1403 Reynolds Street
Have we talked about pocket doors before?  Probably not – opportunity rarely arises – but we love them.  We make whooshing noises when we slide them into walls and pretend that we’re in a steampunk future where all the doors are Victorian and automated and nothing is as it seems.   So when we do come across them – as we have in this two-bedroom, two and a half bath rowhouse – we feel a special obligation to mention them.  Sure, there are other little touches that make this house special (the wood floors, the stainless steel kitchen appliances, the brick walls), but pocket doors are super-awesome!  Priced at $289,900.

1443 Andre Street
This renovated two-bedroom, three-bath rowhouse is kind of overwhelming in a lot of (good) ways.  The hardwood floors, the gourmet kitchen, the maple cabinets, the brick accents, the separate bathroom for each bedroom, the roof deck.  Plus, the lower level is furnished and tiled, making for a perfect family or game room.  If it all seems like a little too much to be contained in just one house… well, we agree, but there it is.    Priced at $329,000.

333 Hull Street

Brick is an excellent building material.  It adds a certain hominess, a certain warmth, a certain charm to whatever it touches, including this two-bedroom, one-bath rowhouse.  Now warmth and hominess are subjective terms, but the Brazilian cherry floors, exposed brick walls and well-designed kitchen are all objectively charming — and we won’t hear any arguments to the contrary.  Plus, it has a rear driveway, meaning that even the most drudging of tasks (finding parking) is easy and comfortable here.  Priced at $259,900.

Locust Point
1333 Hull Street
Oooh boy, this two-bedroom, one-bath rowhouse is exciting.  Okay, exciting if you like Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, exposed brick, high ceilings and crown moldings.  That might not be you.  You probably also don’t like new appliances in the kitchen and a rear driveway.  Who are we to judge?  People like what they like, even if it isn’t gorgeous, reasonably priced, comfortably appointed rowhouses.  Fine.  Priced at $259,900.

Butcher’s Hill
124 S. Chapel Street
There’s plenty to like about this two-bedroom, one and a half bath Butcher’s Hill rowhouse.  For one thing, it has a completely renovated kitchen, replete with hardwood floors, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.  The central air conditioning is nice too, as is the electric heat.  And we’re fond of the quiet neighborhood-y feel of Butcher’s Hill.  Yeah, we like all those things, but what we love is the two-story (!) roof deck with views of the downtown skyline all the way to M&T Bank Stadium.  Oh, jeez, do we love this roof deck.  Priced at $266,000.

Fell’s Point
219 S. Washington Street
Down in Fell’s – where everything seems to happen – is this three-bedroom, two-bath rowhouse. The recently-renovated kitchen has the granite countertops and stainless steel appliances that seem to be de rigueur (in a good way) these days.  More importantly, though, it’s on an extra-long lot, giving you little garden in the heart of what can be a very busy part of town… or, if you prefer, you can simply look down upon the garden and out to the harbor from the comfort of the roof deck.  Decisions, decisions.  Priced at $259,975.

If you’d like to know more about any of these apartments — or if you have an entirely different house in mind – get in touch with us at Urban Discoveries Living. We’ll help you out with any and all of your real estate needs.

1437 Hull Street
This listing for this two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom home calls it “extra-wide,” an adjective we like when it comes to rowhouses.  But, as always, what really matters is what’s within that space; and here the answer is an awful lot.  There are cherry hardwood floors, high ceilings with moldings, a fireplace, a gourmet kitchen, a large master suite, and, our favorite, a rooftop deck.  Plus it’s close enough to I-95 that a commute to D.C. isn’t unbearable, and close enough to water taxis to make a trip downtown fun.  Priced at $300,000, down from $350,000.

1428 Haubert Street
This two bedroom, two-and-a-half bath rowhouse has a lot going for it: cherry hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, a whirlpool tub, and a finished basement.  What we like most about it though is the recently remodeled kitchen.  Really, who doesn’t like stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and breakfast bars?  And given the built-in wine cooler and spacious dining room… well, this just seems like the perfect home to host a few dinner parties in.   Priced at $279,900, down from $299,900.

