487 Hollis RoadHollis, ME 04042Price: $540,000

There are houses, and then there are homes, 487 Hollis Road is the latter. Some houses are staged so you have to imagine what they could be. This one has spent two hundred years becoming exactly what it is -- a home built to be lived in and to last. The details are real. That's what traditional, hand-built construction gives you. Built in 1820 and updated to the Victorian Second Empire style in the 1890s -- recognized by its distinctive Mansard roof, a hallmark of one of America's most elegant architectural traditions -- this home has already outlasted generations of construction trends, economic cycles, and passing fashions. The kitchen has been fully modernized -- the kind of space that makes you want to cook, whether that's an intimate Tuesday night or Thanksgiving dinner with every seat at the table full. For those who work remotely, fast high-speed internet keeps you connected, so you can have four acres of Maine paradise and still be on a Zoom call by nine. With five bedrooms spread across 2,664 square feet, there's room for your family to breathe, host, work from home, or simply stop feeling crowded. Outside, the property opens up with woods to wander, an open field, and a backyard that earns its keep all summer long. Fire up the grill on the deck, play lawn games as the afternoon stretches out, then pull chairs around the firepit when the stars come out. It's the kind of outdoor space that turns a house into the place everyone wants to come back to. The private in-law suite is one of this home's most practical assets -- whether you're housing a family member, hosting extended guests, or converting it into a rental unit, the choice and the flexibility are yours. Finally, when you want to venture out, southern Maine does the rest -- world-class restaurants, fresh seafood, beaches and hiking trails that remind you why people have loved Maine for generations.