Buying a turn-key house on the current market is no easy task; neither is building one. Homestedt Houses aims to provide a premium home design and build service in the Catskills that is streamlined, trustworthy, and beautiful.

In her current home of Livingston Manor, founder of Homestedt Houses Anna Åberg has spent the last 10 years renovating properties no one else dared take on: North Branch Cider Mill, Livingston Manor Fly Fishing Club and Seminary Hill Boarding House to name a few. All were large undertakings, where Anna and her team – including her husband, Tom Roberts – rescued these historic buildings and gave them a totally new life. During the many renovation projects, they made dozens of contacts, searching out the very best contractors and subcontractors in the area, building out their rolodexes.

Then they thought: what if they started their own homebuilding process from scratch?

Using 10+ years experience in design and renovating, Homestedt Houses offers a service unlike anything else in the Catskills. Built from the ground up, these design-forward homes can be built in 10 months, offering a premium service that’s all about good design, convenience and efficiency.

Matte black kitchen finishes inside Homestedt Houses’ Chalet model offer a modern look to a classic home design. Photo: Catskill Image

During her many years renovating and overseeing projects for clients, Anna noticed there was a huge demand for new homes and not enough builders – especially those doing high-quality, design-forward work. Then there was the long process to consider. A new home requires endless paperwork trail, from stamped plans and sites to waiting around for various crews to begin.

Anna had a hypothesis that she could work similarly to the “pre-fab” world, but outside of it – design a home, replicate it, and offer high-end finish customization packages. As a trial, she and her team built the first Homestedt House in the Livingston Manor area: Blackberry House. The project took seven months and entered the market in January 2023. By all measures, it was a huge success: it caught the eye of many, and after five offers, Blackberry House sold for $35,000 over asking price.

During the first buildout, Anna recognized an opportunity to make a Homestedt House feel more personal: working directly with clients. By involving the buyers from the very beginning, they could pick out the location and land (or choose from existing Homestedt sites), then pick from two models, with two finish options each (or as Homestedt calls it, “styles”.) Clients can also pick from a list of add-ons, including finished basements and finished attics, outdoor showers, saunas, and so on.

Guiding every decision along the way is quality, craftsmanship, and design. The end product is unmistakably “Homestedt” – whose work has been featured in publications from the New York Times to Gestalten coffee table books.

Joining the Homestedt design team is the construction team – Birdsmouth Builders – who follow a “do it right, the first time” mentality. These craftsmen and women have extensive experience in constructing homes with a focus on detail, with every inch of the space carefully considered from day one – so the client can be totally hands-off and worry free. Finally, a group of subcontractors who put finishing work like painting and roofing in place have been hand-selected after years of experience working with Homestedt, for maximum efficiency.

Once a contract is signed, the price is fixed, negating any worries about increased cost. From there, the process begins, with the Homestedt team taking care of the entire process – from site work (permits, land prep, septic and utilities) land to construction to furnishing the home.

Homestedt Houses’ Chalet model, shown in neutral finish. Photos: Catskill Image

With roots in Sweden and England, the Homestedt team has a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, character, and classic design. Evident in all they do, these “homemakers” care about every detail that makes a house a home. The team worked several years to develop two home models, each with two finish options to choose from.

The Chalet model, shown above, is a two-level, three bedroom home with about 1,600 square feet of space. On the ground floor, a large entrance hall passes two bedrooms and into the expansive living space with an open kitchen, dining, and living space. Soaring ceilings and oversize windows allow tons of natural light into the home, centered around a cozy wood burning fireplace. Upstairs, an additional bedroom enjoys a private galleried lounge/office space.

Two finishes are available in the Chalet: neutral and contrast. Calm and peace exude in the neutral finish option, which uses a mix of natural wood, blending perfectly into the landscape, both inside and out. In its contrast finish option, shou sugi ban casts a dramatic black silhouette against the surrounding landscape, and its interiors feature an all black kitchen in matte finish.

Renderings from the Homestedt Houses’ Cabin model shown in limewash finishes. The first buildout is slated for 2024.

New in 2024 is the Homestedt Houses’ more petite Cabin model. The base model includes 1,100 square feet of space with two bedrooms and two bathrooms – with the option to finish the attic adding 650 square feet of additional, customizable space. Similar to the Chalet, two finishes are offered for the Cabin: lime wash and rustic wood. Lime wash enjoys an airy feel from lightly lime washed walls, large windows – plus eastern white pine beams, ceilings and floor. Unlaquered brass fixtures and handmade bathroom tiles accent this space that is equal parts French cottage and Catskills cabin, designed by a Swede. In contrast, rustic wood gives the impression you’re stepping into a Catskills cabin that’s always been there; classic, with wood-clad walls and a beautiful stone fireplace.

The Homestedt Houses homebuilding process lets the client make a few decisions, then step back until it’s time to move in. Photos: left by Peter Crosby, right by Escape Brooklyn

The Homestedt homebuilding process is a complete design and build service, beginning with a raw piece of land. If the land has already been purchased, the team works with the client on the perfect site for the future home. If not, choose from one of the existing Homestedt sites, or work with the team to assist in finding the perfect spot.

All beautiful design aside, a Homestedt Home is efficient – beginning the day the contract is signed. The process begins with a call, site visits and design meetings where add-ons like furnishing/decor, saunas, built-in closets, outdoor shower, and finished basements/attics are considered. After a final budget review, the construction begins, with a mindful efficiency that is considered in every material used, including minimum waste. Clients are given bi-weekly updates, and are invited to schedule site visits with Anna and her team during the process.

Finally, as soon as 10 months later, the house is ready for move-in. With efficiency still in mind, the home enjoys Energy Star appliances, energy efficient heating and cooling systems, and no natural gas.

Base models begin at $645k for the Chalet, $527k for the Cabin, not including land or site work. To learn more, or to begin a more detailed estimate, reach out to contact@homestedt.com.

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