NNY Living Homes Winter 2014-15

H Omes & NNY L I v Ing

Premier Properties

FALL / WINTER 2014 -15

Volume 2 No. 1

Create warm spaces {p. 10}

buying

Consider all your needs, options when searching

l andscaping

Twin landscapers create unforgettable outdoor havens

design

An architectural designer can help turn house into home

GOOD, BETTER, BEST! Is Now Thousand Islands Realty

Independently owned and operated

WEICHERT, REALTORS ® - Thousand Islands Realty, Bridging the Gap Between Buyers and Sellers.

www.TiHomes4sale.com 306 James Street, Clayton, NY 13624 / 22103 Fabco Road, Watertown, NY 13601

Office: 316-686-5500 - Fax: 315-686-5505

Weichert Realty is your one stop shop for homes and cottages along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Covering the area from Henderson to Morristown and everywhere in between.

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Renovated Island Home & Marineland Pacel

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Bank Owned River View Home

Year Round 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Waterfront Home

$898,000 * Recorded Info: 800-539-0258 Ext: 1538

$249,500 * Recorded Info: 800-539-0258 Ext: 5258

$241,900 * Recorded Info: 800-539-0258 Ext: 1428

Spectacular 4 Bedroom Village Victorian

Charming Stone Home *Guest Cottage * 5 Car Garage

Bartlett Point Beauty River Home with Boathouse

$298,700 * Recorded Info: 800-539-0258 Ext: 1618

$559,000 * Recorded Info: 800-539-0258 Ext: 1738

$699,000 * Recorded Info: 800-539-0258 Ext: 1978

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>> Inside FALL-WINTER ’14 Tara Marzano, Broker (315) 788-7777 www.MarzanoRealEstate.com

Tara@MarzanoRealEstate.com

| DESIGN | @MRELLC ON THE COVER | 10 CREATING A HOME A custom-built hearth is For one architectural designer, the centerpiece of a great COMPLETELY FURNISHED a house isn’t a home without room in a St. Lawrence COTTAGE ON CHAUMONT BAY! few special touches inside.

River dream home. Get the completeapackage when you buy this cottage! |

Beautiful water frontage, renovated living space, 14

BUYER’S MARKET | | it comes LANDSCAPING X 20 garage, |land and to top it all off 7 TIPS FOR ALL BUYERS 12 DOUBLE TROUBLE completely furnished!!

This property is located on Buyers — whether they’re beautiful Chaumont Bay and comes with all the Twin landscapers work to land the water!

Complete with dock and seasonal or first time — from the road tocreate lasting and memorable room to grow, the cottage features open eat-in should consider all options. living spaces for any taste. |

ktichen / dining room with woodstove, full bath, two+ bedroom and lovely living room looking out at the water. Updates include siding, roof, electrical panel, septic, dry wall, insulation...the list goes on.

Boatlift included not shown.

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY LIVING HOMES

MLS# S 312595 • $179,900

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marketplace Adirondack Design ................................... 7

NNY Living Homes ..................................... 6

Bach & Company ...................................... 5

River Audio ............................................... 14

Beardsley Design ....................................... 4

Weichert Realty (formerly

Carthage Federal Savings and Loan ..... 13

Thousand Islands Realty) .......................... 2

Exit More Real Estate ............................. 8, 9

Vintage Doors by YesterYear’s ............... 16

Macar’s ....................................................... 6

Watertown Savings Bank .................... 3, 15

Looking for waterfront property?

We might have just the right place

NNY Living Homes & Premier Properties connects home buyers with more upscale waterfront properties than any other real estate magazine.

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H Omes & NNY L I v Ing

Premier Properties Chairman of the Board John B. Johnson Jr.

