image description — This 5-year-old home has four bedrooms and is energy efficient.

Friday Front Porch Feature: An Attractive Energy-Efficient Home

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:47PM / Friday, August 08, 2025Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — Are you looking for a house that's energy efficient and new? Then this Dalton home is the one for you.

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing a young home at 224 East St.

This 2020 home has four bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms and a two-car garage. It is 2,318 square feet on 0.35 acres.

It comes with Energy Star-rated washer, stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, and dryer, central air and solar panels.

We spoke with Patricia Molina of Century 21 Northeast about this house.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Newly built homes make up a small percentage of Berkshire County's housing market. This home stands out because it is new with quality systems, quality materials and quality craftsmanship.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine a life in this space?

Imagine coming home to this bright home where everything just flows. The kitchen has such a clean, modern feel and opens right up to the back deck and yard. The primary bedroom is a dream with a walk-in closet and your own private bathroom with double sinks. The biggest plus? The house is new. No need to worry about the "big ticket items" like replacing the roof, heating system, electrical, or any other major updates for years to come.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

It felt welcoming and cool, literally! Having central air is amazing. The open layout, natural lighting and the beautiful floors make the home feel bright and inviting. The kitchen island immediately grabbed my attention. I knew this was a great house as soon as I walked in.

What do the current owners love most about the home?

I would say it has to be the energy efficiency. While living here, they had multiple electronics running around the clock, and the solar panels helped curb the cost of all that energy use. I think they also loved how spacious the home is. Having a bathroom on each floor is so convenient and such a rare find these days.

Are there any standout design features or recent renovations?

Absolutely. It was just built in 2020, so everything is still very new. Beyond that, there are some fantastic design features: 1) energy efficient systems like the solar panels, underground propane tank for heating, central air, on demand hot water, high speed wiring 2) the modern kitchen and bathrooms 3) a radon mitigation system which was proactively installed 4) a partially (mostly) finished basement with the mechanicals separated from the finished area.

How would you describe the feel or atmosphere of the home?

It feels bright, clean, and modern. I really love the thoughtful touches. The home has a cozy and welcoming vibe. It's spacious, but still feels comfortable and homey.

What kind of lifestyle do you think this home naturally lends itself to?

It's such a versatile home. I think just about any lifestyle would thrive here. The amount of space throughout the home really suits a variety of needs. It will be a great home for anyone looking for comfort and functional modern home.

You can find out more about this house on its listing.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

Tags: front porch, Real Estate,

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Committee Recommends Scanlon for City Audit

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:30AM / Thursday, August 06, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— After the bid for a new auditing company came back over 30 percent higher, Pittsfield will stick with Scanlon and Associates.

On Tuesday, the Auditing Services Evaluation Committee voted to advance Scanlon to the City Council for an independent audit. CliftonLarsonAllen also responded to the bid, but came in costing $120,000 more.

"I have to go with saving money for the city. I mean, the discrepancy is too much of a difference," committee member Karen Kalinowsky said.

"The city could have use for that difference over the next three years."

This process was prompted by Rule 40 of the council rules and the City Charter, where in any year the City Council votes to hold a procurement process for an independent certified public accountant or firm to audit Pittsfield's books and accounts, the city must, through its Finance Committee with the assistance of the purchasing department, solicit requests for proposals or invitations for bids before June 1.

The council in March recommended that the purchasing agent draft a request for proposals and put it out to bid.

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, who has been vocally in favor of the independent audit for years, said the city doesn't have to follow a bidding process for the professional service, "We are doing this so the public knows that we're being professional, and a looking for other options, looking at what the best options are, and comparing them based on what they can offer and what the cost is."

Board member Kathy Amuso said both CLA and Scanlon have equitable reviews with high recommendations. Especially considering the budget crisis Pittsfield is in, she moved to recommend Scanlon to the full council.

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