By: KeyCrew Media
A second home listing in Lake Placid highlights mountain views, proximity to Whiteface, and lake access. Alongside those attractions, it helps to understand the seasonal side of ownership too: heating oil can add up over a single winter, a plow visit runs $70 to $200, and safe winter driving is easier with a good set of snow tires. According to Chase Jermano, a Licensed Real Estate Broker with Tina Leonard Real Estate, LLC, buyers from the New York City metro area benefit from seeing the full picture of annual ownership costs in markets like Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Keene before they buy.
When Negative 40 Becomes a Line Item
Last winter is a helpful illustration. Temperatures in the region reached negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit (with wind chill), which lifted both fuel consumption and fuel prices at the same time. A 250-gallon oil tank fill, a standard size for many properties, runs over $1,300 at current prices, according to Jermano.
How long that lasts depends on the home. Jermano says it could carry a well-insulated house through most of the season, or run out faster in a home that needs an upgrade. “Some people end up spending over three grand just to keep their house heated throughout the winter,” he says.
For buyers considering older Adirondack homes, which often have room for added insulation, planning toward the upper end of that range is a sensible baseline.
Plowing Contracts and Planning Ahead
Plowing contracts are another area where a little planning pays off. Depending on the contractor and driveway length, a single plow event can cost $70 to $200. The frequency of those events varies from year to year, so building in some flexibility helps when forecasting annual costs.
“You don’t know how much it’s going to snow, so that’s very tough to create a cost analysis ahead of time,” Jermano says. “Every year is so different.”
He notes that the two winters before last saw heavy snowfall, while the year before that brought almost nothing. Jermano also encourages buyers to look for a plow operator with sand or salt capability, since that keeps driveways safer and gives clear value beyond the base price.
Generators add another consideration, and their usefulness depends on location. Buyers in town centers are typically among the first to have power restored after outages, so a generator is more of an option than a priority. Properties outside town limits, particularly those on wells, rely on power for water access, making a backup generator a smart addition. Jermano says buyers with powered medical devices should treat a generator as essential regardless of location.
Snow tires are another item Jermano raises with buyers. He says that after switching to them, he found winter driving noticeably safer, and he now considers them a worthwhile investment for anyone living in the region.
Understanding the Full Cost Picture
Jermano’s point is that buyers are best served when these costs are clear at the point of sale. Listings often focus on features, so it helps to add annual heating estimates, plowing contract ranges, and notes about winter driving into the conversation.
“We get the coldest place in America award sometimes, which I don’t know who thinks it’s cool,” Jermano says. “Somebody does, but it costs money to live like that.”
For buyers coming from northern New Jersey or Connecticut, the primary feeder markets Jermano describes for the Lake Placid area, a second home in the mountains can carry costs that differ from a primary residence in a cold-weather suburb. Jermano says understanding that difference early helps protect buyer satisfaction and supports smoother resale timelines down the road.
How Jermano Walks Buyers Through the Numbers
Jermano says he likes to walk buyers through operational cost scenarios before they close, so the numbers are familiar well before their first winter. That means reviewing heating system type and insulation quality alongside square footage and condition.
“Plowing contracts vary widely based on who you hire,” Jermano says. “You’re gonna want to shop around, but then you’ve got to be careful because they’ve got to be good.”
His approach involves flagging properties where older heating systems or added insulation could move annual costs toward the high end of the range, and helping buyers factor those numbers into their offer. Jermano sees this as a valuable practice for brokers in the region, especially as the Adirondack second home market continues to attract buyers from high-cost metro areas who are accustomed to premium purchase prices and are eager to plan for what it takes to keep those homes running through a mountain winter.
Chase Jermano is a licensed real estate agent and broker at Tina Leonard Real Estate, specializing in waterfront, second-home, and investment properties across the Adirondacks, including Lake Placid, Keene, and the surrounding region.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. The views and opinions expressed herein reflect those of the individuals quoted and do not represent an endorsement of any company, product, or service mentioned. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and consult qualified professionals before making any investment decisions.