Publishers

John B. Johnson Harold B. Johnson II

VP News Operations Timothy J. Farkas

Magazine Editor

Kenneth J. Eysaman

Editorial Assistant / Staff Writer Lorna Oppedisano

Contributing Writers Norah Machia

Photography

Norm Johnston, Justin Sorensen, Jason Hunter, Melanie Kimbler-Lago, Amanda Morrison

Director of Advertising Michael Hanson

Ad Graphics, Design

Brian Mitchell, Heather O’Driscoll, Scott Smith, Todd Soules, Rick Gaskin

Circulation Director

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Mary Sawyer

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MACAR’S 161 Coleman Avenue Watertown • 788-3732

www.macarsinteriors.com

Macar’s kitchen showroom is one of the most up to date showrooms in Northern New York. Come in to Macar’s and explore unique kitchen displays, featuring the finer woods and door styles.

In The Macar’s showroom, you will be able to view an extensive array of cabinetry styles, woods, stains, glazes, hardware and amenity options. In addition, you’ll find a complete line of countertop and backsplash options, as well as plumbing fixtures,and flooring options from well-known and reliable manufacturers.

Here at Macar’s our goal is to work closely with our clients to determine and create a kitchen that is a reflection of their needs. And we pride ourselves on meeting budget and scheduling requirements. Whether it is a minor refacing and counter top, or a complete “to the studs” remodel.

NNY Living Homes & Premier Properties is published three times a year by Northern New York Newspaper Corp., 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601, a Johnson Newspaper Corp. company. © 2013-2014.

All material submitted to NNY Living Homes & Premier Properties becomes property of Northern New York Newspaper Corp., publishers of the Watertown Daily Times, and will not be returned.

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Please recycle this magazine.

buyer’s market

Consider needs, options in search

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our case, not all of the properties that we viewed fit all of our parameters. In the end, it was the one with the best fit that we voted to purchase. n n n

When local Lance Evans governments — county legislatures, town and village boards, school boards, and special taxing districts — start to work on their budgets, one item they consider is the property tax rate.

Since its enactment in 2011, New York has had a tax levy limit that caps property taxes at 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. There are provisions for increases due to one-time needs for large legal settlements and limited pension growth. Municipalities that wish to exceed the tax cap must have a public hearing prior to a vote and a 60 percent majority vote to pass the override. In cases like

school districts, where the public votes on the budget, the budget vote must pass by the same margin to override the cap.

In general, Realtors oppose overriding the cap. Our state is No. 1 in the nation in terms of tax burden on its residents.

According to the Tax Foundation, the median property tax levy in New York is 96 percent higher than anywhere else in the nation. The Foundation’s 2014 edition of the State Business Tax Climate Index ranked New York last. When property taxes on local businesses increase, it does nothing to improve that statistic. In addition, New York’s overwhelming tax burden on homeownership from property taxes, mortgage recording taxes, transfer taxes, etc., totals thousands of dollars and makes homeownership unaffordable and out of reach for many residents. This not only hurts real estate, but also our economy and our citizens. n LANCE M. EVANS is the executive officer of the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors and the St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors. He has lived in Northern New York since 1985. Contact him at levans@nnymls.com.

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ecently, I had the chance to participate in an unusual activity for me — house hunting. Even more unusual, the house is one that neither I, nor any family member, will probably ever live in. How did this come about?

After many years of not having a parsonage, the church I attend decided to buy a house. I served on the committee along with six others including a real estate agent and an appraiser who also attend the church.

We began by considering our options — renting or buying. Looking at the real estate market in the area, we quickly figured out that renting would be the most expensive option. Rents in our area are higher than many monthly mortgage payments.

In addition, there are no guarantees that rent will not increase. While a minister in our denomination serves a church for a short term, the parsonage needs to be a long-term investment.

We quickly concluded that it was in our best interest to purchase a property. Like any buyer, we spoke to our agent and gave him the parameters for the house that we wanted. Unlike many buyers, we were given some guidelines from the hierarchy of the church. These included items such as a bedroom on the first floor (or a room that can be converted into a bedroom on the first floor), a first-floor bathroom, at least two places to park cars, etc. In addition, we decided that we would like the minister within a certain distance of the church with preference to be within the municipality.

We ended up looking at five homes and put in a successful offer on one that satisfied our guidelines. Along with some church hierarchy contingencies for approval, we did make it contingent on a home inspection.

The process of finding the home went very smoothly. When we entered a property, the committee kept the guidelines from our district and our own discussions at the top of our mind. We had them written down and referred to them often in our discussions in the property and afterward.

