Finding the Perfect Home in Williamsburg-Drummonds Field

When Janis and Peter Sherman decided they wanted to retire to Williamsburg, they decided to come to town to tour some neighborhoods and see how much they could get for their money. “We weren’t ready to buy anything just yet, so we didn’t want to see homes that people were living in and would have to get ready for showings,” says Janis. “We were just browsing and not wanting to inconvenience anyone, so we told our agent to only show us empty houses.”

The Sherman’s toured many neighborhoods, but never Drummond’s Field. Their real estate agent knew about the listing on Mott Lane and drove them by for a quick look. The previous owner was outside and the agent asked if they could see the house. “I felt so bad because I felt like we were disturbing him,” says Janis. “He told us to come back at 3pm, so we did.”

When the Sherman’s entered the home they immediately noticed the horses out back and the natural light in the house. The couple could tell what each other was thinking, and when the agent asked if Janis wanted to walk down the street to see the neighborhood beach, they both knew once they saw that they would be sold. Despite not being ready to move, they put an offer in and purchased the home before they ever moved to town.

The couple was moving from a much larger home in West Virginia, but found this home to be the perfect size since they were wanting to downsize. “What we didn’t realize until we had our first party here is how cool the flow of this home is,” says Janis. “Whether people want to gather in the living room, breakfast nook, kitchen, dining room or sunroom, they are all within quick earshot of one another. Despite being a smaller home, we could actually accommodate more people in this house than our bigger house, and no one was ever isolated.”

An Unbeatable View

“The summertime is my favorite because the Clydesdales are here,” says Janis. “They know they are the stars of the show, and act like it too!”

Janis and Peter agree that it was the view that sold them on the house and will also be the hardest thing to leave. The home overlooks Carlton Farms and the Sherman’s built a new, much larger back deck angled just right to be able to sit outside and take in the majestic beauty of the horses.

Janis and Peter say they have seen first-hand the origin of the phrase “he really kicked up his heels,” because they watch the horses do it all of the time. “In the spring they are kicking because they are so filled with vigor and life,” says Janis. “Living here and looking at the horses and walking two minutes to the water is like a form of meditation to me.

Bright, Natural Light

Upon arriving at 3526 Mott Lane, you are immediately greeted with a bright and sunny yellow front door. Once you enter the home, natural light spills in from the windows that flank every wall of the home. Born and raised in sunny California, Janis fell in love with the sunshine. “Even on the darkest days this house is never gloomy,” she says.

The Sherman’s decided to skip curtains altogether because they felt they would detract from the natural light coming in, but each window does have blinds to pull down for privacy. “In the wintertime when the blinds are down, the crepe myrtle branches on the outside of the home cast a shadow on the blinds and it looks like a massive Chinese painting,” says Peter. “It’s very striking.”

These are a Few of our Favorite Things

Peter’s favorite part of the home are the floors. When the couple moved in, the hard wood floors were already in place but they decided to get a satin finish. “The variation in colors and how light they are work perfect in this house,” he says.

The couple agrees they both love the flow of the home, and have enjoyed living on .85 acres. It’s just enough space to have privacy and be able to enjoy the large backyard, which would be a great spot of an in-ground swimming pool.

Janis loves taking a daily walk (about two minutes) to the neighborhood beach at the end of Mott Lane. Available only to HOA members, Janis walks down to the banks of the James River where she watches the birds, goes wading, or simply just relaxes. “I like watching the ferry go back and forth and just watching the river,” she says. “It has so many moods. Every day is a different mood.”

Improvements

Peter and Janis have made several improvements to their three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. The exterior of the home was painted in 2017, the old deck was torn down and a new one built using Wolf composite decking in 2016, a new HVAC system in 2017, and most of the rooms have been newly painted.

New porcelain tiles were added in the hallway, laundry room and hall bathroom. Hardwood oak floors were laid in the master bedroom and closet, along with new carpet in the guest bedroom.

Janis says she has received comments from a professional chef on how much they enjoy the size and layout of the kitchen, which has new quartz countertops and backsplash, a granite sink, refrigerator, lighting and reverse osmosis water filter. The bar in the kitchen is the perfect spot to lay out a festive spread during a party.

The view from the master bedroom is simply magnificent, as it overlooks the pasture.

In the bathrooms, new solid-oak vanities with Cararra marble tops were installed along with new mirrors and lighting.

Neighborhood

The Sherman’s love living in Drummond’s Field, but especially their location on Mott Lane.

“When we came to look at the house, we knew we had to back up to Carlton Farms,” says Peter. “We didn’t want anything across the street that wouldn’t back up to the horses, and the homes on the water weren’t an option for us, so this was just the perfect spot in the perfect neighborhood.”

3526 Mott Lane is on one of the smaller lots in the neighborhood at .85 acres. Most of the homes are two stories and some of the lots are an acre, some a little more.

The HOA membership is only $185 a year which is inexpensive considering the gorgeous neighborhood beach. The beach is maintained by the HOA and is perfect for laying out, swimming, paddle boarding, wading and fishing.

The Sherman’s have gotten to know some of their neighbors over the past six years and even have some neighborhood children who stop by for visits.

“This neighborhood gives you an active form of serenity,” says Janis. “You see and hear horses, shore birds, and kids playing in the street. You can go to the end of Mott Lane on one end and be at the river and at the other be at the Capital Trail.”

The Sherman’s have loved seeing the neighborhood kids riding bikes and walking their dogs. They also say that many children who grow up in Drummond’s Field enjoy taking riding lessons at Carlton Farms. While there isn’t a neighborhood pool, kids are often seen swimming at the neighborhood beach or jumping off the end of the pier.

For the Sherman’s, the best part about all of this is that they don’t have to get in a car to enjoy any of it because it is all just a short walk away, or in their backyard.

A Bittersweet Goodbye

The Sherman’s have loved spending the past six years at 3526 Mott Lane, so it is a bit of a heartbreak for them to leave. “We feel the tug of family and friends pulling us West,” says Janis. The couple will be moving to Oregon to be near many loved ones, but admit they will deeply miss this home, the neighborhood and the striking view.

To learn more about the home click here.

For a 3D walk through experience click here.


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