Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in one of LandVest’s properties? We invite our owners to tell us a bit about their experience, what they love about their homes and what makes their property special. The owner of Spruce Way shares her story and what she loves about this beautiful privately sited Woodstock property.
What brought you to Spruce Way?
I was a long-time city dweller who had recently taken up horseback riding again, fallen in love with VT and especially the area around GMHA, and decided that that was where I wanted a weekend home. I searched for more than 18 months for a cozy house lovely enough that I would want to spend most weekends there, private enough that I wouldn’t have headlights in my windows at night, and close enough to a store that I wouldn’t have to drive 20 minutes for a bottle of milk. I couldn’t find it.
I hadn’t set out to build, but I changed my mind almost immediately upon walking the Spruce Way property. It was completely wooded at the time, but they were gorgeous woods. It had the potential for a lovely view. And most convincing, it had a serenity that was almost palpable. Clearing began in Spring 2001 and construction was finished in Spring 2003.
How have you used the home?
Spruce Way has been a weekend home for me (and often my friends) since 2003, a vacation home for my family, and was a full-time summer home for my parents for several years.
What do you feel are some of the property’s special features?
First – there’s something about being on the land that is difficult to describe in words. Maybe it’s the way the sun shines through the trees; maybe it’s that the sounds of nature are really close. I’m not sure exactly what “it” is, but everyone who spends time there finds it somehow healing.
The property also seems to have something for everyone: access to lots of trails for the outdoor folks; very close to Woodstock for those who prefer civilization; close to Killington and Okemo for the skiers; and the perfect spot for the kids to run around playing flashlight tag at night.
What is your favorite room?
As someone from a big family who loves to cook and entertain, the kitchen is by far my favorite room. In fact, it was the starting place for the entire house design. It faces east so is flooded with morning light. It can accommodate multiple cooks at a time and has an eating area that is cozy yet big enough to seat 12 comfortably. It has a fireplace for the winter and opens to a deck (with its own propane line) for the summer. Most importantly though, the view from picture window almost never ceases to make me pause for a moment.
Do you have a favorite spot on the property?
The screened porch is a great place to have a late afternoon cocktail and contemplate life. The wild raspberry bushes along the edges of the front clearings are almost impossible to resist in the summer.
Why are you selling?
Spruce Way is my absolute dream house. It is killing me to sell it, but I met and married a man with his own dream home on a much larger property only 12 miles away. He won.
Why should someone buy this property?
- From the master bedroom, you can see both the sunrise and the stars without having to sit up in bed.
- So much nature so close to town. In addition to birds, deer, wildflowers and berries, the Spruce Way hill has resident fox, porcupine, owls, a bear (with cubs almost every year) and I’ve even seen a moose on Cox District Rd.
- The family room is shady in the summer when the trees have leaves and sunny in the winter when they don’t.
- Every room in the house is a nice room to spend time in.
- It’s easy to have guests without having them in your space or you in theirs.
– Maggie S.
For more information on Spruce Way, click here. To learn more about luxury real estate in the Woodstock area, or to see more of our listings, visit our Woodstock office page or contact Ruth Kennedy Sudduth, Chris Lang or Story Jenks, .
