Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. | $750,000
A renovated 1840s schoolhouse with three bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, and a guest house, on a 2.6-acre lot
This house, known as Old Pickering Schoolhouse, still has much of its interior woodwork intact, along with its steeple (and the bell inside it). It's about a five-minute drive from Phoenixville High School and less than 10 minutes from downtown, which features an early 20th-century movie theater, a brewery, and walking trails along French Creek, a tributary of the nearby Schuylkill.
Driving to the King of Prussia Mall takes about 15 minutes. Downtown Philadelphia is less than an hour away.
Size: 3,071 square feet
Price per square foot: $244
Inside: The house is set back from the road, behind a long driveway and a wooden fence.
The front door opens to a foyer with checkerboard marble floors and a staircase to the second level.
To the left is a wood-paneled room that once served as the principal's office.
To the right is a living room with hardwood floors, a fireplace framed by a simple white mantel, and French doors that open to a covered porch.
Off the lounge is a wall paneled dining room. It connects to an updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, glass-front cabinets, granite countertops, and access to a half bath.
A hallway with bay windows connects the living room to the library, a space with high ceilings, built-in bookshelves, a fireplace, skylights and French doors that offer access to the outdoors. There is also a full bathroom in this part of the house.
The three bedrooms are on the second level. The master suite, at the top of the stairs, has plenty of closet space, direct access to the guest room next door, and a bathroom with a claw-foot tub, glass-enclosed shower, and marble floors. One of the other two bedrooms has an original built-in wardrobe; the other has a deep closet. They share a hall bathroom with a tub and shower combination.
The guesthouse, which has its own entrance and driveway, has generated income as a rental. It includes a living room, a kitchen, a sunny bedroom and a full bathroom.
Outer space: Between the main house and the guest house there is a flagstone patio. The spacious grounds also include a field of wildflowers, a stone fire pit, and a pond. There is space to park three cars at the main entrance.
Taxes: $12,264 (estimated)
Contact: Lisa Ciccotelli and Gwynne Barnes, BHHS Fox & Roach Haverford Sales Office, 610-202-4429; foxroach.com
Portland, Maine | $750,000
A one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo in an 1881 brick building
This apartment is one of 40 in the Storer Building, designed by John Calvin Stevens and Francis Henry Fassett, architects who worked extensively in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The neighborhood, known as Old Port, has panoramic views of Portland Harbor and easy access to shops and restaurants.
The building is just a few blocks from Lincoln Park, where paths surround a stone fountain, and the 1912 Merrill Auditorium, home of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. It's a five-minute drive from East End Beach, a beachfront park with a long stretch of sand and a boat launch, and about 40 minutes from Kennebunkport. Augusta, the state capital, is an hour away. Driving to Boston takes less than two hours.
Size: 1,113 square feet
Price per square foot: $674
Inside: The apartment's front door opens to a foyer with built-in bookshelves and a coat closet.
Beyond is an open living and dining room with wide-plank oak floors; large windows overlooking the port; and high built-in shelves. The kitchen, which extends along one side of this space, has a large brass-topped center island, dark gray cabinets, Calacatta marble countertops, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, and a stainless steel Wolf range.
The bedroom is off the hall, behind an antique French oak door. It is large enough to accommodate a king-size bed and includes a separate living room and double-door closet. The adjacent bathroom has heated Carrara marble floors, a marble sink, and a glass-door shower with dual rainfall showerheads.
Outer space: This apartment features a parking space in a secure garage and access to a storage space.
Taxes: $6,448 (estimated) and a monthly homeowners association fee of $385
Contact: Adam Zimbalist, Sotheby's International Realty Legacy Properties, 347-522-1554; sothebysrealty.com
New Orleans | $749,000
A two-story home with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.1 acre lot
This 2006 home is just a few blocks from a bustling stretch of Magazine Street, putting it within a 10-minute walk of a French bakery, an ice cream parlor, a record store, and a handful of coffee shops and cocktail bars. It is across from a park with a playground and dog park, and less than a mile from a Winn-Dixie supermarket.
Driving to Audubon Riverview Park on the Mississippi River takes about 10 minutes. The campuses of Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans are approximately the same distance away. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is approximately half an hour's drive away. Baton Rouge is 90 minutes away. Mobile, Alabama, is a two and a half hour drive away.
Size: 2,265 square feet
Price per square foot: $331
Inside: A wrought iron fence separates this property from the street and brick steps lead to a covered porch with ceiling fan.
The bright yellow front door opens to an entry area with hardwood floors. The hardwood floor continues past the kitchen, which has granite counters and stainless steel appliances, into a living room with a white metal chandelier, enough space for separate living and dining areas, and glass doors that They open onto a wooden terrace.
Adjacent to the kitchen is a powder room with mosaic floors and a custom corner sink.
The three bedrooms are on the second floor, accessed from the stairs near the entrance. The master suite has a large bedroom overlooking the backyard and a bathroom with a long double vanity and deep soaking tub. The two bedrooms across the hall are large enough to accommodate a large bed and a desk. They share a bathroom with a combined bathtub and shower.
Outer space: The covered lanai off the living room is cooled by ceiling fans and has a built-in bar as well as ample space for a grill and dining table. There is space to park two cars on the closed driveway.
Taxes: $4,944 (estimated)
Contact: Helga Eisele, Coldwell Banker TEC, 504-782-3390; coldwellbanker.com
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