OWNING A WATERFRONT PROPERTY is a persistent dream of mine, and I don’t much care, in my fantasy, whether it’s lake, bay, harbor, pond, or river (I’m assuming ocean is out of reach in this lifetime). It seems to me that the shimmering, reflective qualities of water, seen every time you look out the window, would be almost a guarantee of positive chi, full of life and ever-changing.
So I check out waterfront listings from time to time…you know, just for the hell of it. I was alerted to this one, on the border between Dutchess and Columbia counties, by a post on the blog Upstater. Since I was in the area last week, I took an in-person peek.
Property seen from the road: nice and private, with a detached garage
Entry door is on the side
Rear of house toward lake: needs more glass!
This property is all about the lake, and the lake is absolutely bee-yoo-ti-ful. The large lot, leading down to one of the town’s Twin Lakes (the one on which motorized watercraft are NOT permitted), is dramatically steep. The house is nothing to rave about, nor is the town — Elizaville, N.Y., a working-class hamlet with a post office, a laundromat, a deli, a diner, and not much else (besides the lakes).
Side yard
My verdict: overpriced for the area at an ask of 365K, but if you want lakefront, it’s worth further investigation. The house was unoccupied when I happened by, and I didn’t tour the inside. There was nothing visibly horrifying about its exterior condition, though, and my through-the-window shot of the kitchen, below, bodes pretty well.
The realtor’s listing is here.
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August 9, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Tom
Cara, check this one out three doors down from me–and only an hour from the Lincoln Tunnel (if you can stand being in NJ). Rustic 40s style, mostly original, excellent level waterfront, well-maintained lake. Not a lot of property, but great for a stress-free weekend house.
http://www.lakehouse.com/page-237126.html
August 10, 2011 at 9:31 pm
cara
hi Tom, good to hear from you. Thanks for sending that listing for comparison’s sake. The NJ house is certainly a LOT nicer than the Elizaville one. The asking price is in the same ballpark. Closer to NYC. Lake looks more or less the same… One plus for the upstate house is that the lot is much bigger than .17 acre. The listing doesn’t specify, but my guess is somewhere close to half an acre. Maybe it just boils down to Hudson Valley vs. NJ!