The conclusion from this reinforces the importance of the buyer thinking about the short- and long-term uses of the property in advance of the search. It would be helpful to rank these as to well so that if a property fits most of the guidelines, but not all, it is not automatically rejected. In

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D ES I G N

Making house a home

Architectural designer works to create ideal spaces

By Norah Machia

L

NNY Living Homes

Leigh Dillenback, owner of House No. 12, an archetectural design firm in Clayton.

NORM JOHNSTON | NNY LIVING HOMES

WHO: Leigh Dillenback SPECIALTY: Architectural design PHONE: (315) 783-6580 ONLINE: housenumber12.com

residential design services.

In the past, she has worked closely with architects, engineers, building owners, home owners and contractors on new construction and renovation projects.

“I can be involved as much as people want me to be” in the design and construction process, she said.

“It’s really up to the customer,” Mrs. Dillenback added.

“

timber ranch house that was taken apart “piece by piece” to save the original structure, she said.

A new home was built on the same site that included a “proper foundation insulation and all the things that modern day houses need,” and then parts of the old house were reassembled around the new structure, she explained.

“It was very important for this couple to save this iconic building that they had been looking at for years from their family’s vacation spot on the neighboring property,” she said. “The barn and guest cabin were not salvageable, but we built new structures that resembled the forms of the previous structures in the same locations, and we made them useful to

We need a place to store our belongings and a proper roof to keep us dry, but we need sunlight in the morning when we drink our coffee and a view of our favorite tree. Those things are all unique to every property and homeowner.

— Leigh Dillenback, owner, House No. 12, Clayton

Her services include project feasibility, construction document review, interior and exterior specifications, coordination of engineers and other consultants, design review for homeowner’s associations or municipalities, assistance with permit applications, and providing construction updates for homeowners.

Her hourly designer rate is $65 plus reimbursable expenses.

“I help people through the building process” which can include assisting with site selection, design work for both exterior and interior features of the home, and acting as a liaison between the customer and contractor during the building process, Mrs. Dillenback said.

Mrs. Dillenback gave an example of a past project that she provided her architectural design services for while working in Colorado. It was a 100-year-old

the new owners.”

Part of her architectural design business also includes selling specialty interior finishes such as reclaimed wood floors, unique tiles and semi-custom cabinetry.

She can work with customers on selection and the ordering process.

House No. 12 carries a Dura Supreme cabinetry line, which offers a broad range of custom cabinets, including frameless (for a modern look), traditional framed and inset cabinetry, which is very popular for the “cottage look,” she said.

Some of the cabinets in the line have “unique distressed paint finishes and a weathered wood that reminds me of driftwood,” Mrs. Dillenback said. n Norah Machia is a freelance writer who lives in Watertown. She is a 20-year veteran journalist and former Watertown Daily Times reporter.

Contact her at norahmachia@gmail.com.

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eigh Dillenback often gets asked about House No. 12, the name she chose for her architectural design business that was opened last July in Clayton.

“The number 12 in numerology is often referred to as having complete harmony,” she said. “In our home, we need our function as well as our emotional well being to be in harmony.”

“We need a place to store our belongings and a proper roof to keep us dry, but we need sunlight in the morning when we drink our coffee and a view of our favorite tree,” she added. “Those things are all unique to every property and homeowner.”

Mrs. Dillenback has a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont and had worked for an architectural firm in Clayton before she and her husband, Christopher Dillenback, moved to Colorado more than 10 years ago.

Although originally from Rochester, she met her husband, a native of Fisher’s Landing, when she spent time at her family’s summer home in the Thousand Islands.

The couple decided to return to the north country from Crested Butte, Colo., after the birth of their son, who is now 2 years old.

“It was important to us that he would learn to love the river,” Mrs. Dillenback said, referring to the St. Lawrence River.

