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

I remember when we were just getting started and everyone had all sorts of advice, most of it bad. But there was one piece of advice that really still sticks out as terrible, and what made it worse was it came from a NYC PR agency who was courting us. The owner of the agency thought our houses should have names like "Breezewood", or "The Steeple Chase", or "The Arlington", just like all the suburbs around the country, sitting on lanes named "Whispering Lane", or "Evergreen Drive". Luckily, even though I didn't know much, I knew a simple name, like Farmhouse 8, would be more in line with our simple aesthetic and design philosophy - No airs, no exaggeration, no nothing but simple, elegant pieces of art.


Since I've moved, I've been searching high and low for my cd's with all my pictures on it. Just so happens I have this stack of discs, all unnamed, from the last 3 years of business. So I'm trying to sort it all out, and while I haven't found the disc with the pics that I need for my bloggin, I did find the pirated disc of Paris Hilton's adventure from a few years back. I've been looking for that, off and on, for years.


Here's a great picture of Farmhouse #8 in mid-summer bloom.

And then this beauty of the restored farmhouse in Bethel NY that Lisa and I lived in for a few months, before I sold it out from under her.

Truth of the matter is it's half her fault that the Rock House, Swaying Oats, and Lot 45 at Chapin Estate have all sold once we moved in - she's got amazing taste - warm, sophisticated, real - and families can see themselves in the environment she has created. Of course, after we move out with all our stuff, it's a lot of pressure for the new owners to recreate the dream Lisa so perfectly decorated.



This is what the house looked like before I got my hands on it.

Since I've been up here, Catskill Farms has built 20+ new old houses, and fully renovated/restored another 10. What's amazing is that over 70 people live in our homes, scattered around the county - enjoying their weekends, enjoying their investment, enjoying the respite from the accelerated urban lifestyle.

So, it was my birthday this past week - and doing some quick math means I am now 38 years old. I have living up here in the sticks for 6+ years, NYC for 4 years, Pittsburgh PA for 5 years, and Lancaster PA for the rest of the years.

Here's a plaque that I found when I was moving this past week marking the day I came into this cruel world.

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Well, she's gone. Lot 45 at the Top Ridge at Chapin Estate is sold. She was a beauty and I am sure Shannah and Erik and baby boy will enjoy it immensely. If they enjoy it 1/2 as much as Lisa and I did, they will be well on the way. Chapin Estate is a 3000 acre high end project with a couple of lakes, lots of fancy houses, lots of wildlife of all strips and sizes, a snooty salesperson manning the sales office, and lots of hiking trails, biking trails, and all around nature preserve. Pretty neat. So, no email, internet, fax, access to my contacts, quickbooks, documents, printers during this harsh week of work and weather. We were moving so finding simple things like a pen, or an empty folder were complicated, and finding more specific things like my safe water test for Cottage 3 so I can get my CO and sell it to Cheri proved impossible. Although, it is interesting what can be accomplished without this lifelines: 1. Monday we bought and closed on the Bus Garage, that is our future international headquarters (or as Curtis calls it 'the bus barn.' 2. Tuesday we sold and closed on Lot 3 at Highland Farms to a family (Hello Gavin and Emily) who are planning to start building in April. 3.Thursday we bought and closed on 14 acres on Schmacher Pond Road, which we have then turned around and sold to Pablo and Ana, and Leah and Rob. We are starting their houses this spring. 4. Thursday we finished the negotiations for 50 more acres, signed the contract. We also got the contracts back from Cheri for her late March purchase (thank you cheri). 5. Friday we sold and closed on the Farmhouse at Chapin Estate. 6. We also had the keep the business running. Anyway, there's lots more, but I've lost interest in continuing this numerical list. It's over. It was good. And it was exhausting. I have a lot of lists in my life - "to do lists', 'punchlists', 'vendor lists', 'honey do lists' , etc... Cottage 8 buyers coming up today to review the plans of their house. First time they will have seen the plans. It's 6:44am, Saturday, typing away in the backhills of Sullivan County in the Catskill Mountains.

For all of you who have been trying to contact us over the last few days - we are offline, off the grid. No phones, no internet, no email and no faxes. We are moving, and when you move in Sullivan County, in the middle of nowhere, nothing goes according to plans. As I mentioned, we are closing on Lot 45, Chapin Estates this Friday. Since this used to be our home, and my home office, a disruptive move it was. Compounding matters was a crazy week of weather - starting with a rain storm the day we did most of the moving last week, a snow storm this week that quickly turned into water water everywhere when the temperature rose to 40 yesterday. And then last night it was super cold and now everything is a sheet of ice. Of course, Wednesday was the date for my cable and phone relocation but since the weather was treacherous, everything was cancelled. One thing is for sure - Lot 45 looked good before we moved, but after 62 hours of touch up painting, redoing the hardwood floors, doing about 100 hours of misc. punch list carpentry, this house is looking fine indeed. One thing that is more than evident as I sit in the Jeffersonville Public Library typing away on my blog - it's truely amazing we can build a house in 3-4 months when moving simple phone and cable lines has taken me over 2+ weeks. Hopefully back online by Tuesday.