Mr. Williamsburg knows that when you’re looking for a new place, you’re searching for more than just four walls plus amenities; you’re looking for that welcoming refuge we call home. That’s why we go beyond the standard “4 bedrooms, 3 baths on large lot” statistics, to share how others have lived in this house, to reveal the home’s unique personality, to help you decide whether this is a place where your family could thrive. Below are a few of my favorites!
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Banbury Cross
Linda and John Niedzwick have loved Williamsburg since they first vacationed here in 1988. At that time, the couple resided near Rochester, New York, where Linda was a nurse and John worked for Kodak. They lived in a log cabin that John, a talented carpenter and wood worker, had built. But the history buffs’ attraction to Williamsburg drew them south.
“We both just love history and the whole Williamsburg area… Yorktown, Jamestown,” said Linda. “We were visiting here several times a year. And the more we came, the more we came back.”
Although the couple first planned to relocate to Williamsburg after retirement, in 2002 they decided to change jobs in order to make the move earlier.
Bennington Condos in New Town
When Susan Richardson first walked through the door of her 4th floor New Town condo to find a fabulous vista of Sullivan Square Park, she was immediately smitten.
“I could look straight ahead at the sliding doors to the balcony and have a great view of Sullivan Square,” she said. “I just loved that you could see through the condo to the other side.”
Berkeley’s Green
Katie Kullberg wanted nothing to do with Virginia. She had lived in Michigan all her life, her family was there, and her first child was less than a year old. The idea of moving to Virginia’s Hampton Roads area so that her then-husband could pursue employment there did not make her happy.
Despite her reservations, Katie went back to Virginia once more, bringing her parents for advice and support. Her realtor brought them to Williamsburg’s Berkeley’s Green community, and this time Katie fell in love.
The couple moved into a two-story home with a classic layout: family room on one side of the center hall and dining room on the other, leading to a kitchen overlooking a deck and a beautiful back yard with mature trees. Upstairs were four bedrooms plus a bonus finished room above the garage (FROG).
“It was our happy place,” Katie says. “That’s where my ex-husband and I would sit when the kids were in bed. We’d have a glass of wine and say, ‘Yes, this is a good place, our happy place.’”
At one point, Katie considered putting a pool in the back yard – it is big enough — but she just couldn’t bring herself to take down all the trees. Instead, she installed a play structure and a full-size soccer net so her three children could play soccer there. Most of the home’s rooms, including the family room, kitchen, and FROG, offer views of the green canopy of the back yard.
Burlington Woods
Wendy Carrington can watch her children at the neighborhood playground from a white rocking chair on her front porch. In fact, she picked the neighborhood— Burlington Woods — the lot, and the big, welcoming porch in order to do just that.
We chose this neighborhood because it’s small, close-knit, and family-friendly,” said Wendy, an insurance underwriter with two children, 5 and 8. “Then we picked this lot to build on because it’s across the street from the playground.” The porch was an extra she added to the nearly 3,000 square-foot home that she and her husband, Steve, a Coast Guard retiree, built in 2010.
Canterbury Woods
If Garrett Fesler was having a bad day at work, he’d just think about being home, in his backyard sunroom. “It extends out into our yard so that you’re looking out at green — like being in the middle of the woods — and it’s a great place to relax,” he says. “I love to open up all the windows and just sit and catch a breeze.”
That all-season sunroom, with a vaulted ceiling and floor-to-ceiling glass doors on three sides, was one of the main reasons Garrett and his wife, Corine, bought their 2,300 square-foot ranch in 2007. The couple, who had ties to the College of William & Mary, wanted a home with a large yard and mature trees in an established neighborhood that was close to the college. Their Canterbury Hills home on a heavily-treed, 2/3 acre lot, located within an easy walk or bike ride to W & M, offers all of that.
Carriage Homes at Williamsburg Commons
Chris Grasso and his wife, Karin Wulf, have owned their Carriage Home since 2006. The couple, who are both professors at William & Mary, have recently accepted new positions at Brown University in Rhode Island. After many happy years spent in this home, they are ready to move on so someone new can come in and enjoy everything it has to offer.
