PRICE REDUCED - Peaceful country home in 76 acre woods

Enjoy total privacy in this beautiful Ozarks country home on 76 acres, with approximately 6 acres cleared and several trails cut through the remaining oak, hickory, walnut, maple, dogwood and redbud forest. Wild flowers and wildlife abound with many birds, turkey, deer, squirrels and the occasional coyote or bobcat. Morel mushroom hunting is a favorite springtime activity. The home was built in 1995 and is brick with cedar trim, with two bedrooms and two baths in 1740 square feet, and has a 22x25 carport. The carport has 30 inch high brick walls on each side, ideal for sitting or displaying potted plants, and is a delightful breezeway in the summer. A covered front porch runs the length of the house. All exterior wood surfaces were repainted in 2008. The home's heating and air-conditioning is provided by a ground-source geo-thermal heat pump with resistance heat back-up. As an alternative, 80% of the heat can be provided from the wood-burning fireplace equipped with an air circulation system, and the home's three ceiling fans. An unlimited amount of firewood is available in the woods. This makes for low, low utility bills. Water is provided by a very good rural water system, and there is a private septic system. Real estate taxes are quite low ($581 in 2008).

There is also a separate 40x80 insulated steel frame, steel skin building with a 3 car (40x50) clear span garage area with 8 and 9 foot doors. It also contains a semi-finished 700 square foot granny or caretaker apartment which includes a bedroom, bath, kitchen and laundry area, and dining/living room. Behind the apartment area is a heated workshop with half-bath and separate den. Heat for the building is provided by a forced air propane furnace.

The home was custom designed with several amenities. The kitchen entryway hall contains space for a freezer, a broom closet, laundry area and a huge (76 inch long) floor to ceiling pantry with abundant shelving. The light-filled kitchen has custom oak cabinets with ceramic tile backsplash, self-cleaning electric range, dishwasher, refrigerator with ice maker, and a trash and recycling drawer. There is a unique 6 foot kitchen office/small appliance closet with desk, cubby-holes, and space for all your cookbooks and small appliances. The bi-fold doors fold back when it is neat, but may be closed when company is coming and there is clutter.

The dining room has an octagonal oak floor, with matching angles on the outer walls. The guest bath has a custom vanity cabinet and a 35x46 inch fiber glass shower stall with seat and glass doors. There is a cedar-lined closet in the front entry hallway for off-season clothing storage, as well as a separate coat closet. The hearth room's cozy wood-burning fireplace has a custom ceramic and oak fireplace surround and oak mantle. French doors lead from the hearth room into the large living/sunroom which features nine very large windows on three sides. An exterior door from the sunroom leads to the 12x20 open deck where you can enjoy your early morning coffee and listen to the turkeys gobbling, have summer meals, entertain guests, or just watch the stars come out at night while listening to the frogs, owls and whippoorwills. Few mosquitoes find their way to this hilltop location.

The master bedroom accommodates a king-sized bed and has his and her closets. French doors also open from this room into the sunroom. The spacious master bath has both a Jacuzzi whirlpool tub and a separate walk-in over-sized (36x58 inch) shower stall with glass doors. Both the shower and the Jacuzzi have beautiful ceramic tile work from floor to ceiling. The custom cabinetry in this room includes a linen closet and a 7 foot vanity/clothes chest.

 The yard contains many trees and flower beds with perennials, shrubs and roses. There is a large (38x52 foot) raised bed vegetable garden plot with railroad tie perimeter. A 50 foot TV tower with a rotor and all-channel antenna provides excellent network reception.

The property is located on a well-maintained gravel road just one-half mile from a paved state highway. Schools are located in Houston, ten miles away. There are many local shops and businesses there, as well as a Wal-Mart Super Center. A recently upgraded county hospital and medical clinics are also located there, and some up-scale restaurants are nearby. Springfield, population 150,000, is a one and a half hour drive and offers two large hospitals, several colleges and universities and additional shopping. One of America's most popular vacation destinations, Branson, MO, with several lakes for fishing and recreation, shows and numerous other attractions is only 120 miles away.

 Whether you are a hunter or a nature lover, this is a very peaceful and beautiful place to live. As retirees, we have reached an age where we need to move to be near our children, who live in another state. A cash out settlement would be needed to purchase this home.