Boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, snow sports, biking – you name it; you can have nature your way all four seasons and have room for friends or enjoy the privacy of your own home and rent the other one out!

We are offering two homes on five acres of stunning Keuka Lake bluff property boasting 180 feet of waterfront. Both owner-built homes afford a magnificent, private lake view of Keuka Lake from a highly desirable bluff perch, situated on the west branch of one of the most uniquely-shaped lakes in the world.

Located on West Bluff Road, the lower house features two bedrooms, one and a half baths, and an open living/dining/kitchen area.  The lower deck provides extra outdoor relaxation and entertainment room for the summer months and a sublime lake view no matter what the season.

The larger home sits at the top of the driveway and boasts three bedrooms with two full baths with an open living and dining area, leading to an oversize front porch and lake view.

Truly private, this property holds the keys to any nature enthusiast’s heart.  It is perfect for cross country skiing, snowshoeing and hiking.  Traffic and road use is minimal as the bluff has no main thoroughfares. Nestled in abundant trees, the property also backs up to Keuka Lake State Park.  A raised deck and a dock with a boat hoist at water’s edge and there is a state-owned boat launch just minutes away at the park.

The Quiet Place To Be...

You interview a real estate agent for your lakefront home and the Realtor says to you ” I am the best Realtor and I can prove it by the amount of homes that I sell the same day they are listed.”  Your first instinct is probably WOW !  And of  course, why not?  If you hire this person, your home will be sold quickly, end of story.

Now take a step back.  The best scenario is one where your home is available to all realtors, and for them to be able to show to their clients.  This ultimately will get you the best price. 

When I see  agents selling homes the same day they are listed, a few things come to mind. 

1. Was the house priced correctly.
2. If an offer comes in as soon as the home is listed,is it really the best price
3. The agent had the property in mind for one of his buyers and talked the seller into listing at the agent’s buyers price

This type of information snowballs and everyone assumes the agent is just the best.  The downside for the neighbors that want and command a more appropriate price, will now have to put off the sale of their home or sell low.

If a listing agent tells the buyer that they can make the deal work, then the agent is not doing their duty by protecting the interest of the seller.  If the agent is not protecting the seller as their license states they should, do you really think they are working for you the buyer.  I am thinking that agent is only working for the best interest of themselves.

Here is an example:

     A home owner is talked into listing their home for $110,000.  Another agent brings a buyer and they offer the seller $107,000.  The listing agent knows of a buyer that wants the home for $105 ,000.  The listing agent now encourages the seller to accept the $106,000 offer because it comes with no contingencies, even though the seller has a higher offer on the table.  Let us look at the listing agents potential commission.

     Listing agent shares the sale with the buyers agent and splits the 6% commission on $107,000 which =$3210.00

     Listing agent brings their own buyer and collects both sides of the commission on $105,000 which =$6300.00

Which offer do you think the agent will be working the hardest on ? Your agent should be working for you and you have the right to find a buyers agent,  this will protect your interest.

The listing agents first priority is to the seller, not to the buyer. Your agent should not tell you what price to offer.  That should raise a flag.  If you are looking to list your property, do not just hire the person that everyone hires for a couple of reasons.  If that agent has so many listings, how will they find the time to market or show your property?  Also, marketing has changed over the last few years and is this agent going to utilize newer methods of marketing, especially since buyers tend to look for homes much differently than they did even 10 years ago.

And the winner is Beaufort, NC after a hair-splitting race.  Congrats to Beaufort…

This contest started out with hundreds of small towns across the US being nominated and it came down to 10 finalist, of which Hammondsport, NY was one of the 10.  Once the ten finalists were identified Hammondsport, NY and Weaverville, Ca immediately started garnering all of the votes.  Both towns were vying for that first place position, then just like in a horse race, Beaufort, NC came out of the back stretch to bypass Weaverville and then the attempt to overtake Hammondsport, and they did even if by only tenths of a percent at a time.  This became a highly publicized and watched race for a good week.

Beaufort, NC    pop, 4309

Hammondsport, NY  pop, 725

Folks were keeping track on Facebook.  we are up , we are down.  Well all of us in the Finger Lakes gave it a valiant attempt given the fact that Hammondsport has 1/6 of the population as Beaufort.

