Hudson Valley Musing

Germantown  NY was first settled by refugees from Rhineland Germany in 1710.  This town can be found in Columbia county and lies between Clermont and Hudson.

In the past this was once a big farming community but many of the farms are no longer in operation.   Now  Taconic Farms Facilty  is a major source of employment in the area.

Germantown is also a favorite destination for many weekenders and is located just about 100 miles from NY City.

Another great feature about Germantown is that it is located along the Hudson River so you will find many wonderful homes on its bank with terrific views of the Catskills mountains.

Recently an Indian restaurant opened in the center of town; this too has been a great addition to the local cuisine.

Nearby Attraction

Olana

Germantown NY 2007 Real Estate Market Report

In 2007 from January to December there were 48 listings and 19 Sold

                                                  Listing                             Selling          Square Feet

Average                                 $298,969                    $ 232,089          1552

Medium                                   $261,400                    $185,000           1308

Maximum                              $825,000                     $ 625,000          3384

Listings per Status

Minimum, Average, Maximum

Days On Market Analysis

Listing Price\Selling Price

Dutchess County written history

Recently I caught the end of a story on NPR, someone had died and they were lamenting the fact that the language she spoke died with her.  Over the years I heard of many languages that were lost because they were never written.

With this in mind I wanted to see how Dutchess County cared for the history of the area.  It was good to find out that each town and some villages have a town historian .  Having a town historian made sense because such a person would be able to be more detailed about a specific area than if this was handled at a county level.

In addition to the town historians there is also the Dutchess County Historical Society which has been in place since 1918 and has been recording,discovering and preserving the county's history.

This is a very focused group with several objectives. 

1.  Yearly plant and bake sale fund-raiser

2.   Yearly scholarship to a high school student

3.   Maintenance and beautification of local parks . 

The Old Dutch Village Garden Club meets in Red Hook NY every second Thursday of the month,  dessert, coffee and tea is always provided, members take turn to see to this.  For the edification of the members several topics are covered yearly.  Below you will find the highlights.

February 14th               Living with mature trees

March 1th                  Plant Propagation

May 8th                     Wild flowers

May 16th                   Annual Plant and Bake Sale

June 12th                  Plant Pests, and diseases and natural pesticides

September 11th         Herbs and Edible Flowers

October 9th                Floral Arrangements

November 13th               Ferns

Visitors are welcomed, so if you are available between 12:30 and 2:30 PM please join this wonderful group, you will learn something new. 

Location

126 Old Post Road, Red Hook, NY 12571

Jennifer Fivelsdal - JFIVE HOMES REALTY LLC - 845-758-6842- jennifer@jfivehomes.com 

www.jfivehomes.com  or www.midhudsonhomevalue.com

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Copyright © by Jennifer Fivelsdal, all rights reserved-

Gallatin is a small town in southern Columbia County with a population of less than 2000 people.  This town just like Ancram is another place you will find many second homes tucked away down very long driveways.

This is also an agricultural area so you will come across large farms; it is also very common to see cows grazing and horses galloping .

Town of Gallatin

Gallatin 2007 Real Estate Market Report

In 2007 from January to December there were 28 listing and 11 Sold

                                                  Listing                             Selling          Square Feet

Average                                 $383,243                      $ 361,727          2099

Medium                                   $320,000                       $ 297,500         2100

Maximum                              $1,395,000                    $ 762,500          4648

Listings per Status

Minimum, Average, Maximum

Days On Market Analysis

Listing Price\Selling Price

Ancram Opera House

The town of Ancram is located in the eastern part of Columbia County and has a population less than 2000.  This is an extremely beautiful area with much open space.

Ancram 2007 Real Estate Market Report

In 2007 from January to December there were 29 listing and 15 Sold

                                                  Listing                             Selling          Square Feet

Average                                 $402,601                       $286,793         1847

Medium                                   $325,000                       $215,000         1864

Maximum                            $1,599,000                      $830,000          3220

Listings per Status

Minimum, Average, Maximum

Days On Market Analysis

Listing Price\Selling Price

Because the Culinary Institute is located in Dutchess County we are blessed with many wonderful chefs.  Getting great cuisine could just be a few minutes from home.

Here are some of the restaurants you can find in Northern Dutchess. 

Max's Memphis Barbecue

This place is alway packed on the weekends so reservations are advised.  Here you can get terrific barbeque  and chillies.  A favorite of mine among this food of the new South is the gulf  barbeque shrimp with pulled pork chili. 

Santa Fe

Located in the village of Tivoli in the town of Red Hook, this restaurant offers nouveau Mexican Cuisine .  A favorite of the week-enders.

                                                                                  Beekman Arms                                                                            

The Beekman Arms is the oldest continuously operated Inn in America. Located in the heart of Rhinebeck and home to the Traphagen Restaurant,the Beekman is a great place for both lunch and dinner and frequently used for business meetings.     

                                                                   Terrapin

This building was once a church but since the nineties it has been home to several restaurants, the present being Terrapin.  The restaurant is divided into two parts a section with the bar a bistro, for more casual dining and a more formal restaurant for fine dining. It offers both lunch and dinner. Reservations are advisable for the weekend.

