40 Bayberry AvenueKennebunk, ME 04043Price: $1,795,000

This is the Maine beach cottage you hope still exists! Just steps from the sand at Gooch's Beach, this utterly charming New England Cape sits on a corner lot in one of Kennebunk's most beloved beach neighborhoods. From the moment you step inside, pine floors, shiplap walls and sun-filled rooms evoke everything there is to love about summers by the sea--casual, comfortable and wonderfully timeless. At the heart of the cottage, a cozy living room fireplace is flanked by built-in bookshelves ready to hold favorite beach reads, seashells collected along the shore and years of treasured KBIA camp creations. The large eat-in kitchen and adjoining dining area invite everyone to gather, with views overlooking a generous deck and fenced yard framed by seagrass for natural privacy--the perfect backdrop for lobster dinners, summer cocktails and evenings spent outside after a day at the beach. Five bedrooms and two full baths provide plenty of room for family and friends, including a delightful primary bedroom with its own sitting area and lovely ocean views--a quiet reminder of just how close you are to the water. A fabulous detached two-car garage is another unexpected bonus, with generous storage above and plenty of room for all the essentials of life by the beach--surfboards, beach chairs, bikes and more--while still leaving space to actually park your cars. And the location is simply exceptional. Stroll to Gooch's Beach, with tennis, golf and Kennebunkport's famed Dock Square a bike ride away. Lovingly enjoy this quintessential Maine cottage exactly as it is, preserving all the character that makes it so special, or imagine the possibilities for a thoughtful renovation that makes it entirely your own. Some houses are simply near the beach. This one feels like summer in Maine.