Inside the 11,406 Sq Ft Cotswold Cottage in Eden, Utah | Northern Wasatch Parade of Homes

Eden Utah luxury homes rarely look like this. Home #16 of the 2025 Northern Wasatch Parade of Homes is an 11,406 square foot English-inspired estate by Farr Built Homes, and every inch earns its keep.

What Is the Cotswold Cottage in Eden, Utah?

The Cotswold Cottage is Home #16 of the 2025 Northern Wasatch Parade of Homes. Built by Farr Built Homes in Eden, Utah, it is an 11,406 square foot custom estate that blends historic English architecture with modern luxury.

Every Parade of Homes has a few entries people talk about for years. This is one of them.

The Cotswold Cottage is not a production home with a fancy elevation package. It is a ground-up custom build, designed around a specific architectural idea and executed at a scale you almost never see in Ogden Valley.

At 11,406 square feet, it is roughly four to five times the size of a typical new build in Weber County. That size is the headline, but the detail work is the real story.

The name "cottage" is a wink. Cotswold cottages in England are famously small, stone, and storybook. This home borrows the visual language of those buildings, then scales it up dramatically.

If you want to see how far a Northern Utah builder can push craftsmanship, this is the home to study. Want to talk through what a build like this involves? Call me at (801) 603-5213.

Who Built It? A Look at Farr Built Homes

Farr Built Homes is the custom builder behind the Cotswold Cottage. They designed and constructed this 11,406 square foot Eden, Utah estate as a one-of-a-kind entry in the 2025 Northern Wasatch Parade of Homes.

Builders enter the Parade of Homes for one reason: to show you their ceiling, not their floor.

A Parade entry is a builder's argument. It says, here is what we can do when the budget and the lot let us. Farr Built Homes used this build to demonstrate range, taking a historic European style and executing it with modern materials, modern systems, and modern layouts.

That matters if you are considering a custom build in Weber or Davis County. When you tour a Parade home, you are not just looking at finishes. You are evaluating:

• Detail carry-through — do the trim, stone, and millwork stay consistent from the entry to the back hallway?
• Layout logic — does the floor plan flow, or is it just square footage stacked up?
• Structural ambition — arches, timber, ceiling work, and rooflines are hard to fake.
• Finish quality in the quiet rooms — laundry, mudroom, and utility spaces reveal the most.

Walk a builder's Parade home and you learn more in twenty minutes than you will from an hour of marketing photos.

What Cotswold and English Cottage Architecture Actually Means

Cotswold architecture comes from England's Cotswolds region: honey-toned stone, steep rooflines, prominent chimneys, arched doorways, and heavy timber. This Eden, Utah home applies that historic English vocabulary at estate scale.

You have seen this style before, even if you did not have a name for it.

The Cotswolds are a rural stretch of central England known for centuries-old stone villages. The look is instantly recognizable: thick stone walls, steep pitched roofs, tall chimneys, small paned windows, and rounded, slightly imperfect lines.

American builders have borrowed from it for over a century, usually calling it English Cottage, Storybook, or Tudor Revival. What separates a good interpretation from a costume is commitment. Real stone instead of thin veneer. Genuine roof pitch instead of a token gable. Timber that carries load instead of glued-on decoration.

The blend is what makes this Eden home interesting. Historic exterior character, fully modern interior performance. Old-world proportion with current insulation, glazing, mechanical systems, and open living spaces.

That combination is genuinely hard to pull off. Lean too far historic and the home feels dark and choppy. Lean too far modern and the exterior becomes a theme. Threading that needle is why this one stands out among Weber County luxury homes.

How Does a Home Use 11,406 Square Feet?

An 11,406 square foot home typically spans multiple levels with a primary suite wing, several secondary suites, formal and casual living zones, a full entertainment level, and oversized garage and service spaces.

Most buyers cannot picture 11,406 square feet. Here is a frame of reference.

The typical new construction home in Weber County runs somewhere in the 2,200 to 3,200 square foot range. This estate is roughly the footprint of four of those homes combined, under one roof.

At that scale, a floor plan stops being a list of rooms and becomes a set of zones. Homes this size generally organize around:

• A public zone — entry, great room, formal dining, and a show kitchen
• A working zone — prep kitchen or scullery, pantry, mudroom, and laundry
• A private zone — the primary suite, often separated from all other bedrooms
• A guest zone — secondary suites with their own baths, sometimes a separate wing
• An entertainment zone — theater, gym, bar, game room, or simulator space

The trap at this size is dead square footage: long hallways and rooms nobody enters. The best big homes solve this with distinct destinations, so every space has a reason to exist. Watch for that as you tour.