                                             Madalin's Table                                                                                                     

 Madalin's Tableis located on one of the four corners in the heart of Tivoli.  And is located in the newly restored building now the home  of the Hotel Madalin.                                                                                                                              

Gigi Trattoria

Gigi Trattoriais also located in the heart of Rhinebeck and offers cuisine with a Mediterranean flair. Local organic products are used to prepare delicious yet healthy food. A favorite spot for the health conscious.

There is also Gigi's Farm market located at the Greig's Farmin Red Hook.  Here you will find nutritious low calorie lunches, meals to go, and great soup.  This is also where bread and some desserts are prepared for the Rhinebeck location.

Gigi's Market

Jennifer Fivelsdal - JFIVE HOMES REALTY LLC - 845-758-6842- jennifer@jfivehomes.com 

www.jfivehomes.com  or www.midhudsonhomevalue.com

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Copyright © by Jennifer Fivelsdal, all rights reserved-Northern Dutchess Restaurants

CLERMONT STATE PARK

Did you know that this wonderful historic home sits on 500 acres on the banks of the Hudson River?

• The house is open for tours
• A romantic place for a wedding
• You can picnic, hike, or engage in bird watching
• Friends of Clermont sponsor many events during the year

Make this one of your summer destination this year

CLERMONT 2007 REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT

Clermont is a small community. In 2007 from January to December there were 22 listing and 9 sold.

                                                  Listing                             Selling          Square Feet

Average                                 $371,068                        $323,211        2281

Medium                                   $362,450                        $355,900        2031

Maximum                               $699,900                        $410,000        4866

Minimum, Average, Maximum

Days On Market Analysis

Listing Price\Selling Price

Red Hook had a very eventful  2007 so if you are new to town or for any reason haven't a clue as to what happened during 2007 here are a few highlights.

  Hardscrabble Day in Red Hook

Like most small towns Red Hook takes pleasure in the community and start the spring off with Apple Blossom Day and later Hardscrabble Day.  The celebration includes parades, music, fund raising, food and the distribution of important community information.

   Grabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation at Bard College.

This modern and functional building was designed by well known architect Rafael Vinoly.

  New Senior Complex - Red Hook Commons

This was a welcome addition to the community. We all know that there is a great demand for senor housing.  The seniors I have spoken to are very happy with their new home and is delighted with the location since they can walk to places around the village.  This includes the newly opened Apple Diner.

Red Hook newly renovated Village Hall

The Village hall was not only renovated but expanded and is home to the village offices, court and police station.

Real Estate News

During 2007 the Red Hook NY 2% Transfer Tax was enacted.  This is a  2% applied to the selling price of a house being sold above the county median price.  For more information speak with your real estate agent or attorney.

This beautiful house on the banks of the Hudson River helped  Red Hook real estate market to finish on a high note when it was sold for $5,800,000.

Stay tune for the rest of the real estate report for 2007.

If you like the lifestyle you've seen here and are interested in moving to Red Hook, please contact me

Jennifer Fivelsdal - JFIVE HOMES REALTY LLC - 845-758-6842- jennifer@jfivehomes.com 

www.jfivehomes.com  or www.midhudsonhomevalue.com

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Copyright © by Jennifer Fivelsdal, all rights reserved-

Choosing the right fire extinguisher

This time of year it is not uncommon to hear of people losing their home as a result of a fire.  Some of these destructive fires could be avoided if a  fire extinguisher was in place.

Did you know there are many types of fire extinguisher? and not all of them work the same way.  It is therefore  important to  make the right choice when choosing one.  Using the wrong type can be a disaster.

Thankfully these days there is information at our fingertips, this fire extinguisher article can help you make the right choice.

Most importantly, start out the new year by making sure your fire extinguisher is in good working condition.

Jennifer Fivelsdal - JFIVE HOMES REALTY LLC - 845-758-6842- jennifer@jfivehomes.com 

www.jfivehomes.com  or www.midhudsonhomevalue.com

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Copyright © by Jennifer Fivelsdal, all rights reserved-Choosing the right fire extinguisher

THE RED HOOK LIBRARY

I truly believe that  a community is not complete without a library.  I remember a time in my life when going to the library or bookstore then staying up late to read was what I considered as fun.

Today I am just like everyone, life is hectic and  because of the Internet not too many people now see the inside of a library. 

Recently my son-in-law has been going to the library very frequently.  You might be asking why a twenty- something would find the library so valuable.

Today's library no longer requires you to go through the catalog cards to find the book you are looking for.  These days you join the library get a login and from the comfort of your home can search for items of interest.

Back to why the  twenty-something would be so involved with the library.  Well, today's libraries offer books on cds, music and movies.  It doesn't matter if the book or movie is not in your local library all you have to do is to make your request and the item will be delivered to your local library.

In the Mid-Hudson Valley we are truly grateful for the Mid-Hudson Library system that is in place.  New York residents can also borrow books and other material from the New York State's library.

So make a point to check out your local library, you might get a pleasant surprise.

Jennifer Fivelsdal - JFIVE HOMES REALTY LLC - 845-758-6842- jennifer@jfivehomes.com 

www.jfivehomes.com  or www.midhudsonhomevalue.com

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Copyright © by Jennifer Fivelsdal, all rights reserved-