Log Cabin

Log Home Living in a Winter Wonderland

Whether your dream is to live the Rustic Life,

find a Wooded Retreat for Fishing, Hunting andEscaping

or live in the Lap of Luxury, We can find our Log Home.

 

We have specialized in Log Homes, Post & Beam Homes, Luxury Contemporaries and Rustic Cabins for more than 30 years, serving all of Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey

including the Lehigh Valley, the Poconos, Bucks-Mont and surrounding areas!

 

 

Finding the Perfect Log Home

ALWAYS WORK WITH AN EXPERT!

ANY agent can help you find a home to call your own, but someone who KNOWS log knows log homes can help you to understand the process and choose the right option.  For example, is it better to build your new home, or to buy an existing home?  If you’re building, is it better to choose a builder that uses a softer wood that’s easier to work with or a harder yellow pine for your structure?

When searching for the perfect home, what criteria is most important to you?  Are you looking for a rustic feel, or a more modern design?  Do you know all the potential pitfalls to avoid when buying a log or post-and-beam home?  Wood expands and contracts and needs to be maintained.  Does your agent know how to look for potential red flags in the homes you’re viewing?  Does your agent know the nuances of this type of construction?  And does your agent know how to search all the various sources to find the perfect home?

And if you’re building, there are many options available.  How do you know who to call to get you the best product at a reasonable price?  Our team has helped clients through many different builders and can help you to choose the perfect one!

CENTURY 21 Keim Realtors associates and brokers have been representing buyers and sellers of unique property for more than 30 years.  We’re here to assist you!  

Email us @ c21keim@gmail.com

In the Poconos, call us @ 570-476-1851

In the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia Metro areas, call us @ 610-395-0393

In New Jersey, call us @ 800-648-4421

 

Thinking of Selling your Unique Home?  Choose an Expert!

CENTURY 21 Keim Realtors IMPACT Marketing Program!

With more than 3 decades of experience marketing and selling unique homes, CENTURY 21 Keim Realtors serves all of Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  

Our team offers a broad range of marketing and advertising programs that are specifically designed to reach unique home buyers nationally and internationally.  With years of building a brand and representing both buyers and sellers of log homes and other custom architecture, we have a database of thousands of potential buyers that we can immediately reach with your property.  

Additionally, our exclusive IMPACT Marketing system is the Leading Digital Edge Marketing Platform in the region.  It means your unique home will be on thousands of websites, that you'll receive upgraded premium ads on major websites like Realtor.com and Zillow, that you'll receive a visual tour ad on YouTube.  You will also receive a unique property website dedicated JUST to your property, as well as other digital advertising and marketing.  

Our President, Loren Keim, is the author of the best-selling book “How to Sell Your Home in ANY Market” and has spoken at many national and international real estate conventions about how to effectively market unique properties.  Our marketing systems are the best in the industry!

 

Common Myths

  • Log Homes are Hard to Maintain – with seasonal maintenance good upkeep, your home last just as a conventional home

  • You Need a Special Contractor – any contractor with the skill and care can not only build but repair log homes

  • Log Homes Take Longer to Build – logs make up the interior, exterior, structural and insulation all in one

  • Logs will Rot Easily – yes, wood rots, but again with proper maintenance, your home will last just as a conventional home

  • Banks do not Mortgage Log Homes – it’s all about finding the best people to work with you.  They are out there!

  • Insurance is More Expensive – every home policy meets standard parameters and log homes are no exception

  • Log Homes and Fire Hazards – solid log walls are very heat resistant

  • Log vs Conventional Expense Difference – all homes have the potential to be affordable to highly expensive

  • Insects are Attracted to Log Homes – all homes are built with dry wood that is less attractive to insects

  • Less Energy Efficient – log homes are built in some of the coldest places on earth like Alaska and Canada

What Type of Home is Perfect for You?

 

JUST A FEW LOG HOME OPTIONS TO GET YOU STARTED

 

HANDCRAFTED Log Homes look and feel organic.  The logs are carved and stacked on top of each other to create exterior walls. Logs may be rounded or rectangular profiles with flat interior/exterior faces.

  

 

MILLED Log Homes are cut to all look uniform and exact in size.  The profiles can range from fully rounded to squared.  Milled log homes sometimes have an added insulated exterior wall for energy efficiency.

 

TIMBER or POST-AND-BEAM Homes showcase the beauty of the wood on the interior of the cabin and typically use wood joinery interlocked with wood pegs.  Post-and-Beam may use metal plates to join wood together.  This type of home allows for wide-open interior spaces, Cathedral Ceilings and and rustic beauty inside and out.

  

 

STICK Homes are framed as conventional stud homes. The benefit of a stick home is that it can be built in any style, from cabin to farmhouse, to name just a few. Stick homes tend to fit in the standard policies and building plans of Lenders, Contractors and Insurance Companies.

 

LOG Sided Homes are designed for those who would like the “look” of a cabin with the structure of a traditional home.  The Log Siding can be on just the exterior walls, or both the interior and exterior.

 

 

 

Wondering How You Will Maintain Your New Purchase?

 

IT IS BEST TO DEVELOP A SEASONAL SCHEDULE

https://loghome.com/articles/article/Your-Log-Home-Maintenance-Checklist-for-Each-Season

 

CLEANING inspect the logs for any dark patches that may indicate mold/mildew from water sitting.  A combination of bleach/water and a soft scrub brush will handle these spots.

MOISTURE CONTROL AND WATER DAMAGE seal cracks (normal from settling) with Log Caulk to prevent moisture and insect problems. For larger cracks a round foam strip called backer rod should be used.  This allows for normal expansion without losing the seal. Around windows and doors, using an insulating foam sealant works well.  A foam gun provides easy application and good coverage.

STAINING is important not only for esthetics but to keep up property log condition.  To test if your stin is still doing its job, spray a bit of water on the logs.  If the water beads up and runs down then no need to reapply stain. Staining for your log cabin is like putting sun block on your skin!

CONTROLLING WATER AND RAINFLOW by installing gutters and cleaning them often.  Special gutter cleaning tools are on the market.  Backsplash from gutters may darken the wood and cause damage. Always keep downspouts emptying far away from the side of the home and consider all roofing options to optimize water flow.

PEST CONTROL is essential to any home maintenance but particularly to log homes.  There are various professional pest control companies trained to spot and treat your home.  Taking charge and inspecting your home for small holes, mud tunnels, noises in the walls, droppings around the logs or ant like insects with wings is necessary to be proactive with any potential infestations.

 

Confused about Homeowners Insurance for your Log Cabin?

 

A STARTING GUIDE TO HOW YOUR INSURANCE WILL BE CALCULATED

 

DISTANCE FROM FIRE DEPT / FIRE HYDRANT A Log Home insurance policy will certainly be affected by the distance from the Fire Department just as a conventional home would be. The closer to the Fire Rescue source, the less the premium will be. Log homes tend to smoulder, which in turn may give lead to a longer response time.

ROOFING MATERIAL in a log home plays a part in premiums.  A Wood Shingle will cause the policy to increase, whereas a metal roof will do the opposite.

LOG THICKNESS may be taken into account if they are thicker than 8 inches in diameter.  Depending on the insurance company, some do offer a discount.

TYPE OF HOME plays a part in what level fire hazard your home may be categorized.  Large logs are usually fire resistant but handcrafted raw lumber is more expensive to replace.  The logs used in Stick and Frame homes are cheaper but often post a higher fire hazard.

VALUE AND AREA is standard.  The higher the value is determined, the higher the premium will be.

Vintage Log Homes, Lodges, Cottages, Hotels, Churches and Log Structures in History!