Concierge Auctions Returns To The South To Sell The Historic "West End" Estate C1790 At Auction, Located Just Outside Richmond, Virginia

WICOMICO CHURCH, Va., March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A beautifully restored and fully furnished historic estate c.1790, which includes a main residence, guest house and multiple accessory buildings on approximately 32 acres of lush landscape and formal gardens, will sell at a live auction on April 24^th, NYC-based Concierge Auctions has announced. Originally offered for $3.2 million, the southern estate, located at 677 Crosshills Road, will sell to the highest bidder at or above a $1.8 million reserve in cooperation with Michael Stevens of Coldwell Banker Traditions and Gary Gestson of the Historic Home Team at Long & Foster Real Estate.

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"Selling fully-furnished, the new owners will inherit all the antiques, rugs, appliances, linens, china and cookware in both houses, not to mention the contents of the barn, the garden shed, the outbuilding convey and the antique hay kicker. This auction, without a doubt, presents an amazing and rare opportunity, which I'm thrilled to be a part of," Stevens stated. "Standing on the lawn of this memorable estate, its sense of history is undeniable. I'm excited to work with Concierge Auctions to find an idyllic new owner on auction day, anxious to live out West End's next chapter."

"I have partnered with Concierge to auction a number of historic homes in the past, and I'm always impressed," stated Gestson. "Homes like West End are investments to be enjoyed and maintained by owners who value their pedigree. The Concierge team knows how to select the best historic buying opportunities, to convey each home's unique story, and ultimately to deliver the true value of these incomparable assets." 

Constructed circa 1790 by William Blackersby and beautifully restored in the 1940s under the direction of noted architect Walter Macomber, well-known for his work on Colonial Williamsburg, Mt. Vernon and the James Monroe Memorial Library, West End is comprised of a main residence, guest house and accessory buildings on approximately 12 acres. The remaining 20 +/- acres are across the road and designated as a Virginia Byway, consisting of a picturesque meadow, woods and a stream. Both the main and guest houses boast their original vintage integrity.

The main residence is a four-bedroom, six-bathroom brick Georgian manor constructed in flemish bond from locally-made brick, surveyed and restored as needed by Don Peel, a restoration brick expert trained in England. The 6,207-square-foot property contains 11 fireplaces, a gourmet kitchen, library and a master suite and bath with an oversized Jacuzzi. Three staircases and an elevator provide access between the main floors. The basement has a transferable dry basement guaranty, a flower arranging room, an exercise room with fireplace, a wine cellar and storage rooms. Finished, heated and air conditioned, the attic space is divided into a large room, a small room and two small storage rooms.

To the west of the main house is the 2,000-square-foot guest house, a two-story residence with two bedrooms, three fireplaces, a utility room, and in-floor heating. Beyond the home is a four-acre grassed area used formerly as a horse pasture and vegetable gardens, and to the east, a daylilly garden and an expansive, four-acre grassed area. Halfway between the house and the road is an area that has been planted with 1,200 daffodils, specially bred to bloom during Garden Week, which commences the week before the auction.

Outdoors, watching or hunting wildlife is a pleasure, as the woods and meadow are home to many deer, wild turkeys and other animals. The property is adorned by a bearing apple orchard, a pear tree, many ancient pecan trees, chestnut trees, walnut trees and fig trees, along with dogwoods, pines, magnolias and English boxwood. A deep artesian well provides water for the entire property, and another shallow well could provide water for plantings. The rear of the main house looks onto magnificent formal gardens. Designed by George McClellan of Gloucester, the gardens flank the sides of the raised terrace, which leads to a reflecting pond with a fountain. The two formal gardens are mirror images of each other, planted in different color ways to complement the colors of the rooms from which they are visible. There are also two porches roofed in copper, an attached two-car garage, a new two-and-one-half-car garage, a new barn and a garden shed, complete with antique gardening tools. The new garage houses a generator that services the entire property and is self-starting and self-testing.

"My husband Douglas and I have lived at West End for almost 25 years. We absolutely loved the time we spent here, but with just the two of us, we're ready to downsize at this point in our lives," stated the seller, Dorothy Rogers. "Wicomico Church is a wonderful area filled with good people, and we're confident the auction will attract plenty of interested buyers. We chose to work with Concierge Auctions because of their successful track record in selling historic properties, and we look forward to adding West End to that list on April 24^th."

Wicomico Church is located in Northumberland in the Chesapeake Bay Region, known for its opportunities for boating, fishing, sailing, kayaking, kiteboarding and a number of other water sports. The waters are ripe with staples in area cuisine — blue crabs, clams and oysters. There are diverse dining opportunities along the waterfront that highlight distinct flavors from each region and other recreational activities including golfing and tennis. Hot summers and mild winters make the Chesapeake Bay region enjoyable throughout the year. Virginia's revitalized capital, Richmond, is only 90 minutes away, and Washington, D.C. is less than three hours.

"Concierge Auctions has a proven track record of selling stately luxury properties with historic significance. In addition to our notable sale of the 78-acre Ramsay Estate c.1895 just outside of Charlottesville last year, our reach has been nationwide including Tulip Hill c.1756, the Merritt-Hutchinson Estate c.1873 and Topridge c.1909," stated Laura Brady, President of Concierge Auctions. "West End is a picturesque estate with underlying history that is sure to appeal to a wide range of buyers. As evidenced time and time again, our method clearly works. We encourage all interested parties to get involved now in what is without a doubt an extraordinary opportunity in the greater Richmond area."

The auction of West End will be held live on April 24^th. A 3% commission is offered to the buyer's representing broker. See Auction Terms and Conditions for full details. For more information visit WestEndEstateAuction.com, call 877.506.8350 or join the online social discussion at #VirginiaHistoricHome.

About Concierge Auctions: Concierge Auctions is the preeminent luxury real estate auction firm serving high-end sellers nationwide through an accelerated marketing process that obtains fair market value for high-end properties in a 60-day timeframe. The company has executed auctions from New York to Hawaii and hosts a database that includes more than 100,000 luxury real estate buyers and agents from all 50 states and 38 countries and territories. The principals of Concierge Auctions have been involved in the transfer of more than $2 billion in luxury real estate sales over the past 10 years.  For more information, call 888-966-4759 or visit ConciergeAuctions.com.

SOURCE Concierge Auctions