Perched high above Maplewood Avenue surrounded by trees, this unique Spanish Colonial is not to be missed! Only 2 blocks to downtown Maplewood, this home is situated on the coveted “back road” – a private road with its own special community! A combination of charming details (tiled roof! arched doorways! large windows!) and modern updates (central heat and AC!, renovated kitchen and baths!), prove that you really can have it all.

The first floor boasts an open floor plan allowing beautiful light to flow throughout and great space to entertain. Built-in shelves, a wood-burning fireplace, and a cozy front porch compliment the space and bring character and warmth. The sunroom, perfect for work or play, makes you feel like you are in your very own tree house! Outside, and just off the kitchen, you’ll find a patio for entertaining and a side yard with plenty of space to play.

Upstairs you’ll find 3 bedrooms and a beautiful bathroom, meticulously renovated with marble tile and a deep tub! Additional renovated space can be found on the basement level: A cozy rec room, perfect for movie nights, and the additional bonus room with renovated ensuite bath ensure that you’ll have space for work, relaxation and guests.

11 -13 Maplewood Home Improvements

2024:

• Painting of the interior of the house – Vendor: Rutgers Painting

• Waterproofing in the basement, installation of indoor french drain, wall vapour barrier, and sump pump in the basemen – Vendor: All County Waterproofing – Warranty lasts for the entire ownership of the home and extends to next owners of home (see contract)

2023:

• Painting of exterior of house and detached garage – Vendor: Rutgers Painting, 3 year warranty, extends to next owners of home.

2020: 

• Energy Efficiency Upgrades, installation of foam insulation in the attic and basement crawl space walls. A 15” of cellulose into Maplewood room ceiling and bath fan, vented to exterior, activated by a motion sensor and a humidista – Vendor: Home Energy Diagnostics

2019:

• Gutters and downspouts replace – Vendor: Gutter Systems

2017:

• Installed iron railing along front steps – Vendor: Lombardo Iron & Railing
• Tree Inspection. Removal of branches hanging over sidewalk and within certain height of house. Removal of trees that were deemed hazardous to property – Vendor: Friendly Tree Service

Dear Future Owners,

We wanted to tell you a little more about our experience of living at 11-13 Maplewood Avenue.

We began our home search in Maplewood in the summer of 2016, and out of all the beautiful houses on the market at that time, 11-13 Maplewood Avenue immediately stood out. There were so many things that captured our hearts. The Spanish Colonial architecture, with the stucco walls and timeless Spanish tile roof. The house’s location—on a hill, set back from the street. Our own treehouse! The large detached garage. The walkability to so many nearby attractions: downtown Maplewood, the train station, South Orange, and the South Mountain Reservation. The tucked-away privacy of the back deck and yard. The front porch, an excellent spot to sip coffee and watch the world pass by. And that’s just the outside of the house!

Stepping inside 11-13 Maplewood Avenue, we loved how the house blended the old with the new. Built in 1927, the house is clearly historic, with charming features and the kind of quality craftsmanship that you don’t find in new builds. But as much as we appreciate old homes, we’re not the fixer-upper types. We weren’t interested in something that needed major updates. Fortunately, that wasn’t something we needed to worry about here! The home had recently been fully renovated to offer a more modern feeling: an open layout on the ground floor, updated kitchen, finished basement, Nest Thermostats with two zones for central heat and AC. To us, this represented the best of both worlds. The old and the new.

We had previously lived in Brooklyn, and we loved that Maplewood preserved many of the aspects of Brooklyn (the walkability, the restaurants, the diverse, progressive people who live here), while also adding certain elements you can’t get in the city: Space, a yard, excellent schools, not nearly as many honking horns and blaring sirens.

At the time that we moved in, we didn’t have kids, and we appreciated that the house didn’t feel overwhelmingly huge. It offered so much more space than our Brooklyn apartment, but we didn’t worry that we were buying “too much house” for just the two of us.

But then, kids came along. Two of them! As our family grew, the house adapted wonderfully to fit our new needs. Both kids had their own rooms. The light-filled “Maplewood room” became an excellent playroom, where the kids could build Duplo castles and work on craft projects. The finished basement was a “bonus area”, great for hide-and-seek and watching movies as a family on rainy afternoons. The basement bedroom space became a perfect guest room, with an en suite restroom and privacy for visitors.

And if you want to grow even more, 11-13 Maplewood Avenue is located on a double lot. Meaning there is room to expand!

When we bought the house at 11-13 Maplewood Avenue, we knew we were getting a gorgeous home with a lovely yard. But what we didn’t realize was that we were also joining a wonderful community: The Back Road. A private road that runs between Maplewood Avenue and Walton Road. On a practical level, the Back Road provides convenience and privacy. But it goes so much farther than that. It’s a pleasant lane to stroll along in the evening. A place for kids to ride their scooters without worrying about regular road traffic. A lovely spot to chat with neighbors.

The Back Road is almost its own little village. Kids run from yard to yard, sharing trampolines and play structures. Residents gather for the annual Back Road Block Party and Holiday Party. We even made it into Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/irenelevine/2020/12/08/a-pop-up-holiday-market-brings-europe an-traditions-to-a-new-jersey-suburb/?sh=6e21ab2975bc

The Back Road’s email listserve is a wonderful resource. If you need to borrow a snow shovel or are looking for a plumber recommendation, you can count on plenty of quick replies. If we could, we would pack the Back Road into our shipping container and take it with us to our new home. I’m sure you’re going to love it too!

We’re so grateful for the memories we made at 11-13 Maplewood Avenue. We have no doubt that you’ll make many happy memories of your own here. All best, Eva, Lee, Clara (5) and Helena (2)