A Private Enclave Offering Sustainable Living in Chadds Ford

Offered at $1,495,000 ($444 sq ft.) / 1% buyers agent fee

SETTING

Tucked into the woods with acres of wooded buffer on all sides, this nearly 12-acre property feels like 50+ acres. Not visible from the road or on Google maps the home offers utmost seclusion and privacy. You’ll feel off-the-grid while living just off Route 1/Baltimore Pike (the property has 40’ of frontage). The home is on a private lane shared with just three other properties and includes 11.52 acres in the Unionville Chadds Ford School District. The home features sweeping views of the old-growth forest and a neighboring horse farm. This is quintessential Chester County living at its finest!

HOME OVERVIEW & CRAFTSMANSHIP

This secluded oasis features a 3,369+ square-foot house that feels much larger due to a massive half-finished basement, which adds over 1,000 sq. ft., a detached 2-car garage, and an oversized attic with vaulted ceilings. The home was built in 1997 by a reputable builder. No corners were cut and many high-end materials and features were included, for example, hardwood floors and solid wood Anderson windows. This is quality construction and it shows!

ENTRANCE

Down a private lane visitors are greeted by a large parking area and a bluestone pathway leading to an English-style bluestone courtyard. The courtyard is flanked by mature deer-resistant landscaping and large granite stones that speak to the solid rock foundation the house is built on. Upon entrance, you’ll find a two-story light-filled foyer with double-door coat closets on either side to accommodate outerwear. The foyer is laid with exquisitely cut tile and the entire first floor features hardwood floors.

KITCHEN

A massive granite island is the centerpiece with an inset Dacor range. Conveniently located matching stainless fridge, dishwasher, and a wall oven make this kitchen a chef’s dream. A large window above the sink looks at an uninterrupted forest and chicken coop. Solid wood cabinets are abundant, and there is a large walk-in pantry. The unique design and flow connect the kitchen, dining room, and living room, making this home perfect for entertaining.

LIVING ROOMS

The home includes three separate living rooms featuring two wood-burning fireplaces, a large stone fireplace with oversized wood mantle, and a Hearthstone insert capable of heating the entire home. The rooms feature recessed dimmable lighting and sweeping bay windows offering generous views of the forest and nearby horse pasture.

FIRST FLOOR & MASTER BATH

The first floor also includes a half bath, spacious laundry/mud room, walk-in pantry, study, office, and master suite. The master suite has a vaulted ceiling and a large bay window perfect for deer and birdwatching. The spa-like bathroom features all-white cabinetry, granite countertops and double sinks, infrared heat lamp therapy, a soaking tub with jacuzzi jets, Moen bidet, and a recently remodeled walk-in shower. The master suite includes his and her walk-in closets that provide access to a nearly 700 sq. ft. attic with vaulted ceilings.

SECOND FLOOR

The second floor features three spacious bedrooms with multiple windows and amazing sightlines, a hall closet, and a full bathroom.

LOWER LEVEL

The lower level provides an extra 1,000 sq. ft. in living space. The space is 2/3 finished and is the perfect place for a home gym, game room, theater, office, recording studio, and much more. There is also a tiled bar area and large pantry or wine storage room. There is easy plumbing access to add both an indoor bathroom and an outdoor shower or kitchen.

OUTDOOR LIVING

There is ample outdoor space including a large bluestone courtyard, backyard deck, and side yard patio. Beautiful tailored landscaping featuring mature shrubs, deer-resistant perennials, and a butterfly garden. The highlight of this property is the sightlines into the forest with complete privacy on three sides of the home and screened views into the neighboring horse farm. Watch the unending whimsy of the deer, squirrels, foxes, woodpeckers, and much more. There is also a .75-mile walking trail. There is plenty of space for short hikes, trail running, biking, sledding, cross-country skiing, ATVs, target shooting, hunting, and more. There is also a detached 2-door garage with pull-down stairs leading to over 200 sq. feet of attic storage space. There’s a parking space behind the garage for a tractor or ATVs and an access road from the garage around the property to make ramp and timber harvesting easy.

