BASEMENT WATERPROOFING IN Spring Lake Boro

Everyone knows that the median home price in New Jersey is higher than it is in most of the country.

And the hot real estate market has done nothing to cool prices.

You may think that you are priced out of the New Jersey real estate market and are resigned to renting for the rest of your life, but there still is some good news.

According to propertyclubnyc, Gloucester City tops the list of the 10 cheapest places to live in NJ.

With a median home value of just $125,800, which is significantly below the national average, and a median rent of just under $1,200, Gloucester City is affordable by New Jersey standards.

It offers a tight-knit community and plenty of public parks and walking spaces, making it an excellent place for families or young professionals who work across the river in Philadelphia.

Gloucester city is a town that doesn’t get much attention but it has a lot to offer.

Especially for a town with homes that are so affordable.

A historic working-class community with great views of the Philly skyline, it’s a hop skip and a jump away from the big city but with all the advantages of the suburbs.

It boasts the Gloucester City Marina of Camden County which was developed for recreational boating.

In fact, Gloucester city high school was named one of America’s top high schools by US news and world report.

The homes tend to be old to older but with plenty of charm and some of them even border on grand.

Surprisingly, many homes are priced in the $100,000 range.

A drive through Gloucester city will give you a feeling of the good old days, with a home price tag to boot.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Introducing Sneh, an extremely talented hair dresser working at Christopher Royce Hair Studios in Spring Lake Heights.

Not only do I LOVE how my hair turned out but I thoroughly enjoyed my personal experience overall.

This Jersey Shore business is so much more than a hair salon.

Usually, you are getting your hair cut and colored with other customers two feet away. Not here.

Each hair dresser works in their own individual room that comes with a salon chair, full counter and mirror. Your service is personalized, private and relaxing opposed to the chaos that I've witnessed in other salons.

Sneh has worked as a hair dresser for eight years and she knows everything there is to know about hair.

To start, you will never book with a receptionist.

Sneh speaks with all of her clients on the phone first to get to know you and to discuss what you are looking for before making an appointment.

Upon arrival, Sneh greeted me with a smile and open arms. We went right into her room to re-discuss what I was looking for and the plan of action.

Quick pause: Christopher Royce Hair Studios has a full bar where customers can enjoy a unique, handmade cocktail while they are glammed. You know how much I HATED this part...lol....

Sneh then applied my color, shaped my layers and had me leaving that salon feeling like myself again!

I won't lie to you. Girl talk took up most of the appointment and Sneh is so easy to approach which I think is an important quality to have in a hairstylist.

If you want to give your hair the revamp you've been looking for, reach out to Sneh! We already have planned my next color and highlights for the fall season!

Here's how you can reach out:

3. Text or call her directly at (609) 638-8002

When you do make an appointment, tell them Nicole sent you!

Christopher Royce Hair Studios is located at 209 Route 71 in Spring Lake Heights.

Here are their hours:

Sun - Mon: ClosedTue - Thu: 12PM - 8PMFri: 9AM - 6PMSat: 9AM - 4PM

And once your hair is good to go, here is where you should head:

I'm not going to lie to you. This one is going to hurt.

We do have another business closing at the Jersey Shore but the fact that it is a local grocery store chain puts a knot in my stomach.

The store is called Nature's Corner Natural Market and they specialize in, "organic produce sourced from local farmers, organic natural groceries, milk, dairy and meats. It also has an organic juice bar, organic soup and salad bar, prepared foods, nutritional supplements and body care products," according to Yahoo.com.

Wow. I almost feel healthier just from writing all that but of course a local business supporting other local businesses is going under.

The owner, Ed Levy posted about the sad news on social media.

"After nearly 30 years of being in business, I have made the difficult decision to close Nature’s Corner for good," Levy wrote. "Many factors played a role in this decision; COVID, the hiring crisis, wage increases, inflation, recession and competition from big box stores. The list goes on, but I won’t bore you all with the details."

"Nature's Corner has always been a truly special place, for staff members and customers alike," Levy wrote. "It has been a sanctuary where people can come and escape from the divisiveness of the outside world while getting the highest quality natural products available. Especially during the last few years."

"And you, our dear customers, have made that a possibility over the last 30 years, and I (and all of the staff members) am eternally grateful to you."

This story is just breaking my heart because the only two existing store locations are closing.

According to Yahoo.com, the Nature's Corner Natural Market stores that are closing are located, "on Route 71 in Spring Lake Heights and [on Locust Avenue] at the West Long Branch Shopping Center."

The exact closing dates for both locations will be set in the next few weeks, per Levy's post.

Yes, there are other grocery store options in both of these areas and they include ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Aldi's and Trader Joe's.

But that is not the point.

