News | advice | area guide

Labors of Love! 8 Hand-Built Homes Provide an Escape From the Norm

Ever dream of building your own home? No, we’re not talking about paying others to create a home to your specs—we mean actually putting hammer to nail, and erecting one yourself. Well, we unearthed some folks who did just that, and we’re here to tell you that the art of DIY home construction often results in a downright quirky home.

And when we say quirky, we mean it in the best possible sense of the word. Straying from traditional home-building form and convention invites eclectic, one-of-a-kind results. And we’re in love with offbeat homes and residences with personality, which banish those bland tracts of beige monotony.

As the country celebrates Labor Day and all the hardy craftspeople and laborers among our ranks, we’re paying special tribute to home construction and design. Let’s embrace these hand-built quirks!

3 Tower Dr, Saugerties, NY

Price: $1.2 million
Labor of love: This whimsical wonder is known as the Woodstock Tower House. Located just two hours north of Manhattan, it features enough living space for a year-round or vacation-retreat home, while also being a true work of art. We love the cool curved widow’s walk for a bird’s-eye view and the spacious rotunda ceiling. Artist John Kahn completed this three-bedroom home in 2002, using bluestone, copper, glass, fabric, and other materials.

———

1094 Twisp River Rd, Twisp, WA

Price: $479,900
Labor of love: From the porthole second-story window to the pine flooring, this two-bedroom home—built in 2007—is a handmade treasure, inspired by the surrounding nature and nearby forests. Green thumbs, take note: a low-maintenance native-plant garden is yours, along with fruit and berry trees. The separate log cabin on the property could be transformed into guest housing, home office, or an art studio.

———

3915 Badger Ct Unit 1916, Heber City, UT

Price: $739,900
Labor of love: Forty-five minutes southeast of Salt Lake City, perched above Lake Creek, this luxe log cabin was built into the hillside on a slope, using hand-hewn blond logs. With four bedrooms and five baths, it’s an ideal multi-generational family retreat and an indoor-outdoor delight: The spacious deck and two balconies, plus walls of windows, bring the outdoors in.

———

63 Strong Rd, Ferndale, NY

Price: $89,000
Labor of love: This two-bedroom, one-bath abode is rustic. Featuring a rubber roof and whitewashed exterior, the home is advertised as a potential hunting lodge, and indeed would look more at home in the tropics than in upstate New York. Two possible projects for the next buyer: Add solar (the house is pre-wired for it) and turn the screened-in outdoor porch into extended living space. Built in 2009, this project is just 90 minutes west of Poughkeepsie.

———

43-755 Antone De Luz Rd, Paauilo, HI

Price: $689,000
Labor of love: It’s a nature lover’s paradise! This two-bedroom home surrounded by ohia trees is almost entirely crafted from wood, including the interior walls. Large picture windows in every room offer views of the Big Island’s North Shore, including one window placed right in front of a large soaking tub. We feel the aloha.

———

406 NE 85th St, Seattle, WA

Price: $774,950
Labor of love: While the exterior isn’t remarkable, the interior of this four-bedroom home exudes tons of craftsmanship—in part because it was built by a Swiss craftsman over a century ago. Huge wood beams and hardwood flooring abound throughout the home. A backyard with a pergola and grotto make this hand-built treasure a retreat in the big city.

———

4-2 Hop River Rd, Columbia, CT

Price: $249,900
Labor of love: Gorgeous kitchen cabinetry and two brick floor-to-ceiling fireplaces are prime evidence of the craftsmanship employed when built by the original owner in 1976. This brick beauty on a 1.5-acre lot has only had a single owner, which means the next buyer will reap the rewards of his hard labor.

———

1955 SW 186th Pl, Citra, FL

Price: $350,000
Labor of love: Resembling a modern-day yurt, this two-bedroom home built by an artist/carpenter is set on Orange Lake and has eight sides to its design. The 4-acre property would be a great place to host a retreat or escape for the weekend, particularly because of the home’s open-concept design and a screened-in porch, ideal for nature watching.

The post Labors of Love! 8 Hand-Built Homes Provide an Escape From the Norm appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Source: Real Estate News and Advice – realtor.com » Real Estate News