At $22 million, this private island on Lake Norman is making a splash on North Carolina’s real estate market. According to Jessica Grier and Ben Bowen of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, if sold at that price, it will be one of the most expensive properties ever sold in the state.
The approximately 4.5-acre property, known as Merancas Island, is accessible by boat or private causeway. It has been owned for decades by Casey and Anke Mermans, whose son Ansy Mermans states they purchased the private island in North Carolina for $1.5 million in the 90s. After commissioning architect Harry Schrader to design the construction of an opulent 13,000-square-foot home, Merancas Island now boasts a three-bedroom main house, guesthouse, two private docks, and a tennis court.
Reminiscent of the architectural work of Frank Loyd Wright, the estate has natural woods, intricate stonework, vaulted ceilings, and large windows to enjoy the plentiful natural light. The main house features a dance studio, gym, and indoor pool complete with a waterfall. The primary suite hides a library loft concealed behind a bookcase, and the grounds boast a koi pond and sculpture garden. Andy Mermanses explains his parents collect outdoor sculptures and import them from around the globe to feature in the garden.
Originally based in the Netherlands, Casey and Anke Mermans made their money in a North Carolina-based photography company known as the Photo Corporation of America, and are now retired. After its establishment in the 1960s, the company went public in the 1970s, when the couple left the business. Andy Mermans now heads the family’s charitable foundation, the Merancas Foundation.
In the years since, the private island in North Carolina became a base for the Mermans family, who would gather there during holidays. “The grandkids can run wild,” Andy Mermans explains, “They love taking the Hobie Cat across the lake to the islands or going out on the kayaks, getting away from the adults for the afternoon.”
According to Andy, his parents are selling the property as it’s becoming too much work for them, being in their eighties. They have a new condo under construction in nearby Charlotte.
Known as being home to some of Nascar’s most successful drivers, Lake Norman is close to the Charlotte Motor Speedway and the headquarters of some of the sport’s best-known teams. Despite the market slowing as of late due to Covid, there is a strong demand for move-in-ready homes, according to Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s Ben Bowen. In the past, property prices around Lake Norman have peaked at approximately $7.5 million, which Mr. Bowen suggests is highly unusual, “This [island] is going to test the waters because this is not a price point we see.
