Mid-Century Lucas and a Farmhouse Renovation
Back in 2004 this Goldman Sachs guy and his wife and daughter hired us to remodel his 30 acre farmhouse up in Hankins NY. By the time we were done, he had another daughter in the family and I think there might even had been another on the way.
Let's just say we've improved our game since then.
Nice wine cellar down in the original basement.
I'm such a self-critic, which I guess all good business owners are - that I'm always so insecure about our early homes - but every time I have the opportunity to up close and personal with them, I'm always amazed at how they are holding up.
It's a big holiday weekend and we are meeting Gary and Nikki at Barn III to go over some major design directions. Then the calendar is free, free, free. Might go up to the porch of the Blog Cabin house to watch the Bethel Woods fireworks tonight. The backporch has an amazing vantage of the music grounds.
And our refurbished offices - on the right you can see all our siding samples we used up. And my friend Zach's Harley.
Then the frog....
....the Prince, doing the down low on my new Eames Lounger.
Amazing spring and summer weather so far. 4 house deals in the oven, 7 sales so far this year. At this pace, we will outdo last year, which outdid the year before, which outdid the year before, etc...
I got one word for those thinking about buying one of our homes - 4.5% interest rates.
Barn 2 Guy Playing Music at Baker's Tap Room
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Richard, the owner of Barn 2 has just announced he is playing some music at Baker's Tap Room on July the 3rd, so if you haven't been to the Tap Room and like live music, this just might be the way to spend a few hours. The food is great. And the music too.
I think the River Mart has live music on occasion as well, upstairs with the antiques.
A Monday
The 4th TV show is filming this week - DIY's Kitchen Impossible. We've hosted so far "Bathastic!", "Indoors Out", "House Crashers" and this weeek is the kitchen show. One more to go - the front yard and then we wrap up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Lot's of camera's, lots of junk food that sustains the production company, and lots of logistical hurdles.
I mean, each show has an entirely different cast and crew so there is little continuity and efficiencies to be had - each one was like a job onto it's self.
Also, the DIY's Blog Cabin 2010 is sort of the umbrella show, which each of these sub-shows popping in for a quick visit. Blog Cabin will run as a series in the fall, and each of the individual rooms will run as new episodes and then as reruns. So it's a ton of press and tv time for the area for sure - how we fair on tube time, we will have to wait and see.
Below is the 20 acre piece of land that Marcus and family purchased, then shopped their homebuilding dream around extensively, found us, vetted us, and choose us. It'll be a great job, on a spectacular piece of land.
And then my house in the early morning after a night of loud thunderstorms.
It's been a whale of a social summer and this weekend we had the Eastburn's from New Hope PA in town. They have 6 yr old twins. That's a pear tree we planted for Lucas off to the left, and then our 'starter garden' further to the left.
Inside of our home.
Cottage 29 is rocking the house - 8 acres, 970 sq ft. Open, lofty. the only small house we currently have available.
Barn III taking shape, and like I mentioned, was signed up for last week by Gary and Nikki. Big first site meeting this weekend.
Here's a house we remodeled back in 2007. It was a small house before small houses were cool, had lake rights and views. It was an eye-opener, that yes, small houses are people too.
Back then, no matter what type of budget you had (large or small), if you wanted a small well designed private home, - you wouldn't find anything, nothing, noonka, zippo. Now everyone has hopped on the small is cool jag, even the big boys like Toll Bros, Hovanian, KB Homes, etc...
My Sister then came up on Saturday and stayed through Sunday, hitting Diane's diner and the Callicoon farmers market.
And Lisa acting out in our front yard.
Had a great dinner with our neighbors in Cottage 23, David and Pedro, on Monday night. They are both into music and design, and their home is just pretty fabulous. 1300 sq ft of perfection.
Barn III - Going into Contract
Well, I was going to write a blog about how we have developed this great new Barn House, the 3rd in our series, and how it was for sale and some lucky devil was going to get to own it, and enjoy it.
And then Gary and Nikki visited and signed up for it.
So, that's 7 home sales this year, and we got 3 in the oven (under contract), and another house or two to build for families on their land (as opposed to ours).
Bill Payne from McKean Real Estate in Barryville and I were out looking for more land this morning since it seems like the stuff I got is flying off the shelf. Bill brokered for the land this Barn is on, as well as 6 other lots over the last 6 months - we brokered the house deal ourselves. Thanks for the help Bill. Thanks for the help McKean Real Estate in Barryville. They keep helping me find great land, and I keep building terrific little houses.
I mean, our house process is down to a science at this point, - pick a style, pick a piece of land, pick a house that is already started, make some important but well-guided decisions, move-in in 5 months from 1st visit, get a warranty that covers everything, and live happily ever after.
No wonder were selling our homes like hotcakes - we make it soooooo easy.
