A new beginning

This has been the year of water.  On the same day as our spring open house in March at PHO, our personal basement flooded due to a big run off at Consumer Square coupled with our sump pump giving out.  While it was a couple of weeks of hard work and frustration, and at the time felt horrible.  But it proved to be nothing to what came later in the spring for our area.  Lake Champlain rose to over 103 feet- it had never happened before, and the loss and heartache was substantial.

And then, at the end of August, Hurricane Irene came through upstate NY and especially VT with a vengeance.  My cousin's home had 7 feet of water in it.  She lives in Waterbury, VT and nowhere near the Winooski River, but it made it's way to her house.  She is among the lucky that were able to recover (relatively) quickly due to a good FEMA and friend response.  They are back in their home.  We just received a thank you from them, that is a photo of their back yard- the play gym all but under water- and tall sunflowers in the back.  The sunflowers survived, and had the water stains up their stems to prove their resilience.

A week or so later, Hurricane Lee ravaged the Binghamton NY area, and up the center of PA.  As a result the Manorwood Homes facility was lost.  The homes they had built that were ready to ship, homes that were being built, their parts, tools....everything....gone. 

Their response to such adversity has been amazing and they have shown their strength as a company.  They too were lucky, that they have a sister facility in Western PA that has been able to take over their production so their name and way of doing business will survive.  And while I'm sure this hasn't been easy on anyone, they have tried to make the transition as easy as possible for their builder base.

Eric and I needed to see the facility first hand to make sure we were comfortable with everything- our brand and reputations were on the line too.  And we were blown away by the product but mostly the people.  Their level of professionalism and enthusiasm was contagious.  It was a long couple of days there and back with the logistics of managing a business and kids proved difficult, it was worth it.

We are looking forward to this fresh start in a brand new facility.  The thought of every details when designing this facility from the ground up, which was exciting to see.  Here is a YouTube video showing the new facility. They move the module down the line on 'air bearings'. These air bearings enable them to push the sections from one station to another on air bags, similar to a hovercraft. Quite impressive.  http://www.youtube.com/user/toddgriffith7?feature=mhee.

So this year, we have seen the worst of mother nature, and the best in people.  It proves that good can come out of bad, afterall.

Giving Thanks

Sounds corny, I'm sure, but we are blessed.

Thank you to all of our great staff, who have had to do more with less in these economic times.  We are truly grateful that you are part of the team.

Thank you to my great friends and family, who help pick up kids, watch animals, and help around our office when needed.  With Eric and I working together, we often have the same work functions etc to attend, and we couldn't possibly do it without you.  To my dad especially, is my go-to guy to help me with my never ending projects :)

I have a great support system of friends who keep me motivated to exercise when necessary and remind me to enjoy my life and accomplishments.

And we are lucky indeed to have a fun, healthy family to enjoy this crazy, hectic life with.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy, happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.  Wishing you the best for the holidays.

Giving back

Our family has been blessed.

Our kids were born, one on their due date and one before without complication.

They have grown up healthy and happy.

But sometimes a child is born with a disability or develops an illness and in addition to the stress of having a sick child, there are often concerns about how to pay for transportation or hotel rooms near the hospital.

The Foundation of CVPH has a travel fund that helps support the needs of North Country families who have to travel for treatment.  I (Michelle) am on the Board of Directors to help fund this and many other health education and wellness iniatives.

But this weekend, is an event particularly near and dear to my heart.  Tomorrow is our 12th annual Halloween Festival.  This all began in 2000 when a small trick or treat day was planned at Plattsburgh Housing Outlet where kids could come run around and the parents wouldn't have to worry about traffic or tainted candy.

It has evolved into a fundraiser that with any luck will have reached $40,000 in donations for the Ronald McDonald House in VT.  They have told us that about 70-75% of the families that utilize that facility are from our three counties in NYS.

It is a place that you can stay for little or no cost and be near your child in need.  They will feed you and provide shelter and a shoulder.

And for that reason, we will continue all the hard work that goes into the months of planning.  I am forever grateful for the support of our local businesses and civic organizations who help out every year.  Without them, this day would not be possible!

