The Upstater: Seasonal Cottages for Less Than $50K

Every Friday at 11:00, the Upstater website brings you a selection of houses for rent and sale within three hours north (and a little bit east and/or west) of New York City. This week: three-season bungalows, on the cheap.

The biggest bargain we found is this two-bed, two-bath cottage in a seasonal community in Spring Glen: $25,000. There are a bunch of bungalow colonies in Spring Glen, and we recommend visiting several of them to get a feel for how cooperative these co-ops really are. Because these are seasonal properties, you generally can’t get a mortgage on them (though sometimes you can swing a personal loan). And don’t expect architectural greatness: like this property, many bungalows for sale in upstate New York are stuck in the time in which they were built — usually the 1950s — and you can embrace the faux wood paneling or dream up a cool, retro renovation.

This one has a community pool and community building for group events, a stream and mountain views. You can also walk to a bus stop from the colony.

Pool looks a bit sad, but that could just be the photos. What do you expect for $25,000? Generally, fees in these places are less than $2,000 a year, which includes your taxes.
Kraw Street, Spring Glen, NY. $25,000. GMAP.

For less than $50,000, you can pick up this 1960 two-bed, one-bath cottage in Hopewell Junction. It’s more outfitted than many of them, with a dishwasher and window A/C, although you might not find the new vinyl siding so charming.

This one’s in a summer-fall community (some are three-season places), where the occupancy dates are from 4/15 to 10/15. It’s steps from a private beach on Sylvan Lake. New roof and a shed, too.

307 Sylvan Lake Road, Hopewell Junction. $47,500. GMAP.

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Although this listing says “none” under amenities, this 400-square-foot, one-bed, one-bath cottage near Mohegan Lake is part of a co-op community that includes a club house, a pool and access to the lake. It was built in 1950, and we have NO IDEA what it looks like on the inside, but it’s got a cute little porch and it’s $55,000. Also: it’s in Westchester County, just over an hour from downtown Manhattan.
3155 Lexington Ave, Mohegan Lake, NY. GMAP.

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And, heck, if one little bungalow isn’t good enough for you, check out this entire colony — albeit totally dilapidated — for $50,000.