The median price for a home in Sonoma County is holding at a steady $575,100, with only a possible 1% decrease forecast in the next year (maybe, possibly, could happen…or not.)

Prices have been high for a couple of years now, but homes keep selling, and sometimes for quite a bit over median. Whether this is a result of well-off long term residents moving within the county or more individuals coming from different areas I can’t say definitely – but it would seem that the prices aren’t holding a set of determined homebuyers back.

Is it worth it to buy so far above the median? Do these houses have anything that makes it worth the extra few hundred thousand dollars? Well, yes and no. It turns out that you can get a fairly luxurious home for under a million that features at least one high-end amenity like a wine cellar, custom pool, or professional kitchen – just not all of them at once.

Here are 5 of these almost-luxury homes that can be yours for under a million, with a descriptive title of the amenity they have to offer:

House built by a well-known architect.

41510 Fawn, The Sea Ranch – $595,000
2 beds, 2 baths. Year built: 1994.

Designed by architect Steve Brodie, this Sea Ranch home is meant to work with the surroundings, and show sensitivity to the environment.

 

Tile flooring in the entryway is always a good choice when you’re by the ocean. Sand is the worst to vacuum up, but a good broom will get it cleared out in no time.

 

The tile is continued on in the kitchen, and the wood ceiling and cabinets are a reflection of the woods outside. Though not exactly beachfront, this house offers views of the ocean – but it is a hike to get there. The pricing is also well within median; no stretching the budget here.

House with a wine cellar.

109 Massimo Cir, Santa Rosa – $945,000
4 beds, 4 baths, 3,240 square feet. Year built: 1988.

 

This sizable estate comes within $55,000 of breaking that million dollar threshold, but just looking at it, I’m not surprised. 3,240 square feet is a LOT of space for a single family…

 

..and their wine cellar. Sure, it’s not the most refined setup, but it has plenty of room for a fairly extensive collection.

 

Or at least for all the cases you may have bought at the last winery you toured. I may or may not be guilty of that…

A well restored vintage home (end of Victorian/before Edwardian).

332 Post St, Petaluma – $729,000
5 beds, 2 baths, 1,570 square feet. Year built: 1905.

 

Victorian homes in good shape are hard to find, and while this one is technically a few years after the end of the Victorian era, it’s still before Edwardian made its debut, so I’ll leave it at that.

 

From the wooden floors to the intricate details on the trim around the fireplace, the original aspects of this home have been well maintained.

 

Angles abound throughout this house, and instead of being overlooked they’re carefully considered.

Gourmet kitchen.

761 Brush Creek Ln, Santa Rosa – $998,000
4 beds, 3.5 baths, 2,822 square feet. Year built: 1998.

 

The priciest home on this list, the exterior doesn’t quite convince me that the $998k price tag is quite worth it…

…but this kitchen does. Even the vent hood is custom made with the same wood as the cabinets.

 

To prove this kitchen has everything, on the other side are built in wine racks and a cooler. I’m sold.

House with unique architecture.

1109 Carr Ave, Santa Rosa – $549,500
3 beds, 2 baths, 1,850 square feet. Year built: 1957.

 

Bringing the price down to more reachable levels, but no less enticing is this unique Santa Rosa home. I’ve seen estates made to look like castles, prehistoric mounds, and churches, but this barn-house is one of my favorites.

 

There’s plenty of room for parking, storage, or space for a workshop or craft room.

 

Talk about a grand entertainment hall. The living room has a high, beamed ceiling, hardwood floors, and a floor to ceiling fireplace. For $549,500, this looks like a home fit for a (medieval) king.