About the Owners: We're Alfred and Emily Glossbrenner, professional writers who specialize in explaining things. We live and work in a 200-year-old farmhouse that shares our 3.5-acre riverfront property with the Cottage. Our books have sold over one million copies since 1975. One of our favorites is *About the Author*, a 'juicy bits' guide to 125 novelists of all genres, what to read first, what to read next, etc. Most recently, we've created a book/CD package called *How to Make Your Vacation Property Work for You! The Quick & Easy Guide to Advertising, Renting, Managing, and Making Money from your Second Home* (available from Amazon as well as our FullyBookedRentals website). Our books often change or enrich people's lives, and based on reader feedback, this one is no exception. Managing a property remotely isn't difficult, and you really don't have to pay 15 to 50 percent of your rental income in commissions!
How the Cottage Came to Be : When we bought this property 25 years ago, what is now the Cottage was essentially a U.S. Army signal shack that had been transported here as housing for farm workers. The farm had long since been transformed into a housing development. But a few nice book advances from Random House enabled us to transform the shack into what you see here. We hired a Bucks County cabinetmaker and his wife and son to do the work. Much of the wood is hand-planed and pegged, not nailed. The chair rail was cut with custom-made 'knives' created from an authentic 18th-century profile. The chimney was built by a master mason and his son using photos of chimneys in Colonial Willamsburg as a guide. And the crown moulding in the living room was supplied, in a roundabout way, by Donald Trump when one of his casino projects went bankrupt. The Cottage has been featured on the Fine Living Channel's 'Around the World in 80 Homes: Vacation Homes with Distinct Architectural Styles' (Episode FLAWH-211).
To Every Thing, a Season: It's probably part of being true believers, but even in the bleak mid-winter, this is a great place to be. We ourselves are fortunate to have working fireplaces in the living room, dining room, den, and bedroom in our 200-year-old home. We made certain that the cottage had a splendid fireplace in its 'front parlor' as well. So when the snow falls or the rain beats down, it is strangely enjoyable to be safe, snug, and warm--with a crackling fire and with nothing to do but enjoy yourself with a good book, VHS/DVD movie, or your favorite audio CD. Certainly that's how we feel about our home and about our cottage. Every season offers its own delights. And, being surrounded by the symmetry, intrinsic beauty, and visual harmony of 18th-century colors and design is a delight every month of the year.
Golf:
Makefield Highlands Golf Club is a public course just 4 miles from the Cottage. We're not golfers ourselves, but the course gets great reviews from people we know who've played there. Here's how it's described on the club's website: 'Designed with balance in mind, Rick Jacobson has seamlessly blended just the right amount of challenge with playability, allowing guests of all skill levels to have a quality experience. The only true links-style golf course in the Tri-State area, Makefield Highlands will treat you with our unique layout, fescue-lined fairways, and meticulous course conditions. Rolling fairways, strategically placed hazards, and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside combine to create a golf course you will be proud to call your home club. To help you finely tune your game, we also offer a tremendous practice facility. Featuring a driving range with both mat and grass hitting areas, a large putting green, and a separate chipping green with bunkers, there is no need to go anywhere else to sharpen your skills. If you need some help along the way, our Professional Teaching Staff is ready with a variety of lesson programs.' NOTE: For more information, call 215-321-7000 or visit the Makefield Highlands website, which you can find by searching Google for 'makefield highlands' (in quotes).
Learn more about this vacation rental at the owner's website:
