Hello, and welcome to the October edition of The A. Mancini Realty’s newsletter!
We are always here to offer you the best deals on sales and rentals, and to offer service personalized to the needs of you and your family. Call us at 732-222-7777 or E-mail us at amancinirealty@gmail.com. We’re also on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the web.
We’re seeing home prices holding steady at high rates – according to Redfin, New Jersey housing prices were averaging at $420,000 in August, an increase of 13.5% over the same month in 2020. If you’ve been on the fence about selling, take advantage while the market is in your favor! We’re here to make sure that you get the best possible price for your house.
Renovate Before Selling?
If you’re thinking of putting your home on the market, you might be considering whether to make renovations. It’s true that these can make your home more attractive, but not all renovations will recoup all the money you poured into them. Experts agree that big-ticket items like a new driveway, a sunroom or a pool can be skipped.
So what are the best improvements to invest in? The kitchen, the bathroom, the yard and a fresh coat of paint. A 2019 report by the National Association of Realtors said that 20% of their successful sales were influenced by a spruced-up kitchen. Counters are easily replaced and give the room a fresh look. Cabinets in good shape can just get a good cleaning and painting, but if they’re looking worse for wear, they can be replaced, too.
The same realtor report said that 76% of agents believe that the appearance of a home’s landscaping influences its appeal. Projects like adding mulch, trimming trees and planting flowers can be accomplished easily and at low cost.
In the bathroom, replacing wallpaper and tile can make it look fresh and clean. If you think the toilet or sink should be replaced, consider purchasing floor display models from your local home improvement store – they will sell those at reduced prices.
As for paint, select neutral colors like grey, white, beige and charcoal. They give the house a clean, timeless appeal. (Avoid trendy colors in both paints and wallpapers – that will only make the house look dated in a year or two). If you have vinyl siding, you might consider upgrading that, too.
Sometimes, it’s the small and easy improvements that can make the biggest difference when it comes to selling your home!
A-Maze-Ing Fall!
Happy Day Farm’s corn maze celebrates the 35th anniversary of Mario.
Happy Day Farm’s corn maze celebrates the 35th anniversary of Mario.
One popular fall family activity in this part of the country is corn mazes. This may seem like an ancient tradition, but it’s actually a rather recent innovation – the first full-sized one was opened in Annville, Pennsylvania in 1993. They’re popular not just in the United States, but across the Atlantic as well – the eastern part of England has quite a few of them.
There are plenty of corn mazes in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. One of the most popular is Happy Day Farm in Manalapan, which always carves its maze to celebrate a particular theme, such as Curious George, Rutgers University or superheroes. This year’s attraction commemorates the 35th birthday of Super Mario Bros, and features Mario, Luigi and Yoshi.
Other places where you can get lost amongst the stalks include Cheesequake Farms in Matawan, Von Thun’s Country Farm Market in Monmouth Junction, C. Cascola Farm in Marlboro, Atlantic Farm Market in Manasquan, Slope Brook Farm in Colts Neck, and Bullock Farms in Cream Ridge. And don’t forget that these local farm markets also offer a great place to pick up your pumpkins and enjoy the last of the fall harvest!
Local Spotlight Special – Remembering The Haunted Mansion At Long Branch
As we are in the Halloween season, we’re taking a look back at the attraction that imprinted Long Branch in the minds of young people all over the New York Metropolitan Area back in the ‘70s and ‘80s – The Haunted Mansion!
The Haunted Mansion drew thousands to the Long Branch Boardwalk in its heyday
This spooky domicile was the crown jewel of the old Long Branch Pier for almost a decade. If you were a kid during that era, you remember the commercials that ran during late-afternoon cartoons: Images of ghouls and goblins, “including a living headless woman!” – all capped off with the ominous slogan, “The Haunted Mansion at Long Branch – IT’S WAITING FOR YOU!”
All this would not have happened, however, without an innovation elsewhere in the state. The genesis of The Haunted Mansion came about when Pat Cicalese – owner of the water slide and beach club across from the Long Branch Pier – was asked by his friend Carmen Ricci to invest in Brigantine Castle, a house of horrors that was being constructed in South Jersey. When that took off, Cicalese was inspired to create a similar attraction in his hometown, and he invited Ricci and his brother, Thomas, to come on board.
In 1977, the trio leased the Long Branch Pier from the Sowul family with an option to buy it, and began constructing the three-story mansion. It was completed and opened in 1978, and was, as they say, “a graveyard smash.” At its peak, 100,000 people a week walked – and sometimes ran in terror – through the attraction’s harrowing halls.
Guests of the mansion encountered actors portraying mythological monsters like werewolves and vampires, movie characters such as Norman Bates and Jason, and famous killers of history like Lizzie Borden and Jack the Ripper. There were bodies coming out of caskets, torture devices, and a scene of ghouls dining on “human flesh.” Many cast members and makeup artists went on to careers in the entertainment field.
Cicalese and the Riccis ended up buying the whole pier in 1979, and the following year, Cicalese bought out the brothers’ share. In 1985, he converted the whole pier into the family-friendly “Kids’ World,” but the mansion remained – albeit with its gory scenarios toned down.
Tragically, The Haunted Mansion and the rest of the pier were destroyed by a fire in 1987, and it was never rebuilt. The remnants of the Long Branch Pier were eventually torn down and replaced by Pier Village. Although it’s long gone, The Haunted Mansion will forever haunt the nightmares of all who visited it – or at least give them a shiver of nostalgia.
Community Spotlight: Little Silver
Little Silver is a small town with a long history. It was a stronghold of the Navesink tribe of Native Americans before it was first settled by Europeans in 1667. Originally a region of Shrewsbury Township called Parkersville, after one of its founding families, it broke off on its own in 1923.
The Parker Homestead has been standing since the 1600s.
The origin of the town’s curious name is in dispute. Some say it’s in reference to the currency used to purchase the town’s land from the Navesink people. Others claim it’s a reference to the placid appearance of its creeks, and still others say that original settlers Joseph and Peter Parker named their holdings on what is now Rumson Road “Little Silver” after their father’s estate in Portsmouth, RI. (The Parker brothers’ homestead is still standing and has been declared a National Historic Site).
Originally a farming and fishing town, almost half of Little Silver’s acreage was once occupied by the Lovett nursery, which supplied plants for major retailers like Sears, Macys and Newberry’s. Today, it is a residential area favored by commuters, as the Little Silver train station – which dates back to 1890 and was renovated in 2003 – offers easy access to New York City. Fishing and boating are still very much a part of its lifestyle thanks to its location on the Shrewsbury River. There’s also a thriving local business community, including Sickles Market, which offers specialty garden and food products year-round, and Little Silver Bottle Shop, which has been selling wine and spirits since 1944.
Currently, there are 12 homes for sale in Little Silver. If you would like to be a part of a little town with big charm, call The A. Mancini Realty at (732) 222-7777.
We’re Here For You, Any Time
You can get in touch with us by phone at 732-222-7777 or by E-mail at amancinirealty@gmail.com. We’re also on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and on the web – and feel free to leave a review for us on Yelp!