Rhinebeck, NY – Hiking Poet’s Walk

I love spending time hiking the Hudson Valley and Catskills and a few years ago my husband Jim and I took one of the most beautiful walks of my life. Poet’s walk is only a few miles from Village Green Realty’s office in Kingston, right across the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge. I first heard about this walk from friends who claim it as their favorite spot to walk their dog. Spectacular views of the beautiful Catskill mountains and Hudson River, flowing fields, lush forests, cobblestone bridges over babbling brooks and arches and benches made from native trees, it’s all there. The views at Poet’s walk remind us of what so many artists of the Hudson River School of Painting found inspiring. At Poet’s Walk they can be experienced through a slow meandering well-worn path – no need for heavy hiking gear or packs. If you ever wonder why you should move to the country or if you haven’t taken the time to marvel at what is in your own backyard, take this walk, it will renew your spirit.

Jim at Poet's Walk - Rhinebeck, NY

Me at Poet's Walk - Rhinebeck, NY

A Bridge on Poet's Walk - Rhinebeck, NY

More information on Poet’s walk. A couple places to get lunch in Rhinebeck after walking poets walk; Gigi Trattoria (try the Minestrone – YUM!), Terrapin (famous throughout the Hudson Valley).

Woodstock Shops

Or Better Yet, I Shop In Woodstock! Day 1

Who could ask for a better job right?! As the first step of our new effort to bring our clients as much information as possible about the areas where we sell Real Estate I went shopping in a bunch of Woodstock shops. Most of you I am sure would say “Hooray! Shopping for a living!” But I’m THE anti-shopper.  I hate sifting through racks for bargains, I can’t stand settling for something less than fantastic just because I have to find something, so most of the time I get nothing. I even belong to a food co-op where once a month a tractor trailer truck drops off our all-natural groceries at a PARK and me and some friends distribute the groceries amoung picnic tables and then head home and NOT to the grocery store. In other words, I’d rather freeze my tootsies off at 7am in a park and measure out who gets how many raisins then go to a store.

But, since shopping was now in my job description I grabbed my camera, headed out of our Woodstock, New York office  and down Tinker Street.  My first stop was Tinker Toys Too – this is a store that I do in fact shop in on occassion because I have a five year old daughter and she needs toys! Baby-steps for the non-shopper – I was starting with a personal touch stone. Tinker Toys Too is packed to the ceiling (literally) with toys that are intelligently designed, colorful, out of the ordinary and really short on plastic.  They carry gorgeous sets of blocks in really bright colors that I would use to decorate my house.  I’m planning on picking some up this week for my best friend who’s having a baby (I only actually buy gifts – just in case you’re under the misapprehension that this post is going to become about my wild spending spree through Woodstock shops!). The woman at the desk was nice and helpful.  They always know what’s right for what age and they know what they have (which is good, since it’s so packed in there it’s easy to miss some items when you’re looking by yourself).

Fortified by having successfully made it through a store I’m comfortable in without a panic attack I headed next door to Clouds Gallery. Clouds sells pretty, shiny things. I love glass art (gift buyers for Amy take note! Because, just to reiterate, I’ll NEVER buy it for myself), and Clouds has some beautiful examples.  They represent many local artists.  They also specialize in jewelry. I want to note as well that their website doesn’t do the gallery justice, so don’t judge the book by the e-book.  Here’s a few pics that I snapped (again gift buyers take note!!!) Clouds has the potential to be a stuffy gallery, they’re in one of the most prominent spots in Woodstock, right on the green and they sell some lovely high end things. But in true Woodstock style there was no stuffiness to be found!  I still wouldn’t take my kid in there, just to be on the safe side, but I’m sure they’d give you a smile if you wanted to risk it.

I headed across the street to Talisman on Rock City Road.  I figured this would be a quickie because I had been in there a few years ago and they’d basically had a bunch of kokopelli images on various trinkets like keychains and pendants and I thought I would get in, get out, move on. No offense to kokopelli finatics, but they were all the rage when I was in high school and whenever I see one I think hackie-sack, those awful scratchy baha pullovers and Led Zepplin on the classic rock station. But the shop is under new ownership and they had a much greater selection of folk-art and gifts, in fact I don’t think I saw a kokopelli anywhere.  I was very pleasantly surprised. I particularly liked the guitar of found wood pictured below.   

