The Waters at Fairhope is a luxurious subdivision of man-made lakes and elegant high-end homes located on a prime parcel of densely wooded acreage, just a few short miles east of Downtown Fairhope. The drive to the luxury community is a beautiful trek through slow rolling pastures and fertile farmland of Baldwin County, Alabama. As you enter the subdivision, you will find yourself in awe of the brilliant design of the development, that mixes rustic elegance with a meticulously preserved natural setting.
I had the privilege of sitting down with the owners to discuss life at 317 Sand Bar Lane. They are a friendly retired couple that relocated to the area from Texas to be closer to their 3 granddaughters. We sat comfortably in their cozy den, surrounding the flickering orange flames of the gas fireplace. As I surveyed the room adorned with fine finishes, my attention was immediately captivated by huge set of windows looking out through the trees from a substantial elevation over what the owners refer to as “Big Lake.” There are no window treatments or screens to obstruct the view of the serene landscape. The owners explained that the bare glass was by design to invite the natural surroundings into the house. The gentle encumbrance of mature trees and still lake water create a private atmosphere one might expect to find in a remote lakefront cabin. Perhaps that’s the true brilliance of The Waters, that a modern development a few miles outside a small southern town has successfully created the illusion of living in a secluded wilderness retreat.
I have a personal affection for all things real estate and this Pat Achee custom built home is loaded with fine interior amenities, like heart pine floors throughout the main living areas and an inviting kitchen with smokey granite countertops and sleek stainless steel appliances that will literally drag the inner chef out of you, like a 6-burner Wolfe gas range and Sub-Zero refrigerator. The ceilings are quite tall, reaching heights ranging from 10 to 12 feet, every inch of which adorned with intricate crown molding. Each of the four bedrooms can comfortably contain a king sized bed and each has its own private bathroom. All this wow factor, yet I could not get passed the authenticity of the natural surroundings. From my vantage point, I could look out into the screened-in outdoor living area that opened up to a large wooden deck and side grilling porch just off the kitchen. I imagined the entertaining possibilities of all this fabulous outdoor living space and how nice it would be to open the home up to the cool breezes of spring, without the threat of intrusive bugs or the pure joy of taming a slight fall chill against the warm flames of the outdoor fireplace, as the rumbles of college football fill the night air.
If you want to preview out the quality craftsmanship of the home, you can see a lot of the detail in the video I have provided below, as I would prefer to explain more about what awaits for those with a passion for the outdoors! On the day I met with the owners it was a bit of a dreary day of grey clouds and misting rain. I returned the next day under the warmth of the afternoon sun to shoot video footage of the exterior amenities. I eventually found myself navigating slowly toward the soft clay edge of the emerald green lake waters. Deer can be seen often in this same spot around 6:45 in the morning. According to the sellers, the gentle animals routinely travel cautiously along the bank toward Johnson’s pasture to bed-down for the day. I backtracked in the opposite, following the deer tracks around the lake to the common area boathouse at the base of Big Lake, where the upper deck area offers sweeping water views. You could not ask for a better spot to sip a glass of wine and unwind after a hectic work week. Down below are the community canoes, lifejackets and paddles that are available for use by owners and their guests.
For a private tour of this 4600 square foot masterpiece or a walking tour of The Waters subdivision Fairhope AL, contact the sales office of Jason Will Real Estate at 251-866-6464 or send me a personal email request to jasonwill@southalabamaliving.com and I will reply promptly.