Building My House in The Catskills

The meaning behind this blog is directly related to my own experience of escaping to The Catskills. For many years I spent my summer weekends at the beach: Jones Beach, Long Beach, Fire Island, Mystic and my most beloved, Montauk. It was usually a house rental or descending upon family, but I always had a plan to be out of the city and step into that sandy paradise.

Six years ago I made the decision to buy a vacation home for weekend use and soon realized that coastal towns in NY and CT were mostly unaffordable. I didn't look too deep into it, since the story was the same all around: even if I could find a home at my price point, the taxes would often make it financially prohibitive. The funny thing is, at that same time I stumbled across a newspaper article about The Catskills of Sullivan County and particularly about a builder who was developing the region with cute cottages and farm houses. I immediately knew it was where I wanted to be.

I didn't know much about the area, only that it was a 2 hour drive from NYC, and along the Delaware River. I made my first trek up in July 2009 and by October, I went into contract on a small cottage in the woods of Narrowsburg. As a single woman, it was a huge, bold move, but one that would also teach me many lessons.

The process of building can be hectic, confusing, exciting and downright insane.  There are so many decisions to be made and then changes that you want to make. Thankfully I come from a long line of contractors and tradesmen, and I was fortunate to have my brother guide me every step of the way. As a person who is visually stimulated, I often could not imagine how things would come together, but they did. I kept my eye on the prize; having my own little retreat on 7 acres in this tiny country town.

It has now been 5+ years since I moved in. I've met other weekenders, locals who are true locals and others who transplanted from nearby urban cities (mostly NYC) and now reside full time. I wave to everyone on the road, keep country distance when driving and have gracefully ingratiated myself with the community. It took a few years to feel like it was my town too, but now it is and I love being part of it.

As a homeowner it is not always easy to explore the region. Once I arrive on a Friday night, I don't really want to spend anymore time driving to other towns. However I have found myself in the position of freelancing over the years which has allowed me to spend longer periods of time in Narrowsburg. This also enabled me to wander to other towns and hamlets, try other restaurants and find new markets to enjoy. Coupled with the group of friends that I have made, it is much easier now to navigate the area and I no longer hang up the car keys upon arrival.

The best part for me is having a place to getaway. It makes such a difference to my mind and body by leaving the busy city with all of its chaos, and learning to sleep in the pitch black night with not a sound to be heard. I can now see how important it is to explore life outside the concrete jungle, including birds which I once feared. I also understand why many of my new friends made their move permanent.

I won't be doing that anytime soon, but I will continue to spread the joy of escaping the city for a rural retreat. I will also continue to explore the region and share my findings.