Irvington, Va. | $450,000
2004 three-bedroom, three-bath Carpenter Gothic home on 2.1 acre lot
Just three hours outside the Washington metro area, with easy access to the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay, Irvington has become a popular second home and retirement destination. This house is located in a small community less than five minutes drive from the main road of the town, where there are several cafes, a flower shop and a museum dedicated to the maritime history of the area. The Tides Inn, a beachfront hotel and spa, is less than two miles away.
The drive to Richmond takes about an hour and a half. Norfolk and Virginia Beach are about two hours away.
Size: 1,536 square feet
Price per square foot: $293
Indoors: A stone and gravel path leads from the street to the covered porch, where a pair of arched doors open into the living room. This space features a plain white glazed fireplace and newly refinished knotty pine floors that continue into the windowed dining room and open plan kitchen beyond.
The kitchen, which is separated from the dining room by a breakfast bar, has white cabinets and appliances. Behind the kitchen there are doors opening onto a screened porch, currently furnished with a sofa, armchairs and a fireplace.
The master suite is on the second level, accessed by the stairs to the living room. The bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe and a pair of arched glass doors opening onto a Juliet balcony. The bathroom has a double sink, windowed tub and separate shower.
Two more bedrooms are located on the lower level of the house. Both have private bathrooms. one has patio access.
Exterior: To the rear of the home is a covered patio overlooking the mature trees that surround the home, offering a front row seat to the changing seasons. Community amenities include a dock and pool, both within walking distance.
Taxes: $1,524 (estimated) and a monthly homeowner association fee of $179
Contact: Mary Burgess, Re/Max Commonwealth, 804-938-4663; mburgess.homesinrichmond.com
Monterey, Massachusetts | $450,000
A four-bedroom, one-bathroom Berkshires cottage built in 1960 on a 0.4-acre lot
This home is located in a part of the Berkshires that is popular year round. It is located near Lake Buel and has access to the lake. Butternut Ski Resort, which has 22 ski trails and a snow tubing area, is a five minute drive away. The shops and restaurants of Great Barrington and access points to the Appalachian Trail are about 10 minutes away. Tanglewood Music Center is a 20-minute drive away.
Albany, NY, and Hartford, Conn., are a 90-minute drive away. The drive to Boston or New York takes about three hours, depending on traffic.
Size: 1,248 square feet
Price per square foot: $361
Indoors: The house is set back from the road, with a small covered terrace. The front door opens directly into the living room, which has hardwood floors, a cast iron wood burning stove and large windows overlooking the front of the property.
Through a wide door is a combined dining room and kitchen with simple gray cabinets, wood counters, stainless steel appliances and space for a long table. A three-season enclosed porch is accessed through a glass-paneled door that pops out to allow airflow in the warmer months.
Two bedrooms are located in a short hallway that extends from the kitchen. One has a laundry closet with a stacked washer and dryer. A full bathroom with a tub and windowed shower is also off the hall.
Two more bedrooms are on the second floor, accessed by a staircase near the entrance. The master bedroom has sloping ceilings and enough space for a queen-size bed and a desk. the other bedroom currently has two single beds.
Exterior: The property is mostly level, with space for a fireplace and grill. a storage shed is located in a corner of the yard. Behind a grove of mature trees is a path to the lake. The driveway has space to park four cars.
Taxes: $2,024 (estimated)
Contact: Christian Deckert, William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Great Barrington Brokerage, 413-841-2813; sothebysrealty.com
Columbus, Ohio | $447,500
A two bedroom, two bath brick home, built in 1900, on a 0.1 acre lot
This home is located in the lively Italian Village neighborhood, a few blocks from several breweries, an ice cream shop, and a wood-fired pizzeria. It is across the street from a Montessori-style elementary school and within walking distance of Goodale Park, which overlooks the downtown skyline, Italian Village Park, which has a small lawn and playground, and the Ohio State Library.
Ohio State is less than five minutes away. The Ohio State University campus is approximately 10 minutes away. The drive to Cincinnati takes about 90 minutes. Cleveland is about a two and a half hour drive away.
Size: 1,536 square feet
Price per square foot: $291
Indoors: A brick hallway leads from the street to the front door, which opens into a living room, hardwood floors, exposed brick, wood paneling, built-in shelving and an impressive open staircase to the second floor.
Hardwood floors continue up the staircase into a dining room with more exposed brick and access to an updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a center island, a breakfast bar and a door to the backyard. A laundry room with a side-by-side washer and dryer and a full bathroom with a vintage clawfoot tub are off the kitchen.
Both bedrooms are upstairs. The master suite, at the top of the stairs, includes a bedroom with more exposed brick, a walk-in closet, a separate space that could be used as a home office or nursery, and a bathroom with a walk-in shower that is also accessible from the hallway. The bedroom across the hall has windows facing the backyard.
Exterior: The small covered porch behind the house steps down to a brick patio large enough to hold a table and chairs. Beyond is a grassy yard with a mature tree, enclosed by a wooden fence. The driveway has space to park two cars.
Taxes: $7,248 (estimated)
Contact: Lacey D. Wheeler and Audra E. Wheeler, Red 1 Realty, 614-530-7617; red1realty.com
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