The home at 105 Waterway Lane in The Estuary sits grandly on a large corner lot at the head of a canal, just minutes by boat from the Intracoastal Waterway near Bee Gum Point and Gifford Island.
“This is a beautiful home in a wonderful community,” says Dale Sorensen Real Estate Broker-Owner Matilde Sorensen, who is offering the 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 5,178-square-foot home for $2,725,000.
What is most surprising about a house of this stature and quality is that it lives like a family home – which is what first attracted Dr. Howard and Joy Tee. They needed the space to raise their four children. Now, with all of the kids off to college, the couple are ready to downsize.
A circle drive hidden behind a lush island of vegetation leads to the front of the house. Nearby, a turtle fountain flows into a small reflecting pool.
Stepping through a set of imposing, wooden doors into the foyer, you are immediately greeted with views of the backyard through a wall of glass. The home’s L-shaped layout creates defined spaces without diminishing the light and airiness made possible with 12-foot ceilings and a vast number of windows.
A sense of understated elegance permeates the house, with columns, marble flooring, coffered and tray ceilings, wainscoting, granite countertops and double-crown molding.
The den or library just off the foyer has wooden floors and a wall of built-in shelves overflowing with books.
Further down the hallway, a pair of French doors opens into the owner’s suite. Bay windows offer a three-sided view of the pool and landscape.
On the opposite side of this generously sized room, a doorway leads to a lavish bathroom with a jetted tub, walk-in shower, dual sinks, a water closet and built-in vanity. There’s also a walk-in closet with built-in shelves. A four-paneled, fold-out mirror is handily placed so you can check your appearance before you head out to take on the world.
Also located in this private wing is an office or exercise room, only accessible through the owner’s bedroom and the lanai. With a wet bar and built-in desk, you can hide out and get some work done no matter what’s going on in the rest of the house.
With a formal dining room just off the foyer and an unobstructed flow from the formal living room through the kitchen and into the family room, the home’s layout is poised to entertain. A full bar just off the formal living room offers plenty of storage and a pass-through window, so guests imbibing outside don’t have to traipse in and out of the house.
The gourmet kitchen is equipped to handle any crowd. With pool views and proximity to the family room, the chef du jour can stay abreast of social activity while preparing a feast.
A built-in escritoire provides space to keep the house running smoothly.
The adjacent family room is a magnetic spot with a gas fireplace warming up the room on cool days and creating an ambiance of cozy togetherness.
Further on, the laundry room, a powder room, garage access and two en suite guest bedrooms with wet bars ensure that whether the rooms are occupied by teens or long-term guests, you won’t have to worry about anyone getting underfoot.
Access points leading to the lanai make it easy for guests to move from the elegant interior of the home out to the more relaxed, tropical setting poolside.
The summer kitchen has a built-in grill so you can entertain under a covered space or at poolside. A stream of water shoots into the pool from a fountain of leaping dolphins while a family of turtles adds a hint of whimsy at the bottom of the pool.
Nearby the spa is situated for optimal privacy and solitude, nestled down several steps and tucked in among lush foliage.
A wooden pathway leads to a dock able to handle a 35-foot boat, which Dr. Tee admits is one of his favorite aspects of the home. “I used to have a small boat. I could just go out fishing. That’s one of the best things you can do.”
The Estuary is a hidden gem, notes Sorensen. People are drawn there because it’s such a small, charming, friendly neighborhood.
Dr. Tee agrees, adding that everybody in the neighborhood knows everybody, especially the children and dogs. “It’s quiet, and everybody is very friendly.”
The Estuary is a guard-gated community located in Indian River Shores. With only 89 home sites, the water-based neighborhood is reminiscent of Old Florida. Streets lined with mature oak trees wind through tropical foliage buffered by lakes and canals.
Just outside The Estuary gates, the Indian River Shores Public Safety Department offers police, fire and emergency medical services. The Village Shops and beach are a short walk away. Ocean Drive shopping and dining, Riverside Park, Riverside Theatre and the Vero Beach Museum of Art, are just a few minutes’ drive away.
