Real Estate Matters
This summer has brought me back to memories of my childhood, growing up in the 1960s and 1970s here in our Shore Local area.
When I was 4 years old, in the summer of 1966, my father, mother and I were living in Margate, on Amherst Avenue in the newly built Benson Court Apartments, located across the street from the Bay and Ray Scott’s Docks, the area known as the Barbary Coast.
My father, William Eagan, worked at NAFEC (the National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center), and known today as the William J Hughes Technical Center. A co-worker there offered him a chance to purchase a duplex where we would live on one floor and rent out the other. My father was an Air Force veteran of the Korean War, but the VA financing appraisal came in too low and the sale didn’t go through. He was disappointed, yet still determined to buy a home for us.
As the search continued, my dad met with a Margate builder named Mr. Mahoney, who had started to develop and build homes “off shore” on the Mainland in Northfield, which was closer to my dad’s work, and where a number of builders at the time were developing new neighborhoods. There was a strong demand for housing in the growing Atlantic City area.
This beautiful new neighborhood included Oakview Drive and Holly Drive. I remember my mom and dad driving over the old Margate Bridge Causeway with me in the backseat as we went to look at this neighborhood.
My father wanted the vacant lot located at 12 Oakview Drive. But Mr. Mahoney said, “I am sorry, Bill, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes (who were living in Linwood at the time), just gave me a deposit and they will be building their home there.”
As things were meant to be, my father and mother ended up purchasing a Notaro-built home at 11 Henry Drive near Birch Grove Park, and everyone ended up living happily ever after in my great American hometown of Northfield.
The closing for 12 Oakview for Mr. and Mrs. Holmes was May 1, 1967. For our home, at 11 Henry Drive, it was May 7, 1967.
All went well, proving that sometimes dreams really do come true.
In June, I received a referral and a phone call from the grandsons of the original Oakview Drive owner, Peggy Holmes, who recently passed away at the age of 91. When they called me and I met with them both, all of the treasured memories flooded back, and in unison we said, “The Brady Bunch House,” referring to the home located at 12 Oakview. It was what we all affectionately called it growing up.
This custom, multi-level home is filled with details that make you feel like you’re stepping back in time, from the homesite and the circular drive framed with tall trees, to the exterior of brick, the orange front door with center doorknob, and the unique architecture of the windows and planters. This home is the ’60s and ’70s preserved in a time capsule.
The original 1960s Frigidaire Flair Electric Range Oven is a piece of pure history that belongs in either the Smithsonian, or at least a Frigidaire museum of appliances, if there is one. It’s a marvel.
The great room with original hardwood floors has a brick, wood-burning fireplace and beamed ceilings, an original orange sectional sofa and a baby grand piano.
The triple stairway has the original, wrought iron railings, leading upstairs to rooms that Mike, Carol and the whole “Brady Bunch” gang would have loved.
There’s a Marsha-, Jan- and Cindy-inspired pink bedroom with shag carpet. The primary suite is huge with a private bath, sitting room, dressing room and even a huge balcony that overlooks the beautiful surrounding neighborhood, backyard, bikepath and the Northfield Clocktower.
On another ’60s note. Remember “Hey Hey We’re the Monkees”? Well, “I’m a Believer!”
I had an awesome time walking down Memory Lane on Monday, Aug. 11, on the Ocean City Music Pier. Micky Dolenz, the last survivor at 81 years old, of the 1960s TV show, “The Monkees” was live.
“The Monkees” entertained the audience with awesome, storytelling songs from the 1960s and 1970s, and a wonderful time was had by all, singing and dancing to the music. I even got an original logo drumhead autographed by Micky Dolenz and the Monkees.
For More Real Estate Questions, Information and Advice Contact Elisa Jo Eagan “The Real Estate Godmother” (609)703-0432 and Remember…”There’s No Place Like Owning Your Own Home!”
