On what was one of the coldest days of the fall around Southern Ocean County, with much-needed rain falling quickly, suddenly and then sporadically on a recent Thursday, there seemed to be no respite from the raw, bone-chilling temperature. But just off Route 9 and at the end of a winding driveway sat The Evermore Manor, cozy and warm against the gray sky and darkening clouds.

Nestled against 10 acres of tree-lined private property in West Creek, the 10,000-square-foot estate feels as though…