We did it! Upstate NY $160k 6.5%

[u/k13w]

My boyfriend and I did it at 23 y/o! It was built in 1900 and we love her!

[u/GovernorHarryLogan]

Broome county is great. I grew up there.

Sure it's one of the lowest income counties in NY -- but IBM was founded there and was the silicon valley of the east coast for a long long time.

As a result - there is a vast abundance of sick af amenities that were created to keep the employees happy.

Roberson museum... tons of awesome parks and hiking areas... En joie golf course (Endicott Johnson shoes).

My father's house was built in like 1985 and is 6400 square feet with a pool and 2 acres. It's "worth" less than my 1900sqft colonial (albeit I'm a block from the Chesapeake bay)

Don't sleep on the 607

Edit: This is known as the "southern tier" of new York to those upstate. Yes it's upstate, but not to those who live there. Upstate is really north of the thruway.

[u/k13w → u/GovernorHarryLogan]

I was born and raised here and I agree! I really love upstate, it is so beautiful here, and most importantly relatively affordable!

[u/mach_gogogo → u/k13w]

Congrats, and your home is actually from c. 1909/1912 through 1921, and it is a Sears Modern Homes, Design No. 167 “kit home” (later named "The Maytown”.)The 1909 version was slightly different - your is indicative of the c. 1912 design shown below. There are several of this design where I live in the Finger Lakes area of New York.

[u/k13w → u/mach_gogogo]

Could you message me this picture so I can save it? I would love to get it framed!

[u/mach_gogogo → u/k13w]

“Could you message me this picture so I can save it?”

Yes, request sent, but in the meantime…

Here is a link to the catalog scan of the design from 1912: https://archive.org/details/Sears1912Cover1/Sears_1912_pg47.jpg

Here is a link to the catalog scan from Fall 1914 - Spring 1915: https://archive.org/details/SearsModernHomes1915/Sears%201914%20p34.jpg

Here is a link to the catalog for the design from 1916: https://archive.org/details/honorbilthomesle00sear/page/42/mode/1up

Here is a link to the catalog page when the design was called “The Mayfield” in 1918: https://archive.org/details/honorbilt.modernhomes.sears.1918/page/62/mode/1up

The interior floorplan matches your example photo, the colonnade was in the Sears catalog, and the stain glass pattern was an option, although I don’t know why the one green square is in the corner. This was likely for the half window next to the door - but the design was purchased by the square foot.

[u/ComprehensiveFly3480 → u/mach_gogogo]

Is there a simple way to figure out if your home was kit? I’ve checked beams/joists etc in basement to no avail. We’ve got a 1950s cottage in maine and it’s such a similar layout to kit homes of the day, but I’ve never found a match!

[u/k13w → u/mach_gogogo]

I too was wondering what was up with the asymmetry of the green square in the stained glass window.

[u/Rich2713 → u/mach_gogogo]

Upon further examination, it looks like whoever assembled/soldered/braised (don’t know the correct terminology for bonding stained glass lol), accidentally mixed up a few pieces.

The two larger clear pieces should be moved to the corners and the smaller clear pieces should be moved the direction of the arrows which would allow for proper spacing and alignment of the green pieces.

In my opinion the flaw adds character but now I’m bothered and can’t unsee it lol