Property Specifications
50 Ridgebury Rd.: house, 15.13 acres
62 Ridgebury Rd.: building lot, 1.54 acres * (both in Brewster, NY 10509) offered here together both are R-60 zoning * The building lot (address) received a Board of Health approval at the time of subdivision (1988), but that has expired; there is no reason to believe it would not get BOHA again, but you’ll have to reapply. Living space 3690 square feet 5 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms Garage 474 square feet These numbers do not include the 18-inch-thick stone walls! * Town assessments (2021): House on 15+ acres: $752,700 Building lot 1-1/2 acres: $195,300 Taxes past 12 months: $25245.14 total House on 15+ acres: $20117.28 - Town (2022/01): $4548.06 - School (2021/09): $15569.22 Building lot 1-1/2 acres: $5127.86 - Town (2022/01): $1088.18 - School (2021/09): $4039.68 |
Summary of layout
Downstairs:
- master suite with bathroom, study, and attic access
- master bedroom dimensions 16’ x 15’
- study dimensions 16’ x 11’6
- living room (18’6 x 25’) with cathedral ceiling, large stone fireplace, custom built-in bookcases
- duplex bedroom (irregular spaces; 12’4 x 10’4 down, 11’6 x 8’8, plus 6’6 x 7’ dormer up) with en-suite bathroom, built-in bookcases, large closet space, walk-in access to attic
- guest room wing with two bedrooms (16’ x 11’3 and 11’6 x 12’11) and hall bath
- formal dining room (16’ x 14’)
- kitchen (11’6 x 18’9) with two separate sinks, 36-inch gas range, built-in additional electric wall oven and microwave; adjacent breakfast room (12’ x 13’) with french doors and access to deck
- breezeway with two coat closets, cleaning closet, large cast-iron sink, and access to garage
Upstairs:
- above garage: sitting room (‘family room’; 12’ x 18’) with cathedral ceiling, stone fireplace, built-in bookcases, glass wall, french doors to balcony
- above garage, northern end: laundry area (with sink; washer and dryer are functional but 20+ years old), breakfast/sitting area (8’ x 8’), kitchenette (sink, small electric range, under-counter refrigerator and freezer)
- above kitchen/breakfast/breezeway: bedroom (12’ x 12’) with en-suite bathroom
- walk-in access to attic from upstairs guestroom or upper level of duplex bedroom
- above guest wing, kitchen, dining room: attic with walk-in access on 19’ x 63’ footprint
- above master suite: attic with pull-down access on 19’ x 40’ footprint
Underneath:
- stone walls in 1931 structure go to 4 feet under ground
- dug-out basement area for mechanicals under master bedroom; access from outside by Bilco door
- dirt crawlspace from southern end to dining/kitchen/guestrooms, and under breakfast room
- breezeway and garage on concrete slab
Outside, within fence:
- stone patio visible from living room and dining room
- sunken stone-walled circular garden
- deck from breakfast room
- in-ground swimming pool area
- abundant garden/plantings
Downstairs:
- master suite with bathroom, study, and attic access
- master bedroom dimensions 16’ x 15’
- study dimensions 16’ x 11’6
- living room (18’6 x 25’) with cathedral ceiling, large stone fireplace, custom built-in bookcases
- duplex bedroom (irregular spaces; 12’4 x 10’4 down, 11’6 x 8’8, plus 6’6 x 7’ dormer up) with en-suite bathroom, built-in bookcases, large closet space, walk-in access to attic
- guest room wing with two bedrooms (16’ x 11’3 and 11’6 x 12’11) and hall bath
- formal dining room (16’ x 14’)
- kitchen (11’6 x 18’9) with two separate sinks, 36-inch gas range, built-in additional electric wall oven and microwave; adjacent breakfast room (12’ x 13’) with french doors and access to deck
- breezeway with two coat closets, cleaning closet, large cast-iron sink, and access to garage
Upstairs:
- above garage: sitting room (‘family room’; 12’ x 18’) with cathedral ceiling, stone fireplace, built-in bookcases, glass wall, french doors to balcony
- above garage, northern end: laundry area (with sink; washer and dryer are functional but 20+ years old), breakfast/sitting area (8’ x 8’), kitchenette (sink, small electric range, under-counter refrigerator and freezer)
- above kitchen/breakfast/breezeway: bedroom (12’ x 12’) with en-suite bathroom
- walk-in access to attic from upstairs guestroom or upper level of duplex bedroom
- above guest wing, kitchen, dining room: attic with walk-in access on 19’ x 63’ footprint
- above master suite: attic with pull-down access on 19’ x 40’ footprint
Underneath:
- stone walls in 1931 structure go to 4 feet under ground
- dug-out basement area for mechanicals under master bedroom; access from outside by Bilco door
- dirt crawlspace from southern end to dining/kitchen/guestrooms, and under breakfast room
- breezeway and garage on concrete slab
Outside, within fence:
- stone patio visible from living room and dining room
- sunken stone-walled circular garden
- deck from breakfast room
- in-ground swimming pool area
- abundant garden/plantings
Special features.
