Central Ohioans, Bob and Susie, spent years farming a stretch of land that had grown soybeans for generations of their family. Then one day, Susie spotted a squirrel in the field — a sign she took to heart. After months of searching for the perfect piece of land, the couple decided it was time to build their rural home right there.
Today, that field is the site of what they call their contemporary lodge; designed to host family and friends while taking in the wildlife of the surrounding rural landscape, framed by a winding creek.
“To come out in the morning, sit down and have your coffee. It’s the most relaxing and makes us really appreciate our lives and how blessed we are.”
The Contemporary Lodge Vision
Bob and Susie prioritized an open-concept design that brings the outdoors in, using stone, wood and expansive windows. “It’s kind of like God’s cathedral,” Bob said. Susie agreed, “We see deer running through here, wild turkeys and eagles.”
Thinking ahead to the future, the couple installed an elevator and wider doors to ensure they can safely age in place. Everything they need to feel at home is located on the main floor, including their master bedroom, kitchen and an incredible view. “This is our dream home, but it is our home, not our house. It’s our happy place,” Bob said.
Financing Without Friction
Building a custom home often comes with high-stress decision-making. To clear their plates for design choices, they turned to Rural 1st. Bob and his brother, Bill, already had a long-standing relationship with Farm Credit Mid-America through their farming operation, making the transition to a home loan with the customer-owned cooperative’s rural consumer lending division seamless. “The hardest part of the building process was picking out the things we needed,” Bob said. “The financial part was easy. The process worked like clockwork.”
“Rural 1st allowed us to build a place that felt like home. That was very special to us.”
For Susie, the reliability of their lender was a mental game-changer. “Rural 1st made us very comfortable and that’s so important because there were so many things we had to decide,” Susie shared. “Knowing we didn’t have to worry about the financing part took a level of anxiety away.”
Closer to What Matters®
For Bob and Susie, their construction project was never just about building a home—it was about creating a hub for family and friends. “This isn’t just about us. Kind of like our farming operation, it’s all about family,” Bob said.
Susie agreed, noting the home is often filled with guests. “That’s what life is all about: celebrating friendships and family,” she said.
Want to finance your own contemporary lodge? Connect with a Rural 1st loan officer in your area today to learn more.
