Real Estate Confidential is a weekly chit-chat about new listings, sales, or other insider info on the Martha’s Vineyard Real Estate market, by Fred Roven, Martha’s Vineyard Buyer Agents. It appears each Friday in The Minute.
What is a person to do? You have less than $5,000,000 to spend and you want room to roam; at least 5 acres would be a good start. If you’re the type of person who craves plenty of space, then rural living might be for you. In rural settings, you’ll have enough space for anything you can imagine. The real treasure here is the amount of outdoor space. Plenty of these houses sit on lots of multiple acres, and some properties contain woods, streams, ponds, and other natural wonders. You have the option to create a family compound with multiple structures that will be a place of gatherings for generations to come.
So what do you get? On the Vineyard this often means water views that go forever and private beaches along with:
- Privacy
- Larger home sites
- Distance between neighbors
- Serenity leading to less stress
- You can have more toys
- More animals including farm animals
- You can have a large garden and/or grow and raise your own food
- Abundant wildlife
- You have a greater feeling of personal freedom that you may not find in town
In general you have to balance what is important to you, and decide if you are cut out for country life, or not. On one hand you will have free well water and can wash your car any time you want. On the other hand when you live in the country you might be driving down a dirt road and might need to wash your car regularly.
Whenever I pass the reproduction colonial at 670 Old County Road I imagine the country elegance of this 4 bedroom 3.5 bath home on 5 acres of fields and grass. A combination of old with its soapstone sink and farm sink in the kitchen and new with its Wolf grill top stove and cathedral ceiling. The spacious property includes a Pebble Tech pool and spa with plenty of room for horses. Enjoy the relaxation of this home with master bedroom with its own fireplace and en suite bath with a jacuzzi tub. Grand country-living on a striking estate setting complete with a two-stall horse barn with tack room, fully-fenced paddocks, dog run and a frog pond.
If a 4,000 square foot home on 8 acres with a swimming pool is for you, the spacious contemporary cape at 20 Flint Hill Road is perfect. There is still plenty of room left for a guest house and barn for those horses yet to come and already has a one bedroom suite over the garage. The great room off the kitchen has a vaulted ceiling and fireplace adding spaciousness and casualness to the formal home. The property includes a 20 X 40 gunite pool that fits organically into the landscape with easy access from all areas of the home. With its excellent rental history, this property can provide a great investment or a wonderful year-round Vineyard family home.
Wanting to be close to downtown Edgartown does not mean you cannot find room to roam on 10 acres. A very unusual find for Martha’s Vineyard is 12 Trapps Pond . It is a mile to town and has all you could want for privacy and seclusion. The cottage at the water’s edge is charming and provides access to explore Trapp’s Pond by kayak, paddle board or dinghy. The birdlife here is extraordinary and so are the sunsets over the barrier beach and across Nantucket Sound. A family home to enjoy for generations to come.
The property at 71 Stoney Hill Road in Vineyard Haven is just 2.5 miles from the harbor and light years away from any congestion, noise or neighbors for that matter on its 7 acres. The spaciousness of post and beam construction with its cathedral ceilings centered around a 1,000 SF open living space is what this land called for along with a barn in similar style. This upscale property was designed to afford expansive and protected views by master craftsmen including Ken Lobdell who supplied custom cabinetry and woodwork that adds to the elegance. Being surrounded by 200 acres of conservation provides provides complete privacy and easy access to walking trails and bike paths. The home is solar powered, handicap accessible and just had a $700,000 price reduction.
Click here for a complete list of similar homes on over 5 acres and under $5,000,000.
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