general: - stone walls; 18 inches thick - cedar clapboard siding - two stone fireplaces - tongue-and-groove cedar paneling, painted white: master bathroom, hall bathroom, kitchen, breakfast room, upstairs family room area, upstairs guest suite - tongue-and-groove knotty pine paneling, 9 inches, in study, living room, guestroom 2, and dining room. - master wing attic: footprint 19’ x 40’. pull-down access - guest/dining wing attic: footprint 19’ x 63’. walk-in - swimming pool: Wagner. Concrete, free-form, 12’ depth counters & cabinets: - limestone countertop: master bathroom - granite countertops: kitchen - custom wood bookshelves: living room, upstairs family room, and duplex bedroom - custom wood cabinetry w/ doors/drawers flush with frame: duplex en-suite & hall bathrooms - custom wood/glass cabinetry w/doors/drawers flush with frame: kitchen & breakfast room floors: - tumbled marble tile in master bathroom - ceramic tiles in other bathrooms, kitchen, breakfast room, laundry room - slate floor in breezeway - solid oak hardwood floors in remainder of the house kitchen features: - two separate sinks - refrigerator, dishwasher - 36-inch gas range - additional electric wall oven and microwave |
mechanicals etc.:
- Water from a well on site, installed 1995. Water filter and softener installed 2022.
- Hot water heater, fed by furnace; installed 2016.
- Heating system: hot water oil heat with cast-iron baseboard radiators
- Current furnace installed 2019.
- 500-gallon above-ground oil tank installed 2010.
- Forced air in upstairs spaces. Air handler replaced 2016.
- Septic tank (1000 gallons) and field past southern end of the house; installed 1973.
- Roof: Certainteed brand ‘Grand Manor’ shingle roof. Rated for 50 years, with lifetime wind warranty. Installed 1995.
utilities (past 12 months*)
- Electric. NYSEG has cost average of $80 per month 2020-21.
- Propane (kitchen). Tank outside; average of $20 per month 2020-21.
- Oil. Price varies, but total 3049 gallons of oil 2020-21.
- * these figures reflect light use of the house.
- Water from a well on site, installed 1995. Water filter and softener installed 2022.
- Hot water heater, fed by furnace; installed 2016.
- Heating system: hot water oil heat with cast-iron baseboard radiators
- Current furnace installed 2019.
- 500-gallon above-ground oil tank installed 2010.
- Forced air in upstairs spaces. Air handler replaced 2016.
- Septic tank (1000 gallons) and field past southern end of the house; installed 1973.
- Roof: Certainteed brand ‘Grand Manor’ shingle roof. Rated for 50 years, with lifetime wind warranty. Installed 1995.
utilities (past 12 months*)
- Electric. NYSEG has cost average of $80 per month 2020-21.
- Propane (kitchen). Tank outside; average of $20 per month 2020-21.
- Oil. Price varies, but total 3049 gallons of oil 2020-21.
- * these figures reflect light use of the house.
Issues to consider: extended remarks.
*
Water softener.
The area is known to have hard water. We have removed the old water softener, and suggest that the new owner gets one installed right away.
*** As of March 2022, we have installed a new water softener. CROSS THIS FROM THE LIST!
*
windows & doors
The older windows and exterior doors should be restored or replaced.
When we first saw the house, we fell in love with the handsome, large metal casement windows. (They were fitted with copper screens, which had oxidized to near black, making them almost disappear.) We knew the metal frames and single-pane glass would be a cause of considerable and costly heat loss during winter months. So, we immediately sought and found a cheap temporary solution: For $1600 and in a single day of work, a father and son team installed plexiglass interior panels for the windows, held in place by plastic strips.
On two occasions, several years apart and connected to other projects, we seriously looked into replacement options. However, we learned the options would be inferior in energy efficiency, and decided to wait for better alternatives.
