A Betsie River Retreat9090 Joyfield RoadBenzonia, Michigan

Owners: David & Susan Aker

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9090 Joyfield Road, Benzonia, MI• Located in beautiful Benzie County, just 7 miles

from Crystal Mountain Ski Resort• 25 acres with approx. 4,000 feet of Betsie River

frontage wrapping around this private, peninsula property– The Betsie River is one of Michigan’s finest

trout, salmon, and steelhead fisheries, and is protected under the Federal Natural Rivers Act

• Property has beautiful woods, trails, and wildlife• Features log home, log carriage house, 40’ x 24’

storage building, woodshed, and screen house with fireplace

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Main House

• Originally built in 1967; completely remodeled between 2000 and 2008 (see below)

• Home is sited 15 feet off the bank of the Betsie River – location impossible to replicate today under Natural Rivers Act

• Approximately 1500 sq. ft.

• Completely re-built in 2000/2001, including wiring, plumbing, roofing, windows, doors, insulation, flooring, 8” half log cedar siding

• Knotty pine walls and ceilings with skylights

• Kitchen & office areas remodeled in 2006

– Maple cabinets, granite counters, stainless steel sink and appliances, cork flooring, under counter lighting

• New carpet 2006

• Lodge room with cultured stone fireplace with wood stove insert, carved custom mantle, two skylights

• Large master suite with en suite bath added in 2001. Large picture windows, vaulted ceiling with skylights, decorative gas stove

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• Two full baths• Forced air furnace and central air

conditioning added in 2008 (fueled by propane)

• Electric baseboard heating throughout as redundant system

• Well-insulated throughout with reinforced trusses – energy efficient for heating and cooling

• Four season porch overlooking Betsie River – all glass with invisible screens

• Covered front entry and porch• Ceiling fans throughout• Satellite television and internet service• Two telephone lines• Kinetico water softening system added in

2007. New pump, hot water heater in 2001• 12,000 watt standby generator added in

2007 – provides full power to main house on all circuits if outage with automatic transfer of power

• Roof heaters / motion lights• Centrally monitored security system

integrated with carriage house; includes 4 camera zone coverage and accessible remotely via computer

Main House, cont’d.

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Main House – 360 degree view

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Carriage House

• Two-story carriage house built in 2004; imposing 30’ x 50’ building with 8” half log cedar siding matches main house.

• Large concrete pad in front• Features motor home garage with 11’

overhead door plus two additional stalls• Custom storage and workbench areas• Carriage house entry includes maple

cabinets, closet storage, sink and laundry/utility room with stacked high-efficiency Maytag washer and dryer

• Kinetico water softening system added in 2008

• Forced air furnace and central air conditioning (fueled by propane)

• 7,000 watt standby generator added in 2007 that provides power to all essential circuits in an outage with automatic transfer of power

• Centrally monitored security system integrated with main house; exterior monitored by camera system

• Separate septic system that uses common drain field with main house

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• Well-insulated throughout with reinforced trusses – energy efficient for heating and cooling

• In living areas, knotty pine walls and ceilings throughout

• Large picture windows out to river in front and woods, wetlands in rear

• Two bedrooms upstairs– Main guest room accommodates

queen-size bed and includes two built-in bunks

– Second bedroom has “Murphy” bed• Galley-style kitchen and bar has custom

cabinetry, granite counters, stainless sink, built-in Sub-Zero wine cooler, convection/ microwave oven, and stainless full-size refrigerator

• One full bath• Recessed ceiling lights throughout• Intercom to main house• Built-in music system with speakers inside

and outside• Satellite TV service and surround sound• Phone and TV jacks• Area suitable for home exercise equipment

Carriage House, cont’d.

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Key Systems

• New septic field in 2001; includes motorhome pump-out– 30 amp service at pump-out area for guest

motorhome parking if desired• New well in 2007

– 25 pounds of artesian pressure– 343’ deep– Good water, good water pressure, treated by

Kinetico water softening system• New hard-packed gravel driveway professionally

done in 2001 to replace former dirt two-track. Gated at main road entrance for this property plus two wonderful neighbors

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Storage Building• One-story “barn” replica, i.e., red with

white trim, black roof with cupola and weathervane

• Four vehicle stalls – 40’ x 24’ footprint

• Built in 2005

• Wood structure – “stick built”

• Two steel double garage doors and one entry door

• Poured concrete floor

• Electrical service inside and outside

– No heat or water service

• Motion detector lights

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Screen House

• 12’ x 12’ “stick built” screen house with stone fireplace in center and custom metal hood / vent system

• Has electricity, indoor and outdoor lighting

– Lights for screen house and trail can be activated at main house

• Intercom to main house

• Metal wind screens custom made to hang on any side of hood if needed

• Custom-built shutters for winter protection stored in nearby small shed during summer months

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Landscaping

• Betsie River wraps around entire property and is a pristine fishery protected by the Federal Natural Rivers Act

• Yard is professionally landscaped with natural stone walks, grass around main house and carriage house, many native plantings

• Split-rail decorative fencing at driveway parking areas and barn

• Walkway lights line the stone walkways between main house and carriage house

• Night accent lighting in trees around main living buildings; fully controlled by timers

• Outdoor motion sensor lights on all building corners

• Two large decorative pole yard lights have electronic eyes for dusk/dawn operation

• Outdoor garden beds designed for woodland setting

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Landscaping, cont’d.• Regulation horseshoe pits in backyard

• Badminton / volleyball grass court between carriage and storage building created in 2009

• ATV / snowmobile trails throughout property

• Viewing sites with benches located in numerous locations along main trails

• Several footpaths are nicely maintained for river access for fishing with entry points at strategic locations

– Treated wood steps down steep hillsides in two locations

• Large metal, 2-person deer / viewing stand strategically located behind carriage house with 360 degree view

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Woodshed / Gardening Shed

• “Stick built” in 2001

• 8’ x 12’ shed to hold firewood and small gardening tools

• Roofing and exterior stain match main house and carriage house

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