Country Living Blog Brief

Deborah, and within two to three days the money would be in our account. We would make draws on the account to write checks to our suppliers and contractors. “The hardest thing about building a house and getting the construction loan is you basically have to determine what you want from the start. You have to know what flooring you’re going to install, what cabinets you’re going to plug in, what tile you’re going to use. Before you can get approved for the loan, you have to show GreenStone that you have a plan.” Having GreenStone hold him to a budget gave Austin sound financial direction; he admits it is incredibly easy to fall into the trap of spending extra money on ‘upgrades’ while in the middle of construction. Except for cement work, plumbing, heating and drywalling, Austin and Terry did much of the work themselves. The Maynards are proud they were able to bring the house in under budget, and finish it in one year. It was a year that Austin and Jessica spent living in Dad’s basement with a new baby, but Terry is planning his own future DIY home project on the

➡ Above: Jessica and Austin Maynard and their two children proudly stand on the porch of their new home, with co-builder Terry Maynard.

property, and he knows that his son and daughter-in-law will be his willing build partners. Terry also knows he has a partner at GreenStone; Deborah’s responsiveness helped save Austin nearly $20,000 during his build when hurricane destruction in Florida caused the price of lumber to skyrocket. “It was rewarding to work with Austin and Terry,” Deborah reflects. “First, on their dream hunting ground, and second, helping Austin build a home for his family. The Maynards both worked hard to come in under budget for the home build and their hard work paid off.” It’s been a busy three years for the Maynards, but they are pleased their planning and hard work is making home and hunting possible under the best circumstances for their family. “The rec land is ideal. We are away from everybody and we never get bothered,” says Austin. “My son and I have always hunted together,” Terry adds. “Now we’re able to hunt together on our own property.” ■

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COUNTRY LIVING – OPEN FIELDS BLOG BRIEF

GreenStone publishes regular updates on our Open Fields blog about current events, community engagement, tips for country living homeowners, advice on financing your own outdoor retreat and more. Check out some of the posts you may have missed at www.greenstonefcs.com/openfieldsblog

GreenStone Employees Recall Favorite Hunting Spots in Michigan

Learn more about Colton Vrable, Mark Klett, and Joseph Hickey’s ideal hunting locations and the memories affiliated! ■

Michigan Livestock Expo and the GreenStone Family

Kaylee Kasperski, daughter of a GreenStone financial services officer, earned quite the list of accomplishments at the recent Michigan Livestock Expo. ■

Country Minute: Making Recreational Land Affordable

Camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, ATV-ing! Your GreenStone financial services officer can help you explore all of your financing options for a recreational land loan. ■

Your Flowers have Dried Up... Now What?

When asked what to do with dried up flowers, experts Jeremy Jubenville and Isabel Branstrom were more than happy to provide loads of advice. ■