When they first purchased the home, the couple’s son was about to enter high school and had a particular interest in a special arts program that was only available at Bruton High School. The home’s York County address made it possible for their son to attend the school while also allowing Chris and Karin to be extremely close to the university’s campus, so the quaint duplex fit all of their needs.
Chris and Karin chose to use the loft area upstairs as a study, but the space upstairs is flexible and could be used as a home office, media room, playroom or other functional space.
The home also features plenty of storage, with an attic over the garage and lots of closet space. It has its own one-car garage and driveway parking with room for two cars. There’s a walk-in closet in the primary bedroom, a double closet in the second bedroom, and another in the hallway.
Colonial Heritage
Dick and Mary Sue Metrey’s traditionally-styled, open concept home on a quiet cul-de-sac in Colonial Heritage is up for sale. But that’s not because the couple wants to leave the gated, 55+ active adults community; it’s because they want to stay.
For Dick and Mary Sue, the gracious 3-bedroom, 2-bath home they built on Blakemore Terrace in Colonial Heritage was only a summer place; their primary residence was near Washington, DC. But after less than two years of living there part-time, the couple have decided to make Colonial Heritage their permanent home.
“There is such a sense of community here,” said Mary Sue, who is retired from working with the mentally disabled. “People are friendly and they’re interesting.” However, with a huge immediate family of 19 children and grandchildren who love to visit, the Metreys need more room than their 1,756 square foot “Aldrich” model can provide. The couple regretfully decided to sell their Blakemore Terrace home, but they are building a larger home in Colonial Heritage just down the street.
Druid Hills
From the moment they walked inside and saw the great room, they knew this house was calling their name. The gracious space serves as the central hub for the home. Featuring a wooden ceiling and beams, a dramatic stonework floor-to-ceiling fireplace and a brand-new picture window that provides warm natural light and sweeping views of the wooded back yard, the room is a perfect gathering place for family and friends.
As for the rest of the home, this one is bigger than it looks from the outside, and all of the rooms are substantial in size. In addition to the living room, great room and ample kitchen, there are four bedrooms and two full-size bathrooms. Three of the four bedrooms are quite large; the fourth room is well-suited to a nursery or a home office. For storage, there’s a walk-out basement with a heated and cooled office, as well as abundant attic space in the attic and a walk-in crawl space.
A stone’s throw from Jamestown Road, picturesque Druid Hills and adjacent Kingswood have long been sought-after neighborhoods. Homes sit on generous and well-manicured lots that feature mature trees, shrubs and flowering plants. From pines to maple, white maple to holly trees, the couple has enjoyed the view in all seasons.
Fords Colony
“Grand and comfortable.” This was John and Diana’s guiding vision in designing their gracious brick Colonial that bears resemblance to the Governor’s Palace in Colonial Williamsburg.
“We wanted a house that was not a replica of the Governor’s Palace, but that made people say ‘Hey, this looks a little like it,’” said John, the CEO of a federal government contractor. “We wanted it to be one of the neighborhood’s showcases, but we also wanted a place where people would feel comfortable, where they could put their feet up and relax. I feel we accomplished that.”
The 6,500 square foot home was built in 2006 by Hallmark Builders. “We went with Hallmark because of the quality of their homes,” John said. “Their homes are very sturdy and we like the creativity of the owner.”
The couple chose to build their home in the country club community of Ford’s Colony because it offered multiple golf courses. “Diana and I play golf several times a week,” said John. “We knew we would get bored if we played the same course so often.” Ford’s Colony includes three Dan Maples championship golf courses; the couple chose to build their home on the 15th hole of the Blue Heron course.
Kate and Christopher Martucci relocated to Williamsburg from Maine in February 2022. When the family decided to move to Williamsburg, they did their research to choose atop real estate agent. When they found John Womeldorf (aka “Mr. Williamsburg” for a reason!) online, he helped them launch their search remotely from Maine.
They landed in Fords Colony, and Kate says they were delighted at every turn. As they launched their search for a home, they quickly learned that Ford’s Colony Williamsburg has set the standard for gracious private community living – for over three decades. The 3,000-acre gated golf community offers a variety of neighborhoods (spoiler alert: the Martucci’s think theirs is the best!), a complete range of country club
amenities, and a reputation for excellence.
