A Victorian by the beach in Asbury Park, for $1.3 million

A transformation is underway in Asbury Park. Once a faded working class stronghold on the Jersey Shore, the small city has become a hip summer party scene in recent years. Vintage shops, trendy restaurants (like upscale pizzeria Talula's), bars, and music festivals attract people in search of a vacation near the beach, and since Asbury Park is a relatively short drive from the city, many of its seasonal visitors hail from NYC.

Of course, community renaissances tend to draw luxury developers, and Asbury Park is no exception. As reported by the New York Times, the 17-story Asbury Ocean Club development just one block from the ocean is expected to start selling multimillion dollar condos this summer. Indeed, real estate prices are climbing in Asbury Park, with property values spiking 32 percent from last year, according to the Times, and the influx of high-end condos, retail, and tourism (the Asbury Ocean Club will include a boutique hotel) suggests houses will get even pricier over the next few years.

So if you're looking for a vacation home near the beach, now's a good time to buy, before prices climb, and this five-bedroom, four-bath Victorian house, at 301 7th Ave., a five minute walk from the boardwalk is a good place to start. The house was built in 1883 and recently restored, and the renovation is reflected in the $1,299,000 price, which is on the high end for Asbury Park. It features an eat-in kitchen with custom cabinets, a soapstone counter, and a farmhouse sink, in addition to high-end Viking appliances.

The living room has a chandelier, wainscoting and gorgeous bay windows.

The current owners mounted a television on the wall, to maximize space.

The living room leads into a bright, formal dining room.

And there's a separate sitting room with a fireplace.

Here's a detail of the woodwork on the staircase leading to the second story.

The master bedroom also has bay windows, along with lots of room and light.

The marble-tiled shower in the master bedroom is also a treat, plus there's room for a tub.

There are two more bedrooms on the second floor.

In addition to another bathroom.

And there's a second kitchen, for late night snacks.

Along with an outdoor deck for lounging.

Not sure if the cat comes with the house, but the staircase does.

There are two more bedrooms on the third level, though if you don't need the extra sleeping quarters, you could use them as office space or yet another living room.

There's a bathroom upstairs as well.

For outdoor space, there's a little patio between the house and its detached garage.

And there's a comfortable front porch.

The house is about a 1.5 hour drive from Manhattan, or you can take NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast line, which takes about two hours.