Luxury Homes

Luxury in the Burbs: What kind of home about $5m will get you outside Boston

From a to-be-built contemporary to an equestrian property with 11 fireplaces. ... See inside and search the latest listings at realestate.boston.com.

A view of the front of the home, which looks like a modern farmhouse that could be plopped right down in California wine country. The home has multiple roof lines. Rock walls and gardens circle away from the entrance. The home is a dark melon color with green-framed windows. a brick walkway leans up to two stone steps and to a stone walkway. The sun is shining with only a few clouds in the sky. The plantings are mature and the lawn is green.
This mansion at 249 Dutton Road in Sudbury has five bedrooms, five full baths, and two half baths and sits on 12 pastoral acres. Jeremy Madore / Madore Photography

By Marni Elyse Katz - Globe Correspondent

3 minutes to read

Bigger is better.

“Many will be working from home at least part of the week,’’ said Melissa Dailey, a Coldwell Banker agent based in the suburbs west of Boston. “People are upgrading to bigger houses with two offices and maxed-out lower levels with amenities like infrared saunas, wine cellars, and golf simulators.’’

Five million dollars west of the city ensures at least 7,000 square feet (5,000 square feet above ground and 2,000 square feet of luxury basement). In Newton and Wellesley, a mega home sits on 0.5 to 1 acre; Dover and Weston properties offer 1 acre or more.

If you can find one you love (inventory is at record lows), be prepared to move fast. “Never before have we seen inventory in this price point move so quickly,’’ Daily said.

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Janet Koelsch of Coldwell Banker Realty on the South Shore said the same: “Traditionally a property in the five-million-dollar range could take up to two years to sell; now it’s six to twelve months.’’

Buyers are trading up, looking for additional square footage and more. “People want size and location along with privacy at that price point,’’ Koelsch reported.

Those with $5 million to spend can procure a 4,000- to 7,000-square-foot property on the water or with a water view on 2½ to 7 acres. Hingham, Cohasset, and Duxbury homes garner the highest prices.

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Up north, Amanda Armstrong, a managing director with Compass, said COVID has leveled the playing field in terms of pricing. While buyers can still get more for their money in Rockport, Gloucester, and parts of Beverly, prices in those communities have recently hit the $5 million mark.

“Five million will get you a beautifully appointed home on the ocean in Gloucester,’’ Armstrong said. If you have your heart set on Manchester-by-the-Sea or Marblehead, $5 million will get you an extensive reno or a teardown on the ocean, if you can find one.

“I have 60 buyers, some with no budgets, ready to write checks,’’ she said. “There are just no houses.’’

$4,890,000

249 Dutton Road, Sudbury

Year built 2006
Square footage 9,164

Bedrooms 5

Baths 5 full, 2 half

Taxes $49,734 (2021)

Last sold for $2,400,000 in 2003

Listing agent contact info Deborah C. Smith, Compass, 97 Lowell Road, Concord, 978-758-2693, compass.com

Modern farmhouse meets California wine country in this architect-designed home nestled on nearly 12 pastoral acres that abut more than 3,000 acres of conservation land with walking, biking, and horse trails. Stone patios with covered seating areas, an outdoor shower, and a fireplace surround the house, facilitating indoor/outdoor living. Inside, rough-hewn posts and beams along with extra-wide Vermont King’s pine planks enhance the appeal of this peaceful escape less than 25 miles west of the city.

An aerial view of a multi-roofed home with myriad stone patios and gardens. The home is surrounded by lush lawn and mature trees. A driveway loops around from front to back. The home is a dark melon color.
. – Jeremy Madore / Madore Photography
Wide-plank pine floor stands in contrast to a ceiling with dark beams and wood cladding in a medium hue. A globe light hangs where the beams meet. the walls are white. Cutouts offer a view of the great room, which also has dark crisscrossing beams. An armed bench upholstered in a light fabric takes up the right side of the photo. The ceiling also has recessed lighting.
. – Jeremy Madore / Madore Photography
Six-over-one windows lines the left wall of this space, parallel to a long dining table with eight Windsor chairs. A circular chandelier with candle-like lights hangs over the table. The dining area shares the space with a seating area delineated by a stone fireplace and a wood ceiling. The ceiling over the dining area is white with crisscrossing beams. The flooring throughout is pine in a natural stain, and the walls are white. Scones flank a wood-framed painting over the fireplace.
. – Jeremy Madore / Madore Photography
Tall wood cabinets with a natural stain work in harmony with a pine floor in the kitchen. Darker beams crisscross the ceiling, which also has recessed lighting. A square island of a dark wood that matches the beams sits at the center of the room and has open shelving. A bank of three windows lets sunshine stream into an apron sink and on light-colored counters.
. – Jeremy Madore / Madore Photography
A view of the living room with wide-plank pine floors in a natural stain. The room is expansive and anchored by a stone fireplace. The room is painted white, and beams crisscross the ceiling. A two-tier chandelier hangs over the space, which also has a long, dark coffee table, a sectional and two arm chairs. The seating is upholstered in a cream-colored fabric.
. – Jeremy Madore / Madore Photography
A trio of trusses lines the ceiling of the primary bedroom, which is carpeted in a light-colored pile. A wood-framed bed is layered with gray-and-white striped bedding and matching pillows. Low-backed chairs upholstered in gray sit before a fireplace with a wood surround. Four four-over-one windows flanked by scones offer a view of the tree line on a sunny day.
. – Jeremy Madore / Madore Photography
A big gym with various equipment has a cushioned floor, green walls, a myriad of windows, and recessed lighting.
. – Jeremy Madore / Madore Photography
A stone patio with an overhang has a large stone fireplace, which is off to the left. A couch with orange cushions fills up the right side of the photo. A cream-colored, pattern rug sits under an oval, glass-topped coffee table. A rock wall defines the space. Mature trees are in the background.
. – Jeremy Madore / Madore Photography

