Palm Beach homes for sale: ‘It was perfect,’ says homeowner about her North End residence
Oliver and Laura Burt are on the move again. After owning a home for many years on Seaview Avenue — followed by a dream-come-true, three-year sojourn to Hawaii — they returned to Palm Beach because of the coronavirus pandemic. And they bought their Bermuda-style house at 226 Fairview Road in March 2021.
But there are now new life circumstances to consider. This time around, the birth of their two new granddaughters has the couple rethinking where and how they want to live, Laura Burt says.
“We are downsizing and getting rid of stuff. We had two homes in Andrews, North Carolina, and we sold them,” she says. “And I am remodeling my Ashville home in the Biltmore Forest near the Vanderbilt mansion, which we will probably make our primary home.
“Since my oldest daughter, Jessica Clark-Stillman, has twin baby girls, I purchased a (Broward County) condo in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea so that I can spend time with them,” she explains.
On the North End, the Burts’ three-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bath home — with 3,905 square feet of living space, inside and out — has been listed for $11.995 million, with the furniture available separately. Agent Stephanie Lefes of Sotheby’s International Realty holds the listing.
On the market in Palm Beach:$79-million price holds steady for house at ‘corner’ of ocean, inlet
He's moving out:Billy Joel lists his ocean-to-lake estate near Palm Beach at $64.9 million
“When we were looking for a home and walked in to this one, I thought it was so beautiful. It’s a mini version of what I have in Ashville. All the major improvements were already in place, and I didn’t have to remodel. It was perfect – almost like God said, ‘This is it.’”
The Burts redecorated their new home and continued to improve it, installing new air conditioning and replacing the roof.
On the south side of Fairview Road, the house faces the Palm Beach Country Club’s property.
Immediately to the south of the front entry is the formal living room, with an elaborate tray ceiling edged with crown molding, a gas fireplace and three sets of French doors, topped by fanlights, that open to the loggia.
Currently serving as a library, a guest bedroom with built-in bookcases is off the entry.
In the eastern portion of the layout is the main bedroom suite. Crowned by a tray ceiling, it features sliding doors that open to the pool patio.
The suite has two closets and a marble-appointed bathroom fitted with a pair of vanities, a double-sided glass-enclosed walk-in shower and a soaking tub.
On the west side of the house is the great room, which has a gas fireplace and is open to the wet bar and kitchen. French doors in the great room look out to the pool area.
More:On the market in Palm Beach: A renovated-and-chic ground-floor condo delivers ocean views
On the market in Palm Beach:Updated Midtown condo near Worth Ave. in Palm Beach ‘had great potential’
The kitchen has wood cabinets, stainless-steel appliances and granite counters.
The adjacent formal dining room offers a side-garden view. This side of the house also has two guest-bedroom suites, the laundry area, a powder room and the two-car garage.
Across from the library, another bathroom serves as a cabana bath. With a whirlpool spa, the pool area is set within a brick patio, edged with a flower garden and fringed by palms.
“I love the orchids in the trees. People say, ‘Are you going to trim things back?’ I say, ‘Why? I love it like that. I just see green trees and shrubs,’” Laura says.
While the couple is looking forward to spending time with their granddaughters, Laura will miss her Palm Beach home, she adds: “I love the location. Every time I drive there, I am so thankful. I’ll miss the beauty of Palm Beach and our clubs.”
*
To see more photo of the house at 226 Fairview Road in Palm Beach, click on the photo gallery at the top of this page.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Florida real estate: ‘Perfect’ Palm Beach house listed at $12 million