Great Article in North Country Scene

Michelle LaBounty stood outside the Plattsburgh Housing Outlet’s facilities and envisioned a small community, decorated with ghosts and ghouls and able to provide families with a safe place, worry free of traffic, to trick or treat.

“At the same time, the Ronald McDonald House in Burlington said a lot of people use their facility from our side of the lake and they could use a little assistance,” she said. “I thought if I just charged a dollar people could afford it and it could be a fundraiser too.” That birthed a yearly Halloween tradition that this year hopes to exceed $40,000.

“This is our 12th year,” said LaBounty, Marketing Director for Plattsburgh Housing Outlet.

She and her team start work each August to prepare for the Halloween Festival, which this year is being held on Oct. 29, from 1-4 p.m. for children 12 and under. Children 12 and under are encouraged to come in costume to the Plattsburgh Housing Outlet.

The model homes are displayed in a community setting, offering children a controlled environment for trick or treating.

Local businesses and civic organizations sponsor individual homes, staffing them and handing out candy and treats.

The festivities include a magician named Ishkabibble, who will be next door at Della Honda at 2 p.m.

Photo from previous Plattsburgh Housing Outlet’s trick or treating events. Photo provided.

Also on hand at the Halloween Festival are arts and crafts, a raffle and an array of 25-cent games.

“Participants can bob for apples and enjoy cider and munchkins, LaBounty said.

Adirondack Safe Kids Coalition will also support the event and provide Halloween safety advice and car-seat checks.

District 3 plans to display a fire truck and offer tips, while the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department will conduct fingerprinting and ID service.

Plattsburgh Housing Outlet will contribute all proceeds from the Halloween Festival to the Ronald McDonald House in Burlington. The Housing Outlet has raised nearly $40,000 since the festival started.

“My kids are now 12 and 16 and they will help out that day,” LaBounty said. “It is important as a parent to be present in your community and to show kids by example by helping people sometimes less fortunate that yourselves.”

LaBounty is keeping her fingers crossed for good weather and is eager for a day of fun for families and their children.

But she encouraged families to attend no matter what the weather.

“On a bad year we get around 250 kids and on a good year 600 to 700,” LaBounty said. LaBounty described it as two-fold event that is a fun and safe place for people.

“We have been lucky in the North Country, but on Halloween at the end of October, it is dark when kids go trick or treating and sometimes they are in dark clothing walking on the highway where cars drive quickly,” she said. “Statistically, it is a dangerous night, and this eliminates that worry of going around the roads and relieves a lot of pressure for parents.”

Full details are available at
www.plattsburghhousing.com
Parking is available on site as well as Della Honda, which is where car-seat checks occur.

Stephen Bartlett spent 13 years as a journalist but left to pursue a career in direct support for individuals with developmental disabilities, inspired by his son, Samuel, who has 1p36 Deletion Syndrome. He also has a 16-year-old daughter and has lived in Plattsburgh for the past 12 years. Besides spending time with his children and his fiance Erica, Stephen enjoys writing fiction, snowboarding, martial arts, running and playing guitar. Despite leaving journalism as a career, Stephen continues to freelance for the Press-Republican and is passionate about relaying the community’s stories to its readers.

What makes our jobs worthwhile...

Building a home is really only part of it for us.  We love when our clients keep in touch after they move in.  Here are a couple of emails we have received this week.

"We simply love the house.  We have received so many compliments on it."

"Here is why I hate going home" (To Long Island after being at camp on Fern Lake)

A picture is worth a thousand words...

It takes a village

As I was getting organized at my desk this morning, I looked over at the banana bread I brought for breakfast.  And started thinking about how lucky Eric and I are to have our families pitch in when we need help at the office.

You see, Eric and I had a business trip last week, and with two kids still at home, we not only have to worry about the logistics at PHO when we are gone, but also kids and pets.  Eric and I are so lucky that his mom is willing and able to watch the boys when we are gone.  Truthfully, they are probably pretty disappointed coming home.  She made them eggs for breakfast every day before school, to which they replied "mom never does this."  It's true!  They are on their own for weekday breakfasts- cereal, maybe toast, but never eggs!  I do try on Sundays, but...

