An Exclusive Neighborhood

Lake Living

COUPLE MOVES TO GATED COMMUNITY TO RETIRE, RELAX AND ENJOY THE LAKE LIFE

Story by CHARIS PATIRES | Photography by MEL WOODS/BLUE BOAT ART

When Ron and Stacey Chovanec started thinking about their quality of life several years ago, they began to search for a home for their last years working and ultimately a place to retire. Living in Mooresville, N.C., they had a house on Lake Norman and loved the lake life but were thinking about relocating.

When COVID hit, it wasn’t as important for the couple to live near a hub airport so they began looking at moving to other lakes across the United States.

After looking at homes on Lake Lanier near Atlanta, Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia, Table Rock Lake and other locations, the couple settled on Lake of the Ozarks due to the amount of lake activity, the large number of waterfront restaurants, bars and entertainment, and abundance of outdoor recreation and activities. Their realtor in North Carolina recommended Stacey Maples with Keller Williams Lake of the Ozarks and the search for a house to fit their list of specifications began.

The tree-lined street of Cedar Crest, an exclusive gated community of about 20 homes on Horseshoe Bend caught their eye. They were looking for a home with plenty of space since Stacey’s parents are moving in with them. In the spring of 2022, they found the perfect home and traveled halfway across the country to start a new chapter in Lake Ozark.

Homes in the Cedar Crest community.

The two-story house features 7,000 square feet of living space, 1,000 square feet of storage, and several living areas. Each level has its own kitchen and laundry room. Located in the Cedar Crest community, Ron and Stacey love the proximity to everything but that it’s tucked away with lots of privacy. The multiple kitchens and laundry areas make the home ideal for having Stacey’s parents move in since everyone can be self-sufficient and have ample privacy.

Off of the living room is the main deck with miles of Lake views from around the 14-mile marker. Not being directly on the water is not an issue for the couple who love to sit on their decks and watch the boat traffic and eagles that fly by. In Cedar Crest there is a community dock with lake access, tennis/pickleball courts, and a pool/ clubhouse to enjoy. To spend time on the water, the couple purchased a tritoon from Marty’s Marine, which will be delivered in time for July 4.

The open concept, amazing views from every room, and airy layout drew them to this home. Most of the furnishings were sold with the house, which they call cozy and casual. The couple sold their home in North Carolina fully furnished.

The home has high ceilings and is wide open to take advantage of sweeping Lake views. The flow of the home allows for entertaining, which they hope to do more of after settling in.

ABOUT THE HOMEOWNERS

Ron and Stacey have lived in a couple of cities in the United States, most recently on Lake Norman in North Carolina. They love doing things on the water but even with it being the largest man-made lake in North Carolina there were only about a dozen restaurants you could get to by water. Lake of the Ozarks has so many more things to do, Ron said. Stacey worked in human resources for Lowes before retiring. Ron is a risk management and compliance consultant for the energy industry. The couple is looking forward to meeting locals, getting involved in the community, exploring the Lake and surrounding areas, golfing, and hosting gatherings in their new home.

Ron loves this bar area, which is located between the dining room and living room. Its U-shape coupled with the open-concept of the home makes it an ideal gathering area when entertaining by bridging the primary living area to the kitchen.

The dining room is located to the right of the entryway, while a hallway to the left leads to the master bedroom. The home flows from one room to the next which Stacey says she loves.

They call this area the Keeping Room. Located off the kitchen and main living room, it has additional seating, a fireplace, and television (located behind built-in cabinets). Since the house is equipped with a formal dining room, Ron utilized the space by the windows for a poker table.

The office, located between the master bedroom and the living room has a great view of the Lake, and shares a two-sided fireplace with the connected bedroom.

The spacious master bedroom and bathroom have seating areas and plenty of room to get ready for the day.

All bedrooms have en-suite facilities with access to their own decks. Stacey wanted big bedrooms and lots of space for everyone to have privacy.

Stacey says she has plans to update the lower level of the home which includes a second kitchen, another living room and guest bedrooms. They also plan to put in an elevator to make it easier for her elderly parents to live here and move around the entire house. This hallway leads to a bedroom on the lower level.