Island Life #5 - "Walking & Biking Around the Gardens" in Ocean City, NJ ... from Dustin A. Peters, Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty

I happen to have lived in the Northend and Gardens sections of Ocean City (NJ) since we first purchased a home here in 1988.  We have always owned single family properties which slowly caused us to move further north to a bit more ground which turned up in the Gardens.  Since becoming a real estate agent in 1993, I have tended to list and sell most of my properties in this same area.  And I have tended to walk and bike in this area as well.  It may have been what caused me to consider real estate as my second career.  I just found it so very intersting to check out houses and property. 

This posting is specific to the Gardens area ... that area north of North Street and running to the Longport Bridge at the end of the island in the north.  The red light intersecting Battersea Road and Wesley Road begins the drive to the Longport Bridge on Wesley Road which a few blocks further north becomes the Gardens Parkway.  So one can split the Gardens into two sections:  the ocean side and the bay side of the Gardens with the Parkway being the dividing point.

One of my favorite walks summer and winter is taking the Wesley Road sidewalks and continuing to follow the Gardens Parkway all the way up to Newcastle Road and continuing to head around the ocean side of the Gardens Parkway back to East Atlantic Boulevard and back to Surf Road and to where I started.  It's a good starter walk for almost anyone.

I also enjoy biking the alleys throughout the Gardens.  Many visitors don't realize that there are a number of alley configurations around the Gardens enabling these owners to park from the back of their property.  And as one bikes around the area, they have an opportunity to see a different look at these single family properties.  And it is quite save in that one rarely sees and automobile dring along an alley.

I also enjoy walking on the beach starting at the Surf Road Beach where we tend to stay on those occasions when we get to the beach.  One walk can take you south all the way down to Pennlyn and a bit beyond to about the Gardens Plaza high rise condominiums.  If you go the other way, you can walk all around the Gardens beaches up to the Longport Bridge and a bit further on the bay side to the first extended property opening up to the actual bay.  This way tends to be a bit more interesting in that you see a lot of people fishing from the beach, you run into more wild birds running along the beach, and you have a bit more of the beach to yourself.  I have often walked up to the Longort Bridge via the sidewalks alongthe Gardens Parkway and then shifted to the beach and walked back until I got to Surf Road.

There are many more side trips that you can find on your own.  So I want to challenge you to find your own favorite walking or biking location in the Gardens this summer.  Enjoy, and good luck!!!

A New Sale Listing in the Gardens ... in Ocean City, New Jersey

140 Pinnacle Road

A 3BR/2BA 1949 two-story sits on this large 51.5x120 foot lot in the Gardens on a quiet two-block street that most people (including real estate agents) can't find ... so how do I know about it, I also live on that street.

A lot of changes taking place on this street with Ocean Road on the south side and Surf Road on the north side.

"140 Pinnacle Road" offers the kind of property many might be looking for ... an older single family in very good shape with gas heat and central air conditioning, a bedroom on the first level or an opportunity to have both a living room and family room on that level plus a modern kitchen, a dining area off the living room, plus a full bath.

And a real fireplace that burns wood in the living room ... plus a large back yard with covered porch and extended open deck, one can't find many locations with the backyard privacy that exists here.

Back inside on the second floor, one finds two larger bedrooms, another full bath plus a lot of extra closet space throughout the area.

And now for the extra ... you can do quite well here as a second home, a summer rental property, or a year-round location with the potential at any time to decide to renovate and make the existing building larger ... or build a new construction single family on this large lot

By the way, it's just a short three minute walk to the Surf Road beach ... a great and private Gardens location around the corner and up a short ways.

Interested in addional details, contact Dustin at 609-231-6379 or Dustin@BeachNotes.net      

Want some additional details ... go to kwshoreoceancity.com & click "Real Estate Team" & Dustin A. Peters" in order to see more information on this property including some exterior and interior pictures.     dap

Walking the Longport Bridge in the Gardens in Ocean City, New Jersey

It has been a lovely day here on our barrier island.  I worked for about 4-5 hours and decided to take a long walk.  Generally, I walk about a mile along the Gardens Parkway to the Longport Bridge, go across the Bridge, and today all the way to the red light for the turn to Somers Point.  Back on the other side (I always walk into car traffic) and back across the bridge to the Ocean City side, and back to our house.  It's about 3-4 miles depending on the way I walk home.

