44 Berkley StreetMerrimack, NH 03054Price: $615,000

Stop the car and grab your checkbook! This lovely home is an appealing blend of casual elegance and practicality. The first stop as you enter is the grand breezeway, connecting both front and back yards, the garage and house--the perfect spot to sip lemonade on warm summer days or listen to night sounds as you read some Hemingway. Next up is the beautifully updated kitchen with open dining area, featuring stainless appliances and a stylish drop-leaf island. Pass by the first-floor full bath and you'll be welcomed into an expansive living area with fireplace and built-ins, as well as extra space for an expanded living area/game table/additional dining, etc., all with a view of and direct access to the patio. Upstairs you'll find a very generous primary bedroom, a 3/4 bath with step-in shower, and the two secondary bedrooms that make good use of space. Want a peaceful, meditative retreat, or somewhere to yell at the Red Sox pitchers and your Monopoly opponents? The basement will give you the isolation or sound-proofing you need! A second room down there is great for crafts or hockey equipment, and the laundry area and workbench offer a, neat, practical space for daily chores and weekly projects. 3-zone gas heat, minisplits, and the fireplace ensure your cozy comfort. The home's style and beauty are echoed in the yard. The patio is a wonderful setting for cocktails or a forest of potted plants, and there's plenty of greensward for running around, not to mention the 100+ abutting wooded acres of Indian Rock Open Space for exploration. Up front you can show off your landscaping skills to the neighborhood. The 2-car garage is large enough for storing bicycles, kayaks, etc., but there's a huge storage area above as well, and extra parking (RV? boat?) alongside the garage. You're just down the road from Twin Bridge Park, Wildcat Falls, and the temptations of Buckley's Bakery, so come visit and make this gorgeous home your own! OPEN HOUSES, Sat 7/4, 10-Noon, Sun 7/5, 1-3pm