When passers-by would pull off the road to admire the Merrifield Estate, Mario Arena would welcome them inside his 1840s cobblestone home for a tour, complete with bits of history passed on from other visitors, most significantly, that it had been a safe house on the Underground Railroad.
The landscaping was admired by strangers who stopped to see the flora included in the area's garden tour and family who lounged with berry-topped ice cream in the backyard during the summer.
For the past two years, the Arenas have been trying to sell their beloved Scipio Center abode, after moving to Rochester for work. But Friday they will have one last chance to show of their home - this time on national television.
The home is scheduled to be featured 9 a.m. Friday on NBC's Today Show in a segment about bargain priced real estate, said a representative for Barbara Corcoran, the real estate expert who reports the weekly segment. Arena, hopes the national media coverage will attract the perfect owner for the 3.1 acre property that was his pride and joy for 23 years and has proven difficult to sell, even though it is priced at about a third of its value.
“I'm pretty proud of the house and I want someone to buy it,” Arena, 74, said, “someone who will love it.”
After two years of marking down his home value, Arena decided on a new sales approach. Arena's wife, Maria, e-mailed Corcoran about their home after seeing her on the Today show. They were ecstatic to hear just a few days later that their house would be featured Friday, Arena said.
“My heart is flying so high,” he said. “My feet aren't even touching the ground.”
The property is worth between $1.1 million and $1.5 million, said the property's realtor, Todd Post. The current asking price is $429,000.
“The area we live in, economically, you just can't pull those values,” Post said. “The amount of individuals who can afford those homes are very limited.”
Arena said he can not believe he has had so much trouble selling the home he spent years refinishing, updating to historical accuracy and showing off to whomever expressed interest.
“I love it,” he said. “When I left, it was heartbreaking.”
After buying the property in 1986, Arena updated the heating system, insulated the attic and applied fresh wallpaper. At the back of the house, he built a large addition, for a garden room and den. Scouring antique shows for historically appropriate furnishings became weekend routine.
“It has been a labor of love,” he said.
Staff writer Sarah Gantz can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or sarah.gantz@lee.net
For the past two years, the Arenas have been trying to sell their beloved Scipio Center abode, after moving to Rochester for work. But Friday they will have one last chance to show of their home - this time on national television.
The home is scheduled to be featured 9 a.m. Friday on NBC's Today Show in a segment about bargain priced real estate, said a representative for Barbara Corcoran, the real estate expert who reports the weekly segment. Arena, hopes the national media coverage will attract the perfect owner for the 3.1 acre property that was his pride and joy for 23 years and has proven difficult to sell, even though it is priced at about a third of its value.
“I'm pretty proud of the house and I want someone to buy it,” Arena, 74, said, “someone who will love it.”
After two years of marking down his home value, Arena decided on a new sales approach. Arena's wife, Maria, e-mailed Corcoran about their home after seeing her on the Today show. They were ecstatic to hear just a few days later that their house would be featured Friday, Arena said.
“My heart is flying so high,” he said. “My feet aren't even touching the ground.”
The property is worth between $1.1 million and $1.5 million, said the property's realtor, Todd Post. The current asking price is $429,000.
“The area we live in, economically, you just can't pull those values,” Post said. “The amount of individuals who can afford those homes are very limited.”
Arena said he can not believe he has had so much trouble selling the home he spent years refinishing, updating to historical accuracy and showing off to whomever expressed interest.
“I love it,” he said. “When I left, it was heartbreaking.”
After buying the property in 1986, Arena updated the heating system, insulated the attic and applied fresh wallpaper. At the back of the house, he built a large addition, for a garden room and den. Scouring antique shows for historically appropriate furnishings became weekend routine.
“It has been a labor of love,” he said.
Staff writer Sarah Gantz can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or sarah.gantz@lee.net
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Post your comment - click hereThere are 13 comment(s)
Farmer's Gal wrote on Nov 13, 2009 7:43 PM:
There's not a lot anyone can do against the corporate power structure, and lobbyists and everything else that industrial agribusiness has stacked up against the people, but I do what I can in terms of talking about it to anyone who will listen, including politicians, signing petitions, reading and researching and educating myself, and also by being involved in the comprehensive plan for my town -- which requires tricky hat-wearing. I make myself be neutral when I am wearing my comp plan committee hat, yet also put forward the healthy position when I am wearing my hat as a resident of these parts.
My beef is not poverty, but the destruction of the land/air/water and the degradation of the quality of life in an area where you cannot find a single square mile in all of Southern Cayuga where you will not be regularly exposed to toxic fumes from industrial agriculture -- and no one who lives here can do a d@mned thing about it. "
Biggguy wrote on Nov 12, 2009 8:52 PM:
There are so few jobs, if any, that will pay enough to support the payments on a $500K home in Cayuga County, that it cannot be sold for that. "
teacher1 wrote on Nov 12, 2009 6:17 PM:
horseradish wrote on Nov 12, 2009 4:23 PM:
In reality, all of what you people say is just not true. The only negative I see in this area is the negative people such as yourselves.
Many people go to bed and breakfasts out in the middle of nowhere, that is part of the lure. Ever heard of agritourism? It is totally based on this concept. As for people not wanting to live in this area or county, you are very wrong. You think it is bad here? You should try visiting western new york or other areas which are really impoverished. "
Tom wrote on Nov 12, 2009 4:17 PM:
Even if I thought you were a psycho killer using a dead cat as a ploy, I would at least make a call for you.
Some people are just unbelievable. "
Farmer's Gal wrote on Nov 12, 2009 11:47 AM:
It is a lovely house, but the asking price is too much for the location. I don't think anyone could make a go of a B&B off the main roads in the middle of nowhere except manure fields.
There are very few tiny corners anywhere in all of Southern Cayuga County where you can live away from the toxic fumes from the spreading of liquid manure. In the old days (25-30 years ago or more), farmers spread fresh manure, and it has a sweet smell, not too annoying at all, and they didn't have more animals than their land could support and bear. That's all changed and now the countryside is just as polluted as the cities.
We've seen any number of folks try B&Bs out on the main roads (34, 34B and 90) -- and nearly all of them have failed. As nice a house as it is, that's just not going to fly at the corner of Black/Indian Field and Center Roads in Scipio with all the noxious fumes all around. It's wrong -- it's a lovely home and deserves to have a happy family living in it -- but I wouldn't wish the proximity to unhealthy toxins on any young family. "
CVA62 wrote on Nov 12, 2009 11:00 AM:
plasmatronix wrote on Nov 12, 2009 8:57 AM:
AAM wrote on Nov 12, 2009 8:37 AM:
teacher1 wrote on Nov 12, 2009 8:13 AM:
question wrote on Nov 12, 2009 7:22 AM:
Farmer's Gal wrote on Nov 12, 2009 7:09 AM:
Farmer's Gal wrote on Nov 12, 2009 7:08 AM: