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

Sales continue to be brisk in this 19th year of business.  We are closing on a new home every 3 weeks or so, throughout real estate in the Catskills, recently Bethel, Olivebridge and Narrowsburg.

In Sullivan County, we just finished and sold Ranch 33 and Barn 31 in the small Birches subdivision in Bethel NY.

The Ranch, on Lot 19, has calming tree house feel to it and The Barn sits on a bluff above a pretty pond and open field.

These are our 8th and 9th home in this project that lay dormant for 12 years until we arrived on the scene.

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Barn 31 - Sullivan County Real Estate

Ranch 33, Sullivan County Real Estate

Then our mini-ranch in Narrowsburg was a big hit at 820 sq ft, sporting 7 acres and 2 bedrooms.  

Ranch 34 - Sullivan County Real Estate

We have this first of its kind American Four Square in Olivebridge NY

‍Farmhouse 53‍

Adding to our Ulster County NY real estate portfolio.

Ranch 28, Ulster County Real Estate

‍Also located in Olivebridge NY.

Well water is fantastic and refreshing, and water from your catskills real estate can be fresh as the day is long.  But still, when something is drawn from 400' in the ground and then runs through a bunch of plastic, holding tanks and faucets, it's not hard to see how purity can be impacted (and fortunately, somewhat easily corrected).

Testing your water once a year by an area professional is never a bad idea.  They can test for 'potability', meaning safety (bacteria) as well as for hardness, softness, iron, sulphur, etc....

We like Titan Wells and Water Treatment out of Arkville for those who live in Ulster County, but there are others that probably do a fine job too, like Aqua Check (http://www.aquacheckllc.com/).   Valley Water (https://valley-water.com/) is a fine company for those with real estate in Sullivan County.

Anyone's who has been up here for any length of time, knows it's too late to order dry and cured firewood.  But everything else is still on the table.

Furnaces - regardless of the age or type - should be maintenanced each year.  The filters should be changed and the calibration and efficiency tested.  The cost savings of a good running furnace can't be understated, plus it's probably creating healthier air as well as prolonging the life of the furnace.

Radiators - for those who own our pre-2013 homes, you might have radiators.  If you do, these should be 'bled', which purges air and allows maximum water capacity and circulation.

Exterior faucet - unhook the hose to prevent freeze-ups that show up inside the home.

Low Heat Alarm - whether it be through one of our alarm systems or one installed post sale, they are a great insurance policy.  And don't neglect the 1-800# call when they phone if you do have a problem.

Turn off the water - when you leave for the weekend, turn off the electrical breaker for the well pump.  Doing this prevents any additional water than what is in the pipes (very little) from entering the home if a freeze up would occur.  This is actually a great thing to do year round, since it would protect against a burst fixture, leak, etc... in any season.

Plow and Sand - don't forget to renew that relationship before the first storm.

Charles Petersheim, founder of Catskill Farms (and writer of this blog, and a ton of letters to the editors) announced the creation of a donor-advised fund that will give back to the communities he works and lives in.  The Petersheim Fund, administered as part of the Greater Pike Foundation, is intended to give to organizations that I respect and play some part in, as well as finding a way to make micro-grants to kids in need of band instruments, sports fees, SAT prep, etc...

Quoting myself, "We've been giving as long as we have been earning. What we are doing with the GPF is organizing that giving a little better, as well as spreading the word a little further.'

See the local news article here - Pike County Courier Petersheim Fund.