All Blog Entries by Steven Guerin

Ulster County Real Estate: Horse Farms

Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 12:07pm. 38 Views, 0 Comments.

The steady breathing of an athlete covering ground quickly. The early morning mist, disturbed by the constant unending beat echoing off the turf. The distinctive aroma that is work and success, are all byproducts of the ever expanding equine industry in the Hudson River Valley, that’s right, Horse Farms.

There have always been Horse Farms in the Valley, be it for the breeding of thoroughbreds, or to meet other unique equine needs such as draft or show horses. Farms for boarding or pleasure riding have always had a place in the community, however, in the past number of years, and with the introduction of Horse Show in the Sun, (HITS), in Ulster County, there has been tremendous new growth within this formerly niche community.

It is now possible to choose…

Ulster County Real Estate - Thoughts On Going Green

Monday, January 4th, 2010 at 1:02pm. 67 Views, 0 Comments.

So you want to save the Planet, look in the mirror to start….

Green Technology, Going Green, Save the Environment; what ever you call it, for homeowners, it is just a repackaging of the old weatherization and modernization mantra. I know, I know, how dare I not genuflect before the holey alter of what is currently in fad and politically correct, but that’s me. I mean come on, if you were serious about supplying a constant, proven, accessible, job providing, source of energy, over the long term, with no additional green house gases pumped into the atmosphere, we would be talking nuclear power. Yes there is a storage issue concerning nuclear waste, but as is done currently, it will be stored on site. Like the French, who derive 75% of there domestic energy…

Ulster County Real Estate: New Years Resolution, You Must Be Crazy…

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 at 7:49am. 65 Views, 0 Comments.

As the New Year pushes onward, the young pup of a year has historically seen my resolutions fall off the wayside pretty quickly. I mean, why drag something out that is going to happen anyway, right! We all participate in the struggle to keep the promise. Every year I say, “This is the year that I get back into shape!” Well I tricked myself and surprised others by starting a workout routine four months ago. I have returned to my childhood, (some would say I never left), and started a boxing workout routine with a trainer. It is a great way to get into shape, a wonderful workout, and hey, you’re not getting your head beat in! 

If you were unaware, this area of the Hudson Valley, Ulster County in particular, has a rich history of supporting some of the most…

Ulster County Real Estate

Thursday, December 31st, 2009 at 8:28am. 55 Views, 0 Comments.

You have got to be kidding!

Another Christmas Holiday behind us and this year is almost done. Where did the time go? I don’t know about you, but this was a particularly busy holiday season for me and my family. As expected, those family members living outside of the area, descended on Ulster County like a Mongol horde charging out of the steppes. I mean its family so you do… As if I were not already busy enough with chores and o’ yes work, I by mistake, scheduled my yearly physical for the week prior to Christmas week. Well, the EKG was off from my last physical, we rushed a stress test, like I didn’t have any stress already, and I ended up getting a heart catheterization to check out the equipment the Wednesday before Christmas. It ended up being nothing,…

Ulster County, “It’s more than just a pretty face…”

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 at 6:23am. 86 Views, 0 Comments.

Often times it is easy, very easy to loose sight of the benefit of living in a particular area. Yes, we all get caught up in the local hoopla of politics, unflattering news, budget difficulties, economic activity, or lack there of, and yet the old phrase, “no matter where you go, there you are,” comes to mind.

I was not born in Ulster County, but virtually my entire life has been spent kicking around her haunts and backwaters. Growing up in the Rosendale area, I always loved New Paltz, because my dad worked at the college and in the nice weather, non-school months, the Mountain Range to the west of the town were great entertainment. The “Gunk’s” provided countless hours of adventure in hiking and climbing. The Mohawk Mountain house was always a treat for…

Ulster County Real Estate

Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 6:33pm. 68 Views, 2 Comments.

It’s Monday, with the weekend just past, and as a Realtor, you hope that you were busy with showings and listings. But sometimes life doesn’t always work out that way, and you get the opportunity to do other things. Recently, I was afforded an opportunity to be the engine on the family shopping cart during our weekly journey into Kingston to purchase sustenance. Now, this  is a job that for all intense purposes, I am qualified at, very familiar with, and one that I have been doing for years in Saugerties, Catskill, and as mentioned, at the various establishments in the Kingston area.

Now I don’t know about you, but I look like quite the sight on these early morning excursions. The store staff is gracious, never bars me from the store, and still allows me to…

Ulster County Real Estate -“Animal Paradise” or “You want an animal pen with that house?”

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 9:24am. 95 Views, 0 Comments.

I’m busy; you’re busy, as we all are, it’s called life. Because of this, I tend to do a lot of activities after hours, and at odd times during the slower days. (Plenty of that recently!)  So I am taking my newest bundle of energy to my Veterinarians office in Woodstock for shots and a check up. As I maneuver this eighty pound ping pong ball into an exam room, it dawns on me that maybe, just maybe, he will need a bit of training. Seems like the staff already assumed this, because no sooner had I broached the subject than an address for a training program in Kingston was pushed into my hand. One of the best in Ulster County I’m told, and really adapt for your needs. What am I to make of that, I am starting to feel a bit self-conscious?   

After filling out…

It's Not All About Ulster County Real Estate - It's The Holidays

Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 1:22pm. 84 Views, 1 Comments.

It is far too easy for all of us to get consumed with the trials and tribulations of Ulster County Real Estate. Unfortunately, we sometimes loose sight of the important things in life, like family. Thursday was Thanksgiving, and not unlike many of you, our home is a central location for family to celebrate the season. Kids, adults, dogs, food, no sleep, a thousand activities, etc, etc…is the gift that we all seem to patiently wade through during family gatherings.

If you are any thing like me, you do some planning to send the relatives off in different directions for shopping, events, to see old friends, or just to take a ride to see the old neighborhood. Since I live in Saugerties, the Woodstock and Kingston areas are popular locations for a shopping…

Ulster County Real Estate: Tax Credit Thoughts

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 4:15pm. 94 Views, 1 Comments.

Now that the Federal Government has extended the first time home buyers program, and expanded it to allow access by a greater number of individuals, will we return to traditional lending standards when the program is completed? If we do not, are we then creating a new housing bubble? Are we creating the start of a new bubble with the use of this program?

I don’t believe that anyone familiar with the industry would deny that Banks were only too eager to loan whatever amount borrowers wanted, then for the most part, package and sell the loans. The result is that nationally, we now have approximately two trillion dollars in loans that will probably as of now, never be repaid, at least not in full. So if we are not building a new housing bubble by the use of…

Home Buyers Tax Credit - Ulster County Real Estate

Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 10:32am. 139 Views, 1 Comments.

So the Congress has passed the “new and improved” Home Buyers Tax Credit. Good for the Real Estate industry, very good for the home buyer, maybe not so good for the taxpayer. You hear the arguments for and against the program which will spend upwards of $45 billion, but the reality is that the industry is hurting badly and this will provide some relief nationally. Additionally, the potential for increased spending by new home owners on their new purchases should help the trade’s people and ancillary housing suppliers such as furniture sales.

This program is not a perfect solution, but then again, “Is there a government program that is?” The Home Buyers Tax Credit is much more closely aligned to helping Main Street, than all the “bail out” money spent on…