23 OLD OAK ROAD

This is not a home where you can use your weed trimmer to mow your back lawn. Nor can you see what your rear neighbours are BBQing for dinner. From the office (or bedroom) overlooking a wide, impossibly green backyard, you'll spot the 6th tee of the Cataraqui Golf and Country Club right out your back window-just past the deck, the BBQ, the patio furniture, the pond, and the raised garden beds, and the fully fenced yard.

Inside, the layout works just as hard. A bungalow with a loft, the upper level was finished into a primary bedroom with ensuite and walk-in closet, leaving three bedrooms on the main floor. Once the kids moved out, the two back bedrooms became offices.

What does every good office need? Light, and plenty of it. Check.

The view alone keeps you sane through conference calls, and when you need a mental reset, the deck is about three seconds away. Being a raised bungalow means the lower level isn't stuck underground feeling like an afterthought. Big windows bring in natural light, making the space bright, cheerful, and far more inviting than basements typically get credit for.

Triple-glazed windows keep things comfortable through both summer heat and winter chill, while cutting down on drafts and outside noise. And the laundry room? Refreshingly not the size of a closet.

From the formal dining room or living space, the front yard is a colourful perennial garden this time of year. Drive by, take an admiring look, then call your favourite realtor for a peek inside. All of this sits just a short distance from Lake Ontario Park, St.

Lawrence College, or Portsmouth Olympic Harbour-though depending on your priorities, the walk to your next tee time might just be the shorter one. Note: A list of recent home improvements a is available in the docs section.