THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 7, 1995 TAG: 9501050271
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY PAGE: 3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARY ELLEN MILES, SPECIAL TO REAL ESTATE WEEKLY
LENGTH: Long : 126 lines
Saw Pen Point is a relatively small neighborhood, consisting of perhaps 70 custom-built dwellings, each on a a wooded lot of about three-quarters of an acre.
The homesites offer seclusion and harmony with nature just a short distance of busy Independence Boulevard and behind Sentara Bayside Hospital.
Fingers of the Western Branch of the Lynnhaven River border the neighborhood on three sides, with the Witchduck Shores subdivision to the north.
Development began in the area 15 years ago, but new construction continues. Empty lots are still for sale.
The houses and yards are well manicured and spacious. Mature oak, pine, native American holly and dogwood trees are abundant. The streets, without sidewalks or gutters, are broad and inviting to strollers or bikers who make they way through peaceful surroundings.
Kathleen Losey, sales vice president at GSH Real Estate, used to vacation in Virginia Beach before moving here nine years ago. She fell in love with the area and kept a painting of the resort city that she had bought during one of her visits.
She no longer has to gaze at the picture to get the feel of Virginia Beach.
Losey and her husband, Warren, now enjoy the central location of Saw Pen Point. ``The convenience of living at a midpoint between downtown Norfolk and the Oceanfront, as well as the proximity to several major highways, cannot be duplicated in any other Virginia Beach area,'' she says.
Their four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home, with an in-ground pool and two family rooms, built in 1980, was renovated to make it their own, she says. They created a new kitchen and added hardwood floors, extensive landscaping and marble foyers.
Kathleen Losey calls her neighborhood a ``special little haven'' where the inhabitants are ``spoiled.''
``Everything is right at our fingertips - the hospital, library, police station and shopping,'' she says. ``It's quiet, safe and within easy reach of Norfolk or the beach, by Shore Drive, the Expressway or Virginia Beach Boulevard.''
The neighborhood consists of people who've moved from all over, Losey says. ``It's a settled, upscale neighborhood, with friendly people,'' she says. Often her neighbors move from one house to another within the neighborhood.
Many of Saw Pen Point's neighbors are involved in the Witchduck Point Civic League and Garden Club. The residents enjoy a fall picnic and a Christmas cookie swap.
Retired Navy Capt. Thomas Mulligan and his wife, Pat, are one of the families that moved within the immediate area. They have lived in three houses, all within a half-mile of one another. They bought their current lot in 1981 and had their four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath colonial house built three years later.
They chose their lot because it is on the water. Two features of their house are a widow's walk and a triple-layer deck on the back of structure.
Pat Mulligan cites the convenience of Saw Pen Point and that it is ``tucked away and private'' as major advantages for the area. She says the neighbors are able to witness over the years. With the river as a backyard view, waterfowl are plentiful, mixing it up with the muskrats, raccoons, rabbits and other birds.
Ann and Ross Haines had their five-bedroom, four-bath colonial built in 1990. They also moved from a short distance, wishing to stay near the Pembroke area. They especially wanted a large, wooded lot, which is definitely what Saw Pen Point has to offer.
It was also important that their two children remain in the same schools, which they feel are strong, good public schools. And, moving within a few miles, the family has also been able to attend the same church.
Ann Haines also points to the location of Saw Pen Point as a positive aspect, combining convenience with the privacy of being off the beaten path. While positioned just off busy Independence Boulevard, traffic through the subdivision is not a problem.
There are two to three different ways to leave the neighborhood, so an acute traffic problem can be avoided. Haines also appreciates the custom-built houses, enjoying their uniqueness.
``We've enjoyed living here,'' she says. ``It's a neighborhood of all ages. We have retired neighbors and neighbors with young children. It's so beautiful here, especially in spring and fall. The tall pines and azalea bushes bend and cross one another.'' ILLUSTRATION: RICHARD L. DUNSTON
The houses in Saw Pen Point are almost all custom-built. The
neighborhood has water on three sides.
Kathleen and Warren Losey and daughter Kelly. They moved to Virginia
Beach nine years ago after visiting here.
AT A GLANCE
STAFF Map
About the Neighborhood
Public schools: Pembroke Meadows Elementary, Independence Junior
High and Princess Anne High schools.
Shopping areas: Several strip shopping centers are on Independence
Boulevard, Shore Drive and Virginia Beach Boulevard. The nearest
mall is Pembroke Mall.
Recreation: Bayville Recreation Center and Bayville Park are minutes
away by car. The Western Branch of the Lynnhaven River offers
boating, fishing, crabbing and other water-related activities.
Bayside Branch Library is close to the neighborhood. Movie theaters
are within easy driving distance. Biking, walking and
roller-blading can be enjoyed in the subdivision.
Assessments: The Virginia Beach assessor's office reports a range
of evaluations from $240,000 to $777,500. Of the 19 lots currently
for sale, the average listing price is $242,000.
FOR SALE
At 1085 Saw Pen Point Trail, a 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom,
three-bath waterfront colonial, built in 1979, with Florida room,
deck, hot tub and pool, is listed at $349,000.
At 1032 Saw Pen Point Trail, a 4,000-square-foot, five-bedroom,
four-bath colonial, built in 1980, with pool, is listed at
$369,900.
At 1077 Saw Pen Point Trail, a 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom,
three-bathroom, lakefront ranch, built in 1986, with deck, hot tub
and extra wide lot, is listed at $349,900.
SOLD
At 1024 Saw Pen Point Trail, a five-bedroom, three-bath colonial,
built in 1980, with deck and hot tub, sold in July for $265,000.
At 1020 Saw Pen Point Trail, a six-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath colonial,
built in 1980, sold in July for $290,000.
by CNB