Galveston, Texas | $365,000
An 1890 Victorian cottage with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.1-acre lot
Galveston, a coastal city about an hour from Houston, draws millions of visitors annually to its beaches and to attractions like Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, an oceanfront amusement park less than two miles from this house. A number of buildings in the city date to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including this one, which was updated with new siding and a new HVAC system in 2018.
Most of the city’s amenities are within a 10-minute drive, including Stewart and Porretto Beaches and the waterfront restaurants along Seawall Boulevard, one of the main drags. The Port of Galveston, one of the country’s busiest cruise-ship departure points, is less than 10 minutes away.
Size: 1,008 square feet
Price per square foot: $362
Indoors: The fence enclosing the front yard is new, as are the steps leading up to the front porch.
Behind the front door is a living room with new laminate floors, recessed lighting, a ceiling fan and windows that face the front porch and the side of the property. Beyond the living room is a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and an island that seats three.
At the back of the house is a guest room that has a transom window above its door and an en suite bathroom with a shower.
The primary suite is on the other side of the house, off a hallway that extends from the entry. The attached bathroom has a combined tub and shower.
Outdoor space: The front porch, restored during a recent renovation, retains its original gingerbread trim, now painted white. The house sits on a lot larger than average for the neighborhood, with room to add a patio or a guest cottage behind the main house and space for a small garden in front.
Taxes: $3,060 (estimated)
Contact: Jim Rosenfeld, Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty, 713-854-1303; sothebysrealty.com
Baltimore | $379,000
A 1900 rowhouse with three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms, on a 0.01-acre lot
This house is in Abell, a neighborhood within walking distance of Johns Hopkins University. While many of the homes in the area are brick, they are known as Baltimore’s Painted Ladies because of their colorful front porches. This porch is mint green, and neighboring ones are painted pink, purple and yellow.
The property is within a mile of the Baltimore Museum of Art and its sculpture garden, as well as Wyman Park Dell, a 16-acre city park with a children’s playground and walking paths. At the 32nd Street Farmers Market, less than half a mile away, vendors sell locally grown produce and freshly baked bread year-round.
Size: 1,630 square feet
Price per square foot: $233
Indoors: Steps lead from the sidewalk to the covered front porch and the front entrance.
The front door, set beneath an original leaded-glass transom window, opens into a living area with original hardwood floors and an original staircase that ascends to the second floor. A powder room is off this space.
Beyond is a dining room with a fireplace that has a simple white mantel. It connects to a kitchen with an exposed-brick wall, open shelving, white cabinetry and a white subway-tile backsplash.
All three bedrooms are upstairs, off a landing brightened by a skylight. The primary bedroom is at the front of the house, with a bay window overlooking the neighborhood. At the other end of the hall is a bedroom currently used as a home office; it has access to an enclosed porch. A third bedroom, big enough to hold a double bed, is off the main hall, as is a full bathroom with a claw-foot tub and shower.
The basement level, accessible from the kitchen, was waterproofed by the sellers and could be finished for use as additional living space.
Outdoor space: The rear deck, off the kitchen, was re-stained earlier this year, as was the fence that encloses the backyard. Much of the backyard is paved with brick, making for an ideal outdoor dining spot. The landscaping framing it includes witch hazel, wild ginger and hydrangea bushes.
Taxes: $4,154 (estimated)
Contact: Tracey Clark, Compass, 202-489-7778; compass.com
Jersey City, N.Y. | $375,000
A one-bedroom, one-bathroom condominium in a 1908 brick building
This condominium is in a bustling section of Jersey City, a few blocks from coffee shops, wine stores and Bread and Salt, a Roman-style Italian bakery and restaurant known for its pizza slices and fresh-baked focaccia. Riverview-Fisk Park is also a few blocks away, with basketball courts, a playground and a gazebo offering sweeping views of the Hudson River and the West Side of Manhattan.
Commuting into New York City takes about 40 minutes on a bus that travels from this neighborhood to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Driving to Hoboken takes about 15 minutes. Newark Liberty International Airport is about 20 minutes away.
Size: 749 square feet
Price per square foot: $501
Indoors: This unit’s front door opens into a foyer with space for a coat rack. Straight ahead is a combined living-and-dining area with high ceilings, a window with a ledge that could hold a small plant collection, a long closet and enough space for a sofa and a dining table. The adjacent galley-style kitchen has ample cabinetry and quartz countertops.
From the living room, steps lead up to a windowed hallway with a glimpse of the Manhattan skyline. At the end of the hall is a bedroom big enough to comfortably hold a queen-size bed and a small desk, with large windows overlooking the neighborhood. The bathroom next door has updated fixtures and a shower with a glass door.
Outdoor space: This condominium building has a bright lobby with an elevator — a rarity in this neighborhood, where many of the buildings are smaller than this one. The condominium has a laundry room on each floor and a large gym with strength-training and cardio equipment. There is a parking garage for residents’ cars and bicycles, and additional secure storage is available.
Taxes: $7,389 (estimated) and a $298 monthly homeowner association fee
Contact: Gabriella Cuzzola, Prime Real Estate Group, 201-792-4300; primereg.com
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Source: | This article originally belongs to Nytimes.com