Ned and Suzy Cheely moved to Williamsburg from Virginia Beach but have spent most of their adult lives here in Williamsburg. Both the Cheely family and the Womeldorfs have long been active in local recreation and sports, and both families raised sons who were too. Ned says they count John among their close personal friends.
“In addition to being a good friend, John is known for going beyond all expectations to be helpful professionally. He is very thorough, and we appreciate his guidance (and all of the times he’s helped with visits to the Northern Neck).”
The Cheelys planned, designed and built this home in which they have celebrated so many of life’s moments, the holidays, countless cookouts and – well – just relaxing on the back porch with its view of the golf course!
Fords Colony/ Eaglescliffe Condos
Susan – who lives in Texas – tried to get her parents to move to the Lonestar state when their previous home became too much for them to care for on their own, but they loved Williamsburg too much. Susan says she can’t blame them though, because the condos at Eaglescliffe are fantastic. “It’s such a wonderful place,” she says. “Living there is like living in an upscale college dormitory because of the community it gives you. All of the neighbors know each other, socialize, knock on each other’s doors and play funny jokes on one another. If a neighbor is sick, someone will come by with some soup. They checkup on each other and that was always comforting for me to know they had such an amazing community looking out for them.”
Susan says one feature her parents loved about the home is the amount of storage it has to offer. One storage closet is so large it could double as a computer room. The bathrooms are also large in size and the master bedroom is just beautiful with its walk-in closet and master bath with garden tub and separate shower. For those who like to enjoy time outdoors, the home has a screened in balcony that you access through beautiful French doors. Below the complex is an underground garage where residents park their cars and access the elevator. Each resident also has their own storage unit down there.
Gloucester VA Life on the Rivah !
There’s a rhythm to the lifestyle that Bill and Anne Tennent enjoy from their Gloucester waterfront retreat on the Ware River. Mornings often start slow and relaxing, with coffee on their deck while watching the river change color as the tide comes in and the sun rises. Bill might head out for a quiet hour with his boat and his fishing pole before returning to take Anne for a more lively spin along the Ware as the day gets warmer. Some days the couple makes the 10-minute drive to old town Gloucester for an art exhibit or a festival along the village’s historic Main Street, perhaps followed by dinner at one of the intimate restaurants there. Then they head back home to their sunroom for panoramic views of a breathtaking sunset across the water, sometimes catching sight of a heron or an egret in the fading light. As Anne puts it, “We have the best of all worlds here.”
Gloucester, VA Waterfront
A year-long expansion and renovation project turned a Gloucester Point residence into an elegant yet comfortable retirement home for Charles and Anne Avery. The Averys, formerly of Richmond, were not newcomers to the county prior to settling on their retirement spot. The couple had a home in York River Pines that for several years served as a summer retreat form the city.
Ottarson began the project in February of 1996, ripping out walls and windows and preparing for the expansion. “It seemed like months before Robert finally said, ‘Mr. Avery, we’re going to start building back now,’ ” Avery recalled. In testament to the good relationship between the couple and their builder, Mrs. Avery said, “Robert is very special to us. this took a year and we’re still friends.”
The renovation included replacing all windows and laying wood floors throughout the house. The expansion filled and stretched the L-shaped rancher, resulting in a tow-room deep house with wide room entranceways that allow the river views to be enjoyed from almost every foot of the home.
When not enjoying the company of friends, the Averys are content to enjoy simply the company of their beautiful surroundings. “We really like this point. We can look out over the water at night and see the lights on the parkway. We log in the naval vessels as they come and go. It’s never really dark at night. There are lots of lights, and day and night, something’s always moving out there,” Mrs. Avery said of the waterfront. “We’ve got wonderful neighbors,” Avery added, “and good fishing.”
Governors Land
The classic, elegant exterior of the Georgian Federal home on Ann Johnson Lane in Governor’s Land was what first enticed Caz Wesley when she was house-shopping in 2008.
“I could see the house was an architectural gem when I walked up to it,” said Caz, an interior designer. “On the exterior, all four sides are classic, dark red brick with keystones over the windows. The front stoop has four brick steps and gracious, curved black railings with beautiful balustrades going down both sides. There’s a Federal-style portico with four pillars over the Charleston-style front door, which has an arched, webbed glass window above it and sidelights on both sides. There are just so many beautiful architectural features.”