And here we are, 35 years later — and the plexiglass is still there. Only very recently have viable options become available, in the form of both structural/material improvements and in the choices for glass panes.
Considering that a new owner might want to redesign and/or add to the current structure, we decided not to spend money or time to get this work done — but make an allowance for it in the asking price.
*
pool.
When we last used it several years ago, the beautiful free-form gunite Wagner pool was in good working order. We have seen no indications the situation has changed. Reclaiming the pool should be relatively simple: empty the water out, clean, minor cosmetics, paint, run water back in. This is basically just a more in-depth version of the pool’s annual maintenance. We run the water in, slowly, by hose from the house. The pump of the filter has always been removed ‘off season’ and is currently in the garage.
The pool has seen diminishing use in recent years. We have spent increasingly more time at our beach house, and there have been fewer large family gatherings in Brewster. So, we became ambivalent about whether to keep it as a pool or whether to transform it into a lovely pond.
After not having been opened in several years, it is occupied by turtles and frogs and salamanders (at least). A temporary ramp of stone has been built for them to exit the pool, but they may well have decided to stay put through the winter. We feel it is too close to winter to evict them.
The electric panel (used to switch the pump on/off) was last found to be working order despite its rugged appearance. However, it dates back to the early 1970s, and has braved all the elements since then. While it is in working order, we recommend replacement.
The pool is not heated. A propane tank (now serving only the range in the kitchen) stands nearby. There may be renewable energy options suitable for this situation — but we haven’t researched them.
*
Heating & Air-conditioning.
The house has no air-conditioning. We have felt no need for it, although undoubtedly it would keep the interior more comfortable during the two or three weeks that make up the warmest part of the summer. (However, a dip in the pool during those warmest nights would guarantee a fast and restful sleep.)
While the thick stone walls quite effectively moderate the extreme temperature changes, the air gets dry in winter and more humid during the summer. However, our Steinway pianos have tolerated these fluctuations well, with a humidifier attached to them.
Installing air-conditioning would be a rather straightforward task.
- Upstairs: the duct work is already in place. At this point, the spaces are heated by an air handler that interacts with a hot water line underneath the stairs (accessed from the garage). Just add a HVAC unit.
- Downstairs: there is plenty of room for duct work in the crawlspace. Return ducts have abundant discreet options (closets, bookshelves, etc.) throughout the house.
*
Utilities.
We are currently evaluating the possibilities of running/rerouting electricity, telephone, and cable TV along the driveway. As this develops, we will update accordingly.
Electric.
We recommend a generator, as it would mitigate the worry of power outages. The power line runs through the woods from Dingle Ridge Road; NYSEG is responsible for maintaining the line, but they’d certainly love the conduit idea above.
We considered moving toward renewable energy forms. But, as time passed and the focus shifted more toward Virginia, we have not done the necessary research. We feel that the old large trees around the house deserve their due respect — and so putting solar panels on the roof never entered serious consideration.
Telephone.
A few years back, we quit on the land-line; since then, we have only used mobile phone service at the house. Signal is good enough for mobile hotspots and to use streaming services.
In about 1999, NYSEG informed the telephone company that the phone line could no longer run on their poles through our woods. The solution: run a ‘temporary’ phone line along the driveway, stapled to trees or laid on the forest floor. Predictably, even routine rain sometimes would disrupt service. After we found that mobile service would suffice, we decided to drop the land-line entirely.
Cable TV.
Television never has been central to our lives here. When we moved here in 1986, there was no cable TV to the house. An antenna up top got a handful of channels, and that was enough for us. And here we are, 35 years later; we never bothered to get a cable TV line. Now, turns out it’s unnecessary: with a good mobile-data plan, it’s possible to stream to a tablet over the air, and bypass the TV (and cable) entirely.
*
Water softener.
The area is known to have hard water. We have removed the old water softener, and suggest that the new owner gets one installed right away.
*** As of March 2022, we have installed a new water softener. CROSS THIS FROM THE LIST!
*
windows & doors
The older windows and exterior doors should be restored or replaced.
When we first saw the house, we fell in love with the handsome, large metal casement windows. (They were fitted with copper screens, which had oxidized to near black, making them almost disappear.) We knew the metal frames and single-pane glass would be a cause of considerable and costly heat loss during winter months. So, we immediately sought and found a cheap temporary solution: For $1600 and in a single day of work, a father and son team installed plexiglass interior panels for the windows, held in place by plastic strips.
