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Catskills - Sullivan County - Ulster County Real Estate -- Catskill Farms Journal

Old School Real estate blog in the Catskills. Journeys, trial, tribulations, observations and projects of Catskill Farms Founder Chuck Petersheim. Since 2002, Catskill Farms has designed, built, and sold over 250 homes in the Hills, investing over $100m and introducing thousands to the areas we serve. Farms, Barns, Moderns, Cottages and Minis - a design portfolio which has something for everyone.

November 14, 2011

Winter Warmup

Interestingly, 2011 was not a year of smallest homes - I would venture we designed built and sold twice as many $375k+. 1500 sq ft+ homes this year as last, resulting in revenue figures 25% higher than 2010, with about the same amount of homes built and sold. We just started a real winner - 1500 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. Farmhouse 18. It's inspired by Farmhouse 1, without the some of the 'add-on' spaces. A very liveable house and from what I am seeing, should hit the market square in the nose.

That's what makes us a good company - we move with the market - sizes, prices, styles. Our ears stay close to the tracks, and we glide this way and that looking for the sweet spot, - the g spot, if you will. The walk-out basements are good for everyone and we do it where we can.

The Big Barn outside of Narrowsburg is coming along fantastically. We aren't letting any grass grow under us on this one. Standing seam metal roof on, Jeld Wen windows installed, and working hard on the 5 bathrooms and assorted 5000 sqft on 17 acres.

With a site meeting this past Friday, we determined the general aesthetic direction of the barnhouse.

It's got a lot of volume, spatially and design-wise.

And the indoor lap pool never hurt anyone. We are installing a big screen tv that will be looping pictures of sea mammals swimming aside in crystal blue ocean water.

And Barn V is really taking off. I go away for the weekend and the damn house is nearly built.

This is going to be good one with lofty space, great windows and a fabulous piece of land.

Funny thing happened today - I really had an adversary who did me pretty wrong by the balls, and instead of engaging in a protracted pissing match, I let them up gently. I think Abe Lincoln said after the Civil War and before his death, while trying to figure out how to bring the Union back together - his first order to his troops was to 'let them up gently, boys, let 'em gently.' Harder to do than to say, for sure. Especially when a win is near. Easier to push the boot down on the neck a little harder and ask for an unconditional surrender.

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