$$$

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$4,498,000

163 Country Club Road, Newton

Year built 2022

Square footage 7,633

Bedrooms 7

Baths 7 full, 1 half

Taxes To be determined

Last sold for New to market

Listing agent contact info Anya Kogan, Castles Unlimited, 837 Beacon St., Newton Centre, 617-283-4952, castlesunlimited.com

Westview Partners expects to start construction on this home next month; there’s still time to customize it. The current scheme features high-contrast interiors with black window frames paired with Nordic-style wood floors. A gas fireplace with a stone surround will anchor the open living area, where sliders will lead to a level yard. An oversized island will be the centerpiece of the sleek kitchen. Upstairs, a gas fireplace and a spa-like bath are planned for the primary suite. The lot is 0.38 of an acre.

The home is modern with black-framed windows and gray, white, black, and stone siding. The entrance is two stories of glass. In this rendering the law is green, the sky is mostly sunny, and there are mature trees behind the home.
. – Armen Varadian
A rending of the outside of the home. It shows a green lawn, arborvitae, and a brown, two-vehicle garage. The sky is mostly sunny. There are mature trees behind the home. It looks like early spring.
. – Armen Varadian
In this rendering, five circular pendant lights hang from wires that form a V pattern. The lights are over a big peninsula with seating for five and a waterfall edge. The stools have backs. The flooring is a light-colored hardwood. The cabinetry is white, and the windows are black framed and muntin-less.
. – Armen Varadian
Four globe-lights hang from an metal fixture over the dining table, which has seating for six. The square table is gray, as is the seating, which resembles Eames chairs. The flooring is a light-colored wood. The dining area is open to the living room, where the fireplace, which is lit, is visible. Windows that are nearly floor to ceiling line the far wall.
. – Armen Varadian
The living area features modern furniture with gray upholstery. The fireplace is clad in a stone with marble-like veining. The walls are off-white. A modern black-and white light fixture hangs over a grouping of chairs. A gray and white console sits next to the fireplace and under a black and white photo. Windows that are nearly floor to ceiling line the far wall.
. – Armen Varadian
A simple office with a white desk chair and two chairs surrounding a skinny-legged wooden desk. The two chairs are upholstered in gray. A tripod lamp with a gray shade stands in the corner. A plant with red floors sits in a white vase before a window segmented into three panes. White double doors are visible. The flooring is a light-colored wood.
. – Armen Varadian
In this rendering of the primary suite, a Sputnik light with dark metal arms hangs at the center of a bedroom with a light-colored floor; a black-framed slider; a bed with a brown, upholstered headboard; a bench upholstered in light gray; and a window next to a fireplace that is lit and framed in a stone with a marble-like veining. A wide-screen TV is mounted over the fireplace. The bedding is white, but there is a gray throw at the bottom of the bed. The end table is black, as is the side lamp, which has a white shade. Pictures on the walls have white frames.
. – Armen Varadian
A long, sleek-fronted gray vanity spans the entire right side of the rendering. The faucets are wall-mounted under two wide mirrors with LED-light frames. A frameless glass shower is visible on the left. The flooring has marble-like veining. A black-framed window is visible in the background.
. – Armen Varadian
This rendering of the rear of the home shows a white façade, a myriad of black-framed windows, a green lawn, and mature trees.
. – Armen Varadian

$$$

$4,995,000

89 Fletcher Road, Belmont

Year built 1935

Square footage 7,801

Bedrooms 6

Baths 6 full, 1 half

Taxes $35,012 (2021)

Last sold for $1,000,000 in 1991

Listing agent contact info Carolyn Boyle, Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, 1008 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-962-7514, carolynboylerealestate.com

Sited on 1.26 landscaped acres on a tree-lined street not far from the town center, this Norman Country Revival estate also has a view of Boston. Leaded-glass windows complement rich woodwork throughout. The first floor, which is oriented toward the lush backyard, includes a dining room with bowed windows, a living room, a library, and a sunroom. There’s an expansive family room on the lower level, while six bedrooms occupy the second and third stories.

. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
A view from the lush lawn of the imposing, multi-chimneyed brick edifice. There isn't a cloud in the sky.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
The entrance to the home shows off the beauty of wood and glass with a wall composed of same separating the stairs from the main hallway. The entrance has exposed beams that run in contrast to the white ceiling.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
A kitchen in which an island with three seats and open shelving is the focus. The ceiling has exposed wood beams and recessed lighting. Sun streams in from a trio of 12-paned windows. the cabinetry is honey colored. The flooring has the look of terra cotta.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
The office looking directly at the fireplace, which is lit. Sconces and woodwork flank the fireplace. The ceiling has exposed beams and recessed lighting. The area rug is gray. An armless leather lounge chair is placed diagonally facing away from the fireplace. A velvet blue couch, a glass coffee table, and a blue vase with orange flowers are visible.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
A myriad of exposed beams crisscross a conservatory room lined with windows. A grand piano sits in the back right corner. A white couch with cream, navy, and peach throw pillows sits before a row of windows to the left. A teal pouf is in the foreground to the right.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
Another view of the office, which shows off orange-patterned throw pillows. A set of six 12-paned windows that mean in the corner and built-in bookshelves lined with white books.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
A multi-angled space with a coffered ceiling. Sun shines in through tall windows. A black and white photo takes up a big spot on the far wall. A circular table with five chairs upholstered in gray sits at the center.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
A curvy dining room with a long table and multiple armless seats. A chandelier with candle-like lights hangs from a ceiling with an intricate design.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
A bedroom with an exposed painted beam. The walls are cream. A set of four 12-paned windows offer a view of the trees. There is a bench with gray tufted upholstery at the end of the bed. A gray, white, and cream rug rests under and toward the front of the bed, which has a white headboard. The end tables are gray, and white lamps with matching shades are perched on top. The linen is white.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
A sun room with windows composed of four tall windows topped with an arched window. A gray sectional with peach and teal pillows sits to the left. A yellow curvy armchair sits to the right. They are centered around a circular coffee table topped with books and a tray.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers
A patio with a view of a section of sunroom and off mature trees and bushes. A wicker couch with a ottoman sits to the left. A bench with a circular table is on the right.
. – Jeffrey Dodge Rogers

$$$

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$4,650,000

59 Walnut Road, Wenham

Year built 1898

Square footage 7,760

Bedrooms 6

Baths 4 full, 1 half

Taxes $53,156 (2021)

Last sold for $1,332,500 in 2003

Listing agent contact info Lanse Robb, LandVest Inc., 10 Post Office Square, Boston, 978-590-0056, lanserobb.com

A stucco Colonial mansion built in 1898 graces this equestrian estate. The home boasts Italian Renaissance-style architectural details, 11 fireplaces, a wood-paneled library, and five second-story bedrooms. A stone patio encompasses a pool, a spa, and a limestone cabana. Located next to Myopia Hunt and Polo Club, the 24-acre property includes bridle trails, a carriage house/stable with seven horse stalls, three garage bays, and guest quarters, plus two detached garages.

A view of the stucco mansion at night. A tree bare of leaves is in the foreground. The driveway sweeps away to the left. The lawn is green. The home has four dormers.
. – John Bellenis Photography
A tall, lithe statue stands sentry in a hallway with arched molding, white wainscoting, an oil painting, and a floral carpet. The walls are painted a gold color.
. – Greg Premru
Elegant woodwork surrounds a fireplace that takes up the entire left side of the photo. A window draped in scalloped fabric takes up the entire back wall, offering a view of the trees. The tray ceiling has recessed lighting and elaborate molding. Leather chairs and ottomans face the fireplace.
. – Greg Premru
Twelve high-backed chairs upholstered in a bright pink fabric line a long table with a matching, pattern table cloth. A multi-candle chandelier hangs over it all. A fireplace in the background is topped with a mirror and mural with built-in cabinetry off to the left. A bow window offers a woodsy view. The table sits on an Oriental rug and has a matching table runner.
. – Greg Premru
Cream-colored walls and a fireplace surround lend a warms to a room with a wood floor, an antique bed with pink bedding, an area rug, a dark lounge chair upholstered in a dark pattern sits before a wall of windows. The fireplace is not lit. A painting of two angels hangs over the fireplace. There's an antique desk in the corner.
. – Greg Premru
Two chairs upholstered in gray face each other in a room lined with windows. Two lithe statues hold court. The room has a long skylight and recessed lighting. A light-colored area rug brings it all together.
. – Greg Premru
A wood-paneled billiards room lends a very masculine vibe. A deer hangs over a fireplace that isn't lit. A light fixture with three pool hall shades hangs over the table. There is a dark Oriental rug underneath.
. – Greg Premru
A pool with a stone wall on one side and a stone pool deck on the other. The sky is mostly sunny, and the background is lined with trees. Two trees take up sentry near each end of the pool.
. – Greg Premru

Marni Elyse Katz captures good design @StyleCarrot on Instagram and Twitter. Send comments to [email protected]. Subscribe to our newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp.

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