Where Would You Rather Live? Vote for Your Favorite Homes with Matching Asking Prices
It’s easy to pick a favorite house based on looks alone (I’ll take the big one with the private dock, please). But, as we know, the house is only half of it. Feeling at home is as much about your neighborhood as it is about the four walls and doors of a particular property.
So, as you click through these homes and imagine yourself moving in, keep in mind the setting, the city, and the neighborhood. Think about commute times, schools, and community. Would you still choose the big one with the private dock? Perhaps, but it’s also possible the condo in the heart of everything is more your style.
Pick the homes you can see yourself living in — and don’t forget, the house is only half of it.
1. Under $150K
Learn more about these houses and neighborhoods:
1907 Southern charmer in Tennessee
1072 N Highland Ave, Jackson, TN 38301
$89,900
About the house: This property from 1907 is listed on the National Historic Registry and with good reason–walking through the elegantly worn rooms is like a taking a tour of the 20th century from 1907 through to the 70s (the last time it appears to have been updated). This four bedroom Victorian, three baths, and 3,546-square feet with original hardwood floors. But the real clincher is the turreted covered porch–perfect for enjoying a glass of sweet tea.
About Jackson: Located 70 miles east of Memphis, Jackson (pop. 67,000) was once a railroad hub, and now is largely a manufacturing and agricultural employer. The center of town is filled with tree-lined streets, stately old houses, and even a bit of a hipster vibe. Jackson is also the home of the International Rock-a-Billy Hall of Fame, the Jackson Generals minor league baseball team, and plenty of barbecue, including The Pig House just down the street. Also nearby are healthier options like a health-food store and the year-round farmer’s market.
Fun fact: Celebrate Jackson’s illustrious past as a music city at the annual Rockabilly Festival, hosted by The International Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame every August.
1925 American Four Square in New Jersey
52 S West Ave, Bridgeton, NJ 08302
$100,000
About the house: Like its Tennessee cousin, this old house has gorgeous bones but could use a major makeover. Built in 1925, the 3-bedroom brick house has hardwood floors throughout, a 2-car garage (with loft potential above it), original wood trim and paneling, two fireplaces, and a big, green corner lot.
About Bridgeton: About an hour from Wilmington, DE; Philadelphia, PA; and the South Jersey Shore, Bridgeton is a diverse, largely working class town dominated by historic Victorian buildings and homes in various states of upkeep. It sits on the Delaware River Delta along the Cohansey River and is crisscrossed with waterways.
Fun fact: City Park, an 1100-acre tract running along the historic Cohansey River has pleasant walking trails, basketball courts, fishing lakes, and the free Cohanzick Zoo.
2. Under $250K
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Glamorous Southern grand dame in Mississippi
613 River Rd, Greenwood, MS 38930
$240,000
About the house: This five-bedroom, three-bath, 5,000 square-foot, charmer was featured in The Help and gets all the period details right (check out that classic kitchen). You’ll even get a butler’s pantry and a sweeping grand stairway. It’s on a 1.2-acre plot of green and the front porch is enormous.
About Greenwood: Greenwood, MS (population 16,000), is a historic town in the Mississippi Delta where a number of important Civil Rights struggles took place in the 1960s. It’s also where B.B. King did his first live radio broadcast in 1940. The house is located at the edge of the Downtown Historic district near the Yalobusha River and dozens of venerable old buildings and tree-lined streets. As with much of the Mississippi Delta region, the vibe is laid-back, hospitable, and very Southern.
Fun fact: Did you love the movie The Help? Here’s your chance to live in the home of Skeeter, the character played by Oscar winner Emma Stone.
Artsy converted church in Missouri
101 S 3rd St, Clarksville, MO 63336
$249,000
About the house: Everything about this converted 1940 church by noted architects Charles Nagel & Frederick Dunn is one-of-a-kind. Yes, it has a steeple and pipe organ, but this 1-bedroom, 3,408 square-foot home also has dentil molding, a barrel roof, dual staircases leading to the front door, and 5-foot porthole windows. The high-end remodel includes locally made walnut cabinets, granite counters, Thermador gas stove, refrigerator and dishwasher, and a master bathroom with walnut cabinets, marble vanities and shower surround. It really must be seen to be believed.
About Clarksville: It’s another quaint and charming Mississippi River town. Clarksville (population 442) sits about 75 miles north of St. Louis and is all of seven blocks long and four blocks wide. Its leafy streets lined with historic homes and buildings are the type of place that draws weekenders keen to poke around in galleries and antique shops.
