Twenty-five years ago, Roberta (who goes by Bert) and Jack Tier began their search for a home in Williamsburg that would be suited to house both them and Jack’s parents, who were ill.
They needed something with an in-law suite or apartment and preferably two bedrooms.
Many of the places they looked at didn’t hit the mark.
“They really weren’t to our liking,” Bert said.
Then the couple came across an ad in the “Just Looking” section of a newspaper.
“It described a wonderful home featuring a two-bedroom apartment, and then at the end it mentioned an indoor pool,” Bert said.
Jack recalled telling Bert not to get too excited about the pool. “It’s probably something in the yard with a big dome over top it,” he told her.
The couple vividly remember the day they drove up and first saw the contemporary home perched up a private, wooded hill. Their hopes started to climb.
Their Realtor waited for them near the front doors, which he held wide open.
“When we walked in our jaws dropped,” Bert said.
There, right inside the front door, was a beautiful, well-maintained, sparkling blue pool. It looked to them like something out of a magazine or like an indoor pool you’d see at a nice hotel. It wasn’t at all what they imagined.
As they considered the indoor pool, they toured the rest of the 4,500-square-foot home. They liked the privacy of the home, the entertaining and kitchen areas were large, there was a room for an office, an oversized garage, and the master bedroom and bath were perfect for them.
What sold them, however, was the attached second living space, which featured the two bedrooms they were looking for Jack’s parents.
“The apartment was so much nicer than anything else out there,” Jack said. “It was evident that it was built to the same quality standards as the rest of the home, and I felt comfortable putting my parents there.”
“We would’ve bought this house without the pool,” Bert added.
As it turned out, the purchase was meant to be, and the Tiers have enjoyed everything the home had to offer.
It was the perfect place for Jack’s parents for the three years they lived under the same roof. Jack and Bert could easily care for them, but also had their own space. For dinner, they would all eat by the pool, and after a long day, Jack and Bert could relax with a swim.
The Tiers never imagined living in a home with a pool, but now they can’t imagine not having one.
They say the temperature-controlled pool is low maintenance and has been the source of many fond memories.
Bert recalls inviting friends over for coffee and dessert and then nearly having to kick them out because they wanted to stay and keep swimming.
Bert also used the pool for exercise and rehabilitation. It helped her recover through three knee surgeries. She fondly remembers watching her neighbors’ grandchildren learn to swim in their pool
“It’s a really fun house,” she said. “It’s a house people want to come to.”
Halloween is always a hoot, too. Over the years trick-or-treaters have spread the word about “the house with the indoor pool,” and now the Tiers notice there are more and more people coming by – both kids and adults – to get a glimpse.
Pizza delivery guys also crack Bert up.
“There’s a pool right there,” they’ll say, their eyes wide with surprise. Bert just laughs and says, “Oh, that’s what that is.”
As they reflect on the last 25 years of their lives, they are especially grateful for finding their unique home and have relished the relaxed lifestyle it has awarded them.
Now they are looking to the next chapter. With their grandchildren in Texas, they’ve decided to sell their home and move closer to family. They hope the next homeowners will enjoy it as much as they have.
“It’s been a very peaceful place to live,” Jack said.
Find out more about the home here.
