This? Or That??

In honor of the holiday weekend, when its estimated that 900,000+ people will evacuate the DC area, (I'm not exaggerating, that's a real AAA estimate) I decided to compare a mountain vacation home to a beach vacation home. A little luxury this or that action..let's get started!

Our first luxury vacation home is located in the western part of Maryland in Oakland, right on Deep Creek Lake. The full listing is available to view here.

The house has full length windows, giving you the opportunity to take in every bit of the incredible lakefront view.

(I wasn't joking that it was located on Deep Creek Lake, literally)

There are also excellent outdoor features like a full deck, fireplace, hot tub, and an ample lawn area. Lots of fun and entertaining to be had!

Moving inside, the home offers a true gourmet chef style kitchen.

As for our mountainside home, I leave you with the large living room and loft area. Ample space for all those family members mooching off your vacation property :) 

Now that we've viewed our mountain lakeside option, let's take a look at the bay front option on the other side of the state in Ocean City. Full listing available here.

This property is the epitome of beach style living: many windows, balconies and the stilt/lifted style foundation.

Moving inside, there is a light kitchen that provides plenty of space for cooking and entertaining.

Moving from the kitchen, there is a bright family room leading directly to the second floor balcony and an amazing waterfront view, complete with dock. The waterway leads directly to the Atlantic Ocean providing an opportunity for almost any water activity like crabbing, fishing, deep sea fishing, water skiing, tubing, etc.

Go big or go home right?! Which dream vacation property would you invest in?

Townhouse Tuesday

Tuesday could possibly be one of the longest days of the week. The week isn't half over, Monday was rough, the weather isn't great, the commute was long.. Let's change up the routine, take a coffee break, and read about today's real estate ransack: a townhouse!

Staying in the mid Atlantic region for now, this townhouse property is located in one of my favorite waterside towns, the home of the U.S. Naval Academy, Maryland's state capital, Annapolis.

Annapolis has the perfect mix of modern conveniences and a historic, small town feel in the waterfront downtown area. Located right on the Chesapeake Bay, this 3 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom property also has the perfect combination: contemporary living while maintaining a light and "beachy" feel.

The most contemporary spaces in this home are the bathrooms and living spaces, specifically the fireplaces. In these spaces, modern tiles and fixtures combined with wood and neutral wall colors keeps the space light and soft.

Source: http://homes.longandfoster.com/Real-Estate/PropertyDetails.aspx?&mlsCompanyID=2&mlsNumber=AA8032613

The kitchen continues to maintain a bright, beachy feel with contemporary touches. For example, the blue over sink lights that are pulled into the room by matching with the tile backsplash that circles the kitchen.

 

Source: http://homes.longandfoster.com/Real-Estate/PropertyDetails.aspx?&mlsCompanyID=2&mlsNumber=AA8032613

 Throughout the property you get a feeling of a modern space that is still comfortable, simple and warm. A design that is sometimes not easily achieved, especially in a location where most properties rely on the "beachy" decor. The front of the property is nothing special...

 

 but I think we can let this last picture speak for itself (who wouldn't want this view out of their living room after a long day??)

  Source: http://homes.longandfoster.com/Real-Estate/PropertyDetails.aspx?&mlsCompanyID=2&mlsNumber=AA8032613

The full listing can be viewed here. Have a great Tuesday!

Mid Range Monday!

Good Morning!

This Monday morning I'm ransacking a moderately priced home in the DC/Northern VA area. Housing in this area is so expensive and it can be a challenge finding a reasonably priced home that has at least 2 bathrooms and room to store those extra pairs of shoes that you have to buy. But I think I've found a property that would allow any buyer to get the most for their money..

This 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom single family home has excellent curb appeal. Yes, listed at $550,000, this property fairly represents what is available in the DC/Northern VA area at a mid-range price point.

Source: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/property?propertyId=8906242&mode=detail&brandType=REN

Let's start with the potential drawbacks of this property so we can focus on the good things (there are many more positives than negatives here!)

Cons: The washer/dryer in the kitchen is not ideal, but that is something that can be easily hidden behind a curtain or even a built in closet. And makes switching loads of laundry convenient! This kitchen also doesnt appear to have much counter space. However, it is the perfect kitchen for adding an island or even rolling cart for additional prep space and storage. Although this may seem like you're just spending more money on a house you just purchased, you get to customize it for what works best for your family. A plus!

 

Source: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/property?propertyId=8906242&mode=detail&brandType=REN

Pros: hardwood floors throughout the downstairs, good sized bedrooms on the second floor (which can be hard to find) and updated bathrooms.

Source: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/property?propertyId=8906242&mode=detail&brandType=REN

Source: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/property?propertyId=8906242&mode=detail&brandType=REN

Saving the best for last... the large, completely fenced in back yard with a grassy area is incredible and perfect for outdoor entertaining/playing/hanging out.

Source: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/property?propertyId=8906242&mode=detail&brandType=REN

Thats the real estate ransack for today! What do you think? What are your pros and cons for this property?

Welcome to the Real Estate Ransack!

The idea for this blog came from my daily, random search of MLS listings. Currently, I'm not in the position or life phase to purchase my own house. But ever since I was young, I would look at property listings. Leaving the grocery store with my mom around age 8, I would grab the "Homes" catalog and flip through the pages in the car. As I got older, and technology advanced, I would spend hours looking at listings online. And I still do.

Recently a co-worker mentioned she was looking to move. Little did she know that I LOVE looking at real estate online. Within minutes I was sending her legitimate listings that fit the few requirements she was looking to have in a future home. She appreciated someone else wading through the hundreds of "bad" options and sending her just the "good" ones to consider. I don't think she actually believed that I enjoy looking at home listings in my free time. (I've also completed searches for my parents, friends who were looking for a city rental, and the parents of an ex-boyfriend looking for a vacation home in FL).

Let's just say that looking at houses is something I thoroughly enjoy in my precious few moments of down time. Now, I've decided to share interesting properties and other real estate related topics with you!

Enjoy!