Recently, Houzz had a topic that caught my eye: what would you say to your house if it had ears?

People had the greatest answers: some good, some not. Click here to see them.

One person said, "I laughed, I cried". I know that reading these comments helped me articulate my own thoughts. If you're inspired, send along your thoughts about how you'd answer the question, and I'll post them to Facebook. I think it would be a fun read.

This is what I would say:

"House, I hope you don't think I'm a dilettante or disloyal, just because I move every few years. I like the adventure of discovering what's wonderful about each house, and the challenge and satisfaction of bringing out the spirit inherent in each one. I always leave my homes more appealing than I found them. That's good, right?

House, you and I are just beginning our relationship. I feel you coming to life, as we paint, install new kitchen and baths, open you up to views and light, and give you presence with lovely trim, hardware, light fixtures, and floors. And don't forget the trimming and pruning. Light, fresh, air - all good! Stick with me, baby, we're beginning to sing...."

Come With Me to Work

Here are some of the homes I've been showing lately:

#21510491

67 Shorewood Drive, East Falmouth

$329,000

This is one of the cutest cottages I've seen in a long time, and it's a great price, considering it's directly waterfront. A bare bones cottage, with exposed structure, the whitewashed and spare interior is particularly charming. There are three (small) bedrooms and two (basic) baths, with one suite upstairs, so there's actually some privacy in the 1,200 s.f. Taking a cue from "Tiny House Nation", the appliances are smaller than usual, but they're probably more than sufficient for this getaway cottage. The view is west; sunsets over the water are included.

#21510895

131 Alcott Road, Great Harbors (East Falmouth)

$439,000

You might think you don't like split-entry homes, and you might think you wouldn't want to be at the entrance to Great Harbors, with everyone driving by your house as they come home. But inside, this 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath house is appealing, and you really aren't aware of cars going by. Fresh and clean, with good space that belies the 1,156 recorded s.f., the house is a delightful surprise. The yard is fenced and ringed by tall evergreens, so that too feels better than you'd expect. This is definitely one of those homes that's better in reality than it appears online.

#21510632

4 Sunrise Lane, Davisville (East Falmouth)

$599,900

Oh my, a good house in a good location, at a fair price - hurray! This young home has 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2,747 s.f., and the perfect floor plan. There's nothing not to like about this! We were there on MLS tour yesterday morning, and everyone agreed, "It's a winner!"

#21504753

190 Edgewater East, Seacoast Shores (East Falmouth)

$625,000

This is only for the buyer with the vision, fortitude, and cash to take on a project, but it would be worth doing, as this too is directly on the water. But this one has a licensed dock and direct access to the open ocean (no bridges), and that alone is worth about $100,000. The views face east, to Washburn Island. The house has 4 bedrooms and 2 baths (1,344 s.f.), but I think most buyers would want to reconfigure the floor plan as well as redoing it top to bottom. If you figure about $150K for renovations, the ideal selling price should be around $550. When complete, the house could be worth $750-800, and would be a honey of a home.

December in Falmouth

West Falmouth Library

This is such a festive month around town. Highfield Hall is decorated and sparkling; last weekend kicked off the season with caroling at Nobska, Santa's arrival by boat, the lighting of the green, and the annual holiday parade; and next Sunday is the very popular West Falmouth Library House Tour.

This year, I'm a docent at 81 Hawks Way from 1:20-4pm. It's always fun seeing these wonderful homes and their festive decorations while supporting such a good cause. Please do come by and say hello!

Crews were out all last week getting the village green ready for the holiday display.

Santa at Nobska, courtesy of Marcy & Ron Klattenberg

Santa at Nobska looking out over the water, courtesy of Marcy & Ron Klattenberg

They Say...

"Nadine has been an incredible find. She assisted us in finding the perfect house in the perfect location. She listened to what we wanted and found it.

Even after we closed on the house, she has assisted in helping us acclimate to a new community. She has been a source for workmen, restaurants, town information, and anything else we have wanted to know. Nadine is the consummate professional and a delightful person as well."

~ Carol & Barry Glasgow