Kirsten Luce for The New York Times

For 27 years, Annette Larkin owned a house in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Va., a few miles south of Washington. She loved the village feel and the walkability to shops and restaurants, but as the political scene on Capitol Hill became more toxic, her priorities shifted.

“What I wanted more than anything was to live closer to the mountains and have total privacy in my front and back yards — to me, that is real luxury,” said Ms. Larkin, 61, a media relations consultant who works remotely. “I also wanted a fenced-in area where my dog Artie could be safe outside.”

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A few years ago, Ms. Larkin was working as the director of public relations at the Inn at Little Washington, a three Michelin-starred restaurant about 75 miles west of downtown D.C.

She fell in love with the town, Washington, Va., locally known as Little Washington, and its bucolic surroundings, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“The views are incredible, and between Little Washington and Sperryville, there’s so much good food, nice people and, of course, wonderful hikes,” she said, referring to a town nearby.

Ms. Larkin was eager to move to the area, but she also wanted to stay within a 90-minute drive of her mother’s home in Maryland. She started her search in April and listed her four-bedroom Del Ray house, which has yet to sell.

“Annette knew exactly what she wanted: a property with some land and a house that wouldn’t require a lot of work,” said Denise Chandler, principal broker of Country Places Realty in Washington, Va. “There are only about 42 homes on the market now in Rappahannock County, where she wants to live, and there were even fewer last spring. Annette was focused on finding something comfortable where she could enjoy a simpler lifestyle.”

With a budget of around $500,000, Ms. Larkin wanted at least two or three bedrooms, so she had space to work plus a guest room for friends and her daughter to visit. She also wanted views of the mountains, where she loves to hike.

“My foodie friends are excited to come stay with me and try out the restaurants around here,” she said. “I also love to entertain and cook for people, so I wanted to make sure the kitchen had plenty of prep space.”

Apart from a new scene, her goal was to live debt free for her retirement years. “I wanted to sell my house in Del Ray and buy this next house without a mortgage,” she said. “I downsized to keep my budget low.”

Among her options:

No. 1

Three-Bedroom Modular Home

Kirsten Luce for The New York Times

This factory-built modular house from 2022 sat on a 4.2-acre lot in Culpeper County. The three-bedroom, two-bath house had 1,560 square feet and was in good condition, with an open floor plan, a big kitchen with an island, glass doors framing woodland views, and a nice primary bedroom suite. The grounds included a chicken coop, lots of trees and a partially fenced area for Artie. It lacked landscaping and hardscaping for spending time outdoors, and it was an extra 15 to 20 minutes from her preferred Little Washington. The asking price was $460,000, with annual taxes of around $1,900.

Rappahannock Real Estate

No. 2

Ranch House Close to Town

Kirsten Luce for The New York Times

Built in 1978, this three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath brick house sat on 1.2 acres in Little Washington, Ms. Larkin’s ideal location, within walking distance of shops and restaurants, including the Inn at Little Washington. The 1,653-square-foot floor plan included a family room with a fireplace and ceiling beams, a dining room and an office or living room, and a small basement. A sliding door led to a screened patio and a beautiful view of the mountains from the backyard. The kitchen and bathrooms were dated, and the house needed other upgrades for a better flow and a fenced-in area for Artie. The asking price was $565,000, with annual taxes of about $2,000.

Washington Fine Properties

No. 3

Rustic-Chic Cabin

Kirsten Luce for The New York Times

This three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,600-square-foot cabin from 1976 sat on a wooded 18-acre lot with a river flowing through it, and was a short drive from Little Washington. It had a step-down living room with an open kitchen and a wood stove, skylights and glass doors out to a charming wraparound porch. The land included eight acres of pasture, a fenced area for Artie, a storage shed and plenty of trees and privacy. Ms. Larkin loved the “rustic and chic” vibe, though she worried that the property would be too large for her to manage and that the $675,000 asking price would stretch her budget. Annual taxes were about $3,000.

Country Places Realty

Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:

Which Would You Choose?

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Three-Bedroom Modular Home

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Ranch House Close to Town

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Rustic-Chic Cabin

Which Did She Buy?

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Three-Bedroom Modular Home

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Ranch House Close to Town

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Rustic-Chic Cabin