Hot House: 30 Caveswood Lane, Owings Mills, MD 21117

American traditional style house in wood clapboard, circa 1972. Five bedrooms, 5.5 baths over two stories and 5,000 sq. ft., with large finished lower level.  Entrance foyer, living room, dining room, library/den, gourmet kitchen. Large family room off kitchen with wood beamed ceilings, wet bar, fireplace with leather bench seating, french doors to terrace. First-floor en suite master bedroom with French doors, custom dressing/closet room. Full bath on lower level, plus bar and entertainment area. Landscaped gardens, guesthouse with bedroom and full bath. Pool house with bar and fridge, garden shed. Central a/c, two-car attached garage, extensive bluestone hardscaping, 1.5 acre property: $1,389,000

What: You could spend less, or a lot more, for a house out here in the Valley. There are 200-year-old homes that need work, new cul-de-sac McMansions, and vinyl-sided ranchers.  This house hits the sweet spot, with lots of charm, a sense of tradition, and a completely updated, highly livable interior.  It has the elusive first-floor master bedroom, lots of casual entertaining space, and views from the terrace, over the pool, to a field of horses beyond. The design, a rambling Cape with wings on either side, retains all the sweetness of its cottage origins, but with a smart and elegant layout. It’s not until you’re inside that you realize how roomy it is. The pool, beautifully sited, draws you through the back of the house and out on to the terrace. From here, life looks grand.

Where:  Part of the charm of this house is its country, but not remote country location. From here, its just 10 minutes to McDonogh School drop-off and Reisterstown Road shopping.  Greenspring Station is 10 minutes in the other direction. Wegmans at Foundry Row is only two miles away. The very fine golf courses of the Caves Valley Golf Club, the Green Spring Valley Hunt Club and the Baltimore Country Club are nearby.  It’s at least a half an hour though if you’re commuting to Harbor East.

Why: In the summer, it feels like a resort.

Why Not:  We’re looking for a 200-year-old home that needs work …

Would Suit: Laid-back (poolside) loungers with a county orientation.

NB: A copper-topped cupola, found and rescued from a schoolhouse on the Eastern Shore, is a distinctive feature along the garden path.