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[/quote]Let me tell you some generalities.
Most of the Rio Grande section is older and starting to build up because of the big new mall that just opened at 9 and 47. There are at least two more business developments getting set to open on Rt 9 in Rio Grande: The Office Depot strip mall and the new Super Walmart which is supposed to open around August at last word.
Also, the Cape Savings Bank in Rio has been robbed at least three times in the last three years or so. There are also three small, slimy, highway motels on 9 and on 47 where ex-prisoners and rental assistance recipients are housed temporarily by the state and county. My advice, forget Rio Grande, there is a lot of crime there and because of the new malls the traffic at 9 and 47 is the worst in the county.
The Villas, as one of the three cheapest communities left, along with Whitesboro and Burleigh, has been fillilng up with a lot of the crime that has been chased out of Wildwood because of the cost of living. It's not that gloomy in the Villas, there are some nice developments in the south end. (Lots of nice middle-class homes in the Bayside Village section).
But the north end of the Villas from approximately the new Wawa north, is not a good place to live. As a cab driver offshore for 4 1/2 years and 17 years delivering Pizza part time, I can tell you there is one street on the north end of the Villas that the police dept. calls "Heroin Central."
Now, contradicting all that, The road along the bayfront in the Villas is filling up with a lot of brand new mansions. (1 to 6 million each. The bayfront in the Villas, Town Bank and North Cape May is becoming millionaire-row).
In Town Bank, generally, you can't find much lower than $450,000. The super rich out there are beginning to learn they can get all the benefits of living at the shore without all the noise by building on the Delaware Bay side of the county. I've been saying this was going to happen for about 15 years now. Living on the Delaware Bay side is just like the ocean side but with much less noise and very few idiot shoobies.
Now, these are all generalities, there is a lot of new building going on now because of all the "money" people.
Here are the better places to live, assuming you're talking about a house (renting is impossible - There is generally nothing fit for human habitation off shore for less than 900 to a 1000 a month. Good rental homes go for 1200 to about 1500. It's horrible!)
Try Erma Park (south of Rio on Rt 9), Erma (the southside of the Cape May County Airport), Bayside Village (the south end of the Villas, or Anywhere in North Cape May. North of Rio, try Burleigh or CM Court House (Traffic there is a nightmare though because of the hospital and the major intersection leading to Stone Harbor and Avalon).
Homes in Tranquilty start at about $300,000 and almost anything south of the Cape May Canal IMO is even higher, (although this is the nicest part of south jersey, I think).
Hope this helps.
Thom
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And HOW! Thanks so much, Thom, for taking the time. Geez....I can remember looking at a glorious contemporary in GTranqulity park for 220 a couple of years ago. Shoulda bought it. The bay, I understand is loaded wsith mosquitos which is not a good thing. I'm also afraid of floods.. I will look into all you have suggested, and thanks agian.
Sandy