Fun fact: The building, which is literally steps from the Mississippi River, was converted from a church into an art gallery and living space. The large, bright rooms have an airy gallery feel and are perfect for parties.
3. Under $350K
Learn more about these houses and neighborhoods:
Texas-style ranchito in Austin
15002 Mettle Dr, Austin, TX 78734
$325,000
About the house: A classic Texas ranch home with all the trimmings—three bedrooms, three baths, a metal roof, and an enormous front porch shaded by beautiful mature trees. There are gorgeous hardwood floors throughout and open-beamed ceilings in this 1,809 square-floor home. Plus, you’re just about 30 minutes from the hippest downtown in the state.
About Travis Oaks Trails: As the home of South by Southwest, Austin is attracting tech companies and with them, young people priced out of markets like San Francisco and New York. Plus, it’s got a great university, some of the best Tex-Mex around, and was recently named the Live Music Capital of the World. Although this house is listed as Autin it’s really located in the wooded Travis Oak Trails neighborhood roughly 40 minutes Northwest of downtown Austin. Travis Oaks Trails is a long way from the epicenter of hip that is downtown Austin but boasts tons of golf courses, proximity to Lake Travis, a highly regarded school district, and the Hill Country Galleria shopping center — in other words, it’s a suburban dream.
Fun fact: Nearby Lake Travis is a summertime party spot for water-lovers. Think houseboats, party barges, and flyboarding (kind of like a jet -pack for the water).
Northwest ranch-style house in Washington
6254 Tracyton Blvd NW, Bremerton, WA 98311
$349,950
About the house: This 4-bedroom, 3-bath mid-century home is surrounded by the green forests the Northwest is famous for. There’s a deck with a hot tub in the back, and a big open floor plan with lots of light.
About Bremerton: Seattle is another scorching housing market, but there’s plenty of real estate outside the city—including Bremerton, WA. It’s a 60-minute ferry ride into the city from this outdoorsy Navy town in the heart of agricultural Kitsap Peninsula. You’ll spend your weekends kayaking in the inlets and perusing farmers markets and nurseries in this fleece-friendly community.
Fun fact: Sunset magazine named the ride between Bremerton and Seattle as the ferry with the Best Cityscape View in the Northwest.
4. Under $500K
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Mid-century jewel in Pennsylvania
383 Blossom Hill Dr, Lancaster, PA 17601
$469,900
About the house: If you want a house that’s also a work of art, you can’t do much better than this mid-century stunner by renowned Philadelphia-born architect Robert Geddes. The 2,975-square foot jewel-box of ‘50s perfection has four bedrooms, plus a screened-in porch, a modern kitchen, and amazing views. Geddes is dean emeritus of Princeton’s school of architecture and built this house so that each of the bedrooms has its own balcony. It’s almost too beautiful to live in (but you’d manage).
About Lancaster: Located in south central Pennsylvania, Lancaster (pop. 59K) is well-known for its considerable Amish population, but it’s also less than 90 minutes from the modern metropolises of Philadelphia and Baltimore. A recent revival of the historic downtown has brought galleries, shops, and restaurants along “Gallery Row”. The house is in the Fruitville/Blossom Hill section of town, a quiet, upper-middle-class neighborhood known for its mid-century architecture.
Fun fact: The Lancaster Central Market was established in 1731 and is the nation’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market.
Hip Boston condo in South City
250 Arborway #2, Boston, MA 02130
$485,000
About the house: This 950-square foot condo not only has three bedrooms, but has its own front deck, original moldings, a built-in china cabinet, high ceilings, and you’ll have access to the shared patio and backyard. And it was also recently painted and upgraded with an in-unit washer/dryer.
About the Jamaica Plain: Jamaica Plain (“JP”) has rapidly gentrified over the past couple of decades—going from a working class neighborhood to a haven for the young and the hip. With tons of restaurants and coffeehouses, a convenient location (it’ll take about 35 minutes on the T to get downtown), and a relatively diverse population, it’s no wonder it’s one of Boston’s hottest neighborhoods. Hyde Square, at its heart, is known as Boston’s Latin Quarter–grab a Cuban sandwich at El Oriental de Cuba and make your way to peaceful Olmstead Park for a picnic by the pond.
Fun fact: JP is home to the Sam Adams brewery (yes, there are tours), the best vintage shop in Boston, and Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum.
