One More Reason to Live in the Hudson Valley While our touring new homes this past weekend I stumbled upon a sign that said Franny Reese State Park - Walking Trail - Scenic Hudson. I knew that the Scenic Hudson State Park had many different locations, but I did not know that this one existed. It was located in a neighborhood of homes that i was previewing. Scenic Hudson State Park also manages the Long Dock park in Beacon, so I figured that it was part of their wonderful trails that we parked, and began our afternoon trek. Although there was a map with some distances, we weren't sure how long it would take or what we would actually have a view of, but we kept walking, and walking, and then we came to the clearing.  The panoramic views of the Hudson River were exceptional. A clearing in... 06/01/2014

Highland a hamlet in the town of Lloyd NY, is mostly referred to as the town as Highland. It has gained much notoriety because of the development of "Walkway Over the Hudson" which is a foot traffic bridge from the town of Highland (Lloyd) to the city of Poughkeepsie.   I'd consider this area to be a bedroom community because of the access to Poughkeepsie with it's major shopping and large employers such as IBM. Just before you reach the bridge from route 9W over the Hudson River to Poughkeepsie you'll pass a strip mall with Hannafords supermarket. Just a few hundred feet from the entrance to the plaza is a road leading to this Planned Unit Development.  Built in the late 80's the location is ideal to the commuters. Many people take their cars over the Mid Hudson Bridge and go directly ... 02/04/2013

    WinterFest in Highland NY 12528 Would you like to experience for yourself the activities in the song “Winter Wonderland”? If you are looking for a fun outside activity January 12 come over to the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, at the 101 New Paltz Road Depot entrance. The Hudson Valley Rail Trail’s 15th annual WinterFest will be held January 12th from 11-2. There is winter fun for everyone. Kids of all ages will enjoy the tractor drawn hayride along the rail trail. Warm up by a bonfire. Roast marshmallows and enjoy roasted chestnuts. The kids will have a great time at the LOWES “build-a-project”.  Plus, don’t miss the Chili tasting contest. Admission is $2.00 children under 5 are free.  Come out and celebrate winter in Highland’s winter wonderland!  For more information go to http://www.... 01/04/2013

John J Lease Realtors Highland NY 12528- Cell Phones For Soldiers     JOHN J. LEASE REALTORS IN HIGHLAND NY HAS PARTNERED WITH CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS TO PROVIDE TROOPS WITH FREE CALLS HOME  John J Lease Realtors and non-profit Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc. are asking New Paltz and Highland residents to help troops call home by donating gently-used cellular phones. Although the military landscape is ever changing, as many as 290,000 troops are serving in the U.S. military overseas around the world. By donating to Cell Phones for Soldiers, area residents can provide troops with that precious connection to loved ones back home. Beginning today, residents can donate their phones at John J Lease Realtors at 550 Route 299 Highland NY. Associate Broker, Barbara Carter has been collecting ph... 11/23/2012

  October 2102 Market Activity in Highland NY 12528 2012 is turning out to be a great year for www.NewPaltzRealEstate.com and for the Greater Paltz  NY area including Highland NY 12528 and Ulster County in general. The month, of October 2012, saw 29.8% increase in closed sales during the same time one year ago. The one year change in median sales price is down by 20.9% over a same time in 2011, causing potential sellers to wait the market out.  Homes for sale are down 16.2%. In Highland during the month of October six residential properties sold.  In October 2011 five properties. While these may not be staggering numbers and not enough to stir seller interest the buyers are becoming increasingly more motivated. In my business I am seeing an increased number of more motivated buyers sear... 11/20/2012

“You need a village, if only for the pleasure of leaving it. A village means that you are not alone, knowing that in the people, the trees, the earth, there is something that belongs to you, waiting for you when you are not there.” -Casare Pavese The Highland, New Paltz, Gardiner New York and the surrounding area is an area of villages. There are many commuters and second home owners that buy in the area. As a local resident all my life I tend to forget the paradise I live in. The quote above struck a note with me. We are an area of villages. We have the benefit of fresh air, grass for our children to play, and open spaces. We do not live in high rises, we walk out our door to a yard. Foods are fresh and locally grown. We live a slower pace. We know our neighbors. Highland, Gardiner, Ne... 11/03/2012

  Starry Starry Night   Friday 5, 2012 5:30-9:00PM the Walkway Over the Hudson will honor the Stars of the Walkway. An evening over the Hudson and under the stars is planned with dancing to the music of the Michael Dell Orchestra. The stars can be viewed through the lens of local astronomers.   Reservations are needed and limited.   The Walkway over the Hudson is a must see when visiting the Hudson Valley. Be sure to take time to visit the site and enjoy the colors of autumn this fall.   For more information visit www.walkway.org   09/29/2012

