OCEAN CITY — The adorable coastal cottage at 1405 Pleasure Ave. has been upgraded with modern amenities and redesigned with an open layout to meet the demands of today’s savvy buyers while at the same time maintaining its historic charm.
The three-bedroom single is just a tad more than 1,000 square feet yet has everything necessary in a beach home — including an outside shower.
Located just a block from Great Egg Harbor Bay, the home has a mahogany-decked front porch that provides plenty of space for a couple of rockers to sit in while watching the sun set on another great day at the shore. There’s a grassy front yard and mulched flowerbeds bursting with colorful hydrangeas and shore grasses that flank the stairs up to the porch.
“You can sit on your front porch and enjoy the beautiful bay views and breezes,” listing agent Ken Cooper said.
Cooper thinks the best part of the home is its location in a quiet section of the island off the beaten path.
“This neighborhood offers some peace and solitude — just ask the neighbors,” he said. “They love their neighborhood.”
A solid-wood front door with a large window opens into the living room, where the beautiful refinished original hardwood flooring perfectly complements the rustic white brick fireplace surround. Overhead is a coffered ceiling, part of the fantastic millwork in the home, that adds to the aesthetic.
A wall was removed in the back of the home during creation of the dining nook, allowing for a sightline from the front door straight through to the back. That opened the home up yet somehow it manages to provide five distinct areas inside and two more outside.
The living room actually is almost two rooms, partially separated in the middle by a knee wall with a square column to either side. Each section has a sofa and a couple of armchairs for those rare times when not at the beach or bay, allowing for separate conversations in each part.
Cooper said the home has been updated with modern conveniences, such as stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops. A peninsula jutting out from the wall partially separates the kitchen from the living room and creates a bar where there are four stools. Three pendant lights hang overhead.
A four-burner gas range is set in the counter facing the living room, while there’s a two-basin stainless-steel sink and a dishwasher to the right, across from the refrigerator.
Step down into the dining nook, where the bench seating around the wood table provides storage, much like a berth in a ship. This area is light and bright with five windows and a door opening onto the back patio. A single cabinet with a granite top creates a coffee center where a microwave sits on a shelf.
All of the bedrooms are on the right side of the house. The first is just off the front room and includes a full-size bed and a closet with a solid wood swinging door. This room connects directly with the second bedroom, which is notable for its overhead storage cubby. It has a twin bed, closet and door opening onto the second part of the living room, next to the bathroom. This room features a granite-topped vanity and shower with subway tile to the ceiling, modern fixtures and a swinging glass door. There also is a stacked washer and dryer in the closet.
The final bedroom, in the back, currently has twin beds and a trundle. This room is unique in that it has a half-bath.
Outside, the home has cedar shake siding that has been weathered to a perfect “beach cottage” shade. All of the windows have been replaced and trimmed in vinyl. Likewise, there are vinyl railings on the porches, offering durability and low maintenance.
Out back is a patio with a barbecue grill and seating area for dining al fresco. The area is fenced and includes an enclosed outside shower.
Another notable aspect of the home is that it’s just a clam shell’s throw away from Dollhouse Row. The 10 homes were built in 1927 as bayfront cottages — no heat or air conditioning, just a place for fishermen to catch some shut-eye before heading out again the next day. Future development put Pleasure Avenue and two homes between these gems and the bay, but they are definitely worth the short trip to see.
Ocean City is one of the most popular shore resorts on the East Coast, featuring a 2.5-mile-long oceanfront boardwalk filled with hundreds of shopping, dining and entertainment venues, as well as miles and miles of pristine beaches. There also is an award-winning downtown business district centered on Asbury Avenue and a watersports district on Bay Avenue between Second and Fourth street.
The property is listed for $899,000 with Ken Cooper of Monihan Realty. Call (609) 602-6885 or (609) 399-1311 for more information or to set up an appointment to see this wonderful home.