OCEAN CITY — The fantastic two-story home at 941 Palen Ave. is set in a secluded enclave just off Ninth Street, the main artery into the city known as America’s Greatest Family Resort.
Tucked back by Great Egg Harbor Bath in the shadow of the Route 52 bridge, the property offers the privacy of an area that is a destination rather than a thoroughfare as well as immediate access to everything that makes the island a must-visit location.
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 around Third Street on Bay Avenue.
Just around the corner, the causeway is a popular place to walk and bike, offering access to the city information center with its bird-watching platforms and incredible views.
Other attractions such as shopping and dining are just blocks away, while the boardwalk and beach are just a couple of blocks farther.
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 Gardens is popular with many for its slow pace, huge beaches and winding, pedestrian-friendly streets. The Riviera is a boater’s paradise with many Mediterranean-style homes set right on inland lagoons. The Central neighborhood is bustling with business both downtown and on the boardwalk, while the Southend is narrow with fewer homes and room to stretch out. The Northend contains many of the island’s historic homes and Merion Park, in the south, features wetlands and wildlife along with wonderful sunset views. The Goldcoast has some of the best beachfront homes on the island, while Merion Park offers beautiful sunsets over the bay and wetlands.
Stretching along Great Egg Harbor Bay, the aptly named Bay Area follows Bay Avenue from North Street to 16th Street. This area is particularly appealing to watersport enthusiasts. With marinas, personal watercraft, sailing, parasailing and a new water park, the Bay Area caters to those who love to live their life on the water.
A marina just across the street from the home offers access to paddleboarding, kayaking and boating.
The 1,684-square-foot home offers the best of bay living with panoramic bay and sunset views, according to real estate agent Emily Wilkins of Goldcoast Sotheby’s International Realty.
Built in 2002, the home has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a welcoming open living and dining area, kitchen and multiple decks.
Designed for relaxation, the home has maintenance-free vinyl siding with white trim and not a blade of grass popping up through the gravel yard.
The front features a raised, covered porch lined by a mulched bed with seasonal shrubs. On the second floor, an awning provides shade for the deck off the primary bedroom, a perfectly pleasant place to take in the kaleidoscopic light show to cap off the evening.
A concrete walkway leads down the left to the rear of the property, where there is space for three cars on the concrete parking pad outside the one-car garage. There’s also a storage shed and enclosed shower.
Back out front, a door with an oval leaded-glass window opens onto the spacious, open great room with a sightline straight back to the kitchen. Wide-plank flooring coupled with numerous windows and a 9-foot ceiling increase the feeling of spaciousness.
To the right, a sofa and love seat resting atop an area rug are arranged around a gas fireplace with a tile surround and wood mantel. A large television hangs above.
Featuring an oval table that seats four to six, the dining area is in the middle of the space to the left.
More seating is available at the granite-topped center island in the kitchen, which features stainless-steel appliances, abundant white cabinets and a glass tile backsplash.
Set up as an office/sitting room, the home’s first bedroom is in the back right. It has direct access to the bathroom off the kitchen, which has a vanity and shower with sliding glass doors.
Off the dining area, carpeted steps rise to the second floor in an open stairwell with front-facing windows offering a bay view.
The primary bedroom is just off to the right. Featuring wall-to-wall carpeting and a peaked cathedral ceiling, the room has a king-size bed, private bathroom and sliding glass door opening onto the front deck overlooking the bay and marina. There also are two closets including one walk-in.
There are two additional large bedrooms.
One has bunk beds and access to an expansive rear deck, while the other has a queen-size bed and an en suite bathroom.
There’s also a full hall bathroom, laundry closet with a full-size washer and dryer and attic access for storage.
The house has an attached garage with a lofted storage just off the kitchen, making it a convenient place to keep seasonal furniture away from the elements.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
