MillbrookExecutiveHome

Comfort, warmth, cozy, spacious, private all comes to mind as I passed the curtain of lush mature trees leading to the home. As I stepped into the Foyer, I almost expected mom to walk out from the Kitchen to welcome me home. This is the foundation of the Thompsons' household, a loving family life. Both professionals/consultants in academia, although Professor Thompson cuts a wider swath across the Globe, they are sharing the home with the InLaws from the UK eons ago. I have invited Professor Thompson to share his thoughts and experience in their enjoyment of the home:

The four seasons can be truly enjoyed in this location. In the spring the birds and animals emerge. The front garden has been designed to attract gold and red finches, bluebirds, orioles, cardinals, red-wing blackbirds, robins, and hummingbirds, all of which visit on a daily basis. The lavender trees in the front and side yards scent the air with their fragrance. Crows are frequent visitors in the tall-growth trees which offer total privacy from the road, as are hawks soaring overhead looking for their next meal.

The cooing of morning doves will entertain all summer long. Sitting in the shade of the large front porch, with a glass of lemonade in hand, and the total solitude that is offered by a 20-yard tree barrier between the front lawn and the road is an experience to be savored. Other frequent visitors at this time of year include squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and the occasional deer family in the adjacent fields and forests.

In the fall, the surrounding countryside is aflame with crimson, yellow and orange leaves. The Millbrook Maple festival, which is a happy springtime tradition, held just up the road, attests to the dominance of these trees in the area.

The winter is perhaps our favourite time in the house. Nothing can describe the delicious feeling of returning home from tobogganing or cross-country skiing, to warm up with a swim in the 32’ heated pool while fat, fluffy, flakes of snow fall on the skylights and outside the numerous windows and patio doors surrounding the indoor patio. For entertainment, Christmas in Hawaii parties are always popular, as a way to chase away the winter blues. Total privacy is assured in the pool area by the 6 3/4 acres of forest abutting the large lawn at the rear of the property.

If your muscles are sore from skiing one of the many downhill courses in the area, you can always choose instead to relax in the 6-person hot tub located in its own cedar-lined room on the second floor. Follow this by curling up with a good book in the built-in library, or in front of the wood-burning fireplace in the main-floor family room. But be warned: once you settle down there, you won’t want to move!

The "two" households live on two separate wings - getting together for meals or playing together with the "new" addition to the family. Added space includes the Library on the Main Level; the Office, Study and Recreational Room - complete with a cedar wood enveloped Whirlpool Room (all above the 3 Car Garage) provides further privacy. This totals some 6,645 sq.ft. of finished Living Space plus the 1,512 sq.ft. enclosed Pool Room with an additional 530 sq.ft. Change and Recreational Area in the Lower Level together with a 3 Piece Bathroom (Shower); and a 10' 3" x 51' Deck on the Main Level overlooking the Pool; plus a 759 sq.ft. 3 Car Garage. The additional 2,413 sq.ft. of unfinished space in the Lower Level includes a ~ 12' x 12' Wine Cellar/Cold Room.

All Brick, R2000 rated, Casement "Superwindows", Solid Oak Doors, Baseboards and Mirrored Closets grace every corners of the home. Constantly upgraded for added pleasure, the Thompsons have recently added a new custom Kitchen complete with Quartzite Counters, Oak Cabinetry, Porcelain Backsplash and Floors; Master Bedroom Ensuite 7 Piece Spa and converted a whole room as their walk-in closet as well. An excellent value at asking vis-à-vis a recent Insurance Replacement Cost Appraisal at $1.5 Million plus (available upon request).

A Glimpse into Northumberland

Tap into what the cognoscenti have known for several years, a little bit of insider information if you will - Port Hope and Cobourg are turning into bedroom communities of Toronto. Just an hour of highway driving east of Toronto on HWY 401, they are rare in Ontario towns that have proactive Heritage Conservatories that prevent bulldozing of Century Homes for Parking Lots - "managed growth" is a term that comes to mind.

And it is a good thing. Together with Grafton, steeped in history, they were the playgrounds of the Rich and Famous since the early 1800's. That would explain all the majestic estates in the surrounding countryside. With the proximity to Rochester via ferry, a lot of American steel money had poured into the area.

Northumberland County, wherein lies Port Hope and Cobourg, benefits from the growing trend of "city folk" moving out from the hustle and bustle in the "big smoke" to somewhere quieter and safer. With the Internet revolutionizing the way we do business and communicate, many have taken advantage of what telecommuting has to offer. When we placed the Director of Marketing for a major National Bookstore in Grafton close to 10 years back, he traded his home in North York for a 100 acre farm with a restored Century Home that once belonged to the Masseys for $550,000. I am sure it's at least double now.

Northumberland County is only part of this phenomenon of "managed growth", although Port Hope, being the closest, has positioned itself to be a gateway of sort. Port Hope, indeed, is unique with it's water frontage, Yacht, Golf and Country Clubs, developed cultural events and mildly eccentric denizens. Cobourg has an active Marina and cafes and shops with more contemporary flair. (They even have sushi every Saturday night at The Oasis!) We have the Big Apple in Colborne that opens year round attracting millions. And Brighton turning into a well received retirement community - great success in the development of Brighton-by-the-Bay by a REIT. Then Prince Edward County, with picturesque Picton, is turning into the other Wine Producing region. After selling The Hillcrest in Port Hope to an area Spa, I see a few more popping up that provide a variety of alternatives and choices. Another client from the U.K., now a good friend, has set up another one in Brighton. This is quite special - as influenced by her background as a hotelier in Africa and her son as an impresario in the entertainment/music industry in the U.K. and New York. Then there is Trenton and Belleville, led by one of the most dynamic Economic Development Boards in the person of Chris King; and Kingston, which is experiencing phenomenal growth.


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