Kaukauna, Wis. | $249,900
A 1917 Craftsman bungalow with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot
Kaukauna is a city about 100 miles north of Milwaukee, straddling the Fox River. This home, which the sellers restored using period-appropriate materials, is within half a mile of several parks, including La Follette Park and Hydro Park, which sits on the river. The Thousand Island State Conservancy Area, also on the river, is less than five minutes away by car.
Many of the city’s 17,000 residents commute to Appleton, about 20 minutes away, for work and shopping. Green Bay is a half-hour drive; Milwaukee is about two hours away.
Size: 1,850 square feet
Price per square foot: $135
Indoors: A paved path leads from the sidewalk to the home’s covered front porch, flanked by low stone pillars.
The front door opens directly into the living room, which has its original woodwork and a fireplace with a red brick surround.
The dining room is through a wide doorway framed by built-in cabinets. On one side of this space, French doors open to a bright sunroom, currently used as a home office. On the other side, through another wide doorway, is a kitchen with wood cabinetry that complements the home’s original woodwork, a tile backsplash in a period-appropriate shade of green, a stained-glass window over the sink and a breakfast area overlooking the backyard. A mudroom and a powder room are also in this part of the house.
All three bedrooms are on the second floor, reached from a staircase in the living room. The primary bedroom, at the top of the stairs, has an attached bathroom with an updated walk-in shower and a stacked washer and dryer. The two guest rooms share a bathroom at the end of the hall with a combined tub and shower.
Outdoor space: A patio is off the mudroom, between the house and the detached garage. The flat backyard is landscaped with grass and includes a storage shed. The garage has parking space for two cars.
Taxes: $2,669 (estimated)
Contact: Jill Coenen, Century 21 Ace Realty, 920-841-0462; c21ace.com
Philadelphia | $245,000
A recently renovated 1925 rowhouse with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.02-acre lot
This house is on the border between the Kensington and Port Richmond neighborhoods, in an area that is increasingly popular with first-time home buyers. The Kensington Community Food Co-op grocery store is about half a mile away. Frankford Avenue, a few blocks over, runs into the adjacent Fishtown neighborhood, a dining and nightlife destination. Buses traveling along the avenue link this area to Center City, a trip that takes about half an hour.
Driving into New Jersey, on the other side of the Delaware River, takes about 20 minutes. Philadelphia International Airport is also less than half an hour away.
Size: 1,300 square feet
Price per square foot: $188
Indoors: The front door, a few steps up from the street, opens into a living area with oak paneling, exposed brick, reclaimed-wood floating shelves, a sleek fireplace and a staircase to the second level.
This space flows into a dining area with a black accent wall that has a wood overlay. A door to the side patio is behind this area; beyond is an open kitchen with new appliances, quartz counters and a small breakfast bar. Stairs in this part of the house lead to the finished basement, which contains a full bathroom, a laundry room and an open space that could be used as an additional bedroom or a family room.
All three bedrooms are upstairs, off a hallway that includes a bar, complete with a small refrigerator. The primary bedroom, at the far end of the hall, is big enough to hold a queen-size bed. It shares a bathroom that has a combined tub and shower with the other two bedrooms off the hallway.
Outdoor space: The concrete patio on the side of the house is big enough to hold dining furniture and a barbecue, or several garden boxes. A surveillance system was added to the house during the recent renovation.
Taxes: $2,401 (estimated)
Contact: Gordon Stein, Compass, 267-570-3757; compass.com
Florence, Ala. | $259,900
A 1960 ranch house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.4-acre lot
Florence, the county seat of Lauderdale County, is one of the communities that make up the Shoals, a region in northwestern Alabama near the Tennessee River known for its musical history and scenic landscapes. The W.C. Handy Music Festival, a celebration of local music, is held in Florence every July. The city is also home to the Rosenbaum House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed residence in Alabama.
The University of North Alabama is about five minutes away by car. McFarland Park, a waterfront park with a camping area and a small beach, is just 10 minutes away. Birmingham is a two-hour drive; Memphis is about three hours away.
Size: 2,207 square feet
Price per square foot: $118
Indoors: The house is set back from the street, with a driveway to the side and the front door in the center of the facade.
To the left of the sunny foyer is a living room with hardwood floors, a fireplace with a brick surround and white mantel, and tall windows facing the front yard.
The hardwood floors continue into the dining room. Off one side of this space is a family room with a black-painted brick fireplace flanked by bookshelves; off the other side is an updated kitchen with dark cabinets, stainless steel appliances, butcher-block counters and a white subway-tile backsplash. A door in the kitchen opens to the backyard.
All three bedrooms are off a hallway extending from the foyer to the back of the house. The primary bedroom, at one end of the hall, is large enough to hold a king-size bed; the updated en suite bathroom has a walk-in shower and a wood vanity. The other two bathrooms at the opposite end of the hall share a bathroom.
The partially finished basement is currently used as a home office and music room.
Outdoor space: A gravel patio at the side of the house has easy access to the sloping backyard, which is planted with mature trees. The attached garage, on the basement level, has space for two cars.
Taxes: $1,170 (estimated)
Contact: Kelli Lambert, Coldwell Banker Pinnacle Properties, 256-810-8856; zillow.com
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