- Rick and Lisa Cote have run the 1840-era farmhouse at 2964 Pompey Hollow Road in Cazenovia as a successful Airbnb after an extensive renovation. Front entrance. Courtesy of Juli Trush PhotographyCourtesy of Juli Trush Photograp

CAZENOVIA, N.Y. – Spouses Rick and Lisa Cote have rehabbed a number of homes together.

They make a good team, Rick thinks.

“I have the bulk and she has the brains,” he said laughing.

Their work at the 1840-era farmhouse at 2964 Pompey Hollow Road near Cazenovia is proof of their talents.

(The six-and-a-half-acre property is set on two lots and each sits on opposite sides of the border between Madison and Onondaga counties.)

They first saw it online and Lisa knew at once that this was the place for their next project. They envisioned the 2,522 square foot farmhouse as a potential Airbnb.

“We have to look at this,” Rick remembers Lisa telling him. “This will work.”

Couple have updated 1840 Cazenovia farmhouse

After buying the property in 2017, the couple rolled up their sleeves and began a total renovation from top to bottom. Their goal was to bring the house “up to speed,” incorporating modern conveniences and flair with the home’s existing old-fashioned charm.

“This project is Lisa’s vision,” Rick said.

The process took nearly nine months.

The home’s original hardwood floors were refinished, all its interior walls and trim was painted, new windows were installed, and new interior lighting was added.

All three bathrooms were updated and the kitchen’s “tenor was changed,” with Wood Mode cabinets, Cazenovia Cutblock counters, a Shaw Farm sink, and new faucets.

The house has a “great flow,” and its spacious dining room can accommodate big parties.

Rick said that Lisa, who works professionally as an interior designer, made the décor “clean and simple.”

“We did not want it to be overdone,” he said. “We wanted the house to be minimalist.”

The front parlor is an example of this.

They wanted to create an open and friendly atmosphere there, figuring guests would be arriving tired after a long drive. The space provided plenty of room for them to “drop your stuff as soon as you walk in,” rather than feeling the need to carry luggage off to another room.

“We want our guests to think, “This is cool,” and “This is interesting what they did here,” Rick said.

They must have done something right.

The property has been grossing between $40,000 and $50,000 yearly as a rental from May to the end of September, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It is popular for graduation and wedding parties.

Rick has noted that business has increased from New York City since the beginning of the pandemic, guests from the city looking for a peace and quiet.

Lisa and Rick have planted 100 saplings to increase privacy, have installed a fire pit in the backyard, put in French doors and built a covered back porch off the owners’ bedroom, and converted a two-story old carriage house into a seasonal recreation room.

“There are still so many things that can be done there,” he said.

The property is large enough for the construction of a second house, for example.

Rick admits that he is “kind of torn” about selling the farmhouse that he and Lisa have worked so hard on. But he thinks that they are being “stretched a little thin” working their day jobs and running the rental property.

The property is also being sold as a commercial “turnkey” property, fully furnished, for $549,900.

For more information about this property, please contact Realtor Linda Crawford of Hunt Real Estate. Her contact info is below.

Address: 2964 Pompey Hollow Road, Cazenovia, N.Y. 13035

Monthly Mortgage: $2,164 (based on the national average rate of 5.25%, according to Freddie Mac on May 19, for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 20% down payment. Fees and points not included.)

Taxes: $8,611 (Based on assessed value of $237,000)

Kitchen: Like much of the house, Rick and Lisa Cote have updated and renovated the kitchen. He likes what he calls the kitchen’s “neat and interesting setup.” “It is big enough,” he said. The new kitchen features Wood mode cabinets, Cazenovia Cutblock counters, Kohl faucet, a deep Shaw Farm sink, and stainless appliances.

Living areas: The owners wanted a “clean and simple look” to this historic farmhouse and did not want it to be “overdone.” The thick-plank hardwood flooring was refinished, and all interior walls and trim were painted. Sunlight pours in from the new windows. Guests to this Airbnb enter a friendly and spacious front parlor. There is a living room and dining room. A built-in cabinet in the dining room acts as a liquor cabinet. There is a new laundry room.

Bedrooms: There are three bedrooms in the house. The first-floor owners’ bedroom has “a lot of room” and has French doors which lead out onto a covered porch and the back patio. Another room could be made in the insulated attic above it. A door way hidden behind the room’s sheetrock could be opened to create a small sitting room or walk-in closet. There are two more bedrooms on the second floor.

Bathrooms: There are three bathrooms. All have been updated recently. The owners’ bathroom has built-in shelves made from repurposed wood from the property’s barn. The second-floor bathroom has a large walk-in shower.

Outdoors: This over six-acre property is great for parties, family gatherings, and quiet getaways. Cote had many older trees removed and replaced them with 100 saplings to produce more “long-term privacy.” The property is subdivided into two lots, one in Onondaga County and one in Madison County. An original barn, which dates to 1835, and a silo are on one lot and the house, one-car garage, chicken coop, and carriage house are on the other. There is plenty of room for construction of another house. There is a new fire pit. The carriage house is great for parties and has been updated with electricity, fresh paint, and new back wall. There is a new covered porch and patio off the owners’ bedroom. Home has new exterior lighting, windows, updated electrical, oil tank, and water filtration system. The foundation has been repointed and evaluated by Woodford Brothers. The house is completely insulated.

Address: 7650 Highbridge Street, Manlius, N.Y. 13104

Email: Linda.Crawford@huntrealestate.com

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