Living in Eden, Utah: The Ogden Valley Lifestyle

Eden is a small unincorporated community in Ogden Valley, Weber County, surrounded by mountains. It sits minutes from Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, Nordic Valley, and Pineview Reservoir, roughly a 25 to 35 minute canyon drive from Ogden.

Eden is not a suburb. That is the entire point.

You reach it by driving up Ogden Canyon or Trappers Loop, and the valley opens into farmland, reservoir, and ski terrain. Buyers move here for space, quiet, and immediate access to the outdoors, not for convenience.

What you get within a short drive:

• Powder Mountain — one of the largest skiable acreages in the country
• Snowbasin Resort — a 2002 Olympic downhill venue
• Nordic Valley — small, family-friendly, and night-ski friendly
• Pineview Reservoir — boating, paddleboarding, and beaches all summer
• Trail access in nearly every direction, year round

The tradeoffs are real and you should weigh them honestly. Grocery runs, big-box shopping, and most services mean a trip down the canyon. Winter driving is a genuine skill. Some properties rely on wells and septic systems rather than municipal utilities.

For the right buyer, none of that is a drawback. It is the filter that keeps the valley feeling like the valley. Nearby Huntsville offers a similar feel with a small town center.

What Is the Northern Wasatch Parade of Homes?

The Northern Wasatch Parade of Homes is an annual showcase of new custom and production homes across Weber, Davis, and surrounding counties. Ticket holders self-tour each home. The Cotswold Cottage was Home #16 in the 2025 event.

The Parade is the best free-form education a Northern Utah buyer can get.

Local builders enter finished homes, and ticket holders drive a mapped route and walk through at their own pace. There is no pressure, no agent hovering, and no obligation. You simply see what is being built right now, in your market, at every price point.

Three ways to get real value out of it:

1. Photograph details, not rooms. Wide shots blur together. A ceiling treatment or a mudroom layout you love is worth capturing.
2. Note the builder on every home you like. Patterns emerge fast, and they tell you who to talk to.
3. Pay attention to what you ignore. The features you walk past are the ones you should not pay for.

Even if you have no intention of building, touring the Parade sharpens your eye for resale homes. You will start noticing which existing houses were built well and which ones were built fast. That skill saves real money.

What to Know About the Eden Utah Luxury Homes Market

Eden Utah luxury homes are a small, low-inventory market. Values are driven by view corridors, acreage, ski and reservoir access, and build quality rather than by simple price per square foot comparisons.

Ogden Valley does not price like the Wasatch Front, and you should not shop it that way.

Down in the valley, comparable sales come easy. Similar homes, similar lots, similar streets. Up here, every property is close to unique. Two homes a mile apart can differ enormously based on what the windows face, how the driveway handles snow, and whether the parcel touches open space.

What actually drives value in Eden:

• Views and orientation — an unobstructed mountain or reservoir view is not replaceable
• Acreage and privacy — buffer land carries real weight here
• Proximity to lifts and water — minutes matter to resort-focused buyers
• Build quality and systems — mountain climates punish shortcuts
• Utilities and access — well, septic, and year-round road maintenance

Inventory is thin, so timing is uneven. Some months bring almost nothing to market. When the right property does list, prepared buyers win it. The fastest way to see what is actually available today is to browse live MLS listings and set alerts before you start touring.

Buying in Eden if You Are Relocating or PCSing to Hill AFB

Eden is roughly 45 to 60 minutes from Hill Air Force Base depending on canyon conditions. It suits remote workers, second-home buyers, and families prioritizing outdoor access over a short commute.

Let me be direct with my military clients: Eden is a lifestyle choice, not a commute choice.

The drive to Hill Air Force Base runs down the canyon and south, and winter weather can stretch it. If you report daily at 0700, look hard at Ogden, South Weber, Layton, or Clearfield instead. If you work remotely, fly a rotating schedule, or want a recreation property, Eden absolutely deserves a look.

A few things to plan for as a relocating buyer:

• See it in winter, or at least ask about winter. Snow load, plowing, and road grade change how a property lives.
• Verify utilities before you fall in love. Wells, septic, and propane are common up here.
• Understand your loan options at this price tier. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA-backed loans require no down payment when the purchase price does not exceed the home's appraised value, though lenders set their own requirements at higher price points.

