By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — The Southend single at 5300 Simpson Ave. is the perfect combination of seclusion and social scene — both the location and the home itself.
On the corner of 53rd Street, the two-story cottage is in a secluded, residential section of the island perfect for those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of life while at the same time being close to all of the exciting attractions that make Ocean City America’s Greatest Family Resort.
“The hardest part about selling this is its location. It feels like we live in a neighborhood but then you walk a short distance and you’re at the beach,” seller Michael Ann Bird said. “Wide streets, plenty of parking. It’s very residential.”
The home has the same features: Five bedrooms and two bathrooms on two floors with a large, open gathering space encompassing the living room and dining area and the kitchen in the rear. That provides everyone their own space as well as multiple gathering areas — both inside and outside.
The exterior features a large grassy yard with a couple of ornamental trees and a concrete driveway to the left off Simpson. Mulched beds with seasonal shrubs bordered by a brick wall flank the steps up to the composite front deck, which has a covered section and an uncovered section, allowing for both sun and shade.
A paver path leads to the backyard, which is enclosed by a 5-foot vinyl fence. Out back is a brick patio with a sloped roof containing skylights, so it’s lit by natural light but also provides shelter on the rare day when it rains at the shore.
Over toward the 53rd Street side is an enclosed outside shower and attached storage shed, while a surfboard storage area and bike rack enclosure are on the other side of the fence.
“This property truly captures outdoor living with plenty of areas to lounge, including the front deck and rear covered patio,” real estate agent Burt Wilkins III said.
Back out front, the keypad entry door opens onto a foyer with medium-plank engineered hardwood flooring. The living room is to the left, stairs to the second floor straight ahead and a hallway leading to three of the bedrooms is to the right.
The designer incorporated an intelligent use of space, packing in a lot without making the home feel cramped. The home is being sold fully furnished.
The living room sports a large sectional sofa inside a double window facing Simpson Avenue. Crown molding lines the ceiling.
Just steps away, the dining area features a butcher block counter to the left with five barstools just inside a sliding glass door opening onto the patio out back. A double window above the counter provides more natural light, keeping the are bright and cheery.
Featuring abundant white Fabuwood cabinets with blue quartz countertops and a glass-tile backsplash, the kitchen leads around the corner to the right. Stainless-steel Whirlpool appliances include a two-door refrigerator with bottom freezer drawer, a dishwasher to the left of the stainless-steel sink, a four-burner range and microwave oven above.
All the way in the back, next to a second sliding glass door, is a stacked washer and dryer alongside a utility sink and Manitowoc icemaker.
Turning right from the foyer, the first bedroom — each of the home’s five has a door with a large window and a blind — features a full-size bed and a twin. One wall features wallpaper that looks exceptionally like horizontal wood planks.
Continuing down the hall, the second bedroom has bunkbeds and a nautical-inspired color scheme.
The third bedroom and first-floor bathroom are at the end of the hall as it connects back with the living room. The space under the stairs can serve multiple purposes, in this case it’s set up as a linen closet.
The bedroom has a full-size bed beneath a bamboo-impression ceiling fan. One wall has wallpaper with a yellow honeycomb pattern.
The bathroom has a tile floor, quartz-topped wood vanity and a porcelain tub/shower with tiled walls and a curtain. Bead board wainscoting covers the bottom half of the walls.
Atop the wood stairs is the classic Cape Cod layout with a central bathroom and a bedroom to each side.
The bath has a tile floor, fiberglass shower with a swinging glass door and vanity with a glass basin.
On the left, the master bedroom has a flat ceiling that slopes down to each side, creating an interesting architectural effect. It has wall-to-wall carpeting, a king-size bed and closet.
On the right, the final bedroom has a full-size bed and a large closet with double sliding doors.
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 streets.
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 Southend is narrow with fewer homes and room to stretch out. It’s also closer to nature, both literally and figuratively. The wetlands environment is home to red fox, diamondback terrapins, egrets, gulls, ospreys and more.
Another great feature is the home’s proximity to Corsons Inlet State Park and the bridge to the southern islands of Strathmere and Sea Isle City. The Deauville Inn in Strathmere is celebrating a rebirth this summer following major renovations and now is a popular beachfront hotspot.
The property is listed for $875,000 with The Wilkins Team of Goldcoast Sotheby’s International Realty. Call Emily Wilkins at (609) 513-2029, Burt Wilkins at (609) 513-2500 or Burt Wilkins III at (609) 464-2571 for more information or to set up an appointment to tour this wonderful home.
You might want to look up the meaning of “restive ” in a dictionary. I’d think there’d be a lot of reasons people wouldn’t want to buy a house in a restive neighborhood.