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Need a Hand?
Your Next Project Starts with Brownstoner
m4l – you’re probably right as when all is said and done it would probably be too big of a stretch financially for me to get a loan (even though I known I piss away more on that per month on nothing)
How long are the Newburg & Beacon commutes? You can buy a nice townhouse in Philly for $300k or more and the commute door-to-door would be about 2 hours on Amtrak..it’s about $1,000 per month for a monthly.
I could never do it on a daily basis. besides, I think Amtrak is probably more expensive and less efficient than Metro North. But there’s still real value in Philly Center City real estate even after a tripling fom 1998 prices.
Anyone ever been to the Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, Vermont? I stopped by there by accident on my way to visit Shirley Jackson’s house (the one with the columns in the books Raising Demons and Life Among the Savages) and was blown away. It’s like the best diner in the whole world. (Disclaimer: Never been to Shopsin’s.) I am trying to plan more vacations around it. We’re thinking of going to Maine this summer. I’m like, Maine, do you think Bennington, Vt., might be on the way to Maine?
Also wondering if vacations can be planned around organic farms and house-renovation bloggers.
Yeah, I don’t think I could do that commute either. I have a few friends that do similar ones. That’s not for me though.
YES! Katy Elliot is great. That home is a LOT of work. You have to have a strong constitution to take on a house like that. They’re doing a great job with it. I particularly love the pics of them inside with scarves and hats.
With regard to ‘Due Diligence’…
“I would really think twice before investing in a home in upstate NY.”
Newburgh and Beacon are not considered upstate NY.
“Once you get above the Poughkeepsie area,”
Newburgh and Beacon are both well below the Poughkeepsie area.
“….whose son has a home in the Uptown neighborhood, Kingston, NY, which is a quite charming area of old Victorian homes. However, he is unemployed and cannot find any work up there.”
Kingston is upstate NY and not commutable to NYC which both Newburgh and Beacon NY are.
…not to discourage you.
You should be looking at these places outside on NYC as retirement homes. I think dh is on the right track. It might be alittle early for dh to be considering retirement but if the price is just too cheap to pass up then do it. Prices were too cheap to pass up when I bought my Cape place in 1993.
Sorry to interrupt the hilarious talk about picking up girls. The posts post so late it all gets out of time.
Benson, the whole idea is to BUY myself a job by buying a diner. I know Beacon — it’s an arts hub and yes very sleepy but it is a stop off point for anyone going in or out of the Hudson Valley area. Naturally MY diner would be so excellent people would plan their weekend vacations around it. (Kidding.)
THL, I’ve started reading Door Sixteen thanks to you. Can’t believe she commutes to NYC. Crazy.
Do you know the Katy Elliott blog? I am totally addicted. She’s renovating a gorgeous mess of a 250-year-old house (mess meaning serious structural problems) in Marblehead, Mass., and she used to work for Domino. She has scrumptious taste. (Degrees in textiles and art.) I was moved to buy placemats last night — hope she gets the affiliate fee.
They’re renovating the place themselves and have no prior construction experience. That boggles my mind. I really don’t think I could fix a basement myself. (Right, Vanburenproud?)
DH, 300/month + ppty tax + condo fees + massive insurance = better to just go to hotel when you’re down there. keep that 40k in your bank as safety net
Anyone planning on seeing any of the shows they are putting on in the prospect park bandshell? I know TV on the Radio is playing a show, as well as MGMT.