In the true spirit of the season we wish you gifts of love, friendship and good health. As we are decking the halls, baking cookies and celebrating with friends and family we are looking forward to some time to relax and enjoy! It's busy on Seven Mile Island as we await Santa's arrival.

Girl Scouts Breakfast with Santa
It's not too late to give Santa your list. Santa is stopping into the Avalon Community Hall on Sunday, December 16^th between 9 am and noon to have breakfast with the Girl Scouts. Come see the crafts, bake sale, Christmas Cards for the Military, a dance performance and Miss New Jersey contestant.

New Wheels for the Avalon Rescue Squad
Funded 100% through donations, the squad purchase a new 2018 Ford E450 Horton Ambulance. Here is hoping you never need a ride but if you do, the new ambulance has the latest and most advanced safety features to protect patients and members in the event of an accident. It has the largest patient care area of any unit in South Jersey affording room for extra caregivers and equipment for severe medical emergencies.

Do you want to be a Lifeguard?
The Avalon Beach Patrol is looking for new members as they prepare for the 2019 summer season. If you are interested in the Beach Patrol or Beach Tag checker for the summer season, now is the time to apply. For more information, welcome letter and applications, click here.

Market Trend Update for December
As we wind down the year of 2018, we realize there is still life at the shore - sales have not stopped in spite of the holiday season. Avalon saw an increase in units placed under contract in November by 21.5%, all of that increase in the single home category. The highest price single home sold in the month was second back from the ocean on 14^th Street for $4,175,000 (my sale!), listed for two days before going under contract! New construction in the 100 block found new heights with the sale of one of two new homes on 18^th Street close to $2.8 million! Not that long ago this was the value seen in the west block on the same street! Resale townhome topped out just under $900,000 in Avalon and vacant land behind the high dunes on 48^th Street just under $1.4 million - not that long ago this year was $1.2 million on 44^th street. Values continue to rise.

The overall island ended up even for the month with sales in Stone Harbor off in November 2018 across the board. This is compared to November 2017 which was a very strong month in Stone Harbor with two oceanfront sales of $8.6 and $5.8 million.

To date throught the end of November the island activity mirrors that of 2017 with similar number of homes placed under agreement. Avalon has a slight increase while Stone Harbor a slight decrease through November 30^th reported homes under contract year over year. The second half of the year has been far more productive than first half. The island saw a 16% increase in units placed under contract from June 1^st to November 30^th as compared to a 21% decrease from January 1^st to May 31^st year over year.

As we enter the Christmas season we are already planning ahead for 2019 in search of new listings to answer the needs of today's buyers. Hopefully the first quarter of 2019 will be more productive than 2018 with new opportunities for the buyers to consider. Inventory levels were extremely low first quarter of 2018 impacting our sales productivity dramatically.

If you are considering selling give me a call today. Learn how your home value sits in today's market. Don't wait until the onslaught of new homes hits the market mid-February. Be proactive and list early. Subscribe to the "early bird gets the worm" proverb!

If you are considering buying in the New Year, give me a call today. Let's set you up now for updates in your specific area of interest. Let me be your eyes and ears as new opportunities become available, often times before they hit the MLS.

If you are considering a summer vacation, please call me today. We are drawing leases every day with limited vacation inventory available. If renting your home is a consideration PLEASE call me. We are in dire need of vacation rental homes as well as vacation sale homes.

But most of all have a fantastic Christmas and Holiday season. I hope to see you or hear from you in the New Year!

THIS MONTH'S MARKET TRENDS

Call to make your plans to come to Seven Mile Island!
Call us today 609-967-0289.

• December 17^th - Spite `n Malice, Avalon Senior Center, 1 pm
• December 17<sup>th</sup> - Knitting, Avalon Free Public Library, 3:30 pm
• December 18<sup>th</sup> - Avalon Garden Club, Avalon Community Hall, 9 am
• December 18<sup>th</sup> - Story Time, Avalon Free Public Library, 10 am
• December 18<sup>th</sup> - Computers and Smartphones, Avalon Free Public Library, 10 am
• December 19<sup>th</sup> - Romance Book Club, Avalon Free Public Library 6 pm
• December 19<sup>th</sup> - Senior Fun Day, American Legion Post #331, 1 - 3 pm
• December 20<sup>th</sup> - Congress Hall's Winter Wonderland Spectacular Thurs - Sun thru 12-31-18
• December 20<sup>th</sup> - Story Time, Avalon Free Public Library, 10 am
• December 20<sup>th</sup> - Tea Time, Avalon History Center, 11 am
• December 20<sup>th</sup> - Pinochle, Avalon Senior Center, 1 pm
• December 20<sup>th</sup> - Memoir Workshop, Stone Harbor Library, 1 pm
• December 21<sup>st</sup> - Bridge Lessons, Avalon Senior Center, 9am
• December 24<sup>th</sup> - Spite `n Malice, Avalon Senior Center, 1 pm
• December 24^th - Knitting, Avalon Free Public Library, 3:30 pm
• December 24^th - Scrabble, Avalon Free Public Library, 5:45 pm
• December 24^th - Sax Christmas Dinner at the Reeds, 5-9
• December 25^th - Sax Christmas Dinner at the Reeds, 5-9
• December 26^th - Senior Fun Day, American Legion Post #331, 1 - 3 pm
• December 27^th - Story Time, Avalon Free Public Library, 10 am
• December 27^th - Pinochle, Avalon Senior Center, 1 pm
• December 27^th - Mystery Book club, Avalon Free Public Library, 6 pm
• December 28^th - Bridge Lessons, Avalon Senior Center, 9am
• December 31^st - Happy Noon Year, Avalon Public Library, 11 am - 12:30 pm
• December 31^st - Spite `n Malice, Avalon Senior Center, 1 pm
• December 31^st - Knitting, Avalon Free Public Library, 3:30 pm
• December 31^st - New Year's Eve Party at the Reeds, 7:30 pm - 12:30 am
• December 31^st - New Year's Eve Celebration at Icona in Avalon
• December 31^st - Congress Hall's Winter Wonderland Spectacular Thurs - Sun thru 12-31-18