enjoyed the relaxed athmosphere where everyone just did their own thing. It was a great introduction because Sam bought me my coffee ... two cups ... plus a great breakfast sandwich on a toasted bagel. There is an interesting breakfast menu with breakfast burrittos, breakfast sandwiches, three or four kinds of "French Toast." Although I haven't had it yet, the "Monte Cristo" looks like my next choice for the morning.

The lunch menu looks just as inviting, and Sam told me he had probably eaten, at some point, every item on the menu. I'm not going to go into menu details for this review ... but today, I stopped on my way back to the office deciding to pick up a sandwich. The pot roast sandwich with brie served on a kaiser roll made me a true believer. It also worked for the rest of the people in the office who watched and smelled the aroma as I ate it. Take-out certainly works, but plan to eat in and enjoy the regulars.

My pending decision relates to whether I want to eat breakfast or lunch at "Jon & Patty's ... I'm thinking of arriving at some point when I might be able to choose either the breakfast or the lunch choice. They also have excellent soups (according to my boss, Craig French) who suggested the white bean. Actually, the noodle looked good too when I was there. They also have "lunch specials" which you can read upon arrival.

I mentioned the location to my wife, Leslie, but I now know that I must get her down there before she discovers it herself. I need all the "credit points" I can get. This is a breakfast and lunch location ... it also carries a load of newspapers including my favorite Friday and Saturday Wall Street Journal which always carried the excellent wine column in the Friday issue ... but it has switched to the Saturday issue. Now I buy both copies because I like the other articles in the Friday issue.

Let's wrap up this posting by saying that "Jon & Patty's Coffee Bar & Bistro" gets my highest rating ... Delicious. Get there before the off-season is over, tell them you read about them in my Beach Notes Blog ... that may not get you anything, but they will think you are a "regular." Dap

A Lot More About Ocean City, New Jersey ... Notes taken by me from a Presentation on January 6, 2009 by Jim Rutala, City Administrator, City of Ocean city

. 14,600 out-of-state property owners with PA (1st), NJ (2nd), FL (3rd), DE (4th), and MD (5th)

. The only community in NJ to get a beach replenishment project in 2008

. 8th lowest tax rate in NJ ... school, city, and county taxes

. Community Center Project @ $12 million ... largest public project ... includes library, senior citizens, fitness ctr

. Recent Downtown Project @ $2.5 million ... lighting, paving, cross walks

. Major Redevelopment potential ... prsent Annex Site across Nineth Street from City Hall ... future anchor pt

. 2nd Phase of Causeway Project ... Bridge into Ocean Cityplus new improvements along Nineth Street

. New $10 Million Welcome Center in 2012 on Causeway

. Boardwalk ... 5th to 12th Street improvements and future Master Plan Funding

. Enhance entrance to Music Pier along Moorlyn Terrace including replacement of lighting

. Park improvements on North Street and 34th Street

. Shared Use ... Bike and Automobile 15 mph usage with new Haven Avenue Bike Path ... receiving nat'l interest

. Solar heating for five city buildings with special grants and future savings

. OC Events Calendar which includes 150 special events a year ... adding 3 new events in 2009

. OC Trolley ... moving from 15,000 to 40,000 riders last season

. Ocean City web-site at www.ocnj.us

. Four major Assets in Ocean City ... beach, boardwalk, downtown, and bayfront ... county funding/grants

I haven't done justice to Jim Rutala's presentation, but it does provide the blog reader with just a taste of the kind of efforts going on here in Ocean City, New Jersey. This is an exciting community ... one with a history of linkage between the city and realtors. It is useful for Owners and future Owners to have some idea what is happening in their favorite resort community in South Jersey.

Dap

Reading Presidential Biographies

As a history major, and a former teacher of US History in public schools before moving into the principalship (all of this before my favorite career in real estate), I still keep my hand in it by selecting one or two good pieces of fiction to balance out my mystery book and other fictional reading. My choice in 2009 is American Lion - Andrew Jackson in the White House (2008) by Jon Meacham who is an Editor with Newsweek and moves around some of those MSNBC talk news shows.

My five favorite Presidents are Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Thedore Roosevelt, and Harry Truman. As a new biography comes out with these five, I generally put it on my list. I also try to read another one so that over time I will have read about each president. I also add Benjamin Franklin to my list ... although not a President, could there be anyone more important and influential in our American History.

Someone might ask: "Why?" Reading about the man, the history of the time, relating it to the American of today, reflecting on the critical issues, and trying to gain some understanding of the decisionmaking role taken ... all of this provides insights to our own lives ... leadership, what makes American great, and how our country has evolved over time. Every American should take some time and read more about our unique history.

If you have not read David McCullough's John Adams (a number of years ago) or Walter Isaacson's Benjamin Franklin (also several years ago), they represent two other great starting points.

As I read non-fiction, which is only about 10-15% of my reading, I tend to take notes and do a sort of mini outline in my Journal. It's the teaching background in me ... maybe I will be able to use it later. I'm still the guy that underlines and clips out sections of my newspaper or Time magazine.

Let me know if you have enjoyed, or after you have enjoyed, reading these biographies. Thanks for reading my posting.

Dap