This week: five houses worth a longer look — a no-HOA desert retreat above Scottsdale, a palm-shaded pool house minutes from Siesta Key, a Hill Country hangout house on Lake Austin, a hillside farmhouse outside Nashville, and a Myers Park colonial in Charlotte. Every one of them closes under two million dollars.
A no-HOA desert retreat under Four Peaks, with room for horses
$1,039,000 — Scottsdale, Arizona. Set on 1.3 fully fenced acres in the Granite Mountain corner of Rio Verde Foothills, this updated four-bedroom sits with no back neighbors and sweeping mountain views in every direction. A split floor plan keeps the primary suite private, with quartz counters and an induction cooktop in the kitchen and a wood-burning fireplace anchoring the great room. Outside, a large covered patio overlooks a fenced, propane-heated pool and spa, with Four Peaks rising in the distance — and with no HOA and 1.3 acres already plumbed for future horse stalls, there’s room to add the barn.
A palm-shaded pool house you can walk to Siesta Key Beach from
$1,250,000 — Sarasota, Florida. Tucked into the Siesta Isles community less than a mile from the sand, this three-bedroom sits behind mature banyans and palms that turn the backyard into its own tropical enclosure. The pool is reachable from several rooms of the house, pavered walkways wind past coconut palms to an outdoor entertaining area, and a split-bedroom plan keeps guests comfortably separate — a genuine pool oasis this close to Siesta Key is the kind of number that doesn’t come around often.
A Hill Country hangout house built for a crowd, on Lake Austin
$1,250,000 — Austin, Texas. With no back neighbor and sweeping Hill Country views, this fully renovated Lake Pointe home is built for entertaining — a shaded patio with a TV tucked behind custom wood sliders, a full outdoor kitchen, a pool and spa, and a sport court under a canopy of mature live oaks. The community has a splash pad, playscapes, tennis courts, and a new double-decker dock underway that will put Lake Austin a paddleboard’s reach from the front door — this is the house that becomes the hangout house.
A hillside farmhouse outside Nashville with sunset views and a pool for every room
$1,599,900 — Franklin, Tennessee. Set on a private hillside with panoramic views for miles, this extensively renovated farmhouse spans three finished levels, with vaulted ceilings and walls of windows filling the main level with light. The updated kitchen opens to a sunroom that looks straight out over the pool and outdoor entertaining area, while the primary suite — also on the main level — has heated floors and a soaking tub. Downstairs, two reconfigured suite-style spaces with private entrances and kitchenettes add real flexibility for guests, minutes from downtown Franklin.
A Myers Park colonial with a pool, a putting green, and a claw-foot tub
$1,795,000 — Charlotte, North Carolina. Brick colonial charm meets a fully modern layout in this Myers Park classic, where a chef’s kitchen with an oversized island opens straight to the breakfast area and a sunroom overlooking the pool. The main level also holds a formal living room, dining room, and office, while upstairs the primary suite comes with a claw-foot tub and an oversized walk-in closet. Outside, a covered patio looks over both the pool and a private putting green, behind a three-car garage and fenced yard. Myers Park doesn’t turn over often, and a pool plus a putting green on a walkable, tree-lined street this close to Uptown is a genuinely rare combination.
That’s five. Reply and let us know which one you’d actually buy — we read every response.