VIRGINIA BEACH — Can there really ever be a better reason to buy a home than its potential for unlimited family fun?
It’s doubtful, and it’s the main reason Scott and Kristin Hildum and their children Katrin and Cormac bought the Virginia Beach home at 1001 Malaga Lane in the first place.
“The size of the lot was one of the things that attracted us to the home,” said Kristin, a librarian by day and a lifestyle blogger by night. “We saw the potential for unlimited family fun.”
At a respectable .68 acres, the corner lot isn’t huge, but it sits on a quiet corner in the Lagomar subdivision, a stone’s throw from Sandbridge Road.
“On a daily basis every part of the lot is used,” Kristin said. “Our son loves to climb the magnolia by the driveway and we even installed steps. The fire pit is enjoyed mostly in spring and fall. We always have s’more fixins’ and neighbors will stop by and share in the fun when they see us around the pit.”
While the fire pit sits under some tall pine trees on the east side of the home, on the west side is another family project Kristin said the family is especially proud of.
“The garden is also one of our favorite spaces. We grow all kinds of vegetables to enjoy through multiple seasons and one of the beds is a cutting garden, so we have fresh flowers in the house all summer.”
There’s also a blueberry bush she said is “crazy prolific,” and throughout the summer the family picks blueberries, eating them fresh and baking them into a variety of sweet treats.
The front yard has been professionally landscaped for low maintenance and beautiful curb appeal year round, and Kristin said she especially loves the hydrangeas, which she cuts and brings into the home for added beauty.
As if a fire pit, garden, and side yard big enough (and safe enough) for playing baseball and soccer aren’t enough, the fenced backyard offers one last surprise.
“The pool is the focal point of outdoor entertaining,” Kristin said. “The additional side door to the back yard brings you inside right at the bathroom, so no long wet trips through the house.”
There’s a large covered porch with a fan that makes dining outside even more pleasant and the grill is steps away. The pool is surrounded by an area of stamped concrete so there’s no maintenance, and it’s big enough for large groups of people. There’s a grassy area for friendly games of corn hole and a swing for relaxing.
The family has hosted numerous birthday parties and family gatherings, as well as spending hours of “pure relaxation” in their backyard.
In addition to welcoming neighbors to their fire pit, the home also serves as the neighborhood library.
“The Little Free Library is in our front yard,” said Kristin, who as a librarian is committed to promoting literacy. “The Little Free Library is a national nonprofit movement, where small “libraries” are housed throughout communities. Folks are invited to leave a book and take a book whenever stopping by.”
Placed on their property next to the street, Kristin said area residents have “enjoyed it for years” without it intruding on the family’s privacy.
Inside the home, which appears to be of contemporary architecture, there are four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and 2,786 square feet of living space, including a loft family/game room, and a kitchen the family gets plenty of use out of.
“We love to cook and feel like time gathered around the table with family and friends is the essential to our health and happiness,” Kristin said.
The Hildums remodeled the kitchen, adding a baker’s area complete with pop-up mixer stand, deep drawers for all their dry ingredients and a tall wide counter for mixing, rolling and cooling. It was also opened up to the living room and bar seating was added, as was additional storage.
The home is served by Red Mill Elementary, Princess Anne Middle, and Kellam High.
For additional information visit Berkshire Hathaway Home Services online.
