So with the Cottage In the Woods off our list, we turned our attention to another property we toured: a charming Cape Cod near local shops. We were initially cautious since it’s in a completely new neighborhood for us, but its small hints of city living — walkable streets and nearby conveniences — appealed to the part of us that once loved living in New York City and being able to stroll to the store. We decided to take a closer look. Below is the home shown in a slightly edited exterior photo (we’re keeping our photo sharing limited out of respect for the sellers; see more about that here):
THE STATS:
- Year built: 1945
- House size: 2,001 square feet
- Lot size: 0.25 acres
- Bedrooms: 3
- Bathrooms: 2
THE PROS:
- Friendly, walkable neighborhood with nearby shops (we could even walk to Target)
- County schools and taxes, but with a neighborhood feel closer to the city
- Character-filled older home that needs updating, which could be an opportunity
- Beautiful original hardwood floors throughout
THE CONS:
- Price per square foot was higher than other houses we viewed
- Floor plan felt compartmentalized and closed off in places
- Main bedroom is on the first floor while the other bedrooms are upstairs; we prefer bedrooms on the same level
- No central air conditioning
- Not very close to family
Once inside, the house didn’t quite give us the instant, clear “yes” we felt when buying our current home. Still, touring it helped us refine what we like: this type of neighborhood suits us, even though the area was new to us. The higher price and greater distance from family were definite drawbacks, but the charming exterior and solid bones — especially the hardwood floors — left us open to exploring other two-story homes in Bon Air. We want to compare options beyond ranch-style houses and see what two-level homes in that area feel like.
Exterior photo altered by us with the help of Photoshop.
Psst — Want to see a wonderful nursery we spotted recently? Check out this week’s BabyCenter post for a Nursery Crashing feature.