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

I used to suffer in silence while one deal out of 12 or 15 turned nasty - not really from what we do since we are pretty consistent, but from the myriad personalities we deal with and the fact that in the end, you can't go around throwing money at people who never will appreciate the effort anyways - not if you hope to stay in business for long. Every year or year and a half we get some customer that we can't win with - no matter what strategies we employ. No one here is saying we are anywheres near perfect, but we do exceed anything else the area offers. I started posting details of such encounters last year, because as I said from the beginning, this blog is about the reality of what we do, not some sugar-coated version how we would like it to be. The following voicemail message was left this morning after 10 emails from these particular customers yesterday concerning a bill for $90+/- for lawn mowing that occurred after they bought the house, but before I remembered to tell the lawn mowing guy to stop mowing it. "and believe me Charles if you push me far enough you will severely regret it. I am very very angry. I do not want to hear from you. I just want your muppetts to get the fucking work done that they're meant to be contracted for and seem fucking incapable of doing. Meanwhile you prance around acting like you know what the fuck you're doing and you don't seem to be able to do jackshit - you talk it all but when it comes down to it your guys can't even install a fucking dishwasher. It's pathetic Charles. I've been more than civil and played ball all the way along and all I do is get pissed around by you and your people. I'm getting very cheesed off - and I'm really pissed and really cheesed off. And don't ever email me or call me on the weekend you piece of shit." Now, what he is talking about was the fact that the dishwasher he ordered had a handle that stuck out, instead of being tucked under, so it prevented the one cabinet drawer from opening - so the dishwasher was successfully installed, he just couldn't open one of the cabinet drawers. And Frank, the guy we all love from Michael's appliance is a 'little mouse' who 'doesn't know shit'. 185 assorted dishwashers, ranges, fridges, washer and dryers successfully installed, but according this new homeowner (who has never spent a night at the house yet after 7 weeks), we are clueless. We may be. But -seriously, honestly - I don't think so. Like the article I read the other day in the NYTimes Small Business blog page - it's not easy to fire a client, but sometimes it's the only option you have - for the sake of the business.

NY Daily News gives Catskill Farms a shout-out in an article today about the best thing happening in real estate in the Catskills.

Since we are trying perty hard to get some placement in some unnamed media, we decided to temporarily take down the rant about certain things - until we get snubbed again (an ongoing 4 year effort of snubbing the hottest thing going in the Catskills - besides the local strip joint that distinguishes themselves from the competition by advertising that 'their dancers have teeth'.)_ Can't make this shit up.

I get lots of fan letters in my email box saying how great the homes are and how smart I am and to 'keep it up', and I appreciate them all - considering we really do work at it pretty hard. I doubt any team works harder than mine does. But here's a nice letter from an acquaintance -"....Third, thanks for extending the offer to check out your nearly-finished work over on Tuthill Road. In a word, WOW. Seriously, we were both really impressed. In fact, seeing these places kinda wrecked my life... well, at least a portion of it anyway. It's like this: I've been wanted to restore an old house since about age five. (No, seriously... for "fun", my parents used to take us kids out for long drives to just look at houses. I was the only one of three who actually enjoyed it.) Recently, I had the opportunity to walk through a classic old farmhouse, circa 1890, that had been meticulously restored. I hated it. The floors were all pitched in different directions, the layout was choppy, the flow sucked and I nearly got a scalp burn from the low ceilings.

Then I walk through your places on Tuthill and it hits me like a ton of bricks: I don't want an old house, I want a "new-old" house. One that, at first glance, looks like it could have been built at the turn of the century and has been hermetically sealed... but then you notice things like a useable layout, insulated walls and a heating system that actually works. And let's be blunt: you've MASTERED the new-old-house aesthetic. Your places are homey, beautiful and practical. I love, love, LOVE that you've taken a New York City ideal - making the most of your god-given square footage - and incorporated the concept into another genre. Your houses make sense, especially in the current economy. I sincerely hope that your style is the way of the future, away from the dreaded "McMansion" and back to homes that are sensible, practical, well-built and... oh, hell, I'll say it: pretty. I mean, c'mon... I don't know anyone who wouldn't think that Cottage 22 is a handsome little house. (Of course, I live in New England and all my friends have fantastic taste, but that's another matter.)

So, yes... this is a fan letter. I hope you know it's just compliments from a neighbor who digs houses and not from someone who's CCFCP (Coo-Coo For Cocoa Puffs)."

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