Upstate

We had a grand time finding this week’s batch of hot listings. All of them are located in Columbia County east of the Hudson River and north of Dutchess County, and all of them are simple, sophisticated, classic, and mostly affordable, ranging from a contemporary 1990s Ranch to a mid-19th century farmhouse. Which one do you think is our favorite? Which one is your favorite?

Continuing with last week’s theme of our favorite Greene County properties, here’s a rambling old farmhouse in rural Ashland, located about 40 minutes west of Catskill village. Ashland is farm country, for sure, but if you’re looking to live life at a slightly more leisurely pace in the Catskill Mountains, this could be the place. The farmhouse includes five bedrooms and three acres of land abutting another 294 acres of state land. High ceilings, gorgeous plank flooring, and a huge kitchen round out the goodies within. Beds: 5. Baths: 2 full, 2 half. Square Feet: 1430. Lot Size: 3 acres. Est. Taxes: $1848. More photos after the jump…

So many brand new properties on the market in Greene County this month, we struggled to narrow down our choices. See, Greene County, located on the west side of the Hudson River and a little less than three hours north of Brooklyn, is a great place to look for first-time home buyers considering the big move (or a second home) to upstate New York. It’s less expensive than its southern and east-of-Hudson counterparts, and the housing inventory is fairly robust right now. And, if you want a house on some land, you’ll probably find it here. Looking for a house that’s walking distance to town? Yep, you’ll probably find that, too. Rustic log cabins? Check. Contemporaries? Check. Victorians, antique Colonials, and farm houses? Check, check, and check. So many choices that we’re dedicating two weeks to our grab bag of favorite Greene County properties. Enjoy!

The Ulster County town of Olive is known for its stunning views, picturesque woodsy landscapes, lovely farmhouses, and desirable proximity to the Ashokan Reservoir. It’s also known for low property taxes. Well, low property taxes is a pretty relative concept when it comes to Ulster County. Compared to other places around the Hudson Valley area on the west side of the Hudson, Olive (including the hamlet of Olivebridge, as well as a handful of other rural hamlets in town) offers a slight bargain. And if you’re looking at houses upstate, the taxes could make or break a real estate deal. Olive is located around the western end of the reservoir and about 2.5 hours from Brooklyn.

Exteriors with loads of curb appeal. Interiors that feel up-to-date yet comfortable and homey. That’s what we’re all about this week on Brownstoner Upstate. We are experiencing some house crushes on a renovated farmhouse in Highland, a more-bang-for-your-buck beauty in Athens, a charming retro cabin in Phoenicia, and the perfect contemporary ski getaway near Hunter Mountain. Enjoy…

Still considering a winter excursion to upstate New York for a little skiing? There’s still time. Here are some short-term rental properties that will put you close to the slopes on the outside while keeping you warm and cozy on the inside.

It’s safe to say that we look at hundreds of real estate listings a day. Sometimes for work, but mostly for fun. Because so many properties are passing before our eyes, we tend to initially focus on the exterior. And if the exterior doesn’t do it for us, we skip over it. We also know that sometimes a lackluster exterior hides a unique or an attractive interior we never would have guessed existed based on the outside, so we try to look beyond the first photo of a home’s facade as often as we can. This week’s list includes homes that, upon first glance, elicited a resounding “meh” from us until we saw what lies on the other side of the front door.

ICYMI: Travel + Leisure named the Catskills as one of its Best Places to Travel in 2015, and we’re not going to argue. In our completely unverified unscientific opinion, we seem to see more and more visitors popping up during the warmer months at local farmer’s markets and walking around our streets, gawking upward at cool, old buildings. People are catching on to the fact that it’s paradise in your own backyard up here. There’s a change in the air around the Catskill Mountains, and while we don’t think the tourist industry alone can completely revitalize the Catskills, it’s becoming increasingly more apparent that it will play a large role. How do casinos factor in to all of this? Well, that’s a whole post in and of itself and a subject that’s been extensively covered, but it’s what the voters wanted, so they shall receive it. Meanwhile, as we enter into a brand new year, let’s head into the mountains and see what the real estate market holds for us (spoiler alert: a lot of good stuff).