The Bedford Inn at 805 Stockton Ave. has been listed for $4.9 million.
By Emma Dooling
A pair of century-old Jersey Shore properties currently home to bed and breakfasts, both just blocks from the beach, have hit the market, each with an asking price of nearly $5 million.
The Bedford Inn at 805 Stockton Ave. and the Captain Mey’s Inn at 202 Ocean St., both in Cape May, were listed this month for $4.9 million and $4.95 million, respectively. The properties, which have different owners, are currently open to the public.
Built in 1883, the Bedford Inn spans three stories on an 8,690-square-foot lot. The turnkey property features 12 bedrooms, 11 of which are ensuite, plus an additional full bathroom off the hallway and another shared half bathroom, according to the listing. Two of the 12 bedrooms are part of the private owner’s quarters on the first floor and are not open for bookings.
The inn also has a dining room featuring a mural and chandelier and a parlor with a fireplace that leads out to a sun porch. The kitchen, which has stone countertops, looks onto the family room and provides access to “an oasis of a backyard” that includes a patio and a garden, the listing says.
To the front of the inn, there’s an open-air porch and a second-story balcony with ocean views. The property has driveways on both sides of the building that can accommodate at least 10 cars.
The Bedford Inn is owned by Paula Murray and her brother Marc Jacoby, who purchased the property in April 2019 for $1.8 million, according to New Jersey property records. Now nearing the end of its fifth season under their ownership, the Bedford Inn is currently the top-rated B&B in Cape May, according to TripAdvisor user reviews.
The 140-year-old inn is also part of some Cape May historic and ghost tours. A ghost has been seen by many guests over the years on the second floor, Murray said.
Since taking over the property, Murray and Jacoby have undertaken various renovations, including updates to the bathrooms, kitchen, lighting, exterior and the landscaping. Now that she’s fulfilled her dream of owning and operating a B&B, Murray said she’s ready to pass the property, which she says has a “true Cape May Victorian flavor,” on to someone else.
“It’s in perfect shape right now,” she said, noting selling the inn is bittersweet. “And somebody’s going to get an amazing property.”
The listing, which is with Jim Zeitler of Jersey Cape Realty, markets the property as a single-family home and says it can be used as a large rental house.
Less than half a mile away from the Bedford Inn, at 202 Ocean St., the Captain Mey’s Inn has also hit the market. According to the listing, the Victorian building was constructed around 1890 by Dr. Walter Philips. It sits on a 7,900-square-foot lot and has 13 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms with “large scale rooms, elegant detailing and beautiful woodwork” across its three stories, according to the listing.
Guests enter the 133-year-old inn through what is known as the Office Quarters, which were named for their former use as the doctor’s visiting room, the listing says. The first floor features a living room, dining room, kitchen, hall bathroom, laundry room and utility room. It also contains the Captains Quarters, a suite that includes a private bathroom and side entrance.
The second floor houses five bedrooms, four of which have ensuite bathrooms, while the third story features two large bedrooms with private bathrooms and whirlpool tubs, according to the listing. The owner’s quarters are located in the basement level and include four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen. They can be accessed from both inside and outside the B&B.
Recent exterior updates include a new roof, the wood siding being stained, and stained glass pieces being restored, the listing says.
Gail Wilsey-Morrison of Long & Foster Real Estate Cape May, the agent on the listing, said the owner is “downsizing” and decided to list the property. Wilsey-Morrison declined to name the owner, but property records show that an entity by the name Gazak LLC purchased the property in January 2005 for $1.5 million.
The listing for the Captain Mey’s Inn includes an adjacent eight-space parking lot off of Ocean Street, an additional ninth space on the side of the property off of Hughes Street, and the B&B license. The buyer will have the chance to operate their own B&B or turn it into a single-family home, but the owner is not selling the current business or its name.
These are the latest B&Bs to be put up for sale in Greater Philadelphia. In July, two turnkey properties in New Hope listed for $2.95 million and $1.95 million, with the option to be purchased together for $4.95 million. The Inn at Bowman’s Hill, also in New Hope, was put on the market earlier this year with an asking price of $4.5 million.