And we had some bananas left at home, so MaryAnn made us a banana bread.

Equally as awesome, I am lucky to have a handy Dad that whenever I have something that I need help with at work, he is able to help me.  He replaced all the ballasts in our lights with newer more energy efficient ones to save money.  Yesterday, he helped me put together a table.  In a couple of weeks, I will solicit his help getting all the tables and chairs for our Halloween Festival- and the list goes on.

I don't know how we would ever get all that's needed done alone.  So in case it is not expressed enough, thank you from the bottom of our heart!

Your education shouldn't end after you graduate.

It's quiet early in our house tonight, in anticipation of the first day of school for the city schools.

Backpacks are ready, lunch checks written, shower schedule has been discussed... so far, so good.

But it occured to me that there are always reasons your entire life to continue your education.  I have some sort of book going at all times, for a while I was reading books on training for triathlons, I have read numerous books on business and there are lots of great blogs and trade journals to continue to better our craft.  As the kids have grown, I was always reading up on their development.  The more I know, the more I realize there is to know!

And we try to do our part by offering our home building seminars.  For the past eight years, we have offered these workshops at no cost or obligation to the participants.  Our adage is really, an informed customer is a happy customer.  And you are welcome to come time and time again.  (The pizza really is good.) But chances are one session will be at the time you are just thinking about building, another might be right after you have completed a mortgage application, and then next during the construction phase.  There is something new to learn each time!

The next session has just been scheduled for Thursday, October 6th.  If you'd like to join us, we'd be happy to get you all the details.

So continue to learn and grow, and hopefully I get the kids to school on time!

What a difference a day makes

Well it's not every day that we are faced with a hurricane.  Or I guess by the time good ol' Irene made it here, she was a tropical storm.  I'm not sure anyone sent her that memo because she wasn't very kind to us.

Her havoc was felt all across the region, and while we feel lucky no one we knew was injured, her devastation ran deep.  I am watching my cousin's boys this week so that she and her husband can clean up from the mess in Waterbury VT.  They ended up with 5' of water in their basement and 4" of mud across their entire upstairs.  I figured it would be at least one less thing to worry about if we watched the boys.

Stories from Keene Valley to Peru to Beekmantown have all come in from our staff and customers.

And while we joke around at our seminars on how long it will take to get power for new constuction after a storm, no one really thought it would be like this.

The irony in all of this, is another cousin lives in NC right where the hurricane came ashore.  They lost power for about 18 hours only, and not a single shingle on their roof.

So once again, we'll dust ourselves off and start again.  The North Country folks are hearty for sure.  We lost a couple of days in the clean up but will pick back up where we left off.  Like the ice storm before it, some day this will make for a good story.

We wish all of our friends and neighbors well as they clean up...

A story years in the making

This story started way back in the early 1940’s when my wife’s Grandfather purchased a few pieces of property near the Bob Sled Run in Lake Placid, NY.  That being said, I won’t bother with the details – but suffice it to say that my wife and her family enjoyed many summers on the property with her Grandparents.  Back in 1997 when we were married the property on which my wife had spent so many wonderful times with her family came up for sale.  Her Uncle was retiring to Arizona and couldn’t use the property as often as he’d like.  We approached her Uncle Walter and were able to purchase the property.

That’s where our part of the story begins.  Being newlyweds and full of the ‘I can conquer’ anything spirit, we instantly started visiting our ‘property in the Adirondacks’ and developing our grandiose plans for rehabilitating the camp and putting a cabin on the property that we could share with our children and family in the years to come.  Once our first child, Gabrielle, was born, we knew that it would take a little longer to come to realize our dream.  Our second child, John Jr., came shortly thereafter and our lives were enveloped in love and starting new ‘stories’.  Unfortunately this left only a weekend here and there to visit our property to start the memories.  Our busy calendars coupled with the expenses associated with ‘vacationing’ in the Adirondacks made it difficult to visit more often.

