No, just regular old Sandbar sharks along the Jersey ShoreIn case you didn't hear there were two sharks spotted off Barnegat Light a couple of weeks ago. As the crow flies - or, more accurately, as the fish swims - this tiny resort town at the northern tip of Long Beach Island could be the next logical target for a couple of sharks spotted off Ocean County beaches just northeast of Barnegat.A shark in the waters around here in the summertime is a normal occurrence. They're out there feeding on bunker pods like always...so don't worry.If you live around here long enough, you're bound to see anything in these waters . . . dolphins, whales, tuna, and sharks. They're just part of the ecosystem. Last week, though, lifeguards in three Jersey Shore towns told swimmers that it wasn't safe to be... 07/27/2010

Digging Up Barnegat Real EstateA man who has lived in the same Barnegat home since 1959 is hosting a group of students and allowing them to completely ruin his lawn, among other things.The 18th century Cedar Bridge Tavern, which this gentleman has owned for 50 years, is believed to be the site of the final land engagement of the Revolutionary War. The students, or more accurately, Monmouth University, received a $4,000 grant from the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission, not only to provide students with practical learning experience but will help them land jobs in the field of archeology. The field work will also instruct the students on professional documentation of detailed analysis of the siteThe Heritage Commission and the home owner have come to an agreement that will the... 07/26/2010

Preserving the Pinelands Around Barnegat Real EstateNot many people are aware of Pine Barrens that stretch along The Jersey Shore to the Delaware Bay. The Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands, is a heavily forested area of coastal plain stretching across southern New Jersey. The name "pine barrens" refers to the area's sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil, to which the crops originally imported by European settlers didn't take well. These uncommon conditions enable the Pine Barrens to support a unique and diverse spectrum of plant life, including orchids and carnivorous plants. The area is also notable for its populations of rare pygmy Pitch Pines and other plant species that depend on the frequent fires of the Pine Barrens to reproduce. The Pine Barrens also helps recharge a 17 trill... 07/23/2010

Jersey Shore and Barnegat Foreclosure Rate UpOn Tuesday, July 13th, 10 homes in Little Egg Harbor Township, seven in Barnegat, six in Stafford, two in Tuckerton and a million dollar home in Beach Haven were all on the auction block. In 2005, during the height of housing market boom, there were 99 foreclosures for the entire year.  So far this year there have been 386 sheriff sales.  Last year, 597 properties put up for auction, the Sheriffs department reports that Ocean County is about 6 weeks "ahead of where we were last year." During a sheriff's sale, typically the banks will buy back their mortgage properties and there are deals to be had by private investors.  But purchasing a home in foreclosure has its risks, as a buyer does not get to inspect the inside of the home before purchas... 07/22/2010

Near Barnegat, 8th Annual Red Wine and Blues FestivalTeam up with the Tuckerton Seaport for a perfect afternoon of wine tasting from New Jersey's finest wineries plus live music by James Day and the Fish Fry.   More than two hundred years ago, London's Royal Society of the Arts recognized two New Jersey vintners for their success in producing the first bottles of quality wine derived from colonial agriculture. Today New Jersey's wineries continue the tradition of producing high quality wines. But New Jersey's 30+ wineries offer more than just nationally and internationally acclaimed wines; they offer a total wine experience. If you can't make it to Tuckerton, plan a day and tour several wineries on the New Jersey Wine Trails. Or plan your next family gathering, corporate event or weddin... 07/21/2010

Barnegat Gets New Charter School...and Barnegat Bay too!A Charter School is a public school that operates independently of local school districts board of education under a charter granted by the State Commissioner for Schools. The Barnegat Charter School will be nonsectarian, like all public schools and will operate with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. The "charter" establishing each such school is a performance contract detailing the school's mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success.The basic concept of the Barnegat Charter School is that they exercise increased autonomy in return for accountability. They are accountable for both academic results and fiscal practices to several groups: t... 07/20/2010

Homes for Sale in Barnegat – June, 2010 Barnegat NJ Housing Market Report Homes for sale in Barnegat that made it to the closing table in June, 2010 jumped to 37, up from 27 in the homes sold in Barnegat May, 2010 Housing Market Report. Barnegat, NJ  New Listings   Under Contract   Expired   Sold   Days on Market MedianSold Price June 2010 53   25   17   37   114 $250,109 It’s even better news when compared to the homes for sale in Barnegat figures from May, 2009. Barnegat, NJ  New Listings   Under Contract   Expired   Sold   Days on Market MedianSold Price June 2009 70   28   24   21   115 $232,000 If you're interested in homes for sale in Barnegat and need the advice of an Accredited Buyers Agent (ABR®) give me a call. If you are considering listing a home for sale in Barnegat, or nee... 07/19/2010

