Ocean Duplex

First up is a beach cottage on Hilton Head Island, S.C., that is priced at $995,000. This nearly 2,000 square-foot house has four bedrooms and three bathrooms and sits on about 0.25 acres. The house has a two-car garage, swimming pool and a wrap-around porch to watch the sunrise. But the best view is down the garden path—the ocean itself.

An extra bonus for the location is that this beach house is surrounded by 16 acres of designated park area that can never be developed.

While the views are outstanding, the inside of the house could use a little sprucing up, according to Lenz.

“The finishes aren’t very high end. The furniture isn’t terrific, so I think most people would go in there and do some tweaking,” Lenz said. “But it’s the only one on the market.”

Rustic Retreat

Going up against the ocean duplex is a 20-year old timber-frame cabin in Jackson, Wyo., that’s priced at $975,000. The house offers about twice as much living space as the first home and sits on nearly four acres of land.

The cabin has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a spacious kitchen. With cathedral ceilings and a wooden fireplace, the house bears western touches all around and a view from every room. The ample cabin has a basement that can serve as a game room and its master suite leads to an outside jet Jacuzzi.

The house is located less than a mile from a national forest and only 10 miles away from the famous Jackson Hole resort. The place is a fly-fishing paradise, but does not beat the ocean view.

The winner: the Ocean Duplex.

Article source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100839349