House No. 12 was opened at 238 James St., Clayton, in space just above the Porch and Paddle Cottage Shop. Mrs. Dillenback is not a licensed architect, but rather an architectural designer. Her background in civil engineering allows her to offer an array of commercial and

House No. 12

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LA N D SCAP I N G

NORM JOHNSTON | NNY LIVING HOMES

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Identical twins Eric J., left, and Ryan J. Vanderlan take a break from a job off Deer Run in the town of Watertown last season. The Lewis County twins launched their landscaping firm together while in college. In 2007, they incorporated as N.V. Landscaping.

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Seeing double

Twin brothers continue lifelong bond as landscapers

By Norah Machia

I

NNY Living Homes

dentical twin brothers Eric J. and Ryan J. Vanderlan graduated from the same high school, the same college and started a landscaping business together, complete with two dump trucks and two trailers.

Even more impressive, they’re still talking to each other.

“We’re pretty laid back,” said Eric, the “older” brother born 10 minutes before Ryan. “We even hang out sometimes on the weekends.”

The brothers, who are 27 years old

and live in Lewis County, graduated from Holland Patent Central High School and SUNY Cobleskill. Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in Plant Science with a specialty in Landscape Contracting, and Ryan obtained his degree in Agricultural Business.

They took the information gained from their college classes and combined it with “real-life” training in both landscaping and outdoor masonry work.

They actually started their company, New Vision Landscaping, part-time while still in college. When they became an LLC in 2007, the name was changed to N.V. Landscaping.

In order to finance the equipment and at the same time, continue to pay for their tuition, the brothers took on another job while in college. They both worked night and early morning shifts at a WalMart distribution center warehouse.

“When we first started, I think people wanted to support us because we were two young, motivated and ambitious brothers,” said Eric. “People saw the drive in us.”

Growing the business involved “a lot of trial and error,” but they’ve figured out how to make it work, said Ryan.

While both brothers could have pursued other career opportunities after

LA N D SCAP I N G college, “it’s just not what we wanted to do,” Eric said.

“We wanted to run our own business,” he said.

Eric and Ryan both live in Lowville, although they have separate apartments.

Eric is married to wife, Renee.

Their work includes landscaping and masonry, specializing in “outdoor living spaces” such as patios, kitchens and fireplaces. This type of work has become more popular in recent years, they said.

“A lot of people have told us instead of spending money on travel, they want to put it toward their homes,” said Eric.

The brothers work throughout the north country and also in the Albany and Rochester areas. Some of their jobs have come through connections made with former classmates at Cobleskill, while others have been “word-of-mouth” advertising by customers.

The brothers have continued their education since graduating from college.

They are ICPI (Interlocking Concrete Paver Institution) certified installers, and NCMA (Nation Concrete and Masonry

N.V. Landscaping LLC WHO: Twin brothers Eric J. and Ryan J. Vanderlan, Lowville.

SPECIALTY: Outdoor living spaces.

PHONE: (315) 292-6262 or (518) 332-2118.

ONLINE: nvlandscapingllc.com

Association) certified installers of Segmental Retaining Walls and Steps.

The two organizations set standards for installation, material quality and techniques used for building. The brothers have also become Techo-Bloc Certified Professional contractors as well.

During the busy season, they employ two other people. But one of the brothers is usually at the project at all times, they said. That’s one advantage to being in business together, said Eric.

“We have so much expertise together,” he said. “Because there are two of us, we can always have an owner on site. I can leave for a meeting, and Ryan can stay on site. Or it can be the other way around.”

The brothers are so used to being mis-

taken for each other, that they typically answer for whatever name may be called.

They have gone to meetings and customers aren’t always sure which one is which, but it doesn’t really matter, Ryan said.

They share all the information needed to complete the project, he said.

“We do have people do a lot of double takes” on the job site when they first discover there are two of them, Eric said.

In fact, they were so often mistaken for each other when they were growing up that their mother started dressing Ryan in red clothes and Eric in blue clothes.

“I don’t own anything red in my closet,” Eric joked.

If one brother got in trouble, it wasn’t unusual for the other one to get blamed as well. It was just all part of growing up as identical twins, they said.

“My parents said if he did something, I probably would have done it, too,” Eric joked. n Norah Machia is a freelance writer who lives in Watertown. She is a 20-year veteran journalist and former Watertown Daily Times reporter.

Contact her at norahmachia@gmail.com.

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