Log and Timber Home Living Annual Buyers Guide 2018

Joseph Dymond, Tunkhannock, PA | (570) 472-2198 Full Service Distributor & Builder, Barna Log Homes of PA jdymond@barnaloghomespa.com | www.barnaloghomespa.com Ross and Mary Mahosky, Williamsport, PA | (800) 929-5647 Full Service Distributor & Builder, Mountainside Log Homes info@jimbarnapa.com | www.jimbarnapa.com Jim and Joy Mulkern, Parker, PA | (724) 789-7733 Log, Timber Frame, Hybrid Home Sales, Design & Build Rustic Elegance Homes | coxloghomes@yahoo.com Jeff Cox, Woodsfield, OH | (740) 934-2187 Full Service Distributor & Builder, Cox Log Homes jcoxloghomes@yahoo.com Mike & Leah Whitener, Foster, KY | (513) 256-4363 Log, Timber Frame, Hybrid Home Sales, Design & Build, JBL & Timber Homes of Nor thern KY | nkylog@gmail.com | www.nkylog.com Donna Goldsberry, Hillsboro, OH | (937) 509-0789 Log, Timber Frame, Hybrid Home Sales, Design & Build Barna Log Homes of Southern Ohio | goldsberry-barna@hotmail.com Jim & Shelly Stephens, Greenup, IL | (217) 273-4169 Log,…

Like it or not, we live in a techbased society. So much so that you’d swear today’s youth were born with computer chips in their brains and the latest smart phones surgically attached to their hands. For better or for worse (and with the push of a “post” button), the world can know anything and everything about you, from your most deeply held beliefs to what you ate for breakfast. Measured thinking, not to mention privacy, seems to be a thing of the past. Perhaps it’s this preoccupation with technology and automation permeating our lives that’s fueling our desire to get in touch with what’s real. To reconnect with nature. To create a haven where privacy still reigns supreme. To live in a log home. There is no other type of housing…

THE COVER OF THE 2018 Log Home Living Annual Buyer’s Guide declares that you’ve found “Your Ultimate Guide” to help you plan, design and build your dream home, and it’s true: For over three decades, people have turned to Log Home Living to help them plan and build their log homes. But just because this issue has the info you need, doesn’t mean there isn’t more. Outside of these pages (whether you’re reading our print or digital editions), we offer additional resources, both live and virtual. For starters, attend one of our Log & Timber Home Shows and/or the Log & Timber University, where you can meet the people who actually design, manufacture and build the most amazing log homes you’ve ever seen and ask them questions about your future log…

Everyone who chooses a log home has a look in mind; a mental image that they long to make real. And, not surprisingly, everyone’s vision is quite different. That’s the beauty of a log home. Though the raw materials for each are essentially the same, the flexibility in terms of style and design is truly limitless. And the companies that produce log homes have responded. Once exclusively whole-hog log, today’s log home routinely mixes full logs with other structural materials, such as timber framing, stone, glass and drywall. The result is a home that’s as modern as it is true to its log home heritage, and its beauty is unsurpassed. Here, we’ll introduce you to the secrets of log home planning, like the characteristics of wood species; how log home manufacturers cut…

1 Stick with Your Passion As you begin planning your log home, never cut those pastimes short. According to John Ricketson with Hearthstone Homes, your interests should dictate 90 percent of your decision. Select a region close to the activities you like, whether it’s skiing, fishing, hunting or hiking. With your hobbies as your compass, seek out conducive pieces of land in the mountains, at the lake or deep in the forest. 2 Check Out Hot Spots When it comes to sought-after property, the Southeast is still topping the charts, according to U.S. Census data. With loads of available and diverse land and proximity to national forests, large lakes world-class fishing and golf courses, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee are still the places to be. These locations, along with the everpopular Catskills in New…

Some log home buyers are in a fiscal position to finance their homes themselves, which is great! But if you’re like most, you’re going to need to borrow money. If you are purchasing a pre-existing log home, the process mirrors every other kind of home loan. But if you’re building from scratch, you’ll likely need two loans. One is the standard mortgage, ranging from 15 to 30 years. The other is a short-term construction loan. The construction loan pays for the materials and labor needed to build your home. These loans are made for periods from six to 18 months and have higher interest rates than mortgage loans because, as far as banks are concerned, they carry more risk. Lenders will want at least a 20 percent deposit on a construction loan…