Sullivan County, for years, has been a preferred location for discerning buyers looking for a retreat in a spectacular setting within 2 hours of New York City. The list of prominent New Yorkers with second homes here may surprise you — the Chairman of the New York Philharmonic, the founder of Staples, a past President of United Artists, a Rockefeller, a network news anchor and six Academy Award and Grammy winners, to name a few. You don't read about them in the SundayStyles section of the Times because we don't have a summer social whirl like the Hamptons or Saratoga, with flashbulb popping papparazzi trailing celebrities to the grocery store.

These people have houses here for the same reason that John and Yoko did in the 70's — a quiet getaway, outside of the limelight, where they can think, create and spend relaxing times with their families. World-class fly fishing, great golf and Adirondack-like lakes are icing on the cake.

While for many luxury home buyers, cost is not a primary concern, Sullivan County real estate is far more affordable than other second home destinations within striking distance of New York City. $1 to $1.5 million here can buy you a pretty fabulous lakefront home or a large farm, while at Lake George it gets you a tear down.

Luxury home buyers have the choice of a luxury home "development" or a more rural, independent setting. Our two luxury home "developments" are the Chapin Estate and Lew Beach.

The Chapin Estate is a 5,600 acre gated community with lakefront homesites on 2 large motorboat lakes, Toronto Reservoir and Swinging Bridge Reservoir. Lakefront homesites, with a minimum of 5 acres, are priced from $400,000 to $880,000. The custom homes being built there, at up to $300 a square foot, rival top-end luxury homes anywhere in the world, with handcrafted "Great Camps" detailing. A beach club, exclusively for Chapin homeowners, featuring tennis courts, pools, a concierge, spa and cafe, is currently under development.

Lew Beach, along the Beaverkill River in the northeast part of the county, is as exclusive as Chapin, but quite different. The brainchild of environmentalist Larry Rockefeller, Lew Beach is as much about environmental protection as it is about real estate development. Homes and home sites, most with fabulous views, are privately set in the mountains surrounded by protected green space. The Mountain and River Clubs feature private fishing rights on the Beaverkill River, as well as access to the facilities of the Beaverkill Valley Inn.

Two additional upper end developments are on the drawing boards, at Kenoza Lake and Swan Lake. Specifics have not been announced, but both are expected to be "non-motorboat" with larger (5+ acre) lakefront lots. For more about Sullivan lakes, read my pages on Sullivan County lakefront property.

Outside of our luxury home enclaves, there are a range of options in spectacular settings. In the $1 million range range, you can find a 100 to 150 acre farm with views, ponds and streams, properties with dramatic waterfalls or other water features, homes with panoramic views of the Delaware River or private lakefront homes.

Like luxury homes anywhere, many of these homes were built or remodeled to reflect the unique tastes of their owners, without much consideration for resale. For example, there was a large, 5,700 sq. ft. home on the most spectacular 6.7 acre parcel on Tennanah Lake. Built in 1991, the home has all the luxury features — huge walk-in closets, large baths, panoramic views, large kitchen and boat house. The interior, however, is in a contemporary Miami pastel motif popular in the early 90's but out of fashion today. A client of mine recently purchased the home, brought in their architect and is transforming this a warmer and more inviting lakefront getaway rivaling any lakefront home in New York state. In the end they'll have a spectacular lakefront retreat at a fraction of the cost of something in the Adirondacks, with the bonus of being hours closer to New York City.

Sullivan County is a luxury home "sleeper", but we're waking up. The tremendous success of the Chapin Estate, construction on the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and the dramatic revitalization of many of our hamlets — combined with what's always been here, our spectacular natural beauty and proximity to the city — is pushing Sullivan County into the first tier of second home destinations.

During the first four months of 2005, there was tremendous activity in better properties in the $500,000 to $750,000 range. In fact, almost every one that I really liked, sold. A number of stunning properties have been listed here at prices upwards of $1 million, but they aren't moving, indicating that there is a ceiling for buyers of non-lakefront homes. (There is demand, however, for spectacular lakefront or riverfront properties in the $1 million + range.)

If you're looking for this type of property — a luxury home in a spectacular setting, or a property with luxury home potential — please give me a call. Many of the properties available for sale in this category are not multiple listed — but are discretely made available through a smal network of brokers. As I have a reputation for working with upper end buyers, other brokers keep me very aware of properties in this category, and I regularly receive calls from sellers telling me their property might be available for sale but they don't want to list it. (About 20% of my sales are "FSBOs" that never hit the market.)

I look forward to talking with you about the options here in Sullivan County.

David Knudsen
845-468-5710
davidk@beechwoods.net