What $500K Will Buy You in Doylestown

The Bucks County seat trades on its historic charm, so don't expect to see striking modern homes here. These old and new homes all fit the classic mold.

314 Hedgerow Dr., Doylestown, Pa. 18901 | TREND images via Keller Williams Real Estate – Doylestown unless otherwise noted

Bucks County living comes in several flavors: rustic, bucolic, contemporary, Levittown, New Hope and Doylestown, to name a few.

Those three communities above stand as lifestyle signatures in their own right: Levittown, the original postwar Paradise for Everyman; New Hope, the LGBTQ-friendly nonstop party; Doylestown, the Classic Small Town filled with colonial charm (and the legacy of this guy who made amazing tile and had a thing for reinforced concrete).

We decided to swing through Doylestown this week to see what was on offer around the middle of the market, and we weren’t disappointed. $500,000 or thereabouts gets you a very nicely maintained home, or a brand-new one, whose style and design cues are traditional through and through. If that’s your own style, you’ll be very happy with any of these three choices.

(A buyer looking for a place to transform into their own might want to check out the bonus listing at the end of this post.)

314 Hedgerow Lane (above) | 4 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,900 square feet, $499,000

This home in Doylestown Township’s Doylestown Hunt subdivision combines the best elements of traditional and open floor plans: It has a formal living room, a formal dining room and an open kitchen/breakfast room/family room combination. The living room gets extra light from the low columned divider separating it from the two-story foyer, and the triple-threat space in the back offers the space for casual entertaining so many modern households prize. The master suite’s bedroom boasts dual walk-in closets, and the arborvitae in the backyard will grow to create a very nice private space. And if the main floor doesn’t offer enough options for living and entertaining, you can always fit out the unfinished basement to suit your needs. All this, and you can walk to both the Regional Rail station and the center of Doylestown Borough too.

314 Hedgerow Lane, Doylestown, Pa. 18901 [Lori McGoldrick | Keller Williams Real Estate – Doylestown]

629 N. Main St., Doylestown, Pa. 18901

629 N. Main St. | 3 beds, 3 full, 1 half baths, 2,700 square feet, $499,000

This brand-new model home demonstrates that there’s at least one builder out there who knows how to translate the classic Pennsylvania farmhouse idiom into an urban setting, at least on the outside. On the inside, it combines the hallmarks of traditional style — crown moldings, a wood mantle and marble surround for the gas fireplace in the living room, traditional kitchen cabinetry — with the trademarks of modern design, including an open plan main floor and huge deck out back. You’ll find all the expected bells and whistles, like granite countertops everywhere, stainless steel appliances, and a commodious master suite, in a home that’s brand new but looks like it’s been around for a while (okay, the modern materials on the exterior are a giveaway). Again, you can walk into the heart of the borough from here.

This home’s price was reduced by $21,000 on Oct. 12.

629 N. Main St., Doylestown, Pa. 18901 [Jennifer Delawter | Keller Williams Real Estate – Doylestown]

13 Tracy Dr., Doylestown, Pa. 18901

13 Tracy Drive | 4 beds, 2 full, 1 half baths, 4,100 square feet, $510,000

This home on the other side of the Doylestown Bypass offers features usually not found at this price point.That’s a commercial-quality range, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a wine fridge, and a wet bar in the kitchen, for instance. There’s an honest-to-God home theater and a wine cellar in the basement and a master suite with a fireplace, heated floor and clawfoot tub (!) in the main bedroom. You’ll find marble tile in the bathrooms and a hot tub and deck out back. To be honest, we wonder why this home hasn’t sold yet, given what it packs into it, but it’s had five price reductions since it was listed in late May. Maybe it’s the location? While the listing says you can walk to the center of town from here, it is on the west side of the Doylestown Bypass.

This home’s most recent price reduction was a $60,000 price cut on Sept. 18.

13 Tracy Drive, Doylestown, Pa. 18901 [Harrison Gordon | Keller Williams Real Estate – Doylestown]

107 E. Oakland Ave., Doylestown, Pa. 18901 | TREND image via Class-Harlan Real Estate

Bonus: 107 E. Oakland Ave. | 4 beds, 2 baths, 2,850 square feet, $525,000

We’re tossing this listing in for two reasons. One, it’s not within walking distance of the center of Doylestown Borough, it’s in the center of Doylestown Borough. Two, it actually offers the opportunity for you to create rather than buy your dream home, because it’s currently configured as an office building with seven offices and off-street parking for five cars. But its lot is zoned Central Residential, which means the borough planners would love to see it become a single-family home again. If you have the money to do that after buying it, you’ll have a picture-postcard-perfect vintage-1880 residence right smack in the middle of one of this region’s most picturesque downtowns. (It’s also being offered for sale as is or as a possible conversion to two apartments, which would require a zoning variance.)

This home’s price was reduced by $24,000 on Oct. 13.

107 E. Oakland Ave., Doylestown, Pa. 18901 [Scott Strasburg | Class-Harlan Real Estate]