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Summer Living in the Lower Hudson Valley

by Ellis Sotheby's International Realty 0 Comments

The Lower Hudson Valley has long been the summer playground for New Yorkers seeking an escape from urban life. However, in recent years the region has seen resurging popularity among vacationers and second-home buyers seeking an unmatched experience, rich lifestyle and close proximity to NYC.

According to The Wall Street Journal, “busy urban professionals in search of a bucolic retreat close to the city gravitate toward quaint villages in the lower Hudson Valley, home to both weekenders and commuters.”

With expansive parklands, numerous lakes, and of course, access to the Hudson River, summering in the Lower Hudson Valley offers the opportunity for numerous outdoor recreational activities including boating, kayaking, golfing and hiking. With an unpretentious sensibility and low-key luxury, the Lower Hudson Valley is the ideal destination to experience summer living at it’s finest.

316 West Lake Road, Tuxedo Park

Built in 1910 and completely renovated in 2005, this county pied-à-terre features nearly 250 feet of lakefront property on Tuxedo Lake. Tucked away off a quiet road, this dreamy cottage is the epitome of a country retreat.

497 Jersey Avenue, Warwick

Perched on a hillside overlooking glistening Greenwood Lake, this pristine Arts & Crafts-style home makes for an idyllic and magical retreat. Enjoy sunsets on your private dock, or a brisk evening with friends by the stone wood-burning fireplace. Located in the Town of Warwick, which has infinite recreational amenities including: rowing, skiing, hiking, water skiing, ice fishing, boating and golfing.

Wonder Falls: 503 North Broadway, Upper Nyack

Known as Wonder Falls, this whimsical and artistic property is situated on 3+ acres and 325 feet of Hudson River shoreline. Featuring an 80-foot waterfall and five wading ponds, this unique property is reportedly the site where Henry Hudson anchored his Half Moon ship on his famous trip up the river. This ultra private home is a destination like no other.

2 Smith Avenue, South Nyack

Palazzo Mare is a glamorous 7,200 sq. ft. villa modeled after a 15th century Venetian palace. Reminiscent of 1930’s Deco design, the iconic property is situated on the Hudson River with a sandy beach, stone pier, swimming pool and spa—making for a luxurious summer playground.

2 Washington Avenue, Nyack

Retreat to your own private sanctuary along the banks of the Hudson River in this newly renovated contemporary colonial. With sweeping views of the Hudson River and new Tappan Zee Bridge, this relaxing summer property features a 100-foot boat slip and a grand deck for indoor-outdoor living.

231 Sickletown Road, Orangeburg

Dating back to the early 1770s, the Sickles/Tallman House is an award-winning red stone Dutch Colonial home, which boasts modern convenience with early American touches. Beautifully nestled in 2.2 private lush acres, the property features a new 20×60 foot gunite saltwater pool, slate patio, bronze fountain, Jacuzzi spa and outdoor stone kitchen.

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Golf Course Living: The Best Homes in the Lower Hudson Valley

by Ellis Sotheby's International Realty 0 Comments

The Lower Hudson Valley offers a myriad of lifestyle amenities and experiences for all interests. From hiking and biking to boating and golfing, the Lower Hudson Valley is more than a location—it’s a destination.

In fact, the region is home to a dozen plus public and private golf clubs and courses. Whether you are a golf enthusiast or just enjoy the serenity associated with the golf lifestyle, living on or near a golf course offers park-like beauty, social camaraderie and leisure recreation.

If you’ve ever dreamed of living the golf lifestyle, explore our collection of championship homes on or near one of the Lower Hudson Valley’s top golf courses.

Rockland County

201 Rt 9W Palisades

201 Route 9W, Snedens Landing

Located just under a mile from the Rockland Country Club, “The Big House” is one of the oldest homes in the country. On the National Register of Historic Homes, this beautifully restored and historically significant circa 1738 English manor has significant period details including massive ceiling beams, 18th century paneling, period cabinetry and wide board floors.

Rockland Country Club, Sparkill (Public): Set on 150 acres, Rockland Country Club features a relaxed, casual atmosphere and an 18-hole championship golf course.

11 mile road

11 Mile Road, Montebello

Located just 1.5 miles from Spook Rock Golf Course, this cut fieldstone Tudor was designed and built by New York City architect Henry Fowler in 1925. This exceptional property features leaded and stained glass windows, beamed ceilings, original chandeliers and wide plank floors.

Spook Rock Golf Course, Suffern (Public): Spook Rock Golf Course is an award-winning, par-72 course set on 150 acres.

635 South Mountain

635 South Mountain Road, New City

Located just 2 miles from Paramount Country Club, this intriguing modern home offers peace, quiet and tranquility in a secluded mountain top setting. Surrounded by protected woodlands, this bucolic sanctuary features vast open spaces, four fireplaces and a German designed kitchen.

