Buying
Sullivan County New York Real Estate for
Families with Children
Your dream house out in the country may
well be a big old farmhouse on acreage with lots of privacy.
But if you have children, it may well not be their dream
house. Families with children should carefully consider their
children's needs throughout their childhood and teen years when
choosing property here, particularly a second home.
My #1 recommendation for families with children
is one of Sullivan County's lake communities. All of them
are very family oriented. There is a community beach (often
with a life guard) that kids can walk or bike to, with other
children their own age to hang out with. Its easy for them (and
you) to make friends. They are the kinds of places where you
can let your kids out to play without worrying, and parents
watch out for each other's children. There are also other recreational
facilities in many of the lake communities, including tennis
courts, basketball courts, swimming pools, and clubhouses as
well as places to canoe, kayak or fish.
Lake communities come in all styles and price
ranges, from modest like Smallwood or Hunter Lake, to grand
like Black Lake or Chapin Estates.
My #2 recommendation is a home in one of our
villages or hamlets. A lot of Sullivan County's villages
and hamlets are a throwback to a kinder, simplet 'Norman Rockwell'
era, where kids can play outside until the street lights come
on. Many of the villages and hamlets have readily accessible
athletic facilities, like tennis courts and basketball courts,
where your children can go play on their own. They can walk
or bike to friends houses. Some hamlets, like Callicoon, have
youth centers with swimming pools and other activities.
If you buy a second home in a village, hamlet
or lake community, you still have the whole county within easy
reach — the fairs and farmers markets and everything else
that makes Sullivan County so special. You also get more time
for yourself, because you don't have to shuttle your kids around
all weekend. You get more money in your pocket, since these
homes are among our most affordable properties. And as your
children grow up along with their friends in the country, they'll
continue to look forward to coming up here and won't complain
about being bored or lonely.
Of course, if you want a house out in the country,
I'm more than happy to help you find it. But I wanted to offer
some thoughts on options for families you may not have considered.
David Knudsen
845-887-5855
email: davidk@beechwoods.net
