It’s finally Spring, and for real estate junkies that only means one thing–the MLS is bursting with juicy new listings for us to check out! It’s my favorite time of year.
I’ve been known to while away many a lazy Sunday afternoon searching the real estate listings online to see what’s on the market and how much things are selling for. It’s fun to take a peek inside other people’s places and see how they’re living, don’t you think? I can’t believe I’m the only one who has this slightly offbeat obsession with looking at houses. (You’re here, aren’t you?)
I should have a bumper sticker that says “I Brake for Open Houses.” They’re hard for me to resist, even when I’m out of town. I used to have a standard line–”My parents are moving into the area, so I thought I’d see if this would work for them!” But now I just come out with it and say, “I saw the Open House sign and thought I’d check it out.” I’m sure the real estate agents always saw through me before anyway. I’ve got House Snoop written all over me.
With online listings, it’s like Open House 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I’m hooked on them. So this week I thought it would be fun to show you three different houses for sale in Hyde Park, Ohio (an older suburb of Cincinnati). Then we’ll take a poll after each one in which you can vote to 1) Buy it, 2) Sleep on it, or 3) Walk away!
First up is this $2.59 million stunner with 6 BR and 5.5 BA and over 7,000 square feet on Rookwood Drive. Take a look and see if it’s someplace you’d like to live.
To tour this home, click “more” below:
This is the most expensive home we’ll be touring this week. The dramatic entry:
The living room:
The dining room:
Kitchen:
Breakfast nook:
Family room:
Master bedroom:
Master bath:
Back patio:
Aerial view of the property:
According to the MLS listing:
Exquisite execution of Architectural&Interior Design*The Rookwood Address*Reported 7133 SF*Notable 2007 Decor Transition*Ebony Floors*Plantation Shutters*French Rubbed Cabinetry*Electronics 2die4*Elevator*Entertainment Verandas
So what do you think? Is it worth nearly $2.6 of your hard-earned millions? Click on the link below to vote to 1) Buy it, 2) Sleep on it, or 3) Walk away! And don’t forget to come back and leave a comment to let us know why you voted the way you did. What do you like–or dislike–about this place?
CLICK HERE TO VOTE AND SEE RESULTS SO FAR
If You’re Hooked on House Tours:
- Open House: Edwards Road
- Open House: Observatory Drive
- HGTV Green Home ‘08
- Designed to Sell? The Purple Angel House
- The Spite House in Virginia (only 7 feet wide!).
- Cobble Court, a manor in Ohio built to look like a French-Norman estate.
- Stokesay Court, the estate used in the Keira Knightley film “Atonement.”
- Coco Chanel’s elegant Parisian apartment at 31 Rue Cambon.
- 1908 Mansion for sale in Compton Heights area of St. Louis
- Mark Twain’s Tiffany-decorated mansion in Hartford, Connecticut
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I voted to walk. At first I kinda liked the house, but I didn’t love the kitchen ( and I have to love the kitchen for that kind of $$) and that window in the MBR seemed squatty and made the room feel rather oppressive and then the Master bath was awful…way too contemporary for me and for the rest of the house ( at least the parts we could see). Fun to be snooty when there is no chance we will ever own it, huh?
Janet
I agree with Janet that it’s fun to be snooty about houses we’d never be able to buy.
I voted to sleep on it, because there are things I liked about the house but a lot I would have to change. The floors are too dark for my taste and I’d have to paint all the walls everywhere because those tones of gray/taupe/mauve make me depressed. (They’re elegant and look great…but I can’t live with them, I’ve tried)
I love the fact that there are so many windows, but I agree with Janet that some of them are oddly sized and placed. Also agree with Janet about the master bath and the kitchen. I can tell someone spent big bucks on that kitchen, but I do not like: glazed cabinets, dark floors, stainless appliances, marble counters, or subway tile. Yes, I am completely out of style…my kitchen has (whisper) oak cabinets.
Hey, I just realized that when (as if!) I’m in the market for a 2.6 million dollar house I should get Janet to help me look. We seem to have similar tastes. Or at least we dislike the same things.
I voted to sleep on it because it is a beautiful property with a lot of things that I like. I liked a lot of the kitchen but for some reason it didn’t grab me. The bathroom looks straight out of the ’80s with the glass blocks, dusty rose/mauve/whatever paint color they had in there, and the tiles and tub looked dated. I didn’t like the light fixture in the entryway- it looked like someone’s head was on fire, oh and the mauve color on *all* of the walls. The master bedroom also seemed like it should have more of a wow factor for that kind of money. I guess I’m just miss negativity today
I do love the dark floors and the slate patio and the windows- and did I mention the property?
You guys are good at this! I love how much thought you’re putting into your decision. Amy, you’re comment about the entry chandelier looking like someone’s head was on fire made me laugh out loud. -Julia
I love gray walls…but in EVERY room? It’s like they had one good idea for the living room, but the inspiration stopped there…so they just kept painting anyway.
I do think that overall it’s gorgeous but I also hate the bathroom. I’ll sleep on it, then most likely offer them every penny in my bank account. (Do you think they’ll take an offer for $12.94?)
Sleep on it, or see if they’ll let you sleep in it to think about it? Would they let us? I’d probably walk too, for the same reasons everyone else listed.
I liked the house, but the agent’s description bothered me! 2die4? Please…
Courtney–I agree. And the gray looks a little mauve-y to me, too. I couldn’t take that.
Aubrey–I wonder if they WOULD let us sleep there overnight? I’ll tell them that as a group we decided we need to check it out like they do on that HGTV show where they spend the night in a home to see if they want to buy it. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Lisa–you’re so right. Too funny. They get a little too creative sometimes.
Is that a Chihuly light fixter in the foyer? In a private home? Oh goodness me. They don’t sell those at Lowe’s.
I said sleep on it — The house is nice but I don’t know if I would spend THAT much money on it.
You’ve got a good eye, Liz! It does look like a Chihuly (go to http://www.chihuly.com to see some amazing installations). You’d think the agent would’ve mentioned that in the description if it was an original, though. -Julia
I vote buy it, that is, IF you have loads of cash. I love houses that
have lots and lots of natural light. This house also seems so open
and free. Plus, it would be lots of fun for your guests to poke around in it.
The big flat screen TVs on the fireplace mantles is too cheap for me. It looks like a velvet elvis there.
Ok let me try this again. Love the house would def buy it in a sec. (especially since it is pretend money) As for the chandelier that someone said looked like a person with their head on fie. If you had to pay for it your head would be on fire. It is made by a high end company that makes them all custom . They start at about $15k.There is a hotel in vegas with over a million dolllors worth of them in the dining room.
P.S. I love them.
I vote to walk away because it is just too big. But, that IS a Dale Chiluly chandelier, I’d bet money on it. It is a beautiful house if you want a house that is so big. I liked the family room with the TV over the mantle, unlike Class of 56, because it seemed like a place I wouldn’t be afraid to walk in without taking off my shoes first!
First of all, I love the idea of playing around with loads of fake money! Second, I voted to buy it. I love to decorate, so I woudn’t want everything to stay the original color anyway. Plus, presumably I have big bucks so I could make it look the way I wanted, interior-wise. I wanted to buy it because I liked the basics. I think that the family room and several of the others are pretty cozy, as is. I love all the natural light and it also looks really cool from the air.
the entry chandlier is a classic. i think it cost like in the 20,000 range if not 80,000 dollars. omg. the whole place is nice and perfect. i’d buy it in a heartbeat.