It’s a great time to Buy a Shore Property in South Jersey...

November 2007

The Fall months turned out to be an “extended summer” with our September and October having great weather and more great weather. That also tended to cause more people to want to visit us in this traditional Fall “shoulder season.” Many, normally, get down here during this time, but this year the weather turned out to be our best friend. Doesn’t it always? So we now enter the last few weeks of the Fall season, and it is not too late for wouldbe Buyers to take the plunge: “It’s A Great Time To Buy A Shore Property In South Jersey.”

As we drift into the holiday season with Thanksgiving, we start to close out the traditional “Fall Buying Period” with the slow drift into December holidays, the New Year 2008, and the cold months of January and February. But, for those who might still wish they had gotten down to the shore to check out sale properties, relax...this is a great time to be visiting and buying property.

Why?

Much of your competition is staying away, keeping warm, and not thinking about real estate. All you have to do is drive down to South Jersey, dress a bit warmer with a good scarf and warm coat, maybe a hat, and be prepared to check out what is still available here. And there is “good news” all over the place: plenty of sale properties in varying price ranges, sellers willing to make a deal, mortgage monies to meet your needs, and loads of real estate agents who are wondering where have you been.

I tend to repeat myself a bit, but it demands to be said again and again: if you are thinking about buying real estate in South Jersey now or within the next five years, think now, because in the next five years market appreciation will make your immediate thinking look awfully good.

Would-be potential Buyers, thinking about second homes or investment property throughout the United States in general, but here in South Jersey in particular, have been the ongoing target by mass media, including television, newspapers, and magazines regarding the housing and real estate market. Bad news simply sells, but, moreover, you can’t generalize about real estate. What happens in New Mexico and its housing market, or South Dakota, has very little to do with Pennsylvania or New Jersey. In fact, even that may be too broad a brush stroke. Real estate and housing are local market situations...and it is not fair, honest, or particularly truthful to consider the topic from even a state, much less a national, perspective.

It is certainly important for a Buyer to get a variety of opinions and insights in order to become a knowledgeable consumer. But it remains important to know and understand the source of the information and thoughts you are receiving. The National Association of Realtors are looking at the 2007 calendar year and comparing it to the 2002 calendar year. I consider that quite interesting because talking about a bit of history...2002 was a good year for real estate. I often ask the question which is difficult to answer: “Is the glass half empty or half full?" Mostly, the answers reflect the personality and disposition of the person responding.

There is still a lot of time left in calendar year 2007. If you are a potential Buyer considering a purchase in the near future... Buy Now!

Dustin A. Peters is an Agent with French Real Estate, Inc. – Ocean City, NJ. He invites readers of this column to submit comments and questions to him at DustinPeters@Realtor.com.