Beaufort may have won with Budget Travel, but it is still number one in my book.  A special thanks to everyone that voted and encouraged ech other in this contest.   We are a world-class number two coolest place.  If you visit Hammondsport, you may find we really are number 1.

I don’t know about you, but I grew up mostly in a typical four square home, with only one bathroom.  Yes, can you imagine only one bathroom in the house and having to go out into the hall first to get to the bathroom ?  And the bathroom was so small, at least in todays standards.  There were six children in our family and we made it work, but then again, we did not have any options.

In many homes now, the master suite is the same size or larger than our entire downstairs of our home.   The kitchens are large enough for an entire restaurant kitchen staff and then there are all of the rooms that never get used , the formal living room and dining room.

One builder in my area Morrell builders, now offers building plans without the formal dining room.  It reduces the cost of the home and most people are happy to be without it.

In Chicago there are developments being designed to be more creative with less space.  After all the more space, the more the cost and the more it cost for utilities.  People are realizing that they are having homes built with rooms they never use.

How about an office with a Murphy bed or day bed for guests?  Do we really need both a formal dining room and a formal living room.  Most families will most likely tell you that they do not use those rooms. And what about those showers that use 10′s of gallons of water.  What happened to conserving water.  When I am tired and stressed, there is nothing better than soaking in a nice bath of warm water.

So the next time you are out looking for the perfect house, think about how efficiently you can use the house.   When purchasing a lake home, think about sq ft a little more, because then you have the additional tax base.  Smart people like to spend their money wisely and I am just throwing in a few suggestions.

As a follow up to my most recent blog,  I googled “edgy” designs and ended up finding this Starbucks building.  It is located near Seattle, Washington and was just recently built.

It makes sense to see Starbucks try out this design style.  They have always been considered a “green” company.  Since shipping containers are made to be easily moved, Starbucks can easily move the location of this store.  The only thing that has me confused, is that they have a drive-up window.  I have never found drive up windows to be very “green” and find it healthier to get out of your car and move around if only for a few minutes . 

I am thinking this could cause havoc for some zoning boards, it could cause major stress, trying to figure out how to classify ….

Let’s see how this shipping container trend moves and if it does…

Container homes have become trendy among artist, architects, folks deciding to go green by recycling old containers, and for quick emergency housing in disaster areas.  Designers utilize the space in very efficient ways incorporating green products such as bamboo flooring, counters from recycled products and even stacking the components to provide relief or exposure to the sun.

Trendy…

There are many different makers of these container homes, with more and more entering the market.  Some home manufactures and designers, are producing homes that look like containers and are made of recycled components.

One of these homes can be found on Seneca Lake.  The owners purchased the land and then set up a home, made of these Wee components. The home now completed, is set up as a vacation rental.  If you want to see what one of these homes are like, you could rent it for the week and enjoy Seneca Lake while there.  The  Wee House 5127 Elm Rd, Dundee NY 14837

If you are not sure what to put on your vacant land and want to be trendy when it comes to vacation homes or lake homes,  just Google “container homes” and visit some of the numerous sites available.

Richard and Victoria MacKenzie-Childs, founders of the MacKenzie-Childs whimsical and creative design group have decided to sell their estate located on the East side of Cayuga Lake.  It is in close proximity to the business they sold, that still draws collectors from all over the world.  Their designs are easily recognizable and their fans are some of the most loyal collectors, waiting and anticipating new designs or pieces.

The property comes with 48 park like acres, complete with a pond, carriage house with quarters, and an art studio.   Perfect for so many home businesses or just a large family compound.  Loyal followers of Victoria and Richard’s style, will just adore this estate.  It is truly a showcase of their work and style.

The asking price for this world-class home is $1,100,000 and for additional funds, one of a kind pieces may be purchased.  The East side of Cayuga Lake has been home  to many affluent names and the setting for many outstanding homes suitable for the most discerning buyers.  Pleasant Rowland, creator of American Girl Dolls, owns a couple of homes in the area, as well as many other notables.

This home is currently listed by Michael DeRosa of Sotheby’s and you may contact me if you have an interest in the property or any others in the Aurora/Ledyard area.

Located on beautiful Seneca Lake, this lakeside vacation rental has been very popular with large groups, be it large families or just lots of friends visiting the area to go on the numerous wine tours that are available. 

