vides comforting warmth during the chilly seasons. It is thermostat controlled, and there is also the option of electric baseboard heat.
This charming single-level home has an open living room and galley-style kitchen and dining room, and the floor in the main part of the house is DuraCeramic Tile, for easy cleaning and upkeep, with sophisticated simplicity.
Two spacious bedrooms and a full bath are perfect for a retired couple or small family, and the house was intentionally designed with expansion in mind.“ It ' s built, actually, so if somebody thought the house was too small and they needed more room, it would be so simple to build another house on top of it,” Verlin explained.“ They would have the water, they would have the sewer, and the electric panel and all that ' s right there …. That way, you see, they would have a walk-out basement. They could put glass doors to a patio out on the bottom level. On the upper level, the way it ' s built, they could have a driveway right up there, and they would have maybe two steps up to the main floor there, and then they just have a stairway down to the lower part. So, it ' s got all kinds of possibilities.” The house has a faithful 250-foot well that hasn’ t ever given them issues, even with the current drought conditions, and the septic system is up to date.
The attached one-stall garage has electricity and a concrete floor, and there is easy access to additional parking in the detached 20’ x20’ shed adjacent to the house. The yard is fenced with chainlink, perfect for corralling kids or grandkids or a dog or three, and stepping stones meander out to a fully-screened gazebo, which would be a treat for taking in the beauty of the Hills. What a delightful way to start the day, with a cup of coffee, watching Harney Peak and the Elkhorn Range light up at sunrise, or at sundown to watch the colors fade while sipping tea or cocoa. They get their share of wildlife, and herds of deer wander through every morning and evening.
Verlin is a retired mechanic, among other things, and his 48’ x24’ shop is predictably well-equipped and partially concreted. It is well-insulated and a comfortable place to work, with a woodburning stove for that second-to-none heat when the temps drop outside. Equipped with Wi-Fi and an intercom to the house, it is the perfect outpost for the mechanicallyminded, or the woodworker, or the carpenter.
The shop sits uphill from the house, and although no neighbors are visible from down below, there is a wider view at the shop.“ I can look out the window here and I can see part of Old Hill City Road and see a couple of neighbors from up here,” Verlin said.
“ And I have alerts set up by the shop,” Verlin continued.“ There ' s an alert up there that we hear in the house, if somebody drives past [ the shop ]. And then down toward the house, if they get down that far, there ' s another alert with a different tone that goes off. So, we can kind of keep track of if somebody drives up and what ' s going on.”
Verlin and Phyllis have loved this home and this location, and Verlin thoughtfully gave his high points of their time on this little slice of heaven:
“ Peace and quiet and a very, very sturdy house. Easy to heat, easy to cool. A beautiful view. That’ s our main thing …. So everything combined makes a really ideal situation.”
This lovely home and property are listed with Lewis Realty for $ 695,000.
The house interior is tastefully rustic, with warm paneling of bugwood, the DuraCeramic Tile flooring, and the rustic slate backdrop for the stove.
The inside and outside of the 48’ x24’ shop building, outfitted by a craftsman and well-insulated for comfortable cool-weather working, the perfect retreat for a carpenter or DIYer. myblackshillscountry. com Down Country Roads
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