 

 

I had now been shopping for about 45 minutes and no hyperventilation! I was even enjoying myself! It’s been a very warm winter here and it was a gorgeous day, the sun was shinning, Woodstock was looking as cute as a button, and I was remembering why I had said to my husband “why don’t we move here” when we first drove through Woodstock by chance about eight years ago. We were living in the city and I wanted to move back to Maine where I grew up. But my husband couldn’t bear not being in driving distance of Yankee Stadium, so Maine wasn’t happening. When we first drove through Woodstock it reminded me of New England (lots of white, clapboard buildings) and my heart did a little jump. But I digress, back to the Woodstock Shops.

 

Despite my good spirits I knew I only had one more store left in me. So, I headed to Woodstock Outfitters which had intrigued me the last few times I’d walked by. It looked from the window as though it must carry some LL Bean type goods (which my nostalgia for New England dictates that I gravitate towards) of the high-end ilk. This proved to be the case. But, the best thing about this store is not its merchandise (which is really nice, well chosen, and smells good) but its merchandising.  Woodstock Outfitters gets the award for the most clever merchandising I’ve seen since my trip to the Brooklyn Flea Market in the Fall. Rather than going for bulk and stuffing the store with median priced goods of middling quality, they’ve carefully chosen  a small number of high quality items and displayed them cleverly. I may not like shopping but I inexplicably love pretty marketing. Usually walking into a store with only a few items (think a Manhattan boutique with 12 black dresses hung 3 feet apart from each other on two racks) makes me feel incredibly inadequate, like I can never hope to live up to an item that has been granted it’s own 12 square feet of high priced retail display space.  But the displays in Woodstock Outfitters are homey, artistic, cheeky, and smarty-pants all at the same time.  Even though the black boots below were given a very wide berth, their down to earth pedestal of an antique ironing board made me feel like I was probably worthy to wear them. And the bag below is the one thing from the Woodstock Shops of the day that I’m still thinking about, despite its $300 price tag.

 

 

 

So I’d made it, I’d shopped, I’d survived.  I was totally not any the worse for wear. I hadn’t bought anything….but I’d considered it! On my way back to the office I needed to stop at Jarita’s Florist to pick up some flowers.  My house is on the market and I always have fresh flowers in the living and dining rooms and in the master bedroom to make it feel alive, at least that’s how I justify the three or four bunches of flowers I’m buying a week to myself.  Jarita’s is a tiny shop with fabulous window displays (there’s never a plastic ribbon or horrid florist stuffed animal anywhere in sight)  and they always have some really nice flowers by the bunch as well as wonderful arrangements which they put together in a larger space upstairs. I picked up some Lily’s and some tulips and headed back to the office. To shop another day!

 

  

 

Stay tuned for my next shopping excursion.  Maybe I’ll buy something that isn’t meant to contribute to a real estate transaction….MAYBE.

 

 

Residencies For Artists

There are residencies for Artists available in Woodstock, NY.

Calling all artists and wannabees! Did you know that the most famous small town in America is Woodstock, NY? Many people think that the 1969 Woodstock Festival was the beginning of Woodstock being known as the  ”Colony of the Arts” but that festival was just one event in a long history of creativity in the Catskills for over a century. In 1902 a utopian community was founded on 1200 acres in Woodstock New York as a mecca for artists to live and work communally. It is now called The Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild and its purpose 100 years later is the same. Today there are 33 of the original 35 Arts and Crafts style buildings that made up the colony and are set on 250 acres. Byrdcliffe comes alive in summer with residencies for artists. Byrdcliffe houses and fosters the creativity of its artists in their private studios. Some of the cottages are available for rent year round but most are seasonal, the caveat is, you must be a working artist to live in Byrdcliffe. Scholarships are available for the artists in residence program since the primary goal of the colony is to foster and subsidize expenses for the creative spirit. Byrdcliffe supports both visual and performing artists.