All the while we visited home shows, spoke with builders and were continually met with the realization that there was no one out there that would help us meet our vision in the budget that we had.  One day someone at work mentioned that their Uncle had worked with a group in the Plattsburgh area and provided the contact information.  I reached out to this group via email and within what seemed like minutes received a response from Michelle.  Subsequent fact finding led to a conversation, then numerous exchanges of floor plans and more discussions.

Finally, we felt like someone was understanding the dream, our vision and even more so was willing to work with us to leverage patience, compromise and further understood the concept of building memories with one's family.

We drove up to our property to meet Michelle and her team in person to get a lay of the land.  From that meeting we came away with the same ‘can do’ attitude, and an overwhelming feeling that we were on the right track with the right builder.

We had developed a floor plan and were very close to ‘pulling the trigger’ when Michelle called and said ‘I couldn’t sleep at night if I didn’t provide you this new plan’.  Ultimately, it was this new plan  that we went with – with some modifications and what we ended up with was something in between what we wanted and what we could afford.  A plan that saved us substantial money with limited compromises.

Here's what we think is the best part.  Throughout this whole process, mind you it was a matter of 6 months or so, we received the utmost in personal attention, understanding and an overall feeling of 'family'.  Working with Michelle was just a wonderful experience.  We found that we both had children around the same age and started sharing stories of our sons escapades on the baseball field.  Our sons even have the same nicknames...  Too close? - not at all.  Michelle welcomed us, worked hard on our behalf and instilled a feeling of trust that we hadn't received before.  Being over 4 hours away and doing 90% of this by phone you'd think there'd be some level of apprehension - there was none.  We felt like our Sister was building us our dream.

A few days before we were supposed to take delivery of the house and have it set, Michelle called.  She knew that we'd taken time off from work to come up and watch this spectacle; and she also knew of the pending weather event that might shut it down.  She was proactive and called with the bad news that she thought we should delay the set, knowing that we'd be disappointed to some degree.  That said, she was able to move things around so that the delay would be less than a week and our plans were amended and back on.

The day finally came and we were there bright and early only to meet the set crew busy readying everything for the day's events.  within a matter of hours the house was set and they were on to weathering it in.  Our dream was a reality. 

Michelle made a special trip down that day to meet us and share in our joy.  Talk about personal service.

It's been about a year now since that day.  We've been given our dream - a beautiful home in the Adirondacks that we can share with all of our friends and family, creating lasting memories of our own.  In addition, we have gained a great friend and member of our family in Michelle and her family.  Our boys have met in person and shared a few frames at the local bowling alley and have acted like best friends fooling around at the dinner table.  Yes, Michelle and PHO have made our dream a reality and helped to make our house a home.

We cannot tell you how wonderful and experience this has been.  We were able to create our own dream with the help of a wonderfully talented staff and a dedicated builder.  Again, all done electronically, over the phone and through the wonders of the internet; Michelle took the time out of her schedule to answer every question, and make things happen.  She worked with the builder, the town and all other needed parties to make this all smooth and seamless.  We never had a reservation or concern about this endeavor regardless of the distance between us and the site - Michelle and her team took care of it all.

We look forward to many years of enjoyment with our family and to our new friendship with Michelle and her family, and would recommend PHO without reservation to anyone -whether near or far.

Thanks Michelle - you will always have a place at the table in our new home.

The Garizio's, Brookfield, CT

A first

We have been sent cookies, cakes, flowers and thank yous.  We have gotten Dunkin Donut cards and other restaurant certificates thanking us for our work.  But we have never been invited over for dinner...until tonight.

We had a lovely evening at Mary's new home.  She wanted to get settled, and then wanted to get her AC in before having us over, and then it was baseball season so we got very busy at dinner time- but finally the stars aligned today and we enjoyed dinner today.

Mary built a new 2000 sf home for she and her cat.  Some may call her eccentric.  Perhaps she is, but she lives the life she wants and doesn't have a mean bone in her body.  We got to see the many collections she had tonight.  We got to hear the stories behind each wall color she chose, and the talents until tonight I didn't realized she possessed.  She is an accomplished artist- watercolors, oils and sculpting.  She has awards after awards from local county fares rewarding her work.  It was heartwarming to see.

