Minneapolis | $275,000
A 1923 bungalow with three bedrooms and one bathroom, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house is in the Willard-Hay neighborhood, a few blocks from Willard Park. It is within walking distance of several amenities: the sports fields and seasonal water park at North Commons Park; Theodore Wirth Regional Park, an expanse of more than 700 acres with a lake, walking trails and a clubhouse; and the Capri, a performing arts center built in 1927. Public elementary and high schools are within a five-minute drive.
Driving to downtown or the Mississippi River waterfront takes about 10 minutes. St. Paul is about half an hour away.
Size: 2,314 square feet
Price per square foot: $119
Indoors: Concrete steps lead up from the sidewalk to the main entry, where a door opens to an enclosed porch. A second door opens into a small foyer.
Beyond is a sunny living room with street-facing windows and hardwood floors that continue through a wide arch into a windowed dining room with built-in cabinetry.
This space connects to an updated kitchen with new cabinets, counters and stainless steel appliances. A door to the backyard is also in this part of the house.
Two bedrooms are on this level, at either end of a hallway extending from the dining room; each is large enough to comfortably hold a queen-size bed. A bathroom with a combined tub and shower is off the same hallway.
The primary bedroom is on the second floor, reached from stairs in the dining room. It has carpeted floors, enough space for a king-size bed and a windowed nook currently set up as a home office.
More potential office space is in the finished basement.
Outdoor space: The fenced backyard has several mature trees and ample flat space with room for dining furniture or play equipment. A paved path running through the yard leads to a detached two-car garage.
Taxes: $2,508 (estimated)
Contact: Zach Kirchoff, Lakes Sotheby’s International Realty, 651-587-3942; sothebysrealty.com
Pittsburgh | $272,000
A 1920 Craftsman-style house with two bedrooms and one bathroom, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house is in the Mount Washington neighborhood, less than a mile from Mount Washington Park. It is within a 15-minute walk or five-minute drive of an Italian restaurant, a brewpub and a small grocery store.
Driving to downtown or Highmark Stadium, where professional and collegiate-level soccer is played, takes about 10 minutes. Carnegie Mellon University is about 15 minutes away. Morgantown, W.V., is an hour-and-a-half drive. Cleveland is two hours away.
Size: 1,200 square feet
Price per square foot: $227
Indoors: This property has a gated front yard and a covered porch big enough to hold a small table and chairs.
The front door opens into a sitting room with hardwood floors, a white-painted brick fireplace and a staircase to the second floor. The hardwood floors continue into a family room that could be used as a dining room. This space is open to a kitchen with green cabinets, a breakfast area and access to a brick patio.
Both bedrooms are upstairs. The primary bedroom, at the far end of the hall, has a view of mature trees. It shares a full bathroom with a combined tub and shower with the other bedroom.
Outdoor space: The patio off the kitchen is shaded by mature trees and has enough space for a sofa and a table. The property has two off-street parking spots.
Taxes: $2,000 (estimated)
Contact: Jackie Horvath, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, 412-853-2736; howardhanna.com
Hagerstown, Md. | $279,900
A 1947 Cape Cod-style cottage with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot
This house is within walking distance of a large city park with soccer fields and an ice-skating rink; a shopping center with a coffee shop and an Amish market; and North Hagerstown High School. It is a five-minute drive from a children’s museum and the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts.
Michaux State Forest, a popular hiking and camping destination, is half an hour away, across the Pennsylvania border. Driving to Washington or Baltimore takes about 90 minutes.
Size: 1,522 square feet
Price per square foot: $184
Indoors: A stone path winds across the neatly manicured lawn, stepping up to the covered stoop.
Past the threshold is a living room with new vinyl-plank flooring and a staircase to the second floor. (Updates to the house include new flooring and new paint throughout, as well as a new roof.) Two bedrooms are off the living room; each is big enough to hold a double bed and a desk. They share a bathroom with a combined tub and shower.
Opposite the living area, framed by a wide arch, is a dining nook. On the other side of this space is a kitchen with new granite counters, black cabinetry, new stainless steel appliances, a stainless steel sink and access to a wood deck.
The primary suite occupies the entire second floor. The bedroom has two large closets and space for a king-size bed and a separate sitting area; the bathroom has a green claw-foot soaking tub with a hand shower, a porcelain pedestal sink and a window overlooking the front yard.
The partially finished basement, reached by stairs in the kitchen, has tile floors and is currently used as a playroom.
Outdoor space: The deck off the kitchen has enough space for a table and chairs, as well as a small grill. The spacious backyard has room for a garden. There is no garage, but street parking in the neighborhood is plentiful.
Taxes: $2,880 (estimated)
Contact: Caleb Gee, Caleb Gee, Glocker Group Realty Results, 240-452-8858; homes.com
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