Have you been thinking about buying a love nest where you can find a little peace and take part in a respite revolution? Do you like the beach or the mountains? Do you thrive on culture and the arts or prefer getting your hands dirty? Are you a people person or more of a hermit? 

If you’re lucky enough to be a homeowner who has seen some appreciation in the last 10 years, then you may be closer to obtaining that getaway or retirement home than you think. Here are some suggestions for whatever lifestyle you may prefer as you pursue your (dare I say gay?) agenda. 

For the Beach Bum

Annapolis, Md., is a great point from which to take weekend trips to a variety of beaches along Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey coastlines and still be close to downtown D.C. for those days you’re required to work onsite at your office. About $900,000 buys you a 2-bedroom, 2-bath penthouse condominium built in 2019 with a terrace and 2 parking spaces, located in the downtown arts district. 

If you’re willing to travel and you’re not boycotting Florida, Key West is always a favorite spot. Consider investing in a home in the waterfront community of Sunset Harbor on Cow Key Channel in Stock Island. For $435,000, you can buy a 960-square-foot, 2-bedroom, 2-bath cottage with boat slip on a canal. Bonus: it’s fully furnished, can be rented for $3,800 a month in six-month increments, and comes with a sign that invites you to “Talk Nautical to Me, Baby.”

For the Mountaineer

If seclusion is your goal, a 1,700-square-foot log cabin surrounded by three acres of forest land in Strasburg, Va., in the Appalachian Mountains was listed for $475,000. Knotty pine adorns the walls and vaulted ceilings of this 3-bedroom, 2-bath beauty with covered front porch and hard-scaped terrace, but it received a contract in nine days, so keep your eye out for another one before winter sets in.

For the Small-Town Aficionado

Charleston, W.Va. is home of the West Virginia Cultural Center and Clay Center, which feature music, dance, theater, and art exhibitions. New to the market is an early 20^th century brick Victorian in the East End Historic District. For less than $350,000, you get 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a covered front porch, original woodwork, and 3,150 square feet of charm. Just bring your kitchen and bath designer. 

For the Gentleman (or Lady) Farmer/Vintner

Perhaps this 6.6-acre winery and a 1900 Federal 3-bedroom, 2 bath, 2,219-square-foot home with Chincoteague Bay views in Girdletree, Md., sets your heart ablaze. For only $925,000, you get vinifera “Semilion” vines, trellises, outbuildings, and the opportunity to run it as a vineyard, wedding venue, horse farm, or pretty much anything your heart desires. 

For the Hostess (or Host) with the Mostest

Historic Lancaster, Pa., might be a place to run your bed and breakfast. The #1 Trip Advisor-rated B&B there is for sale for only $775,000. Welcome guests to one of 6 rooms with private baths, as well as a unique 2-bedroom cottage. The location is perfect for enjoying local and off-Broadway theater, dining, museums, galleries, and the Amish countryside. 

For the Cultural Connoisseur

If you frequently take the train to New York to the theater, symphony, or ballet, you can avoid the high cost of hotels by purchasing a charming, oversized (by NYC standards) studio co-op on the east side of Midtown Manhattan in Murray Hill for only $385,000. With a live-in superintendent and video intercom, you can come and go as you please knowing that you have someone to call upon when needed. 

For the Local Water Buoy (or Gull)

If you have considered a floating home, you don’t have to be sleepless in Seattle or partying in Portland; you can find one closer to home. Gangplank Marina at The Wharf on D.C.’s southwest waterfront offers a pet-friendly community of live-aboard homes on the water owned by a group of down to earth neighbors. These properties have a very low turnover rate, so if the thought of living on the water but still in the city appeals to you, check out the current 1-bedroom available for only $197,000, plus monthly slip fees of $2,230. Sorry, no Airbnb or other rentals allowed.

And if you’re looking for a 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath home with expansion potential on 10 acres for only $559,000, don’t miss beautiful Gay, Ga., population 114. Previously showcased in Season 2 of Queer Eye, it’s not Atlanta, but it may be ready for some gay Pride. 

Valerie M. Blake is a licensed Associate Broker in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with RLAH Real Estate / @properties. Call or text her at 202-246-8602, email her via DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.

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