If this house was a car
it would be a BMW Hybrid.
6105 Lost Valley Road, Raleigh, NC.
4 bedrooms
3.5 baths
2-car garage
3670 sq ft
Private lot .7 acre
$824,900
MLS# 1732449
Introducing Umstead Retreat. Imagine living in this gorgeous home with all the trails and natural beauty of Umstead State Park just 100 yards from your doorstep. The materials and details are what you might find in a custom-built home costing $1 million or more. What's more, this home’s green certification is at the Silver Level, with all the energy-efficient and healthful features you could want for you family.
Location, Location, Location. Umstead Retreat is 108 yards from Umstead State Park. If you hike, bike or run you will love this location. 5,600 acres of state park are within sight of the house, with easy access to the trails. Rex Hospital is five miles away. RDU international airport is less than fifteen minutes west. Research Triangle Park is nearby.
Thick Walls. Umstead Retreat has thick foam insulation in the walls and up the rafters eliminating air movement in wall cavities. Besides greater insulation, walls framed with 2x6’s provide a deep window sill for top of the line Pella windows. This house features a “sealed crawl space” so it will be exceptionally comfortable for its long lifespan with no moisture or mold issues.
Comfort and Efficiency. Houses with tight enclosures, like Umstead Retreat, do not cost as much to heat and cool. The SEER 16 Trane XL16i HVAC saves money and adds efficiency and comfort. This home has advanced heating and cooling equipment that exceeds standard homes and is made to last. Green living means reducing your carbon footprint. The combination of 5 ½” walls filled with Icynene and high-performance Trane HVAC will provide unprecedented comfort and savings for decades.
Natural Living. Umstead Retreat is designed for people who want to live in nature. Outdoor living spaces include a private sleeping porch off the master bedroom, a treetop screen porch off the kitchen and an elegant front terrace. The terrace features a rugged stone wall with a natural fountain water feature. The wooded house site has been left natural so homeowners will feel good about their home and their preserved trees.
Water Conservation. Lack of clean water will become a primary issue in the next few years so green homes conserve water. This home has toilets that offer two levels of flushing. Why waste 1.6 gallons of water every flush? Showers and faucets are Grohe WaterSense fixtures. The front-loading Bosch washing machine is a water miser, which also saves on water heating. Two 550-gallon cisterns collect rainwater.
Beyond Energy Star. All appliances are state of the art, made by Bosch, with Energy Star ratings and beautiful design. Lighting design is a unique blend of recessed lights with LED bulbs, low-voltage, high style track lighting and fashion-forward fixtures and sconces. We suggest candlelight for your outdoor dining.
Breathe Easy. Indoor air quality is vital to good health. Only low-VOC paints and finishes were used (they do not smell like the paint fumes of standard paint). Clean Air: Trane’s CleanEffects is a whole-house air cleaner, working in conjunction with the heating and cooling system to clean up to 99.98% of airborne allergens from the filtered air, up to 100 times more effective than a standard 1” filter! The air in this house is clean and natural, perfect for anyone with allergies.
Sell the Lawnmower. No lawn means no mowing. Three cheers for no lawn mower, no fertilizer or lawn care chemicals. No lawn means you reduce overall water usage by 40-50% in a new home. Landscaping dollars have been invested in the terrace, water feature, New England stacked stone wall, and an under-the-deck rainwater collection cistern. All plants are deer and drought resistant. Pam Beck, national gardening speaker and author, provided the landscape planning for Umstead Retreat.
A Place for Everything. Given all of the green features included it surprises people that the primary design consideration of this house was not its “green-ness,” but instead, its ease of living. At every design decision the highest value was given to convenience and comfort. “How will it live?” was asked for each space from the garage to the master bathroom outdoor shower. “Where will family members set down their stuff” led to a classic mudroom with dedicated storage and a bench for removing shoes. “Where will the future homeowners keep their stuff” called for numerous closets, walk-up attic and generous cabinet storage throughout the house.
Better quality. Upgrades in every room including: custom interior trim, solid oak interior doors, elegant stairway featuring artistry in wood, accent floor inlays, walnut entry doors, full-extension solid maple drawers throughout, generous garage, upscale garage doors, Leaf Guard gutters, fine mudroom, and a master bathroom that lives like a resort spa.
Peace of Mind. If this house is right for you, you will be well cared for during your first year. Eco Building Group provides complete training and support for your new home. What’s more, we know you and your family will enjoy living naturally and comfortably, a short walk from creeks, trails and 100-year old trees in Umstead Park.
Green Features
- Beautiful, tranquil setting, 108 yards from Umstead State Park trails
- One-of-a-kind concept home awarded Silver Level green certification
- 2x6 walls filled with Icynene foam insulation and walk-up attic sealed up the rafters. Super-insulated, zero fiberglass, nothing but foam behind the drywall.
- Endless hot water via tankless Rinnai on-demand water heaters without the cost of heating a tank of water 24-7
- Aluminum-clad, premium Pella windows and doors throughout provide sunlight deep into the house and never need painting
- No lawn to water or mow, two-tank rainwater system for drought-proof plant care
- Grohe WaterSense faucets, dual-flush toilets
- Upgraded lighting design with designer light fixtures; south-facing windows, doors and interior openings for “daylighting”
- White oak flooring from Tennessee and ceramic tile floors – no carpet
- Fashion-forward Bosch green-certified appliance package in laundry and kitchen
- Sealed, insulated crawlspace, no mold; all ductwork in conditioned space
- No-rot exterior with Hardie shakes and Miratec trim for easy care for decades
- Trane Xli 16 SEER heat pump with 99.9% air filtration; ERV (energy recovery ventilation) system for fresh air; intermittent fan circulates fresh air every twenty minutes
- Two screened porches and a secluded Euro terrace for convenient outdoor enjoyment