Sullivan County has a number of recreationally-oriented communities that aren't built around lakes. Most feature "built" amenities like swimming pools, tennis courts and clubhouses. Others, like Black Forest Colony, are very outdoor focussed, with large tracts of shared community land for hiking, hunting and cross country skiing. I've included an multiple listing property search link for communities that have a specific designation in the MLS, but note that not all communities have a specific tag, so it's not possible to include a community property search link in all cases.

Black Forest Colony, Glen Spey, NY

The Black Forest Colony, between Proctor Road and Hollow Road near Glen Spey, is one of the most unique vacation home communities in Sullivan County. Black Forest was founded in the late 1930's by German immigrants who felt that, because of the approaching war, they would never be able to their cherished Black Forest area of Bavaria. So they set out to recreate a "Black Forest" here in the U.S., purchasing approx. 2,000 acres of rugged forest land here. Members purchased three acre parcels to build their own homes, and 800 acres were held of shared community use. The original houses here were built in a very Bavarian "gemutlichkeit" style, which is still evident today. Over the years, the community diversified, and now many other house styles from tiny summer cottages to contempoaries and even the occasional very modern home dot the wooded landscape.

The land here is quite dramatic. The shared acreage even includes a rushing stream with a dramatic waterfall, available to all homeowners for hiking, picnicing and fishing. Hunting, as well as ATVing, are permitted on the shared land, but only to owners of actual homes, not just vacant land. (That restriction came about to prevent hunters from picking up an inexpensive parcel of vacant land simply to gain access to the shared land to use simply for hunting.) The Black Forest Colony is very determined to protect this jewel of land. Owning a home in the Black Forest Colony is like having your own private state park in your back yard.

Houses here vary widely in price, from the mid $100's for a small cottage to around $500,000 for one of the larger, more contemporary homes. Community dues are based on the number of acres you own, and in 2010 came out to about $200 per acre per year. So a homeowner with 4 acres would pay about $800 per year, while an owner with 8 acres would pay about $1,600 per year. Community facilities beyond the shared acreage are limited. There is a small, rustic clubhouse used for meetings and potlucks that overlooks a small pond (that seems like it would be OK for swimming, but I've never seen anyone swimming there), and that's about it. Black Forest is all about the outdoors.

Greentree Village, Monticello, NY

Price range: $100,000 to $175,000 for an attached townhouse (the higher price range is for townhouses with views of the small lake.) Greentree Village is a community of attached townhomes northeast of Monticello. There is a small lake as part of the development, but I didn't include this in the lake section because it isn't a major focus of Greentree. There is a swimming pool, tennis courts and clubhouse. The community is very well maintained, and all in all, Greentree is a very sweet setup for some looking for a convenient, low maintenance getaway with some recreatiional amenities, and is fine with a denser, attached townhouse setting.

Hidden Ridge, Monticello, NY

Price Range: $75,000 to $125,000 for a 2 BR, 2BA attached single level townhome. Hidden Ridge is a community of approx. 150 attached single level townhomes that was developed by Kutshers, the famed Catskills resort. One of the big attractions of Hidden Ridge has been access to the facilities of the adjacent Kutshers Hotel and Country Club (for a fee). But the future of Kutshers is in flux, with ongoing rumors about the sale of the hotel. The unknown future for the hotel has had a dampening effect on the appeal of Hidden Ridge, as ongoing access to the more extensive facilities of the hotel and country club isnt assured. Hidden Ridge itself, however, does have its own outdoor swimming pool and clubhouse. For someone looking for a low maintenance, turn key spot in Sullivan County, and is fine with just having access to the more limited facilities at Hidden Ridge itself, it can be a very affordable option. Less than 90 miles to New York City, it is also a great choice for summer snowbirds who want to make the occasional jaunt into Manhattan to catch a Broadway show.

Lew Beach (Beaverkill Valley)

Price range: $500,000 t0 $1.75 million. While there is an actual hamlet of Lew Beach, a crossroads with a post office northeast of Livingston Manor, the term from a real estate standpoint generally applies to properties in the Beaverkill Valley that are part of the Beaverkill Valley 'community' developed by Larry Rockerfeller. The "Lew Beach" community crosses into 3 counties (Sullivan, Ulster and Delaware) and parts stretch almost as far as the Pepacton Reservoir. The Beaverkill Valley community comprises a few thousand acres, most of which is protected greenspace. Dotted among the greenspace are 50 or so private residences, on parcels ranging from about 5 to 50 acres. There are extensive covenants to protect viewsheds and ensure privacy. Home ownership here comes with membership in either the Stream Club or the Mountain Club, which provides access to the thousands of acres of protected land for hiking, cross country skiing, pond swimming and private fishing along the Beaverkill River, as well as the facilities at the Beaverkill Valley Inn and members-only club in Lew Beach. There is a strong shared belief in environmental protection among the homeowners here. Lew Beach is a paradise for fly fishers, with some of the best fishing on the Beaverkill. Club members also have access to the recreational facilities at the Beaverkill Valley Inn.

Lew Beach is very private and very discrete. However, it is not gated. And while most homeowners here are quite wealthy, conspicuous displays of wealth are frowned upon, and the houses themselves, most of which are tucked into the mountains, are often quite modest. There is a strong bent here that if a house is too big, it can overpower the land.

Finding and buying a property here is, well, a bit of an undertaking. You don't just ask to have some listings sent, pick one or two, and then make a quick drive up to see them. You're asked to come spend the weekend at the Beaverkill Valley Inn, to get a feel for the place, and in the course of the weekend, see a few homes. The Beaverkill Valley people want to make sure there's a good fit, and any prospective homeowner shares the vision of environmental protection of the area. There are very few houses on the market at Lew Beach, and they range widely in price. In 2009, there was one home sold in the $1.5M range, and another just south of $500,000. A good range to think about for property here is $750,000 to $1.25M.

North Branch Commons, North Branch, NY

Price range: $200,000 to $250,000. North Branch Commons is a small development of approx. 20 homes nestled in the woods. The community was developed in the 1980's on the site of an old Catskills hotel, and some of the recreational facilities of the hotel, like the huge swimming pool and tennis courts, were preserved and now serve as a focus of the community. There is also a swimming and fishing pond available to the community homeowners.

Houses here are in an 80's "vacation chalet" or saltbox style, most with 3 bedrooms, two baths and walkout basements. Most are set in the woods, and afford quite a bit of privacy given their 3 are parcel sizes. North Branch Commons is one of my favorite choices for families, but only about one house a year comes on the market here.

 

 

 

 

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