A Colahan Family Legacy at the South Jersey Shore
Redfern Ocean Development was founded in the 1980s by Jim Colahan — a one-home-at-a-time beginning that grew, over four decades, into one of South Jersey's most established coastal development firms.
What started as a single family's conviction — that the Jersey Shore deserved homes built with the same care as the communities around them — became a business defined by relationships. Relationships with the families we've helped move on from an aging home. With the Realtors who've introduced us to three generations of their clients. With the tradespeople who've been on Colahan job sites for twenty and thirty years.
Today, Redfern Ocean is continuing under the next generation of the Colahan family. The markets have changed. Elevation requirements have rewritten what shore building looks like. Buyer expectations have moved toward modern, open, rental-capable homes. Insurance has become its own economic force. But the principle the business was built on hasn't changed: treat every property, every family, and every partner the way you'd want to be treated if it were yours.
What Redfern Ocean Does
We are a family-owned residential and commercial development company with deep roots along the South Jersey shoreline. Our work falls into three paths:
Direct Purchase
We buy aged single-family and duplex homes at premium pricing. Older homes are often worth significantly more as redevelopment opportunities. We pay top price based on lot value, close privately, and require no repairs, showings, or staging.
Joint Ventures
For property owners who want to capture the full upside of redevelopment without selling outright, we structure joint ventures that allow you to retain ownership through the build and share in the final value.
New Construction
Elevated, FEMA-compliant, modern coastal construction designed to last and to meet the expectations of today's families and rental markets.
What Makes Our Model Different
We don't list or sell our properties
Redfern Ocean is a developer, not a brokerage. Every sale we're involved with is handled through local Realtors, and Realtor commissions are protected by written commitment. Our business has been built alongside the Realtor community.
We pay for value, not for pressure
The wholesale cash-buyer market that has moved into South Jersey pays, on average, 60–80% of market value. That's not how we operate. We pay top redevelopment-based pricing because our business depends on sellers trusting us.
We evaluate honestly
Not every home should be torn down. Some should be renovated. Some should be listed traditionally. Some should be held. Our first conversation is an honest evaluation, not a pitch — because we help you make the best decision for your family, even when that decision doesn't include us.
Serving the Shore Communities We Know
Sea Isle City
Our home market. From the 40s–70s blocks mid-island, we've worked on more redevelopment here than in any other town.
Avalon
Seven Mile Island's luxury market, where land values and buyer expectations have rewritten the economics of older homes.
Stone Harbor
One of the most prestigious communities at the shore, now actively redeveloping block by block.
Wildwood
The shore's largest inventory of aging duplexes and cottages, and one of the most active redevelopment markets in the state.
Ocean City
Family-oriented, year-round, and quietly becoming one of the strongest markets for elevated new construction.
Strathmere
Smaller communities where local knowledge matters most.
A Legacy Worth Continuing
Over 40 years and 150+ coastal projects, the Colahan family has built a legacy that is well known throughout South Jersey's coastal communities. The majority of our business today comes from repeat partners, referrals from Realtors we've worked with for decades, and families who remember a project we did for their neighbor twenty years ago.
That is the business we are continuing to build — one relationship, one home, one block at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long has Redfern Ocean been in business?
Redfern Ocean Development was founded in the 1980s by Jim Colahan. The firm has been active in South Jersey coastal real estate development for over 40 years.
Is Redfern Ocean a real estate brokerage?
No. Redfern Ocean is a developer, not a brokerage. We do not list or sell properties. Every sale involving Redfern Ocean is handled through local Realtors with written commission protection.
What towns does Redfern Ocean serve?
We serve the barrier island and bayfront communities of Sea Isle City, Avalon, Stone Harbor, Wildwood, Ocean City, and Strathmere in Cape May County, New Jersey.
How is Redfern Ocean different from cash buyers?
Wholesale cash buyers typically pay 60–80% of market value. Redfern Ocean pays top redevelopment-based pricing because our business depends on trust, reputation, and referrals from the communities we serve.
Considering your options?
Whether it's an older shore home, an inherited property, or a redevelopment opportunity — start with a grounded conversation. No pressure, no obligation.