Coldwell Banker Village Green Realty

Wood. 

I think most of us feel an innate connection to wood. Homebuyers can't help but run their hands across a live edge wood surface that has been carefully incorporated into a home’s design. Many of us who choose to live in the Catskills and Hudson Valley regions call ourselves "tree huggers". Sometimes this is because of our desire to protect our natural environment, sometimes it's also because we like to hug trees. Literally. I’ve been known to give a tree a good tight squeeze. I also grew up with a woodworker – the smell of wood shavings is the smell of my childhood. Wood and me are like THIS.

So, when I recently had the opportunity to meet a kindred spirit I was ecstatic. This was someone who loves wood too – probably even more than I

So many people move to the Catskills and Hudson Valley so they can spend more time enjoying the outdoors. A great thought! But days can become filled with errands and work, social appointments and obligations of all sorts. It IS possible to move here and end up spending as little time outdoors as you did when you lived in the city or the ‘burbs. Horrors! But, there’s a way to be sure you live the lifestyle you sought.

Choosing a house that is interconnected with the natural world is the key to ensuring you get connected to it too. A house with easy access to the outdoors - from multiple egresses, through large glass windows uninterrupted by fussy decorations, a house that has outdoor spaces that invite gatherings and are just as comfortable as the

Musical Pedigree & Elegance - 441 Clum Hill Road, Hunter, NY

Drama. It’s everywhere. Even in our homes. When it comes to residential theatricality there are two types: good and bad. We’re all familiar with the bad sort – teenagers slamming doors, toddlers crying over spilled milk, etc, etc. But the good type of drama isn’t always immediately obvious, unless your home is at 441 Clum Hill Road in Hunter, NY. This house is a shining paragon of the right kind of domestic drama!

The drama begins with 441 Clum Hill Road’s storied pedigree. It was built in 1902 as a personal residence with impressive architecture designed to capture equally impressive views. Later it became a school for the study of Opera. Singers, teachers, musicians, conductors

Marbletown NY Real Estate

Marbletown residents are a lucky bunch. With easy access to The Catskills, The Shawangunks and the Ashokan Reservoir it’s the perfect place for people who want to explore the outdoors. Being midway between Kingston and New Paltz means “Marbletonians” can take advantage of these bustling towns, or they can also choose to enjoy the charming and slower-paced hamlets of High Falls NY and Stone Ridge, visiting the farmer’s markets, arts events and antiques shows that pepper the local calendar. Some days though, they’ll choose to simply enjoy the serenity of their own backyards. There’s something about the air in Marbletown that invites deep relaxation. There’s also something about the soil that encourages a garden to grow

The average sales price for homes sold in our area in thus far in 2017 is $256,783 according to the Hudson Valley and Catskills Region MLS.*

That’s the average, so of course, there are plenty of people purchasing homes well below that mark. It also means there are plenty of homes available to purchase in that range.

There are some great reasons for keeping your housing costs low. Maybe you’re buying your first home and you’re nervous about utility bills and the costs of maintaining a home. Maybe you place more value on having experiences than assets. Or, maybe, you want to keep your mortgage right around the cost of a rental apartment. Whatever your good reasons we want to share some great options in the $150,000 price range.

#1. 156 Fox

Hudson Valley Radio | Monday Night Polka

Every Monday I am in our Kingston Real Estate Office. After work a bunch of the staff heads to an exercise class together and then I grab some sushi for my ride home (I live further south in the Hudson Valley). All of this stuff is pretty fun, sushi....work...workout. But the thing that I've come to look forward to the most on Mondays is something I never thought I'd look forward to at all. Polka. 

One of the great things about living in an area like the Hudson Valley and Catskills, where the arts are really important to people, is that even the artiest amongst us are forced into the occassional encounter with an art form we don't know anything about. Maybe we never heard of it, maybe we heard of it

(photo via 100 Mile)

We opened our newest Real Estate office in Rhinebeck NY a few weeks ago, and we all got a little bonus. We knew it was coming, but for Real Estate people, the perk that is working in a village filled with great home decor shops cannot to be underestimated. Window shopping while picking up a mid-afternoon iced coffee at Bread Alone is a real coffee break. Daydreaming about that outdoor ottoman made of synthetic turf is a great way to take a little brain break. We've been selling property in and around Rhinebeck for decades, and we'd stop in the village for a quick peek. But nothing compares to getting the scoop on a one of a kind item because you check in every few days. We're so glad to be there! Here are the home goods

2 Farmhouses for Sale - Catskills & Shawangunks

So many Ulster County homebuyers are looking for farmhouses with barns. When we search for homes we’re so often searching for something much more than a space to place our couch so we can binge watch some Netflix. Some of us are searching for open air, a connection to the land, a connection to history, to be surrounded by a craftsmanship that is uncommon in today’s world, or to have the space to make our art. Perhaps we’re looking to be enchanted, swept away by the fulfillment of our perfect-house dreams. Whatever we’re all looking for in a home, many of us find the farmhouse a perfect fit.

This year housing inventory is uncommonly low in Ulster County. In 2014 between April 1st and May 30th, 775

Catskill NY - A Business Friendly Community

An Interview with Catskill's Magpie Books

Catskill NY is abuzz with activity. It was recently named the “New Mecca for Artisans” by the New York Times. With it’s close proximately to hip Hudson, reasonable real estate prices, and low taxes, buyers are starting to notice this charming town. New restaurants, cafes, and stores have opened in the recent years. Magpie Books, a used bookstore that also hosts musical events, readings, and even Zen meditation, is at the forefront of Catskill’s renaissance.

I talked to Magpie’s Kristi Gibson about running a business in Catskill and her love of the area.

Are you from the Hudson Valley? If not, why did you choose to make this area your home?

Not

37 Notch View, Lexington NY 12452

A Catskills Log Home

A well-sited house. When you start with a beautiful piece of land, land with a bewitching pond, views of mountains and rolling hills, views of vibrantly colored sunsets, views of night skies peppered with stars… when you start with 5 acres within easy distance of 3 ski mountains, it almost doesn’t matter what the house is like, just so long as it takes advantage of the location.  

But, when the house is a fabulous log home with 7,000 square feet of living space, lots of thoughtful touches, and endless possibilities for fun, well, that’s a big bonus. 37 Notch View in Lexington undeniably has the type of property that is enough all on its own, and the house is sited to maximize the