Greensprings West
Gloria Baller took a giant leap of faith when it came to building her home in Thorngate Landing/ Greensprings West two years ago. “My husband was in the military and stationed in Germany,” recalls Gloria, who met her husband, Craig, when he was stationed in Italy 17 years ago. “We knew we wanted to be in Williamsburg, and we knew that / Greensprings West was the type of close-knit, family-oriented community we were looking for. But we were still living outside the U.S. at that time.”
While Gloria and the couple’s two children stayed in Germany, Craig flew to Virginia to work with real estate agent John “Mr. Williamsburg” Womeldorf on finding the perfect / Greensprings West building lot. Gloria didn’t get to see the properties in person, but based on her husband’s communications and a little help from Google maps, she got a good feel for what they were like. Eventually, she and Craig found the right lot, a flat, .34-acre property with mature trees, just right for building their new home.
Gloria’s stress level rose a bit when it came time to actually build the house – again, without seeing anything in person. “It was pretty stressful because I’m oriented toward details,” said Gloria, who loves art and design. “I like to see the materials that go into my home.” Craig did visit Greensprings West / Thorngate Landing once during construction of their 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath transitional Colonial. However, most design decisions had to be made long distance, based upon emails, photos, and the help of their agent, John
Greensprings West-James City County/Williamsburg VA
Kingsmill
Kevin and Naomh met during their years as students at William & Mary, so they are no strangers to Williamsburg or Kingsmill, which is just a short drive to the university. While the neighborhood and proximity to the interstate were the two biggest draws for the couple, they also loved how big and private the lot is. Located partially in the woods, there’s a beautiful view out of the back of the house and ample privacy. There’s a vacant. wooded lot on one side and the home backs up to a drainage easement, so there will never be a home built close behind it. A huge deck stretches the entire length of the house and features three different levels, so it’s very private and serene.
Lan, an author and a professor at the William & Mary Law School, moved into the Kingsmill home in 2004 with her husband, Bill Van Alstyne, also a law professor, and daughter, Harlan, then two-years-old. Kingsmill’s location just three miles from Colonial Williamsburg and the College of William & Mary was a major attraction to the couple.
KingsPoint
When Melanie and Wil first moved in, their neighbors referred to their house as “The Pool House of Williamsburg.” Coming from Texas, the Baaks knew they wanted a home with a pool but didn’t think they would find one they could use year-round. The indoor pool allowed them to swim during all four seasons.
The floorplan of the home quite unique. The four-bedroom, three-bath house with an office covers 4,457 square feet and even has a separate apartment on the second floor with its own private entrance.
When you arrive at the home, a circular asphalt driveway brings you around front where there’s a hardscaped planter in the center. The home is completely surrounded by trees, including four beautiful crepe myrtles in the front yard and four more in the back. Though it is nestled in an established neighborhood, the home gives off the feel of wooded seclusion and privacy.
The Baaks love their master bedroom. The large walk-in closet features built-ins and plenty of space, but their favorite thing about the master is the size of the master bathroom. The tub is gigantic, there are heat lamps and a large bench in the center where you can take a load off, sit to get dressed or even hire your own masseuse to give you a massage right there. The bathroom also overlooks the pool area, giving off a spa-like vibe.
Mirror Lake Estates
Close to I-64, yet with a relaxing, country feel: that was the allure of Mirror Lake Estates when Liz and John bought a home there in 2007. “We were drawn to it because of its location in a quiet, more rural area of Williamsburg,” says Liz, a supervisor at a utility company. “The neighborhood is away from the ebb and flow of tourism…. but only 15 minutes from downtown Williamsburg.”
Liz and her husband, John, a D.O.D. employee, chose a two-story, transitional-style home with a cozy porch. It overlooks a front yard boasting one of the largest cherry trees in the neighborhood.
New Kent County–Unique Rural Retreat
After touring some homes in town, the Sibley’s were drawn to the idea of living a more quiet and private life in the country – different than the hustle and bustle that they were so accustomed to out west. They fell in love with the small town of Barhamsville, and found that 20301 Holly Pines was a unique rural retreat that was far more than just a home.
They loved that the house was country yet beachy. Being from the PNW, they loved the homes proximity to York River State Park and its coastal vibe. The mint green exterior and bright, open floor plan with neutral colors and tons of natural light reminded them of home.
