I was impressed with this property from the moment I approached the gated entrance. As you make your way up the drive and the custom log home, lake and surrounding hardwood timber come into view, the setting immediately makes an impression. My first thought was that it felt more like arriving at a private resort than a country home. That feeling only grows as you explore the 48.78 acres +/- and discover the swimming pool, outdoor entertaining areas, shops and recreational land that make this Ralls County property so distinctive.

At the center of the property is an approximately 5,029-square-foot Rocky Mountain log home constructed with full 9-inch logs. The home offers five bedrooms and four bathrooms, with finished living areas on both the main and walkout lower levels. Exposed structural beams, extensive woodwork and large stone fireplaces create a true lodge atmosphere that fits naturally with the surrounding land.

The main level is anchored by a large great room featuring an approximately 18-foot stone fireplace and an expansive wall of windows overlooking the lake. Approximately 20-foot ceilings, tongue-and-groove woodwork and substantial structural beams add to the character of the space. Standing in this room, it is easy to imagine family and friends gathering after a day spent hunting, fishing, swimming or simply enjoying the property.

The kitchen and dining areas provide additional gathering space along with access to a breakfast porch. The large primary suite and a second nonconforming bedroom are located on the main level, along with a den or office adjoining the primary bedroom. Custom Canadian pine interior doors are found throughout much of the home, including numerous pocket doors. proviGranite, ceramic tile, hickory, cedar and oak are incorporated throughout the interior.

The finished walkout lower level adds three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a second kitchen, family room and game or exercise area with built-in bookcases. A second stone fireplace serves as the focal point of the lower-level family room. With kitchens, bedrooms and living areas on both levels, the home provides plenty of space for family and guests while allowing everyone room to spread out.

The outdoor living area is where I believe this property really begins to take on the feel of a private resort. The home overlooks an approximately 1.5-acre +/- stocked lake, and just outside are a large patio, heated swimming pool and heavy-timber pergola. The approximately 18-foot by 36-foot pool features stainless steel walls, a vinyl liner, electric cover and concrete decking. The impressive timber-framed pergola includes composite decking along with a bar cabinet, sink and water. It is easy to envision this area becoming a central gathering place throughout the warmer months.

Family and friends can spend an afternoon around the pool, fish the lake, explore the acreage and gather around the patio in the evening. One of the qualities I appreciate most about this property is that many of the features people travel to enjoy on a weekend getaway are right outside your door.

There is also substantial room for vehicles, equipment, storage and projects. The oversized attached garage measures approximately 28 feet by 26 feet. Shop Building 1 measures approximately 36 feet by 25 feet and includes a concrete floor and electrical service. Shop Building 2 measures approximately 24 feet by 36 feet and includes a concrete floor, insulation, electrical service, heating and air conditioning, attic access and a covered concrete porch. Together, the garage and two shops add considerable functionality to the property.

The home's mechanical systems include geothermal heating and cooling supplied by five approximately 150-foot-deep ground-source wells. The system also assists with domestic hot water and can supplement pool heating. Electrical service includes two 200-amp panels along with additional service for exterior amenities. The home also includes a water softener and reverse-osmosis drinking water system.

As a land agent, I tend to look beyond the home and improvements to understand what the land itself has to offer, and that is another area where this property stands out. Much of the 48.78 acres +/- is wooded, with white oak, red oak and other hardwood timber surrounding the home and lake. Open areas provide opportunities for food plots and additional wildlife habitat management, and deer and turkey have been observed on the property.

The combination of hardwood timber, open areas, water and established access creates a property that can be enjoyed in several different ways. You can hunt your own ground, establish food plots, manage wildlife habitat, fish the lake or simply enjoy the privacy and recreational opportunities that come with having nearly 50 acres surrounding your home.

One of the strongest attributes of this property, in my opinion, is that you do not have to choose between a recreational property and a home designed for entertaining. It brings those two lifestyles together in one setting. During hunting season, the timber and acreage provide your own ground to enjoy. During the warmer months, the lake, pool and outdoor gathering areas become the focus. When family and friends visit, the size and layout of the home provide plenty of space to bring everyone together.

There is something special about owning the place where family and friends look forward to gathering. Whether it is a summer afternoon around the pool, fishing at the lake, a weekend with friends or getting together after a day of deer hunting, this property provides a setting where those experiences can happen without leaving home. That is what gives it the private-resort feeling that stood out to me when I first arrived.

The property offers two access points, with the primary entrance coming directly from a blacktop driveway through an electric gated entrance. Its Ralls County location also places it within driving distance of several northeast Missouri destinations. Historic Hannibal offers restaurants, shopping and access to the Mississippi River. Mark Twain Lake provides boating and fishing opportunities along with access to thousands of acres of public land managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

After years of walking and evaluating properties, I have found that it is rarely one individual feature that makes a property memorable. It is the way the features work together. Here, you have 48.78 acres +/-, an approximately 5,029-square-foot custom log home, private lake, hardwood timber, recreational land, swimming pool, outdoor entertaining areas, gated blacktop access, an oversized attached garage and two additional shop buildings.

To me, this property is about more than a list of improvements and amenities. It is about having one place where you can live, hunt, fish, entertain and spend meaningful time with family and friends. The combination of the custom log home, recreational acreage and resort-style outdoor amenities creates a property that made an impression on me from the moment I arrived, and that impression only grew as I experienced everything the property has to offer.

Contact Clay Lockard to schedule a private tour of this impressive Ralls County property. All prospective buyers must provide proof of financial prequalification prior to scheduling a property showing.