5390 FM 49 , Gilmer, TX 75644(Upshur County)

Outside is unbelievable! Located on this 24+ acres are three ponds, the house, a detached two car garage, a workshop/garage area large enough to accomodate four cars. A seperate 1/1 apartment, four horse stalls, a horse barn, tack room and hay storage building. Horse lover? You'll also find a pipe fenced arena.. hard to find that anywhere else! Pipe fencing, cross fenced, a storm shelter, an in ground swimming pool and more. Below is a summary, written by the owners, of some of the special points you will find at this beautiful place...

As the most recent owners and inhabitants of this place, we thought it might be helpful for the new owners to see what we think is special about 5390 FM 49.

EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR:

Location, Location Living just 4 miles from Gilmer (and 30 miles from Longview or 40 from Tyler) was a wonderful change from our previous 10 mile trip to the grocery store and the 50 mile trip to the nearest real city. While living in the countryside, it was wonderful to be so convenient to good shopping and great food locally, and to have great access to skilled medical and hospital facilities at such a short distance.

Why Are We Selling? The serious health impairments we have experienced in recent years have made us realize we needed to be closer to our family and to our life-long friends in southwest Arkansas. When a suitable property became available, we purchased it, and are now making it our home. We hate to have to leave this most beautiful place, and sincerely hope the new owners will enjoy their every day at this fantastic place.

EXTERIOR:

Uniquely Beautiful Ponds There are three ponds. The two lower ones, together, run the entire length of the property. They look like a broad river. The lowest is largest, most attractive, and its full length is visible from the house; the middle pond is partially visible (it spills into the lowest through every month in most years); the uppermost pond would be attractive in its own right, but is overshadowed by the special beauty and setting of the lower two.

Quiet Beauty The previous owners had quite a green thumb. They had plants and shrubs so that something would always be in bloom throughout the entire year. The crepe myrtles are spectacular, as are the purple sage. We still take delight in each ones appearance. We added many different species of iris as well as calla lilies with a good variety of colors. The pecan trees around the house are approaching maturity. And the many pine trees create the feeling of being in a small forest. Various oak trees and cottonwoods on the far shore give wonderful fall colors to the property. Looking at their colors, amplified by their reflections in the ponds, gives one the realization that this beautiful place is, indeed, a very special and highly cherished one.

Above Ground Storm Shelter -- This shelter is easily accessible from the house and is extremely sturdy, with foot thick, heavy steel-reinforced concrete floor, walls, and roof. It has none of the problems of underground shelters with water seepage, snakes, and steep ladders. The steel door swings into the shelter so any debris on the outside cannot block your exit. Provisions have been included for electricity to be wired into the shelter at any time the owner desires.

Automatic Sprinkler System Two automatic Rain Bird sprinkler systems water the shrubs and flowers at the front and back of the house, and around the pool. A third line was installed to water the shrubs at the gate, but is no longer connected to the system. The sprinklers use water from the lowest pond, pumped up to the house -- to avoid putting unwanted chemicals on the vegetation and to avoid a costly water bill.

Barn and Pens A superbly well-designed and sturdily-built system of welded pipe-railed pens for easily working cattle or horses surrounds the barn. The barn has a separate tack and feed room, lights and electrical outlets, and potable water from hydrants at various points of the barn and pens. And, of course, it has more than ample room for storing round or square bales of hay. Four fenced runs on the west side allow for individually housing stallions or bulls under cover, yet gives them room to exercise in the open, either in the run itself, or in the exercise area adjoining the runs.

Spacious Garages Two 2-car garages provide more than adequate housing for all your vehicles. One is attached to the house and affords entrance through the utility room directly to the kitchen. The other is detached. Both have automatic garage door openers. In addition, there is one 2-car stall in the workshop, along with a 1-car stall. You would be able to house 7 full-size vehicles under cover and in locked facilities at one time.

Generous Concrete Paved Driveway & Turnaround Space An ample concrete driveway allows for easy access to both garages at the house. It also gives considerable room for convenient outside parking for yourself or your visitors. In addition, it affords children with a large, hard-surfaced area for wheeled vehicles/skate boards/basketball/etc.

