Posts in Mary St George

The bridge that crosses the Keuka Outlet located on State Route 14A has been closed since September 12th, 2011, and is planned to be rebuilt and reopened in June of 2012 according to New York State Dept of Transportation.
The bridge that crosses the Keuka Outlet located on State Route 14A has been closed since September 12th, 2011, and is planned to be rebuilt and reopened in June of 2012 according to New York State Dept of Transportation.   Traffic has been detoured around the bridge and unfortunately is causing some delays through the downtown Penn Yan area.  On a positive note, traffic is down during this part of the year, being that the summer vacationers are not around.   Weekend drivers  however can still find it troublesome to get over the outlet with increased traffic to the wineries and to the Windmill Farm and Craft Market that is still open. 

  Local residents are getting used to changing their driving habits, and most just want to see the bridge completed.   Even though the other side of the bridge is accessible via the Main St bridge, you are left with a feeling that you just can not get to the other side, at least not in the same amount of time.  Times to avoid when wanting to do business on the other side are during normal commute times ( early morning and 4-5 PM ) and of course the lunch hour. It does get a little rough when large limos (used in transporting wine tasters to the various wineries ) and tractor trailers try to negotiate the tight turning options in the downtown intersections.  I have also noticed that drivers are clogging the intersections, so when the light turns green for you, there is still traffic in the intersection from the previous light.   Lets just hope that the state planners will be replacing  the bridge with a structure that will conform to increasing traffic, as well as the ability to do bridge repairs on only half of the bridge versus taking the entire bridge down next time.  Thankfully the residents of Penn Yan had another bridge to utilize during this rebuilding process.

Bunk room in the loft area of the garage

 

When it comes to creativity, you see it everywhere.  And that extends to folks looking at new ways to house family and guests at their lakefront and get-a-way homes.  One of the decorating and rehab ideas that always intrigues me, are the various bunk houses that I have come across in my real estate career. 

Bunk houses allow the owners to accommodate more guests.  Basically the owners take an unused space such as a boat house, large shed or garage to creat sleeping quarters.  Just like being in college, the most efficient way is through the use of bunks.  These bunk houses do not have to be boring at all, and sometimes they are the most interesting places of the property.

Wasted space turned in to usable and delightful space

Most folks think of the bunk houses as being utilized just for the kids, but take a look – many of these places allow the greatest in creature comforts for a person of any age.  With the addition of half baths and sitting areas, they become the go to places. They do not have to be elaborate, but just another place for a bunk and maybe a futon as in the pictures below.

 Below you will see  one photo that shows the exterior of a simple building originally designed as a shed.  The Keuka Lake owners turned the space into a place where the kids could camp out.  They even included what is now considered an old-fashioned wall phone.  

Keuka Lake Bunk House Exterior

Keuka Lake Bunk House Interior

 

As you can see in the interior shot, this bunk house is very simple but allows for three additional sleeping quarters. It has a phone, a television, of course electric and a small water closet in the rear.  I know my boys would have loved to be able to hang out in a separate place like this and would probably elect the basic style shown or over the more styled rooms in the above photos and the one below. 

So the next time you are out looking at your vacation home and become concerned about the space of the home, be creative – you may actually have more space than you think !  

Bunk room in the loft

I save all types of design ideas for my clients just so they can see, they do have other options.  Call me if you are looking for a creative realtor to work with for your vacation home purchase and design ideas.

 

Why is now a great time to buy your vacation home in the Finger Lakes ?

 

Interest rates are still at record lows for those not purchasing with cash. Many buyers also utilize home equity loans against their primary residence to leverage as cash for their purchases. Rates started to climb upwards this summer and then reverted back into record lows. How long will this trend last? The crystal ball is not saying. I am assuming it can not last forever. Because this is a buyers market, buyers have a huge advantage on price negotiations for their lake front property purchase. With the summer season winding down, sellers are more anxious than ever to turn the keys over. Many sellers pull their listings off the market during the slow winter months. Homes are harder to sell when everything has been winterized, the heat turned off and the decks pulled up onto the lawns. It just seems to lose so much curb appeal during this time period. So take advantage of the sellers situation when you can. There are many projects in the works that could cause an uptick in prices on the Finger Lakes. For example: 1. The City of Canandaigua and some major developers are working on a project that will attract International attention. The process has started already with the removal of old buildings and mobile homes. The ground has been cleared. Artistic renderings have been submitted and financing is being worked out. This will take place at the North end of Canandaigua Lake by Kershaw Park. 2. On Keuka Lake, plans are in the works to construct The Finger Lakes Museum. It is a multi million dollar plan that will house both indoor and outdoor displays showcasing local vegetation and wildlife as well as the cultural aspects that have helped to create this unique and beautiful pocket of diversity.

There are many great things to do in the Finger Lakes.   Our own Mary St. George has published this quick video for your viewing.  Its summer time at Keuka Lake and all the Finger Lakes…don’t miss out!!

Find out more about The Finger Lakes or some of our Featured Properties!!

 

This information brought to you by Dave Reeve, Owner/Broker at Wine Trail Properties.