Gas Prices Put Chill On Vacation Season

Along East Coast, Home Sales, Rentals Down, Causing Ripple Effects In Summer Vacation Market

(CBS)  It's summertime in Long Beach Island, N.J., and the living isn't easy.

Brutal gas prices and a stingy mortgage market add up to heavy weather for home sales and rentals.

"Our rentals are down about 10 percent and our sales are down about 15 percent over last year," realtor Donn O'Brien told CBS News correspondent Tony Guida.

Even the best rentals are hurting. A four-bedroom house right on the ocean that's usually booked solid from Memorial Day through Labor Day is not this week - and that's costing the owner $5,000.

"I just had a person who called me a few minutes ago and said 'Next week is open, get anything you can,'" said O'Brien.

Retailers are suffering too, with fewer shoppers spending fewer dollars. At Hand's department store in Beach Haven, owner John Turner is worried.

"Ninety-two percent of our sales are in the six months from Easter to Columbus Day," said Turner.

Halfway through the season, said Turner, summer sales are down at least four percent. The story is similar elsewhere on the eastern seaboard.

A motel owner on Cape Cod reports fewer bookings this June and fewer sightings of American vacationers. But Canadians and Europeans are coming, drawn by the anemic dollar.

In the Outer Banks of North Carolina, one realtor spoke of a summer slump. Even the fabled Hamptons of Eastern Long Island are not immune - a prominent realtor there told CBS News the number of home sales is off 35 percent and summer rentals are down by 25 percent.

The kitchen at Howard's Restaurant in Beach Haven, usually humming over the weekend, is not. Sales are down 20 percent - symptomatic of a wider problem, said manager Kevin Sparks.

"My produce comes from the Philly market and that market is off too, which means the whole region is off," Sparks said.

The culprit?

"It's gas, gas and gas," said Turner. "You know $4 a gallon kills people."

[mythoughtsr]

I wonder if the people who work for the government are "suffering" and experiencing "losses". YEAH RIGHT. They are sitting and eating lobster and LOL at us poor schmucks paying $4 + a gallon. They couldn''t care less about us. Our tax dollars pay for their entire lives, including their drivers who pump the gas for them.

[aztecdakota]

The U S Government is sitting on a dollar that is going the way of the Confederate dollar and the WW2 German Mark. A funny thing, the Confederate dollar is now worth more than the US Dollar. And the European dollar is worth more than the US Dollar. Is anyone paying attention? Certainly not the US Government.

[gkc99]

Not to worry, all that Iraqi oil will be coming online soon to pay for Bushit''s credit card war and all will be strawberries and cream for the American sheeple.

[mcv57]

Does reading this article square with the Republican claim they have done a good job for eight years? Pathetic liars, they are.
-----------------
Posted by BajaJohn1

Politicians have always been liars. Its when the perversion and chaos has eroded their own manipulation, they start to run. Perhaps at a time when mother earth says no more, I will not bare no more.

[mcv57]

... not even their gold will save them. Mother earth is just making her debut!

[Markus]

Posted by BajaJohn1 at 07:43 PM : Jun 28, 2008

"Does reading this article square with the Republican claim they have done a good job for eight years? Pathetic liars, they are."

NO IT DOESN''T SQAURE.AND WITHOUT QUESTION,THEY ARE WHAT YOU HAVE SO APTLY NAMED THEM TO BE "PATHETIC LIARS" .

RIGHT NOW,I''D LIKE TO HAVE 10 MINUTES IN A DARK ALLY ALONE WITH THREE OF THESE A**H**** WITH NO WITNESSES.
I AM THAT PISSED OFF AT THESE FAT A**ED LITTLE BOYS.

[Markus]

TO BajaJohn1,

YOU JUST HIT A GRAND SLAM FOR OUR TEAM WITH THE BASES LOADED ,IN THE NINTH,WITH THE SCORE TIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sistatee-2009]

Bush to reporters: "The people without jobs aren''t going on vacation anyway, so why should they care what the price of gas is? No more questions. I''m off to Dubai for dinner with Cheney."

[latrocinor-2009]

RIGHT NOW,I''''D LIKE TO HAVE 10 MINUTES IN A DARK ALLY ALONE WITH THREE OF THESE A**H**** WITH NO WITNESSES.
I AM THAT PISSED OFF AT THESE FAT A**ED LITTLE BOYS.

Posted by MIKETNT303

What a stupid moron. They let u out on weekends I suppose.

[deacon20081]

Posted by oledakota:
The U S Government is sitting on a dollar that is going the way of the Confederate dollar and the WW2 German Mark. A funny thing, the Confederate dollar is now worth more than the US Dollar. And the European dollar is worth more than the US Dollar. Is anyone paying attention? Certainly not the US Government.
----------------------------------------
I have a huge pile of currency from WWII from Japan, it is PESOS.....go figure. Each "dollar" is probably worth more than a US Dollar. LOL

[deacon20081]

So what Genius figured out people are forgoing vacations all of the sudden? Humm wise person to be so aware huh?

[whitemale08]

"It''s the economy...stupid!"

[Markus]

NOTHIN'' LIKE READING BETWEEN THE LINES "DEAC0N20081".

[Markus]

GOD HELP THOSE WHO ATTEND YOUR CHURCH,deac.THAT ROAD IS WIDE AIN''T IT deac? NOTHIN'' LIKE HUMILITY,RIGHT DEAC.I BET YOUR QUITE PROUD OF YOUR HUMILTY TOO.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by linymo at 08:52 PM

Don''t we all love the inane postings of the Limbaugh crowd??? Get me the barf bag.