Beach Haven Borough is a small town on Long Beach Island on The Jersey Shore. This late 19th century beach-front resort was originally established in 1873 to house wealthy summer residents from Philadelphia who were looking for real estate that provided a respite from the city heat on the relatively cooler Jersey Shore. Although some of the major structures have been lost and the beachfront now contains more modern motels/hotels, a large portion of the town retains its Victorian and Edwardian character. Beach Haven is the busiest beach town on the island during the summer and the community is a busy tourist center offering many fine hotels, motels, and Bed and Breakfasts, and has the islands only amusement area, along with many restaurants, nightclubs and fine beaches. As a matter of fa... 07/14/2010

Barnegat Light (the town and lighthouse) sits on the highest land at the most northern section on Long Beach Island. The inlet was named by Captain Cornelius May in 1614, (the same man who discovered world famous Cape May).  Wait a minute...didn't I just blog that Barnegat was discovered by Henry Hudson?  Ah, the vagaries of history.  Well, let's just say both made their way up and down the Jersey Shore. The territory to the south of the inlet along the bay was peaceful and crowded with wildlife, and this was the attraction that drew the earliest settlers to the area in the 1820's. As Barnegat Inlet became more important to trade and travel a 40 feet tall lighthouse tower was constructed in 1835 to mark the inlet, though the structure was not adequate for all navigation. General George ... 07/13/2010

Around 1609 Henry Hudson was sailing along the Jersey Shore and he came to an inlet which he named Barende-gat, a Dutch word meaning an inlet with breakers. This name was replaced by Barndegat by early mapmakers and later evolved into the present day spelling of Barnegat.The first white settlers came into the area around 1720.  By 1750 several families had established homes on lands near the creeks and bays. Early settlers were of Dutch, Swedish and English origin.One of the first recorded land (Real Estate) purchases was in 1759 by two men who bought 500 acres. From that land, one and a quarter acres was deeded to the Quakers and in 1767 the Quaker Friends Meeting House was built. The Quaker Meeting House is still located at that spot and is most likely the oldest building in Barnegat.... 07/12/2010

Barnegat to Get New Property Tax ReassessmentsFor as long as anyone can remember, property reassessments in Southern Ocean County and along The Jersey Shore nearly always drove values up.  Barnegat is about to undergo another reassessment that will drive home values down.The new values are scheduled to be in place by February 2011 as the last city-wide adjustment was in October of 2005, the height of the real estate boom. It's been estimated that local home values have decreased by 18 percent that would allow both sellers and buyers to fairly evaluate the property values.  Buyers (and their agents) have already figured out the value of property by looking a comparables.  But the new assessment would help sellers to better understand the true value of their home, instead of misleading th... 07/10/2010

Barnegat Real Estate is protected by the Barnegat Fire CompanyThe Barnegat Fire Company has started it's Annual Fund Drive and I just wanted to give support any way I can for these volunteers that work so hard protecting Barnegat schools and homes and the unique Barnegat Life Style here on "The Jersey Shore" that was rated one of The Best Places to Live by New Jersey Magazine.  From Barnegat Bay to Ocean Acres, we rely on these dedicated folks everyday.   The Barnegat Volunteer Fire Company has been servicing the greater Barnegat area for over 100 years. They are a Community Service Oriented Fire Company with 35 square miles of residential, commercial and agricultural real estate and property to protect.Besides answering fire calls (on average, one per day) the members are required to o... 07/07/2010

Selling Your Own Home (FSBO) on The Jersey Shore: Can You Do it?  Yes!! Selling your own home or being a "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) can be rewarding, but it can also be very demanding. Ask yourself the following questions: Do I have the time?  In many cases, homes stay on the market longer than necessary because the owner will not or can not devote the time to show their house to potential buyers, hold open houses or handle "drop by" buyers.  This is especially prevalent on the Jersey Shore due to vacationers.   Do I know how to market my house? To whom, where, what, when, etc.   Can I negotiate?  Many FSBO's are targeted by investors with ‘low-ball' offers of "cash today" or "this deal expires at midnight," putting added pressure on the seller.  There's also counter-offers, closing cos... 07/05/2010

 I've been visiting a lot of FSBO's lately in and around my neighborhood of Barnegat and along The Jersey Shore and I've noticed something that I think all For Sale By Owner participants need to be a little more cognizant of; safety.  I've called ahead and and explained who I was a wanted to see thier house and not one owner asked for my identification.  Think about that, all I did was say, "Hi, I'm Karl Hess with Keller Willams Realty here on The Jersey Shore and I want to see your house."  What happens?  They open the door and say, "come on in."  Not the best of methods.   Here are a few tips to make your day a little safer:   Never set an appointment with anyone to see your home unless they have given you thier name and number and you have called to verify that number. An easy way to... 06/29/2010