Paramount Country Club, New City (Private): Nestled in the heart of Rockland County, Paramount Country Club is a private golf club that offers an exceptional experience with premiere amenities and family-oriented social activities.

15 Wo Bauer Lane Orangeburg

15 Wo Bauer Lane, Orangeburg

Located 3.3 miles from Blue Hill Golf Course, this elegant brick colonial sits on a cul-de-sac in the prestigious neighborhood of Sherwood Forest Estates. Set on nearly one acre and with a circle drive, the home features a dramatic staircase, open floor plan and a great deck, which is perfect for entertaining.

Blue Hill Golf Course, Pearl River (Public): As Rockland County’s oldest course, Blue Hill Golf Course is a 27-hole championship golf course in an idyllic setting overlooking Lake Tappan.

Orange County

103 mansion ridge

103 Mansion Ridge Blvd., Monroe

Located on The Golf Club at Mansion Ridge and overlooking the 18th hole, this sophisticated home is a tranquil refuge that is adorned with top-tier finishes. Enjoy long-distance scenic views from serene outdoor entertaining spaces surrounded by hand hewn stonewalls and elegant landscapes.

The Golf Club at Mansion Ridge, Monroe (Public): Voted Top 20 Best Public Golf Course in New York by Golf Digest, The Golf Club at Mansion Ridge is a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course nestled in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.

75 Summit Road

75 Summit Road, Tuxedo Park

Located just seven tenths of a mile from The Tuxedo Club, “Stonecrest” is a bespoke masterpiece offering a classic design, exquisite materials, master craftsmanship and modern luxury amenities. From the new chef’s kitchen, to the cherry-wood laden office with fireplace and inviting dining room, the home is both stately and manageable all in a private and tranquil setting.

The Tuxedo Club, Tuxedo Park (Private): One of the most unique private clubs in the world, The Tuxedo Club is a historic social institution that dates back to 1886 and features unparalleled grounds and a notably tough opening blind tee shot.

5 trinity pl

5 Trinity Place, Cornwall

Located just one mile from the historic Strom King Golf Club, Knoll Shoal is a historic and elegant home with original architectural details, high ceilings, six bedrooms, four fireplaces and oak hardwood floors.

Storm King Golf Club, Cornwall (Public): One of the oldest golf clubs in America, Storm King Golf Club began in 1894 and is a true golfer’s club with a relaxed recreational course and social fellowship.

95 Judson Road

95 Judson Road, Montgomery

Located within a 15 minutes drive of Stony Ford Golf Course, this one-of-a-kind rustic retreat is nestled on 38+ private acres offering the perfect setting to relax, recharge and entertain. The compound includes a three-bedroom log cabin-style main residence, two-story showcase garage, two guest apartments, barn and numerous outbuildings.

Stony Ford Golf Course, Hamptonburgh (Public): Stony Ford Golf Course is a public course part of the Orange County New York Parks, Recreation & Conservation. This high-quality course offers a driving range, pro shop and practice green.

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Experience and Lifestyle: Living in the Lower Hudson Valley

by Ellis Sotheby's International Realty 2 Comments

outdoor activities lower hudson valley

In real estate, which is driven by supply and demand, it is easy to understand why price and inventory are discussed often. However, new research from the Boston Consulting Group and Sotheby’s International Realty® finds that affluent consumers favor experiences over personal goods. As such, a home is so much more than a physical place to live. A home is a lifestyle. What you choose to surround yourself with—family, friends, history, an amazing view and art—are all part of what makes a space a home. Your best life begins with a home that inspires you.

farmer's markets lower hudson valley

Living in the Lower Hudson Valley is all about the experience and lifestyle. Primary homebuyers find a thriving art scene, close-knit communities and blue ribbon schools. Secondary homebuyers discover the Lower Hudson Valley offers a quite respite from city life, a bucolic landscape and a myriad of outdoor activities including boating, hiking, kayaking and cycling.

11 Voorhis Point South Nyack

11 Voorhis Point, South Nyack

Buyers are drawn to the river communities—Snedens Landing, Piermont, and the Nyacks and Grandviews—for their water accessibility, restaurants and parklands, which cover roughly one-third of the county. By contrast Tuxedo Park, New City and Clarkstown are known for their family-friendly amenities and rural sensibility.

316 West Lake Rd Tuxedo Park

316 West Lake Road, Tuxedo Park

Leading indicators point to a strong spring selling market in Rockland and Orange counties with buyers having a continued focus on lifestyle amenities and homes that deliver meaningful and entertaining experiences.

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Million Dollar Views: Hudson Valley Homes Offering a Picture Perfect Setting

by Ellis Sotheby's International Realty 0 Comments

pôrCH/

noun

A covered shelter projecting in front of the entrance of a building.

