Mark A. Moore, ABR - Virginia Beach Real Estate

Cape Story By The Sea Sunset

We finally get a nice, warm, and sunny Saturday to head for the beach. Here is my youngest boy checking out another one Saturday night. The sun sets over the bay here for most of the Spring and Summer.

You can tell who on the beach watching has been to Key West, by the clapping at the precise moment the sun goes below the horizon.

-Mark

Do you own rental property in Cape Story By The Sea?

I do, and I also live there.

I believe that property in the neighborhood is an excellent long term investment, maybe having the best future appreciation potential in all of Virginia Beach. Its proximity to the Chesapeake Bay, First Landing State Park, and the Lynnhaven River watershed, make the neighborhood very desirable.

I am REALTOR with RE/MAX Alliance. I sell homes but also manage residential rentals. If you own a home in the neighborhood that you rent out or are considering renting your home, or if you are looking to buy in Cape Story, please give me a call. I would be more than happy to help.

Summer Sunset Over Chesapeake Bay From Cape Story by the Sea Beach

I have made a conscious effort to increase my presence on Google and Yahoo through SEO. My website gets the traditional traffic from my printed material, phone conversations, etc. Since I created my blog I am consistently popping up close to the top of page 1 using various common searchwords. Between AR, Localism, and CraigsList, I am very happy with the increased presence.

There was a time when I could Google my name and my website would not show up at all, and my domain name is "(my name) dot com". Now one can search a neighborhood where I focus on listing, selling, or managing property, and I am there.

It is great that with limited knowledge of how the web truly works, I can get this kind of result. Thanks to all on the network that make this possible. In this day and age sellers (and buyers) definitely want to see their agent have an established presence on the web.

-Mark

While in 2000 we by definition experienced a recession, not many people felt it. The housing boom was just beginning and many were moving up, or at least felt like it. It seemed everyone learned about it after it was long gone.

Now all the experts seem to be tiptoeing around the official declaration, so as not to exacerbate the current economic recessionary trend. In my opinion, if the masses think we are experiencing a recession, it is a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts. Certainly as agents we feel like we are in one. But comparing today's market directly with the one from 2-3 years ago is not really fair, as that market was very unusual.

We are now hearing the word "stagflation" again, which is defined as slow economic growth and rising unemployment, possibly including recession.

The local and regional economy where I reside appears to be doing better economically than the national average. But even if the numbers can show that the country is not technically experiencing a recession, does it really matter to you and I?

-Mark

Ocean Park is a neighborhood located in the northern part of the City of Virginia Beach. It is bordered to the east by Lynnhaven Inlet, to the north by the Chesapeake Bay, to the south by The Lynnhaven River, and to the west by Pelican Dunes/Aeries on the Bay neighborhoods. It consists primarily of single family homes, duplexes, duplex condos, and townhomes (Mariner's Landing). There are a few undeveloped lots remaining as well.

Ocean Park began to take shape in the early 1900's. With the construction in the 1950's of the first half of the Lesner Bridge over Lynnhaven Inlet, came vehicular traffic on Shore Drive. For decades it has been the home of the Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad.

In the 40s and 50s, more small beach cottages were built often with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. A railroad track bisected the neighborhood and it's trestle was all that crossed Lynnhaven Inlet at this time. The beach was fished by commercial fishermen who still harvest from the old pound nets.

The neighborhood has a variety of home styles. Recently there has been a bit of building/redevelopment activity. Many of the old small homes are being replaced by larger, 2-unit condominiums. This process is referred to as "infill development". This redevelopment over time creates an eclectic variety of homes, but has also increased population density. If you are someone who likes subdivisions where all of the homes are somewhat similar to one another, Ocean Park may not be for you.

Ocean Park does have a very active civic association. Ocean Park has recently becomethe location of the city boat launch facility at the base of the Lesner Bridge at the old dredge spoils site. Here there is a parking facility, bath house, and beach access. Nearby is also a small city park with playgrounds for children.

Public schools that Ocean Park feeds into are Thoroughgood Elementary, Great Neck Middle, and Cox High Schools.

Feel free to post additions, corrections, or questions about Ocean Park.