Kevin OBrien

Are you looking to take advantage of this real estate market? If you are, you need to consider bank owned homes at the Jersey Shore. Bank owned homes are homes that are already through the foreclosure process and are now owned by the bank. Here is a list of Cape May County bank owned homes from June 20th.

Bank Owned homes can offer significant opportunity. Often some upgrading will need to be done on a bank owned home. Though it is often possible to get a great deal on a bank owned home as the buyer you need to be ready to move fast. This often entails being pre-approved. Almost all banks require the buyer to be pre approved in order to consider an offer.

If you are ready to learn more about bank owned homes either join our bank owned homes list or call Ian or Kevin to find out what is available now...609 522 4999

There is an interesting look at the state of beach rentals by Fox. The article, A Summer of Rental Steals on the Atlantic Coast, tries to push the fact that rentals are down all along the East Coast. As many local property managers throughout the Jersey Shore, know this season is not looking bad at all. It seems many people are going to stay close to home and that should mean great crowds at the Shore, including favorites like North Wildwood and Sea Isle City.

Interesting Look at the Future of Vacation Rentals

One of the fastest growing markets in tourism are tech savvy travelers. Recently a study was done by HotelMotel.com on this growing trend of vacationers. Perhaps the most amazing thing found in the study was the age makeup of tech savvy travelers. Tech savvy travelers are ” are equally likely to be Echo Boomers (18-28 years of age) as Baby Boomers (43 to 61 years of age)”. For many Cape May County home owners their potential renters are definitely in the 28-61 years of age.

The tech savvy travelers were also found to be “highly educated” and with 30% of households making in excess of $100,000. This group of travelers were also found to spend as 50% more than there “non techie” counterparts. 37% were found to have visited a social network like MySpace or Facebook, than a travel review site like TripAdvisor.

Vacation home owners should pay attention over 40% have taken a virtual tour before they went somewhere. An often overlooked aspect of vacation home marketing is the value in a good virtual tour. Home owners with this group it is important to deliver what you advertise. A full third have written a travel review online.

This is an emerging market and for those who value their Jersey shore vacation rentals it is important to stay ahead of the trend. Wireless internet is the minimum any home owner should offer. It today’s market a Jersey shore home owner is seriously handicapping themselves with not having free wireless internet.

It is becoming quite the possibility that Sea Isle City, will once again have an amusement park. NBC News has a piece on how the owners of Gillian's Wonderland Park in Ocean City, submitted a proposal to create an amusement park in Sea Isle City. The project is dubbed, Gillian's Funland in Sea Isle City. The proposed site is along the 42nd street waterfront. Their plan calls for upto 12 rides. Gillian's hope to have the location up and running by Memorial Day.

This should prove to be great news for Sea Isle City. The proposal also includes offering Sea Isle City, 10 percent of the annual gross revenues of the park, including rides and concessions, according to The Press It should help keep folks in Sea Isle for an extra night during their stay.

A recent release by the New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism is titled, Monthly Getaway Sweepstakes That Put Garden State Vacations on Center Stage. The getaway sweepstakes is an attempt to jump start tourism in New Jersey. Two areas in Cape May County were highlighted. Both Avalon and Wildwood made the list.

Some Frequently Asked Questions:

What do the Vacation Packages include?

All getaway packages include a minimum of two night's accommodations, complimentary meals and vouchers for activities and/or entertainment venues that vary as much as the destinations themselves. Ranging from family-friendly beach adventures to romantic retreats at secluded resorts, each month provides a new experience for visitors to discover another region of New Jersey.

Where Can I Learn More?

Consumers can learn more about New Jersey's great destinations and the sites featured in the packages by visiting the state's tourism website (www.visitnj.org) or the websites of the media partners for the sweepstakes - B101 in Philadelphia (www.b101radio.com) and 95.5 WPLJ in New York (www.wplj.com). Visitors to the sites can enter for a chance to win that month's featured getaway to the Garden State.

Vacation Package Getaways

• Classic fun for four in Wildwood - stay at the doo-wop style Starlux Hotel; tickets for either Ocean Oasis Waterpark & Beach Club or Raging Waters Waterpark; unlimited rides on all three Morey's Amusement Piers, tickets on Captain Schumann's Sightseer Whale-Watching Boat Cruise and the Doo-Wop Trolley Tour; lunch and dinner.
• Action-packed week for four in Avalon - five night getaway at the oceanfront Golden Inn Resort; dinner in the Dining Room and Luigi's Pasta & Vino; lunch at the Beach Club Bar & Grille; foursomes at the Avalon Golf Club, Stone Harbor Country Club and Wildwood Country Club; one-week Avalon Beach Access Passes; tickets to the Wetlands Institute; welcome gift bags from the Avalon Chamber of Commerce.
• Theatrical getaway to New Brunswick - stay at the sophisticated Heldrich Hotel, dinners at Stage Left and Catherine Lombardi, and tickets to The State Theatre and George Street Playhouse.
• Romantic retreat in Vernon - premium room at the luxurious Grand Cascades Lodge, dinners at Restaurant Latour and the Crystal Tavern, passes to Mountain Creek Ski Resort, or a round of golf for two.
• Experience Princeton - weekend at the historic Nassau Inn, dinners at Mediterra and Salt Creek Grille, tickets to McCarter Theatre and Grounds for Sculpture, and Princeton: Still Making History photography book.
• Atlantic City Getaway package - stay at the Tropicana Casino & Resort, dinners at Buddakan and the Knife & Fork, $50 gift certificates for the Atlantic City Outlets and the Pier Shops at Caesar's, casino review show or IMAX tickets, Healing Stone Therapy massage at Spa Toccare at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, admission to: Lucy the Elephant, Absecon Lighthouse, AC Aquarium, a dolphin cruise aboard AC Cruises, and AC gift bag.
• Garden State Film Festival Package (GSFF) in Asbury Park - passes to The Garden State Film Festival (4/3 - 4/5), including Opening Night Cocktail Party, all screening events, panel discussions, after parties; stay in Ocean Grove at The Laingdon Inn; dinners at the Langosta Lounge and Salt Water Cafe; VIP Badges and GSFF merchandise.
• Couples getaway to Long Beach Island - stay at the classic Inn at Sea Oaks; tickets to Surflight Theatre Mainstage Theatre; dinner at Plantation Restaurant, gift basket and admission to Tuckerton Seaport; welcome basket from Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce.
• Something for both of you in Red Bank - weekend at the picturesque Molly Pitcher Inn; Sunday Brunch at the hotel; Spa Treatments at Mossaic Spa; shopping gift cards to Jersey Shore Premium Outlets and Jackson Premium Outlets and gift basket valued at $100; dinners at Red and Basil T's; tickets to the Count Basie Theater, a Day at Monmouth Park; VIP Day on the Boardwalk at Jenkinson's; and an all-inclusive VIP Package at Six Flags Great Adventure.
• Explore South Jersey together - stay at the convenient Holiday Inn in Cherry Hill; tickets plus backstage tour and cast meet and greet at the Ritz Theatre Company; passes to the Battleship New Jersey and Adventure Aquarium; dinners at Red, Hot & Blue and Anthony's Italian Restaurant; $100 gift certificate for the Cherry Hill Mall.
• Scenic weekend in Hunterdon County -accommodations and breakfasts at the Hampton Inn in Clinton; tickets for Hunterdon Hills Playhouse dinner theatre; private winery tour and tasting at Unionville Vineyards; dinner at Ciao Luigi; $100 shopping spree at Liberty Village Premium Outlets, and $100 from the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce to spend locally.