House of the Week: After years of dreaming, couple designed their own ‘oasis of tranquility’ on DeRuyter Lake - syracuse.com

- Living on DeRuyter Lake at their custom-built home at 620 West Cottage Lane has "truly been a dream come true" for Steve and Ellen Finch. Their grandson, now much older, does a back flip into the water. Courtesy of Steve and Ellen FinchCourtesy of Steve and Ellen Finch

DERUYTER, N.Y. – An old aqua-colored fiberglass boat changed everything for Steve and Ellen Finch.

The two DeRuyter natives purchased their first boat in 1982 and spent the next few years hauling it behind their old Bonneville after work and on weekends.

DeRuyter Lake was their favorite, the water rekindled nostalgic feelings in Ellen who grew up nearby and often went with her father to swim.

“During those years,” Ellen remembered, “we often imagined how it would feel to dock our boat and have a barbecue at our own camp.”

The dream came true in 1990 when they purchased the 0.41-acre lot at 620 West Cottage Lane which has about 34 feet of lake frontage.

The property had a 1964-era mobile home on the property with an attached 40-foot-by-40-foot garage.

“The garage proved to be the perfect place for planning and hosting large gatherings for the holidays, graduations, wedding showers, and family picnics even when the weather did not cooperate,” they said.

The mobile home was less than perfect.

“It was a little damp,” Ellen remembered. “But we made so many happy memories there.”

In 1996, they began making plans to build their own home.

In what would become a pattern that continues to this day, the couple did much of the planning and work themselves.

(They reached out for this “House of the Week” feature and are selling their home personally.)

Steve and Ellen purchased architectural software to custom design the home they wanted using the space they had and acted as their own general contractors when construction begin in 1997.

A builder and professional plumbers and electricians did much the “major work” but they did a lot on their own and added most of the finishing touches.

“We would stop at the home building supply stores after work and select enough materials to keep us busy over the weekends and on our vacations,” they said. “We enjoyed every step of the construction.”

Steve remembered cutting the trim himself and then Ellen would stain it. They chose the colors, the light fixtures, the ceiling fans, and nearly everything else.

“We did what made us happy,” Ellen said.

When they were finished in 1998, they stepped out of the back door of their trailer and through the sliding glass doors of their new dining room.

After the mobile home was hauled away in a dumpster, they had their front porch built.

It was there that they sit watching the lake, eagles, and view “the rainbows that always looked like they ended in the lake in front of their house.

- Living on DeRuyter Lake at their custom-built home at 620 West Cottage Lane has "truly been a dream come true" for Steve and Ellen Finch. Their grandchildren are much older now but loved splashing and swimming in the water. Courtesy of Steve and Ellen FinchCourtesy of Steve and Ellen Finch

“We were so content that we never felt the need to search for the pot of gold,” they said.

They chose a “cape-style” house with three bedrooms and two full bathrooms.

Each of the living areas on the first floor face the water and the floor plan was designed to “maximize comfort” at their “oasis of tranquility.” Pocket doors were used throughout to not waste space.

Ellen loves to cook, and she enjoys her open kitchen has Corian counters and natural wood cabinets and island. It opens into a spacious dining area with glass sliders out onto the front porch and big living room with a wide front picture window.

The primary bedroom is on the first floor. It has access to a private office and has abundant closet space. The primary bathroom has a glass shower and jacuzzi-style tub.

The first floor has a convenient laundry room, mudroom, and access to the heated three-car garage, where they store snowmobiles. There is additional storage space on the second level of the garage.

There are two big bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor.

In 2014, they purchased an additional 0.96 acres and spent three years clearing it of brush and thorn trees. They hauled it all away, of course, themselves in a pick-up truck.

They snowmobile quite a bit and the lawn is great for games.

Five years later, they had a 30-foot-by-40-foot pole barn with a concrete floor built. It is great for their boats, tractors, and Ellen’s gardening tools.

She grows rhubarb and her tomatoes are so popular in the neighborhood that she has been asked to continue growing and shipping them after they move.

Their dreams of hosting outdoor gatherings came true at their own lakeside home came true.

