Cross Creek Family Homestead with a winding entry drive under a lush, green forest canopy leading to this home and cottage nestled within a private, secluded, almost 10 acres of heavily forested, natural, old-Florida flora and fauna setting. The main home has 2,400 sqft plus there’s an 816 sqft, fully equipped guest cottage that’s perfect for family, visitors, in-laws or Air BnB! Originally built in 1982 by family of the current owners, this 3 bedroom, 3 bath home and 2 bedroom, 1 bath guest cottage have been completely transformed and modernized over the past several years. Interior spaces are bright, open and airy. It has a modern, clean, contemporary vibe but with warm-tones contributed by the engineered hardwood cabin-grade flooring in the living areas and bedrooms. The main home features an enormous great room with vaulted ceiling, skylights and wood-burning fireplace. The expansive kitchen has granite countertops, a huge island and high-end appliances including TWO oven/ranges (induction & electric). The spacious laundry room is located adjacent to the kitchen and doubles as a walk-in pantry with an extra freezer and drink cooler. The master suite has a walk-in closet with built-ins. The master bath has a very large walk-in shower and two vessel sinks creatively incorporated into the vanity created from a 1940’s Danish side board. The 2nd and 3rd bedrooms are both suites. The second bedroom’s bath has a walk-in shower. The bath in the third bedroom has a cast iron tub/shower combo and a vanity created from an antique dresser circa 1880 – 1890. Joining the house to the cottage and 3-CAR GARAGE is an enormous screen porch – the perfect place to unwind and watch deer casually stroll into the backyard to hang out and have a snack. The guest cottage is a comfortable and efficient design with engineered hardwood floors, great room with wood-burning fireplace, solar-tube skylights and efficiency kitchen area with a mini walk-in pantry. There are 2 bedrooms and the bath has a tub/shower combo. The entire perimeter of this heavily forested parcel is fenced. There are 2 wells and an irrigation system. There’s also a 320 sqft greenhouse and 2 out-buildings all on slab. Click the Virtual Tours links for videos of the drive into and out of the property! This Cross Creek homestead is located about 18 miles southeast of Gainesville and about 26 miles north of Ocala. Southeast of this property, just 2 miles along County Road 325, is the town of Cross Creek, Florida. Settlers arrived here in the 19th century and named the area for the waterway that cuts across the narrow isthmus between Lochloosa and Orange Lakes, both popular for good fishing. American novelist and Pulitzer Prize winner Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, lived in Cross Creek for 25 years in the first part of the 20th century and the area is the setting in her most famous novel The Yearling. Her restored cracker style home is a National Historic Site as well as a Florida State Park. Ranger led tours of her home are available. Next to the Rawlings homestead is a county park with picnic facilities, playground and boat ramp to Orange Lake.