Ulster County NY Market Update - SOLD In Highland NY Congratulations to the latest resident of Highland NY! Taft Street Realty is happy to announce the latest home to be SOLD to one of our clients, 160 Sterling Place in Highland NY. This 1,396 square foot 3BDR / 2.5BTH townhome closed on September 21, 2012 for $158,000. Offering peace & quiet, while maintaining all of the convenience of Highland NY homes for sale, this home has it all! A quiet backyard and wood fireplace provide comfort and Highland and nearby New Paltz NY offer all of the modern conveniences one may need! Read the full Article Originally Posted Here: http://www.taftstreetrealty.com/blog/highland-ny-home-values-ulster-county-sold-market-update.html 09/25/2012

Custom Homes at Highland Hills New York Welcome to The Summit at Highland Hills on the Hudson. The Summit is the final and premier phase of the highly successful Highland Hills community and the perfect location for your dream home. Set amidst the panoramic beauty of the Shawangunk Mountains and cradled by the Hudson River, this incredible country- like setting has everything you and your family are looking for in new construction homes in Ulster County. Discover the beauty and serenity of Highland Hills, your new home nestled in a quite community of elegant homes. Check out the floor plans for the Arlington, Bennington and Manchester designs. Make your home in Highland Hills stand out with your colors and upgrade selections. Your new home in Highland Hills will feature luxurious bathro... 09/17/2012

  A Town United: Team Alexandra Fight Like a Girl Highland NY 12528       The Little Town of Highland NY has a huge heart. The close knit community pulls together to support it each other. A young 7 year old girl of the town has been diagnosed with Leukemia. Immediately the town pulled together to start planning ways to help the family. This began “Team Alexandra Fight Like a Girl”. Black Tees shirts with hot pink lettering are being sold and worn throughout the town.       Theme: Superhero Night - kids dressed as their favorite superhero will receive a lottery ticket to win a prize! Park/concessions open @ 8:00 pm. Bring blankets/chairs. No outside food/drink. Children must be accomanied by adult. Movie @ Dusk (8:30 pm approx) Admission: Donations welcomed Movie Location: Highland LL F... 08/07/2012

  Franny Reese State Park- Highland NY 12528     Franny Reese State Park in Highland NY is a group of three trails on 251 acres located just south of the Mid-Hudson Bridge and the approach to the bridge.  The park can be accessed from Macks Lane in Highland or a staircase on the West side of the Mid-Hudson Bridge at Johnson-Iorio Park. .   The park is named for Frances “Franny” Reese,  who was one of the early activists in preserving the land along the Hudson River.  The a co-founder of the Scenic Hudson said, ““Care enough to take action. Do your research so you don’t have to backtrack from a position. And don’t give up!”—Franny Reese, Scenic Hudson co-founder.   At the entrance of the Park there are trail guides. The guides offer different alternatives for those that enter. The initia... 07/19/2012

Welcome to Highland NY Highland (The Town of Lloyd) is becoming an increasingly popular destination. The Highland area has a  small community atmosphere.   Highland is an excellent location for commuters. It is positioned on the west side of the Hudson River, across from Poughkeepsie and the Mid-Hudson Bridge connects the two municipalities. Commuters take advantage of the short drive to the Poughkeepsie train station to hop on the Metro-North Railroad line to Grand Central Station. There are several townhouse and condo complexes which are located close to the bridge. It is also well positioned in relation to Newburgh and Kingston.   Along the Hudson River there are beautiful luxury riverfront homes. Throughout Highland there are small neighborhoods and private secluded properties.   T... 07/14/2012

Reflections on Father’s Day       I lost my Dad 2 years ago.   Father’s Day brings back memories of him. My Dad was the quintessential provider. We did not have everything but we had enough, we were far from rich but did not want for anything.  Fun Times were together times.   As a young “tomboy” of the 60’s there were no sports for girls. Favorite times were when after dinner Daddy would say “do you want to have a catch”. Simple things were meaningful things. In a time when there was no internet, IPods, IPads or cell phones, a simple catch was bond forming.   Dad was a World War II veteran. We all knew it, we saw pictures, we saw his tiny navy Uniform. The USS Garfield Thomas was spoken of but we never really understood his contribution until we had the opportunity as a family to visi... 06/17/2012

