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Day in and day out, we here on Inman’s editorial staff write the hard news of the real estate industry. Legal filings, criminal cases, recruiting victories, industry rivalries and more. There’s never a dull moment.
But the year’s end also brings an opportunity to reflect on why some of us writers ended up covering this beat in the first place: We actually like real estate. There’s the drama of deal-making. The fantasy of imagining a new life. And the simple aesthetic pleasures of looking at a particularly well-crafted home — or, often, that home’s also-well crafted listing.
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So, for the second year in a row, we bring you the listings Inman’s editorial staff loved this year. The homes below range from cabins to mansions. They’re urban and they’re rural. But all of them served this year as a reminder to us of why we love this beat.
When I’m feeling idealistic come summer and am daydreaming about escaping the punishing heat of the Southwest, I sometimes think about how nice it could be to co-own with my family a lakeside cabin in the Adirondacks.
This spacious 8-bedroom on a bay off of Lake Placid would handily serve the needs of my parents, two siblings and our families (three partners, five kids and counting). With multiple fireplaces, a rec room, wine room, boat house, pool and screened-in porch, there’s something for everyone.
Of course, the logistics of co-owning a piece of property with my family members sounds like a bit of a nightmare, and the 23 acres of land attached to this property, while beautiful, seems overwhelming to maintain. (We also could never afford such a place.) But it’s fun to dream about the cool mountain air, the sounds of children laughing near the water and the peace that comes with vacationing in a place where cell service is unreliable. — Lillian Dickerson
I was highly suspicious when this three-unit home in one of Chicago’s most exclusive suburbs hit the market. Surely, I thought, the village would have banned anything more than a single-family home. After a quick call to the listing broker and some follow-ups with the village, I confirmed that this three-flat was built before modern zoning and was therefore legal.
The listing represented the perfect chance to house hack my way into one of the most elite zip codes in the country. It’s an area I’d otherwise never be able to afford if the other two units weren’t helping offset the cost of the house. House hacking is something I’ve written about before and dreamed about doing someday. Then this listing came along. — Taylor Anderson
Any website on visiting Lake Tahoe will mention Emerald Bay, a deep, tree-guarded outgrowth on the lake’s southwest rim. It couldn’t be more aptly named and, to many, more suited for luxury development. And its location on the outer rim of the Desolation Wilderness, and Tahoe’s construction standards, alleviate risks from things such as wildfires.
Privileged enough to once build here was the U.S. Forest Service. In 1934, it finished 20 Emerald Bay Road, a testament to now-forgotten minimalism on the Bay’s northern cliffside. This barely-1,000 square foot residence — for the rangers and loggers who ventured into the woods for work — has since been renovated with a touch of mountain modernism, capable of year-round living.
I’ve seen it listed for two winters now as I glide by on my snowboard — a snug, snow-encrusted hovel at the base of a heralded backcountry ski zone that’s consistently the subject of the industry’s most notable photographers. In this home, I’d host aprés-ski gatherings and, come summer, watch the bay awaken and name bears. Given how much value the ski-in/ski-out tag adds to actual resort listings, the $800,000-price tag isn’t a bad number. — Craig Rowe
Jamaica holds a special place in my heart. My grandfather was born in Coleyville — a small town perched on the second-highest peak on the island. It’s said that Coleyville’s (pronounced cool-e-ville) name was inspired by the area’s weather, where it wasn’t uncommon to see a light frost on the mango and ackee trees during the fall and winter. It’s been years since I’ve been to my grandfather’s homeland, but I often think of the lush scenery, patois ringing from corner stores, the salty smell of ocean breeze, curry-stained fingers, and the painful delight of scotch bonnet sauce.
Before my grandfather came to the U.S., he was a skilled carpenter who helped build his family’s home and many other homes throughout Coleyville. My memory of the house is faint, as it’s been more than 20 years since I visited it.
However, when I saw this listing within Saint Ann Parish, I immediately imagined having a family reunion there — my aunts and uncles in the kitchen trading recipes for curry goat and my grandfather’s famous rum egg nog, the little ones running through the trees and plucking vines off the worn blue shutters. The rest of us would be in the garden, playing music and arguing over card games. We’d all trade stories about our lives in Jamaica, the U.S. and Canada, and how we’re all connected, despite the thousands of miles and decades between us. — Marian McPherson
As billionaire preppers prepare for the apocalypse by building multimillion dollar bunkers in places like New Zealand, a few simple tweaks to real estate search sites can turn up options for the rest of us. When conducting a search for rural properties in Redding, California with the specific criteria of “live off grid” and a minimum of 2 acres, I came across a variety of interesting options on Zillow. One property that caught my eye was a 1,200-square-foot, 2-bedroom house on 71 acres located just outside the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Priced at $425,000, this property offers open meadows, ponds, seasonal creeks, barns, a bathhouse, workshops, an outdoor kitchen area, a garage, a chicken coop, a hunting cabin, a study with a wood stove, a fruit orchard, and a vegetable garden. It seems like a great deal for those looking to live off the grid, although it may pose challenges for appraisers and loan underwriters.
Another notable listing that garnered attention last spring was the famous “Home Alone” house, which was listed for $5.2 million. While the exterior of the house is iconic, the interior was criticized for its sterile and cold aesthetic, lacking the warmth and charm seen in the film. This listing reflects a shift away from modern minimalism towards a more traditional and cozy style in home design.
I also came across a stunning mansion in Lake Tahoe that stole my heart with its 150 feet of lakefront property. The house has been renovated with sleek, modern fixtures while maintaining a cozy and traditional vibe. With four bedrooms and 12,000 square feet of space, this mansion offers plenty of room for entertaining and relaxation. The property also features a dedicated wine room and home theater, making it a dream home for wine enthusiasts and movie lovers.
If you have a listing that you would like featured in the Inman Hot Sheet newsletter, you can send it to listing@inman.com.
Overall, these unique properties showcase the diverse range of real estate options available for those looking to live off the grid or enjoy a luxurious retreat in a rural setting.