OCEAN CITY — “Location, lot size and views — this exceptional property has it all,” listing agent Patrick Halliday said of the luxury single-family home at 257 Ocean Road on the east side of the popular Gardens Section of the island.
“The charming home sits on an extraordinarily rare 70-foot by 100-foot oversized lot, just steps from the beach with breathtaking ocean views,” Halliday said.
Featuring four bedrooms and three full bathrooms, the home offers a spacious floor plan, gas heating, central air conditioning, a welcoming front porch, ample yard space and an expansive rear balcony perfectly positioned to capture ocean views and refreshing sea breezes.
But the true luxury here is the opportunity, according to Halliday.
“Oversized lots this close to the beach in the Gardens are increasingly hard to find,” he said, noting the next fortunate owner of the property can enjoy the home as a classic Ocean City retreat, renovate and elevate it or envision an extraordinary custom coastal estate.
Near the intersection of Surf Road, the home is just a clam shell’s toss from the pristine white-sand beaches of America’s Greatest Family Resort.
“Morning walks on the beach, afternoons by the ocean and evenings overlooking the Atlantic — this is the Ocean City lifestyle buyers dream about,” Halliday said.
A concrete sidewalk on the left and driveway on the right extend to the rear, where a large pad provides access to the two-car garage.
The 1,746-square foot home has the distinctive bell-shaped facade typical of homes from its era, with a row of rooms on each side of the second-floor hallway.
The wrap-around front porch provides access to the main entrance and a spacious sitting area cooled by a striped awning and roof. Above, the front sun porch offers another place to relax and watch the world go by, cold drink in hand.
The main door opens into an expansive living room stretching to the far side of the home, where a set of stairs ascends to the second floor.
Through a wide doorway, the dining room is adjacent to the kitchen. It sports beautiful hardwood floors like the living room and a curved bay of windows proving natural light.
Located on the left side of the home, the kitchen has a tile floor, abundant solid-wood cabinets and updated appliances. Two large windows above the sink offer glimpses of the ocean while doing dishes.
Behind the kitchen, a breakfast nook features wood paneling halfway up the walls and a beverage cooler, as well as access to the laundry room, bedroom and full bathroom on the ground floor. The garage is accessed through the laundry room.
Back in the living room, the stairs rise to a hallway, where use of hardwood flooring resumes.
To the right, the primary bedroom is located in the front, offering access to the sun porch seen from the street. Painted a sea foam green, it also has an ensuite bathroom with a shower and extensive tile work.
Shared by the final two bedrooms, the hall bathroom is located midway down on the right side, while the bedrooms are in the rear. The one on the right has wood paneling from floor to ceiling and multiple windows to brighten it up, while the one on the left has white paneled walls and direct access to the spacious rear sun porch.
Ocean City is one of the most popular shore resorts on the East Coast, featuring an oceanfront boardwalk filled with hundreds of shopping, dining and entertainment venues, as well as miles and miles of pristine beaches.
A great location doesn’t only mean beachfront or bayfront on this 8-mile-long island — there are 10 distinct neighborhoods, each with its own characteristics. The home is among the winding, pedestrian-friendly streets of the Gardens, which is a destination rather than a thoroughfare, but close enough to the boardwalk attractions that the scent of caramel popcorn, pizza and other treats wafts by on the gentle breeze.
The beach and boardwalk — 2.5 miles of oceanfront entertainment, restaurants, thrill rides and souvenir shops — get most of the attention in this seaside resort, but the island has much more to offer.
An award-winning downtown stretches from Sixth to 14th streets along Bay Avenue and has expanded onto other nearby streets, offering more than 100 shops and cafes. There’s also the popular watersports district around Third Street on Bay Avenue, where the brave can rent powerboats, go parasailing, join the crew of a pirate ship and take a kayak tour of the back bays. Private and party boat fishing tours are also available.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