If you are inbound on orders, start with my PCS relocation guide for Hill AFB. It maps commute times, school boundaries, and neighborhoods against your report date.

Custom Build vs. Buying an Existing Home in Ogden Valley

Custom building in Ogden Valley gives you exact design control but takes 12 to 24 months and carries land, utility, and cost-overrun risk. Buying existing is faster, more predictable, and often the only way to get an established view lot.

Touring a home like the Cotswold Cottage makes people want to build. Sometimes that is right. Often it is not.

Here is the honest comparison for Weber County buyers:

The deciding factor is usually land. In Ogden Valley, the best view parcels were claimed long ago. If a specific outlook or acreage matters to you, buying an existing home on that land may be the only path.

If you have flexibility on timing and a clear vision, building can deliver exactly what you want. Just budget realistically and choose your builder carefully.

How Long Is the Commute From Eden to Hill AFB?

Plan on roughly 45 to 55 minutes from Eden to Hill AFB in normal conditions, usually via Trapper's Loop (SR-167) to I-84 and I-15. Winter storms and canyon slowdowns can add 15 to 30 minutes.

Eden sits up in Ogden Valley, and there are two main ways down to the Wasatch Front. Most commuters take Trapper's Loop (SR-167) south to I-84, then I-15 to the base. The other option is Ogden Canyon (SR-39) into east Ogden, which is prettier but narrower and slower once snow starts flying.

Here is what a normal-day drive from Eden usually looks like:

Two honest notes. First, canyon routes close or crawl after accidents and heavy snow, so build in a buffer if you have a hard report time. Verify current gate hours and access rules on the official Hill AFB site before you plan a route. Second, plenty of Hill AFB families make this drive on purpose — they treat it as the price of living minutes from world-class skiing.

If a short commute matters more than valley living, compare South Weber and other close-in cities, or browse current listings and sort by what you can actually drive every morning.

Schools, Shopping, and Everyday Services Around Eden

Eden students attend Weber School District schools — typically Valley Elementary in Huntsville, Snowcrest Junior High in Eden, and Weber High School in Pleasant View. Full grocery, medical, and big-box shopping sits 20-30 minutes down canyon.

Ogden Valley schools are small, and for a lot of families that is the draw. Valley Elementary in Huntsville and Snowcrest Junior High in Eden serve the valley directly. High schoolers generally ride down to Weber High School in Pleasant View, which means a bus route through the canyon — worth knowing before you commit if you have teenagers with early practices.

Day-to-day services are limited on purpose. Eden and Huntsville have small markets, a hardware store, restaurants, and gas. For a full grocery run, Costco, urgent care, or the hospital, you are heading to North Ogden or Ogden. Most valley residents keep a bigger pantry and shop once a week instead of running out three times.

• Groceries and big box: North Ogden and Ogden, 20-30 minutes
• Hospital care: McKay-Dee in Ogden
• Recreation at your door: Pineview Reservoir, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and miles of trailheads
• Internet: varies by pocket of the valley — always confirm service at the exact address

That trade is the whole point of Ogden Valley. You give up convenience and gain quiet, dark skies, and immediate access to the mountains. If you want the recreation without the canyon drive, the rest of Weber County gives you more services per mile. Call Donald at (801) 603-5213 if you want a straight comparison of the two lifestyles.

Financing a Home This Size: Jumbo Loans and VA Options

An 11,406 sq ft custom estate almost always means a jumbo loan — expect 10-20% down, six to twelve months of reserves, and full documentation. Veterans with full entitlement have no VA loan limit, but lenders set their own caps.

Once the loan amount passes the conforming limit, you are in jumbo territory, and the rules tighten. Lenders want stronger credit, documented income, and cash reserves after closing. Underwriting also takes longer because a one-of-a-kind Cotswold-style custom home is harder to appraise — there simply are not many comparable sales in Ogden Valley.

For military buyers, the VA program is more flexible than most people assume. Since 2020, veterans with full entitlement have no VA loan limit, though individual lenders still cap what they will fund and may require a down payment above a certain amount. The funding fee is waived for veterans receiving compensation for a service-connected disability. Confirm your own eligibility through VA home loan resources, then get a lender who has actually closed jumbo VA files.

Budget for closing costs on top of your down payment:

• Closing costs: commonly 2-5% of purchase price (Utah has no state real estate transfer tax, which helps)
• Prepaids: first-year insurance premium plus property tax escrow
• Reserves: plan on several months of full payment left in the bank after closing
• Appraisal: expect a longer timeline and a higher fee on a unique estate

PCSing in and trying to line up financing around a report date? The Hill AFB PCS relocation guide walks through the timing, and Donald can connect you with lenders who understand both VA and jumbo.

