With the distinct possibility of a long, bleak winter looming, finding ways to escape, whether physically or virtually, has become as necessary as donning a mask in public and keeping a safe distance from everyone. Increasingly, scanning Zillow fits the bill nicely. Touring other people’s homes, sometimes in your price range, but often not, offers a reprieve from your own walls. It also encourages you to imagine another life that’s just a little different than the one you have. Let’s call it pragmatic fantasizing. Here are a couple of choice properties to get you started.
BUCKS COUNTY
90 W Bridge St, New Hope | $1.195 million
An 1885 Victorian, with five bedrooms and three bathrooms, on a 0.17-acre lot.
If you find yourself walking through New Hope Borough on a regular basis marveling at the charm of the large Victorian homes and the near-constant buzz that Main and Bridge streets emit, this late-19th century home that sits right at the center of it all is your dream house. For warm-weather evenings and weekends, the requisite porch provides panoramic views for people watching. Though, the home sits just outside the fray, so you won’t be crowded out by environmental noise. The interior is rich with character, including the built-in cabinets in the foyer that make the ceiling seem even taller than it already is. At five bedrooms and three bathrooms, it’s spacious, too. A well-appointed kitchen spills into a dining and lounge area that’s filled with natural light. Just outside, there’s a private garden, complete with multiple fountains, for those moments when you’d prefer a little separation. It’s the vacation home you’d never have to leave.
Size: 3,000 square feet
Price per square foot: $398
Taxes: $4,983
HUNTERDON COUNTY
386 Byram Kingwood Rd, Frenchtown, NJ | $1.2 million
A 1760 farmhouse, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, on an 8.62-acre lot.
If you’re already feeling the strain of cabin fever, click through the aerial views in this gallery and imagine yourself wandering through your own woods, the chilly air filling your lungs. Once you’re feeling better, head inside and feel the sweet relief of a well-stoked fire. In an area steeped in history, this home stands out—wide-plank wood floors, original corner built-in cabinets in the dining room, and a working walk-in fireplace in the kitchen, for starters. The rest of the kitchen is airy and modern. Which also goes for much of the rest of the house. For all the intriguing period features and nooks, the four bedrooms and three bathrooms have been meticulously updated so as not to lose any of that character. But they’re also comfortable in all the ways we prefer to be coddled today. After all, as compelling as the idea of living in a piece of history is, comfort will win out every day. Here, you can have your wood-paneled ceiling and your soaking tub, too. Outside, a pair of lounge areas, one tucked next to the house and another alongside the backyard-pool, are large yet minimally-intrusive, because, impressive as the house is, the sprawling property is the star here.
Size: 4,258 square feet
Price per square foot: $282
Taxes: $19,182