Whether you call it a porch, veranda or terrace…the official definition of this signature part of a home certainly seems simplistic, and definitely does not do justice to the many beautiful ones from which several of our residents enjoy postcard-perfect views. For these homes, there needs to be a better word. But until we can come up with a more poetic option, here are two of our market’s finest from which to draw inspiration:

Seven Oaks

“Seven Oaks” is the oldest estate property in Snedens Landing and on the market for the first time in 40 years. It is defined by a steeply pitched cross gable slate roof with large decorative dormers, huge wrap around veranda and three story bay window on its east side. If you are longing to enjoy a warm cup of coffee here on a cool fall morning, it can be yours for $4.8 million.

TightPorch

“Four Gables” in Piermont was built for the Erie Railroad manager in 1840 on a hillside overlooking the Hudson River and Piermont Railroad station. It is a Hudson Valley vernacular Gothic Revival with a four gable roof line and a huge veranda overlooking the garden and river. It currently is on the market for $1.175 million.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fundraiser for Arts Education & Edward Hopper House

by Ellis Sotheby's International Realty 0 Comments

hh-post

Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty and Edward Hopper House today announced they will host a fundraiser Oct. 15 to benefit arts education in local schools and at the Edward Hopper House in Nyack, New York.

The event will feature an online and live auction of several items, notably the opportunity to spend a night in Edward Hopper’s bedroom as reimagined by Architectural Digest featured designer Ernest de la Torre and architect Walter Cain, with dinner and breakfast for two included. Hopper is widely acknowledged as the most important realist painter of twentieth-century America.

hopper-house-designers

Guests will be invited to bid on the opportunity to attend a Nov. 20 brunch reception celebrating the American Art sale at the Sotheby’s Auction House in New York. The winner may bring up to 10 guests. There will be a specialist-led tour of the exhibition and they will be able to explore the Sotheby’s Worldwide Headquarters in New York, with auctions of 19th Century Paintings and Latin America: Modern and Contemporary Art also on view.

The event also will feature an Auction for a Cause to benefit arts education in Hudson Valley public schools. Richard Kendall, art historian and former curator at the Clark Art Institute, will be the guest speaker.

Judge Tompkins Estate, "Glen Iris" | Upper Nyack, New York | $3,495,000

Judge Tompkins Estate, “Glen Iris” | Upper Nyack, New York | $3,495,000

The fundraiser will be held at Glen Iris on the Hudson River, the home of New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur S. Tompkins during the first half of the last century and, later, Norman Rose, the late actor best known as the voice of fictitious coffee grower Juan Valdez in the Colombian coffee television commercials. The 8,200 square foot, move-in ready home currently is listed with Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty for $3.495 million.

 

“Funding for arts education has unfortunately been cut back through the years and we believe this curriculum is important in creating a well-rounded individual – or maybe even the next Edward Hopper!” said Richard Ellis, owner of Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty. “We have proudly served the Hudson Valley community for more than 30 years. This is our way of ensuring the next generation of residents has every opportunity to develop their artistic skills. The Hudson Valley has a rich history of nurturing great artists, and we are committed to continuing that tradition.”

The fundraiser will begin Oct. 15 at 4 p.m. at 401 N. Broadway, Nyack. Availability is limited. For more information, to request an invitation or make a donation, send an email to ellis.events@sothebysrealty.com.

“We hope this event will support the development of creative young minds by connecting with Edward Hopper’s world of inspiration that was nourished in his birthplace and flourished on his beloved Hudson River,” said Jennifer Patton, EdD, executive director of Edward Hopper House. “A portion of the monies raised will help establish arts education classroom space, exhibitions and teaching curriculum to support and inspire all our children. We are especially proud to be able to offer a lucky bidder the chance to spend a night in Edward Hopper’s bedroom − the first time we have offered such an opportunity. Designed in the period he lived, the room will provide the winner the chance to experience where Hopper’s art began.”

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History and the Hudson Valley

by Richard Ellis 0 Comments

It was more than 400 years ago that Henry Hudson first explored the Hudson Valley. I’m sure if he were to return now he would be pleasantly surprised at how much has changed- and also how much has stayed the same.  The beauty of our landscape- for one- is just as inspiring and breathtaking as it likely was then.

According to Travel Hudson Valley, we are “famous for being the first wine producing region in the country, while the bountiful farms have been here for centuries.”  It was the Hudson Valley landscape that inspired “the first arts movement in the U.S, the Hudson River School,” the site notes.  “These 1800s artists/naturalists-on-canvas would not be surprised to learn that 20th century residents were crusaders in saving the Hudson Valley landscape at Storm King Mountain where the country’s environmental movement was born.”

