This pink house for sale in N.J. is a must see

Has anyone ever given you directions and said, “you can’t miss it.”

That’s the case with this historic home in the Dennisville section of Dennis Township. It’s painted a very bright shade of purplish pink and has teal-colored doors.

But the inside has a whole other personality — muted and traditional.

“The State Police love it,” said Ryan Manney, of Compass, the listing agent. “It’s a good point of reference for them.”

The three-bedroom house with two full bathrooms and one half-bath was built in 1810, and it’s listed for sale for $499,000.

It’s on a nearly 1-acre lot that backs to Dennisville Lake, also known as Johnson Pond. It’s a 49-acre body of water that’s municipally owned.

“The lake is beautiful and surprising,” Manney said. “When you go out back the trees open up and you see the lake. You wouldn’t know it existed until you approach it.”

The home was built for Nathaniel Holmes Jr., a local merchant who ran a general store and doubled as a politician who served in the state Assembly from 1847 to 1849 and on the county board of commissioners from 1834 to 1841. The house, nicknamed Holmestead, had an addition built in 1822 by a local builder and wood carver, John Armstrong.

It remained in the Holmes family until 1947, according to documents from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Historic Preservation Office.

The current owners have used it as a second home — and it doesn’t have a full kitchen. There is no stove, Manney said.

But it’s rich with historic character including millwork, windows, doors and hardware.

The property is zoned residential, but there is another small building that can be used as a retail store. “The current owner’s wife ran a small gift shop out back,” the listing agent said.

The 11-room, nearly 1,900-square-foot home has been updated by the current owner with a newer roof, septic system, central air conditioning and heat.

“It’s good for a wide range of buyers,” Manney said. “Someone who appreciates older homes and wants to use it full-time, or as a rental or second home. And someone who wants a live and work space.”

The house is located in a Cape May County neighborhood that has other historic homes, and a local homes tour is conducted around the holidays, he said.

It’s also about 15 or 20 minutes from beach areas like Stone Harbor, Avalon and Sea Isle City.

Are you an agent, buyer or seller who is active in this changing market? Do you have tips about New Jersey’s real estate market? Unusual listings? Let us know.

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Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com.