Getting the keys to your dream home involves more than just coming up with the down payment. Here are the most common costs home buyers in The Catskills and Hudson Valley will encounter, including specific dollar amounts. These reflect actual expenses from recent transactions, but please note, each deal is different and your experience may vary. I’ve excluded mortgage-related fees which we’ll cover in a separate post.
Read MoreA turnkey property, great design and killer pics to bump your Instagram page — that’s all it takes to launch a successful Airbnb rental, right? If you think it’s that easy, prepare yourself. Towns throughout the region have been enacting laws that regulate Short Term Rentals (STRs), and some are tough enough to change the whole trajectory of your plans.
Here we take a look at a few examples of commonly enacted STR regulations in our area.
Read MoreWhile the panic buying of the first heady months of Covid are thankfully long behind us, the real estate market in The Catskills and Hudson Valley remains exceedingly competitive for the most desirable properties. As prices continue to push the envelope, bank appraisals often lag, creating nearly a requirement that buyers looking to snap up their dream home pony up more cash, sometimes substantially more, than the standard 20% downpayment. We explain the workings behind the strategy and share our recent experiences.
Read MoreIt’s been a seller’s market in The Catskills and Hudson Valley for several years now, with Covid pouring gasoline on an already white-hot market. So who are the the lucky ones winning those bidding wars? And how are they coming out on top? There are definitely strategies, and I’ll share my Top 7 here.
Read MoreWhy do listings show a “town” and a “city”? The answer affects your taxes. Think you know which areas have the highest and lowest taxes? You might not be looking at the right “town”. This post shines a light on the labels and on what’s behind property taxes.
Read MoreWhen we’re free in the world once again, will the feeding frenzy of recent years be even more frantic, or will the bottom drop out leaving only the sound of crickets? I do have a strong sense of optimism about the real estate market in The Catskills and Hudson Valley, however, borne out of anecdotal feedback from our second home buyers including what their current general frame of mind is, as reflected in emails and my little Instagram survey.
Read MoreAs with our neighbors the bears, spring also stirs increased activity from second home buyers. So if you’re emerging from hibernation and contemplating an Upstate house buy, here are some things we’d recommend you address to make your search the most pleasant and efficient.
Read MoreIt's a rite of spring: waiting for new inventory to hit the market. But this year feels like none in my memory as a real estate agent, which stretches ten years. My list of buyers (almost exclusively second home buyers) is extensive, with a lot of overlap, while the supply of quality, second home inventory is woefully thin. Other agents are in the same position. This means that the most responsive and prepared buyers will walk away with the most desirable properties.
Read More
