Location: Cotuit, Massachusetts

Price: $4,950,000

Bordered on the south by three enormous seaside monstrosities, this 1870 farmhouse might not survive long past a sale, but it should. Listed for almost $5 million, it is charming, but probably not the multimillion-dollar palace one might expect. Sited on 2.46 sparsely wooded acres with 200 feet of beachfront, the 10-room house is joined by an equally quaint barn. The interiors are nothing fancy, but with the addition of a new kitchen and some more interesting furnishings, this could be a dreamy summer estate for preppy types with no need for extravagances like a media room.

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