It is a treat when a real-estate-o-phile like me gets to tag along with one of the area’s most knowledgeable realtors, whose family name is synonymous with home sales in Vero Beach. It is extra-special when I get to see Alex “Buzz” MacWilliam go through the process of putting a house on the market.
Located on a 1+ acre lot in Magnolia Estates on Doctors Row, this home with a mid-century modern feel was built in 1961 and has only been on the market for a week. The neighborhood is characterized by large lots and lush, shady oak hammocks that help make it an extremely desirable spot for homebuyers.
MacWilliam, broker and owner of Alex MacWilliam Real Estate, grew up in this area and knows it intimately.
“Doctors Row is where people built their houses more than 50 years ago,” said MacWilliam, surveying the tall oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. “They raised families in them and now they are looking for alternatives to big houses and all that maintenance.
“If this property was in Riomar, it would have an asking price of more than a million dollars. You are close to everything here. Vero Beach High School is down the street, and the beach is just over the bridge.”
Painted an elegant olive green, with cheerful red shutters and white accents that add to the pristine appearance, this home is in superb condition, with loads of upgrades everywhere. Throughout the house, there are refined architectural details, including crown molding, beadboard walls and vaulted ceilings.
The current owners have seven children, and the house is certainly spacious enough for a large family; but it also possesses an intimacy perfect for close family interaction.
One of the best things about this home is that it is actually two houses: The 2,878-square-foot main house has 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, lots of ceiling fans and French doors in almost every room, all leading outside to enchanting, hidden gardens.
A few feet away from the main house is the charming guest house, which has two bedrooms, a bathroom, a sizeable sitting room and a fully-equipped kitchen. With 1,392 square feet of living space, it is as large as many mainland homes.
Both houses sit on a large landscaped lot enhanced with many species of mature trees and greenery. Citrus trees grow in the backyard. Oaks provide a classic southern canopy festooned with Spanish moss.
MacWilliam shows the exterior and the guest house first.
What started out as a modest 3-bedroom ranch house was transformed over the years into a gracious home for a large family, affording each member space and privacy, yet with all kinds of opportunities for coming together. The house is ready to be lived in by another growing, athletic family.
Large and efficient, the kitchen is equipped with upgraded appliances and gorgeous granite counters. For the chef, there are three ovens, a microwave, and a view of the great room, swimming pool and backyard.
A wood-burning fireplace is the gathering spot for chilled family members on cool winter nights.
Just off the kitchen, and a relaxing distance away from the children’s wing, is the master bedroom suite, recently renovated into a peaceful retreat where weary parents can recharge. The spacious bedroom has large windows and French doors, and a sumptuous bathroom with a walk-in shower, a deep soaking tub, and a view of lush garden.
With the pool and all of the other athletic diversions, this house will be a magnet for neighborhood children. Besides the large, in-ground pool, there is the required basketball hoop set up in the driveway and a volleyball court on the children’s side of the house. This was smart planning on the part of parents who know how loud a rousing game can get.
In front of the house is an intimate fire pit, and at the back is a roasting pit for the family’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration, when they invite family and friends over for a traditional pig roast.
Topping off the list of outdoor surprises is the tiki hut at the far end of the pool with an outdoor bar perfect for parties.
“This is definitely a house for people who love the outdoors,” said MacWilliam. “Everywhere you look, there is a garden. You definitely bring the outdoors inside in this house.”
To see this home, contact MacWilliam at 772-473-6793.
