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

Funny, I was looking through some websites of developers, real estate flippers, etc... and kept noticing the same trend - a trend to put as many trendy catch phrases into one description as possible. It used to be an organization would focus in and master a direction, but these days, I guess you got throw the kitchen sink at it - Here are some examples - "A New Old Green Modular home" (this one catches every buzz word ever coined) "Architect designed Custom Rustic 2 story farmhouse style "- for anyone who knows anything about area real estate, Rustic/custom/farmhouses are a couple of buzz phrases that have worked for their respective originators - but for me, who would design it if not an architect. In the end, the same old mistakes - buzz words instead of a real product, marketing instead of a value, and houses priced where the spreadsheet calculations look interesting, instead of where the real market is. For us, we now know we have a corner on the market, because our homes are priced incredibly low for the value we are giving - look across upstate NY for similar homes, and 1, you won't find any, and if you do, they will carry a higher price tag. Good advice for our imitators - a good business model respects the customers intelligence, and by producing the best homes we can at the lowest price possible, we do what we can to create to most value possible - and as I repeat, our best customers are those that are most educated in the local real estate landscape. It is then, as Gayle said, a real 'no brainer'. If only buzz words and phrases got the job done. A cool mellow weekend planned up here in the Catskills - must of got 75 calls and emails after the Post article.

NY Post and Tina Traster honors us today with a nice article profiling our business model and Albert's selection of Eldred as his getaway destination. Online article pretty nice - but the print edition has a big spread. http://www.nypost.com/seven/05282009/realestate/different_strokes_171241.htm Goodbye Inventory, Hello Waiting List - different year, same drill. Thank you to all of our customers who make this job fun and rewarding, - and to those who don't, well...

Here is an excerpt written on my friend David's blog after reading the article in the Post - I couldn't agree more with the soft wisdom of her generosity - "Speaking as a lifetime local, I'm always gratified to see people finding peace, comfort and, most importantly, easy acceptance in our communities, no matter how big a "who" they are. There are places where "live and let live" do exist, and I'm glad to live and work in a place where, by and large, those "Protected by..." security signs are just for show, and an unlocked door or car is no cause for worry. Celebrities among us probably do recognize that we whisper excitedly about seeing them in town, but they also know the great majority of us don't want to be a bother -- just a good neighbor, willing to lend some milk, a wrench or a few flower bulbs whenever they need them. It may sound corny, but this is what life really is like up here, so it's no wonder that more than nature and solitude attract people to the area. We represent a refreshingly real change from the superficiality of life in the spotlight. I hope we always will." Amen.

Homes Here, Homes Here, Get your Homes Here. Homes Here for Sale. We are country house speculators, buying up small pieces of land, building neat little small homes, and doing it all smack dab in the face of a Great Recession. We just closed on Johnny and Tina's Cottage 18, and Erin and Greg's Modern Ranch, hope to be heading into Contract on Cottage 21, are nearing contract consummation on Cottage 22 and had a great weekend showing our stuff off - new houses, old houses, small houses, smaller houses, houses with great land, houses with great, great land, etc... We buy land, develop small parcels, design mini-homes/cottages/farmhouses, and sell them complete, turnkey, move-in ready, with a warranty we honor seriously. As far as I can tell, regardless of where you are buying, no other design/build company in upstate NY is producing the diversity of architecture and a diversity of price levels than we are here at Catskill Farms. Here are some of the beauts we are currently bringing to market - and will be ready for a fall move in. Up above is a new 960 sq ft home we are just getting started, putting the footings and foundation in, clearing the future driveways and building area of trees and brush. We are placing it on a very pretty 5+ acres, has two bedrooms, has one bath, a full basement and lots of covered porch space. This house is just beginning so there is lots of room for some cool collaboration between us here at Catskill Farms and the future owner. This cottage is selling for $250,000. And this picture is a shot of some of interior florishes we feature such as wide plank floors, rolling barn doors, old school radiators and hand made custom closet hinged barn doors.

And here's a black and white of Cottage 13. The first version was built by Dean, and the 2nd draft is going up over in Lumberland NY, a few miles from Barryville, NY. It's 1300 sq ft, whole house audio, security and 8 frickin' acres.

And a new Cottage 18, renamed Cottage 22, redesigned on the inside, a wrap-around porch, an extra bath, 2 beds and a walkout basement. This cottage on 5 acres is selling for $250,000, and we could have a deal signed by the end of the week.

And the old school kitchen with radiator, open shelves and white cabinets.

Cottage 21 sitting pretty in the woods, just about finished and ready for sale. This 1300 sq ft with cathedral ceiling, big ass fireplace and too much style to capture in this brief and simple narrative. Looks like Norah and Jeffrey, just returned from overseas, are traveling up on Friday to review, and perhaps sign some contracts.

Well, there you have it - the next round of inspiration, provided by Catskill Farms, reinvigorating the architectural landscape of Sullivan County and upstate New York real estate.

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