5. Under $750K
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Northern California paradise on the Pacific
38610 Coral Ct, Gualala, CA 95445
$739,000
About the house: This 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom house has hardwood floors; an open, light filled floor plan; and an updated kitchen. It’s beautiful in its own right, but it will never be able to compete with the sweeping views of the Pacific and the tiny sandy cove beach below it. Even if it weren’t right over the ocean, its setting among the wildflowers of the coast would be heavenly.
About Gualala: It is impossible to overstate the rugged beauty of the coastline in this part of Northern California, just north of famed development The Sea Ranch. The Gualala River (great for kayaking) empties into the Pacific and the redwoods come right up to the edge of the Earth. It’s a favorite spot of migrating whales, the heartiest of surfers, and people looking to get away from it all (well, most of it). The small town of Gualala (population is just over 2,000) is an artsy community with a large helping of hippies. It has a few of the usual tourist traps–kite shops, a place to get taffy–but most weekenders come here seeking quiet and solitude, which it provides in spades.
Fun fact: The Gualala Arts Center hosts music, fine arts, and theater events year-round, including 5 yearly festivals.
29 Old Neversink Rd, Danbury, CT 06811
$749,000
About the house: Enjoy views of Candlewood Lake from your private deck, dock, or hot tub. This 3-bedroom, 2-bath home built in 1949 is updated and remodeled but still has lots of New England charm (note the floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace). There’s also a large 3-season room with lake views–a good thing since having a house like this is sure to attract guests.
About Danbury: Danbury, about 70 miles from New York City, is part small city (pop. is about 84,000), part quaint little New England town. It’s still recovering from the housing crash and shifting economics, but there are efforts afoot to revitalize Main Street and more people fleeing the prices in and around New York City are moving to Danbury.
Fun fact: Piper Kerman, whose memoir was the basis for the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, served her sentence at a satellite camp adjacent to the low-security federal correctional institution in Danbury.
6. Under $1 million
Learn more about these houses and neighborhoods:
Small town, big house in Maryland
123 S Commerce St, Centreville, MD 21617
$939,500
About the house: It doesn’t get much more perfect than this pristine and enormous Victorian that dates back to 1893. The five-bedroom, 4,268-square foot home has all the amenities you could ever want, and some you didn’t even know you needed: Two master suites, heated bathroom floors, a sunroom with a wet bar, koi ponds, a heated inground pool, and a wine cellar, among other things. It sits on 1.1 acres and includes a 4-car garage.
About Centreville: Centreville (population 4,285) is a quiet little town in Queen Anne’s County in eastern Maryland, roughly 60 miles east of Washington, D.C. It’s the kind of American small town that has parades down Main Street and a tree-lighting ceremony at Christmas. But there’s also yoga at the farmer’s market and paddling tours of the Corsica River. The house is just a few blocks from a number of popular shops and restaurants downtown.
Fun fact: Centerville is home to the luxurious 45-acre Russian compound suspected of housing a spying operation and shut down by the Obama Administration in 2016.
Big town, small house in San Francisco
318 Spear St #3G, San Francisco, CA 94105
$925,000
About the house: If chic city living is more your style, it doesn’t get better than this one-bedroom, one-bath, 812-square foot condo in one of San Francisco’s new high-rises. This design-friendly condo has a large den, hardwood floors, beautiful fixtures, and an extra-deep soaking tub. The building is staffed by a concierge 15 hours a day, seven days a week, and has a swimming pool, fitness center, and club lounge, which explains the steep HOA fees ($887 a month).
About South Beach: While the real-estate market in San Francisco has slowed a little bit in the past few months, it’s still arguably the most competitive in the country. And for good reason: Jobs are still plentiful, and despite ongoing issues of affordability and homelessness, it’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world. South Beach is ground zero of San Francisco’s tech boom. Three decades ago it was still warehouses and parking lots. But this neighborhood south of the Bay Bridge with great views across the water to the East Bay couldn’t stay empty forever. Swanky office and residential towers followed the development of AT&T Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants (and maybe the most picturesque ballpark in the country). It’s unlikely you’ll meet many old timers here — South Beach attracts a young crowd flush with the famed tech money flowing through the city. It’s a short walk to the Embarcadero with its waterfront restaurants, and close to the Ferry Building with its dozens of shops and restaurants and a huge Saturday Farmer’s Market.
Fun fact: This newly developed area has excellent access to public transportation and is adjacent to the huge new UCSF Medical campus.
What do you consider first when looking for a new home — the house or the neighborhood? What amenities and features matter to you most? Let us know in the comments.
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