Ulster County Real Estate Blog - Lou Lynch

Ulster County MLS

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:13:35 -0600

The Ulster County Board of Realtors only permits active members of the board to directly access the Ulster County MLS system. For public use, we make our website available so that home buyers can search virtually the same data we as REALTORS use to to research the Ulster County homes inventory. Our website contains almost all of the properties actively for sale and is updates via the MLS every four hours. The UlsterCountyLiving.com website was designed to help people easily find what is actively for sale in the Ulster County, Hudson Valley and Surrounding Area.

To Search Ulster County MLS Listings ON OUR SITE, Click Here

What is Multiple Listing Service or MLS?

A Multiple Listing Service is a real estate listings database that enables real estate brokers and agents search and find information about homes, land and other types of Ulster County properties. Real estate brokers and agents that represent Ulster County home buyers or look to cooperate with a seller's broker can utilize an MLS system to locate a property for his or her buyer. The Ulster County MLS usually contains all the real estate listings that are represented by real estate brokers who are both members of the Ulster County MLS system and of NAR (the National Association of Realtors). MLS systems are more commonly used in the United States and Canada, but are becoming the common tool of real estate professionals in other parts of the world.

Gunks Real Estate

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:38:36 -0600

Looking for an outdoor sport that challenges you to new heights? Try rock climbing in the Hudson Valley!

For over 70 years, the Gunks have been considered the rock climbing mecca of the east, with more than 1,200 routes, the Gunks have more rock climbing than any single location east of the Mississippi River. Unlike other climbing areas, the majority of routes are in the easy to moderate range, with a rating generally of 5.3 to 5.9, making it enjoyable for novice and skilled climbers alike. Being close to this time honored tradition for many years, the Gunks and nearby New Paltz New York have one of the most authentic rock climbing communities in the country. An easy drive from exit 18 off the New York State Thruway makes access a breeze.

In addition to being a playground for rock climbers, the Shawangunk Mountain range offers beauty that is enjoyed as a part of the scenery for many home owners lucky enough to live with in eye-shot. Visit my website to browse Gunks Real Estate listings.

The Sarasota MLS

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 17:54:13 -0500

I know this is all over the internet by now but I wanted to do my part in supporting Marc Rasmussen by further exposing the issue.

If you have 5 minutes, please read about how the Sarasota MLS board stole a successful domain from one of their own m

embers claiming breech of ethics at first then trademark infringment later (even though MLS is trademarked by Major Leauge Soccer). Marc acted on the advice of the NAR when registering the domain name and even went as far as to get permission prior to registering it. Read More

A Slice of Hudson Valley Country

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:32:13 -0500

The Kerhonkson Accord Chamber of Commerce is holding the 4th Annual Jennie Bell Pie Festival at Kelder’s Farm (home of the world’s largest garden gnome). The festival will take place Saturday September 27th at 12 noon. The farm is located along Route 209 in Accord.

Click here for a blog I posted on the Jennie Bell Pie Festival at Kelder’s Farm at NutshellRealty.com

The Ashokan Field Campus is officially SOLD! (updated)

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:13:33 -0500

A 374 acre parcel found just south of the Ashokan Reservoir was bought earlier this year by the Open Space Institute's land acquisition affiliate, the Open Space Conservancy, that is a part of the State University of New York at New Paltz. As part of the agreement, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, which maintains and operates both Ulster County reservoirs, has officially taken possession of the 219 acres in the town of Olive and 14 acres in town of Marbletown. The remaining 141 acres in Olive, have been acquired by the Ashokan Foundation.

There's a dual purpose in their land acquisition. One is to help with flood control and the other to meet EPA water quality standards so that the City does not have to filter Ashokan water.

[correction] When the Ashokan Reservoir is relatively full, DEP will sometimes release water before major rains and melts to create sufficient void to receive the additional incoming water in the west basin so the turbid excess will not overflow into the clear east basin and from there overflow uncontrolled into the Esopus via the spillway. The acquired land is an alternate path to the Esopus for these controlled water releases.

The local economic impact of the sale is that the DEP will pay property taxes on its portion which is a benefit to the tax base as the former owner, Campus Auxiliary Services, was exempt from paying taxes.

Correction provided courtesy of Jay Ungar
Ashokan Foundation, Inc.

Thanks Jay!

Ulster County Real Estate Website Launch

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:31:16 -0500

I am trying to get the word out about a new website I just launched. The website is a real estate website as well as a community guide (down the road). At this moment, it is positioned just to serve as an Ulster County Real Estate and community resource but have plans to open it up to other communities in the Hudson Valley.