One of the best kept secrets in Ulster County is the open studio exhibitions at Byrdcliffe and the community pot luck dinners on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons during the summer. Attendants might hear a reading from an emerging playwrite or poet in the theater, or see the newest creations from the pottery interns working in the old barn. Byrdcliffe has classes for the public some of which are year   round. You can explore Ceramics, Jewelry, Woodworking, Life Drawing, Dance and Voice, classes are always changing so keep watching. If you are up for the weekend take a self-guided tour using one of the maps available at the Byrdcliffe Theater which sits at the top of Upper Byrdcliff Road, minutes from the village of Woodstock. Meander through the paths and roads and take in the breathtaking scenery that has inspired so many. When you head back to town visit the Byrdcliffe’s gallery and the Byrdcliffe Guild Shop that has original crafts for sale from contemporary Byrdcliffe artists. If you are lucky enough to garner one of the residencies for artists you will become an integral part of all this. Applications are due soon, so apply now.

Gems of the Hudson Valley and Catskills, like The Woodstock Byrdclifef Guild, are only a  2-3 hour ride from New York City. While you are exploring our cultural sites, enjoying a great meal or entertainment, it’s the natural beauty of our region that will tug at your heart. So if you want to feel the grass under your feet in summer, taste the snow-white powder in winter, see the brilliant colors in autumn and smell the bloom of spring, we will find you a home that is just waiting for you.

My Career In Real Estate, Part 1

Or: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way

People often ask me to tell them funny stories about my career in Real Estate. “Who was the craziest person you ever worked with?.”, “What was the worst house you ever managed to sell?” That sort of thing. Well, I have had some extraordinary experiences throughout my career in Real Estate, so I thought I would dish…just a little.

I won the Pweter award! It was like the Oscar’s in Real Estate terms, awarded for extraordinary efforts and  valor in the face of adversity. Mr Pweter, who was the namesake of the award had a house for sale and every time a prospective buyer arrived  he would sit in his living room polishing his guns. On top of that Mr Pweter’s demeanor was sour and unwelcoming; it did nothing to help sell his house. Prospective buyers left in a BIG hurry. Two years and three listing companies later Mr Pweter’s house was still on the market. Finally the fourth broker was enlightened and realized Mr. Pweter was his own worst enemy. The broker asked Mr. Pewter if he would agree to go into town for coffee during showings and he readily agreed.  The house sold immediately.

I was not the broker who worked with Mr. Pweter but was the second  recipient of the Pweter award for two separate incidents in the same year.

First incident: I was showing a house that I was told was vacant to  a single dad with two small children and his then girlfriend.  As we got to the second floor landing there was a jammed door and as I pushed to get it opened. I heard someone come to the door, it flung open and it nearly knocked  me down. A bare-chested man with Medusa-like hair was furiously screaming at me in a foreign language. Staggering to stand, I looked up to see he had a gun pointed at my head! They do not train you how to deal with this when you set out for a career in Real Estate!  Using the most soothing voice I could muster  and as calmly as I could I kept the madman engaged while my clients were descending the stairs to get out of the house . We all managed to escape unharmed and I called the police. The squatter was arrested and deported.  I found that buyer a house two years and two girlfriends later. I went to the wedding.

The second incident: I had a verbally accepted offer for my buyer to purchase a parcel of land in August, it was a cash deal.  The agent informed me she can’t get the binder signed because her client just checked herself into a mental institution. Four months later I get a call from the listing agent, we have 48 hours to get the paperwork done, her client is home for the holiday.  Can’t fax, she wants to meet us  in person. We jump in the car and drive to Westchester and back. It’s Christmas Eve.

Five hours later, the binder  is  signed. Deed restrictions, right of ways and encroachments have to be sorted out plus it needs a DEP/DEC engineered septic because the property is in the New York City Watershed and a major creek runs through it. We slug through all the permits and paperwork and are ready to close. It’s a sweltering 95 degree day in August of the year following the December when contracts were signed. The closing is scheduled half way between the attorneys offices at the Nanuet Public Library in Rockland County.  Paperwork in hand and driving together down the Thruway the listing agent and I are about 10 miles away when her car just slows to a halt. The car won’t move. I am going to this closing.

We weren't as happy as this guy!

I stick out my thumb out and we start walking. Kay, the listing agent  who is about 70 years old has nearly expired from the heat keeps saying “I’m out of this business”.  A public works truck picks us up and makes us promise we won’t tell anyone who gave us a ride because he could lose his job. He drops us off a block from the library. The closing is in the Non-Fiction section of the library and when we get to the table everyone has to whisper. Cash deal, closed  in 20 minutes and we have no way home. But everyone is happy. My buyer takes us to the train in Tarrytown and we get a ride from Rhinebeck back to Woodstock. On the way home we talk about our career in Real Estate.  A few days later Kay calls me up. “I have a great new listing, do you have a buyer”?

