For the next couple of weeks we will be checking out some homes in the most expensive zip codes in the United States, up today, 02554. This zip code is is on the island of Nantucket off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. While not the best place to wait out a long winter (it's a 30-mile ferry ride from the Cape) it is a very popular place to spend the summer months. This zip code has a median price of $1,550,000 and an appreciation rate of 321% since 1990.
Today's home is a newer build but it has many of the qualities associated with Nantucket homes includes a shingled exterior, plenty of clean white walls and blue accents, a widow's walk and views of long sandy beaches and the Atlantic Ocean. This nearly two-acre property is located in the Squam area of the island and is actually two houses on one property, a four-bedroom main house, and a two-bedroom guest house with a pool and spa. This property is listed at $11.75 million.
Gallery: Most Expensive Zip Code, 02554, Nantucket
When I saw that this one was up for sale, I was excited. When my family used to live on Cape Cod, I've often passed by this house on the way to the Hyannis Yacht Club. On sunny days I often saw a man painting on outside on the observation deck of the tower. This home is set at a bend in the road in Hyannisport and faces Nantucket Sound. The nearly 8,000 square-foot home is on enviable piece of land with 300 feet of private beachfront. The home, which was built in 1910, is in need of a bit of a renovation but it's a treat to see the artist's works everywhere. The studio is messy, as all good studios should be, but it looks like great space. The home is listed at $8.95 million.
This rather interesting home in West Newbury, Massachusetts has a sprawling idiosyncratic style. The photos of the home reveal all sorts of quirky details including a wooden arch in the master bedroom that helps cordon off a small sitting area. Rounded arches are a dominant theme in the home, many of the doorways are curved. The woodwork is beautiful with intricate details on the carved columns, detailed moldings and arches. There are four bedrooms and over 18,000 square feet of space, much of which seems to be given over, on the first level, to large open spaces stuffed with couches and small tables. I'm a sucker for a stuffed library and this home has a lovely open one with glass doors. Other details include an indoor pool and a summer kitchen. The 7.56 acres also include a a 4200 square foot antique Colonial, 2500 square foot post and beam saltbox and a buildable lot. It is listed at $9.5 million.
The Concord House in Concord, Massachusetts is a gorgeous piece of architecture created by Machado and Silvetti Associates. This 8,000-square-foot home has the type of clean lines that bring joy to the modernist heart. The five-bedroom home has a great feeling of spaciousness with the rooms placed around an L-shaped form and sharing exterior and interior courtyards. It is listed at $6.25 million. After the jump, modern and yet cozy.
Today's estate is in one of my favorite Massachusetts towns. Nahant is a rocky coastal town north of Boston. It has a dramatic coastline of sharp promontories and sweeping ocean vistas. The home shown here is Swallow Cave which was built in the late 1930s for John Roosevelt, son of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and his wife Ann Clark. This Mediterranean-style villa sits on two waterfront acres with views of the Atlantic Ocean, Harbor Islands, and the Boston Skyline. The home has seven bedrooms and details that include antique pine floors, a media room, wine cellar, and a four-car garage with one-bedroom apartment. There is an oceanfront pool with cabana, a small vineyard and orchard, and a private beach with your own tiny rocky island to swim out to. It is listed at $5.9 million. After the jump, a summer inside a classic.
Today the Boston Marathon is going on so I
decided to choose this Boston penthouse as our estate of the day. This harbor penthouse has amazing views from every
room. The 4,500 square foot space has four bedrooms, two fireplaces and two decks. The living and dining rooms have
walnut floors and the eat-in kitchen has a wood-burning fireplace, green marble countertops, private balcony and
panoramic views. The master suite has a cathedral ceiling and the master bath has both a steam shower and Jacuzzi
tub. The home also includes a paneled library, a home theater, a garden room with a soapstone sink and a wine storage
area. There are three parking spaces and a marina spot for your boat. The penthouse is listed at $9.25 million.
A piece of American
history is hitting the auction block on Tuesday. The Boston Globe reports
that the summer home of Mayor John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, the father of Rose Kennedy will be auctioned
off through Commonwealth
Auctions. The house, located in the town of Hull was sold by Honey Fitz in 1921 but J.F.K. did spend the first
summer of his life there. The 15-room mansion has a view of the Boston skyline and has a classic white-gabled look. The
home is up for auction because the current owner Jamie Edelkind, used forged documents to buy and renovate the house. He
was sentenced to five years in prison for wiring $580,000 in cash from a refinancing to his wife in Norway before he
defaulted on a $2.3 million loan. It's historic but so far there hasn't been a lot of interest. The home does not have
beach access. The home is a lovely old classic but real estate prices in Hull are often lower (a quick scan of Realtor.com
reveals several large old grand houses selling for under $2 million) and the housing market in Massachusetts has
recently turned a tad sluggish.