Here is a blurb of information similar to that on my homepage:

UlsterCountyLiving.com is a free resource for anyone interested in Ulster County or Hudson Valley real estate. You'll come upon useful guides and real estate information, comprising of a directory of local information on everything from considerable restaurants to historic landmarks, tours and local events. Our concierge-type service will be helpful as you research one of the most attractive areas in Upstate New York.

Our real estate services are chiefly in Ulster County but can widen throughout much of the greater Hudson Valley. Our website makes it simple to research communities, or search the Ulster County MLS for listings. In addition, our convenient Buyers and Sellers Guides will be helpful in preparing you for the intricate details of your Ulster County real estate transaction.

Ulster County Real Estate Agent and Ulster County Expert - Lou Lynch

As a long time resident and real estate agent in Ulster County, I regularly provide stellar buyer and seller representation service, area knowledge for every client I work with. I have a well substantiated track record of success and a lengthy list of satisfied clients. For a greater insight, visit my website page to learn more about my programs and the level of real estate services.

Visions of the ValleyTM 2008/09 Photography Contest & Calendar

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:45:02 -0500

BENEFIT AUCTION Sunday, August 10th at the Rondout Valley Golf Club and Restaurant in Accord. Preview and Reception from 2pm to 4pm, Auction from 4pm to 6pm "Visions of the Valley 2008/09, Selected winning photos for the RVBA 2009 Calendar. click photo for larger image

Fields of Dawn by Rob Case (calendar back cover).	Frosted Fuel by Marilyn Horen (calendar month: January).	Frozendale by Chip Belmore (Calendar month: February).	Untitled by Matthew Pommerencke (Calendar front cover).
57 Visions of the Valley photographs, professionally matted and framed, including the 16 Visions selected for the RVBA 2009 Calendar, will be auctioned to benefit the RVBA Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $15 advance purchase, $20 at the door. Admission includes hors d'oeuvres and a glass of wine. Cash bar available. We are hoping for a terrific turnout from our membership (this is our only gathering in the month of August) but this event is open to the public so please bring friends and family! We would appreciate your RSVP so we may have an approximate head count for the Golf Club. Tickets are available for purchase at these RVBA member establishments: Rondout Valley Golf Club & Restaurant, A&M Hardware, High Falls Mercantile, Saunderskill Farm Market, Marbletown Hardware, Stone Ridge Wine & Spirits, White Wolf Restaurant.

Stone Ridge Library Vote

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:41:31 -0500

Stone Ridge residents will vote on Aug. 11 to select a pair of Stone Ridge Library trustees from among three candidates as well as deliberate on a proposed budget hike for the library.

A recent press release, reporting on the election, stated that library officials will propose an expenditure of 217,642, which is a 14.8 increase over the 189,567 budget passed in 2006 (the last year in which an increase was requested).

Suzanne Hauspurg, president of the library board, expressed that the library had no alternative but to ask for the extra money, citing increasing overhead in the operation of the library as well as dropping value in common stock held by the organization.

"Our oil bill will nearly double this winter, to more than 9,000," she said, "and other expenses are soaring as well."

Hauspurg said the popularity of borrowing Internet borrowing had increased vastly, requiring an additional circulation clerk. "On top of that," she said, "the troubled securities markets have hurt our endowment."

Town of Marbletown Assessor Barbara Galloway said the increase would bring a average household's library tax bill to between 50 and 60, up about 5 from 2006.

Candidates for the two four-year trustee seats are incumbents Hauspurg and Jim Hoover and challenger Alan Marker.

The election will be held from 2-8 p.m. Aug. 11 at the library. Absentee ballots are available at the library and must be returned by the close of business on Aug. 11.

For more information about the election or the budget, call Library Director Jody Ford at (845) 687-7023 or Hauspurg at (845) 687-0736.