SUSTAINABILITY

In 2021, a WaterFurnace geothermal system was installed, which uses the ambient energy of the earth and offers the most efficient heating and cooling system available. There are no fossil fuel bills, and an annual savings of over $6,000 compared to a conventional system. The system pre-heats water for the water heater saving on electric costs. There is also no outdoor A/C compressor running ensuring you can enjoy the quiet of nature. The property includes natural water from a 500 ft. well and has two septic fields providing capacity far greater than the home requires.

FORAGE FARM

The property is classified under ACT319 (“Clean and Green”) an agricultural provision encouraging land conservation with a tax benefit to the owner (land is not taxed, resulting in over $8k in tax savings annually). The property has been identified as one of the largest and finest wild garlic patches in the Northeast and counts as customers’ top chefs from New York and D.C. Due to an underground water spring, the crop comes up two weeks before any other location and has sold at over $30 per pound in the past two years. The crop can sustainably harvest 125,000 plants per year or over 8,000 pounds. Extensive agricultural and private equity studies have been conducted valuing the “ramp” crop alone at over a million dollars. The property has been surveyed by professional arborists who marvel at the old-growth oak, beech, poplar, ironwood, and hickory trees, among many other species. Responsible timber harvesting generates many cords of hardwood firewood annually. The property contains a gentle slope, moist rich soil, with a small creek and old-growth forest creating a microclimate perfect for ramps and other exotic mushrooms like turkey tail, morels, and chicken of the woods. In 2022, a “butterfly garden” was installed to provide shelter for endangered monarch butterflies and now teams with activity through the Summer. The farm is a Certified Monarch Waystation by Monarch Watch.

WHAT’S NEARBY

Within a 10-minute drive, you’ll find Whole Foods, Wegman’s, Costco, Target, Walmart, and Home Depot. Nearby shopping includes Anthropologie, Athleta, Terrain, Benjamin Lovell Shoes, and Pink Turtle. There are also a plethora of small independent shops (Marche, Kurtz Collection, Studio 882, Kennett Square WorkS), restaurants (Antica, Brandywine Prime, Agave), wine & spirits (Waywood Beverage, Wine & Spirits), cafes (Margie’s Cuisine, Oso Sweet), fine good vendors (Country Butcher, Northbrook Marketplace), farmsstands (Bailys Farm), wineries (Chadds Ford Winery, Paradocx, Penns Woods), music venues (The Creamery, Uptown Theater, DE Theater), hiking and biking (ChesLen Preserve, Brandywine State Park) and gardens (Winterthur, Mt. Cuba, Longwood Gardens).

COMPARABLES

Due to the lot size, one-of-a-kind natural environment, and secluded location just off Route 1, there are few truly comparable properties.

$2.8m / $653 sq. ft. / 4 bed 5 bath / 11.67 acres

$2.2m / $581 sq. ft.  / 3 bed 4 bath / 10.7 acres

$1.9m / $410 sq. ft. / 4 bed 3.5 bath / 5 acres

$1.3m / $370 sq. ft. / 4 + 3 bath / 2.5 acre

$1.3m / $265 sq. ft. / 4 bed + 4.5 bath / 1.02 acres

$1.3m / $358 sq. ft. / 4 bed 4 bath / 1 acre

MAINTENANCE & RECENT UPDATES

The property comes with extensive documentation including the original builder plans, all major systems and appliance manuals, warranties, maintenance receipts, vendor lists, and other important records.

2024

• Driveway redone and asphalt sealed

• Septic system inspected and pumped

• Deck refinished

2023

• Water system overhaul (tanks re-bedded, new hoses)

• Both chimneys inspected and cleaned

2022

• Geothermal HVAC & water heating system installed

• Property tree health assessment by a certified arborist

2020

• New roof

• Master bathroom shower remodel

• 2/3 of home interior painted (Sherwin Williams Snowbound & Agreeable Gray)

BUYER PREFERENCES

We are partial to sell to a buyer who meets the following:

• Will not disturb the natural habitat

• Employs low-impact land management practices (no pesticides)

• Is a family with children/grandchildren

SCHEDULE A TOUR

Please do not try to view the house on your own as it is down a very secluded private drive with private security.

Use the contact form below or call (717) 222-9547.