Laura Giannotta 'Your Realtor Down the Shore!'

A Basement in Your Ocean Acres Home...Can You Live With Out It?

Three bedroom 2 bath single family homes in Manahawkin's Ocean Acres are listed anywhere between $150,000 and $299,000. There are 28 homes listed for sale in this section of Stafford Township within that range, only 8 have basements.

Three bedroom 2 bath homes seem to be a popular home size for first time home buyers at the Jersey Shore.

But, first time home buyers in Manahawkin should take note of the savings realized in homes without a basement.

The $150,000 to $299,000 price range is what homes are listed for. Savvy buyers realize what counts is not what the Ocean Acres home is listed for, but what it sells for. That's what matters to buyers (and their appraisers) and sellers in Manahawkin.

Sale price tells it all! From the sales since January 1, 2012 it would appear that a basement will cost you about $30,000 in a 3 bedroom 2 bath home.

Statistics from the Jersey Shore Multiple Listing Service show four homes with 3 bedrooms, 2 bath sold since January 1, 2012 in Manahawkin's Ocean Acres. Only one of these home was a short sale. Even so, check it out.

So if you can live without a basement you could save a significant amount on your 3 bedroom 2 bath home in the Ocean Acres section of Manahawkin.

The Power of Blogging is Ongoing or Are Tax Appeals That Interesting!

I wrote a blog last year about property tax assessment appeals in Little Egg Harbor and New Jersey. I explained that the NJ state regulations for the tax appeal process apply statewide, not only in my corner of Little Egg Harbor at the Jersey Shore. Last year, I got calls from several home owners, and all were successful in the Little Egg Harbor tax appeals.

Well guess what, good things multiply!. I've already completed one Jersey Shore tax assessment appeal market analysis in 2012, and I'm working on 6 others....all calling from a search on the Internet (A February, 2011 blog)!

If you're a New Jersey real estate agent you know we don't charge for this service, a Comparative Market Analysis.

But I do ask that these callers (and emailers) to mention me to friends and family that are ready to buy or sell. And though I email the report, I also drop off a hard copy.

The one referral I got last year equals time spent. The requests I have this year will equal more than time spent.

If you think you want to appeal your New Jersey taxes read about the tax appeal process , and this Little Egg Harbor REALTOR® will provide the information you need so you can figure out your options. Remember, this Comparable Market Analysis is not an appraisal.

What you need to know about tax appeals at the Jersey Shore in New Jersey.

Atlantic City’s Steel Pier Regresses (One Woman’s Opinion)

The new owners of Atlantic City’s Steel Pier plan to resurrect the diving horse act much like the original attraction made famous in the 1920’s.

The plan was announced this week, when the Casino Redevelopment Authority approved its contribution to the first phase of the Steel Pier improvement project.

The diving horse act made two month reappearance in 1993, but was cancelled following protests by animal rights groups.

The new Pier owners claim the diving horse is iconic, and people need to look at the big picture. They claim this small part of the Steel Pier redevelopment will bring family entertainment back to Atlantic City.

To the developers my question is, what are you thinking? I would never bring children to a spectacle like this.

Jeff Hirst, a New Jersey native who now resides in Ohio, has started an opposition petition. This proposal to bring back diving horses to Atlantic City outrages me, if this outrages you too sign Jeff’s petition.

Barnegat NJ Homes for Sale – January, 2012 Barnegat Housing Market Report

There are 292 homes for sale in Barnegat, NJ. This includes single family homes, condos and adult community homes. Prices for single family homes that sold in January range from $84,900 for a 4 bedroom 1.5 bath government owned home in the Settlers Landing section of Barnegat Township to $370,000 for a 5 bedroom 2.5 bath home on almost a half-acre in the Brookville section.

Two of the homes that sold in January were in Barnegat Township’s Heritage Point and Four Seasons adult communities. In Four Seasons at Mirage the 3 bedroom 3.5 bath home sold for $263,000, after lingering on the market for more than 500 days. That home was first listed in March 2010 at $359,000. The 3 bedroom 3 bath home in Heritage Point sold for $318,000, after only 32 days on the market. Also sold in January was a manufactured home in Barnegat’s Pinewood Estates Adult Community.

The days on the market tells the story! If you want your home in Barnegat, or anywhere in southern Ocean County at the Jersey Shore, to sell price it right. Call Jersey Shore REALTOR® Laura Giannotta to find out if your home is market ready and what it might sell for in today’s market.

This home in Barnegat’s Heritage Bay adult community is listed at $220,000.

Check out all 5 Cardinal Place, Barnegat has to offer!

Little Egg Harbor NJ - Has the housing Market Hit Bottom?

The housing market in Little Egg Harbor slowed in 2011, and prices decreased. But the question most asked, "Have we hit bottom?"

First let's look at the figures to date for the Little Egg Harbor Housing Market in 2011.

So in looking at these figures, I'm looking at a reduced sale price range from 2010, but also a decreased number of homes for sale listed on the market in Little Egg Harbor.

I know it's boring, but take a look at the 2010 figures.

My read; We're ready for a rebound in real estatesales and prices in Little Egg Harbor, NJ.

But take note; there will not be the extraordinary yearly/monthly increases in value that we've seen in passed year. I think there's a leveling going on and we'll see a leveling in property values in 2012, and traditional increases in 2013 along the lines of 3% to 4%.

The unfortunate news for homeowners; that 3% to 4% increase is on your current value...not your assessed value or what you paid for the home.

If you'd like a current assessment of your home’s value Little Egg Harbor REALTOR® Laura Giannotta can provide a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to see how your home would be valued if it was for sale. Or if you’re stay put you might qualify for an appeal of your tax assessment. No guarantees, but I can provide that information to help YOU make the decision!

Laura Giannotta
Click on any of the links below to:

How to Proceed with a NJ Tax Appeal
Search the Jersey Shore MLS
Find out about buying or selling a home at the Jersey Shore
Contact a Little Egg Harbor REALTOR®