Ulster County Board of REALTORS Golf Tournament

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:03:39 -0500

When: FRIDAY AUGUST 1st, 2008 Where: Apple Greens Golf Course Entry Fee: $95 (Full Event) $30 (Just Dinner) Call For Info: 845-338-5299 click here to download a flyer for your office or work place
The 17th Annual Ulster County Board of REALTORS DRIVE IT HOME Benefit Golf Tournament will be held FRIDAY AUGUST 1st, 2008 @ Apple Greens Golf Course. Proceeds benefit: ULSTER COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. The tournament entry $95 per golfer and includes; Greens Fee, Cart, Continental Breakfast, Lunch, Beer & Soda and Dinner (Dinner Only $30). Registration Begins 9:15 AM with a shotgun Start 10:00 AM.
download an team application Foursomes will play a "Captain & Crew" scramble format with prizes for Low Gross scores in "Open" and "All Realtor" divisions. There will also be prizes for Longest Drive and Closest To The Pin. And, of course, brand new 2009 Ford Fusion donated by Johnson Ford for a Hole-In-One. 9:15 AM Registration Begins, Continental Breakfast served prior to play 10:00 AM Shotgun Start 11:30 AM Lunch is served at the Orchard Café (at the tee box of the 10th hole) 3:00 PM Following completion of play, scorecards are to be collected in the Pro Shop 3:30 PM Dinner & Awards Ceremony immediately following play

e-cards (TrueLogic) suspended me for the second time

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:42:10 -0500

Yeah, thats right, the e-card system kicked me off again. I posted the full blog over at REW. They tell me I am the only Prudential Affiliate that has been suspended, this can't be true especially under these circumstances.

I really look forward to hearing some of your opinions on the subject

Click here for the full blog (rant)

- Lou

Prudential Nutshell Realty

Stone Ridge Summer Events

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:03:57 -0500

Stone Ridge Community Fair August 16th

There will be a community fair and movie night held on the grounds of Christ the King Episcopal Church in Stone Ridge on August 16th. The fair will start at 5pm with food and activities and end with a movie on the back lawn at sundown. Food will be available for a nominal fee with free popcorn for the movie. It is a rain or shine event.

SUMMER'S END CHORAL WORKSHOP AND COMMUNITY EVENSONG
Open to all singers in the Hudson Valley
Held at The Episcopal Church of Christ the King, 3021 Route 213 East, Stone Ridge, NY
August 27, 28, 29 and 30

Led by James Ruff, Director of Music & Professional Tenor

Come join other singers from the Hudson Valley in short daily workshops to:

Learn valuable vocal techniques to help you develop your own voice - tone, range, stamina.
Explore the spiritual basis for your singing - help deepen your own sense of worship while singing in your choir.
Work on specific choral techniques to develop your sense of blend and group sound.
Foster your sense of community with other choral singers in the area.
Prepare your heart, mind and body for your choir's coming fall season.
Then, put what you've learned into practice by singing in a beautiful Community Evensong Service at the end of the week, followed by a group supper. Repertoire will include the Stanford Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in C. Choral rehearsals for this service will follow each daily workshop.
Schedule for the week:

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday:

6pm - 7pm - Choral workshop
7pm - 8:30pm - Evensong Choral rehearsal

Saturday:

5pm - 6pm - Choral warm-up
6pm - 7pm - Choral Evensong Service
7pm - community potluck supper

You must attend at least 2 of the 3 rehearsals (Friday rehearsal is mandatory!) to sing in the Evensong Saturday evening.

Registration Fee: $50, due 8/15/08. For more information, contact the church at (845) 687-9414 or email: church@ctkstoneridge.org. See our website at: www.ctkstoneridge.org

Living among Woodstock’s Black Bear Population

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:38:13 -0500

As a 35 year old, I have been living in the country all my life. Up until just a few years ago, I have never seen a Black Bear in a public area or close to my home. Now they are everywhere. Within the last few years, things have changed both in the population and the feeding habits of the Black Bear found in Woodstock and the Hudson Valley area. Bears are now more prevalent in public areas than ever and pose a small problem to those who are unfamiliar with exactly how to co-exist.

Read the Full Story on Woodstock Bears >>

Hudson Valley Web Design

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:06:52 -0500

I just wanted to pass on a blog I wrote on the importance of hiring a local company to design your website. My advice for the most part is to design it yourself (no one knows your market better than you). If you want to plunk down a few bucks and have a professional do it , make sure you hire a company that has experience in your market.

There are lots of reasons why . . .

Read my blog on Hudson Valley Web Design

Ulster County Real Estate Blog is Alive!

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:20:27 -0500

So this outside blog thing looks pretty decent. At first word of it, I ran (figuratively) to my ActiveRain account and fired up my outside blog to launch my Ulster County Real Estate Blog. The ActiveRain crew did a great job on the integration. One or two clicks, and my outside blog was cranked up. I uploaded two pictures and applied a domain name UlsterCountyRealEstateBlog.com (obviously) and bam! I was alive with a brand spanking new blog already filled up with all my posts from AR.