Arguably one of the most unique homes in the Williamsburg area, the Sibley’s retreat features four different living quarters: a main house, guest house, pool house and carriage house. Altogether, the retreat consists of six bedrooms, eight bathrooms and nearly 7,000 square feet. The previous owners used the home as a residence as well as an income property, but the Sibley’s have used the multiple quarters for guests as well as for their adult daughter to have a place of her own.
Built in 2000, the 4-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom Colonial is a private oasis for anyone looking to enjoy the benefits of country living with easy access to nearby towns for entertainment, dining and more.
Now that the Jenkins are relocating to Tennessee, they are ready to pass the home on to a family who will enjoy it as much as they have.
In the years the Jenkins resided on Kent Flatts Road, they repainted the primary bedroom a neutral, tan color and completely renovated the primary bathroom. They removed part of a wall to let more light in and did an all-glass enclosed shower with river rick bottom, and tiled all the way to the ceiling. They added new tile flooring, a new tub and new toilet. The vanity was redone with granite countertops, new sinks, mirrors, and light fixtures. The primary bedroom also features a very spacious walk-in closet.
New Town
“I actually thought it would be just Neil and
“The culture in New Town is that every single person you see on the street, without fail, speaks to you, asks how you’re doing, waves from their car,” she adds. “It’s so unusual for a Chicago girl like me to experience something like that. I think there’s something about the culture, maybe relative to the climate or the small-town atmosphere, where people just find each other here.”
Choosing Williamsburg. Pat and Neil left their long-time home in Oberlin, Ohio after Neil retired from his job as a retirement community administrator in 2016. Since Pat’s job allowed her to work from home, they were not limited in where they could retire, and spent a year winnowing down their options.
Being within a two-hour radius of their daughter, Sarah, and her family—including two young grandchildren–who were then living in Waldorf, Maryland, was one criterion. A warmer climate, away from Ohio’s gray days and
The “welcoming, charming people of New Town” in Williamsburg VA are among the reasons Ellen and John Morgan moved into the community a year ago. Ellen did online research when John accepted a call to become the senior pastor at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church. They were looking for a walkable, environmentally friendly neighborhood that would offer some restaurants for two foodies to enjoy. Realtor John Womeldorf (Mr Williamsburg) of Liz Moore & Associates led them to New Town. John claims they were “predestined” to live here.
Piney Creek Estates
The Brommas were originally drawn to 351 Ironwood Drive because of its private location in the Piney Creek Estates neighborhood. The home is located on a cul-de-sac with a driveway that doesn’t face the street, which they liked because it gave them more privacy in their garage. When their children and grandchildren come over for a visit, they enjoy spending time in the garage because it’s clean, painted nicely and the kids can run around and spill whatever they want.
When you only live in your home for eight weeks out of the year, it’s hard to feel compelled to do many upgrades to the home. The Brommas painted the entire house in 2015, inside and outside. They also just purchased a new refrigerator, washer and dryer that the new owners will have the benefit of enjoying.
The Brommas have spent many happy years hosting their children and grandchildren at their home away from home in Williamsburg, but they are ready to simplify and just rent a place every time they come back east for a visit. For those looking for a quality, single-story brick home with a large fenced in backyard, plenty of room to roam with tons of privacy while being close to everything Williamsburg has to offer, look no further than 351 Ironwood Dive.
Skimino Landing Estates
With yards large enough for family softball games—and he’s had several of them — builder David Campbell knew Skimino Landing Estates, located near the York River and Camp Perry, was the right place to build his own family’s custom home.
“The lots here are all 2 plus acres, and I like that,” said David, co-owner of York County’s Tabb Homes Inc. “I didn’t want to be crammed into my neighbors next door. The yard here is big enough for my two Sheltie sheep dogs to run, and my son-in-law to practice his golf swings.”
David’s vision for his Skimino Landing home was a generously sized ranch with the upscale amenities that are a signature in the Skimino Landing community. “I wanted a really good floor plan, a large family room, a very nice kitchen and baths, and great closets,” said David. “I also wanted a lot of light.”
