Village Green Asks: The Catskills or The Hamptons?

  |  August 20, 2015
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412 Wynkoop Road in Hurley, NY; $675,000

Coldwell Banker Village Green Realty recently posed the real estate equivalent of the surf n’ turf debacle: Catskills or Hamptons? The choice of buying real estate in either locale can be as difficult as deciding whether or not to get the lobster, the steak or both. Amy Wallace, oh-so-helpfully, breaks down the deliberation process into categories, the first and foremost being the price. Simply put, if you want a second home and have less than 1 mil in the bank, look no further than our own Catskill Mountains. The homes here are beautiful and, though it’s picking up, the market is still largely affordable. If money is no concern, however, the question becomes: the land or the sea? Are you an Ariel or a Snow White? By which, I mean, would you rather feel the sand in your toes or hike a mountain trail? A ball gown may be out of the question, but the Catskills is au naturel, with the opportunity for all-seasons vacationing and an artsy, chill vibe which the Hamptons lack. And, getting back on the subject of food, as Wallace writes of Catskills restaurateurs, “There is a spirit of creativity, an attention to detail, a striving for freshness, and, most importantly, an unsnobbish desire to please and surprise everyone who walks through their doors.” This can be said of other locals, as well, be they business owners or not. Just as Catskill restaurants and markets offer local food, the shops are artisan and the people friendly and/or the good kind of weird. The best part for weekenders: the traffic is significantly less horrible than on Long Island (sorry, LI). Clearly, we here at Upstater are biased when it comes to this debate, but that’s just because we think you’d love it here as much as we do.

About Mary Looram

Mary has been a resident of the Hudson Valley since birth. When not working, she enjoys leisurely evenings at home with her gerbil and her hedgehog.

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