I am curious to see how the new outside blog will fare in the search engines. Yes blogs are syndicated by nature and aren't as susceptible to duplicate content penalties (which is a lot different than you might think) but now my posts made in AR live in three places, activerain.com/blogs/loudog, localism.com/agents/loudog and now UlsterCountyRealEstateBlog.com. In terms of SEO, having the custom domain name is definitely going to help, but if the domain name is new (UlsterCountyRealEstateBlog.com is about a year old), it won't carry the same authority as the AR blog you are currently using because of the age. We will have to wait and see how these new outside blogs rank.

If you need help setting up your outside blog, Brad Andersohn posted a real good how to blog over at Active Brad.

Finally, the Hudson Valley gets their very own Bigfoot

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:10:33 -0500

Just recently, the fascination of the popular Bigfoot legend has made itself known in the Catskill region of Upstate New York. Recent sightings of creatures believed to be members of the Bigfoot family have drawn the attention of Bigfoot hunter Tom Biscardi.

As a kid, I always wanted to believe in Bigfoots and there is still a small part of me that is dying to see some real proof but without my personal inspection of the evidence, I have to rank them up there with UFOs and Ghosts. I do have to admit though, some of what they say it very convincing.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". - Dr. Carl Sagan

Tom Biscardi, founder and chief executive officer of Searching for Bigfoot Inc., put together an eight man team and headed towards the Catskill Mountains as a result of a sighting reported by a local family that said they saw multiple creatures resembling that of a Bigfoot on their property located on Tool House Road in Catskill.

Taking into consideration our area and topography, the area where the Bigfoot was sighted (in my mind) is the perfect place for a Bigfoot to live. Based on my vast knowledge of the species acquired from science fiction books and late night television, the Catskill Mountain range holds all the physical characteristics fitting of the ideal "Bigfoot Haven"

Biscardi's Bigfoot busters arrived in the Hudson Valley last Thursday after some local experts substantiated the rumor. The evidence that brought the Bigfoot research team to our neck of the woods was the finding of a bedding area (referred to as POD) as well as the sounds of distinctive footfalls picked up by a bionic ear described as that unlike the sound of a common woodland creature.

The initial sighting was made by Hudson Valley local, Patty Williams. Williams told local newspapers that she first saw a Bigfoot at her Catskill home about four months ago near a tree line and in proximity to a pigpen.

Also in the local paper Williams was quoted as saying that "It had a juvenile with it about my height." She went on to describe how the Bigfoot went into the pigpen, ate the animal feed but did not seem to bother the animals at all.

Her most recent Bigfoot sighting occurred while leaving the home to visit a friend one evening. She spotted the creature standing alone in her driveway at a height of 7 feet.

Biscardi, who claims to be on an expedition to find America's first King Kong, has been tracking Bigfoots on and off for 35 years plans to stake out the 3.8 acre parcel using state of the art tracking equipment.

According to Biscardi his plans are to capture and transport a Bigfoot to an area where it can be studied by a team made up of a medical doctor, veterinarian and other Bigfoot experts. After the 90 day study period, the plan is to release the Bigfoot back where it was found only now with a tracking device.

Hudson Valley Quality Deer Management Association

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:13:49 -0500

What part time home owners can do with all that extra land

Here in the Hudson Valley, there is a very good second home market made up mostly of New York City residents looking to escape city life to a second home out in the country. One of the most sought-out property-type is the old farm house on a large land parcel. As a Hudson Valley real estate agent, one of the things I do is to prepare the city dweller for their new life in the "sticks". I dedicate a good amount of my due diligence process to explaining the differences between city life and country life so there aren't any unexpected discomforts after the purchase.

One of the biggest differences between city life and country farm house living is in the amount of property you need to care for. For part-time homeowners, keeping up with 100 acres is no easy task. If money is no object, it could be easy to hire a property management company to care for the land. This becomes especially important if your newly bought farm has a good amount of open fields and meadows. Open areas such as these can quickly turn into over-grown brush fields that seriously inhibit your enjoyment of the property. A property management company can have a landscaper or local farmer mow the fields a few times a year to keep them manageable.

Another big difference in country living vs. urban survival is the amount of wild life, more specifically, coyote, bears and deer. At first, the wild life is an attraction for the new country home owner, but after a few dumped over garbage cans and some chewed up landscaping, country home owners look to find alternatives to wildlife cooperative living.

