Born To sell

By David P. Willis from http://bit.ly/ZrIhKThe small house at 7 1/2 West End Court in Long Branch where one-time renter Bruce Springsteen wrote "Born to Run," "Thunder Road" and other songs on the "Born to Run" album is up for sale for $299,000.The house came on the market this past weekend, said Susan McLaughlin, an agent with Keller Williams Realty.The one-level home, built in the traditional southern shotgun-style, is 928 square feet, has high ceilings, two bedrooms, living room, galley kitchen and one bathroom. "It has a sweet front porch, a dear little front porch behind a hedge," McLaughlin said. There's also a small private backyard with a patio."It has a newer bathroom and it is in essentially the same condition that it was when Bruce lived there in 1974, 1975," McLaughlin said.According to "Rock & Roll Tour of the Jersey Shore" by Jean Mikle, a reporter at the Asbury Park Press, and Stan Goldstein, an editor at the Star Ledger, Springsteen wrote "Born to Run," "Thunder Road," "Backstreets" and many other songs on the iconic album at 7 1/2 West End Court."During the "Tunnel of Love' tour (in 1988), Bruce would talk about how he was sitting on the edge of his bed and wrote "Born to Run' while living here," the two wrote.McLaughlin's phone has been ringing off the hook since it became known that a home with a Springsteen connection was up for sale. "The locals have always known about it," she said of the home's lore.The home's provenance is important in marketing the house, she said. "As locals and old friends of Bruce, we don't want to capitalize on that," McLaughlin said. "We have to make sure it doesn't turn into a free for all."She has received interest from potential buyers and is requiring buyer prequalification before showing it."I am going to be very busy over the next couple of days showing it," McLaughlin said.