[Markus]

IF CHRIST DESCENDED AT YOUR DOOR RIGHT NOW, YOU''D PROBABLY CALL THE POLICE TO REPORT A VAGRANT AT YOUR DOOR,WOULDN''T YOU.

[Markus]

OOPS! LAST MESSAGE TO DEACON20081

[Markus]

DID YOU EVER NOTICE THAT THE LIMBAUGH CROWD ALL HAVE A BARCOLOUNGER AND ALL HAVE A FAT A**? THEY LOVE GOD.AS LONG AS THEIR STOCKS PAY DECENT DIVIDENDS!!!!!!!!!!!

[rudy654-2009]

They also need a lot of viagra!!!

[Markus]

ONLY AFTER THE MARTINIS GAVE THEM COURAGE!!!!

[shanev137]

You think this is bad, just wait til gas is $6 a gallon.

[Markus]

WHEN THAT HAPPENS ,YOU''LL SEE MANY BIG RIG TRUCKERS WHO HAVE A LOVE FOR THEIR REMINGTON 700''S,WANTING A TRUTHFUL ANSWER.IF THEY STOP....................THE COUNTRY STOPS TOO.

[Markus]

A VIOLENT REVOLT IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.

[whitemale08]

The Republican party is FINISHED!!!

America will never ever trust another Republican with the economy! ...Never again.

[Markus]

OR SHOULD I SAY "OFF THE TABLE"

[Markus]

YOUR CORRECT IN THAT.I FOR ONE, WILL NEVER.EVER.NEVER....NEVER VOTE FOR ANOTHER REPUBLICAN AS LONG AS I LIVE................NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Markus]

TO ME,THE WORD "REPUBLICAN" IS A PROFANE EXPLETIVE FROM NOW ON!!!!!!!!!

[whitemale08]

Did anyone see that ABC news website story of the "NEW HOMELESS" in surburbia?

[Markus]

THEY SHOULD BE DELETED TOO

[Markus]

YES,I SAW IT.IT IS A STATEMENT ABOUT OUR SOCIETY AND ECONOMY.AND IT IS DISPICABLE!!!!!!!!!!

[whitemale08]

I know me and my friends have banned the word Republican from even being uttered in public!

[Markus]

YOU''VE MADE MY DAY!!!!!!!!!!

[randynason]

So much for stimulating the economy. Got any more bright ideas, Mr. ******-In-Chief?!

[whitemale08]

Here''s something that will make you sick:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dm00i58JCw

It''s one our nations new shanty towns expanding accross America.

[Markus]

HE EXPECTS US TO CHEER FOR HIM FOR PI**ING 0N A HOUSE FIRE!!!!!!!!!! DECIDER IN CHEIF IS A CRIMINAL.

[whitemale08]

Republicans don''t give a da** about us working Americans.

They only care about their base i.e. the rich like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

[Markus]

WOW!!!!! whitemale08 ,THANKS FOR THE ADDRESS.PASTE AND CUT INTO YOUR ADDRESS BAR AND HIT ENTER!!!!!!!!!WOWWWWW!!

Here''''s something that will make you sick:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dm00i58J
Cw

It''''s one our nations new shanty towns expanding accross America.

Posted by whitemale08 at 10:11 PM

[Markus]

WHEN ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER,AND IT WILL,I PLAN ON BEING RIGHT THERE IN THE FRONT ROW DAMNIT!!!!!!!!!

[whitemale08]

Heck they don''t give a hoot about national security. I mean look what happened to us on 911 even though they had plenty of warning.

And then to top it off Republicans made up some cook story about WMD''s and said Saddam did it.

[whitemale08]

MIKETNT303- There''s more video out there. That''s what the FEMA camps are for. The government is going to take all of these people in foreclosure and put them in refugee camps.

Why do you think Bush and the Republicans called our fellow Americans in Katrina "refugees"?

[Markus]

FOR SURE....AND YOU AND I AREN''T ALONE IN THAT CONTENTION.AMERICANS ARE SICK OF THE LIARS,WHOM WE TRUSTED,RUNNING US INTO TO DIRT.WE WILL STOMP OUR WAY IN IF NECESSARY,INTO BEING HEARD AND LISTENED TO.

[whitemale08]

For sure...for sure.

[Markus]

THANKS whitemale08,WHATEVER YOU DO.....DON''T LOSE YOUR FERVOR.SOMETIMES I FEEL ALONE IN THIS GODFORSAKEN MESS ,AND YET ,I KNOW I AM NOT.SEE YOU IN THE FRONT ROW,MY FRIEND!!

[Markus]

I''D RATHER LIVE IN A TENT WITH HONEST PEOPLE,EATING STALE PRETZELS AND DRINKING WATER(IF I COULD FIND IT)THAN BEING SUBJEGATED BY THIS SH**!!!

[whitemale08]

You too my friend...keep HOPE ALIVE!

[latrocinor-2009]

Republicans don''''t give a da** about us working Americans.

They only care about their base i.e. the rich like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

Posted by whitemale08

....................................

Give me one good reason why they should.

[Markus]

COUNT ON IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Markus]

BECAUSE IF THEY BLINK TWICE INSTEAD OF ONCE,THEIR FAT A** COULD/WILL BE MINE.WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

[latrocinor-2009]

BECAUSE IF THEY BLINK TWICE INSTEAD OF ONCE,THEIR FAT A** COULD/WILL BE MINE.WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

Posted by MIKETNT303
............................
The Taliban is looking for hungry opportunistic people like you. They got a guaranteed retirement plan.

You could be all kinds of famous while you do your violence and hate thing.

[latrocinor-2009]

Backlash.

Posted by curse914
.......................

Go for it. Sounds fun.