According to my sellers and their neighbors, Bay Minette Creek is the best kept secret in Baldwin County. Most locals probably have never heard about it but like myself, most people know of its existence but hardly give it a second thought. My opinion quickly changed, as my vehicle left the blacktop bound for a sandy dirt road, formally known as Brandon Lake Road. As I traveled into a section of dense wilderness, I wondered if my GPS was leading me astray, as it had on more than one occasion. However, I was on the correct path and quickly found myself back on the blacktop, in what appeared to be a secluded waterfront community with a high elevation above an inviting 80 foot wide creek.
As I parked the car in front of their detached garage, I was keenly aware of two things. First, I knew nothing of this place and second, that was exactly what the property owners up here had in mind. I am a sucker for waterfront real estate, always have been, and I couldn’t wait to discover what other surprises I would encounter on this very unique listing appointment.
I wanted to find out all I could about this special property and my sellers graciously provided me with a wealth of information about the residence, to include their passion for life on Bay Minette Creek, which I have shared with you below. If after reading the details of my seller interview, you would like to take a guided tour of this incredible waterfront home located at 34780 Brandon Lake Road, please contact Diana Will at 251-508-1336.
Jason: “What were the deciding factors that led you to buy this home?”
Seller: “The location was key for me. As you quickly discovered on your way in, we are pretty secluded back here and you’d think you had driven a hundred miles to find such a beautiful spot in the country. Yet, you are just 5 miles from Spanish Fort and their award winning academic and athletic programs.”
Jason: “You mentioned the Spanish Fort schools. Was the school district a factor in the purchase of this home?”
Seller: “Yes, my daughter has only attended Spanish Fort schools. It was a great experience for her and she is now a freshman at University of Alabama at Birmingham.”
Jason: “In addition to the beautiful waterfront location, what have become your favorite aspects of the home and life here on Bay Minette Creek?
Seller: “My wife and I both feel so safe living here. All the neighbors keep an eye on one another. We have also made dozens of improvements to the house to make it a very comfortable place to live and retire. As for the lifestyle, we absolutely love the creek and spring and summer are our favorite parts of the year. The best part about the creek is the cleanliness of the water. Although tidally influenced, the creek water is fresh until it gets close to the Bay Minette Basin and the Blakeley River. There are no industrial discharges or agricultural runoff into the creek, so the water is pristine. The creek will cloud up after a heavy rain but within days it is back to being crystal clear.”
Jason: “Is the creek navigable by boat to big water?”
Seller: “Absolutely! By water, we are six miles upstream from Buzbee’s Landing, which intersects with Highway 225 toward the mouth of Mobile Bay. We often boat to the Causeway restaurants, like the Blue Gill or kayak on the still creek waters. When our children were younger, we pulled them skiing downstream where the creek gets much wider. The creek itself is very deep, ranging from 20 to 25 feet and is approximately 12 feet deep a the edge of our dock.”
Jason: “Can you briefly describe a typical weekend for y’all here at home during the summer?”
Seller: “During the summer we prefer to stay at home on the weekends, grill and swim in the creek, as opposed to dealing with the crowds at the beach. Early morning kayak trips and late afternoon cruises down the creek by boat are regular summertime events for us. In the evening, you will often find my wife and I relaxing with a glass of wine under the pergola of the upper deck, enjoying the view.”
Jason: “Where do you find yourself spending the most time and why?”
Seller: “We love our media room. It is such a comfortable place to unwind the evenings and watch our favorite t.v. shows. Our second favorite, is our living room with the fire is lit on cold nights. In addition to being cozy, the living room also offers a great view of the creek.”
Jason: “You mentioned earlier that you have made dozens of improvements to the home. Can you tell me a little more about the work you and your wife have done to the home?”
Seller: “Yes, we completed an extensive renovation in 2005 that included a substantial increase in living area, growing it from a 1 bedroom, 1 bath with a loft, to a three bedroom, two and a half bath house with a second living room space, which we use as a media room and a double garage. We also added all new finishes, new upper deck with pergola, lower deck, new wood burning Buck fireplace with natural stone surround, new landscaping, we added a sprinkler system, as well as built the detached double garage with workshop space and 600 square foot apartment/office above. The garage also offers an attached boat storage shed and a huge enclosed storage space in the rear. We also added a new high-efficiency heat pump and have improved the storage space beneath the house and in the attic. The storage underneath the house is ideal for storing our water toys, fishing gear, etc.”
Jason: “Are there any other activities you enjoy around the house, in addition to playing in the creek?”
Seller: “We walk our entrance road just about every day. It’s about a mile and a half walk. The road is canopied by the tall trees, so it stays relatively cool in the warmer months. There is also little to no car traffic down our road, so our dog walks safely along with us without a leash. We also love to hangout on our screened porch or out on the deck when the weather is nice. We have a fair amount of outdoor living space, which is a great feature when we entertain.”
Jason: “Would you mind telling me why you guys have decided to sell and leave all this behind?”
Seller: “We aren’t going far. We love this house and intended to live here the rest of our days until a much larger lot with 500 feet of creek frontage, just up the hill from our present location, became available for sale. We plan to build a house very similar to this one on our new lot.”
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