Unique Turn-Key Property Offered for Sale!
Internationally Recognized
‘Fantasy, Earth-Sheltered Cottage’ and ‘The Spring Cottage’ in a lush shire setting.
‘The Hill on Higher Ground’ in SW Vermont.
On Eight Organic Acres, Spring Fed Pond with a sweeping valley view!
$987,000
When Art meets Architecture
Tucked into a hill in the very green mountains of Vermont is a captivating, secluded Gem! Anyone who has stepped through the round door for a stay has agreed that this is true! This finely furnished Baggs Inn cottage with the attached Double Dragon Pub, totals approximately 1,200 sq. ft and has over 150+, 5-star reviews. VisitHigherGround.com (Tabs: Rent on Airbnb and Contact Us) and has been featured far and wide. We, the owners, spent thousands of hours on the design/build to make this beautiful dream come true. Completed in 2018 with modern conveniences...but all seem to disappear among the period decor. Since then it has been on Airbnb and featured in many publications throughout the country and as far away as the UAE. Maybe it is the 4 acres of organic open meadows, stonewalls, old maples and sweeping gentle valley views that transports one far from the maddening crowds to a simpler time, or possibly it’s just the cozy cocoon created by being in the deep, rich, quiet hillside that creates the magic... does it really matter why or how it happens or just that it does!
A truly unique and energy efficient building with walls a foot thick and an engineered roof supported by 154 posts and beams is a safe, quiet, bunker for wild weather and low maintenance. The roof is engineered for 140 pounds/sq. ft. for the dead load of the soil and the live load of the snow, which means it is over-engineered 90+% of the time. The turn-key home comes full of all the unique furniture & fixtures …the details and a warm ambiance that guests rave about in review after 5-star review. Radiant heat throughout under Turkish Travertine tile and custom designed windows add to the authenticity and quality of the space.
The cottage sleeps four with two full baths indoors (one with a claw foot tub and the other with River Rock tile shower) plus outdoor shower and antique claw foot tub for bathing under the stars on the portico which also has a dining table. A full kitchen, dining, living, library and bedroom make up Baggs Inn. The Double Dragon Pub is full of fun... a custom built bar, games/game table, darts, player piano & music collection, dance area and Queen Murphy Bed. Each side (Pub & Baggs Inn) has a large screen TV hidden from sight, A/C unit, fiber optic Internet, walk-in closets, utility rooms, bathroom and wood stoves. There is a full sized washer & dryer and whole house fresh air intake.
In The Hollow parking area is a 10’ x 16’ storage barn (2023) which is about as charming as the cottage itself. Nearby is the summer chicken coop and yard for your flock of laying chickens so guests can collect their own fresh eggs in the morning.
The green roof is yet another favorite place to enjoy the wide open view of the gentle valley as you sip coffee watching the sunrise or set. The irrigation system has an auto-timer to keep the grass green in drier months.
This could remain your 5-Star, turn-key rental or your own dream get-away whenever 'Stop the world, I want to get off' feeling hits or you may want to enjoy summers away from the heat of Florida you are craving a writers retreat, or crave relaxing and just living the simple life! All decor… antiques, art supplies, art work, games, books, kitchen ware, linens and towels are included. Just pack your bags!
The Spring Cottage
Included is the adjoining 4+ organic acres, which includes a three season Spring Cottage, and large, flat open meadow and spring water. The spring and true wishing well over it, feeds the trout/swimming pond. The spring has run 24/7 (slow trickle to the pond only in Aug) for over 200 years. The 650 sq. ft structure has a large one bedroom or amazing art studio. The living area has a kitchen, wood stove, an attached screened in porch. The double dutch doors of the living space open to view the meadows, pond and apple blossoms in the spring. A full bath with shower has a composting toilet large enough to serve a 3 bedroom home. This is a bright, charming space! This 4 acre parcel with meadows and the Spring/Pond also has the option of building a 4-season home in the current cottage footprint and it has a Septic/Leach field plotted on the survey map and needs only a permit to build. The town has no zoning laws so you too can create your fantasy dream home.
A wood stove for chilly spring or fall nights and portable AC unit included. Fiber optic internet wired for high speed internet. This unit is fully furnished with a queen bed and is perfect for spring/summer/fall living should you wish to rent the main cottage for the season before moving back into it when the snow flies! It is just how we enjoyed both…glamping summers brought in all the money we needed to cover our living expenses through winter.
Location of 'The Hill on Higher Ground'
The village walkability combines with privacy to give you the best of both worlds. You are within minutes to stroll to the General Store, Post Office, Museum, Community Church, K-6 school, and new Town Hall and new Library (due to open in 2026) all hidden by the landscaping of our shire.
For fun weekends away you are within 4 hour drive of Burlington/Montreal, NYC and 3 hours to Boston. Daily flights to Boston and train into NYC out of Rutland 30 minutes away. The lower field of the Spring Cottage is dead flat and 200’ x 400’ feet. So should you need a quick escape from the city, due to a covid-like emergency, you can rent a helicopter to land home in 1.5 hours. (According to Grok, the plot is large enough to accommodate a small, medium or large copter.)
