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

With several new house deals over the last 6 weeks, and our Lazy Meadows real estate arm busy as a bee, it's a confusing time to be successful.  Only 8 weeks ago, I was blogging about how we always seem to shine when times get hard, since I'm forward thinking, don't wear rose colored glasses, and have the ability to find a lane, ahead of time, of which lane we should occupy.  This was a lot easy than I expected, with demand for homes really off the charts.

And that leaves me with a perplexing condition of what I guess they call survivor's guilt, where the individual wonders why they are so special to have survived unscathed.  Usually applied to war survivors, or terrorist attacks, school shootings or a wide-range of calamities where people suffer and die, and the ones left are left with a feeling of guilt for still being around.

(came back for more)

Now, with our little company as busy as can be, my son healthy, I'm healthy, my employees are healthy, my dog seems happy, my wild flowers are blooming wildly on a large plot of land I cultivated, and both the pandemic and now the racial unrest, more than just the tender-hearted can feel.   Slathered top to bottom in white privilege, I sail on with my clients, associates and friends.

I'm not really going to take this thought too far, but one level I've been focused on and struggling with is a marketing message that has the right tone.  Word like 'capitalize on', 'opportunity', 'escape' all ring with slightly off-key pitch, as does my usual flippant 'you snooze you lose', or 'could've been you' in your face taunt.

I'm cognizant of the power of words, cognizant of the somber moment, and cognizant that I do best by keeping my family fed, my employees and their families working, our subcontractor teams engaged, and our clients safe.  It's a bubble, but like one of my new clients said artfully, it was a bubble I choose 20 years ago, and it's a bubble that keeps giving back.

So our marketing message has been reduced to 'we build safe houses for you to be safe in, and we've been doing it for 20 years'.  Nothing more really has to be said.

Couple of news pieces -
http://www.westmilfordmessenger.com/tag/-/meta/charles-petersheim

https://upstater.com/catskill-farms-saugerties-mini-homes/

This Ranch home in Milan is packing a big punch.  It's Milan, pronounced MYLYNN.  Now you know and can save some face.

We only build one or two over in Dutchess a year because it’s a little far for us, and it’s just harder to work over there with a pretty picky Board of Health, and very small building departments.  Sometimes I think both are by design to help in the effort of retarding growth.

But, whatevs, we got a good one going on 3.5+ acres.  It’s one of our famous Ranches – 2500 sq ft, lots of deck, shared living space and a really fun feel.  Can accommodate a big crowd as well as feel homey when it’s just the two of ya.  Here's a link to our site that details the floor plans

https://www.catskillfarmsranchseries.com/options/ranch-option-e

The specs are pretty fab - 3 beds, 3 baths, awesome media room space as well as plenty of room for an office, as well as plenty of room left over for storage in the basement.  Ton of decks, lots of windows, and good sized rooms.

Fireplace, check.  Energy efficient, double check.  Open floor plan, check.  Ton of fun accents and details, check.  House house warranty, check.  For Sale, check.

Price - $650,000

The below pic is a one we did with a screened porch, which was somewhat complicated but ended up being really nice.

This property is literally less than 5 minutes off the thruway, and is a gateway home to the towns of Rhinebeck, Red Hook, Hudson and even east to the Berkshires or Vermont.  It sits up, like a tree house, and has an active river access that can be seen and is open to use as well.

Couple of interior shots -

Our Ranches have been fun, and a big hit since we brought out the first ones in 2008.  Little guys, cute as a button.  Since it was an experiment we kept it simple, but year by year the sizes increased as more people expressed interest, and the general market stabilized.

Interestingly, for all the things this blog is and has been, it's never really been used as a looking-forward tool for what we are building, where we are building, and when it will be available.

But with inquiries coming in fast and furious and everyone wanting to talk on the phone for some reason, I'm trying to figure out how to best inform this hungry buyer segment with what we have in the works.

THIS IS A SIMILAR HOME PREVIOUSLY BUILT.

WHAT - 1550 SQ FT 3 BEDROOM, 1.5 BATH ON 4 ACRES.  600 sq ft of decks and covered porches.

WHERE - OLIVEBRIDGE, NY ON THE CORNER OF RT 3 AND HANNA LANE

WHEN - FOUNDATION IS IN.  FRAME ROOF AND WINDOWS IN BY END OF JUNE.  OCTOBER FINISH.

HOW IT WORKS - SIGN UP NOW, AND WORK WITH US ON THE INTERIOR SELECTIONS SUCH AS PAINT, FLOOR STAINS, KITCHEN, COUNTERTOPS, TILE LIGHTING, PLUMBING AND A HOST OF OTHER FUN SELECTIONS TO PERSONALIZE THE HOME.

FLOORPLAN

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PRICE - $495K.

DESCRIPTION -
Excellent spot in Olivebridge, in the shadow of Ashokan High Point, just 5 miles from the Ashokan Reservior and the endless hiking, biking of the Catskills.  This floor plan allows for 3 bedrooms and a lot of living space on the first floor.  Full walk-out basement could add another 600 sq ft in the future.  A covered front porch and a screened back porch expands the house.  Land is private and gently sloping.

This back profile will not be exactly the same but you get the idea.
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The interior is 1500 sq ft +, has 1.5 baths, a wood burning fireplace and open floor plan with a separate but equal glass encased dining room.  Light enters easily to every nook of the home, on the first floor and second.  Wide plank floors, fun hand rail systems, classic tile, functional kitchens all combine to illustrate why Catskill Farms has been the go-to design build for the last 2 decades.

It's a good looking home for sure, but it also is highly functioning - with whole house airconditioning, spray foam insulation that allows you to heat your home with a candle and cool it with an ice cube, on demand hot water heaters which produce hot water only when you ask for it and a whole house bumper to bumper warranty.

Appraises without an issue, and fully financeable.

Since 1995+/-, these guys have been putting out an essential magazine for the Hudson Valley.  and it's even more essential now, not because I say it or they say it, but because they are working hard to make it so, as they have done for decades.

https://www.chronogram.com/

https://therivernewsroom.com/