1342 Towson Street
We’re thinking this three bedroom, four-and-a-half bath home is definitely a find.  And why not, with its hardwood floors and spacious floor plan (including walk-in closets!), it seems to call out, “Live in me!  Live in me!”  Granite countertops and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen only serve to make it all the more appealing.  But pushing this end-of-unit home over the top is a roof deck with a panoramic view of the city.  We don’t know about you, but there’s nowhere we’d rather spend the last days of summer than on a rooftop, gazing across the city, sipping on a glass of wine.  Priced at $299,900, down from $379,900.

If you’d like to know more about any of these houses — or if you have an entirely different house in mind – get in touch with Brent Roberts at Urban Discoveries Living. He’ll help you out with any and all of your real estate needs.

Photo by flickr user brett_gullborg.

Two hundred thirty-three years ago, some guys declared some stuff, so this week, it’s your civic duty to make merry. Among the festivities:

1. The Inner Harbor will host the city’s biggest and most crowded celebration starting at 4:30 p.m. with a live a cappella performance by Reverb and continuing into the evening with more music from Electric Brigade and, of course, a massive display of patriotic firepower at 9:30 p.m. If you don’t feel like squeezing through a sea of sweaty human flesh, I’d recommend schlepping a blanket and a flask up Federal Hill and watching in comfort from there.

2. those of a more diurnal inclination can enjoy a more educational Independence Day at Fort McHenry from noon to 4:30 p.m. in and around the fort. It’ll cost you $7 to get in, unless you’re under sixteen in which case it’ll cost whoever drives you there $7 to get in. The big show at 3:00 p.m. will be the public recitation of a certain historical document beginning with “When in the Course of human events…”

3. From July 3 through July 5, the African American Heritage Festival will take over the M&T Bank Stadium B and C Lots Downtown (1101 Russell Street). General admission is $5, and children under 13 get in free. Attractions include a step show, a spelling bee, a poetry slam, a 5K run, daily live musical performances, and dozens of resources for health education and community development. The main stage, which is ticketed separately (admission runs $40 to $80), will feature Teena Marie, En Vogue, Anita Barker, and Tony! Toni! Toné!.

Where will you be when our freedom turns another year older?

1. Fort McHenry in Locust Point (It is its own address. Seriously.) is the big one. This star-shaped fortress may be the most patriotic hunk of land in the country. While under British guard on the Patapsco, Francis Scott Key wrote a song about the flag flying over McHenry. You might have heard it at an Orioles game. Admission is $7. Through summer, the visitor center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

2. The Edgar Allan Poe House in West Baltimore (203 Amity Street) is where Poe lived with his aunt and her family in his early twenties, until 1935 (when he married his teenage cousin and moved to Richmond). Among the stories he is believed to have written in this house is the stunning “MS. Found in a Bottle.” When Borges visited Baltimore, he insisted on seeing the Poe House, and he was blind. Admission is a small donation, and through November, the house is open Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 3:30 p.m.

Photo of Westminster Presbyterian Church Cemetery by flickr user NatalieMaynor.

3. Westminster Presbyterian Church Cemetery Downtown (519 W. Fayette Street) is the site of Poe’s grave, but is also a beautiful eighteenth-century graveyard. As Mr. P. once said, “Man is now only more active—not more happy—nor more wise, than he was 6,000 years ago.” Admission is free to the curious and respectful every day from 8:00 a.m. to dusk.

Photo of Evergreen Museum and Library by flickr user sazbean.

