Perhaps there really are fairy-tale endings, at least when it comes to real estate. We’ve found 10 storybook homes on the market right now, appearing as though they’ve all been sprinkled with pixie dust.
And unlike other whimsical elements of children’s books,storybook homes—also called “fairy-tale homes” or “Hansel and Gretel homes”—do exist. The style became popular after World War I, inspired by European-style homes.
The distinguishing characteristics of these fancifully designed homes include sloping roofs, cobblestones, and odd-shaped doors and windows. Think Bilbo Baggins’ home in “The Hobbit” or the “Snow White” cottage—without the Hobbits or seven dwarfs.
And although the roots of fantasyland architecture reach deep into the past, we’ve found updated examples that offer a blend of charming original features and modern conveniences. They’ll have you whistling while you work…
So settle in and let us tell you the tale of 10 fantastic storybook homes.
2847 6th Ave N, Saint Petersburg, FL
Price: $385,000
Fabled features: Built in 1937, this two-bedroom Tudor is a charmer. Through the colorful front door are 10-foot-high ceilings, crown moldings, a decorative fireplace, and rounded doorways. There’s also a sunny office, dining room, original flooring, and green Cuban tile in the bath. A great room added in 1959 features wall-to-wall knotty pine with bamboo flooring.
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1319 Fairmount Ave, Saint Paul, MN
Price: $425,000
Fabled features: This nearly century-old, three-bedroom home offers coved ceilings, hardwood floors, a living room with fireplace, kitchen with new appliances, and screened-in porch. Still not fanciful enough for you? The upstairs master boasts a vaulted ceiling and arched windows.
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17407 Neff Rd, Cleveland, OH
Price: $140,000
Fabled features: The home’s picture-perfect exterior is complemented by an updated interior with abundant natural light. The three-bedroom home features a modernized kitchen, formal living and dining rooms, a private deck, and backyard with patio. The finished basem*nt could serve as a gym, media, or game room. The two-car garage is large enough to fit all your toys, including kayaks and canoes for the nearby lake.
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3700 Hillview St, Oakland, CA
Price: $748,000
Fabled features: The price may seem Grimm, but the home is a pure delight. The three-bedroom home has benefited from the “love and artistic design” of the current owners. The cozy living room offers a custom built-in and gas fireplace. The scrumptious eat-in kitchen contains custom cabinets and walnut counters, and opens to a deck for dining outside.
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1662 N Pelham Rd NE, Atlanta, GA
Price: $659,999
Fabled features: Located on one of the area’s “most captivating streets,” this Tudor from 1929 will steal your heart. Walk down a beautiful brick pathway and enter through a stone-arched doorway. Inside, there’s a spacious living room with a stone fireplace and double French doors. The adjoining dining room and great room include an open, modern kitchen leading to a large back deck.
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4040 SE Oak St, Portland, OR
Price: $950,000
Fabled features: An arched entry leads to a “world of yesteryear.” Features of this fairy-tale residence include marble-faced stucco, arched leaded-glass windows in the dining room, and a sunlit living room with oak flooring, millwork, and crown molding. The cheerful eat-in kitchen has blue tile and an island.
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210 Donner Ave, Roseville, CA
Price: $475,000
Fabled features: Built in 1929, this three-bedroom brick cottage has nearly 2,000 square feet of living space. Located in a historical neighborhood, and in walking distance to downtown and Royer Park, the home offers a modern kitchen, hardwood floors, a brick fireplace, built-ins, and a grassy backyard.
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2147 E Shelby St, Seattle, WA
Price: $1,750,000
Fabled features: Located in Montlake’s historic district, this prime property offers two units. There’s the original storybook home from 1926, and a detachedtwo-bedroom cottage built in 2013 as a miniature version of the main house. Both units share patio and garden space. The main house, designed by architect J. Lister Holmes, features a half-timbered exterior, copper downspouts, the original staircase, leaded-glass windows, hardwood flooring, and a sunroom leading to the backyard.
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4504 Idaho Ave, Nashville, TN
Price: $650,000
Fabled features: You had us at “white picket fence.” The cottage, which was featured on “This Old House,” sports a layout with an updated kitchen, original pine flooring, living room with a fireplace, and a private master bedroom. A new 368-square-foot sunroom offers additional living space and looks out onto a grassy backyard.
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106 Locust St, Garden City, NY
Price: $1,149,000
Fabled features: This four-bedroom Tudor built in 1928 was fully renovated in 2010. “Meticulously maintained” ever since, the home features an updated kitchen with granite counters, an island, and checkerboard floor. The charming living room includes a fireplace with built-ins, and leads into a formal dining room.