"Just when I thought I was out.....they pull me back in!"

A career in Real Esate – it’s rarely dull!

Old And New Homes for the New Year

2011 Real Estate Reflections

Reflecting on what we have done right over the past year is always a good thing. Coldwell Banker Village Green Realty has had great success in a down market; outpacing all our competition by a significant margin in sold properties.  I attribute this to a highly professional sales staff and great management team that works seamlessly to provide the best real estate service available in the Hudson Valley and Catskill region of New York State.

We have also had our share of challenges in 2011. Hurricane Irene came through Windham New York, home to our Catskill Mountain Village Office and completely destroyed the office. While we were rebuilding we had to vacate our office and work out of a makeshift space while remaining open to serve the community. Our agents and staff endured and persevered through the single most devastating natural disaster to hit New York State with great aplomb. The newly rebuilt office is beautiful and more vibrant than ever.

One of our best decisions of 2011 was to partner with Catskill Farms. This company builds cottage style homes with an old style feel that are perfectly sited and designed for an urban buyer’s desire to have high quality construction with impeccable details. The first new old cottage we marketed on MLS was a three-story 1800 sq ft home on a quiet Ulster County road in Stone Ridge, New York. It was listed at $385,000. I kid you not when I say that Catskill Farms had just broken ground and it sold in 8 days! We are now moving on to a new adventure with Catskill Farms in Woodstock. The word is getting out and soon we will be lining up buyers to get in the door of this latest Catskill Farms project.

We hit the ground running for the 1st quarter of 2012.  Our buyers did not take as much time off as I have historically seen. That is a good sign that confidence in the real estate market is positive.  Typically closings are sparse in January, February and March because most buyers put their home shopping on hold for the holidays. It is always the slowest quarter of the year and we usually start picking up by the end of January when buyers are back from the festivities of the season.  I am charting a new course in expanding our markets and revitalizing our web presence and services. We are already in the shoot for an entirely new website design with more interactive searches, more helpful information for buyers about the areas we serve, and beautiful showcasing of our seller’s listings.

I am expecting a great year in 2012 for Real Estate. I hope you will contact us if you have dreams of making a change, we will help you to realize your dreams. Happy New Year!

Move House In Market Conditions Like These?

Should I Or Shouldn't I Move House in These Market Conditions? THAT is the Question.

The burning Question: Should I move house in market conditions like these?When is the right time to buy or sell a home? The state of the Real Estate Market has been a hot topic in the news for years now.  But as a non-statistic, human being you may be feeling the urge to move or really need to move.  If this is the case you’re probably searching for the answer our burning question.

We’ve all seen the downslide in the Real Estate market for a solid five years. Our current home prices are the same as they were in 2002 so I think we’ve experienced the pendulum swing for this century. Who’s fault was it? The big bad lenders who gave mortgages to people who really could not afford the payments, or the government who did not regulate? Maybe it was the economy that slowed down or the over spending on credit? Perhaps we just can’t compete with China and other countries with a huge cheap labor force. Was it Wall Street and huge investment companies who kept us artificially afloat when they were drowning? Did they cause the housing crash?I don’t want to minimize how devastating this housing crisis was and continues to be for so many families, individuals and small businesses. I believe there were many hands a work who created the house of cards that fell but lets look at some of the good that came out it.

1. We have started to save money again. Our collective experience has taught us to be more conservative in our spending and save for a rainy day.

2. When we buy a home we are buying for the right reason (because we can afford too), and we are much more educated on the market and the process when we buy than we have ever been in the past.

