Many moons ago, Wayzata was an oasis for city dwellers coming out west to cool off in Lake Minnetonka during the hot summer. Some families rented a place for a week to drink in the lake life, others owned a property on or near the water. Dotted with small cottages and simple cabins, land was quite plentiful, but conveniences were few. Today, Wayzata is a high demand location with easy entrance points to the lake, every desired amenity nearby, and quick access to Minneapolis.
Recently, the “last great estate” in Wayzata has come onto the housing market. A birds-eye view of 565 Ferndale Road West boasts twelve lush acres tucked in by wetlands to the north and over 400 feet of private lakeshore on a deep bay leading into the main lake. Mature trees blanket this property, creating a secluded retreat right in the heart of Wayzata. A gem of acreage hiding in plain sight.
Up the long, winding driveway there is a large 100-year-old home on the property. The center circle driveway in front of the home is fringed with picturesque birch trees and expertly maintained gardens. Perched atop one of the highest points in the area, the main lake is easily visible from this bluff in the winter. The current owners, who have had the property since the 1960s, have added cascading bluestone patios teeming with peonies, a variety of hostas, and other vibrant perennials. The family raised their daughters in the home, and the property was a private wilderness complete with a beloved treehouse that still remains.
Meredith Howell, Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker, and Mike Steadman with Compass Realty confirm this is indeed a rare chance to own a Wayzata estate with acreage this extensive. “You can just feel the privacy. When you walk around the property, you feel like you are somewhere else entirely. You can listen closely and you hear silence,” Meredith tells me. And the last of its kind in the city of Wayzata.
Meredith explains the property may be purchased as one parcel but also has the potential for subdivision. The area has strict estate zoning requirements of two-acre minimums per lot.
A two-acre property still retains “estate” status and careful planning is required for environmental considerations and maintaining the integrity of the land should it be divided.
For now, it is twelve verdant acres where both flora and fauna have thrived.
If these trees could talk, what an incredible story they would tell. While the city has changed and expanded all around them, the trees have remained steadfast. As the saying goes, “They aren’t building any more land.” Twelve acres is still twelve acres, just as it was a hundred years ago. Opportunities here for new treehouses and new outdoor adventures abound. A very special place to put down some roots.