A very good option for country homeowners is to have their property managed by a Quality Deer Management expert (QDM). The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) is a national association that brings together landowners and hunters for the good of the white-tail deer. Quality Deer Managers primary goal is to create biologically and socially balanced deer herds. While most quality deer managers are hunters, they are conservationists first and look to perpetuate the species by strengthening the deer herds.

The process by which they manage the herds is a complex system of habitat management, food supply and harvest selection. Each system is different based on the type of property you are attempting to manage. In most cases, food plots are strategically planted on the property to keeping wildlife away from areas where they can damage landscaping or run out in front of cars. Selective harvesting of the deer herds contribute to the genetics of the remaining deer while keeping the over all herd in control limiting the chance of disease usually associated with over population.

The benefit for the homeowner is astronomical. More times than not, the QDMA will do the management for free. The property gets maintained by a professional who really cares about the environment. Fields don't become overgrown and unmanageable. The deer, bear and coyotes will stay away from landscaping, roads and pets. Finally through the process of deer management, the homeowner can feel good that he/she contributed to the good of the species.

Here in the Hudson Valley, the Hudson Valley Quality Deer Management Association (HVQDMA) is very active and ready to talk to landowners of any kind who have a similar perspective on wildlife and conservation. While QDM is a great solution for second home buyers in the Hudson Valley, landowners everywhere can benefit from having local QDMA branch talk to you about managing your property.

D&H Canal Show, Stone Ridge New York

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:01:14 -0500

Local historian Charles William Cullen will be giving a slide show presentation in historic High Falls. The highlight of the presentation will be the now-defunct 135-foot-long suspension bridge/aqueduct that once spanned the Rondout at a location locally known as "The Ledges". The Suspension aqueduct was a fundamental component of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, more commonly known as the D&H Canal.

Ground, on the D&H Canal was officially broken on July 13th 1825. After three long years of construction by a team of over 2,500 men, the canal was opened for use in October 1828. The Canal began in High Falls, New York on the Rondout Creek at an area later referred to as Creeklocks, located between Kingston and Rosendale. From High Falls, the canal proceeded southwesterly along the Rondout Creek to Ellenville New York, continuing through the valley of the Sandburg Creek (about one mile south of Napanoch), Homowack Kill, Basher Kill and Neversink River to Port Jervis on the Delaware River. From the Deleware River the Canal moved there the Canal Moved northwest on the New York side of the Delaware River. Due to a flaw in Roebling's design, the aqueduct's wooden portion of the aqueduct's suspension cables burned in 1917. The remaining metal was taken for scrap shortly after.

The presentation will be 10 am directly after a 9:30 am coffee hour, Saturday June 14th at the Bevier House Museum, located at 2682 Route 209, Stone Ridge. Tickets are just $5. For more information: Contact Charles William Cullen at 845-687-4869 or ccullen@hvc.rr.com

Rondout Valley Growers Association's Orchard Dinner and Wine Tasting

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:16:58 -0500

Stone Ridge Orchard and Stone Ridge Wine & Spirits are hosting their 5th annual Rondout Valley Growers Association's Dinner and Wine Tasting. Accommodations will be rustic but elegant, so formal attire is not required. Hors d'oeuvre and champagne begin at 6PM and dinner will be served at 7PM. Music by The T Xiques Trio featuring T Xiques on drums, Matt Finck on guitar and Lou Pappas on bass.

The Orchard Dinner is the Rondout Valley Growers Association's first major fundraising event of 2008 and promises to be the event of the summer. The format is an open air "tented" seating arrangement under the Stone Ridge Orchard's stately old Oak tree. The menu is a delightful combination of signature culinary delights created by local Hudson Valley chefs. The foods used by the chefs are locally grown farm products paired with a premium selection of New York state and Hudson Valley wines. Proceeds from the event directly support Rondout Valley Growers Association's general marketing efforts for Rondout Valley farms and farmers.

