Catskills - Sullivan County - Ulster County Real Estate -- Catskill Farms Journal

So I was driving on this old road outside of Yulan for years before I finally noticed this falling down old lady of a house. I took some pics cause I like the lines and took a quick scary tour of the insides. then I sent it off for Kevin to develop as our newest cottage design. That's how we do it - we find area and regional architecture that is appealing and we reinvent it.

And we designed it and it turned out so good we started building it and then it was turning out so good Steve from Hoboken signed up for it.

And then, out of nowhere, I drove by the original house, and it was being torn down. So our replica is now the only memory of that glorious old house.

RIP. But at least we created a salute to it before it was too late.

This is a real beaut on 4 acres, our last 4 acres on Tuthill Road, wrapping up that 8 home country road project.

And a nod to John Denver's 'Country Road' -

"All my memories gather round her,

Miner's Lady, stranger to blue waters.

Dark and dusty painted on the sky.

Misty taste of moonshine, teardrops in my eye.

Country roads, take me home.

To the place, I belong.

West Virginia, mountain mama.

Take me home, Country Road."

1250 sq ft with a finished workshop basement, this rather rad Cottage lives up to all the expectations amongst our fans, and homeowner. LB even thought it was our 'best ever'. I have one homeowner who bought a few years ago who is pissed because we keep getting better and that's it unfair to the early homeowners, design and value-wise. I disagree, the prices have remained pretty consistent based on what is in the home.

We do keep getting better though. More ideas, more quality, more innovation. Pushing the envelope without busting the budget.

This homeowner opted for radiant heat instead of our cool-ass rads. I'm a big fan of radiant heat, - and with his killer woodstove and spray foam insulation, this will be one green house.

Just some really great details in the pic above. Wide plank floors, wood stove nook, chalkboard door to the half bath, rough sawn handrails, salvaged barn beams as stairway posts.

Sharp red retro kitchen which I approve of exceedingly.

When we sell a house, it's done - key in the door, appliances operational, clean clean clean. I just signed a house build contract from a customer and the standard language of the contract calls for 'broom clean'. We deliver our homes spic and span - broom clean, give me a break.

Upstairs foyer landing with barn door track.

Another landing shot.

Powder room takes a different approach with the painted white beaded wainscotting.

Upstair bath.

Subway tile, tile on the floor and white beaded wainscotting. I think that's a duel flush toilet, adding this cottage's greening.

Where magic happens....

Some more elevations with the big tall green trees.

I love this back elevation. Could be a house onto itself.

And the side elevation really works for me too.

So, there you have it. Another one knocked out of the park by the Catskill Farms Team.

And thanks Steve - It was a real pleasure and we hope you enjoy it for many years to come.

"I hear her voice, in the mornin' hours she calls me

The radio reminds me of my home far away.

Driving down the road I get a feeling

That I should have been home yesterday,

Yesterday....

Country Road, take me home.

To the place, I belong.

West Virginia, mountain mama,

Take me home, country roads."

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Cottage 28 is awesome. A new design with lots of funky fun design approaches and decisions. Amazingly, we started this house on April 5 - 2.5 months ago. that's fast even for us. We are now painting the inside and the kitchen is going in on Monday.

I've been saying this without trying to sound like a salesman, but really, if you are going to buy or build in the next 3 years, do it now. Denzil and Carolyn, the future owners of this place, got a 4.375% interest rate. That's low - very low, no matter how you crumble the cookie.

This morning was so sunny I had my sunglasses on by 7:30.

Happy Father's Day to all the Catskill Farms' Dads out there. It's my 2nd one and I can't wait to see what the family got me. I love presents.

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I mean, I have big days, and then I have real big days when all our small efforts and successes really just come together in a grand old waltz across the southern veranda.

Here's Cottage 25 - Sold. Our last house on Tuthill Road, a 44 arce piece of pretty terrific land that I bought at the height of the Real Estate panic last March. We then went on to build probably one of the most architecturally diverse projects in existence, any where, Period. Big house, small house, a barn, a couple of mini-cottages, a micro, a few cottages and a farmhouse. As well as renovating the 1920's cottage that was already living on the property. Not bad for the biggest real estate crash in the history of the ole USA, not bad at all.

Lisa Lucas and I were in the city to take care of some business, which included stopping off at Google NYC headquarters in Chelsea in order to sign a big house contract. The Google was pretty cool with lots of micro-kitchens scattered about, a big game room with massage chairs and ping pong, and what I thought was pretty cool was this non-descript section of the building where there was a museum of sorts with an assortment of computers throughout the ages, with accompanying-sized floppy discs. It's just really amazing how fast computers have progressed.

Also, I got Lisa a Droid smart phone, our first smart phone in the family. While I was there like 40 people came in to get on the waiting list for the 4th Generation IPhone.

One of our favorite hotels is the W at Union Square. Room 1212. In the corner room please. Althougt I did get a frickin ticket, while next to my car, while loading up.

and I always wait to get my haircut til I go on vaca since half the time I can't get a decent cut up here. Ibiza, just off Union Square, is one of my favorite spots for my hair care.

Then off to the Javits Center for the other piece of Business that called to me from the Big Apple. Seems Ecotech Spray Foam, the insulation company I started last February, was awarded a Special Honorable Mention by NY House magazine, and they were giving out the awards at the NYC Building Show. The award we recieved was for "Green Product with Greatest Local Impact" - with the judges noting that this new business created more competition in a green industry that sorely needed it, and that our marketing and education increased the awareness of the importance of insulation when greening a building.

And then off for a quick nap, and then Martini-Time down at the Bar - Olives - at the W, with my friend Zach.

Then his hot Yale Dr girlfriend met up with us and we hit Matsuri for dinner, Buddakan for drinks and then one of my favorite haunts, Ino's, on Bedford Street for late night Paninis and wine.

My famous late night growl...

And then a few shot of the man who is growing up pretty quick -

So we closed on a house, signed a house-build contract, are working on a huge spray foam job, got a green award, and had a good time in the City. Not bad for a Wednesday.

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Since I have so many clients residing in the Barryville area, I thought I would give a shout out to the opening of a great new meeting place - an old school tavern that Lisa, Lucas, Theresa and me checked out last night. Bakers Tap Room II is awesome, casual, busy, with a great vibe. I recommend it without hesitation, especially since it is literally 5 minutes away for most of our customers. Add this to El Castellos, the Carriage House and the River Mart, Barryville is turning into the dining mecca of Sullivan County.