If you’re looking for a small town on the Jersey Shore with plenty to do and waterfront views to die for, Ocean City could be the place you’ve been waiting to call home.
Ocean City is one of the best places to live in New Jersey, according to niche.com, and with a population of slightly more than 11,000, it is small enough to get to know many of your neighbors, at least when it isn’t tourist season. With a booming nightlife and a town full of vacationers ready to have a good time, summer may prove to be your favorite time of the year.
Ocean City real estate is varied and features townhomes, condos, duplexes, and mansions, so there is a lot to choose from when exploring the city. Many luxury spots also feature pools and additional amenities.
If you’re thinking about making Ocean City your next home and are looking for a real estate agent, remember that only a native Ocean City real estate agent can help you find the hidden gems that Ocean City real estate truly has to offer. A native Ocean City real estate agent knows their city’s properties so well that they should have no trouble finding you a dream home that has what you’re looking for and then some.
Are you looking for a dream home?
It’s difficult to drive down a row of elaborate, history-filled homes and not feel your heart jump with desire and a twinge of nostalgia. Victorians especially, with decadent architectural detailing, can be hard to resist.
If you’ve always longed to live in a Victorian mansion with multiple rooms, alcoves, and reading nooks, your real estate agent can find you a nicely renovated, ]waterfront mansion — likely one that they passed by themself growing up in Ocean City — with gorgeous gardens, intricate architecture and delicate molding, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows to take advantage of the waterfront view.
This house and others like it are rare finds, but a native Ocean City agent will have a better idea when Ocean City homes for sale might be going on the market, and they will have a rapport with other agents that might help give you an edge when you find that Jersey Shore dream.
Your agent knows the neighborhoods
A native real estate agent is familiar with the many neighborhoods in Ocean City, and if you’re looking for luxury, they’ll likely steer you to the Gold Coast.
The homes here are palatial, but there are also light, airy, and absolutely elegant high-end condos, duplexes and townhomes to be found in Ocean City’s Gold Coast, located on the quiet end of the boardwalk and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
Imagine massive spaces with open floor plans, hardwood floors, and a cool beach vibe, or beachfront decks on every floor. Your agent knows these properties inside and out, and if you give them a wish list, they’ll likely come back with a turnkey property that’s even better.
But if you sometimes need a break from the fun and you’d like to be a bit off the boardwalk, there are plenty of Ocean City homes for sale off the beaten path. Your knowledgeable Ocean City agent will know about those, as well.
Your native agent is in the know
Not only does your real estate agent understand Ocean City real estate, but they also know the best places in town for dining, entertainment, parks, coffee shops, and shopping.
Your agent will direct you to the best place for homemade fudge on the boardwalk, the most intimate part of the beach, and let you know what time is the best to take a trip on the Ferris wheel, along with so much more.
They will also know which exhibit is the most interesting at the Ocean City Historical Museum (shipwrecks, perhaps?), although that sort of thing is really a matter of taste. Rotating exhibits and new artifacts keep things fresh and new at this diverse museum.
Your agent has the intel on the best food in the city
Eater Philadelphia took a trip to the Jersey Shore and stopped for a taste at several Ocean City restaurants. They all sound delicious, but your agent is able to give top-notch recommendations based on personal experience and share the best hidden gems.
On the beach, expect plenty of seafood, such as what you’ll find at Spadafora’s Seafood Market, which features coconut shrimp with spiced rum sauce, both Manhattan and New England clam chowders, stuffed shrimp, scallops, and more. Ask your agent if you should order the Thai chili shrimp or the blue crab claws as the first appetizer you try.
It’s almost a certainty that they’ll tell you about the fantastic Topsail Steamer. It’s a unique spot for seafood lovers who prefer to eat at home. It serves up seafood steam pots full of fresh meat, seafood, veggies, and more, so customers can take them to go and easily steam them when ready. Ocean City is full of interesting and fun places like this one serving up the best.
Your agent will help you fall in love with nature
There are plenty of hiking and biking areas to be found near most Ocean City homes for sale, but there are a few parks that your native agent will likely tell you about. Just ask which one is the best for your preferred recreation, and they’ll no doubt fill you in.
Corson’s Inlet State Park is the last underdeveloped land in New Jersey, and in addition to observing wildlife you can hike, boat or fish. Bird watchers will swoon over Stainton Wildlife Refuge, and Cowpens Island is a beautiful spot for a relaxing walk along the water.
By choosing a real estate agent who is not native to the region, you could miss out on some really special spots for shopping, recreation, food, and more. A local agent will want you to know and love the city just as much as they do, and that’s the agent for you.
Ready to take the next step and start looking at homes in Ocean City? Reach out to local agent Christen Andrews for expert advice and guidance.
