Ferguson Dechert Real Estate - Avalon, New Jersey

Amber W. S.

We have had the pleasure of working with Doug Craig for several years as our go-to realtor in Avalon, NJ, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. Doug is exceptionally responsive, always quick to answer our questions and provide detailed information. His wealth of knowledge about the area, including the best homes, locations, and optimal times to travel, has been invaluable in helping us find the perfect rental every time.

Smiles A. T. S.

Thanks to Doug Craige for a wonderful 2 week
Vacation rental in Avalon this year! After meeting Doug, he sent me a list of over 25
potential rentals that matched my criteria for
size, location and price. We signed the lease;
however, when we were arrived at the house
there were several problems. I called Doug
and he resolved the issues quickly, professionally and much to my satisfaction.
It is obvious that he cares about establishing
lasting relationships with his clients and not
just a quick commission. Doug is extremely
knowledgeable, personable, honest and quickly returns phone calls. I
highly recommend him if you are looking to rent or buy in the Avalon/ Stone Harbor area.
Thanks again Doug. We will be back!
- Dr. Nancy Harris

Heather R.

Our family has been vacationing in Avalon since 2020. We always deal with Doug Craige at Ferguson Dechert. Doug is very professional, knowledgeable, efficient and a pleasure to work with! He always checks in with you to make sure that the rental is to your satisfaction. In the event that there are any issues, Doug gets right to work and makes sure they are resolved. If you are thinking about booking a vacation in Avalon or surrounding areas, call and ask for Doug today, you will be glad that you did!

Colleen K.

Doug Craige was an invaluable asset to us while renting out our Avalon property for several years. He was quick to respond to calls/questions on our end as well as our renters. His knowledge and expertise of the South Jersey real estate market, his professionalism and his kind, approachable demeanor made working with him a pleasure. When it came time to list the home for sale, Doug’s assistance helped us to sell the house quickly and for more than the asking price. I’d highly recommend Doug to help you with managing/securing rentals or buying/selling a home. He’s a great guy!

Kathleen H.

I've been renting in Avalon/Stone Harbor for more than 30 years, first time renting with the Dan Bowersock group at Ferguson Dechert. It's also the first time I've felt compelled to leave a negative review.

We rented a 5-bedroom property at 130 Pelican Drive South in Avalon for a week this August. We paid nearly 10k for a run-down, dirty bay front property. I provided a list of issues to the realtor within 2 days of arrival via their portal - and at their request. The only action I got was that they sent someone out to drain the dirty water that had been standing in the washing machine since our arrival.

This rental is way past its prime - dirty, stained furniture that we were afraid to sit on (one stain on the couch looked like blood), food-specked cabinets, the master bed propped up on bricks and a kitchen pot, a disconnected head board that banged on the wall every time we moved. It looked like it hadn't been cleaned at all. The refrigerator had more dirty fingerprints than a CSI crime scene. One of the bedrooms had numerous long, dark hairs on the carpet.

On day 2, I couldn't take it anymore and gave the kitchen floor a quick wash. It was that dirty that I washed a floor on vacation. We had to throw out the fudge we had wrapped up in a bag in our bedroom because it was covered with ants.

The whole experience felt like we'd accidentally rented a frat house. This was a disappointing experience and the first time I've felted ripped off on a summer rental. I'm seriously considering renting in another town next year. Avalon/Stone Harbor has become a money grab with owners cheaping out on upkeep and realtors providing zero customer service or accountability.

Body I. G.

We rented a home 1116 Stone Harbor Blvd #309 from Ferguson Dechert through an agent that we worked with for years. We checked into the property and found the unit dirty, hair all over the bathrooms, had ants and back deck faced a boat vard. I alerted the realtor Lisa Tavlor that the unit was dirty on Monday morning and she treated me like one of her kids...admonished me for not telling her on Sunday and told me that we had to wait till Friday for it to be cleaned. We requested a possible property move... no luck. Shocked, my husband and i began discussing our options to leave and find another property that might accommodate our two week vacation. Our realtor Lisa came over and sprayed the unit with an ant spray and told us the unit was not that dirty.... Realtors at the shore points have been getting away with "grin and bear it" customer service forever. At this point, we were given no choice but to clean the 3 floor townhome ourselves or to end our vacation early. I even spoke with Allen Dechert directly in an effort to get some kind of results....His response was that is hands were tied and the owners of the unit would not give us a refund. Never once was any effort or consideration given to the facts and that our vacation was spoiled and $$$ waisted or to bring in a cleaning person to remediate the problem. My husband and left on day 5 of our vacation due to an incoming gale/tropical storm which threatened to create flooding and 60 mile wind gusts. So, far we are denied any relief. I even stopped by the office to have a conversation with Dechert upon dropping off keys. He said, "so sorry for your troubles."

Chris S.

We were greatly disappointed by the services provided this year after they lost our renewal form (turned in by hand at check out this past summer) for the house we had rented for the past several years, causing us to lose the house we had been in previously. Our agent did not follow up with us to inquire as to why we were not renewing, something that could have mitigated this problem to begin with. We have since moved on to another agency in order to recover our family plans for summer '23. If you are looking for the bare minimum of service on your summer rental, this is the place for you.

Toni M.

I have used them to rent my condo. Cannot say enough nice things about Andrea and Holly. Attentive to my needs as a landlord and very professional. They took care of everything from finding and screening prospective tenants to finalizing lease and dealing with any issues while apartment was tenant occupied. Andrea and Holly have been absolutely wonderful and I would definitely recommend them.