Category : Ocean City reports on the Beach Life
For those of us who have visited Assateague Island near us here in Ocean City…how fortunate we are to have this natural treasure preserved the way it has been. The article I read from Ocean City Today about the Assategue Island National Seashore statistics and impact to the local ecomy are eye-opening to say the least. ”A new National Park Service report shows that in 2010, the 2,106,090 visitors to Assateague Island National Seashore spent $142,650,000 at the Seashore and in communities near the park in Maryland and Virginia”
If you haven’t had a chance to visit and see the famous ponies on the beautiful island and the pristine beach with all it’s wildlife (except for the mosquitos); you should give it a try. Many visitors first learn about the Assateague horses from Marguerite Henry’s famous book Misty of Chincoteague. The story takes place during a traditional Chincoteague festival called “Pony Penning.” On the last Wednesday of July, the Virginia herd of horses is rounded up and swum from Assateague Island to nearby Chincoteage Island. On the following day most of the young foals are auctioned off. Proceeds from the sale benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department.
Check the National Park Service Assateague National Seashore site for all rules and regulations- and permit information including auto/ equipment requirements for Over Sand Vehicles in order to drive out on the beach! Photo of the wild ponies on the beach at Assateague is courtesy of the National Park Service website as is their story in this article.
There is also Maryland’s Assateague State Park adjacent to the National Park…Check their website for details on camping, picnicing, swimming and fishing…
(From the Town’s website)” Annual parade & festival celebrates the “wearin o’ the green.” An Ocean City tradition with entrants including marching bands, floats, law enforcement groups & more. Followed by entertainment, food & beverages available at festival Saturday, March 17, 2012. Festival opens at 10 a.m. at 45th Street & Coastal Highway; parade starts at noon from 61st Street south on Coastal Highway to 45th Street. For more information www.delmarvairish.org contact Buck Mann at 410-289-6156.”
Many thanks to the Delmarva Irish American Club for continuing to sponsor such a fabulous parade which is so enjoyed by all of us!
While updating my website I came upon the announcement that the Town is permitting Horseback Riding on the Beach in 2012. I had read a recent article in Ocean City Today about Mayor Meehan and the Council considering the proposal after it was apparently sucessfully implemented on the Beach in Delaware. So now it has been done and we will see horseback riders on the Ocean City Beach this Spring for the first time! I don’t ride but I am sure there will be many folks who welcome the opportunity to ride on our beautiful beach. It will be another chapter added to The Beach Life! The details are on the Official Ocean City Website : to see the details, times and the restrictions: CLICK HERE.
A recent article in Ocean City Today (January 6) commented on the fact that most Ocean City Property owners received their new assessments as they were mailed out at the end of December. For the vast majority the new assessments were lower than the 2009 assessments; reflecting the recession’s impact on the real estate market here. While all property owners like me want to see lower taxes (who doesn’t) ; we also don’t want to see our property values fall too far either.
Quoting from the Dept of Assessment and Taxations website: “If you decide to appeal, the first step is to reply to the Notice of Assessment by signing and returning the appeal form within 45 days of the date of the notice. Following this, a personal or telephone hearing will be scheduled. Appeals can also be made in writing, eliminating the need for a hearing.”
I also wanted to point out to those people who recently purchased property here that if the property is transferred after January 1 but before July 1, you may file an appeal within 60 days of the transfer. Chances are good you paid less than the current assessed value. After filing a written appeal, you will be scheduled for a hearing; or, if you prefer, your written appeal can be reviewed instead of having a hearing.
The real estate market here continues to favor buyers as the inventory is still up; sellers are flexible and the mortgage rates stay close to record lows.
I hope Councilman Joe Hall is correct when he said he anticipates 2012 will bring an upswing in the Ocean City Economy and anticipates a better Summer than last year.
If you have questions about the property tax assessment and appeal process here in Worcester County here is the link to the Department of Assessment and Taxation website.
Most of my clients in 2011 have commented to me that they were so happy to have started their search with the IDX search I provide on my website. Searching Listings here in Ocean City was both easy to use and updates automatically. This search “engine” or “IDX” has been on my website ; but I wanted to remind everyone you can get access right here, right now ( see link below) …and is always accessible on my blogs in the margin to the right (use the bottom link if you just want to test drive first)
Give it a try! It’s a free -no obligation look at the same MLS (Multiple Listing Service) I use everyday. Yes, even Foreclosures and Short Sales!
After you see how powerful it is and you think it will work for you, go ahead and register; you’ll have your very own customized website “portal” available when you want it 24/7!
