New Paltz, NY

I had the privilege of being asked to come to do a listing presentation for a beautiful 1820 Le Fevre Farmhouse. Now I consider it a privilege whenever anyone trusts me with one of the biggest and most expensive and most personal things they own. I especially appreciate it when it has a long history to it. The wife and husband and I talked about all the aspects of putting their home on the market, we went over my CMA and what they could do to ready the home. I asked them if I was in competition with many other brokers and this is what made my day. They said they had one other real estate person over who they knew quite well and they they did not demonstrate an interest in their house like I did. THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON IN SELLING SOMEONES HOME. This precious commodity is someones life, their blood sweat and tears, the place all their family events happened. This home represents a lot of the time, all the money they have, their biggest investment. We are entrusted, as stewards to convey this property to another person/persons and that is a responsibility not to be taken lightly.

Each home has its story. How the home owner found it. How they saved the money to buy it. I knew one homeowner who wanted to finish his basement. He was going to the racetrack for the first time and his wife told him to bet on a combo with horse number one. He was so flustered at the track that he bet on the wrong horse without knowing. The horse he thought he bet on ran dead last with the two other horses he had coming in the right order of second and third. His friend asked him who he bet on and looked at his ticket and lo and behold he had the right combo with the wrong horse bet to win enough money in that triple to well afford to finish his basement. Each home and each homeowner has their story to tell of their home.

The 1800 farmhouse has a long history to convey. I will make it my business, as the steward for this home to convey all of the history and documents that these owners have entrusted me to convey. I will do all the things necessary to market this home appropriately to effect a sale. Someone will come along who falls in love with this home and its history. I get paid for doing this. Who's got it better than me?

Comprised of the Town and Village of New Paltz as well as the North and South Ohioville hamlets, New Paltz is the home of the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz. Originally settled by French Protestants near the Wallkill River, New Paltz’s Huguenot Street is the oldest street in America. This National Historic Landmark has seven stone houses and a fully restored 18th century church all lovingly preserved by the Huguenot Historical Society. New Paltz is indeed a melting pot with diverse communities of Italian, Dutch, German, English and Latino citizens.

Mohonk Mountain House, located just outside of town, is a glorious 251-room Victorian resort hotel that was built in 1861. Situated on over 2,000 acres of lush green forest, this popular lakeside attraction includes gardens, hiking trails and it’s very own 9-hole golf course. The nearby Mohonk Preserve with over 1,000 technical rock climbing routes along the Shawangunk Mountain Ridge was named “one of the Earth’s last great places” by The Nature Conservancy and sees hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. In early August, New Paltz’s Ulster County Fairgrounds hosts its ever-popular annual fair and each Memorial Day and Labor Day it hosts the Woodstock-New Paltz Art and Crafts Fair where over 300 craftsman and artists present their work to thousands of visitors.

At the heart of the downtown business district are restaurants, shops and galleries and the character of SUNY New Paltz is apparent throughout the area, offering both residents and visitors an exciting and welcoming environment.

For more information on New Paltz Real Estate visit NewPaltzHomes.com

GREED! SELF CENTERED BEHAVIOR! SELF SERVING!

Both sides are calling their kettles black. Want to know what I want to see. Less talk and more action.

I don't want to hear a Republican talking about a democrat and vice versa. I want them to both take a voluntary pay cut and stop their living high off the hog. I want the people who took the equity out of their homes and ran down to Florida in the hey day and sold a contract on a condo that wasn't even built for double the money and then took that money and tried to parlay it into some scheme that would return 15% to stop crying and learn to live within their means.

These are just examples of what I am sick and tired of hearing. When everything was jumping and all arrows where going up a number of people made a lot of money and a lot of them turned a deaf ear to the signs and symptoms. Well whoever and whatever. We can take forever arguing just who did what or we can CHANGE things little by slowly and it all starts at home. Instead of taking everyone elses inventory, take your own. How can I change and what can I do differently.

I firmly believe, as a society, if we do not change, we will GO some way, some how. Get with the program. What was the lesson in the experience???????

This is not written to give you an answer. I search every day to find my own. I write about the quality of life in the Hudson Valley. I feel if we, as a people do not do some major changing, there will not be much more quality anything. I am writing this in the hope that we all think, think, think.

I have a favorite story that I just recently saw, for the first time passed in email. I think it is very appropriate for todays times. I would like to share it with you.

HEAVEN AND HELL
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A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, "Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like." The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, "You have seen Hell".
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, "I don't understand." "It is simple," said the Lord, "it requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."

GROW OR GO

WHAT'S IT GONNA BE?

I have returned to the brokerage where I first broke into real estate. It was an easy choice to return to John J. Lease Realtors and I look forward to working with our staff of New Paltz New York real estate agents. Not only are the agents at John J. Lease Realtors experienced and professional, they certainly are good people to work with. It will be great to bring some fresh ideas to the brokerage and contribute to their success.

New Paltz, New York is ideally located about 90 miles north of New York City and is a prime place to work and play. I’d like to share just a few reasons why it’s great to be a New Paltz Real Estate agent and to live in the area. There are opportunities galore to enjoy the outdoors, eclectic businesses and farm markets. City-dwellers love it because they can travel up the New York State Thruway (I-87) and get off at exit 18 and almost instantly arrive in the Village of New Paltz. Beyond the Village of New Paltz, most visitors head for the Shawangunk Mountains or the ‘Gunks. In the ‘Gunks one can find some of the best rock climbing in the Northeast. The foliage in the fall is amazing in the mid-October timeframe. Lake Minnewaska is a favorite area for visitor and residents to hike, bike and just observe the beauty of the Shawangunk Ridge. Let’s not forget the world renown Mohonk Mountain House and Mohonk Preserve. There are several different parks and preserves close by.

These are just a few things that make New Paltz such an attractive place to buy real estate. People are drawn from all over by the beautiful views of the Gunks and the ample outdoor activities. As a result, there is a large contingent of second home owners in New Paltz. Due to the presence of the State University of New York at New Paltz, there is also a very active rental real estate market. There are very low vacancy rates due to a shortage of student housing. It makes it a great investment to own a multi-family in New Paltz.