Their children and grandchildren have fished, swam, and boated on the lake.

They have taught family how to water ski, laughed as their grandchildren dove off their boat, and watched their excitement after they caught their first fish.

The 26-year-old home has been meticulously cared for by its beloved owners, who practice what they call “preventative maintenance.”

The house and its owners have gained a certain reputation in their neighborhood.

“You two do everything 110%” and “you set the bar pretty high” are some of the compliments they have received.

Their two children and five grandchildren have relocated to Georgia, and they are planning to join them.

“We are ready to hand over the keys to this little piece of paradise to the next family looking to make their dream come true,” they said.

An open house is scheduled for Sunday, July 7, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Steve and Ellen Finch will be selling their home themselves. Their contact information is below if you are interested in learning more about it.

THE DETAILS

Address: 620 West Cottage Lane, DeRuyter, N.Y. 13052

Price: $599,400

Size: 1,626 square feet

Acreage: 1.37 acres

Monthly Mortgage: $3,145 (based on the national average rate of 6.86%, according to Freddie Mac on June 27, for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 20% down payment. Fees and points not included.)

Taxes: $7,194 (Based on assessed value of $326,996)

Built: 1998

School District: DeRuyter

Kitchen: Ellen Finch loves working in her open kitchen, especially making her spaghetti and meatballs. The kitchen features natural wood cabinetry, an island, and Corian counters. The front-facing window looks towards DeRuyter Lake. For parties, the counters and dining room are great for buffets.

Living areas: Designed by Steve and Ellen Finch in 1998, this cape-style house has 1,626 square feet of living space. It was designed to maximize comfort, utility, and views of the lake. Space is not wasted, and pocket doors were installed throughout. Guests arrive at a front door. There is a convenient laundry room, mudroom, and access to the three-car garage. The dining room can accommodate a large table and can seat eight people comfortably. Glass sliders open out onto the beautiful front porch, where you can watch the lake, birds, and eagles. Storms roll through and Steve watches, staying dry beneath the roof. The living room has a wide picture window. The home has been meticulously cared for and looks nearly brand new. The home has dual boiler system that provides heat and hot water, water softener, and an engineered designed septic system.

Bedrooms: There are three bedrooms in the house. The primary is on the first floor. It is spacious with abundant closet space. The bedroom has access to a private home office. There are two big bedrooms on the second floor, both having front facing dormers and side windows for ample light. One of the bedrooms can comfortably sleep four to six people. When their entire family is in town, the second floor can sleep ten people.

Bathrooms: There are two full bathrooms in the home, one on each floor. The primary bathroom on the first floor has a glass shower and a jacuzzi-style tub. The second-floor bathroom has a one-piece shower unit.

Outdoors: For 26 years, the family has enjoyed swimming, tubing, boating, and fishing at this lakeside house. The property features about 34 feet of water frontage and a 1.37 acres lot. Bald eagles fly overhead, and the surrounding country is beautiful through all four seasons. Ellen gardens and grows rhubarb and tomatoes. The 1,600-foot attached garage can hold three cars, boats, and snowmobiles. Steve keeps a workshop out there. It is heated. There is an addition 500 square feet of space on the second-floor attic which they use for Christmas decorations, lawn furniture, skis, and more. In 2019, they added a 30-foot-by-40-foot pole barn with a concrete floor, where they store boats, a pontoon boat, tractors, and Ellen’s gardening tools.

Sellers: Steve and Ellen Finch

Phone: (315) 400-2466

Email: [email protected]

More homes

House of the Week: After rebuilding this Syracuse mansion, seller said it was a ‘real treat’ living in one of its condos

House of the Week: Sellers changed their ‘spartan’ and ‘sterile’ Oneida home into their own ’slice of paradise’

House of the Week: ‘Months and months’ of planning went into the design of this unique Fulton ranch

House of the Week: Seller promises that ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’ at her Navarino farm

See our real estate transactions database

If you know of a beautiful or interesting house currently up for sale, please consider sending a nomination for it to be featured as a future House of the Week. Send an email with the listing to [email protected].

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.