It's was a warm and sunny day when I left, and it appeared that I had too much warm clothing on.  But I knew that crossing the bridge brings a good bit of wind.  And you can never count on the sun staying out.  It didn't.  The cars were even putting on their head lights about 2:15 PM.  So it was just good to get another long walk in before the really cold weather arrives.

I've been seriously walking since about five or six days after June 2, 2010.  That's one of the more important days in my life.  That was the day I was helicoptered from Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point to Presbertyan Hospital in Philadelphia and operated on the next day ... a quadruple bypass surgery.  Wow ... I didn't even have enough time to be too afraid.  A short five-day hospital stay resulted in a return to our home in Ocean City.  I recall the day after my arrival home that I could barely walk the length of our driveway.  I decided to add one house more a day, until I could add two or three, until I could add a half a block, until I could add an extra block.  I've been walk ever since ... almost every day, occasionally missing a day here and there.  Obviously, it did the trick.  I lost 40 pounds, and I am certainly in better shape than throughout my 50s. 

I just had my six-month check-up with my heart specialist, and I received the best birthday gift that I could get (November is my month) ... I don't have to return for an entire year.  Wow!!

So let me expand on my walking.  I leave Cape May County at the bridge and enter Atlantic County on the other side.  One has to be alert walking the bridge.  Clearly, it is certainly dangerous.  Why do I walk the bridge?  It is the only outside location where I get some height.  I'm as careful as I can be.  I watch each driver as they pass.  I try to be nimble in case they tend to move across the white line into my walking space.  I have had to swing my arms into an "x" motion many times.  I also have a plan to climb on to the railings to avoid getting hit.  I've worked it out in my head quite a bit.  But I haven't practiced at all.  I'm afraid someone will think that I'm getting ready to jump. 

Overall, the walking has gotten me back into shape.  About March, 2011 I began to play some indoor tennis.  I played tennis at least one time a week all through the spring and summer.  And my game level remained about the same ... I can still move quite fast to get to the ball.  So recovery is an ongoing thing.  I tend to watch what I eat - another crucial factor.  And my weight has stayed off.  But overall, the walking has done a lot for me in many ways .. good thinking time, probably good for my lower blood pressure, no real stress except for the occasional car situation.  I enjoy walking the bridge!!!             dap

New Sale Listing ... in Ocean City, New Jersey

101 East Atlantic Boulevard 2nd Floor

Listed at $424,500

"In the Gardens"  a rare older, but renovated, second floor condominium in

that residential Gardens area north of North Street with only five (5) condos

for sale right now.  Close to the beach - right up the street.  This is a 3BR/1.5BA

condominium with a lovely large front porch looking out over this very wide and

attractive East Atlantic Boulevard, renovations including a new updated kitchen,

gas heating and central air conditioning, a large living/dining room combination,

a laundry room with a half bath and extra storage, and a back door leading down

to an assigned parking location (as needed) plus additional enclosed storage.

Contact Dustin A. Peters, Listing Agent, at 609-231-6379 or Dustin@BeachNotes.net

Keller Williams Oceanside Realty - #1 Atlantic Avenue - Ocean City, New Jersey\\

New Sale Listing ...405 Gull Road ... in Ocean City, New Jersey

Just listed by Dustin A. Peters of French Real Estate in Ocean City, New Jersey

405 Gull Road, located in the residential Gardens area of Ocean City (NJ), is situated in a lovely location just a short walk to the beach on either Surf Road or East Atlantic Boulevard.  Plenty of parking along the north side of the property, one can easily fit in all of the visitor's cars.  There is plenty of room outside for afternoon entertaining after a day at the beach.