Huge Equipment Shed/Workshop The workshop is very large, measuring at least 65 feet by 24 feet deep. In addition to the large bays for 3 vehicles, there are workshop benches, places for tools and equipment, racks for storing lumber and pipes, and even a bathroom with sink and commode. Sheltered storage of farm equipment, round bales of hay, or whatever you might choose is provided for the full length along the west side of the workshop.

Guest Houses There is a fully-equipped guest house attached to the workshop. It has an open living room with a full kitchen, a full bathroom, and an ample bedroom. We used the detached garage with its carpeted floor and bathroom for a guest house closer to the main house.

INTERIOR:

Home Security An upgraded ADT home security system with individual sensors on every door and window can detect any intrusion. It also includes smoke and ion detectors throughout the house that are monitored continuously by ADT. This system provides the owner with confidence in the security of the property at all times, whether at home or away.

Walk-In Closets Every one of the closets in the house is a very large walk-in closet with generous hanging/storage space for clothes, suitcases, etc.

Pantry The pantry, with deep roll-out shelves, stores an incredible amount of food supplies, yet it allows both good visibility of, and easy access to, every item stored inside. An adjoining counter permits temporary storage of items, while being inserted into the pantry from shopping bags, or while being removed for organizing or preparing a meal.

Computer Room A small alcove off the dining room was built and wired for internet access. It makes for a private space for computer-work or quiet contemplation. It is out-of-the-way from normal traffic in the house, yet is easy to enter from the dining room or the kitchen.

Bathrooms There are four full-size bathrooms in the main house, and one full-size bathroom in the workshop guest house, for a total of five. In addition, there are half-baths in the detached garage, and in the workshop. One of the master bedroom bathrooms is especially spectacular, with a skylight, large windows looking onto secluded garden areas, an outside door for easy access to the swimming pool, and a huge tub fit for a king or a queen.

Low Operational Costs Double glazing of the windows of the house, generous insulation in the attic (as well as between some of the internal walls), and a temperature actuated attic fan allow for this large house to operate at low cost in both summer and winter.

Redundancy In the main house, there are two air conditioning systems and two hot water systems. If one should fail, you would not have to seek comfort elsewhere, but simply shift from one room to another part of the house, or to the detached garage with its own central air conditioning system, or to the workshop/guest house with a window unit that is adequate for the area served.

Natural Gas The main water heaters run on abundant natural gas, as do the heating sides of the air conditioning systems in the house.

Plush Carpeting and Insulation The plush carpeting and insulation in some of the interior walls as well as all the exterior walls means that this house is very quiet. It is almost necessary to shout to be heard from the utility room to one of the back bedrooms.

Handicapped Accessible When we purchased this home, we noticed that the wide doorways and halls would allow a wheelchair to negotiate almost everywhere in the house. The front entrance and the garage/utility room entrance were practically level, and the back door had only a slight elevation from the covered patio. As it turned out, we had to put the accessibility feature to the test, and this home did very well.

In Ground Swimming Pool The vinyl-lined in ground swimming pool has a very attractive blue mosaic tile pattern. The automatic equipment makes the pool stay clean and clear. This pool was designed for mature swimmers as its shallow end is disproportionate to the deep end, but we have had many young people enjoy the pool safely.

Koi Pools Two koi pools are just off the patio and deck. A pump was used by the previous owner to recirculate the water through a filter, but the filter needed cleaning several times a day, and, after several months, in the hottest part of summer, the pump failed. Between visits to the hospital, I replaced the pump and piping, but found it was more effective to use the pump at the pond to supply fresh water (as well as food) to the koi. Unfortunately, that also introduced the pond weed to the koi pools, and they are now covered with it. A freshwater weed killer could be applied, but medical problems have not permitted me to do so.

All The Above and the Kitchen Sink The kitchen sink is somewhat removed from the east hot water heater, so an electric instant hot water heater has been provided under the kitchen sink for the sink faucets and for the dishwasher. It is operational until hot water from the gas heater arrives.

ANOTHER NOTE: We've uploaded many photographs of this spectacular property. Please note - the sellers are very forthcoming about their illnesses, need to relocate, etc., Please know that the photographs on this site were taken at various times to allow you to see the beauty this property possesses, but at this point, the property is in need of a little "tlc". Once that's done, it will restore to a showplace! The later half of the pictures are current.