3. We are conserving on energy and understanding the long-term benefits and savings of building green.

4. We are living on less and reorganizing our priorities, need and want are no longer synonyms.

5. We are experiencing tougher banking regulations, but these serve to identify more resposible homebuyers.

6. Mortgage rates are historically low, a great benefit to buyers.

7.  Home prices are finally stable.

But here’s some cheerful news! Residential housing prices have actually gone up 1% over the previous twelve months. I cansay after reviewing all the data that the market is stable.  The number of sales has decreased about 20% for that same time period due to buyers having taken advantage of the first time home buyer tax credit which has now expired. And, real estate is still a good longterm investment.

courtesy of KCMblog.com

The answer to that burning question: Should I move house in market conditions like these? I predict nothing will happen with property values in the next 3-5 years either up or down.  If you are ready to buy or sell there is no time like the present. If you are just getting yourself geared up to explore the idea, call your Realtor for a roadmap, we’ll show you the route thats best for you. www.villagegreenrealty.com

Increase Home Value Without Spending (Much) Money

Before putting your home up for sale you want to make sure you’ve done what you can to increase home value, but chances are you want to increase home value without spending much money. 

Clean it up, Pack it up, Fix it up. You never get a second chance to make a first impression – the same holds true when selling your home.  A little elbow grease, a few cosmetic improvements and perhaps a little cash will increase home value, increase showings and get you to the closing table faster.  To make it easy, follow my TOP TEN LIST for sellers TO ADD VALUE when preparing  your home  for sale:

1.  Curb Appeal – Keep your lawn cut and manicured during the warmer months, keep driveways and sidewalks clear in winter. Clean up trash, leaves and debris. Don’t spend money on landscaping but instead buy potted plants or hanging baskets to dress up your house. Remember: the goal is to make your exterior as appealing as you can so realtors and buyers want to see what is inside.

Increase Home Value With Seasonal Decor

2. Welcome Buyers- A clean and painted front door and entrance with a seasonal door decoration adds to the warmth of the house.  Visually you want to say “Welcome” to buyers as they enter your home.

A Little Paint Goes A Long Way To Increase Home Value

3. Freshen Up – Faded walls and scratched woodwork reduce appeal. The easiest way to brighten your rooms is with a fresh coat of paint. Don’t forget to neutralize the orange day-glow paint in your 1960′s retro family room.  Be wise - neutralize.

4. Kitchen Appeal.  The kitchen in my opinion is the most important room in a house. Unclutter your counters and find a new home for all your counter appliances.  Make sure your fixed appliances shine and give the exterior and interior of your cabinets a good cleaning.  Never leave dishes in the sink and organize your pantry and cabinets. Pack away and store any items you are not using. If your cabinets are old, consider a facelift with paint and new hardware. You will be amazed on how you can transform your kitchen with a little effort.

The Kitchen - The Most Important Room In Your House

5. Bathroom Tips.  Clean the tub and shower top to bottom, repair grout and caulk where it’s needed. Get rid of soap film and polish up the fixtures.  Sparkling bathrooms are a must; and don’t forget to keep the toilet seat down.

6. Less is More.  Avoid a cluttered appearance by removing excess furniture and de-personalize by taking down the wall of family photo’s.  Keep toys and newspapers picked up and start packing and storing.  A clean and neat space will make it easier for the buyers to visualize how they would live in your house.

What a great way to increase home value! Just clean out your closets.

7. Make it Bigger. Clean out the closets so everything looks orderly and only keep what you need.  Getting rid of all the excess will visually expand your storage space in the eyes of a buyer.

8. Let the Sun Shine.  Keep the windows clean. Drapes, shades and blinds should be open to maximize the natural light.  Well placed, inexpensive floor lamps and room fixtures can enhance the ambiance.  Light up your house with both natural and well placed lighting; light makes people cheerful naturally.

9. Maintainance Check.  Change the filter on your furnace; clean the exterior of both furnace and water tanks. If you are representing that mechanicals and appliances work,  make sure they are.  Do minor repairs that will be easily noticed by a buyer: for example, fix loose doorknobs, doors off track, dripping faucets, screens or windows that are broken or loose. Fix noisy attic, bathroom or house  fans. Buyers feeling secure about your home being in working order will increase your home value.

10. Scent It.  There is nothing that will turn off a buyer faster than an odor that is unpleasant to them. If you have pets, be aware that the smell of your perfect companion can overwhelm a buyer and they will walk out.  Deodorizer. Likewise, with cats and litter boxes or just closed up musty old room smells: freshen up.  Shampooing  rugs and dry cleaning your furniture is always a good idea.  Keep your windows open if possible, bring in scented candles, incense or better yet, bake an apple pie!

Now  you’ve dressed your house for success next step;

 CALL YOUR REALTOR,  ITS SHOW TIME!