89 W. Alvord StreetSpringfield, MA 01108Price: $260,000

This is the kind of house where the space just makes sense. Come in from the covered front porch and the living and dining rooms flow right into each other, with wood floors, original built-ins and plenty of room for everyday life. The kitchen has the cabinet and counter space you need, and the stainless appliances are staying. With 1,120 square feet mostly on one level, you’re not paying for rooms you may never use. There are three bedrooms, including a tandem room that could easily become your home office, dressing room, sitting room or whatever space you’ve been missing. Downstairs, the full unfinished basement keeps storage, laundry and all the extra stuff out of your everyday living space. And then there’s the backyard. It’s fenced, there’s room to garden, enough lawn to actually enjoy, and the firepit is already there for nights outside. The roof and front and side porches were redone within the last year, too. All of this in Springfield’s Forest Park neighborhood, near Forest Park, the Sumner Avenue corridor, shopping, restaurants and public transportation. It’s not about having the biggest house. It’s about having a house where you’ll actually use the space you have.