Summer 2014 Hurricane Sandy and Long Beach Island NJ

Hurricane Sandy made landfall on Long Beach Island at the end of October 2012. There is no question that Hurricane Sandy was a major weather event and the first major storm to hit LBI in more than 20 years. The damaged caused to the Long Beach Island area forever changed the area-both in positive and negative ways. When compared to other shore towns, Long Beach Island recovered quickly so it is important to dispel some myths that still prevail about the Jersey Shore and Hurricane Sandy since Summer 2014 Hurricane Sandy and Long Beach Island NJ are very different!

Not all areas of New Jersey were impacted equally. Generally speaking, towns to the south of Long Beach Island, for example Cape May and Ocean City, fared better and towns to the North fared worse. Even in the news today, we still hear stories about the hardships caused by Hurricane Sandy such as:

• Some places have been decimated and no longer exist
• Many neighborhoods are still struggling to recover
• The beach will never be the same

While it is true that many areas are not 100% back in business, Long Beach Island has worked very hard to ensure that homes and businesses are ready for summer. Some places have closed due to Hurricane Sandy, but many new business have opened in their place. Thanks to grants offered by the State of New Jersey, the dream of owning your own business at the beach became possible for many people. These grants, along with flood insurance money, helped to renovate or even expand some business in the area.

While there are some towns along the Jersey Shore that are still working to recover from Hurricane Sandy, Long Beach Island is not among them. True there are still some storm damaged homes that are not repaired however this is the exception and certainly not the norm. The VAST majority of homes and businesses on LBI have been repaired even before Sumner 2013! The speedy recovery of Long Beach Island helped to strengthen confidence in the Long Beach Island area and the LBI real estate market. A stronger LBI real estate market in turn, strengthens the Long Beach Island area even more!

Changes to the beach have always been in the works. Thanks to a planned beach replenishment project that has been underway on Long Beach Island for several years, the entire area will have larger and safer beaches. The beach replenishment project, which is funded by the Federal government and by the local towns, seeks to widen the beaches and increase the height of the dunes to better protect homes on barrier islands from storms. This replenishment had already been completed in Surf City, Harvey Cedars and part of Long Beach Township. These areas fared better than other parts of Long Beach Island showing that these changes to the beach are in fact, a good thing!

Sadly there are many towns along the Jersey Shore that are a long way from recovery. Likewise, there are individual cases of homes on Long Beach Island that are still working to recover. That said, in the long run, Hurricane Sandy will have created a better, safer Long Beach Island. So far, Summer 2014 looks to be one of the best years to be at the beach with sales and rentals in the Long Beach Island real estate market both very busy! For more information about Summer 2014 Hurricane Sandy and Long Beach Island NJ, feel free to contact me, Nathan Colmer, and I will be happy to answer any questions you have!

 By : Nathan Colmer | The Van Dyk Group

Cell: 609-290-4293 | Office: 800-222-0131 | ncolmer@vandykgroup.com

www.BuyLBI.com

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