Hudson Valley Nest

Hudson Valley Nest The latest in Hudson Valley real estate, buying/selling tips and advice and home maintenance tips.

Sandi is publisher of The Brick newsletter, hailed by Hudson Valley Magazine and TimesUnion as the "go to" resource for Hudson Valley real estate news.

09/01/2026

Highest and Best šŸ‘‡

"Highest and best" -Those words aren't just reserved for multiple offers. Realtors have an obligation to work in their clients highest and best interests, as well.

Cancelling a closing is not normal fare by any means. I haven't had this happen in many years. The attorneys have to recalculate, if parties have hired movers around it, it could be messy. Interest rate lock-ins could change. Avoiding a postpone is most ideal on multiple levels.

We first tried to avoid postponing the closing with solutions that safeguarded my clients while still closing on time but unfortunately postpone was the only option.

Post inspection update: The testing showed areas for my clients to address and how to address them, which were manageable to my clients. Closing tomorrow. šŸ‘

08/30/2026

Dogs know...

Olivia jumped out of the car in full throttle for the final walk through at this beautiful property. The home is in good shape and will be a canvas for my clients to make their own. This was Olivia's first time to the property. Her tail was wagging the entire time.

What do you think got Olivia going? The 6.7 bucolic acre setting or the 130 foot stocked pond? If you have a dog, is it running or swimming that really does it for them? Olivia is about to live life in an ongoing state of field day. šŸ’ƒ

I already know my fav spot to take in the setting. Selling to super cool locals.

232 S. Smith Road ,
Lagrangeville
Closing tomorrow
Asking $830,000 (but the buyers are my clients - selling under ask. šŸ˜‰)

08/17/2026

Gone are the daysšŸ‘‡

Before the pandemic, it was not uncommon for sellers to price a bit high with expectation of negotiating down with a buyer. The thought process was to give buyers "room to negotiate." I dis not encourage that thought process, but it did go on - and still does. The trouble is buyers have changed substantially since those days. After being kicked around and often treated like cattle, there is little tolerance for overpricing these days. In fact, even with continued limited inventory, more and more buyers are pushing back. Multiple offers don't always mean flights over asking anymore. Now if can mean under asking or just marginally over asking with real flights cooling down. (Westchester excluded)

While overpricing may not have ever been a strategic approach, buyers are repelled by it now. While it seems like this sellers market has been going on forever, the reality is the only solid year of true pandemic frenzy in our area (excluding Westchester) was in 2021. In 2020, the year was nearing the halfway mark before the impact really hit in our area of buyers in frenzy. 2022 saw nearly the same period of time before the market took its first true gasp - driven by interest rates committing to rise during May and June of 2022. We have been discreetly adjusting since.

During the absolute height of frenzy properties trading six figures over ask were all the talk. I had seven properties join the "six figure over ask club" with many more near it. Yet, over 800 listings expired in Dutchess county alone in 2021 - during the absolute peak of frenzy.

Pricing matters. Marketing matters. Aligning with a realtor that may not tell you what you want to hear, but will tell you what you need to hear - matters. I have always counseled clients to get on and off the shelf. Time is not your friend in this market. Entering the market with intention to reduce is not a strategy, but rather a great way to support the sale of a competing property. Savvy realtors leverage overpriced listings to benefit their clients - whether buyer or seller.

08/14/2026

Sky HousešŸ‘‡

The entire back wall of this 7,500 square foot estate dissolves into glass. I found myself looking sideways the entire time, completely captivated by the natures artistry.

Set on 165 acres and built in 2019, the residence rises from the landscape with a long, linear silhouette conceived by celebrated firm Resolution: 4 Architecture. This home was designed with clear intention to blur the line between indoors and out.

A monumental 20 foot retractable wall of glass opens the living room entirely to the landscape beyond, while upstairs a summer shower brings the outside directly into the home with a clear low barrier to otherwise fully open sky. The upstairs entertaining lounge with fireplace and morning coffee station or beverage counter is open to the elements yet fully within the home. The pool area maintains this philosophy with a fireplace anchoring a space made for living outdoors.

Beyond the immediate grounds stretch forested trails and open fields suited for riding and walking. Though utterly quiet, the property is just minutes from the charming village of Millbrook, local farmstands, dining, regional hiking and riding trails.

More than a residence, Sky House is a living composition of light, terrain, and modern craft; a place for contemplative mornings, lively weekends, and the rare sensation of inhabiting a home that is simultaneously shelter, sculpture and sanctuary.

Contact Sandi Park for more information. Thank you for your gracious welcome Ashley Whittaker Spence

Listing courtesy Compass Greater NY

08/07/2026

Cool off in Kingston

Sojourner Truth State Park just unveiled a jaw-dropping turquoise pool flanked on three sides by limestone cliffs. Lake Sophia, named after Sojourner Truthā€™s daughter, opened to the public in July inside a decommissioned limestone quarry thatā€™s been an ā€œunofficialā€ swimming hole for decades.

