In a perfect world, Pearl and Stephen Lin would not be selling their home. In a perfect world, they'd still be running the Pearl Restaurant in Somers Point, just as they had for more than 26 years. But the world is imperfect, and the Lins no longer own the restaurant on the old Somers Point Circle. The state seized the property two year ago as part of the Somers Point-Ocean City causeway project. The ground the Pearl once occupied is now a parking lot.
With their livelihood gone and their two grown sons living in New York City, the Lins have no reason to remain in the area. So they've put their home in Egg Harbor Township on the market.
Custom built in 1988, the two-story house features four bedrooms and about 3,800 square feet of living space. It stands in a secluded neighborhood of upscale homes on Stony Creek Drive in a section of the township known as Bargaintown. Best of all, the property borders an expanse of meadowlands and the waters of Patcong Creek, which feeds into the Great Egg Harbor Bay. Buffers of trees on both sides shield the house from neighboring homes.
The all-stucco house with a stone fa�ade sits at the end of a concrete driveway that leads to a side-entry two car garage. Inside, the open floor plan features a large informal dining area from which the kitchen, great room, family room and foyer all radiate. Large formal living and dining rooms have bayed windows. There's an oversized laundry room off the kitchen and a half bath in the foyer.
The kitchen has new granite counters, glass tile backsplashes and stainless steel appliances, all part of $50,000 in improvements the Lins recently completed. Those improvements also included a new roof, deck and a new central air conditioning system.
A wood-burning fireplace with a stone surround is the focus of the carpeted sunken family room, which has doors to a small concrete patio. The sun splashed great room is lined with windows and features a vaulted ceiling, exposed beams and two skylights. It overlooks the back yard and meadowlands and also has access to a large deck where a Japanese maple tree grows right through the decking.
A curved oak staircase ascends from the elegant two-story foyer to the second floor where there's a full bathroom and four bedrooms including an enormous master suite. The 670-square-foot master bedroom has a cathedral ceiling and skylights. There's also a dressing area and two large walk-in closets, one of which has a window. The ceramic tiled bathroom has a glassed-in walk-in shower chamber and an oversized whirlpool tub.
"I haven't used it in 20 years," Pearl says. "I was always working."
While the recent storm that wreaked havoc in the area knocked down six trees on the property, the debris has been cleared and plenty of trees remain. In fact, losing a few trees may have had an unintended benefit.
"I still have a lot of privacy but I have a better view of the meadows and water," Pearl says.
When the Lins sell the house, they're contemplating a move back to Pearl's native country of Taiwan.
"My mom and dad, and my brother and a sister are all over there," she says. "My mom is 87 and in poor health. I think I want to go home."
An open house at this property, which is listed for $459,000, will be held Sunday, July 29, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. For more information and directions call Ayako Meisenhelter of ReMax Atlantic, 609-214-5951.
Contact David Enscoe:
609-272-7087