Let me know what your ideal property and price range are and you’ll get your portal updated automatically with notifications delivered right to your inbox!
It’s the easy, hassle free way to begin your online quest to own a piece of
” The Beach Life” here in Ocean City.
Compatible for use on all PC’s, Tablets and Mobile Devices!
Search Ocean City MD Listings Here:
I wrote about the beautiful Fall here in Ocean City just the other day for my newsletter. After the main Summer season and most of the tourists and vacationers are back home, if you owned a condo here, where would you be in beautiful Fall weather? Right…and most owners who are fortunate enough to get away on these Fall weekends reap all the benefits the beach has to offer. Warm waters, less crowds, many restaurants and attractions still open…all in all a great way to relax! Especially if you rent your condo and didn’t get down here this Summer like you wanted to….
Ahhh..strolling down the boards in the middle of a warm October (last) weekend….priceless. Now throw in a rare Halloween snowstorm for the inland Mid-Atlantic..(my grandaughters called me today exclaiming “It’s SNOWING!) and you have another reason to escape to the Beach! Happy Halloween!
ps: Halloween in OC is a big deal for locals and visitors alike!
ps2: Thanks to Ocean City Today?Nancy Powell for Ocean Pines Photo.
( Please accept my apology for this late posting due to technical difficulties)…On September 15 we added to our experiences with Mother Nature here in Ocean City with tornado and water spout (confirmed by the National Weather Service). The tornado/water spout was spotted near our home on Sunset Island at 67th Street out in the bay and apparently continued to cross over the island at 75th Street. Thankfully we dodged another bullet (see my post about Hurricane Irene) as there were no major injuries reported; along with some property damage including cars, broken windows, and the roof damage to an oceanfront condo. Wow! if you have to witness or live through such things you definitely want to have the minimum effect on everyone -though that can’t be said about Hurricane Irene. Let’s all hope these incidents are behind us.
Dan and I rode out Hurricane Irene last night at our home here in Ocean City at Sunset Island off 67th Street. (Yes, the Mayor ordered a Mandatory Evacuation…)
”Hindsight is 20/20″ so they say… so I can see clearly now that The 2011 Hurricane Irene was not as bad as it could have been. After a nervous Saturday and evening watching Fox, CNN, the Weather Channel and the local news (yes we had power, water and Comcast the whole duration)-we finally fell asleep just after Irene past Ocean City to the West- about 1AM. Yes, Irene blew pretty strong as she approached and past us by…but not too bad back here on the center of the island we live on on the bayside. We went out this morning and toured Sunset Island first and found only one tree casualty (blown over) near the pond; and the requisite leaves and small branches here and there. Then we toured the whole of Ocean City (mostly still boarded up then)… from the Inlet to 144th Street; checking on as many of our clients’ properties as we could.
I can’t convey to you how good it feels to be able to say that Ocean City is alive and very well , thank you. The storm never breached the dunes and the beach looked great. The Town opened up to the public at noon and it was good to see all the Tourists and Vacationers back into OC and on the Boardwalk in the bright beautiful sunshine. We actually ate at the counter at The Alaska Stand (best cheeseburgers in Town) near the Inlet and basked in the sunshine and forgot all about Irene, tropical force winds, storm surge etc.
All in all, Ocean City MD survived Hurricane Irene nicely, thank you!….and our hearts go out to those who were not as fortunate.
(ps: Our son’s home back in Bel Air Md is still with out power….)
Three quarters of July has flashed by like a Summer thunderstorm! I hope your family had as much fun as mine celebrating Independence Day. We had family coming into Sunset Island not just from Baltimore and Bel Air; but also Alabama and Florida to enjoy the beach and all Ocean City has to offer. There is just something about sitting down and enjoying crabs and corn; BBQ and cupcakes; watermelon and ice cream with all your folks on the Fourth of July! Then topped off with a parade, sparklers and grand fireworks! Of course we are blessed to enjoy all this here in Ocean City, U.S.A. -and gorgeous weather to boot!
According to Ocean City Today (the local newspaper) more than 280,000 folks were in town here for the Memorial Day Weekend Holiday, and it sure looked like it! Traffic was actually light Saturday mid-day when I was out showing property, and that was because most people headed out to the beach to soak up some beautiful weather. It was good to see so many people on the beach again….there were mostly kids in the surf as the water is still pretty chilly…but who cares when the sun is shining, it’s warm and the kites fly amongst the seagulls? Ahhhh…Fun in the Summertime! and it’s only early June!
Click on the Ocean City Today Link to read the whole Memorial Day Article in my newsletter.
