Fifty years ago, the Sullivan County Catskills was a playground of the rich and famous — back when New York City was the center of television and before the jet plane made it quick and easy to head off to the Caribbean or London for a long weekend. Over the years, the glitteratti moved to more fashionable locales and Sullivan County slipped into a long decline. But two things didn't change — the incredible natural beauty of the county, and our proximity to New York City. Those two factors appealed to a discerning group of people looking for a quiet getaway outside of the social whirl of the Hamptons or the Hudson Valley.

They built or restored dozens of spectacular properties throughout the county. These landmark properties are virtually hidden to the casual observer. There are seldom big fences or large gates.

Sometimes there's only a mailbox next to a gravel driveway — down which a visitor reaches a stunning home in a spectacular setting. If there's any one thing that characterizes the wealthier second home owner here, it's discretion. In Sullivan County, the ostentatious flaunting of wealth or position is frowned upon.

Higher end home buyers choose Sullivan County for the same reason as people at lower price points — value. $500,000 spent here gets you a whole lot more for your money than $500,000 along the Hudson. Interestingly, many wealthier buyers here can afford a more lavish property in a more fashionable location — but still choose Sullivan County.

Why? It can probably be summed up as 'anti-fashion'. Sullivan County provides that rare escape from the demands of the modern world. Look past the mobile homes and run down houses lining some of our roads, and you'll find warm and welcoming people who harken back to a kinder, gentler time. There isn't that tension between 'locals' and 'flatlanders' (or second homeowners) you find in so many other places. The fashionable development that swept over Woodstock or towns in the Berkshires bypassed Sullivan County. We have local hardware stores with knowledgeable clerks, not Restoration Hardware. We don't have fancy grocery stores, but do have farmers' markets with homemade goat cheese and picked-that-morning organic produce. We don't have fancy nightclubs (OK, we do have good cabaret at the Bradstan Country Hotel, but that's about it), but do have community center dances, blue grass festivals, and pancake breakfasts. Lest 'ye think we're all country hicks without culture, there are two summer classical music festivals, a community opera, and summer stock. Most of us entertain at home, and given the tremendous variety of second home owners here, many of those dinners have had featured far more interesting conversations than I've ever had in Manhattan.

We have our share of celebrities — six Oscar winners have homes here, along with a handful of Grammy and Tony winners and stars from the Metropolitan. There are also a number of well known novelists, playwrights and composers and even one of the network news anchors. The one thing they say is that Sullivan County is the one place they can come and be left alone. They shop in local supermarkets, go to yoga class and show up at community events, and nobody pays them much mind. They're not waiting for Sullivan County to become like the Hamptons; they're here precisely because it isn't. Sullivan County is where John and Yoko had their "secret" hideaway that nobody knew about, except the locals who left them to themselves.

Every month I talk with dozens of people considering Sullivan County for their second home. Some people focus on where Sullivan County is going. Do I think we'll have better restaurants, better grocery stores, more places to go out, more things to do? In essence, they're asking "How soon do I think Sullivan County will become more like Woodstock, Coldspring or Margaretville?" Sure, more and more of those things are coming. But I tend to be very cautious in recommending Sullivan County to those folks, because they don't 'get' what makes Sullivan County such a special place. Sullivan County is the kind of place where you can let your kids bicycle to the neighbors to play without worrying, or watch them marvel at a flock of wild turkeys or a herd of deer in your field.

A handfull of wealthier second-home owners view Sullivan County like a third world country they have to drive through to get to their country house. They stock up at Fairway or Balducci's on their way up, surround themselves with house guests, and don't venture out until they head back to the city on Sunday night. They're here, not because they really want to be in Sullivan County, but solely because they could afford their country fantasy here, and not in a place, like in the Hudson Valley, where they probably would rather be. Ultimately, they're not that happy here — and they're the ones who always seem to have run-ins with contractors and plumbers and landscapers. If you see yourself in this picture, you may want to think long and hard if Sulllivan County is for you.

But if you do think Sullivan County is the place for you, click here for

More Information on Buying Higher End Property

which has more details on the types of properties available, settings, prices, etc.

I've also put together a page specifically on Luxury Homes in Sullivan County, which has more information on that particular subset of the higher end market, including Chapin Estates, Lew Beach and other unique properties. Also check out my page on Sullivan County Lakefront Real Estate.