     As we all know, owners who try and sell their own home are doing it for one reason and one reason only; To save money!  But what most sellers don't realise is that, according to the latest statistics, they will actually get less for their house when trying to sell on their own; The typical FSBO home sold for $153,000 compared to $211,000 for agent-assisted home sales.  What?  Yes, that's a 58,000 dollar difference!       What else doesn't the FSBO know?  When an owner puts their property on the market themselves, they are subject to all the laws that apply to the sale of any real estate and ignorance of state and federal real estate laws are not a viable defense if sued.  Sellers usually never talk to an attorney until after the process has started.  By then laws pertaining to, pro... 06/28/2010

Homes for Sale in Barnegat - Barnegat NJ May 2010 Housing Market ReportThere were 49 new listings of homes for sale in Barnegat last month, bringing the average number of Barnegat homes for sale to 337 units.  The number of homes sold in Barnegat in May, 2010 was 27, up from the April, 2010 Barnegat Housing Market Housing Market Report.  Barnegat, NJ NewListings UnderContract Expired Sold Days onMarket MedianSold Price May, 2010 49 19 15 27 142 $249,900 Compare those figures to one year ago.  The sold price of homes for sale in Barnegat changed little, but the number of days on the market increased substantially increased and the number of Barnegat homes under contract showed a substantial decrease.  Barnegat, NJ NewListings UnderContract Expired Sold Days onMarket MedianSold Price May,... 06/28/2010

Four Seasons at Mirage | Adult Community | Barnegat | Real Estate Overview Maps Photos Description $334,900 Other Property TypeUnder Contract Main Features 3 Bedrooms3 Bathrooms1 Partial BathroomInterior: 3848 sqft Location 5 Channel CourtBarnegat, NJ 08005 To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Jeanmarie McSpedon RE/MAX At Barnegat Bay(609) 978-4046jeanmariemcspedon@remax.nethttp://www.jeanmariem.com Listed by: RE/MAX At Barnegat Bay Our recent listings Four Seasons at Mirage | Barnegat | Adult Community | Jersey ShoreHorizons | Barnegat | Homes for Sale | Jersey ShoreForked River | Homes for Sale | Jersey Shore | 14 JonesFour Seasons | Mirage | Barnegat | Ocean County | Homes for SaleFour Seasons at Mirage | Adult Community ... 05/24/2010

Homes for Sale in Barnegat – April, 2010 Barnegat, NJ Housing Market Report Homes for sale in Barnegat averaged 319 in April, 2010 down slightly from the March, 2010 Housing Market Report figure.  The homes for sale in Barnegat going under contract in April increased substantially (10 units) over March, 2010.  Barnegat, NJ NewListing UnderContract Expired Sold Days onMarket MedianSold Price April, 2010 64 40 15 21 115 $230,000 Good news compared to the Barnegat Housing Market Report for April, 2009. Barnegat, NJ  NewListings UnderContract Expired Sold Days onMarket MedianSold Price April, 2009 78 35 24 19 106 $220,000 Homes for sale in Barnegat that made it to the closing table in April, 2010 here’s the breakdown. 4 homes sold in Barnegat adult communities1 waterfront home in Barnegat s... 05/17/2010

Homes for Sale In Barnegat – Barnegat, NJ March 2010 Housing Market Report  There were 323 homes for sale in Barnegat in March, 2010, up slightly from the February, 2010 Barnegat Housing Market Report.  There was little change from February in all areas but new listings.  New listings of homes for sale in Barnegat increased from 55 in February to a whopping 82 in March!   Barnegat, NJ  NewListing UnderContract Expired Sold Days onMarket MedianSold Price March, 2010 82 30 17 16 146 $211,250 You can compare that to the figures from the same period in 2009. Barnegat, NJ  NewListings UnderContract Expired Sold Days onMarket MedianSold Price March, 2009 59 23 29 17 123 $240,000 Of the homes sold in Barnegat in March, 10 were homes in Barnegat's adult communities and none were Barnegat waterf... 04/26/2010

reet Num Street Name Sold Date Sold Price DOM 33 LEXINGTON BLVD 3/15/2010 70000 90 31 MIZZEN DR 3/25/2010 135000 78 3 EMERALD DR 3/22/2010 171000 179 129 SCHOONER AVE 3/12/2010 206000 64 136 RAVENWOOD BLVD 3/26/2010 244000 193 59 LAMP POST DR 3/1/2010 271000 88 55 STARBOARD AVE 3/30/2010 289000 86 6 DORI LN 3/29/2010 299000 27 106 RAILROAD AVE 3/17/2010 350000 117 2 STERLING LN 3/24/2010 357000 287 Compliments of: Dawn Marie White Broker-Sales Manager Crossroads Realty Inc Contact me For all Your Real Estate Needs. 732-581-9414 Direct 732-657-1300 Office www.njwaterfront.com www.njvacantland.com www.njnewhomefinder.com 04/05/2010