On two occasions, several years apart and connected to other projects, we seriously looked into replacement options. However, we learned the options would be inferior in energy efficiency, and decided to wait for better alternatives.
And here we are, 35 years later — and the plexiglass is still there. Only very recently have viable options become available, in the form of both structural/material improvements and in the choices for glass panes.
Considering that a new owner might want to redesign and/or add to the current structure, we decided not to spend money or time to get this work done — but make an allowance for it in the asking price.
*
pool.
When we last used it several years ago, the beautiful free-form gunite Wagner pool was in good working order. We have seen no indications the situation has changed. Reclaiming the pool should be relatively simple: empty the water out, clean, minor cosmetics, paint, run water back in. This is basically just a more in-depth version of the pool’s annual maintenance. We run the water in, slowly, by hose from the house. The pump of the filter has always been removed ‘off season’ and is currently in the garage.
The pool has seen diminishing use in recent years. We have spent increasingly more time at our beach house, and there have been fewer large family gatherings in Brewster. So, we became ambivalent about whether to keep it as a pool or whether to transform it into a lovely pond.
After not having been opened in several years, it is occupied by turtles and frogs and salamanders (at least). A temporary ramp of stone has been built for them to exit the pool, but they may well have decided to stay put through the winter. We feel it is too close to winter to evict them.
The electric panel (used to switch the pump on/off) was last found to be working order despite its rugged appearance. However, it dates back to the early 1970s, and has braved all the elements since then. While it is in working order, we recommend replacement.
The pool is not heated. A propane tank (now serving only the range in the kitchen) stands nearby. There may be renewable energy options suitable for this situation — but we haven’t researched them.
*
Heating & Air-conditioning.
The house has no air-conditioning. We have felt no need for it, although undoubtedly it would keep the interior more comfortable during the two or three weeks that make up the warmest part of the summer. (However, a dip in the pool during those warmest nights would guarantee a fast and restful sleep.)
While the thick stone walls quite effectively moderate the extreme temperature changes, the air gets dry in winter and more humid during the summer. However, our Steinway pianos have tolerated these fluctuations well, with a humidifier attached to them.
Installing air-conditioning would be a rather straightforward task.
- Upstairs: the duct work is already in place. At this point, the spaces are heated by an air handler that interacts with a hot water line underneath the stairs (accessed from the garage). Just add a HVAC unit.
- Downstairs: there is plenty of room for duct work in the crawlspace. Return ducts have abundant discreet options (closets, bookshelves, etc.) throughout the house.
*
Utilities.
We are currently evaluating the possibilities of running/rerouting electricity, telephone, and cable TV along the driveway. As this develops, we will update accordingly.
Electric.
We recommend a generator, as it would mitigate the worry of power outages. The power line runs through the woods from Dingle Ridge Road; NYSEG is responsible for maintaining the line, but they’d certainly love the conduit idea above.
We considered moving toward renewable energy forms. But, as time passed and the focus shifted more toward Virginia, we have not done the necessary research. We feel that the old large trees around the house deserve their due respect — and so putting solar panels on the roof never entered serious consideration.
Telephone.
A few years back, we quit on the land-line; since then, we have only used mobile phone service at the house. Signal is good enough for mobile hotspots and to use streaming services.
In about 1999, NYSEG informed the telephone company that the phone line could no longer run on their poles through our woods. The solution: run a ‘temporary’ phone line along the driveway, stapled to trees or laid on the forest floor. Predictably, even routine rain sometimes would disrupt service. After we found that mobile service would suffice, we decided to drop the land-line entirely.
Cable TV.
Television never has been central to our lives here. When we moved here in 1986, there was no cable TV to the house. An antenna up top got a handful of channels, and that was enough for us. And here we are, 35 years later; we never bothered to get a cable TV line. Now, turns out it’s unnecessary: with a good mobile-data plan, it’s possible to stream to a tablet over the air, and bypass the TV (and cable) entirely.
Drive times: - 5 minutes from 684/84 interchange - 10 minutes to Brewster Metro-North RR station, Danbury Fair Mall, Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR, for small aircraft) - 20 minutes to hospitals in Carmel or Danbury - 40 minutes to Waterbury, Newburgh, White Plains, Tarrytown - 70 minutes to Manhattan, airports JFK, LGA; Kingston, New Haven, Hartford |