Galveston, Texas | $695,000
A 2022 bungalow with three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms and a one-bathroom guesthouse, on a 0.1-acre lot
Christine Plum, a builder who specializes in designing small houses in and around Galveston, constructed this home using a mix of vintage and traditional materials. The design was influenced by the late 19th- and early 20th-century cottages often associated with the area.
The city, about an hour’s drive from Houston, is popular with second-home buyers. This house is within a few miles of attractions like Stewart Beach and Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier.
Size: 1,327 square feet
Price per square foot: $524
Indoors: From the street, a brick path leads through the front yard to a covered porch. The glass front door opens into a living room with Saltillo tile floors, a decorative fireplace with an ornate black mantel, rough-hewed ceiling beams and street-facing windows.
Through a doorway flanked by windows is a windowed eat-in kitchen with leathered-marble counters, rustic cabinetry and more Saltillo tile floors. A powder room with a basin-style sink is also in this part of the house.
A short hall off the living room leads to the three bedrooms at the back of the house. The primary suite, at the far end of the hall, has high ceilings, built-in cabinetry and a bathroom with a walk-in shower. Two guest rooms, roughly equal in size, are across the hall, connected by a bathroom with a combined tub and shower.
The guesthouse has high ceilings, a kitchenette with a tiled accent wall and a full bathroom.
Outdoor space: The backyard is enclosed by new wood fencing. A patio separates the main house from the guesthouse, which has its own covered patio and a small front porch.
Taxes: $13,548 (estimated)
Contact: Debbie Levine, Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty, 713-870-4645; sothebysrealty.com
Alexandria, Va. | $699,900
A 1980 townhouse with two bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms, in a 24-home development
This house is about five blocks from a bustling section of King Street, Old Town Alexandria’s main thoroughfare. It is within walking distance of most of the amenities of Old Town, including a year-round farmers’ market and the Torpedo Factory Art Center, a gallery housed in a converted munitions factory. Founders Park, which has dog-friendly walking paths and sweeping views of the Potomac River, is about half a mile away.
The Braddock Road Metro station is less than a mile away; from there, trains carry passengers into Washington in less than half an hour. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is about a 10-minute drive.
Size: 1,170 square feet
Price per square foot: $598
Indoors: This home sits behind a tall brick wall with a wood gate that opens into a brick courtyard.
Behind the front door is a living room with hardwood floors, a bay window and a wood-burning fireplace. This space is partially open to a kitchen with granite counters, a gray-tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and white cabinetry.
Next to the kitchen are two sets of stairs: one to the home’s upper floors and one to the lower level.
The primary suite is on the second floor, with a wall of closets in the bedroom, a combined tub and shower in the bathroom and a closet holding a stacked washer and dryer. On the third floor is a loft-style bedroom that could be used as a home office.
The lower level functions as a den, with carpeted floors, a powder room and space for a sofa and a small desk.
Outdoor space: The front courtyard is big enough to hold a dining table and chairs, and the walls are high enough to offer privacy from neighbors. A larger courtyard with a gazebo is shared by residents of the complex. This unit comes with one parking spot in a secure garage.
Taxes: $7,380 (estimated) and a $400 monthly homeowner association fee
Contact: Karen Schiro, Compass, 703-509-3888; compass.com
University City, Mo. | $699,000
A 1912 Tudor Revival house with four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.3-acre lot
University City, a St. Louis suburb, is named for its proximity to Washington University in St. Louis. This house is less than a mile from the campus, in a neighborhood with wide, tree-lined streets, large lots and a number of houses built in the early 20th century.
Forest Park, home to the Saint Louis Art Museum, the city’s zoo and a municipal golf course, is less than three miles away. Well-ranked public elementary, intermediate and high schools are within a 10-minute drive. Downtown St. Louis is about 15 minutes away.
Size: 2,879 square feet
Price per square foot: $243
Indoors: This house is set back from the street, behind a wide front lawn with mature trees and neat hedges.
The arched front door opens into a small foyer with French doors. Beyond is a living room with coffered ceilings and a fireplace flanked by more French doors that open to a sunny family room. On the opposite side of the living room is a dining room with street-facing windows and original crown molding.
The kitchen, off the dining room, has stainless steel appliances; access to a powder room and a butler’s pantry; glass doors that open to the backyard; and a staircase to the second floor.
The four bedrooms on the second level can be reached from this staircase or from the main one, off the living room. The spacious primary suite includes a bedroom with a decorative fireplace, a sunroom that could be used as an office or dressing area and a bathroom with a stall shower.
Next to the primary suite is a guest room; at the other end of the hallway are two more guest rooms. All three share a bathroom off the hallway with a combined tub and shower.
A finished family room with carpeted floors and built-in shelving is in the basement.
Outdoor space: The property is large, with two patios and a sizable backyard landscaped with mature trees. The patio off the kitchen is paved in brick and used by the owners as an outdoor lounge with a sofa, chairs and heaters. The other patio is stone, and big enough to hold a dining table and chairs. The attached garage has one parking spot.
Taxes: $7,992 (estimated)
Contact: Steve Breihan and Carolyn Malecek, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, 314-753-1899; bhhs.com
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Source: | This article originally belongs to Nytimes.com