Inside one finds a bedroom downstairs for invited guests, or those unable to use the stairs.  This room could also be used in other ways since there are three other bedrooms upstairs.  A half bath downstairs is also found in this location.  The living room extends from front to back on the south side creating a great deal of room for all types of entertaining.  Go left at the back to find an inviting dining area and into the attractive kitchen which also has a back door to the first floor outside covered porch.  There are three additional porches outside in the first floor front, the second floor front, and the second floor back for additional entertaining.  One will find several ocean views from the second floor outside porches.

Renovations in recent years have been made to the house which are far to numerous to mention ... but they include roofing, electrical, hardwood flooring, etc.  Combine all of this with a great location and an attractive listing price, $687,500, the interested buyer has a great opportunity to purchase a Gardens single family at a great price.

You can see this property online at www.FrenchSales.com or contact the listing agent at Dustin@BeachNotes.net888-25-9935                             dap

OPEN HOUSE in the Gardens for the past two Saturdays ... Ocean City, New Jersey

In one of my summer meetings with the sellers of 313 Gull Road I was asked what can we do to generate more traffic to the property at this time of year.  I responded by saying that with the first two weekends of August approaching, the most rented time of the summer, we should try to have a few open houses.  Of course, it can be difficult to have these for people who are living in the sale property full time.  I suggested Friday, Saturday, or Sunday for both weeks ... all of them, some of them, whatever.

They got back to me and suggested Saturday for both weeks ... and I selected 9:30 AM to 2 PM, a 4.5 hour effort which would catch the bikers and walkers in the morning, and those on their way to the beach as well.  And, of course, you would also get some car traffic too.  We advertised the event in the local papers.

The turnout was great ... 50+ the first Saturday and 40+ the next Saturday.  We were able to catch second home owners here for the weekend, visiting guests staying in single family homes in the Gardens, some rental tenants on their way to the beach, a lot of bike riders moving about the Gardens residential streets, and others walking and driving.  The major plus was that both Saturdays were in the low 80s which enabled me to sit on the front porch to meet and greet everyone.  In fact, on both days we did not use the air conditioning. 

Although I did advertise this on "Active Rain" earlier, I will only advise readers of this posting that they can see the listing by going to www.FrenchSales.com

The summer open house is a great way to pick up "showings" for those properties that are close to the beach or boardwalk.  What happens is that the coming and going in these areas is constant.  In many cases, you will find a vacant sale property elsewhere ... but it is much more difficult to attract visitors because they are not going by the house for any particular reason.  So I just share this great success here in this resort community of Ocean City (NJ) during our busy summer rental season.        dap

OPEN HOUSE ... Saturday August 7th & 14th ... 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM ... 313 Gull Road

It's a perfect time to see one of the best single family houses for sale in the Gardens in Ocean City (NJ) during the next two Saturdays ... August 7th and August 14th ... from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM.  This is a great property with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms on one of the largest lots in the entire Gardens area:  88x100 feet.  Take a short walk, a longer bike ride, or even drive your car because there will be plenty of parking space.  This property is close to the beach so you can even stop on your way to the ocean.

This single family home includes 4,000 square feet of living space that was completely rebuilt and renovated in 1998 with bathrooms with extras plus five gas fireplaces throughout the large living area.  Check out the designer kitchen with its own dining area, or the full size dining room off the entryway.  Take a look at the very large living room with an enclosed porch right next to it ... or venture in back of the kitchen to check out the equally large family room behind the two-car garage. 

You will find two ways to the second floor ... one from the front entry way and the other at the back of the kitchen.  Four large bedrooms are there including a full-size master bedroom suite plus a smaller junior master at the other end with a full bathroom.  You will also find two decks leading off of bedrooms on the second floor.

In the back is a lovely deck plus an outdoor hot tub and a large cabana with a full bath.  The Owners have also included a $30,000 credit for a swimming pool for interested buyers.  This is one of the largest lots in the Gardens, a lovely corner lot with all the extras.

Mark your calendars for one of the next two Saturdays so that you can visit our "open house at 313 Gull Road in Ocean City, New Jersey.  If you have questions before coming ... you can contact Dustin A. Peters, the Listing Agent with French Real Estate by email at Dustin@BeachNotes.net or by phone at 888-215-9935

See you at the open house!!!                  dap