Once upon a time, prospective homebuyers could leisurely peruse a variety of properties in their price range, mull over their choices, put in an offer, and presume they’ll be moving in soon enough. But how things have changed!
In today’s hot seller’s market, scads of desperate house hunters scramble for limited inventory, paying sky-high prices to beat out other bidders.
As the homebuying landscape has evolved, so too must homebuyers, ferreting out a whole new set of insider ploys that can give them the edge in today’s market. To keep you up with the times, here are 7 great tips!
1. Look a little lower
Fixer-upper, anyone? How about an up-and-coming neighborhood? There’s no need to give up your wish list entirely; but in today’s market, you’ve got to get real.
Move-in ready homes with modern finishes sell first. So, you may need to look at the tier just below your maximum price.  You could get a better deal and use the extra money to ...

Freed of the crowd restrictions imposed during the height of the pandemic, thousands of festivalgoers are expected to visit Sea Isle City during Father’s Day weekend for the town’s signature summer event.
The family-friendly Skimmer Festival Weekend is returning June 18 and 19 after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
“Skimmer has a very big draw and impact,” city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said. “It spotlights Sea Isle City in a very positive way. It’s very family friendly. It attracts people from near and far.”
During its opening day on June 18, the event will feature hundreds of vendors in tents along the oceanfront Promenade, an array of free family-oriented amusements in Excursion Park and an outdoor food court that is always a crowd favorite.
The festival will wrap up on June 19 with an antique auto show stretching along the Promenade. Afterward, the vintage cars and trucks will ride through town in a colorful processio ...

Spending so much time at home the past few years has changed many things, especially how quickly we tire of our home’s interiors. Because when your living room is also your office and personal cinema—you know you’re spending a lot of time there.
But now, as more people are finally getting out of the house, we thought it’s time for your living room to make a comeback of sorts.
This week’s trending looks from Instagram are all about softening your living room and restoring it to its original function: a place to unwind and relax after a long day. So chuck those old piles of work and dust off that novel you’ve been saving. We’re bringing living rooms back.
1. Daybed sofa

Looking for a couch you can seriously spread out on (or host a friend for a night)? Then you’ll want to break from tradition and trade a sofa for a cozy daybed like this one from @athomeonsweetcreek.
“What a beautiful and cozy ...

Spending so much time at home the past few years has changed many things, especially how quickly we tire of our home’s interiors. Because when your living room is also your office and personal cinema—you know you’re spending a lot of time there.
But now, as more people are finally getting out of the house, we thought it’s time for your living room to make a comeback of sorts.
This week’s trending looks from Instagram are all about softening your living room and restoring it to its original function: a place to unwind and relax after a long day. So chuck those old piles of work and dust off that novel you’ve been saving. We’re bringing living rooms back.

1. Daybed sofa
Looking for a couch you can seriously spread out on (or host a friend for a night)? Then you’ll want to break from tradition and trade a sofa for a cozy daybed like this one from @athomeonsweetcreek.
“What a beautiful and cozy ...

As much as you love your Shore home, there may come a time when you start thinking: Should I sell?
According to the National Association of Realtors®, homeowners tend to stay in a house about ten years before they sell. Think that sounds shockingly short? Or way too long? The fact is, people’s time frames will vary widely based on their reasons for selling.
The choice to sell your home can come about for a variety of reasons. And it may have been something you’ve been considering for a long time, or a snap decision.
Sometimes a sudden defining event prompts a homeowner to sell—a transfer, death, or divorce, which quickly starts the process.  More often, it is a slower process—children leaving the nest, a need to be closer to a relative, retirement, or the desire to be in a smaller, bigger, newer, or different area. The gestation period for this type of decision is often two to four years.
There are many common reasons—financial and emotio ...