Lakefront Luxury Awaits in Bozrah
By Gretchen A. Peck
Newly listed this week, 25 Cottage Road in Bozrah is a lakefront, four-bedroom custom-built home on 7.2 acres. Sue Cohn Darmon, a Realtor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, is the sellers’ agent. On Wednesday, Welcome Home spoke with Darmon and her clients, Bill and Heather Montanile, about the property.
“We had been talking about buying some place on the water,” Bill Montanile recalled. “We looked for a long time. … One day, we got a call from my cousin, who lives on the lake here. He’d seen a ‘For Sale by Owner’ sign and let us know there was land for sale.”
When they first bought the parcel, it was a completely wooded lot.
“We had a chance to see it from the water, and knew it was perfect for what we were hoping to do,” he said. Their idea was to create a home that took full advantage of the lakefront setting—maximizing the water views and utilizing the lake for recreation. They also wanted to build a home where their adult children could visit with their own families.
The main level of the house comprises a double-height foyer, a great room with Palladian windows, an eat-in kitchen and butler’s pantry, a breakfast room and a formal dining room, a home office, mudroom, and the primary bedroom suite. The suite is decadent and generously proportioned. It has a high tray ceiling, walk-in closets, an ensuite bath and sliders that open out to the deck.
Throughout the interiors there are high ceilings, oversized Anderson-brand windows, and hardwood floors, with exception of tile in the baths and mudroom.
“With the exception of one room that faces the front of the house, no matter where you go in the house, you have spectacular views of the lake,” Darmon noted.
Two additional bedrooms, both with walk-in closets, are on the second floor.
The fourth bedroom is a suite in the walkout lower level. It affords the buyer an array of utility. It can be an in-law suite or a private space for adult children to come and stay. It’s a great spot for long- or short-term guests, or as private accommodations for live-in staff—for example, an au pair.
In addition to the suite, there’s also a mudroom, a second full bath and a laundry on the lower level.
It’s a comfortable home, no matter the season, with central air and ceiling fans to keep it cool in the height of summer, and radiant-heat flooring and eight-zone heating when the temperatures plunge. Plus, the property is equipped with a Generac-brand whole-house generator.
The balcony and deck off the main level is equipped with an electric SunSetter awning—a welcome feature particularly when temperatures are high and shade is at a premium. Like the interiors of the home, the outdoor living space is also wired for sound.
The Montaniles said that they’ve been meticulous in the upkeep of the home and are passing along a truly turnkey house for the next owner.
This is a property that’s perfectly suited to year-round living, with a location and amenities that make it feel like a luxury resort. “It’s like being on vacation every day,” Darmon said.
The lot has 168-feet of direct frontage on the lake, with a private beach and a dock with a boat lift and canopy.
The 528-acre Gardner Lake—which borders the three towns of Bozrah, Montville and Salem—is a place with fascinating local lore. Bill Montanile shared the story of a local family attempted to relocate their house from one side of the lake to the other in 1895, the days of horse and buggies. They’d hoisted the house onto a carriage and hitched up their horses to make the crossing over the frozen lake. For some unknown reason, their progress was delayed, and halfway across, they decided to unhitch the horses for the day, intent to return the next day to complete the journey. But the weather turned and the ice warmed, and by morning, the house was found partially submerged. Eventually, it sunk to the bottom—40-feet down on the north side of Minnie Island State Park, an island in the middle of Gardner Lake.
Mr. Montanile said that the majority of the homes on the lake are occupied by full-time residents. He said it’s not a densely populated community, and that some of the land on the lake is undeveloped forest and wetlands.
“Part of lake life is about waking up in the morning and looking out the window to see this beautiful expanse of water, an extension of your backyard. We watch the sunsets across the lake every night. They’re stunning,” he said.
The homeowners have appreciated the immediacy of having their boat docked mere steps from their backyard, or being able to take a swim at will. “We’ve been able to teach the grandkids how to water ski on the lake,” he said.
“Being immersed in nature here just feels great,” he added. The couple described the setting as peaceful, tranquil and with a night sky unimpeded by city lights. They recounted how just the day before they watched in awe as a Bald Eagle soared past their window.
“I’ve sold a lot of waterfront properties on the shore and on the rivers, and I know how rare it Is to have a property of this kind that has it all—where you can live so comfortably, relax and enjoy the hot tub, fire pit or sit on the beach, and explore the lake by boat, kayak, paddle board or jet ski,” the listing agent said. The local casinos, major employers, and the Connecticut coast are all less than 30 minutes away.
Showings of 25 Cottage Road are by appointment only. The asking price is $1.95 million.
Property: 25 Cottage Rd., Bozrah
Bedrooms: 4
Baths: 5
Square Footage: 5,432 (*includes finished walkout lower level)
Acreage: 7.20
Asking Price: $1.95 million
Listing Agent: Sue Cohn Darmon, William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty; Mobile: (860) 707-6879; sdarmon@wpsir.com
Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.