This spacious 5 bedroom, 4 and 1/2 bath home easily accommodates large groups of visitors. Located on the West side of Seneca Lake just off State Route 14, it is easily accessible to the numerous wineries, Watkins Glen and a short drive to Corning Glass.  The property sits on a 1 acre lot and has 100 feet of lakefront complete with a dock.

For boat owners, there is a State boat launch located less than 1/4 mile down the road.

This property was carefully built for the handicapped person in mind.  It has a first floor master suite with a master bath built for those in wheelchairs.  The interior of the downstairs has floors that are seamless from one room to the next.  The doorways are all ANSI rated allowing complete mobility on the main floor.

Besides the downstairs master suite, this home offers two more master suites on the second floor as well as an additional sitting area.

The rear deck runs the total length of the home and offers plenty of room for dining, entertaining and just watching the lake with a glass of Finger Lakes wine !  The view is spectacular !  The large yard leading down to the lake lends plenty of room for outdoor games and activities. 

If you look real close, you will see me sitting on the end of the dock, just taking in the beauty of it all !

This home is a culmination of inspirations from a family with a great vision.  They built this home specifically to address  the vacation home  rental market along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail in the Finger Lakes knowing  of the high demand for rental properties. The property has a high rental rate, normally with sold out bookings.  The revenue brought in annually is somewhere around $60,000.

This Seneca Lake property would be available to the right investor.  For more information and additional photos, contact me @ 315-719-8377.

All of the Finger Lakes are beautiful in their own right, but overall Keuka Lake seems to be the more desirable when you look at overall price ranges available.  Prices to live on Keuka Lake, or at least have access, range from $89,000 to a mobile in a lakeside, seasonal  mobile home community, to a lavish over the top 2 bedroom home with marble walls and unbelievable entertaining areas for $2.5 million dollars. 

Current Keuka Lake owners love their properties so much, they drive around with a little sticker on their car windows that deplays “QKA”.  These owmers feel that they aremore than fortunate to have found this hidden gem.

There are three main localities on the lake to choose to be near.  They include; Penn Yan, Hammondsport and Branchport.  In between these areas, you will find various hamlets and points. 

Some of the homes are intentionally seasonal with the owners only visiting during the summer months, others were built to be seasonal and left as is ( far uncommon anymore ) and most are year round homes, even if only used seasonally.

The choices are endless. In fact there are currently over 80 homes available for sale on Keuka Lake. Lot size, proximity to the style, vintage, garages, driveway, septic, sewer, public water, wells, bedrooms, bathrooms, the side of the lake and privacy are just some of the many variables that buyers look for. 

If you are looking for the perfect vacation home on Keuka Lake, Dave and I would be more than happy to assist you in your goal.  There are many beautiful homes to choose from in many different price ranges.  Dave is originally from the area and I have been in th are for 22 years, so we know the lake. 

We even have a property for sale that includes two homes, 5 acres of land and 170 feet of lakefront.  It offers so many options and all for $475,000.  For a more upscale option, we have a gorgeous 4600 square ft home complete with its own lakeside guest cottage 1 acre of land, wine cellar and 180 ft of lakefront on Keuka Lake.  Want to build your own home with a great view, we have that for you also.  And talk about views, we have an old converted barn with the most spectacular views of Keuka Lake located just minutes from Bully Hill and Dr Franks.

So give us a call and we will sit down and find something that fits your desires on Keuka Lake.

Cayuga Lake Cottage

Drive down State Route 89 and you will come across this cozy and quaint little year round cottage.  It has enclosed porch that opens up to a back patio area that is great for grilling or maybe the perfect place for a hot tub.  This one bedroom cottage comes with a bunk house (see next photo) that could be redesigned on the inside to look something like the accompanying photo.  This allows for additional sleeping room for children or guests.  You will also find the two car garage quite handy to park your cars or even store your boats in the off-season.  The yard is more than spacious for summer games, additional parking and even some expansion room from the existing cottage. Since this picture was taken, a brand new roof was installed.

But of course the lake is calling you.  Head down the stairs to your owned portion of lakefront complete with dock and boat hoist or walk down the street to the shared beach front and walk right into beautiful Cayuga Lake.  The fishing is wonderful here on Cayuga Lake anytime of year.  During the cold months unwind inside in front of your gas-fired fireplace with a wonderful glass of locally produced Finger Lakes wine…How divine !

Make an appointment today to see this vacation home listed under $200,000 – affordability on Cayuga Lake !