285 First St, Athens, GA 30601

Charming, green-built, 3 \ 2 cottage built by local artisan/builder, Andrew Malec. Originally his personal home, it is imbued with wonderful details and craftsmanship. Located within 2 blocks of downtown Athens, it is within walking distance of 2 parks, one 108 acre park a block away and the other, 2-3 blocks away, sits alongside the river at the edge of downtown. Both parks are connected by Greenway bike/walk trails, which also connect to Sandy Creek Nature center. This property offers the best of in-town living and is convenient to many places that make living in Athens special. On top of that it is a well-built, low maintenance, energy efficient home that features an excellent floor plan that opens to wonderful outdoor living spaces. It's open common living area with vaulted 16.5 foot ceilings, exposed beams, and an abundance of natural light. The common area connects to over 800' of exterior porch/deck space. Also branching off from the living room is a large front porch with stylish columns and beaded board ceilings. In the rear of the house there is also a screened porch and a huge deck built around a tree with a bench wrapping around it. The kitchen has hickory cabinets, a reclaimed heart pine island with bar seating, custom concrete counters with slate backsplash, and Energy Star stainless appliances. The common area features large windows and has bamboo flooring. A hallway off the common area leads to the 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, each distinctly unique. The master bath is artfully tiled and has many delightful features including: a huge walk-in shower that has 2 shower valves and shower heads, a re-purposed antique cabinet is used for the vanity, and a candlelit tub with stained glass accent. The 2nd bath is similar with Mexican tile floors, antique vanity, tub/tile shower and creative accents. Every room throughout the house has solid pine doors. The exterior has a metal roof, cement board siding, and shakes in the gables. 285 First's landscape is rich with diversity, mature trees, weeping specimen trees, herbs, and an array of evergreen shrubs and perennials. There are 2 rain barrels housed next to front porch that collect water from the roof. The back and side yard are fenced, and there are 2 parking spaces on both the front and rear of the property, allowing for 4-6 car off-street parking. If one is looking for a stylish, well-built, affordable, in-town house, this one is definitely worth checking out!