Ocean City MD Geographical Terms Used in Local Listings

Looking to buy a property in Ocean City, Maryland? What are the geographical locations and terms that you should be aware of to help you determine the perfect spot for you if you’re looking for a second home or vacation home? 

First off, Ocean City is 10 miles of beach from north to south, bordered by Delaware to the north and Asseteque Island to the south. In those 10 miles of beach, we are also about half a mile to 3/4 mile wide at its absolute widest. This makes Ocean City truly a barrier island. 

But when searching for properties in the Greater Ocean City area, there are key terms or categories that properties are labeled as. 

Here is a rundown of these key terms:

Oceanfront

When people think of Ocean City, the first thing that comes to mind is the oceanfront and days spent on the beach. An oceanfront property is a building or structure that sits directly on the ocean, just behind the dune line. You will get unobstructed views up and down the beach of the Atlantic Ocean. 

However, you might also see some properties referred to as indirect oceanfront. Typically, that is in an oceanfront building, but the unit itself is on the side. Thus, your views may be looking to the north or to the south, and you might have to kind of go out to the balcony and turn your head a little bit to see up and down the beach or the street, with the ocean off in the distance. This is still a great location but the views are not going to be like what you’ll find on a direct oceanfront property. 

Ocean Block

Staying on the ocean side or ocean block, you find anything that is east of Coastal Highway. 

Coastal Highway is the main road that runs up and down the middle of the barrier island that is Ocean City. Anything located to the east of Coastal Highway but not on the oceanfront is going to be considered oceanblock or oceanside. 

These are great opportunities and are great locations because they provide a very easy walk to get to the beach. You do not have to cross any major streets or go to a red light to try to cross the street, so it’s really a convenient location. 

At the same time, depending on the floor of the oceanblock property, you could have exceptional views of both the ocean and quite possibly, the bay. 

Bayside or Bayside Interior

Moving across Coastal Highway, any properties that are on the west of the highway but not actually touching any kind of water would be referred to as bayside or bayside interior. On that side, we see a lot of condominiums, single-family homes, and townhomes. 

What’s good about this location is it has very easy access to any part of Ocean City, but you probably will not get the views or water access from your back door. 

Bayside Waterfront

Anything west of Coastal Highway that is touching some sort of water is called bayside waterfront. These could be canal frontage, natural shoreline, creek, or direct bayfront. 

Key Takeaway

These geographical terms are the most important terms you should remember when searching for a property in Ocean City. Next time you encounter these terms, you should have a pretty good idea where the property may be located.