What’s Going On On The Island

LBI Restaurant Week wrapped up last weekend as we head into Valentine’s Day, marking one of the busier stretches of the winter season for local dining. While many spots operate on limited off-season schedules, several of the island’s top upscale options remain open. Raimondo’s, Black Eyed Susan’s, Azzurri, and The Gables are all currently serving, giving both locals and weekend visitors strong dining options without the summer crowds.

In restaurant news, Joe Pop’s was sold a little while back and there had been some uncertainty surrounding the future of the space. New ownership has since confirmed that Joe Pop’s will continue operating much as it has in the past, welcome news for longtime regulars heading toward the spring season.

Another positive year-round development: Flour Child Pizza, widely considered to have some of the best pizza on the island, has officially committed to staying open year-round, continuing the trend of more businesses extending their seasons and keeping the island active through the winter.

Due to recent winter weather, the Annual LBI Polar Plunge has been rescheduled to March 1. The event remains one of the island’s largest off-season community fundraisers each year.

Another off-season note: unlike previous winters, Hudson House is now open on weekends. While it remains a drinks-focused dive bar with no food service, it has quickly become one of the few consistent late-winter nightlife spots open across the island.

What’s Going On In Real Estate

The recent stretch of winter weather has put a noticeable damper on market activity across Long Beach Island. Over the past week, just one property went under contract, reflecting how travel conditions and storms have kept many buyers off the island and temporarily slowed momentum.

After a relatively quiet couple of weeks from a listing standpoint, we are beginning to see new inventory emerge. There are now 92 active listings on the market island-wide, and there is a strong likelihood inventory returns to triple digits by month-end. Historically, February and March tend to be two of the stronger months for new listings as sellers prepare for the spring market.

As we’ve reiterated in recent reports, there is a very clear divide forming between homes that are priced correctly and those that are overpriced. Well-positioned properties are generating immediate interest and moving quickly, while homes that stretch pricing are increasingly being passed over.

To better illustrate this trend, we recently put together a visual breaking down days on market by price range.

In the $1–2M segment, homes that have closed within the past 100 days averaged just 10 days on market. Meanwhile, properties currently sitting for sale in that same price range are averaging closer to 80 days on market. The gap highlights how sensitive today’s buyers are to pricing and how quickly the market responds when a property is positioned correctly.

No matter your price range, there will be opportunities hitting the market in the coming months as new inventory builds heading toward spring. It will be important to identify and act on the right opportunities quickly — well-priced homes are still moving in a matter of days, not weeks.

If you’d like assistance navigating the current market or simply want a clearer read on where things stand, we’re always happy to help provide perspective as conditions continue to evolve.