Which Custom Build Upgrades Actually Pay You Back in Ogden Valley

In Ogden Valley, the upgrades that hold value are the ones tied to snow, views, and storage — snowmelt drives, oversized garages, serious window and insulation packages, and standby power. Cosmetic finishes rarely return what they cost.

Farr Built Homes builds at a level where almost everything is an option. If you are planning your own custom build after touring a home like this one, spend where the mountain climate makes you spend anyway.

• Snowmelt or a heated driveway. On a long uphill approach, this is a quality-of-life upgrade you will use every winter and a real selling point later.
• Oversized and heated garage space. Sleds, skis, trailers, and a truck add up fast. Extra bays are one of the few square-footage adds buyers pay for.
• Window and insulation package. Big glass framing the Ogden Valley views only works if the glazing and envelope keep the heating bill sane. Do not cheap out here.
• Zoned HVAC. An 11,406 sq ft footprint heated as one zone is a monthly mistake.
• Standby generator. Canyon power outages happen. On a home with a well pump, it is closer to essential than luxury.
• A true mudroom or gear room. Wet boots and ski gear need somewhere to live that is not your entry.

What tends not to return: highly specific finish choices, oversized formal spaces, and anything trend-driven. Authentic materials age better than dramatic ones — real stone, timber, and steep, well-detailed rooflines are exactly why English cottage architecture still reads as timeless a century later.

Bring your upgrade list to a walkthrough before you sign a build contract. It is a lot cheaper to cut a line item than to regret it.

What It Actually Costs to Own and Run an 11,406 Sq Ft Estate

Beyond the mortgage, plan for property taxes, higher utilities, insurance, snow removal, landscaping, and well or septic upkeep. Utah's primary residence exemption taxes owner-occupied homes on 55% of value — second homes get taxed on 100%.

The purchase price is the headline. The carrying cost is what people underestimate on a home this size, especially at valley elevation where winter is long.

One line item deserves special attention. Utah gives a primary residence exemption that taxes an owner-occupied home on 55% of its market value. A home used as a second home or vacation property is assessed on the full 100%. On an estate-level property, that difference is substantial — run the numbers both ways before you decide how you will use the home.

• Utilities: heating a large home through an Ogden Valley winter is the biggest swing. Ask any seller for twelve months of actual bills.
• Snow removal: either a contract, or a plow truck and your own Saturday mornings.
• Insurance: replacement cost on a custom build with high-end materials, plus wildfire considerations in mountain areas.
• Well and septic: if the property is on either, budget for testing, pumping, and eventual pump replacement.
• Landscaping and maintenance: acreage and long driveways are their own line item.

None of this should scare you off. It just means your real monthly number is bigger than principal, interest, taxes, and insurance, and you should know that before you write an offer. Donald builds a full cost-of-ownership estimate for clients considering Ogden Valley property — call (801) 603-5213, or start by comparing what similar homes are carrying on the current listing search.

How to Tour Eden Utah Luxury Homes and What to Do Next

Get pre-approved first, set MLS alerts for Ogden Valley, and tour with an agent who knows canyon properties. Many Eden luxury homes sell quietly, so representation and early access matter more than in valley markets.

Here is the practical order of operations for buying up here.

1. Talk to a lender who understands jumbo and rural properties. Well and septic, acreage, and higher price points all change underwriting.
2. Set alerts before you shop. Ogden Valley inventory moves in bursts. You want the notification, not the news.
3. Tour in a range, not at a single price. Homes here vary so widely that seeing the spread teaches you what you are actually paying for.
4. Ask about off-market activity. A meaningful share of high-end valley property changes hands quietly.
5. Bring a local inspector. Mountain builds have failure points a valley inspector may not prioritize.

Weber County publishes parcel, zoning, and permit information through the official Weber County government site, which is worth checking before you write an offer on any acreage property.

Ready to look? Start by browsing current listings across Weber County, then call or text me at (801) 603-5213. I will tell you straight whether Eden fits how you actually live, or whether you would be happier down the canyon.

Donald I. Gomez

Broker · The DIG Team at Elevation RE · Weber & Davis County

Donald helps buyers, sellers, and PCSing military families move across Northern Utah — from Ogden to the Wasatch. A longtime Hill AFB-area local, he tours new builds and resale homes every week on his YouTube channel.

Full bio → YouTube Call (801) 603-5213