4. Evergreen Museum and Library in Roland Park (4545 N. Charles Street) was originally a mansion built in 1857 by Baltimore’s Broadbent family and later occupied for generations by the Garrett family, of the B&O Railroad. With forty-eight rooms and resplendent grounds, Evergreen is itself a staggering monument to American achievement (and consumption), but the converted space also houses an impressive art collection, including a rare books library with original Shakespeare folios, a theatre with set designs by Léon Bakst, and drawings by Degas and Picasso. Admission is only $6, and if you click here, you can knock that down to $5. Hours are 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and noon to 4:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Where do you go to see things that aren’t happening anymore?

Locust Point:

Shade is always nice in the summertime, don't you think?

1640 Fort Avenue East

Two stoops down from the house that just sold is another $215,000 find, on a shaded lot, right across the street from Latrobe Park in Locust Point. The roof is new, as is some of the drywall, but the thing that appeals to us—sick as we may be—is that some work needs to be done to it still. We’re fans of renovation projects. Doing work on your own house makes it yours all the quicker. Just reduced $20,000.

An open floor plan provides flexibility for your needs.

1414 Cooksie Street

This, simply put, is a really pretty house. Gleaming hardwood floors, two master suites, a recently remodeled kitchen, and exposed brick in the living room, these are all things we find attractive. The guts of the house are in good shape too: it has central AC, a new sump pump, and upgraded electrical systems.  And it’s just a short block away from Latrobe Park as well.  Priced at 209,900.

Washington Village

Don't you just want to slide in for a soak?

331 Scott Street

Over in South Baltimore you can still find a treasure or two.  In this case the treasure is a three-story, two bedroom, one bathroom rowhouse.  Okay, one bathroom usually isn’t much to write home about… but this is.  There’s a stand-alone clawfoot tub, a separate shower, and a water closet.  Seriously, it’s nice.  Extra tall ceilings, replacement windows and a skylight let the sun shine in throughout the house.  Plus it’s close to the stadiums, UMD, and the Inner Harbor.  Recently reduced by $20,000 to $212,500.

If none of these are quite right for you, you may want to check out our Real Estate Round-Up from a couple weeks ago.  All those homes are in South Baltimore and within a similar price range.  Just sayin’.

Locust Point: 1420 Hull Street

We really like this two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath rowhouse in Locust Point because, well, there’s nothing not to like. There’s checkerboard tile in the kitchen. There’s a back patio with a pergola that makes us wonder what rowhomes in ancient Greece must have looked like. There’s Locust Point, a neighborhood in the best sense, a place where you can live. Throw in the local restaurants and shops – plus the fact that you can take a water taxi to the Inner Harbor – and you’ve got a nice little find. Priced at $165,000.

Did the Ancient Greeks have water taxis?

Federal Hill: 1010 Patapsco Street

For whatever reason, we think of “Hansel & Gretel” when we look at this house. And while it’s not made out of candy, it does seem like an awfully sweet place to live. It has two bedrooms and one bath, a brick back patio and wood floors throughout, and other little touches such as two fireplaces (one wood, one gas), a spiral staircase, and lots of exposed brick – plus a Jacuzzi tub and a recent price reduction (to $225,000 from $275,000).

It's not gingerbread, but we like the exposed brick.

7 Hamburg Street East

Last up is this two-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath rowhouse in Federal Hill. It’s on the end of the row – our favorite position for a rowhouse because of all the extra light it allows in. We’re fans of the hardwood floors in the living room and the carpeted upstairs. The backyard patio is perfect for entertaining friends or clients during the warmer months, and the inside is cozy and warm, with two working fireplaces for the winter. Priced at $239,900.

Hardwood floors, light, and not one but two working fireplaces.

Locust Point
1423 Beason Street, 21230

Could anyone have imagined this dining area in 1892?

Look around in this fully restored 1892 row house, and you’ll find a lot to see: 3 bedrooms, wood floors, built-in bookcases, stainless steel kitchen appliances, whirlpool jets in the bathroom, and on and on. It’s 871 square feet but feels more spacious because of the 9 to 10 foot ceilings and — ta da — a private rooftop deck from which to enjoy the city.

