Handwritten signs on creaking colonial doors now advertise items for sale, like baby shoes and pork chops.
And the run-down colonial next door is empty and boarded up.
Indeed, when he and his wife, Pia, also 39, were married 13 years ago, they moved into a three-bedroom two-bath colonial next door to his mother and father, Angela and Vito.
"Older houses in areas where a builder put up a colonial next door to a Tudor are particularly sought after, even if it entails upgrading the kitchen and bathrooms".
A retired couple from Worcester, Massachusetts, has built a new, vinyl-sided center hall colonial next door.
Rockland/Orange Less than $300,000 Goshen $290,000355 Montgomery Street, Orange Number of bedrooms: 3 Number of full bathrooms: 1 Number of half bathrooms: 1 Time on the market: 4 days 74-year-old Dutch colonial; French doors, whirlpool, h/w floors, sun porch, 1-car garage, 0.19-acre lot; taxes $4,802; listed at $271,900 (multiple bids).
$900,000 to $1.2 million Cos Cob $991,000 78 Valleywood Road Number of bedrooms: 3 Number of full bathrooms: 1 Number of half bathrooms: 1 Time on the market: 3 weeks 75-year-old wood-frame colonial; French doors, original moldings and detail, semifinished basement, 2-car garage, 0.23-acre lot; taxes $5,091; listed at $989,000 (multiple bids).
New Jersey Less than $300,000 West Orange $310,000* 52 Mississippi Avenue Number of bedrooms -- 4 Number of full bathrooms -- 2 Number of half bathrooms -- 1 Time on the market -- 2 weeks 73-year-old colonial; storm doors and windows, living room with fireplace, enclosed porch, 2-car detached garage; taxes $4,739; listed at $299,900 (multiple bids).
More than $1.2 million Summit $1.403 million2000 Springfield Road Number of bedrooms: 5 Number of full bathrooms: 3 Number of half bathrooms: 2 Time on the market: 2 weeks 67-year-old colonial; French doors in living room, sun room, patio, enclosed porch, 2-car attached garage, 100-by-195-ft.
Louise came out to meet him as he was alighting from the taxi at the colonial-style front door.
