Ocean County continues to be a desirable place for people to relocate to despite all the recent chatter generated by unscientific weather surveys declaring it’s one of the most dangerous places to live in America.
“When the media has negative comments about Ocean County I can’t help but ask ‘if Ocean County is not a good place to buy a home, why did we sell over $3.6 billion in real estate over the past 10 years,’” asked Michael Little, posing the question recently before the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Little, a resident of OceanCounty for 45 years with strong ties to Toms River Township is a partner and chief operating officer with Crossroads Realty which has more than 250 agents and 10 offices in OceanCounty. He addressed the Board of Freeholders at a recent public meeting.
“Through information supplied by the Otteau Group and the IRS, over 4,800 homes are purchased annually in Ocean County by people moving from the counties of Monmouth, Middlesex, Bergen, Union, Burlington, Essex, Hudson, Morris and Mercer counties,” Little said. “The other home sales are from people coming in from other areas or Ocean County residents purchasing again in Ocean County.”
He added that from information retrieved from the Multiple Listing Service, OceanCounty had more than 8,500 real estate transactions so far in 2014, outpacing its neighbor Monmouth County which has had 7,700.
“Contract sales are up six percent from October 2013 to last month,” Little said. “And yes, that is after Superstorm Sandy.”
Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari, liaison to Tourism and Business Development said the numbers prove what the freeholders have been saying all along – OceanCounty continues to be the best place to live, work, raise a family and retire.
“When Time Magazine and the Weather Channel arbitrarily declare Ocean County as leading a list of the worst places to live in the country because of weather disasters, of course we are going to do all we can to combat that kind of nonsense,” Vicari said. “Michael Little has presented us with the facts that are being seen in the real estate market in Ocean County. People continue to move here because of the quality of life that is offered.”
Vicari noted that tourism and home construction are two major aspects that drive OceanCounty’s economy.
“It appears Time Magazine and the Weather Channel cared very little about how these questionable surveys could affect Ocean County’s economy,” Vicari said. “I am just happy that people see the weather information for what it is – lacking in facts and sensationalism.”
Little said that Ocean County continues to be more affordable than most areas of the state. He noted that while there is development in Ocean County, there also is an emphasis placed on preserving open space in order to protect BarnegatBay and other environmentally sensitive areas.
“We have over 44 miles of beaches, boardwalks, amusements, historic sites, Green Acres, protected Pinelands, excellent school systems, and access to any activity here or within a short drive to Philadelphia, New York City and Atlantic City,” Little said. “When people say they are going to the ‘Shore’ they mean they are coming to OceanCounty.”
Freeholder Gerry P. Little said people don’t buy houses in a place they don’t like.
“Ocean County is a great place and if it wasn’t people wouldn’t be moving here,” he said.
[TLS]
Well that’s great news because overall New Jersey ain’t doin’, too good. Check it out:
According to a study just released by “24/7 Wall St.” on the best states to live in Jersey came in at 43 out of 50:
43. New Jersey (The 7th worst run state in the country)
> Debt per capita: $7,287 (5th highest)
> Credit Rating (S&P/Moody’s): A+/A1
> 2013 unemployment rate: 8.2% (10th highest)
> Median household income: $70,165 (3rd highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.4% (8th lowest)
New Jersey is one of only a handful of states where debt exceeded the state’s fiscal 2012 revenues. The state reported $7,287 in debt per capita in fiscal 2012, among the highest figures nationwide. Due to its difficulties in maintaining a balanced state budget, Moody’s awarded New Jersey among the lowest ratings of any state, as well as a negative outlook. On the other hand, New Jersey residents are among the nation’s wealthiest. A typical household earned more than $70,000 in 2013, higher than the median household income in all but two other states. A typical New Jersey home was also worth well over $300,000 in 2013, versus the national median home value of $173,900. However, residents may not be as well off as they seem as the cost of living in New Jersey was 14% higher than the rest of the country in 2012, the third highest cost of living nationwide.
Good for Ocean County!