Why consider living in the country?
Be a city slicker and a country picker for self-reliance. The average American has over twelve years of education and at the end of it all when it comes to meeting basic needs, most people only know how to pull out a charge card. After only 100 years we have lost self-reliance knowledge acquired through millennia, and instead trust that the system will always and forever provide. More and more people are recognizing that complete trust in our system is not the only or wisest strategy to have in place.
By the year 2030, 14 cities (Austin, Boston, Chicago, Houston, LA, Miami, New Orleans, NY, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Fran, Washington & Seattle) are moving to "green" climate standards. All 14 of these cities are part of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, which has an "ambitious target" of achieving “zero kg of meat consumption," "zero kg of dairy consumption," only "3 new clothing items per person per year," "zero private vehicles" owned, and only "1 short-haul return flight (less than 1500 km) every 3 years per person.” This is all outlined in "The Future of Urban Consumption in a 1.5°C World" report, which was originally published in 2019 and "reemphasized" in 2023.
"The most improper job of any man, even saints, is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity." J.R.R. Tolkien
Turn-Key Hobbit Home
4+/- Organic Acres
All Furnishing & Fixtures plus storage Barn
$699,000.
The Spring Cottage
4+ Organic Acres, Spring, Pond
All Furnishings & Fixtures
$288,000.
IMPORTANT Note: The value seen on Zillow is for the address '43 North St.'... our 'Post & Beam Beauty' conversion (See BELOW) complete in 2005 only. Both the above properties will get a new address when they are purchased, which is the event that triggers the new sub-division survey to become active. See Lot#2 and Lot#3 on 2023 survey pictured above and at the time of purchase will get an address that would be recognized by Zillow.
Contact us for a tour! Held on Wednesdays 4 - 7, Thursday 10-2, Sundays 1-3…weather permitting. If you wish to book for a stay to really get a taste of the place, please do so through Airbnb..two reviews to book normally, but if you are working with an agent please just include that information in your message to us. The cost of your stay will be refunded if you purchase!
Wait! There’s more!
Post & Beam Beauty
3 Bed+/3.5 Bath
On 4 organic acres
All Furnishing & Fixtures
$729,000
When you buy you have ‘The Right of First Refusal’ on the adjacent Turn-Key ‘Post & Beam Beauty’ with another organic 4 acres. Our custom Post & Beam Home sits at the highest point on the property, south facing, with gentle rolling hill views from all rooms. Woods and fields North and on the West side of the property create a secluded, private landscape. Our design/build 1200 sq. ft. home was completed in 2005 and is all that you would expect in a cozy home in the country. It’s all about the charm and this home delivers!
Main bedroom on the first floor has full bath with shower. Mudroom, kitchen, dining and living room look up to 12 feet to a foot bridge which connects two bedrooms. One has a half bath the other a full bath with claw foot tub. Again, the views!
The lofts are supported by two steel girders. These provide the strongest support for the home, but also allow for the ‘no pole’ garage with 10’ ceiling, which is heated with radiate heat to create the flex space of your dreams. From music studio, workshop, hobby space, there are build in shelves lining the walls for all your storage needs. It also has a queen loft bed with storage below (or space for another queen bed) and a full bath with shower.
The wrap around porch is living space you won’t want to leave. High above the ground and bugs, your view is often of Maxfield Parrish sunsets and rainbows after rain. It is heaven to take in with morning coffee as the birds sing and the grapes on the vines plump up for a Sept. harvest.Your garden grows in two, large stone raised beds for ‘easy on your back’ gardening. And speaking of gardening, there’s an outdoor shower on the deck for easy clean up. And if you choose to put a pool in, as we have to meet the deck level, the bathroom is accessed from the deck. Fresh Well Water, Wood Stove, Propane, Floor Heater, 3A/C units, Fiber Optic Internet, new hickory floors and radiant under tile.
The 10’ x 16 ‘ Barn out back has a small green house attached to start your seeds in spring. The Barn is split for storage and a chicken coop that walks out to a covered outdoor coop and yard. There’s large, attractive wood bins for protective firewood storage just steps away from the back door.
The barn was 160 years old when we moved it 1,000 feet to add to a new solid foundation and deck it would settle on. We reclaimed all the outside barn board, barn doors and utilized them throughout the space and with the stucco walls, to make this 20 year old home feel like a time capsule of 200 years past.
Furnishings and fixtures, tractors and all farm tool/equipment will be included in the sale price. Today’s Price is above market, because we aren’t quite ready to give it up.
In a few years when we are ready to walk away, the price will be based on comps in the area. Why you might be interested in this additional property…now or in the future? This space provides spill-over accommodation if you choose to rent your hobbitish-cottage. It has been on Airbnb in the past and also has strong reviews. Or it’s a perfect extended family escape…or just your own lovely home, sweet, home.
It is just a couple of years before we enter full retirement so for now, while we are still around part time in summer, you benefit from having the builder steps away for systems running & maintenance education, and land care to keep up the shire as it should be!
