The four-bedroom colonial, with an attached two-car garage, at 13 Stoddards View in Gales Ferry is newly listed for sale. Amanda Girouard and Bill Heenan of the Bill Heenan Team at William Raveis Real Estate in Niantic represent the seller, whom they introduced to Welcome Home.

The owner acquired the house in 2015, after a relocation from San Diego. "It was new construction, just what we wanted," she recalled.

The main level affords formal and more casual spaces, including a formal dining room, which is separated from the rest of the floor plan by a wall. "It's very open, but also segmented where you need it to be," the seller explained.

The eat-in kitchen is an open-plan design, with granite surfaces, a glass tile backsplash and stainless appliances — including double ovens — that she reports are in "perfect condition."

For outdoor living and dining, there's a deck off the main level, on one side of the house.

The seller made a number of improvements to the property during her time here. She finished the basement, leveraging the new livable space as a game and rec room for the family. A pull-out sofa added to the space provided some extra sleeping accommodations for guests. Plus, the lower level has a partial bath and a huge space for storage, but it could be utilized by the next owner as perhaps an additional bedroom, the seller suggested. There's room to expand the partial bath, easily making it a full bath, she added.

She replaced carpeting in two of the bedrooms and added hardwood flooring to the primary bedroom. Plantation shutters were installed on a sliding door and to a panoramic window in the breakfast room just off the kitchen.

The driveway was repaved. Perhaps her favorite home-improvement project was adding California Closet organization to the primary bedroom's closet.

The house is sited on a 2.96-acre lot. Though she opted not to put in a pool, there's plenty of space in the backyard to add a pool and pool patio.

Having to travel quite often for work — more so, pre-COVID — the homeowner said she appreciated the property's location. It's a central location, really, making New York City, Boston, Providence, Hartford — as well as coastal destinations — within reach. Just the weekend prior to her conversation with Welcome Home, the family had gone to Boston on a whim, just to spend a day enjoying the city.

She said that she's seen this region of southeast Connecticut become increasingly popular with New York City dwellers, who may have considered Fairfield County as a place to live, but were priced-out or found the market too competitive. Remote work now makes it possible to work anywhere, so this side of the state is getting noticed. She understands the appeal, calling Gales Ferry and Ledyard "little treasures."

The seller's children attended private schools, but she noted that many people move to Gales Ferry expressly because of the public school system. She lauded the community's record on safety, and concluded, "It's really a great place to live, like Mayberry."

Property: 13 Stoddards View, Gales Ferry

Bedrooms: 4

Baths: 4

Square Footage: 2,626

Acreage: 2.96

Asking Price: $569,900

Seller's Agents: Amanda Girouard and Bill Heenan, The Bill Heenan Team, William Raveis Real Estate, Niantic brokerage; www.billheenan.net

Photos and Captions: (*all photos contributed by the Bill Heenan Team, William Raveis Real Estate, Niantic)

Photo: Front

Caption

: A four-bedroom colonial, built in 2015 as a spec house, 13 Stoddards View in Gales Ferry is newly listed for sale. The asking price is $569,900. Photo: Amy Etra Photography

Photo: Living

Caption

: The house's main level is an open-plan design, with the exception of the formal dining room, which is more privately positioned in the floor plan. Photo: Amy Etra Photography

Photo: Kitchen

Caption

: The kitchen at 13 Stoddards View opens to a large area for two dining tables; plus, there's room at the island for seating, as well. The kitchen is designed with granite countertops, stainless appliances, cherry cabinets and a glass tile backsplash. Photo: Amy Etra Photography

Photo: Bath

Caption

: The primary suite has both a private bath and a walk-in closet designed by California Closets. Photo: Amy Etra Photography

Photo: Bedroom

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: With a high, vaulted ceiling and a crystal chandelier above, the primary bedroom is a soothing space. It's one of four bedrooms at 13 Stoddards View. Photo: Amy Etra Photography