House Hunt: Hilltop Settings

Life in the hills — well, on them — takes the spotlight in this week's column.

A townhome in Brookwood Hills is on the market: 101 Alden Ave., Unit B, sits atop a ridge and has a western view. Its broad balcony currently accommodates an outdoor dining set. Summertime vines entwine a pergola, which frames the mouth of the stairs spanning the hill beneath the building. Five other units share this address.

Inside, the condominium has hardwood floors downstairs and Berber carpeting upstairs, inset shelving, granite kitchen counters, a microwave set above a conventional range, a dishwasher, dual steel sink and a working fireplace. The unit also comes with a utility room of about a hundred square feet in capacity.

Set against a hillside in Dupont Commons, 1625 Duncan Drive overlooks a tree-dotted common area where neighbors gather weekly for outdoor marshmallow roasts. This three-story home, only 5 years old, has a two-car garage at its terrace level. Its stacked stone porch faces west and lends support to the house's frame body. A wooden swing hangs there, too.

The window treatments include plantation shutters, as well as drapes with Pottery Barn hardware, that come with the property. EnergyStar appliances — washer, dryer, and water heater among them — are also included, as is equipment in the downstairs exercise room. The kitchen has cherry cabinetry, granite counters, and a backsplash in custom tile.

As the resident of a home at the high point of my street, I can state with authority that it's good to be king of the hill. And one of the homes detailed here might be just the place to establish your own reign.