1493 Pepper Road , Ashland, AL 36251(Clay County)

The land is a total of 21.1+/- acres of classic farm & pastureland, with about 30% of the pastures currently being used for hay production. All fields have been well-maintained by a neighbor who takes the hay for his cattle farm. This friendly-relationship could be continued if desired. With the home strategically placed atop a beautiful knoll on the southeastern area of the property, this tranquil property overlooks a large pasture just off to the west, while the land gently rolls away from the home in all directions. There is a small, seasonal spring branch running east-west in the bottom pastures and connects to Drake Creek (which forms the northern border of the property). Between the seasonal spring branch and Drake Creek is a large, flat pasture producing 14-16 bales of hales 3 to 4 times a year. Along the borders of all of the pastures, and all along Pepper Road are good stands of various mature hardwood trees some reaching heights of 80 feet. Theres also plenty of areas to make great wildlife food plots, with abundant deer & turkey roaming the property on a daily basis and are seen regularly from the home.

The Home

This pleasant 3,400+/- sq. ft. home features three open porches, one screened porch, an adjacent insulated barn, and was chosen by Southern Living Magazine as their Cottage of the Year. Custom built in the Summer of 2007, the current owners have enjoyed this simple southern lifestyle since December 2013, and are reluctantly selling due to work-related relocation to SC.

The SL 593 Floor Plan incorporates multiple common areas, including a wide porch across the front and a screened, dining-porch with large fireplace that connects the main house to the guest house. The first floor of the main house encompasses three distinct spaces: sitting, dining & living. The open kitchen is equipped for a big family or lots of guests, and an adjacent laundry-room makes regular chores more convenient. A vestibule leads to the Master Suite and adjoining Master Bath. The Bath area features His & Her custom-made vanities with Silestone counter-tops and large mirrors. Theres also a beautiful Spa Room enclosing a gorgeous tile shower and large soaking tub. The Master Suite also features a walk-in closet with built-in, custom cabinets.

Both upstairs bedrooms are spacious and have private dressing & lavatory areas that lead to a shared bath with tub and shower enclosure. The Guest House off the screened, dining-porch has its own full bath with shower, sitting/TV area, and loft bedroom (big enough for a Queen bed), and a sitting porch with a terrific view of the property to the west.

Services

A 140-foot deep well serves the home with a new 3-stage filtering system that provides spring-like water. There is a power utility pole set near the driveway entrance at Pepper Road providing underground power from that point to the home. Century Link or Hughes Net are available, with underground cable also providing High-Speed Internet and Phone Service. Verizon provides an excellent, clear signal for cellphone service (I had 4 bars). (Currently using Hughes Net for high-speed internet service and Direct TV.)

The Extras

Lots of hidden extras and energy-efficiency are built into this unique Southern Living home. All outside walls have 2-inch sprayed-in foam insulation to keep this home cozy warm in the winter, and comfortably cool in the summer. The generous-sized windows are Windsor, dual-pane, Argon gas, aluminum-clad for energy-efficient protection (and low maintenance), while providing a wonderful view of the beautiful property from any room. All inside walls contain R-13 fiberglass matting insulation and the crawl space floor is protected with R-19 fiberglass matting. Ceiling fans in every room help to control energy usage, along with fans on the multiple porches to keep the breezes flowing while relaxing outside. The roof is silver metal bringing additional energy-efficiency to the whole house through its reflective characteristics.

The main house is cooled & heated by a geothermal vertical closed-loop heat exchange system (also called ground source heat pump) that operates efficiently by exchanging the air through four (4) 200-foot deep wells. This system maintains the heating & cooling in the main living area as well as the master bedroom. The guest house and upstairs each have their own separate high efficiency, 2-speed, heat exchange units. The separate units allow the owners to reduce operation to only when needed. Except for a propane gas-cooking top, the home is totally electric and average electric bills for 2017 and 2018 were around $225 per month. The home is very energy-efficient. To help conserve energy in the winter, there is a Woodstock Soapstone Wood Stove in the main living area. This one is the Keystone model rated at 47,000 BTUs (one of the most efficient wood stoves on the market). Through the winters, enjoying it almost daily, the stove used around 1.5 cords of wood each winter. The efficiency comes from the design of the Woodstock that incorporates a combustion chamber (similar to a catalytic converter on your car) that allows the stove to operate at a high temperature and burn even the gases from the wood or fire source. In addition, when operated properly, it allows almost no smoke to leave the chimney. Everything is burned. In addition, it is double-lined with soapstone that absorbs the heat and stays hot for long periods of time. And the stove keeps the main living area at a very comfortable 70-72 degrees, even when the outside temperature reached infrequently into the teens.

This Award-Winning Home has hardwood floors throughout, with hickory in the main living area, and oak in all other rooms. Planks are varied widths from 3 to 5 inches. Solid wood, 5-panel doors are featured in the main house, with Knotty Alder Entrance Doors in main house, guest house, and master bedroom.

The kitchen incorporates custom-built cabinetry with Silestone counter tops, island with 4-burner propane cook-top, prep-sink and wine cooler, all GE appliances including convection oven, microwave, and french-door refrigerator. Located just off the main living area, this highly-functional kitchen area makes entertaining & socializing a breeze. The kitchen door leads to the dining-porch, with its large fireplace and is the perfect place to entertain or just spend a relaxing evening after a great meal.

Access

The property is accessed from Pepper Road, a county-maintained, all-weather dirt road, about 1 mile from paved Bowen Road (to the east) and about 2 miles from paved Hwy 9 (to the west).

Uses

The property is the perfect rural, southern-home setting, providing tranquil peace & quiet away from big city life. It could easily be used as a working farm, hobby farm, horse farm, vineyard, recreational get-a-way, or could easily be made into a great equestrian property. Recreational uses include horseback-riding, hunting, ATV adventures, and just general R&R.

The Area

This unique home and property is located 8 miles south of Ashland, AL. Ashland and her nearby sister-city, Lineville, offer a laid-back, small-town setting with hospital, schools, grocery stores, diners, fast food restaurants, car dealership, antique shops, and more. The Talladega National Forest is only minutes away to the west. You can see the mountain range from the property, while the immediate area features rolling hills, vintage pastureland, and towering hardwoods, along with low-population density (less than 14,000 residents in Clay County, AL). Nearby cities have all the amenities necessary for a modern lifestyle when desired, while this peaceful retreat brings a welcome solitude from the traffic & noise of the city. An added bonus, about 20 minutes away, is historic Cheaha Mountain State Park (highest point in Alabama) featuring camp sites, hiking trails, and scenic views.

22 miles East of Sylacauga

22 miles North of Alexander City

26 miles Southeast of Talladega

26 miles West of Lake Wedowee

45 miles South of Anniston

68 miles Southeast of Birmingham

78 miles North of Montgomery

114 miles West of Atlanta, GA