The swim facility was built as part of a $75.6 million project. $68.1 million came from the stateā€™s Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, plus another $7.5 million from New York Works funding. Thatā€™s on top of the original $13.5 million the state paid Scenic Hudson for the 500+ acre park back in 2022.

The 12,000-square-foot floating swimming pool (roughly 3-4 feet deep) plus a separate 16,000-square-foot deep-water zone reaching 14-20 feet combine for a swimming area larger than two Olympic sized pools.

Fun fact: thereā€™s no traditional filtration or chlorine in the enclosed pool. The floating swimming pool has permeable sides and a basket-style bottom that let the lakeā€™s own spring-fed water flow through naturally, constantly exchanging with the quarry itself instead of being chemically treated.

Another fun fact: The quarry fish were stocked by birds dropping fish eggs stuck to them from fish caught in the Hudson River.

The state caps daily swimmers at around 480. This was not to prevent overcrowding (although a definite benefit and hard to imagine the chaos of not limiting) but so sunscreen and bug spray donā€™t overwhelm the waterā€™s natural purity. Hopefully that really is the magic number. There seemed nowhere near 480 people during the weekday and time we visited. I swam with my oldest daughter to the floating dock where we had our own peaceful and quiet spot to dangle our feet in the water while taking in the beautiful scenery. The water felt like a pool at perfect temperature - cool enough to refresh on a hot summer day yet warm enough to feel perfectly comfortable the entire time.

There is no beach area by the water. Either sitting on deck or dock or jumping in. Outside of that, there are tables speckled about, bathrooms, water to refill bottles and a vending machine.

08/02/2026

A city in transitionšŸ‘‡

Backed by a $10 million state investment, Middletown, NY in Orange County completed all of its Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects in June, 2025. When you visit the walkable stretch around North Street, you see something different is happening.

New construction, streetscape upgrades, restoration, reuse and transformation of historic buildings, new storefronts, restaurants, culture and public improvements, create more of a reason to walk around, grab a tea or coffee, shop and stay a while.

While I said "early Beacon" in the video, to clarify it is not trying to be Beacon, and I do not think it should be. Middletown has to become the best version of Middletown. It was meant to acknowledge the reality that Beacon was once often dismissed too.

On and around North Street, there is Well Worn Books
Tranquili Tea Calm Your Mind Tea House & Cafe
the new Hazel's Buddy candle shop, and NEW MIDDLETOWN Specialty Store in the old Tompkins department store space, among other shops and restaurants. Then you have the The Paramount Theatre theater, which continues to be an important downtown anchor just past The WiZard of DollZ - a classic doll shop.

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects included transforming the old Woolworth building on North Street into Rail Trail Commons, improving streetscapes along North Street and other downtown corridors, improving storefronts, and creating better connections between North Street, Erie Way Park, and the Heritage Trail.

One thing people may not realize is that Middletown is on the Port Jervis Line, with rail service toward Hoboken and connections into New York City through Secaucus. That access matters. It gives Middletown another layer of connectivity to the city.

Revitalization does not happen overnight. It happens little by little. A new shop opens. A storefront gets restored. A building gets repurposed.People start walking around and realizing there is more here than they thought.

Some suburban towns near Middletown: Goshen, Warwick, Montgomery/Campbell Hall, Scotchtown and Mechanicstown (inside the Town of Wallkill)

08/01/2026

Kauai, Hawaii meets Red Hook

Lord have mercy this shaved ice is good.

Up to 3 flavors per serving. I rolled tropical in salute to Kauai. I'm not much of a hot dog person, but leaned in to the experience and was in pure heaven.

Chelleys is opened May-October.

Chelleys at Greig Farm
227 Pitcher Lane, Red Hook

Red Hook Chamber of Commerce

07/29/2026

Ballooning in Upstate NY

Full video one post over. Great time!

Balloons Over Letchworth

07/29/2026

Bucket List āœ…

I was last in a hot air balloon many years ago. Taking a ride over Letchworth State Park in upstate New York was on the bucket list.

Our pilot, Lee, started flying over 30 years ago at 11. I was particularly thankful for his skill when we came within inches of the waterfalls.

Whether or not ballooning is your thing, Letchworth State Park has something for everyone. Whether roughing it by tent, kicking it up to RV, going for four walls with a cabin, multi unit hotel, single family house or inn - they can all be found at this pet and pet free campground park. I'm doing a video on the park next.

Broadway to corn fields. New York has it all. ā¤ļø

Lee Balloons Over Letchworth - you were amazing! Thank you for such a memorable time.

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1390 Route 17A
Warwick, NY
10990

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