David included all of those must-haves in his 3,300 square foot home, which includes three bedrooms plus an above-garage “bonus” suite with full bath that is accessed via a hallway near the kitchen. With three additional full baths, and an open concept kitchen/family room, the home has ample space for even a large family. The two-car garage is also generously sized, with enough room for two vehicles plus David’s tools.
David enjoys living in the communities he helps to build. Between 1998 and 2006, he constructed 77 homes in The Greenlands, and lived in one of them for several years. He has also built a half-dozen other custom and semi-custom homes in Skimino Landing, where he has lived with his wife since 2009.
Stonehouse-Toano
April Guminsky knew she wanted to build a family home in Stonehouse as soon as she drove in.
“We looked at a lot of places before we found where we wanted to build,” said April, a pediatrician. “Then we drove into Stonehouse and found the most beautiful development we had ever seen. The crepe myrtles were breathtaking. We knew we wanted to live there.”
Beautiful and Welcoming on the Outside.
April and her husband, Michael, who works at NASA, found the perfect lot, and began working with their builder to design a 2-level, 4-bedroom/3.5-bath home. Their first consideration was how the house was sited. “It was important to us that we have plenty of space between our neighbors, and that we have some quiet space,” April noted.
April wanted her new home to have strong curb appeal. “We wanted brick, and we wanted the house not to be shaped like a block, but to have lots of nice shapes and angles.” They designed a brick and frame home with steeply peaked roofs and double dormers in the front, a blend of Ranch and Cape.
The couple also wanted “a nice front porch with a bench,” and since they moved into their home in 2005, that porch has been a well-loved feature. “We are set back a bit from the sidewalk, but there are plenty of friendly neighbors to yell to,” April laughed.
When Edward and Michael decided to build their dream home, they knew it had to be large enough to accommodate their elderly parents and have a layout that offered privacy, luxury, and all the amenities for entertaining. They also knew it had to be in Stonehouse, a Toano VA neighborhood located about 15 miles from Colonial Williamsburg.
“We love this neighborhood. The people are friendly, it’s quiet, and there’s 50% green space here,” said Edward, noting he and Michael had lived in Stonehouse for years before building their home on Mill Pond Run. “When we decided to build a larger home so that our parents could live with us, I walked every lot available in Stonehouse to find the perfect property.” They finally found just the right lot: almost an acre with 3 acres of green space behind it, and a sloping yard to accommodate a walk-out basement.
The Settlement at Powhatan Creek
Tom and Diane Rhoads: Building The Perfect “Downsize” House
“This is just the perfect downsize house for a retired couple,” says Tom Rhoads of the custom, 3 bedroom/3 full bath Cape Cod that he and his wife, Diane, built in The Settlement at Powhatan Creek in Williamsburg VA. Diane agrees, with one proviso: you don’t have to be retired to love their open concept, perfect-for-entertaining house or the Settlement’s friendly, active, and amenities-rich adult community
The Settlement at Powhatan Creek
The Woodlands
Located in the heart of the City of Williamsburg and situated right off of Jamestown Road, the condo is about two miles from Merchants Square. A sidewalk runs the entire distance from the neighborhood to Colonial Williamsburg, so residents of The Woodlands can walk to the colonial area to take in the sights, grab a coffee or a bite to eat, and do some shopping. Tom enjoys strolling down to the colonial area quite often, while Barbara prefers to take her walks in the nearby neighborhoods.
Barbara says that the access the home gave them to everything Williamsburg has to offer is what made them purchase the home. There’s so much to love about living within the city limits of the City of Williamsburg, especially in The Woodlands because of the maintenance-free aspect as well as the lower property taxes. “The buildings and grounds are so well-maintained,” says Barbara. “The people who take care of the community are so nice, as is the handyman who does all of the painting, cleans the windows and gutters, and more. The neighbors are also incredibly friendly. When we moved in we were greeted with a box of cookies,” she says.
Just shy of 1,500 square feet, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom home features hardwood floors throughout, with the exception of the kitchen and bathrooms (tile). Barbara was immediately drawn to the attractive brick exterior, and has appreciated how well-maintained the grounds are.
The primary bedroom features its own en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet. The living room is large in size has some nice features, including a gas fireplace.
The floor plan is one of Barbara’s favorite aspects of the home. It’s an ideal concept with a large living room that flows into a sunroom that looks outdoors to the shady brick patio. A set of doors in the living room takes you into an office, and there’s also a formal dining room and eat-in kitchen.
