Sullivan County Archives - reclaimedhome.com

The Town That Time Forgot

February 23, 2012 RH 5 Comments

Traveling through Sullivan County last week, we came upon the town of Mountaindale: Population 0. Nah, I don’t know what the population is, but Mountaindale looked like a ghost town. Oddly enough, it also looked as if the shop fronts have been restored. It feels like a movie set or like it’s waiting for something to happen.

Perhaps Mountaindale is a hopping place during the summer months, but on a winter’s weekday it looked abandoned. Someone is trying to bring this little town back. There is evidence of an art community, yoga and anti-frackers. None of them were around the day we swung by.

There are quite a few bungalow colonies near the town, some abandoned and many in use. It’s definitely something to check into once summer is on the horizon.

Sullivan County Homes Under $30k

June 22, 2011 RH

Think you can’t afford a second home? What if I told you you can grab one for as low as $15k? Yup. I’m not saying it’s the most desirable house in the most desirable area, but you can make it a sweet getaway.

Don’t even THINK of grabbing that house above for $15,000. I want that one. Looks like an old farm house but it was actually built in 1970. This could be a plus, as it sits on 2.31 acres and old farm houses are almost always right on the road. So it’s possible this house is set back a bit. It’s located in Monticello. Last time I was in Monticello, I was about 12. No kidding. It was kind of crappy back then, although it’s a beautiful landscape. Anyway, who cares about any of this? The. house. is. $15k.

This listing doesn’t give much detail. I guess the agent couldn’t be bothered to even take a picture for her commission on the $29,900 list price. Looks good from that angle. It’s a 2594 square foot four bedroom in Hurleyville, NY. I think I have an idea of where that is. Nice hikes and all, but not much going on culturally. In fact, I do believe that if you’re not an orthodox Jew, you may feel a bit out of place. On the other hand, if this is a flip, a 4BR would be a selling point.

Yeah, I know. It looks like a trailer. But hear me out. It’s actually a 1950 ranch on 4.9 acres. divided into 2 parcels. Still with me? Good. Take a look at the interior shots. There’s something to work with here. Can you see your mid century fab getaway? Are you seeing the fifties kitchen? Oh, I didn’t mention that it’s in Neversink and includes lake rights and three outdoor sheds.

**When you’re looking at distressed properties, please keep in mind that you may encounter wildlife living INSIDE of the house. Try not to freak out. Where boots and bring a flashlight (although, if the realtor doesn’t have a flashlight for abandoned homes, they should be fed to the wildlife).

The Borscht Belt: Then & Now

April 2, 2008 RH 9 Comments

My family did the Catskills well into the 80’s. During the 70’s, they left me at a bungalow colony with my grandmother summer weekdays while all my Goyishe friends were at camp. We had family reunions at the big hotels until that whole generation moved down to Florida.The first year of my marriage (1988), the in-laws were invited to one of these reunions. They’re probably still haunted by the memory of it. Proper Dubliners integrating with a bunch of loud mouth New York Jews for the entire weekend. It wasn’t pretty. My immediate family alone is enough to scare anyone off, but the cousins make us look GOOD!

20 years later, we’re still married and you know what? At least my family realizes they’re nuts. I’d rather wear it on my sleeve than sweep it under a rug.

Anyway, The Borscht Belt….yeah, I’m getting to that! I was all set to do a post on the abandoned hotels, but now it looks as if some of them are reopening.Continue reading The Borscht Belt: Then & Now

Upstate Under $100k

March 14, 2008 RH 2 Comments

Who says you can’t afford a second home? Or a first one outside of the city for that matter? Maybe it’s because I want to see you kids realize the dream of home ownership. Or maybe it’s because I want you to suffer old home renovations along with me. Either way, here are some examples of the American Dream for under $100k. Um, TLC needed.

$64,900 in Newburgh

2 Family in need of total rehab. Although this is a shady block, it’s located right off of Broadway. If Newburgh ever does take off, this will be a nice location. There are better Newburgh options out there, but $64,900 for a house located within an hour’s drive of NYC? I couldn’t resist!

$ 84,900 in Ellenville

3 BR single family with tenant. Crappy renovation. Within walking distance to town. Ellenville is a beautiful area, but the village has a ways to go.

$ 85k in Poughkeepise

Now we’re getting somewhere! A home in need of some good lovin’. Looks like it hasn’t been updated in years. Yum, come to mama, baby. 2 Family with freeze damage due to burst pipes. This is in a decent part of town. Poughkeepsie is actually a commuter location as it’s on the Metro North line. It’s over 90 minutes from NYC though.

$ 94,900 in Liberty

4BR, 2230 sq ft on 2.5 acres. Separate cottage on site. Needs work. This is a foreclosure and only cash offers will do. I haven’t been to Liberty in years, but I hear that Sullivan County is becoming quite popular with 2nd home buyers with little money.

$105k in Coxsackie

Ok, so it’s $5000 over budget. But I had to include it because it’s really the best deal of them all. Coxsackie is a lovely weekend area and this home is located right near the Hudson River. It’s ready to move into and isn’t lacking in charm. At the end of the day, who really wants to work on a second home anyway? Other than fools like me and my husband.

Weekender: Narrowsburg

November 15, 2007 RH 1 Comment

Narrowsburg is quaint. That’s an understatement. I just want to put it in my pocket and take it home with me, it so cute.

Apart from being adorable, the town has alot going for it. Two and a half hours from the city, it sits on the Delaware River between the Catskills and the Poconos. This area has a different feel from the rest of Upstate. For one, the Upper Delaware is a narrow, windy river, unlike the Hudson. The town is surrounded by hills, forests and lakes, which makes it more cozy than the vast upper Catskills.

It has already been discovered by weekenders, but the party ain’t over yet. Home prices are still very much affordable. What could be better? Weekender amenities at affordable prices?

In the town, you have the obligatory fine wine shop, coffee house, art galleries and antiques shops to keep the city folk happy. Outdoor activities: canoeing and kayaking (of course), hiking (of course) and eagle watching.

The bad news:

You need a car. Trains go as far as Port Jervis and buses to Monticello, both a half hour away.

Taxes are high, but then again, no more shocking than other parts of upstate. They are lower in neighboring Pennsylvania, and you can just hop over the puddle to get there.

If you decide to take a drive this weekend, check out the Valley Artists Holiday Sale.

Need a vacation rental in the area? Check out my friend’s farmhouse!

NY Times Article
River Reporter
Narrowsburg Chamber

Narrowsburg Realtors

November 15, 2007 RH

$175k: 6BR, 1/2 acre

Instead of doing individual listings this week, I want to point you to few real estate sites. The reason being, all of the listings I came up with belonged to one agent and they don’t even have alot of info on their site!

I was really impressed Catskill 4 Sale which features a handy MLS and real estate blog by a gay friendly buyer’s agent.

Eagle Valley Realty seems to have the corner on the market. You can search by price, which starts at under $100k.

Catskills 4 Sale is an informative site from a broker who apparently enjoys fishing. Most of his listings are already sold.

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