And we spoke of our families, and the chicken she made reminded me so much of a family recipe from my mom's side.  All pretty cool.

And I have to admit, all the colors of carpet and paint, the window locations- all the things that I may have had some doubt over- I was wrong.  It all is perfect and works.  She was right and she has created her perfect safe haven.  Her vision came true.  And we are pleased in some small way to have played a part in its creation.

Pizza and Prizes

It seems like we just has a seminar, but yet here we go again!  We try to have a workshop every couple of months, because our clients come in throughout the year and we never want them to have to wait to long.

The seminars at the very beginning of the year tend to be the best attended- we had 54 in January.  Which for my ego is nice, but this time I think we will end up with 15-20 in attendance, and I actually really like that size as after the session is over we can all spend really good one-on-one time with those who came.

If you are considering coming, please try to make the effort.  It is an educational environment not a high pressure sales setting.  Of course we would like the opportunity to earn your business, but not because you got pressured in, but for the right reasons.

If you are not available for this session, there will be more in July and October!  Come enjoy dinner on us and learn before you leap!

How to stage your current home for a quick and profitable sale!

Once your home has been scrubbed, de-cluttered, and repaired,  staging your home is the last step you take before your home is ready to show. Think of staging as the difference between you getting ready for work on a regular day, and you getting ready on your wedding day.

You are clean and presentable every day, but the day you got married you went above and beyond.

We often describe our model homes as being “staged.” It is how we try to show the homes in their best light with carefully selected furnishing and décor, minus life’s day to day clutter.

Staging can help sell your home quicker and for more money so it is worth the effort.

It is all about evoking an emotional response from potential buyers.

Staging can be done by professional companies, but here are a few tricks of the trade to help you accomplish the same result:



• Use silk or wool throws over a side chair to add dimension

• Display knick-knacks in odd grouping (3,5 etc– that kind of odd– not Use plants, twigs, pinecones etc to bring in natural elements

• Re-luster furniture and cabinets to make them look richer

• Use a large bowl and fill it with fresh fruit for a focal point on your kitchen island

• Add a basket of bath products to the corner of your soaker tub

• Tie new towels with a pretty ribbon

• Use potpourri and fresh cut flowers to make your home smell pretty. Consider baking bread before a showing.

• Arrange some potted flowers or patio tomatoes on your deck and by your front door.

An informed customer is a happy customer

Eight years ago we started our home building seminars.  The first one was held in May at the Holiday Inn, Plattsburgh.   We weren't sure what to expect-whether customers would be interested in taking time out of their busy days to come listen and learn.

But while the content has evolved over the years, and the venue is now Dino's Pizza, one thing has stayed the same- our customers are appreciative of the information we provide.

The first year we did one seminar, the second year we did two, and since then we have done 4-5 every year.  We space them out so that there will always be a new learning opportunity in the not too distant future.  We go over how to finance a home and what a lender is looking for to qualify you for a mortgage, the differences and advantages of manufactured and modular homes, and how long the building process takes. 

One of my favorite points in the evening is the question/ answer portion because it changes each time.  I "bride" the attendees with little prizes for asking a question because people are shy at first, but it always gets going and sometimes gets pretty animated.

And while we offer this service with no cost or obligation, and while its primary intent is to educate our clients on what to expect during the somewhat daunting home buying experience, there has been an interesting unexpected effect from these workshops.  An informed customer is a happy customer.  It has also helped us as the builder when a new client has been to the home building seminar.  They have an idea of what happens next and aren't surprised when we talk about things like appraisals or NYSEG delays.

Our second session of the year is scheduled for tomorrow.  We have a couple "second timers" who are now a little closer to building who wanted to come learn a little more and several new faces- some have been into our see us, and some who saw the advertisement in the paper and tomorrow we will meet for the first time.

So as long as we have continued interest, we will put in the effort to host them!

A special thank you

We received a special acknowledgement of our and our contractors work yesterday.  It warmed my heart.  Our customer, Mary, came in and presented us with a beautiful play-by-play photo album of her home's completion from start to finish.