Original listing in mid-March: $349,900. Now: $299,900. Reduction: $50,000.

Federal Hill
1211 Light Street, Unit T-1, 21230

Another dazzling renovation in an old (1900) building, which now has an elevator. It’s an 859 square foot condo with built-ins throughout and wall-to-wall carpeting. And guess what? The very nice furniture conveys.

Original listing: $339,000, dropped to $324,900 at the end of March. Now: $274,900. Reduction: $50,000.

Everything is in place -- let's get cooking.

Yes, you get the bed, too.

South Baltimore
1402 Woodall Street, 21230

If you’re willing to put glamour aside in favor of a roomy (1,158 square feet) row house, with wood floors and a finished basement, a 2-car garage — you know, the basics — this place has a wonderful surprise. The roof deck affords spectacular views of the city and the harbor.

Listed in mid-March: $349,900. Now: $299,900. Reduction: $50,000.

A respectable Woodall Street facade.

The phenomenal view from the roof deck.

For a closer look at these houses (or ones like them), visit Urban Discoveries Living.

Canton

Canton is hip, pet-friendly, walkable, social, and spunky (according to the LiveBaltimore website, that is). We love it for its waterfront location, and because it’s perfectly positioned to take advantage of all the best ethnic food in Baltimore.

3800 Hudson Street, 21224

The Boh-man glass window (picture below) says it all: this house helps put the charm in Charm City. We kind of want to live here and throw lots of cool parties for our hip urban friends — there’s a private patio, a surround sound setup in the living room, and lots of exposed brick. Discounted to $255,000 from $335,000, this three-bedroom, 1.5 bath townhouse is nicely priced, too.

Hampden

Much has been made about the hipsterfication of Hampden, but the neighborhood seems to have found the perfect balance between expanding retail options (for example, The Avenue, several walkable blocks of locally-owned shops and restaurants) and maintaining its quirky, neighborhood feel.

3530 Elm Avenue, 21211

This adorable three-bedroom, 1.5-bath house reminds us of the best parts of living in Hampden — you can have a homey haven in the middle of the city. With high ceilings and hardwood floors throughout, we’re thinking this would make a classy family home. (It’s also got a pantry, a carport, and a mud room.) It’s listed at $239,000 (down from $247,000).

Locust Point

With its mix of old-school rowhouses and sleek new high rises, Locust Point is an intriguing example of how the past and present can co-exist in Baltimore. With easy access to the water and to Ft. McHenry, Locust Point is also ideal for Baltimoreans who want to enjoy the outdoors.

1331 Clement Street East, 21230

This pretty brick end-of-group rowhouse features fabulous city views — and tons of windows, through which to better appreciate those views. Inside you’ll find three bedrooms, one bathroom, and plenty of exposed brick and hardwood floors… along with a finished basement. It’s priced at $249,900, down from $254,900.

But back then we thought that we were just playing a silly game in a garage because we didn’t have girlfriends.  Of course that was before we discovered that Baltimore has Beer Pong leagues.  (Bars in both Federal Hill and Canton play host.) And that beer pong has become something of a national drinking pastime. So much so that Time magazine has written about it, and there are websites that sell “official” beer pong gear.  Even Nintendo’s in on the racquet with “Pong Toss” a thinly veiled Wii version of Beer Pong that stirred up some controversy on its release.

Beer Pong has become such a phenomenon that legislation banning it was introduced to the Maryland State Senate, only to be withdrawn when over 1200 beer pong teams called in to protest.  Shocking.  No one’s introduced legislation banning “Roxanne.”  No one that we know of anyway.

Looking to get in on it? The Winter 2009 1-on-1 tournament is scheduled for March 5 at the Sly Fox Club in Locust Point (823 E. Fort Avenue), which gives you plenty of time to work on your game. Advance registration is $15, and winning player receives a cash prize.

What’s your favorite bar game?