Highland NY Real Estate Update, In Case of Emergencies, Head to the Walkway Over the Hudson!The Walkway Over the Hudson in Highland NY is a beautiful and breathtaking park. What many don't know is that it is also designed to serve as a lifeline in case of emergencies. If you've ever been on the Walkway you know that despite the staggering heights (212 feet) and gusty winds, the Walkway feels incredibly stable and sturdy, and is wide enough for crowds of people. That's because the Walkway is designed for emergency use if need be. The width of the approaches, bridge, and the gates are wide enough and the bridge is strong enough to withstand the weight of the biggest emergency vehicles currently in service. Emergency vehicles have access to either side of the Walkway via main roadways. A H... 06/02/2012

What is market share in real estate?  Market share could mean percentage of closed transactions in a given area. Market share could mean the percent of closed dollar volume in a given area.Market share could be the amount of inventory for sale in a given area.  At around 11am today, market share took on a different meaning. Even though I am based in Westchester County, I have three listings in Highland, New York in Ulster County. And as a working real estate broker with a family, there are times when the best way to balance things out is to multitask: we pile the kids in the car and have them come on a business-related trip. It could be to put up a sign, install a lockbox, or open a door for someone. I had a little bit of everything today. And once I was finished with my brief Sunday mo... 01/15/2012

  September always brings a sense of change for me. The end of summer, back to school and the chill in the air are always a welcome season for me. I am making a professional change, as well, with the change of the season. It is with great pleasure that effective immediately, I am now selling residential and commercial real estate at John J. Lease Realtors.  My clients will continue to have the personal service they have come to know and expect. At John J. Lease my colleagues and I will work hard to provide you with the best real estate service in the business. Personally, I will strive to provide you with a friend in real estate.   The John J. Lease Highland office is located at 550 Route 299 in Highland, just minutes to the village of New Paltz to the west and Highland to the East. Jus... 09/02/2011

Data for the month of March revealed a positive direction for the Ulster County Real Estate market.  Although the median price continued to drop, the number of homes sold in march of 2009 was almost exactly the same as 2008.  During most of 2009, there has been a 40-20% decline in the number of homes sold by month, so this bodes well for the spring season. The spring time seems to be bringing more buyers out of the woodwork.  Interest rates are still ideal and asking prices are dropping as well.  The $250k and below range is certainly the most active part of the market.  More and more buyers tend to be first-time homebuyers in a market which has been traditionally dominated by second home buyers. 04/11/2009

This Veteran's Day we are all grateful to those who have fought for the freedoms we are so lucky to have in our country. As a way of showing our appreciation and in a small way of giving back our family has started a Cell Phones For Soldiers campaign in Ulster County New York. Collection sites will be at Erichsen's Fuel Service in Highland New York and at Dependable Energy in Shokan New York. The cell phones will be recycled and for each phone donated a soldier will be given call time to phone home. To learn more about the Cell Phones for Soldiers visit:  http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/about.html The website has information to set up a collection spot.  It would be wonderful this holiday season if every soldier got the gift of being able to speak to their loved ones. If you have a... 11/11/2008

Highland NY Real Estate Market Report 10/7/08 Town of Highland NY Single Family Home / Condo & Townhouse Real Estate Market Report for the period of July 1 thru October 7, 2008: Total Highland NY Single Family Homes, Condo & Townhouses available on the market 84 Price Range $125,500-$2,900,000 Total Highland NY New Listings during the period 61 Price Range $69,900-$750,000 Total Highland NY Pending Sales 12 Total Highland NY Sold Listings during the period 24 Price Range $101,500-$449,900 SSold Price    Address    City    State    Zip    Closing Date $101,500.00    203  Pancake Hollow Road    Highland    NY    12528    7/14/2008 $107,000.00    408  South St.    Clintondale    NY    12515    8/26/2008 $167,410.00    6  Christopher Avenue    Highland    NY    12528    8/1/2008 $168,000.00... 10/07/2008

If you've been thinking of buying a house, maybe this is the time to stop thinking and put in an offer.  Prices are down and many owners are anxious to sell.  Highland, New York is a great community to look in.  Highland is centrally located between Poughkeepsie, Kingston, New Paltz and Newburgh.  There are currently dozens of houses to choose from- from handy-man specials to large estates and from condos to new construction.  Here's a look at the market conditions for single family homes in Highland:  total listings Average DOM* Lowest Highest Average Median 72 119 $119,000 $3,300,000 $417,830 $339,000 These are all the listings in Highland that have sold since August 1.  As you can see, homes that are priced correctly, sell the quickest.  Several houses were re-listed several times, ... 09/14/2008