My friend David keeps a widely read blog that captures the flavor of the area and the trends of the region's real estate, in addition to being one of the top 3 grossing real estate professionals in the area. He is sort of the g0-to guy for any stat or trend analysis for the area - as well as having his ear pretty close to the tracks - he has nailed a few trends before they were visible to the naked eye. David consistently has an interesting point of view and is a very good, funny, and serious writer.
The problem is his blog was hijacked a long time ago by a few people posting under multiple names who disparage, talk down, and assault anything David or blog posters less inclined to think the world is ending. At one point, a few of them were posting under my name, saying stupid shit, and making me look pretty ridiculous. Although in the same breath, without those hijacking yahoos, the post volume would be pretty minimal which kind of makes you feel like you are shouting to an empty theater, although that's not really true because we can all read the visitors stats and analytics.
Currently, there is a debate 'raging' about Catskill Farms - you have Nick, the old house aficionado who thinks it's ok to buy a Catskill Farms house but he wouldn't (wink wink) because he demands authenticity (he's been renovating a house for what seems like years - many times I think that people who post how great their old house renovation process is are just rationalizing the huge mistake they made in the first place buying the damn thing), you have the German guy who wears hats of many nationalities and posts under a tiresome number of aliases but his perspective is the same - whatever is good with Sullivan County can be made to feel bad, you have the perennially depressed 'ar' who wants to cut his wrists and make everyone miserable because he bought something at the height of the market and can't stop thinking about how much money he lost - and then a few posters who, although never having built a house, are sure that it can be done very cheaply and Catskill Farms is not only taking advantage of silly and naive and not-so-smart New Yorkers, but counting the huge profits we are making the whole way to the bank.
Frankly, and to be honest, I wish the who thinks we are raking it in night and day was right.
All anonymously, of course. With the main premise that anyone buying real estate, period, is stupid, so, as logic would have it - since Catskill Farms is the king of sales, we obviously have the market on stupid people and families.
I think, actually, it's just the opposite. Very smart people buy our homes - not everyone who visits buys, but everyone who visits understands why it is a viable idea to consider. I actually believe we are the only company that plays with real estate that when someone takes the time to visit, it's actually better in real life than the website (which is saying something because the website is pretty good). Most times, the wide angle lens can work magic with an awkward room or house.
So judge for yourself - and if any of our fans are converted to the Catskill Farms idea is all smoke and mirrors and only for those without any soul or commitment to authenticity, you can migrate from the blog to David main site and he can help you find a house comparable to ours.
His blog can be found at Catskill4sale Blog.
I find the argument of 'authenticity' really a bogus idea - what's authentic about pretending you are a contractor in the middle of a place you just discovered undergoing one of the most stressful, life-changing processes one will ever experience?
I think it's 'authentic' to buy smart, help design the house, move in 5 months, pay exactly what you forecasted, and be celebrating years of holidays before the guy playing 'this old house' even moves in. It's 'authentic' to make a big life decision to 'getaway', and actually have it work out well - emotionally, psychologically, and financially.
Charles:
ReplyDeleteAnyone reading David's blog will know that I'm one of your defenders. I do so because I like what you're doing for the area and dig your aesthetic. (That said, where's my check, Petersheim??? Kidding.) I also do so because I'm one of those folks that bought and built during the "boom", and I'm offended at being labeled an idiot for doing so.
I leapt on an amazing opportunity that just happened to present itself at that time; even with the plunging market, our place is still worth about 20% more than what we paid for it in 2005, and that's a lowball estimate. I still don't understand how that makes me a moron.
Anyway, you say "what's authentic about pretending you are a contractor in the middle of a place you just discovered undergoing one of the most stressful, life-changing processes one will ever experience? I think it's 'authentic' to buy smart, help design the house, move in 5 months, pay exactly what you forecasted, and be celebrating years of holidays before the guy playing 'this old house' even moves in."
AMEN to that. This is something that you simply can't put a price tag on. While building our place (with another local builder) we were held up by one nightmare after another... many outside our builder's control, but some within. The bottom line is that we didn't really get personalized service because our builder was simply spread too thin. In fact, it got so hairy that at one point we almost quit the process altogether.
Would we have paid a little more to have fewer headaches? You betcha. Some may say that's stupid. I say my time is way too valuable to get mired down playing GC when I already had one.
PS - The guy on David's blog with the ever-changing monikers is German? That surprises me. My grandfather was German craftsman from the village of Kastellaun - a woodworker by trade - and he would have loved your product.
Nest Dweller - thanks for chirping in. It seems the only people who like to post on local blogs are curmudgeons, wet blankets and those too depressed to say anything interesting. So your opinion, vantage and taking the time to write in this wilderness of bullshiters is quite appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of people who read David's blog and none of them write - since that would only entail being labeled an idiot by the other posters. Who needs it?
Dear Charles,
ReplyDeleteI have been an avid reader of your blog since first 'discovering' you in May of 2008(actually your friend and ours Kathy R. turned us on to you). My husband and I met you and saw your homes - we were really impressed not only with the quality of the houses but with the time and attention you gave us. For other reasons, we ended up buying in Delaware County, but we never stopped loving your houses and have recommended them to whoever we knew who was looking. So as my first ever comment on a blog - any blog - I say hats off to you. I applaud your success.
Susan Tettemer
Thanks Susan - I remember you guys well and hear you are doing great - congrats and good luck!
ReplyDelete