The Woodlands is a small and private community that consists of 44 condominiums. Home to a variety of people who live there, the accessibility of the units makes it a popular spot for retirees, but it also appeals to William & Mary graduate students given its close proximity to the university’s campus.
While the condo was intended to be more of a “retirement home” for Marynelle’s parents, it also served as a haven for their daughters when visiting, which they did as often as possible. Marynelle, who lives in Northern Virginia, says that she and her sister had hoped their parents would relocate some place close to one of them.
Boasting nearly 1,500 square feet, the freshly painted two-bedroom, two-bathroom home is enhanced by gleaming engineered hardwood floors throughout, with the exception of the newly carpeted bedrooms and the tile bathrooms.
The floor plan features a spacious living room, complete with gas fireplace. The living room flows into a spectacular sunroom. The kitchen is light and bright with its white cabinetry that runs all the way to the ceiling, white countertops and under-the-counter lighting. The appliances are also white giving a very clean and crisp feel to the home.
Village at Quarterpath
From their home overlooking the village green, Matt and Sarah Menefee can enjoy a peaceful view of the square’s lush lawn and manicured greenery, get together with neighbors at the gazebo, or simply walk across the street to play there with their 2-year-old daughter. “It’s such an appealing place,” said Sarah. “There are kids and dogs, and yesterday we watched people there playing ball.”
That charming village green is just one of the features that drew the Menefees to the Village at Quarterpath four years ago. The couple had decided to move from their Williamsburg condo in order to shorten the commute for Matt, who works in Hampton Roads. “With 64 East so close, the location at Quarterpath was stellar for Matt,” said Sarah. “And it turned out to be a great commute for me, too.”
Village at Quarterpath Came To Rent; Decided To Buy. Sarah and Matt hadn’t planned on buying a home at Quarterpath, though.
“We actually came to look for a rental, but after we met the builder, we realized it made sense for us to buy instead,” Sarah said. The couple decided on new construction, a 2-story, brick-faced duplex home that would be built across from the green.
Villages of Westminster
When they came across Villages at Westminster located off Richmond Road in the heart of Williamsburg, they liked what they saw. The community was brand new and featured a mix of patio-style and two-story homes. The clubhouse, community pool and beautiful landscaping drew them in.
It didn’t take long for the Mielkes to meet their neighbors, and they quickly formed a bond with three other couples in the neighborhood who had also just moved to Villages at Westminster.
“We would have parties at the clubhouse on Friday nights, and we would go out to eat together and everything,” said Chan.
Chan loved having guests over because their master bedroom and bath was located on the other side of the house away from the other two bedrooms.
“It made it perfect for entertaining,” she said.
“It’s just a cool house,” Chan continued. “Oh! And the double-sided fireplace! We loved that. It goes between the living room and the sunroom.”
Westmoreland: The Cotes’ Custom Home
Carol and Don Cotes moved from Florida to Williamsburg in 2009 to be close to their son, Tim, and his family. And, it didn’t hurt that Tim was a custom builder eager to build his parents the home of their dreams.
“I wanted a French country house,” said Carol, who is retired from sales and has a French family heritage. “So, Tim researched the features of that type of home before he designed our house.” The result is a gracious, 4-bedroom, 3-bath home that combines luxurious amenities with architectural and decorative elements reflecting a French influence
Westport-Fords Colony
Many of you have asked who is building in Fords Colony’s newest community. We’d like to introduce you to the Weslowskis, who will be moving in within a few months.
Pat Wesolowski is the finance director of a small city outside Chicago. Her husband, Joe, has a woodworking business there. They both grew up in Chicago, and started dating in high school. When Joe joined the Navy Reserves, Pat went to the University of Illinois, and for more than 30 years — most of their married life — they have lived in the Chicago suburbs. So, deciding to leave the Windy City for a brand new community in Williamsburg was not easy. It was, however, pretty exciting.
“Our home in Westport [part of Ford’s Colony] will be one of the first ones completed, and that’s really exciting,” said Pat. “We’ll get to know the people who come in after us. In fact, we’ve already had dinner with the people who bought the lot next to us.”
