Dustin Peters

Summer "UP" Schedule in Ocean City, New Jersey

In our smaller office location we all handle a certain amount of "summer UP time, which means we are "up" or on duty in the office certain Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer. Each of us has several different weekends to handle the rental problems that arise during these crazy times. So here I am in the office with one other agent, but I'm the one handling all of the negative phone calls from rental tenants who have problems with garage doors, refrigerators, air conditioning, coffee pots, beach tags, and a whole lot of other problems too.

Now don't get me wrong ... I accept this in all good faith because it is part of the rental process for which I am being compensated. And right in between phone calls and walk-ins, I'm pondering the question of maintenance. I wonder why so many owners don't just keep up with the "maintenance aspects" of keeping a shore rental property. Not all, buy many, of the problems that arise directly relate to how well maintained the rental property is throughout the calendar year. For example, you can't simply run your air conditioning for ten or twelve weeks every year without the occasional (actually best to do a check-up each year) spring overall. This can be done many ways ... but the worst step is to do nothing.

Another great way to solve problems is to alert tenants of how they should handle certain matters while renting the property. Instructions/notes/directions are all ways to solve problems before they happen. Actually, it is quite amazing how well things go in spite of the isolated but continuing problems that we do encounter. Well, I hear the phone ringing again ... that means another question, maybe a problem, whatever. My day is almost complete. Dap

Night in Venice ... Ocean City, New Jersey

I've owned a property in Ocean City since 1988 when I was still working in the "real world." And I recall about three or four years when I would read about "Night in Venice," but we were working on our little 1920s cottage on St James Place, or entertaining weekend visitors; and we never seemed to get out to see the parade. Then a couple of years my wife, Leslie, and I would bike around the bay area in the Gardens checking things out. We knew the most important step was to find a bayfront owner to invite us to a party ... which didn't happen right away. I recall one summer when our son, Nick, was working here in Ocean City and dating a girl living on the Rivera lagoon. He was the first to get an invitation to a "Night in Venice" party.

Since that time, and now as of 1993 working at French Real Estate, our fortunes improved. One year an agent here at French got us invited to the Coast Guard location on the Gardens lagoon. Great location for viewing the parade. Then we got invited to a very large open bayfront owned by another agent's parents in the Gardens. We attended several parties in that location. Then we met my close friend, Ted, where we always attend his party. In fact, while our house was being built, we lived in one of his bayfront location condos for a couple of years. We had our own party to parallel his. We always manage to get to that party early or later.

Last year we also attended another party at the Gums again on the lagoon. Another great location. We were invited this year, but we also received an invitation to ride in the Ocean City Yacht Club boat along with the Commodore and a variety of OCYC members. So we are doing this tonight to see all the decorated houses from the Longport Bridge to 23rd Street.

Night in Venice is a major attraction here in Ocean City, New Jersey. It's been ongoing for about 50 years without ever having a rainout. This year the starting time has been moved to 8PM because of the tides and their impact on the boats. There is a lot more history to Night in Venice, but you can read that each year in the various local papers. I thought you might enjoy a "first-person" account instead.

I think Ocean City has some great traditions. Night in Venice is one of them. Although "locals" tend to celebrate much more than visitors ... it is also an opportunity to get to see something very special. I enjoy this tradition ... it continues to be a family-oriented thing which fits the style of the community in which it is being celebrated - Ocean City, New Jersey. Dap

Another Rental Week in Ocean City, New Jersey

So we continue with our top five weeks of summer rentals in Ocean City, New Jersey ... this time it is the 2nd most rented week of the 2009 Summer: July 25-August 1, 2009. It also happens to be "Night in Venice Weekend" which is one of the top two or three summer weekends here at the shore.

During these busy weeks, and even busier weekends, we have major traffic situations all week long. For "Night in Venice" it also means bridge openings on 9th Street for much of Saturday night. More on this weekend in a second posting today.

We will continue for the next two weeks, August 1 to 15, 2009, to wrap up the top five rental weeks of the summer. The last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August are always in the top five of every year. So the rental season starts out slowly in June following Memorial Day, continues to build up in early July, really connects of four or five weeks, and then begins a slow decline in the next three or four weeks.

The rental season has been another good one here in Ocean City, New Jersey ... but if one talks to individual rental owners you may hear different kinds of stories. Some owners have not done quite as well this year ... because we do have more owners renting properties throughout Ocean City this summer. Dap

So What is a Change-Over Day Really Like? in Ocean City, New Jersey

Working on a Saturday has become quite natural to me after 17 years of it here in the resort community of Ocean City, New Jersey. But there are two or three or more different kinds of Saturdays. Throughout most of the year, Saturdays may mean a "9:30 AM to 12:30 PM Open House" where you meet interested potential buyers and answer questions and talk about real estate; it could also mean spending some time in the office ... called "up time" where several agents are required to be in the office on a particular Saturday. Finally, one often takes buyers out to see sale listings on Saturdays ... a time when they are able to make a fast trip to the shore.

But the "change-over" Saturday during the summer rental period is always the most demanding "up time." In the morning hours you have rental tenants checking out which can often mean "renewals" for the next rental year, or a review of problems with the rental unit, etc. By noon or 1:00 PM you start to get arrivals even though they are unable to check into the unit until 2PM. That often becomes a tense interaction. You also receive a variety of phone calls all day long on Saturdays.

After 2:00 PM the rental tenants start to arrive which means a careful process of checking them in, giving out keys and other informational handouts. Often you have a key problem with the unit or some other type of issue with the rental unit. About 4:00 PM you start to receive phone calls from those tenants who won't make it here by closing time (5:00 PM).

The "up" agents stay through closing ... the other rental agents stay until their tenants check in, or sometimes they open doors for the rare late one. The goal during a change-over day is to try to get out of the office about 5-5:50 PM. But often it has run to 6:00 and later. The last goal for the evening is to be certain to stay on the island. During these top five rental weeks, a good rule of thumb would be to remain on the island from Friday evening through Monday morning. Dap

Top 5 Rental Weeks of the Summer Begin on Saturday ... Ocean City, New Jersey

It's all been a preliminary for "the big summer dance" ... we're not talking basketball here. The "5 top rental weeks of the summer here in Ocean City, New Jersey" kick off this Saturday ... from July 18 through August 22, the only game in town will be tourists, day-trippers, weekly rental tenants, and others enjoying the sun, fun, beach, boardwalk, biking, golfing, and so much more. That's why Ocean City, New Jersey is recognized as "America's Greatest Family Resort." It's the place to be.

So as one of about 600+ real estate agents in Ocean City, I'm preparing myself for the action. Of course, the number one factor for me is "check-ins and check-outs ... changeover Saturday." That's a full day for most rental agents. You always have troubles ... from keys, to rental locations issues, to late arrivals, to late check-outs, and just about anything else that you can think of. During the week, you also tend to receive a variety of walk-in visitors asking all kinds of questions. Your skill and ranking is determined by how much of this you can answer successfully. You also get points for good answers that appear correct, but really aren't.

Summer isn't my favorite time of year in Ocean City, New Jersey ... but it is the best time for so many visitors who make this their favorite destination point (at least one of maybe two vacations that they take all year). So it is important to play a positive role in their vacation experience.

So be on the lookout as you travel to South Jersey in general, and Ocean City in particular, during the next five weeks. This is a time for traffic issues in and out of town along with a lot more people in and around our area. My theory is to never leave the island from Friday afternoon until Monday morning. Be prepared. Dap