We made 10 predictions for the 2025 Shore summer. Here’s how we did.

It’s easy to make predictions, and some things seem like a given these last few years: the Shore is gentrifying, washing out its local culture in favor of a wannabe Hamptons vibe, especially in places like Avalon and further north in Monmouth County, which seems to want nothing more than to be rebranded as the next Amagansett.

“Gilded Age Splendor is Back on the Jersey Shore” trumpeted one recent news release from the Atlantic Club Residences in Long Branch.

In any case, here are the predictions we made at the start of the summer, and how we did.

Never mind the $25 million double oceanfront listing in Stone Harbor, the $19 million teardowns in Longport, the $7.4 million apartment sale in Asbury Park.

“The market feels more predictable than in years,” wrote Daniel Rivera, who runs the N.J. property manager website, about the Jersey Shore market. “Gone are homes selling for 20% over asking within hours. Instead, we’re seeing a mature market where good properties still sell quickly, but buyers have time to think and negotiate.”

Brian Reed, a real estate agent in Wildwood, said housing prices are “holding steady right now.” Signs touting reduced prices are popping up in places like Longport.

“Properties will sit on the market for multiple months and then go to a bidding war at times,” Reed said. “It’s a real roller-coaster. There is definitely not a massive sell-off or panic.”

In Sea Isle City, homes were selling for $2 and $3 million this summer, so any notion of the Shore becoming affordable would be just wishful thinking.

Bonjour les Québécois! In late July, I walked what seemed like miles on the Wildwood beaches in search of a little French, and, as it turned out, Canadians were not that hard to find.

But the affable tourists from the North were definitely represented in smaller numbers, according to Cape May tourism officials (and one family I interviewed said half of them opted to stay home). But the drop-off was not as stark as feared amid the backlash against tariffs and rhetoric about the 51st state, and probably also had to do with a weak Canadian dollar.

Still, fewer Canadians was one piece of an economic puzzle that, at least anecdotally, is being characterized as a bit of a softer season, in terms of motel and rental business. Many people are still finding a week at the Shore out of their price range.

Ocean City Council surprised me and definitely Eustace Mita, the owner of the former Wonderland Pier site, on Aug. 21 when they declined to ask the planning board to consider declaring the lot at 600 Boardwalk in need of rehabilitation. Mita said he was done with his plan for a resort hotel and said he would put the site up for sale for $25 million.

This summer, Mita opened an arcade at the site, a bagel and coffee shop, and the old pizza place. But his heart was in the plan for a 7-story resort.

The opposition among community groups and certain council members took center stage on Thursday, as a high tide from Hurricane Erin moved in and flooded parts of town. There was immediate backlash to the vote, though, and at least one councilman was saying the process would continue. But it’s definitely looking like there won’t be any sipping mocktails on the veranda looking over the old Ferris wheel. Stay tuned.

The ambitious celebrity-chef-owned Simpsons on the Pier on the Atlantic City Boardwalk is the latest to announce a closing, abruptly shutting its doors on Aug. 17. It is promising to reopen in the old Ruby Tuesday’s on Atlantic Avenue in January 2026.

The Spot and Mystic Lobster Roll in Atlantic County announced closings. Tara’s Kitchen in Wildwood closed this spring. In South Seaside Park, Chef Mike’s ABG announced this season would be the last.

But others opened, including Tideline on the bay in Margate, and Drift and Ventnor Social in Ventnor. The push for residential over commercial continues, though.

Who could have predicted that a container executive and his wife would buy not one, but two homes, at the end of Longport, including the landmark “Blues Brothers” home where legendary candy man Marvin Ashner rode out Hurricane Sandy along with his distinctive bluesy balcony musician statues, for $19 million and then tear them both down?

The end of Longport will quite literally never be the same.

But if that specific case felt surprising, the trend is not. Houses, and motels, are viewed as teardowns, even historic and perfectly nice ones.

Meanwhile, people continued to wonder if a Jersey Shore vacation was actually more money than a trip to Europe or Hawaii. We investigated.

Even Wildwood put itself out there as a million-dollar-plus Shore home destination, as prices in North Wildwood soared past $2 million, and Sea Isle City recorded a $7.63 million sale.

The Union League’s $23 million Whitebrier gambit only reinforced the growing exclusivity of parts of the Jersey Shore.

Atlantic City had a good summer. Casino numbers were up, mostly due to the high-performing resorts Ocean and Hard Rock. The Boardwalk was always buzzing, with free concerts on Wednesdays (Mardi Gras-themed) and Thursdays (jazz) that were tremendous and well-attended. Two R&B days filled Gardner’s Basin with locals and featured the return of the beloved Fish Heads food truck. The Atlantic City Aquarium reopened and was busy, even as it awaited a second floor’s worth of fish.

The Maine Avenue section of the Boardwalk along the inlet was just about completed, allowing 24-hour bicycle riding in that area. A new dog park opened near the Absecon Lighthouse! The people who own North Beach mini golf expanded into pickleball. Meanwhile, multiple new housing development projects are in the works. Bart Blatstein’s new collab with Fusion Gym operator Tony Chowdhury has yet to open.

For the most part, teenage mayhem was kept under control after a boisterous start. Towns had their police out in force, with big boardwalk signs and loud announcements about curfews.

Parents were threatened with arrest if their teens were caught after curfew. Cape May County typically records the highest rate of juvenile arrests in the state.

The CoolCabana canopies have definitely overtaken the flags as the defining beach design element this summer, but the flags were there. Along with the usual MAGA Country flags this summer, I spotted one for Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran. Points at least for variation on a theme.

There is, however, a Taylor Swift tribute band in town on Aug. 30.

Labor Day on Sept. 1 is (literally) as early as it gets to pull the Shoobie curtain down (summer will continue through mid-October at least for locals). See you next summer!

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include the outcome of the Aug. 21 vote by Ocean City Council.