Stone Ridge locals Tim and Laurel Sweeney, owners of Stone Ridge Wine and Spirits, have donated the New York state wines to pair with each food item. The following chefs/restaurants have contributed by preparing a selection of culinary excellence:

Salah Alygad of Friends and Family ll Hillside Restaurant
John Novi of the Depuy Canal House
Bart Greenbaum of Oscar Restaurant
Tim Celuch of the Northern Spy Cafe
Spenser Mass of The Country Inn of Krumville
Brian Gribbon of High Falls Café
Marcus Guiliano at Aroma Thyme Bistro
Essell Honeshel-Watson of Alternative Baker
Sprout Creek Farm
Events That Matter

	Purchase ticket: General Admission , $80.00
	Purchase ticket: RVGA Member, $60.00
	Purchase ticket: RVGA Grower Member , $50.00

Rondout Valley Growers Association's 5th Annual Orchard Dinner and Wine Tasting
Saturday, June 28
Time: 6-9 PM
Where: Stone Ridge Orchard, 3012 Rt 213, Stone Ridge, NY

Kingston NY, more than just real estate

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:11:05 -0500

Rich in heritage and nestled between the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains is Kingston NY. The Kingston NY real estate market offers a tremendous amount of value to home buyers looking for the perfect combination of historic atmosphere and everyday convenience.

Located just off of exit 19 of the New York State Thruway, Kingston real estate opportunities boast a serene alternative to big city living without sacrificing the amenities often associated with urban living. If you ever get the chance, I strongly encourage you to visit us so you too can enjoy the unique experience of deep rooted American history melded with modern day accessibility.

Early on in American history, Kingston NY, the first capital of New York State has attracted those interested in both short-term tourism to life long commitments. The attractions that most steadily withstood the sands of time are Kingston's stone houses, our magnificent Hudson River waterfront, and our growing economic vitality. Kingston is proud to be the home of some of the oldest buildings in the United States. The original New York State Senate House, the Old Dutch Church, the Rondout II Lighthouse and the Fred J. Johnston House are just a few of Kingston's historic places.

The Stockade District of Kingston NY is one of Kingston's biggest draws. Throughout the historic district, the buildings have been lovingly restored and landmarks have been clearly defined. Walking tours are often the best way to see the city providing history buffs with a firsthand look at some of the old-world architecture. The Rondout Waterfront allows you to travel the river or simply sit in West Strand Park where you can be part of an atmosphere that cannot be equaled.

Modern day Kingston is proud to have created a synergy between new development and its unchanging historic significance. Kingston's technologically advanced Business Park, provides prime industrial sites in an area that is absolutely perfect for commercial development. The complex is considered by many to be one of the most attractive of its kind.

The multi-faceted city of Kingston offers a great opportunity in real estate for both residential home buyers and commercial investors.

DEC Makes Woodstock NY Real Estate Purchase

Lou Lynch (Prudential Nutshell Realty) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:44:43 -0500

One of Ulster County's most beautiful mountain destinations has had its' Forest Preserve lands near its southern terminus (boundary) on Woodstock's Overlook Mountain significantly increased. The newly acquired real estate parcels are contiguous to existing state lands within the Overlook Mountain unit

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has made a three lot real estate purchase on Overlook Mountain in Woodstock that will help protect the mountain, as well as make it an even more popular attraction for mountain bikers, hikers and nature enthusiasts.

In an announcement on Tuesday made by DEC commissioner, Peter Grannis, the Woodstock NY real estate purchase totaled 330 acres at a price of $784,000.

Peter Grannis went on to talk about the importance as one of the most recognizable escarpments on the Catskill Mountain range looking back from most areas within the Town of Woodstock New York. He also confirmed that the DEC will continue to help protect properties similar to Overlook Mountain throughout the Catskill Forest Preserve.

The acquisitions of these three real estate parcels equates to permanent protection for the lands and increases the Catskill Forest Preserve's Overlook Mountain Wild Forest Unit. The DEC has long been trying to acquire more land on Overlook Mountain indicated as one of the more important goals of the New York State Open Space Conservation Plan of 2006 (PDF).

About the Mountain

Overlook Mountain Wild Forest covers 590 acres, its rocky slopes make for a very interesting day hike. The summit is covered with red oaks (trees usually found on lower slopes and in valleys, not 3,100' above sea level), and some red spruce/balsam fir trees (those typical over 3,300'). In 1871, the Overlook Mountain House opened its doors to guests, joining numerous others in the Catskills. This hotel had the distinction of being the highest, at 2,920'. The Mountain House could house 300 guests and, despite burning down twice, prospered until around the time of the stock market crash. In the following years, it was rebuilt (but never opened to guests) and eventually looted and abandoned, leaving the ruins that can still be seen along the trail.

Also involved in the real estate deal was the Open Space Institute (OSI) and the Woodstock Land Conservancy.

The land acquisitions do enhance and protect the overall integrity of both the Overlook unit and the Overlook corridor.