It was done with love, and she was so proud of her work, which made it even more special.

On a busy day, in a busy week, it was nice to get a thank you.  It reminds me of why we work hard at what we do.

February is American Heart Month

Heart disease has probably already affected you or someone you love.  In fact, it is the #1 killer of women.  Learn more and share your knowledge with those you care about- you could be a lifesaver!

Check out http://www.goredforwomen.org/ and order a GO RED healthy heart kit for up to 5 women you love!

Share heart healthy tips for Valentine's Day!

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Heart-Healthy-Valentines-Day-Tips_UCM_322023_Article.jsp

For every free Valentine you send on the Heart Association's website, Macy's will donate $1 up to $250,000 to  GO RED for women!

Take care of your heart and help protect the hearts of those you love. 

Your family needs you!

Home again, home again...

We just returned from Florida where our buyer’s group met. It is a mandatory annual meeting where the group must have a quorum of its membership to act on items.

It is interesting to see how others in the industry are doing both personally and professionally. It was nice to see some old familiar friendly faces who asked about the boys. They were surprised when they heard that Josh just turned 16. Many of them met him when we first joined the group in 2000, after taking ownership at PHO. A few met him even before that in '97 on a Fleetwood Homes cruise (photo.) He was just two then and we were the only ones who brought our kid. Needless to say, he got a lot of attention from the moms in the group missing their own children. I’ll never forget when he said to me after returning home “Mom, when are we going back to the boat?” Funny kid.

It was nice to see some new faces too, mostly the next generation in a family owned business. There were a couple of young men in their early twenties clearly trying to get out of their father’s shadows and make a name for themselves. And there were other young families that looked like ours when we first started. Amazing how fast this all goes by.

I was surprised by the optimism in the room. This is not a naïve group of people. Many have been building homes for 3 or 4 decades, and they represent all areas of the country. While most thought there were still challenges ahead, they were excited by the traffic at their sales centers and number of commitments to build they have received. We too are feeling excited about the opportunities that this year will bring. With 54 in attendance at the seminar, we felt like most folks have realized they need to take advantage of these low interest rates. And while not everything is necessarily perfect, that’s life. We have often found that when people wait for everything to be just perfect, they never achieve their dream, because perfect rarely comes.

So, it’s back to the cold as I write this on the plane, and I am looking through the new agreements we forged with our building partners, pleased about what was accomplished and excited to pass on our efforts to our customers for a great housing value.

Oh, and there was a celebrity sighting to report- we saw Johnny Damon at Margaritaville enjoying lunch with his wife and kids. Eric says he signed with Tampa. Pretty cool.

What is your inspiration?

Beyond the walls and R-value or our homes, what I find most interesting is the story behind a new home.  Each home is different, and the reason to do so varies as well.

Sometimes, like today, its to celebrate an expanding family.  I had the pleasure of having a great yong couple in today with their new baby daughter.  They have a 2 year old son at home as well.  They have the land and now we are helping to design their new home!

Other times, customers come to see us later.  I had a great phone conversation with a customer today and her husband passed away a couple of years ago.  She is now ready to start a new chapter in her life, and she has someone interested in their current home and business.  The new home will offer her peace of mind as she will have little upkeep in a new home. 

Regardless of the reason, we would be honored to help you.  A home is where you feel most safe.  Thank you for allowing us the privilege to assist you.

Start the new year on the right foot!

Our first home building seminar of the year has been scheduled- and if this year your resolution is to finally build your dream home, then consider yourself invited!

There is no cost or obligation to join us- and even if your plans are for some point in the future, the information will stay with you.  We have built homes for folks who came to seminars two years before!

We hold the workshop at Dino's Pizza so it is a relaxed environment- not high pressure "condo sales!"

You will learn about financing and lending requirements, how to find land and develop your property, how long building takes and more.

The best part is often the question and answer section- if you have a question, chances are the person next to you is thinking the same thing!

So mark your calendar for Thursday, January 20th!  We can't wait  to see you there!  All the details are on the website.