Located in the heart of the equestrian community, The Forest at Panther Ridge, you will find a stunning home crafted in the timeless tradition of southern architecture. You will love the recent updates to the home including A NEW METAL ROOF, 2 NEW TRANE AC UNITS (5 TON AND 2 TON), NEW AERATOR AND WATER SOFTENER! Also included is a generator that can run the home for up to 3 weeks with 2 buried gas tanks (50 and 150-gallon capacity). An elegant gate greets you at the drive and the entire estate is fenced, with enough pasture for a horse or two. Step inside this gracious home where you will find architectural character at every turn, the perfect alternative to the “same old same old” cookie cutter floor plan. The foyer is large and boasts hardwood floors. There is also a powder bath and a sweeping staircase to the 2nd story. To your left is a large private study, entranced via French doors with a wood burning stone fireplace (structure just redone). To your right is a formal dining room that has French doors leading to the wrap around porch. The Great Room features dramatic 25-foot ceilings, Florida engineered hardwood floors and a stone fireplace that goes from floor to ceiling, a meticulously handcrafted bar with a pass through to the kitchen, and French doors that extend the entire length of the room and lead to the air-conditioned (mini-split) 13’ x 40’ Florida Room. Enjoy swimming in the 16' x 35' lap pool complete with fountains, light features, and a brick paver deck surrounded by a wooded preserve. The kitchen has granite and soapstone countertops, a large farmhouse sink, gas stove plus a large walk-in pantry. Double doors lead to the Owner’s Suite & Spa Bathroom that include a roomy shower, double sinks with marble counter-tops, soaking tub and walk-in-closet. Upstairs, there are 3 bedrooms plus a 13' x 26' bonus room kept cool via a mini split, and 2 bathrooms - one of them is enormous! There are 4 equestrian communities on the north side of ST RD 70 (1600 +/- acres) and a park that includes a horse-riding area, basketball court, a baseball area, park equipment, and a covered picnic pavilion. On the South side of St Rd 70 there are 3,000 +/- acres with 3 neighborhoods. Hiking and riding trails cover approximately 15 miles of gorgeous land such as oak filled hammocks, bridges over meandering creeks, and wide-open spaces highlighted by towering pine. Panther Ridge is contiguous to Lakewood Ranch, which means you are just minutes away from an amazing master-planned community that is really the size of a town. At 50 square miles, it is filled with shopping, dining, arts, entertainment, nature, recreational facilities, golf courses and top-notch schools. Lakewood Ranch has been designed to include eight designated shopping districts, rich with local boutiques, retail outlets and restaurants. Free concerts, wine festivals, celebrity golf tournaments and performing arts displays are just a few of the local events. The community offers top-tier public schools, many of which have earned A-ratings. Charter and private options are also available, as well as numerous colleges and universities. All those things are important to Panther Ridge residents, but the reason they want to live here is simple- there is nothing that can compare to living on a big homesite, sitting on the front porch, and soaking in the peace and quiet. It is a rare commodity in a very busy world, where space and the privacy it affords is very hard to come by.