Catskill Real Estate County Comparison
Sullivan County is just one of 4 primary counties (Sullivan, Ulster, Greene and Delaware) that make up the Catskills region of New York. Two additional northern counties, Schoharie and Otsego are also sometimes included in the regional designation as well.
The 4 primary counties vary tremendously, much like the 5 boroughs of New York City. When you're starting to look for real estate in the Catskills, it can be very helpful to become familiar with the 4 counties. Each offers very different attractions for the second home buyer.
Ulster County
Ulster is the closest Catskills County to New York City, with
a straight shot up the Thruway. The southern end of Ulster County
is considered part of the mid-Hudson Valley, with the Shawangunk
Mountains near New Paltz offering dramatic vistas and world
class rock climbing. Much of northern Ulster County is within
the boundaries of Catskills Park, with great hiking and recreational
activities. The country-cute village of Woodstock is located
NW of Kingston.
Prices for catskills real estate tend to be higher in Ulster than the other 3 counties. Because Ulster was settled before Sullivan or Delaware, you can find houses here from the late 1700's to the early 1800's, such as classic stone manor houses, that generally aren't available in the later-settled counties. Stone Ridge, west of Kingston, has a wonderful collection of stone houses. Another hamlet here popular with second home owners is Phoenicia.
While Ulster offers proximity to the Catskill Park, downhill skiing at Belleayre and in nearby Greene County, and the Hudson River, the county has very few lakes, and country property within the boundaries of Catskill Park or near the New York City reservoirs can be hard to come by.
Sullivan County
Sullivan County, west of Ulster and south of Delaware, is the
heart of the "traditional" Catskills, and was home
to the famous Catskill resorts like Grossingers and the Concord.
Sullivan overall offers more varied terrain than the other counties
(see County Areas Overview). While
Ulster and Greene appeal have more mountains, Sullivan has more
water. Sullivan is the Catskills county you should focus on
if you're looking for a lakefront home, or want easy access
to lakes for recreation. (See Sullivan
County lakefront property for more detailed information
on the lakes here.) Sullivan also borders the Delaware River,
for canoeing, rafting, kayaking and fishing. The "Big 3"
fly fishing rivers, the Beaverkill, Neversink and Willowemoc,
run through Sullivan County, making it one of the top fly fishing
regions in the world.
The one thing Sullivan County lacks is good downhill skiing, with only 2 small hills (Villa Roma and Holiday Mountain) best for learning. There is good skiing within an hour, however (see Skiing.) But Sullivan is, by far, the golf capital of the Catskills, with world class links at Grossingers and the Concord, plus a half dozen other appealing courses — all with reasonable greens fees and little difficulty getting tee times.
Delaware County
Delaware is the furthest primary Catskills county from New York
city. 3 hamlets in the eastern part of the county — Margaretville,
Andes and Delhi — have become quite popular with second
home buyers, but they're beyond the magic 2 1/2 hour circle
from New York City. Margaretville, in particular, is quaint
country town, with traditional farmhouses and charming older
homes. But Margaretville's popularity has pushed up home prices,
which now are on par with other areas a bit closer to the city. Another up and coming spot is Roxbury, in the northeast part of Delaware County, where the way-too-hip-for-mortals Roxbury Motel is located.
One great attraction of the Margaretville-Andes area is that it offers the rural ambiance of western Sullivan or Delaware, but is closer to downhill skiing in Greene County. These areas are a good choice if you're looking for a country getaway but want to be relatively close to downhill skiing.
The northern and western areas of Delaware County (Hancock, Walton and further west) offer great property values, but don't offer the range of services like restaurants and markets that many second home buyers want available in the hamlets further east.
A benefit of Delaware over Sullivan is lower property taxes. Delaware County is home to the two of largest New York City drinking water reservoirs, and a large portion of the county is part of the Catskill watershed, a large conservation area established to protect the water supply. (This limits development and the ability to increase tax revenue.) Due to the reservoirs and watershed within the Delaware County's boundaries, New York City makes large transfer payments to the county every year, which help to keep down taxes.
Greene County
Greene County, north of Ulster, is the choice for second home
buyers who want a 4 season getaway, with downhill skiing. Greene
is the home of Windham and Hunter Mountains. Greene
is the smallest and most mountainous of the primary Catskills
counties, with development concentrated in the ski towns like
Tannersville. This isn't the place to go for pastoral, rolling
farmland. The north eastern part of the county is within commuting
distance of Albany. While Greene has downhill skiing, it doesn't have many lakes, so it isn't a top choice for second home buyers searching primarily for a lakefront home.