A grocery store, yes a GROCERY STORE, is going out of business. The place we have to go to for food, something we need to survive can't make it in this economy.

That is a scary fact to face.

Nothing is safe.

Spring Lake is less than 2 square miles with a year-round population of fewer than 3,000. But the village, which calls itself the "Jewel of the Jersey Shore," is a magnet for visitors, thanks to a quaint downtown filled with mom-and-pop shops, B&Bs and hotels, a pedestrian-friendly park (home to the actual Spring Lake) and a pristine beach.

Start the day with breakfast at one of Spring Lake's cafes: Dune Donuts and Bagels (1408 3rd Ave.), A.M. Kitchen (1321 3rd Ave.) or On Third Cafe and Coffee Company (1300 3rd Ave.)

Hit up Spring Lake beach

Spring Lake has a 2-mile-long beach. And its boardwalk alongside is considered the longest, non-commercial boardwalk in the state. There are no games of chance or neon lights, only the ocean on one side and dunes on the other, making it ideal for long walks and runs.

A day at the beach:What to do in Asbury Park and Ocean Grove (there's a lot)

Lunch time

For lunch, grab pizza at Spring Lake Pizzeria (1110 3rd Ave.) and top it off with a one-scoop ice cream cone for 99 cents at Third Avenue Chocolate Shoppe (1118 3rd Ave.) or chocolate from Jean Louise Homemade Candies (1205 3rd Ave.).

On the move

To get away from the crowds, check out Divine Park (801 Lake Drive) and Spring Lake, the spring-fed lake that gives the town its name.

In the afternoon, check out the Third Avenue shopping district, filled with mom and pop stores. Among them are boutiques like Juli Mei (1303 3rd Ave.) and Hive (1203 3rd Ave.), stores like Bare Wires Surf Shop (1307 3rd Ave.), and, for a pick-me-up, Driftwood, a coffee house (1102 3rd Ave.).

Don't want to spend too much money? You can walk through Spring Lake's neighborhoods and look at the Victorian homes, stroll the borough's 2-mile boardwalk or lay out on the pristine beach.

Day's end

For dinner, try upscale Larimar Restaurant (1311 3rd Ave.) or the casual Spring Lake Tap House (810 Route 71). Meanwhile, the Spring Lake Community House & Theatre (300 Madison Ave.) is hoping to bring back live theater this summer.

HOBOKEN — A low-income Hudson County man could lose the place he calls home as the result of a lengthy legal dispute with his landlord.

Jeff Trupiano has lived in his Hoboken apartment-turned-condo for over three decades. He moved into the rent-controlled unit at 703 Park Ave. in 1991 under a former owner.

For the past five years, Trupiano has been locked in a legal battle with his landlord over a significant rent increase. Court records show that the landlord tried jacking the monthly rent by nearly $3,000 and is attempting to get retroactive rent from Trupiano.

A few years after Trupiano moved in, the apartment building was bought by Amaconn Realty, Inc. Then in 2001, the owner, who is Trupiano's landlord, turned the apartments into condominiums.

Sales records on Zillow.com show that one two-bedroom condo at the building was sold in April for $449,000.

Trupiano, who is in his 60s and makes less than $30,000 a year working at a local health food store, pays $783 in rent each month. His attorney, Dana Wefer, told New Jersey 101.5 that as a low-income renter, he will be protected from eviction for more than another 20 years because of the Tenant Protection Act.

But in 2017, Trupiano's landlord issued a hardship increase based on an appraisal of his unit. Wefer said that the appraisal was "hypothetical" and based on how much the unit could bring in if it were completely renovated.

According to a briefing provided by Wefer, the landlord knew that the building had a protected tenant and chose to proceed with the conversion anyway. It also notes that Trupiano continues to pay his rent on time despite the unit having been neglected for years.

"The property has been fundamentally transformed from one that was a prudent and sound investment to a single ill-maintained rent-controlled condominium unit, encumbered with a protected tenant who cannot be evicted for twenty-six years."

A GoFundMe is raising money for Trupiano's court costs and increasing rent. Created by the Hoboken Fair Housing Association, the fundraiser claims that an unfavorable decision could gut the Tenant Protection Act.

While Wefer is handling the case pro bono, there are high costs for appealing court decisions including the requirement to pay for thousands of pages of transcripts. Wefer said that they will likely need to appeal as a judge recently gave an oral decision stating that Trupiano's rent should increase based on the property's equity.

Wefer added that it's not hyperbole to say that the Tenant Protection Act is at risk. The attorney said she would not be surprised to see Trupiano's case go up to the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Previous rulings from the state's highest court, such as Mayes v. Jackson Township Rent Leveling Board (1986), have upheld rent control ordinances and a landlord's right to "realize a just and reasonable return on the property."

An attorney for the landlord did not respond to a request for comment.