Villanova, Pa. | $750,000
An 1870 Colonial Revival house with four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.4-acre lot
This house, once part of the grand Ardrossan Estate, is one of the older homes in town. It is less than five minutes by car from Villanova University, a private Catholic school with about 7,000 undergraduates and a graduate student population of around 3,000. It is also close to Haverford College and Swarthmore College, liberal arts schools with Quaker roots, and Bryn Mawr College, one of the Seven Sisters schools.
Valley Forge National Historical Park, which straddles the Schuylkill, is a 20-minute drive. The Center City neighborhood of Philadelphia is a little more than 30 minutes away by car, although many commuters choose to drive to the SEPTA station in Wayne, Pa., about five minutes away, and take the train.
Size: 2,120 square feet
Price per square foot: $354
Indoors: The house is set back from the street and adorned with shutters and flowering window boxes. A brick path leads to the front door, which opens into a parlor with original hardwood floors and a staircase to the second floor.
Through a wide doorway is a formal dining room with built-in china cabinets and access to a study with built-in bookshelves. A powder room with black-and-white toile de Jouy wallpaper is also in this part of the house.
A kitchen with updated appliances and cabinetry is off the dining room. The adjacent family room has a door that opens to the stone patio outside and a fireplace flanked by built-in shelves and cabinetry.
All four bedrooms are upstairs, off a central hallway. At the far end is the primary suite, which has a fireplace, skylights, a private balcony and a bathroom with two console-style sinks, black-and-white-tile floors and a walk-in shower. The other three bedrooms share a hallway bathroom with white wainscoting and a combined tub and shower.
Outdoor space: The patio at the side of the house connects to a covered porch running along the back, paved with Pennsylvania stone. Equipped with ceiling fans and big enough to hold a dining table and lounge furniture, it functions as an extension of the indoor living spaces in warmer months. The backyard is landscaped with grass and mature trees, and there is room for a flower or vegetable garden.
Taxes: $8,952 (estimated)
Contact: David Joslin, Century 21 Advantage Gold, 610-517-8249; century21.com
Phoenix | $750,000
A Spanish-style house built in 1926, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot
This house is in Willo, a bustling neighborhood near restaurants, coffee shops and cultural attractions, including the Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona Opera and Margaret T. Hance Park, home to a traditional Japanese garden and to the Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library. Hiking trails and sweeping city views are just 15 minutes away, at Phoenix Mountains Preserve.
Downtown Phoenix is about a 10-minute drive, as is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Flagstaff is a little more than two hours away; driving south to Tucson takes less than two hours.
Size: 1,565 square feet
Price per square foot: $479
Indoors: A brick path runs through the front yard, which is landscaped with drought-tolerant plants, stepping up to a concrete patio with space for a table and chairs near the home’s entrance.
The front door opens directly into a living room with original hardwood floors, an original stone fireplace and a wood ceiling that gives the space a rustic feeling. Through an arched doorway is a dining room with original built-ins and a sleek chandelier.
The kitchen is off the dining room, with black-and-white checkerboard floors, granite counters, a small center island and stainless steel appliances, including a stacked washer and dryer. A door on the far side of the room opens to the backyard.
A hallway extending from the dining room leads to two bedroom suites. The guest room, at the front of the house, has space for a queen-size bed; the en suite bathroom has a claw-foot tub and walls lined with penny tile. The primary suite, at the back, has a bedroom with a large walk-in closet and room for a king-size bed. This space is open to an updated bathroom with a double vanity and a glass-walled shower.
A small shed in the backyard, with beamed ceilings and concrete floors, is used as a home office.
Outdoor space: The brick patio behind the house is covered and partially enclosed with latticework. A gravel area with a firepit is nearby. Beyond is a lawn that extends to an elevated seating area and the home-office shed. Mature trees line the walls around the yard.
Wilmington, N.C. | $753,900
A 1910 Edwardian house with five bedrooms and five bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot
Over the past century, this house has served as a private home, an inn and an apartment building. Today, it is once again a single-family home, and many of its original details — including light fixtures, doorknobs and other hardware — are in excellent condition.
The property is less than two miles from the Cape Fear River and within a five-minute drive of restaurants, breweries and museums, including the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science. Wrightsville Beach is a 25-minute drive; Charlotte, N.C., and Charleston, S.C., are about four hours away.
Size: 3,914 square feet
Price per square foot: $193
Indoors: Tall hedges separate this property from the street. A paved path leads to the covered porch, where a wood-and-glass door opens into a bright foyer with original hardwood floors, a staircase and a small, windowed niche.
To the right is a den with a fireplace and a crystal chandelier. It connects to a spacious dining room with another fireplace and access to a living room with hardwood floors and original plaster crown molding.
At the back of the first floor is an updated kitchen with two islands, custom cabinetry, a marble backsplash and stainless steel appliances, including a Miele cooktop.
Off the foyer is a bedroom with an en suite bathroom that could serve as the primary suite. The bedroom has a fireplace and a delicate wrought-iron light fixture trimmed with crystal; the bathroom has a soaking tub and separate shower behind a glass door.
The other four bedrooms and bathrooms are on the second floor. At one end of the upstairs hall are two sunny guest rooms with en suite bathrooms; at the other end is a two-bedroom guest apartment with a living room, kitchenette and two full bathrooms, one with a claw-foot tub. This apartment has access to an exterior staircase and could be closed off from the rest of the house for privacy.
Outdoor space: The deck on the second level is surrounded by trees and large enough to hold a cafe table and chairs. The front porch partially wraps around the house, with room for chairs, a bench and a swing. The detached garage holds two cars; there is room to park more in the driveway.
Taxes: $5,064 (estimated)
Contact: Casey Roman, Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty, 910-524-9332; sothebysrealty.com
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