White Hall Toano
The hustle and bustle of living in Yorktown were wearing thin for Kim and James Repp.
“We really wanted more space and a more country living feel,” says Kim of the couple’s 2010 decision to move from their townhouse in Yorktown to a single family home in Toano’s White Hall. “We loved that the White Hall community was part of a huge farm, and we loved the wonderful sense of history there.” One neighborhood feature the history buffs particularly liked was the 1805 Whitehall Plantation farmhouse, and now serving as the community’s club house.
In 1997, Ed and Sun Crosby were just coming out of military housing, where they’d known only one or two of their frequently-changing neighbors. They were excited about getting into a more static community, one where they could form long-term friendships with other residents. Their new community also needed to have an “optimum location” that would allow easy access to Hampton, where Ed worked as a network consultant.
The Crosbys found everything they were looking for at Williamsburg Bluffs, then a new development in York County, offering high-quality schools and good accessibility to both Richmond (45-minute drive) and Hampton (30 minutes away). “It’s great that the neighborhood is so close to I-64,” Ed notes. “But it’s not so close that we have road noise.”
More importantly, Williamsburg Bluffs turned out to be the friendly, close-knit type of neighborhood that Ed and Sun had yearned for. “We know all of the neighbors on our block, even their kids’ names,” says Ed. “That’s a great plus for us. You just don’t see this type of closeness in a lot of neighborhoods today.”
Windsor Forest
When the Newton’s first moved to Williamsburg from the plains of Northern Illinois, they fell in love with the wooded feel of Windsor Forest. They were used to windy, barren, cold terrain so it felt very welcoming and comforting for them to be amongst the trees.
The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home features a finished space on the third floor that the Newton’s have transitioned through the years depending on what season of life their family was in. It has gone from being a playroom when the children were little, to an office and even a music room where they can play their electric piano and guitar while being away from the rest of the house. “It’s a tucked-away space at the top of the house that we really enjoy,” she says. “It has served a lot of purposes.”
Laura says her favorite room in the house is the second-floor family room over the garage. “It’s big with bright windows looking out into the trees and we spend a lot of family time in there,” she says. “It’s a comfortable space to relax, especially when the kids were little and they were just down the hall instead of us being downstairs and them upstairs.” Read More of the Story Here.
Bill and Liz Sykes were searching for a lifestyle change in 2001, when they decided to leave behind the long commutes and congestion of Northern Virginia. They found it in Williamsburg’s Windsor Forest.
“At first, we tried to find a home that was closer to my work in Northwest Washington, D.C., but it was way too cost prohibitive,” explains Liz. “So, we decided to make a big change. Since we had both gone to William & Mary, we felt comfortable with moving to Williamsburg.”
The couple had a vision. They wanted to start a family, so they sought more space than their Northern Virginia townhouse had offered, and they wanted their new home to have some character. They wanted a big yard for their two dogs. And they wanted a family-friendly, tree-lined neighborhood with a community pool.
“We were driving around Williamsburg neighborhoods in the spring and saw this cute Cape Cod with a flowering dogwood in the front yard,” Liz says. “It had great curb appeal, and we immediately thought we just had to live there.”
A “Great Family Home.” The 2,100 square-foot, 3 bedroom/3 full bath home, built in 1978, has formal living and dining rooms and a kitchen-family room area. A bonus room above the side-loading garage, accessible via the kitchen, offered the couple additional living space. The .88-acre yard backing to mature trees — no one can build behind them —seemed perfect for the dogs. Read more of the story here
Why the stories? Because these aren’t just houses, they’re homes.
Mr. Williamsburg knows that when you’re looking for a new place, you’re searching for more than just four walls plus amenities, you’re looking for that welcoming refuge we call home. That’s why we go beyond the standard “4 bedrooms, 3 baths on large lot” statistics, to share how others have lived in this house, to reveal the home’s unique personality, to help you decide whether this is a place where your family could thrive.
Want to tell your home’s story? I would be happy to meet to help you market your home or find your dream home/ neighborhood in the area Contact John “Mr. Williamsburg” Womeldorf at (757) 254-8136 or [email protected] and we’ll get you started.
To schedule a visit to see homes/ neighborhoods in the Williamsburg or Hampton Roads VA area call/text 757 254 8136 or email [email protected]