Irvington, Va. | $450,000
A 2004 Carpenter Gothic-style house with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, on a 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 in a small community less than five minutes by car from the town’s main thoroughfare, where there are several cafes, a flower shop and a museum devoted to the area’s maritime history. The Tides Inn, a waterfront hotel and spa, is less than two miles away.
Driving 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 road to the covered porch, where a pair of arched doors opens into the living area. This space has a fireplace with a simple white mantel and recently refinished knotty pine floors that continue into the windowed dining area and open kitchen beyond.
The kitchen, which is separated from the dining area by a breakfast bar, has white cabinetry and appliances. Behind the kitchen are doors that open to a screened porch, currently furnished with a sofa, armchairs and a fire table.
The primary suite is on the second level, reached from stairs in the living area. The bedroom has a walk-in closet and a pair of arched glass doors that open to a Juliet balcony; the bathroom has a double vanity, a windowed soaking tub and a separate shower.
Two more bedrooms are on the lowest level of the house. Both have en suite bathrooms; one has patio access.
Outdoor space: Behind the house is a covered patio with views of the mature trees surrounding the house, offering a front-row seat to the changing seasons. Community amenities include a dock and a swimming pool, both within walking distance.
Taxes: $1,524 (estimated) and a $179 monthly homeowner association fee
Contact: Mary Burgess, Re/Max Commonwealth, 804-938-4663; mburgess.homesinrichmond.com
Monterey, Mass. | $450,000
A four-bedroom, one-bathroom Berkshires cottage built in 1960, on a 0.4-acre lot
This house is in a part of the Berkshires that is popular year round. It is near Lake Buel, and comes with deeded lake access. The Butternut ski resort, which has 22 ski trails and a snow-tubing area, is five minutes away by car. 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.
Albany, N.Y., and Hartford, Conn., are 90-minutes by car. Driving to Boston or New York takes around three hours, depending on traffic.
Size: 1,248 square feet
Price per square foot: $361
Indoors: The house is set back from the street, with a small covered porch. The front door opens directly into the living room, which has hardwood floors, a cast-iron wood-burning stove and large windows facing the front of the property.
Through a wide doorway is a combined dining room and kitchen with simple gray cabinetry, wood counters, stainless steel appliances and space for a long table. Access to a three-season enclosed porch is through a door with glass panels that pop out to allow airflow in the warmer months.
Two bedrooms are off a short hallway extending from the kitchen; one has a laundry closet with a stacked washer and dryer. A full bathroom with a windowed tub and shower is also off the hall.
Two more bedrooms are on the second floor, reached from a staircase near the entry. The primary bedroom has sloped ceilings and enough space for a queen-size bed and a desk; the other bedroom currently holds two twin beds.
Outdoor space: The property is mostly flat, with space for a fire pit and a grill; a storage shed is in one corner of the yard. Behind a grove of mature trees is a path to the lake. The driveway has room 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-bathroom brick house built in 1900, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house is in the bustling Italian Village neighborhood, a few blocks from several breweries, an ice cream shop and a wood-fired pizza restaurant. It is across the street from a Montessori-style elementary school and within walking distance of Goodale Park, which has views of the downtown skyline, Italian Village Park, which has a small lawn and a playground, and the State Library of Ohio.
The Ohio Statehouse is less than five minutes away. The Ohio State University campus is about 10 minutes away. Driving to Cincinnati takes around 90 minutes. Cleveland is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive.
Size: 1,536 square feet
Price per square foot: $291
Indoors: A brick walkway leads from the street to the front door, which opens into a living area hardwood floors, exposed brick, wood paneling, built-in shelving and a striking open staircase to the second floor.
The hardwood floors continue past the staircase into a dining area 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-style claw-foot soaking tub are off the kitchen.
Both bedrooms are upstairs. The primary 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 backyard-facing windows.
Outdoor space: The small covered porch behind the house steps down to a brick patio big enough to hold a dining table and chairs. Beyond is a grassy yard with a mature tree, enclosed by a wood fence. The driveway has room to park two cars.
Taxes: $7,248 (estimated)
Contact: Lacey D. Wheeler and Audra E. Wheeler, Red 1 Realty, 614-530-7617; red1realty.com
For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here.