On the Market at the Shore: Colorful Victorian in Cape May
Visitors flock to this historic beach town to ogle at and stay in places like this house for sale. Wouldn't it be nice to live in one? Here's your opportunity.
815 Stockton Ave., Cape May, N.J. 08204 | Photos: Timothy Fleming Photography via Cape Coastal Properties
Since we went all in for history with our open house choices this week, I figured I’d start off our seasonal Shore house feature with a house for sale in the most historic beach resort on the Northeast coast, Cape May, N.J.
Vacationers have been coming here since the early 1800s to enjoy its beaches and hospitality. A fire in 1878 wiped out much of the center of town, but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for the townsfolk rebuilt it with a dazzling collection of Victorian houses. Together, these houses have made the city of Cape May the only city at the Shore whose entire territory is a National Historic Landmark.
This is not the oldest of the many houses, Victorian and older, that Cape May offers; it only stretches back in time to 1875. But it’s certainly one of the prettiest and most colorful. It brings to mind the “painted ladies” of San Francisco, the only city in the United States with a greater concentration of Victorian houses than Cape May.
This is being marketed as a single-family residence, but it has what it takes to make a great B&B. It’s been beautifully maintained by its owners, who have dressed up its interior in an array of bright, soft pastels and given it furniture that fits its style.
Parlor
The front parlor and foyer of the main house combine to form a single welcoming space. Up by the foyer is an elegant dark wood bar.
Dining room
The kitchen and dining room form the other single space found on the main floor.
Kitchen
The kitchen has been updated with the latest appliances and period-appropriate cabinetry.
Bedroom
On the upper two floors you’ll find six bedrooms and five bathrooms, all as bright as the spaces below. Porches on the main and second floors let you enjoy the breezes off the ocean, and the upper-floor porch and bedrooms offer great views of the ocean to boot. (This house for sale is one short block from the beach.)
Cottage in rear
Cottage dining room/kitchen
Attached to the back of the main house is a newer cottage with its own entrance, living room, dining room/kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Cottage living room
Cottage bedroom
This twofer opens up a wealth of possibilities. You could live in the main house and rent out the cottage, or vice versa. You could buy it as an investment and rent both units out. Or, as already noted, you could turn it into a B&B and make the cottage your year-round residence.
The choices are yours. Why not seize the occasion?
THE FINE PRINT
(all figures are for the main house and cottage combined)
BEDS: 8
BATHS: 7 full, 1 half
SQUARE FEET: 4,258
SALE PRICE: $1,499,000
815 Stockton Ave., Cape May, N.J. 08204 [MaryAnn Donahue | Cape Coastal Properties]
