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ROCHESTER — This home that sits on land formerly owned by the Mayo family is a conservationist’s dream.
Solar panels that feed into the energy bill, an electric vehicle fast charger and preserved native prairie grasses all contribute to the eco-conscious setup of the Mayo Woodlands home.
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The prairie grasses came with the house, but owners Erica and Venk Bellamkonda had the solar panels and fast charger installed after they bought their home in 2018. Since the panel installation, they’ve paid into their electric bill maybe a few months out of each year.
“The home was basically pretty self-sufficient from an electric standpoint,” Erica said. “It’s almost making money in the summers. In the winter, we kind of break even and maybe pay a little bit.”
The couple also had a backup generator installed after moving in. When storms hit, their house would be one of the few still up and running.
“If they have any sort of power outage up here, this house stays lit up and there’s no disruption in there,” Realtor Adam Howell said.
Nature and history lovers also have access to a private wooded trail that extends all the way to the Mayowood Mansion, built in 1910 by Dr. Charles Mayo and his wife Edith.
“I’m a fan of just Mayo Woodlands in general,” Howell said. “You’re not too far away from downtown. You still feel like you’re disconnected, though, from all the business.”
“Often, you’ve got people walking around, taking jogs. They’ve got a clubhouse down here with a park,” he added. “Everybody’s very neighborly and welcoming.”
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The five-bedroom, five-bathroom house, located at 3767 Mayo Woodlands Road SW, is now listed for sale at $1.9 million.
The house was designed by custom home builder Mickey Rowland with Excel Homes. It was built in 2014.
“One of the beautiful things about the house is how cozy it is,” Erica said.
The over 5,000-square-foot house has in-floor radiant heating on its lower level — a feature Erica said she is going to miss.
For almost 10 years, the Bellamkondas lived at the property with their three boys. The boys spent a good amount of time in the home’s prestressed room, which has 1,475 square feet of space for exercise and activities.
“It’s pretty soundproof, so the kids could be in there, and it was big enough for them to roller-skate and skateboard and play tennis,” Erica said.
The room was especially useful during the pandemic when her boys were stuck at home, she said.
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Another addition to the house is the pavilion in its backyard. With a tongue and groove wood ceiling and a wood-burning fireplace, the pavilion is useful for hosting gatherings or enjoying the just over two acres of space the house sits on.
Erica said she always thought the house would be her and her family’s forever home, but now she hopes to find someone who loves it as much as she did.
“It’s a house that treated us well,” Erica said. “It barely gave us any problems or issues. It’s really well built.”
“It truly is a forever home,” she added.
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