The Upstater: In Defense of Poughkeepsie

Fridays at 11am, Brownstoner Upstate brings you a selection of real estate listings within three hours north, and a little bit east or west, of New York City. 

In case you haven’t heard, Forbes Magazine recently listed Poughkeepsie as one of its picks for the 20 Most Miserable Cities in the U.S., citing its residents’ long commutes, the bad weather, and high property taxes. This was pondered recently on the Upstater blog, opining that perhaps Forbes’ various beefs with the Dutchess County city were not insurmountable. Personally, we’ve had some fine times in Poughkeepsie, most notably on the Walkway and at one of our favorite eateries, Soul Dog (it’s just up the hill from the train station; go there for lunch already!). Poughkeepsie also happens to be one of our favorite places to ogle houses (property taxes not withstanding), so without further ado, cast your eyes upon some nice properties in the “miserable” city of Poughkeepsie.

Historic Garfield Place was built in 1881 and is currently on the market for $299,000. We love the blue stone patio (pictured above), as well as the stone walkway, and the great wood floors. Beds: 4. Baths: 3. Square Feet: 3,072. Lot size: .24 acres. Taxes: $9,200

37 Garfield Place, Poughkeepsie (Houlihan Lawrence) GMAP

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Here’s a cute four-bedroom craftsman on a tree-lined residential street, and it comes with a two-car garage and a good-looking porch (we’re very discerning about our porches). The lot is small, as are most in residential areas. But hey — that just means less grass to mow. Beds: 4. Baths: 1.5. Square Feet: 2,634. Taxes: $6,615.

14 South Grand Avenue, Poughkeepsie (Williams-Sykes Realty) GMAP

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We’re on the fence with the look of this 1970s contemporary house itself and some of the interior design choices, but we are quite certain we love the setting and the wraparound porch upon which to enjoy it. It also has the biggest lot size of the bunch at a bit over an acre. Beds: 3. Baths: 2. Square Feet: 1,898. Taxes: $9,900.

48 Tree Top Lane, Poughkeepsie (Houlian Lawrence) GMAP

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And finally, this gem of a Victorian. In fact, Poughkeepsie is chock-a-block with great Victorians. Take THAT, Forbes Magazine! And get a load of those impressive stained glass windows. To quote Larry David, they’re pretty, pretty, pretty good. Beds: 4. Baths: 3.5. Square Feet: 2,992. Lot size: .25 acres. Taxes: $8,591.

151 Academy Street, Poughkeepsie (Prudential Serls Prime) GMAP