Nadine Krasnow, CRS
In Henry James’ elegant words, “Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
Ain’t it the truth? What’s your pleasure? Mine is biking to the beach, swimming in our clear and warm waters, and then having my bff’s over for a crisp, cool salad and a long, tall glass of the beverage of the day. Ah, summer afternoon, summer afternoon…
Yes, Virginia, there ARE homes for people on a budget, and some are really appealing! Here are my current faves:
$309,000
This house has much more space inside than you’d think at first glance, mostly due to the vaulted ceiling which allows for a huge upper level loft currently being used as a family room. Again, there’s a lot for the money here, not the least of which is crystal-clear Jenkins Pond.
#21602571
470 Hatchville Road, Falmouth
$319,900
Deep Pond is just beyond this house, so for anyone who wants relatively private pond access, this is a find. Set far back from the road, the feeling around the property is very “country”. It could use some updating, and you may or may not like the pizza restaurant replica in the lower level, but it’s a cute house with a lot of possibilities in a wonderful setting.
If you’ve watched the “Million Dollar Listing” show on Bravo, you know that “million dollar” is just the threshold, and the prices go up from there.
There are some fabulous million dollar-plus listings in Falmouth, too. Here are some I’ve seen recently:
$1,995,000
This house is like a fine, small European museum. It was custom-built by the sellers, who spared no expense in either materials, design, or craftsmanship. The result is an eye-popping array of marble, mosaic, crystal chandeliers, brass tiles – you get the picture. The spaces are dramatic, supremely functional, and highly unusual on Cape Cod. This is not your typical, bleached wood, minimalist beach house.
#21605308
26 Tower House Road, Falmouth
$2,150,000
Smack in the middle of Falmouth Heights, Tower House Road is another of the most desirable streets in town. The house has outstanding views of the harbor, Woods Hole, and the Vineyard. It’s young, built in 2005 and lightly lived in, so it’s in pristine condition. Architecturally, it’s the quintessential Shingle style, with two separate two-car garages – one of which has a guest apartment above. This house has it all: location, space, floor plan, comfort, and convenience – even a dunking pool (the smallest swimming pool I’ve ever seen – cute but no laps) for cooling off on a hot day.
Gansett Road is one of the prime Woods Hole locations, and this house has almost three acres – THREE! – of grounds. In addition, it overlooks Quissett Harbor and the 18th hole of the exclusive Woods Hole Golf Course. All of this explains why the price is what it is. The house itself is vintage and has been in the same family for more than 50 years. They’ve obviously loved it just the way it is, but most new owners will probably want to do extensive updating. It will be interesting to see how quickly and for what price this house sells.
This is Part 3 of my top picks of some great homes that have recently come on the market.
I was looking forward to seeing this house because it is on Wings Pond, but when I got there, although the house has lots of glass along the back and a big deck, the leaves on the trees obscure the view, so this is probably a great view in the winter only. Good floor plan, with first-floor main bedroom suite, and the finished basement, and a two-car garage; but also sporting that Florida ambience.
Now we hit the big time in terms of price. This is really a beautiful home – young and well-designed, built, and decorated. But there’s a big new house on stilts going up across the street that is smack-dab in the middle of what used to be the view from this house.
This is in another one of our secret little neighborhoods. Black Beach is a private continuation of public Chapoquoit Beach, so it’s sandy, gorgeous, and has those spectacular Buzzards Bay sunsets. The neighborhood consists of small, windy dirt roads that have been here for 100 years. It’s really charming! This is an older home that’s been redone, and has charm, space, comfort, and location.
Vernon Ave. is classic Falmouth Heights, and this is a classic Falmouth Heights beach house! Set high on a hill, the views of Vineyard Sound and the Vineyard are all-encompassing. With 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, it will graciously accommodate most buyers’ needs. When you add in the wrap-around deck, bow windows, beautiful hardwood floors, a balcony, and an outstanding renovation that kept the provenance of the house uppermost, this home is a joy to see and to be in. If I win the lottery, this is the one I’ll buy!
Carey Lane is yet another private, exclusive Falmouth neighborhood. Perched high above Buzzards Bay and adjacent to The Knob, there are probably only about 20 homes here, most with stunning west-facing views. I’m guessing this was the original home on Carey Lane, because it is quite a bit older than the others, and it shows its age. Rooms are small, floor plan not what we look for today, and the floors are uneven. It’s not out of the question that even at this price, the house could be a “knock down” because the setting is exponentially stunning. The one thing I would save is the cutest “she-shed”. Click on the picture above to see it.
This is Part 2 of my top picks of some great homes that have recently come on the market.
This New Silver Beach gem has bedrooms and bathrooms on all three floors, making it super comfortable for family and friends. There are second-floor views, it’s only a block to the beach, and it has a huge double lot – rare in this neighborhood. This hits all the buttons.
#21604430
161 Alder Lane, Falmouth
$695,000
An interesting comp for Silver Beach Ave. above because it’s the same price and the same general area of town, this home is in Wild Harbor Estates. Like New Silver Beach, there’s a lovely sandy private beach, place for your kayaks and canoes, and tennis. This house is quite dated, however, and has a floor plan that had me wondering how I would make it work better. If you want to have some fun, click on the house and look at the pink bathroom.
