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

Cottage 22 on a foggy morning, late July. The bucks county ledgestone chimney stone is nearing the top. We started in late May, and by the end of this month the house should be real close to being finished - which by any measure, is pretty extraordinary. Add in the fact that this summer has SUCKED in regards to rain, and one can get the sense how seriously we take our deadlines. No excuses. The interior of the house is trimmed out, with the handhewn logs set over the weekend. The painter started yesterday, and Tito - being the master painter- will probably be just about finished by the end of the week.

The Barryville cottage, which was the home on the land I just purchased, has a pretty funky bathroom, already installed. We repainted this little house, added some smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, raised some ceilings, repainted the whole thing, fancied up the kitchen and refinished the floors - in sum, made it look fan f$%&*king tastic.

Juan and Joe emerging from the foggy morning.

Cottage 19 - in contract, and 75% finished.

Thom and Bryce came up yesterday for a big day of decisions - they stopped by the kitchen store to say hello to Paul the kitchen guy, stopped by the tile store (Cornerstone Tile in Monticello) to say hi to Denise, then down to the job site for a review of the wall coverings (sheetrock, wood, wainscotting, planking), and a host of other decisions to 'keep the job moving'.

We are hoping to close all 4 of these house in the next 2 months - the Barryville Cottage in the next week or two, and Cottage 17, 22, and 19 in late September. Still not much of a problem finding financing for these homes - we have started using smaller, local banks, we require our clients to be very qualified with 20% down and plenty left over after the transaction, and we are always keeping our eyes on comparable sales. The person who called me an asshole in a comment I posted a few weeks back struck again this morning, reiterating their opinion that I'm an asshole - which like I said, really hurts my feelings especially with exclamation points and what have you. He commented that 'no one cares', exemplified by no comments, which is really low - in my opinion - because you all know how much I dream of a comment filled blog, where everyone asks my opinion and defers to my knowledge and expertise and generally sends well wishes and the like. I guess I have a few thoughts on the matter - 1. what a loser!!, 2. I definitely have to employ the 'asshole technique and method' on more occasions than I wish to in order to keep the business running, and 3. success is the best revenge. And we are having plenty of success, hence sipping frequently that sweet nectar of accomplishment (only after 5pm of course).

For all the readers who didn't know the author of the previous post song - it was Tom Waits. Simple picture of some simple produce from the Callicoon Farmer's Market in, - you guessed it - Callicoon, NY.

These pics of pics and produce and fruit are in our living room in Eldred, NY.

Here's Cottage 17 taking shape nicely. Red cedar siding and that wrap-around porch everyone loves makes this exterior a real winner. 8 acres, private country road.

Cottage 19, which is just going into contract, with the painters starting on the outside, the inside is sheetrocked and the exterior cedar shake is pretty well installed.

And Cottage 22 - in contract and moving right along. Installing the wide plank floors, window trims and the interior doors are being installed and trimed out tomorrow.

Remember - these houses only started 7 weeks ago - before that it was just a bunch of woods. Pretty quick, Pretty fast. Pretty extra ordinary.

hey Charley I'm pregnant and living on 9-th street right above a dirty bookstore off euclid avenue and I stopped taking dope and I quit drinking whiskey and my old man plays the trombone and works out at the track.

(his 48th b-day party)

and he says that he loves me

even though its not his baby

and he says that he'll raise him up

like he would his own son

and he gave me a ring

that was worn by his mother

and he takes me out dancin

every saturday nite.

(2 gay sailors playing badminton)

and hey Charley

I think about you

everytime I pass a fillin' station

on account of all the grease you used to wear in your hair

and I still have that record

of little anthony & the imperials

but someone stole my record player

how do you like that?

(an all white party)

hey Charley I almost went crazy

after mario got busted

so I went back to omaha to

live with my folks

but everyone I used to know

was either dead or in prisons

so I came back in minneapolis

this time I think I'm gonna stay.

hey Charley I think I'm happy

for the first time since my accident

and I wish I had all the money

that we used to spend on dope

I'd buy me a used car lot

and I wouldn't sell any of em

I'd just drive a different car

every day

dependin on how I feel.

(Beckles is back, clearing up my mis-understanding that 'all whites' was clothing, not race -which was great, since the latter made me quite uncomfortable)

hey Charley

for chrissakes

do you want to know the truth of it?

I don't have a husband

he don't play the trombone

and I need to borrow money

to pay this lawyer

and Charley,

hey I'll be eligible for parole

come valentines day.

And to finish it off, our newest home - the last one we had for sale. Gobbled up like the last piece of pecan pie on a table surrounded by stoners.

Amazingly, these pics were taken on a Saturday, with men working everywhere. It's how we do it - all hardcore, all the time.

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Cottage 19 went into deposit yesterday. Once again, for 4 straight years - all sold out. Great Recession, Great Schmession. Anyone have a house I can sell? Need inventory.