26 Averill Drive

There are homes around Lake Mahopac that sit near the water but never quite feel connected to it. Averill Estates is different. A private gated enclave removed from the roads that ring the lake, it has one lane, no through traffic, and the kind of quiet that comes from a place with no reason to let the outside world in. Residents enjoy private beach access on one of the only motorboat lakes in Putnam County. But 26 Averill Drive goes further than that. Directly across the private lane, a separately deeded lakefront parcel belongs to this address and no other in the community. Not association access. Not shared rights. A deed. A paver walkway with integrated lighting leads to the water, where the parcel opens across two levels of outdoor living. Above, an entertaining terrace behind a stacked stone wall is outfitted with a built-in grill, refrigerator, and granite counters. Below, steps reach a paver platform opening onto a 48-foot Trex dock with solar lighting and room for a boat and two jet skis. Open water views stretch across Lake Mahopac, and on still evenings at sunset, the value of owning this parcel rather than simply accessing the lake becomes unmistakable. Believed to have origins as a barn on the original Averill Estate, circa 1850, this four-bedroom, 3.5-bath post and beam Colonial still carries the character of what it once was. Original wide-plank barn floors and soaring beamed ceilings give the home a character and permanence that no new construction can manufacture. A custom hand-carved 39-inch front door crafted by an artisan who once built Greek altars announces what it has become. The main level is built for everyday living and entertaining. A Viking gas range with pot filler, Bosch dishwasher, and a large walk-in pantry anchor the kitchen. The living room unfolds from a bar and sitting area with a stone pellet fireplace into a larger gathering space anchored by a full brick feature wall. On a cool evening with the fire going, this room settles into exactly the kind of space you had in mind. The dining room opens directly from the living space and is lined with French doors and arched transom windows that pull natural light across the room throughout the day. Just off the kitchen, a bluestone patio with two built-in grill stations, a hot tub, and lake views flows into an elevated covered deck where the lighting turns long summer dinners into evenings that linger. The main level also includes a fourth bedroom, full bath, and flexible bonus room offering guest space, work-from-home flexibility, or the ease of main-level living. Upstairs, the primary suite occupies its own wing with original barn floors and beamed ceilings. The ensuite bath features a jetted soaking tub, separate shower, and radiant heated tile floors on a timer. The primary bedroom has a California Closets walk-in and connects to a full Dressing Suite with two skylights, custom built-ins, an 18-shelf shoe rack, quartz vanity counter, and in-suite laundry. Two additional upstairs bedrooms offer lake views, wide-plank floors, and built-in double closets. The lower level offers a family room that earns its place at the end of a day on the lake. Come in off the water, settle around the gas fireplace, put on a movie, and let the evening take its time. A heated one-car garage connects to a ventilated club room with a sink, beverage refrigerator, and built-in media cabinetry. After dinner, after the dock, the room you close the door on. Some properties offer lake access. Very few offer a life built around it.