Design flexibility in Laurel condos

Plenty of older homeowners would love to ditch their household chores, including shoveling snow or mowing the lawn, but many think they can’t afford to move into a brand-new home. At Legacy at Cherry Tree, homeowners age 55 and older can purchase a condominium from Ryan Homes within an active-adult community starting at $199,990.

Legacy at Cherry Tree, in Laurel in Maryland’s Howard County, offers a low-maintenance lifestyle along with amenities designed to keep residents socially and physically active. The development has a clubhouse with a fitness center and space for community activities.

For those who enjoy walking, Legacy at Cherry Tree has plenty of green, open space and is within walking distance of a grocery store and other conveniences. In addition, the shops, restaurants and entertainment venues of Maple Lawn are within a short drive.

Residents who commute to work or want to enjoy cultural and recreational activities will find the location near Route 29 and Route 216, two miles from Interstate 95, convenient to Columbia, Baltimore and the District.

The Hampton Court condominiums at Legacy at Cherry Tree each have approximately 1,400 finished square feet with two bedrooms and two full baths. Ryan Homes is offering buyers a choice of $3,000 toward closing costs or an upgraded kitchen. Monthly condominium fees are $245.

The brick-and-siding midrise buildings at Legacy at Cherry Tree include elevators. Each home has a patio or balcony. Inside, the homes have 9-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring in the foyer and ceramic tile flooring in the baths. The kitchen has 42-inch cabinets.

Each home has a foyer entrance with a coat closet and a storage closet. The foyer offers a glimpse of the open floor plan, which includes a dining area and a living room with three floor-to-ceiling windows facing the balcony or patio. The kitchen includes a pantry, a closet with a side-by-side washer and dryer and a breakfast bar that opens to the living room. Buyers can add a gas fireplace in the corner and a built-in entertainment center.

A decorative column defines the sunroom, which has a glass door that opens onto the balcony or patio. Buyers can convert the sunroom to a formal dining room, a study with French doors or even a third bedroom.

The master-bedroom suite includes a walk-in closet and a standard closet and has two windows. The master bath has a linen closet. Buyers can choose to add a second sink and replace the combination tub and shower with an oversized shower. An optional luxury bath features a soaking tub and separate shower.

The second bedroom, on the opposite side of the living areas, has a standard closet and a private door leading to the adjacent hall bath. The bath has a combination tub and shower and a linen closet, but buyers can convert the tub into a larger shower.

Another option for the upper-level Hampton Court models is to add cathedral ceilings to the master suite and the living area or a loft that overlooks the living area. Buyers also can add recessed lighting and ceiling fans to their home.