The Features of Roger's Retreat

Man, this is the part I like…telling all of you what “Roger’s Retreat” has in store for your enjoyment. There is truly something here for everyone. Before I bought this house, I looked at over 50 houses in five different counties over the course of three months at all kinds of prices before buying. In my search, I learned what it takes to have a fine place and investment at Smith Mountain Lake. In the process, I learned there are two characteristics of a property that are paramount with out equal. They are the view, and the lot. As one of my good friends who is also a REALTOR told me. “Those are the only things about a property that you cannot change. Everything else can be modified”. And he was right. They are the two most important esthetic and investment priorities when buying at Smith Mountain Lake. And Congratulations! You have the best of both at “Roger’s Retreat”. Please let me explain.

When you walk in the front door and turn the corner to look out the east windows, if you don’t stop dead in your tracks for just a second and just stare, then you are the first person I know who hasn’t. And if you haven’t walked out the back door and done the same, let me know. As I said earlier, I looked at over 50 homes in 5 counties and none had a better view at any price. In my 25 years of working, playing, and investing at Smith Mountain Lake, few homes have a better view. And this view is everywhere at “Roger’s Retreat”. By that I mean...the family room upstairs, the bedroom upstairs, the game room down stairs, as well as the downstairs bedroom. But there is more to it than first glance. Because the windows and deck face almost due east, sun rises at “Roger’s Retreat” are absolutely beautiful. As the gold glimmer of the rising sun glides across the water that is smooth as glass, it is like the whole lake becomes a large golden mirror against a mountain backdrop. It is the most peaceful time of the day, and I suggest that you see it once before you leave. There is also a view for all seasons. In the summer, there is the hustle and activity of lake life. Boaters, skiers, jet crafters, fishermen, all pass by for a constant show all day long. In the fall, the mountains come alive with color, and it looks like a rainbow off the deck. Even in the winter, as the snow covers everything and the glisten of ice is on the water, the view would make a nice post card. And in the spring, as the trees on my property and the property around me start to bloom and flower, color is everywhere. So when it comes to having a view, just pick your season and show up. God does the rest.

When it comes to the lot … this gets tricky. So many things come into play, and it is hard to come up with the perfect mix. But here are the things that were important to me. First was the “lay of the land”. Until you go out and look at a bunch of homes at Smith Mountain Lake, it is hard to appreciate “Roger’s Retreat”. I have seen lots that were so steep; they would give a mountain goat a nose bleed. I have seen lots that took forever to get to the water down winding staircases. I don’t see how one can get gear and food, and coolers from house to boat without a coronary bypass. And if you forget something, it’s easier to buy it than to go back for it. I have a disabled mother and brother and they can both make it (with effort) to the water. It is a short gentle walk of less than 75 feet to the water. Next is water depth at the dock. In the latter 1990s, the whole south eastern United States was in a drought. And the water level in the lake was down as much as 9 feet at times. Many properties at Smith Mountain Lake have water frontage less than that. I wanted water front…not mud front. I took a 10 foot pole with me (not for poking ugly people) to check water depth. If I could not bury the pole under water, I walked away without looking inside the house. The water front at “Roger’s Retreat” is between 12 feet and 15 feet at full pond. Then there is the amount of water frontage. With 153 feet of water frontage, you can rest assured of not being crowded by boats or people on the shore line. Then there is the location. “Roger’s Retreat” is located smack dab in the middle of lake life activity by both water and land. By water and by land, you are less then 10 minutes from, shopping, restaurants, night life, and just about anything else. I challenge any other house at Smith Mountain Lake on this one. From an investment point of view, this location is one of the fastest growing areas of the lake’s 500 miles of shore line. So just go out and explore. As you leave the secondary road of my subdivision, you come to our primary artery Route 122. If you take a left on 122 (which is north), you will end up at Hales Ford Bridge, the center for night life and some great eating and shopping. If you take a right on to 122 (which is south), you head to West Lake where you can find huge grocery stores with anything you will need, some of the best gas prices at the lake for your vehicle, and great little eateries and hardware on the left. Drug stores are also there. There are plans to put in a mega movie complex in the near future. All of these are within 10 minutes drive of either direction of “Roger’s Retreat”.

What about the house you ask? Well, believe it or not, that is one of the least important aspects of a Smith Mountain lake property…unless it’s “Roger’s Retreat”. Here we feature 2 master suites, one on the main level, and one in the lower level. There is a third bed room on the main level. There are three full baths, two on the main level, and large full bath downstairs (all included in the master suites). Please bring your own bed and bath linen. We do not furnish these.

The lower level is all about fun! In the game room, there is a surround sound theater, Play Station 2 (with 2 controllers), a six foot pool table with a wide assortment of cues, and a sitting table with four chairs. The couch has a pull out bed. There is also a bedroom down stairs that has one full bed and a twin bed. Again, please provide your own bed and bath linens. There is also a large bath with twin sinks and plenty of room to shower up after a day on the water. And a patio outside the game room which is perfect for hanging those wet things to dry over night. So you see, whether you are inside or out there is plenty to do at “Roger’s Retreat”.