Real Estate Confidential is a biweekly chit-chat about new listings, sales, or other insider information on the Martha’s Vineyard Real Estate market, presented by Fred Roven, owner/broker of Martha’s Vineyard Buyer Agents. It appears every other Friday in The Minute.
It’s a bit too soon to worry about mosquitos at dusk, but not too soon to prepare. You can be in a Vineyard home in plenty of time to enjoy a home with a screened porch this summer. Relaxing in the fresh, cooling air at sunset is a joy, and most enjoyable when you are relaxing or dining on your screened porch.
You can’t beat the undeniable sanctuary of a screened porch. There is real joy in simple pleasures, and that is what screened porches are. You get to experience the positive aspects of sitting outside and relaxing without having to experience the negative aspects of it, like high winds, bugs, or scorching sun. Before air conditioning became widely available, screened porches were the sought-after place to escape summer heat. Now they are extensions of the home, with stone fireplaces, pizza ovens, and flat-screen televisions, plus plenty of comfy chairs and sofas to enjoy it all.
The screened porch is a place to enjoy nature — and not just its sights, but also its smells, sounds, and tastes — while protected from mosquitoes and other annoying bugs, especially at night when lights glow at sunset. When the weather cooperates, spending a night sleeping on a screened-in porch can be the perfect escape, waking refreshed and ready to enjoy another day in paradise.
If you find yourself in need of four screened porches and a two-story stone fireplace, 7 Chapel Avenue is the place for you. It is impossible to discuss a home on Chappy without a discussion of Chappy. There certainly is a tradeoff. You will be getting every amenity imaginable, including the aforementioned screened porches, as well as a large luxury home designed with summer living in mind. The property features a heated pool and is professionally landscaped. So, the tradeoff: for a lower price on your purchase, you have the solitude of some of the most beautiful beaches, vistas, and hiking on Martha’s Vineyard, and sometimes when you must take a car to the mainland, you might have to wait for the On Time Ferry.
Spread over 8.5 acres of pristine land and fruit trees is the private home at 4 Boldwater in one of the most distinguished neighborhoods on the Vineyard. A winding drive leads from the road to the main residence with its open living space and doors leading out to a welcoming screened porch. This home features a primary bedroom suite and a guest bedroom suite on the first level. The exclusive Boldwater Association offers tennis courts, a boat landing on the Edgartown Great Pond, and a private sandy Atlantic Ocean beach. The Edgartown Great Pond is great for kayaking, paddling, and boating. Come and enjoy your forever family compound with up-Island seclusion just four miles from Edgartown village.
Because your Vineyard home will be a draw for family and friends, the expansive home at 94 Martha’s Road in Katama is a perfect choice. The open-floor concept includes a breakfast bar, a living room with a gas fireplace, and a large dining room. The first floor primary en suite bedroom has a walk-in closet, office, powder room, and a sitting area. The large lower level is currently used as a fitness center and TV room. The private backyard has a 16 x 36 ft. Pebble Tec pool with hot tub, patio, and, of course, screened porch. The home is conveniently located a 15-minute bike ride to Edgartown village or South Beach.
Nestled on an expansive corner lot is 67 Madison Avenue on East Chop. A vintage two-story summer home with all the charm of a bygone era. A superb location, only one block from the East Chop Tennis Club, two blocks from the East Chop Lighthouse, and gorgeous bluff views. Ownership of this address provides East Chop Membership access. The home provides a blank slate with all that brings. Keep the cottage feel or turn it into a contemporary masterpiece. All this and a stroll to town around the Chop.
Click here for a list of other Vineyard homes with screened-in porches.
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