History is important to our region, where you can still see where George and Martha Washington lived.  “Touring homes of the Vanderbilts, Roosevelts and Rockefellers offers visitors an inside view of how the wealthy lived in style,” Travel Hudson Valley notes.  Today, my firm is lucky enough to represent some of the finest historic homes that have come to market in recent times.  They seem to tell a story of their own as soon as you set foot in the door.

Living in a historic home requires an appreciation for the past.  It is an art to maintain a home’s past while updating it for modern living.  Two homes we currently have listed manage to do just that: the Freneau House in Piermont and Almost Brook in Tuxedo Park.

Freneau House

211 Tweed Blvd, Piermont, New York

The Freneau House is one of Rockland County’s early Greek Revivals, overlooking the Hudson River at 4,000 square feet.  Circa 1810, it was renovated in 1999 and still features the original period staircase.  The property resides in the historic village of Piermont, which was developed as we today know it in the 1830s.  The Freneau House has been a witness to Piermont’s own inception and development.

Almost Brook in Tuxedo Park, also known as the John Foster Cottage, was built circa 1890, when the property was purchased by insurance executive John H. Foster. The second owners were Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Adee.  Ernest was the vice president of the Mercantile Trust Company, while Geraldine- his wife- was active in several women’s organizations.  They held their daughter’s wedding reception at the property in 1920.

The home originally was built as a summer cottage for Mr. Foster in the historic Village of Tuxedo Park. Sited on 2.2 acres, there were two major renovations, one in 2003 and another in 2013.  There are hand-painted murals, reminiscent of the Hudson Valley School, and a 17th century English fireplace.

Almost Brook

122 Circuit Road, Tuxedo Park, New York

Nestled in the Ramapo Mountains, Tuxedo Park features 100 year-old trees, three pristine lakes, an 18-hole golf championship course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and is considered one of the finest examples of pre-World War I architecture in the United States. While the Hudson Valley and tristate area offer a number of communities with beautiful historic homes and affluent owners, what makes Tuxedo Park stand alone is the designation of the entire village as a historic site, securing its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.  There are roughly 350 homes in the Park, 250 or so built before 1930, with lake and mountain views and minimal disturbance to the natural terrain.

Gypsy Rose Lee home

187 County Highway 105, Highland Mills, New York

Head to Highland Mills, and you will find a beautiful vintage masterpiece at 187 Country Highway 105.  Once a retreat for actors and artists, it was the former home of Gypsy Rose Lee.  The circa 1901 Colonial Revival style home is set on a private 6.8 acres with a long tree lined driveway. It was completely rebuilt in 2011 with the finest materials. There are restored period moldings, hardwood floors, period paneling and exposed brick walls and archways.

The natural beauty of the Hudson Valley has not changed dramatically over the generations, having been preserved and enhanced over the course of 400 years.  In fact, its beauty has been fodder and inspiration for poets, artists and ordinary people who just want to enjoy the area’s signature peace and quiet, going from everyday life to one that is rich and extraordinary.

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Getting Ready for the Spring Selling Season

by Richard Ellis 0 Comments

Ask any real estate professional why March is so exciting, and they will tell you it is more than just better weather, longer days and more sunshine. It is the start of the spring selling season. For the Hudson Valley, this year is full of promise.

A very active year is projected for real estate sales in both Rockland and Orange counties. Right now, we are in the most ideal time to list a property. The spring market season runs from March through June and is known as the unofficial start of the real estate year, characterized by an increased number of home sales and new listings.

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635 South Mountain Road, New City, New York

Last year, home sales increased about 20 percent compared with 2014 in Rockland and about 24 percent in Orange County. I believe we will see a 16 percent increase in Rockland and 20 percent in Orange because inventory levels in both counties are down – 11 percent in Rockland and 7 percent in Orange – compared with 2015.

Low inventory puts more pressure on existing homes to sell. My advice for those considering listing is to beat the trend and get listed on the market earlier to stand out from the clutter of new listings. In addition, it is important to be realistic about listing prices.

18 Summit Road, Tuxedo Park, New York

18 Summit Road, Tuxedo Park, New York

There is more potential sellers can do to set their homes apart from the competition, however. First, give your property an overall spring cleaning followed by staging. Staging refers to the art of decorating a house to sell quickly and for the most amount of money as possible. Cleaning should focus on the inside and outside, from landscaping to touch-up paint to making the windows sparkle.

According to HGTV’s “10 Best-Kept Secrets to Selling Your Home,” the number-one tip is to focus on curb appeal: “You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s important to make people feel warm, welcome and safe as they approach the house. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers.”

Finally, once a home is clean and personal effects are removed, it should be staged with universally appealing furniture. As tempting as it might be to have a batch of cookies baking in the oven before a showing, or a new candle burning, the lack of aroma is actually the best scenario. By following these simple steps, sellers can make the most of a blooming spring selling season.

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