As we have done over the past few years, we’re going take a look back at which were the most popular houses I featured. I don’t see the stats and number of views for each house, so it’s always a surprise to me what you, the reader, liked the most.

The market has been very different this year with the significant increase in interest rates. People are loathe to sell and lose their low interest rates buying a new house, so they’re holding on until the rates shift downward. This has resulted in a low inventory of houses on the market.

However, over the past year, I managed to find some gems to share with you and hope to continue that in the next year. I already have a spectacular house in mind for my first January column. There is clearly a style that I choose, with stone houses as three of the top five!

So, off we go with the top five hottest of the Hot Houses for 2023!

In fifth place is Howard Head’s house on Blythewood Road with a koi pond, a tennis court and much more. It has five bedrooms and five baths, and was on the market for $3.8 million and sold for $3.6 million. It’s a deceptive house – from the street it doesn’t look very large, but it spreads out over more than 9,000 square feet. It also has a modern feel, but was built in the mid-1920s, and was most likely designed by Palmer & Lamdin. This house also backs up to Stony Run Park, which will never be developed.

In fourth place is this Cotswolds-style house in Greenspring Valley. It has five bedrooms and five baths, with 6,539 square feet. The house is on 2.85 acres with beautiful lawns and old growth trees. The asking price was $1,799,770. It was removed from the market in November. While the house appears imposing from the exterior, the interior is warm and cozy with a lot of inviting spaces.

In third place is another stone house (are you sensing a theme here?), this one in Guilford. It’s a six bedroom, seven bath house with almost 8,000 square feet with an asking price of $2.75 million. What we mentioned obliquely in the original article was that this was Governor Wes Moore’s house! It overlooks Sherwood Gardens and has private, gated parking. The house sold in September for $2.525 million.

In second place is my personal favorite, an elegant French-style house in Owings Mills which went on the market for the first time since it was built. Hathaway House has seven bedrooms and six baths, with 6,578 square feet on 9.5 acres. The asking price was $1.99 million. The house is surrounded by exquisite gardens and old trees and is a perfect house for someone who loves to garden and entertain. The house is still on the market.

In top place is the Cockey family’s original stone house in Cockeysville. It was built in 1798 with five bedrooms and three baths over 3,693 square feet. The asking price was $710,000. It has been removed from the market. The house is a true colonial style, with an amazing tiger maple staircase. There are loads of fireplaces, in keeping with the original building date.

Rounding out the top ten for 2023 are the following:

I can’t wait to see what houses come on the market in 2024, but in the meantime, please accept our best wishes for a happy, safe, and prosperous New Year!

All images from the listings.

While you’re here, consider revisiting our Hottet Houses of 2021 and 2022.

Meg Fielding writes the local interior design and lifestyle blog Pigtown Design and is the past president of the Baltimore Architectural Foundation. She enjoys dual citizenship with the US and the UK.