Houston | $890,000
A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom house built in 2011, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house is in the Heights, a bustling neighborhood where many homes date to the early 20th century, and those built later (like this one) are designed to blend in with their older counterparts. The property is about a 10-minute walk from the Heights Theater on 19th Street, a 1920s movie-theater-turned-events-venue, and less than a block from an H-E-B grocery store.
Wright-Bembry Park, a small green space with a playground, is half a mile away. The Heights Hike and Bike Trail, which connects this part of the city to downtown, is also nearby. Driving to downtown Houston takes about 15 minutes.
Size: 2,232 square feet
Price per square foot: $399
Indoors: A wrought-iron gate separates the front yard from the street, and brick steps lead up to the covered porch.
The front door opens into a foyer with hardwood floors. To the right is an archway that leads to a dining room with tall windows overlooking the porch. Beyond is a living room with a crystal chandelier and white built-in cabinetry.
Through another arched doorway is a kitchen with white cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and granite counters. This space is open to a family room with a fireplace and built-in shelving. A powder room and stairs to the second floor are also in this part of the house.
All three bedrooms are upstairs. The primary suite, which faces the back of the property, has high ceilings, access to a balcony overlooking the back patio and a bathroom with a glass-walled shower and a separate soaking tub. The two guest rooms are connected by a shared bathroom with a combined tub and shower.
Outdoor space: The brick patio in back is big enough to accommodate an outdoor lounge area and a barbecue. The detached garage holds two cars.
Taxes: $13,752 (estimated)
Contact: Kelley Austin, Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty, 832-978-0086; sothebysrealty.com
Blacksburg, Va. | $899,998
A three-bedroom, three-bathroom penthouse unit in a 2018 condominium development
This unit sits atop a bank building on Main Street, less than half a mile from the Virginia Tech campus. Condominiums are popular with the school’s alumni, many of whom return regularly for football and basketball games, and this section of Main Street is less than a mile from Lane Stadium, where the football team plays, and about the same distance from Cassell Coliseum, home of the basketball team.
A number of bars and restaurants are nearby, and a bookstore and a specialty food market are five minutes away on foot. Richmond is about a three-and-a-half-hour drive. Charlotte, N.C., is less than three hours away.
Size: 1,800 square feet
Price per square foot: $500
Indoors: This unit is the only one on its floor, and it has a secure elevator that runs directly from the building lobby.
The front door opens into a long foyer with hardwood floors. Straight ahead is a kitchen with wood cabinetry, granite counters, pendant lights handing over a breakfast bar and stainless steel appliances, including a range with an electric cooktop. A pantry behind a narrow door offers additional storage space.
The kitchen is open to a dining area illuminated by pendant lights and a living room with a sleek fireplace and windows that offer a glimpse of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The living space is furnished with a sofa and chairs that are available to buy.
A corridor off the living room leads to the primary suite, which includes a walk-in closet and a bathroom with a shower that has a glass door. Two more en suite bedrooms are directly off the living room.
Outdoor space: This unit comes with one underground parking spot. The monthly maintenance fee includes trash removal.
Taxes: $9,036 (estimated) and a $376 monthly homeowner association fee
Contact: Austin Cummings, Gravity Real Estate Group, 540-525-3116; gravitygroup.us
Minneapolis | $900,000
A 1928 Tudor Revival house with four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot
This home’s owners have worked to maintain many of its original details, while adding a large kitchen, a family room and an expanded primary suite. The property is directly on the Minnehaha Parkway, with views of Minnehaha Creek from the front yard. Several of the city’s lakes, including Lake Nokomis and Lake Harriet, are less than five miles away.
Central Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota campus are 15 minutes away by car or 30 by public transit. Driving to St. Paul takes about half an hour.
Size: 2,809 square feet
Price per square foot: $320
Indoors: The house has a classic Tudor Revival facade, with stone steps leading from the sidewalk to the front door.
Beyond the threshold is a living room with hardwood floors and a wood-burning fireplace with a wood mantel and a green-tile surround. The hardwood floors continue into an attached sunroom with windows overlooking the front, side and back of the property.
To the left of the entry is a dining room with original wood molding and built-in china cabinets. Through a wood door is the updated kitchen, which has honey-colored wood cabinetry, green-granite counters, stainless steel appliances and a breakfast bar. This space is open to a bright family room that could also be used as a dining space or a home office. A powder room and a mudroom with storage for coats and winter gear are off the family room.
The staircase, which has its original wood banister, leads from the living room to a second-floor landing with built-in cabinetry. At the top of the stairs is the primary suite, which has a bay of street-facing windows, enough space to hold a king-size bed and a desk, and a full bathroom. Three more bedrooms, at the other end of the hallway, share a bathroom with a walk-in shower.
The finished basement contains a large space used as a media room, as well as a laundry room and a home office.
Outdoor space: A brick patio in front of the house is shaded by mature trees, and is big enough to hold chairs and a small table. The deck in back of the house steps down to a fenced backyard. The detached garage has parking for three cars.
Taxes: $10,512 (estimated)
Contact: Julie Glass-Yares and Michael Korby, Edina Realty, 612-790-8166; edinarealty.com
For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here.
