Cape Cod Times, February 21, 2021

SANDWICH — The Ridge Club is one of the Cape’s premiere family-oriented golf communities, featuring an 18-hole, 71-par championship course, two tennis courts and a swimming pool. Homes in this gated community are much coveted, and residents say this is one of the friendliest communities they’ve ever lived in. (When we drove in to see this week’s House Hunt home, a lone jogger smiled and waved as we drove by.)

This home exudes simple elegance, with a half-circle driveway in front of the portico entrance, plus a second driveway to a two-car garage. When you walk in, the living space feels large but cozy, with an elegant staircase and high ceilings that capture the light. The kitchen is off to the right, and we love the turquoise walls accented with white shaker cabinets and black granite countertops. Stainless steel appliances include a double oven. Entertainment, anyone?

It’s got the perfect entertainment layout. First, there’s a family room with a super cozy gas fireplace. And a large formal dining space looks into not just the kitchen, but also to an open sitting room, where the current owners have a grand piano — we can just picture someone at the piano while others sing along, with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Sliding glass doors bring you out to a red brick patio.

The first-floor primary suite boasts a sizable walk-in closet and bathroom with both jet tub and stand-up shower. Upstairs are two more bedrooms with a shared bath, plus a bonus room over the garage.

And for you golf aficionados: The golf course at the Ridge Club was designed by Robert Von Hagge (1927-2010), who is credited with having designed about 250 golf courses worldwide, including in Puerto Rico, France, Jamaica and three in Mexico — Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo and Mexico City. Von Hagge, incidentally, helped finance his college education with freelance commercial art and acting gigs, and starred for a time as the Marlboro Man.

While smoking may not be cool anymore, we say hats off to you, Mr. Von Hagge, for leaving Cape Cod with a piece of your legacy.

Marina Davalos is a real estate agent and freelance writer who lives in Cotuit.

Cape Cod Times, December 13, 2019

COTUIT — Right when you walk in, you can tell that this two-story Colonial Revival has a nice flow. The open foyer leads into a spacious front-facing living room, and from here an open entryway leads to the kitchen/dining area. A sliding glass door out to the back deck lets in lots of light, and makes excellent use of space. What’s more, the interior in the entire home has been all tastefully updated. We see clear lines on walls via horizontal natural-look paneling — these types of “industrial farmhouse” lines, we’ve been told, have been trending for 2020: attractive wood-look laminate flooring throughout and plantation shutters on windows. The kitchen is the centerpiece, with all stainless-steel appliances, marble subway tile and white cabinetry offering a super clean look. Horizontal paneling continues on kitchen walls and around the counter. There is plenty of gathering space here, and the back deck is perfect for summer get-togethers, with a huge, fenced backyard an added bonus.

A little nook with a built-in seat make a perfect mud room area coming in from the two-car garage; a decent-sized updated half bath features here. Past the kitchen is a formal dining room, then a sitting room/den with a wood-burning fireplace, completing the first-floor plan in a nice circular flow. “It’s very open for a Colonial,” said Realtor Nicky Fountain.

Upstairs, the flow and the updates continue, in this case with white beadboard wainscoting in all of the bedrooms. The master suite features a huge walk-in closet, hardwood floors and recessed lighting, and hardwood floors continue down the hall to an open space where a washer and dryer fit perfectly. The two other bedrooms feature here.

Even the basement in this home has been tastefully finished, with a large, open space making for the perfect entertainment center.

This home is situated in a desirable Cotuit neighborhood, quiet but not far from town, and right near Eagle Pond, which features a multitude of trails through the woods. Grab the dogs and head out for a walk on a pretty fall day.

Cape Cod Times, December 6, 2019

PROVINCETOWN — Pilgrim Monument is practically right in the front yard of this ideally located home, which has been well-maintained and recently upgraded, with newer windows and other updates.

You step into a whitewashed foyer, and you look into the living room and see sturdy hardwood floors and a lovely gas fireplace. All the rooms are off the living room. To the left is a sitting area that leads into the first-floor master bedroom, which features not one but two walk-in closets. On the other side of the living room there’s a tiny whitewashed space, converted from the former main entrance, which is perfect for a small office. The dining room features an elegant arched entryway and a built-in hutch. The entire layout is perfect — it’s open, it’s spacious with high ceilings, and it just feels good. “The house lives big for its square footage,” Realtor Mike Minore said.

From the dining room, you step into the galley kitchen, and are wowed by white beadboard, stainless steel appliances and contemporary track lighting, all of which make this kitchen gleam. The house just seems to keep going as you walk through the kitchen and into a not-even-that-small white paneled sun porch that opens out to the backyard.

That’s right, this centrally located Provincetown home even features a backyard, fenced in for that matter, and it’s actually quite private.

Back inside, the upstairs has two spacious bedrooms, both with hardwood floors and lots of light, and pipe radiators in each room are a testament to the past. The shared bathroom has been recently updated.

Sitting proudly on a corner lot, this home exhibits various Tudor Revival cottage elements, such as a steeply pitched roof and a large, chunky chimney. But that’s not all that makes the architecture special, this home is a kit house from the Sears Catalog, among those sold and distributed between 1908 and 1940 in a variety of styles.

In addition to offering up certain slices of nostalgia, this fantastic Provincetown home is also move-in ready.