This Athens vacation rental on Sleepy Hollow Lake in Greene County caught our eye for a couple of reasons: 1) We love Athens (here’s our Village of the Week write-up); 2) We love to play in the water. Rent this place, and you can take your choice of either splashing around in Sleepy Hollow Lake (house has its own private dock), swimming in the two community pools located nearby, or taking a soak in the hot tub on the back porch.

The house is located in the lakefront community, which means nearby neighbors, but it appears to have sufficient vegetation to provide some privacy. Lots of places to bike, too. Two hours north of NYC, and about 2.5 miles from the village of Athens. With a lake right outside the door, maybe the inside is less important because you won’t be spending a lot of time there. But it does rain sometimes, so thankfully, there’s a screened-in porch so you don’t have to miss a second of pretty lake-fronty goodness.

House is 3 bedrooms/2.5 bath and sleeps 7 guests. Washer/dryer and dishwasher included. There’s even a ping pong table and a piano at guests’ disposal. Rents for $1800/ week (non-holiday)

The property doesn’t have its own website, but you can find out more information on amenities, availability, and rates on this website. According to the owner, the house has now been listed for sale, if you’re interested in owning the place.

GMAP

This is a question that drives Upstater, so hopefully we’ll still ask it even after reading through Hudson Valley magazine’s list of the seven best places to live in the Hudson Valley. Five of the towns we’ve covered pretty extensively (Saugerties, Chatham, Beacon, Rhinebeck and Athens) and the remaining two, Goshen and Putnam, are at the top of our to-do list.

They chose Saugerties as the number one spot for “its quirky downtown crammed with tiny shops, galleries, and restaurants; one-of-a-kind festivals (Garlic, Sept. 29-30; Mum, Oct. 7); and a ridiculously romantic lighthouse-turned-B&B.” They detail its combination of luxury living (the Diamond Mills hotel and HITS show, both mentioned here many times) and down home appeal, as well as some affordable housing. “The varied housing stock in the village includes Victorians for between $225,000 and $250,000, and attracts an eclectic mix of locals and transplants from both New York and Albany — all of whom treasure the strong sense of community the town generates.”

This abandoned Athens schoolhouse gives new meaning to the term “handyman special.” Still, the term does have the word special in it! I’m pretty sure you can get this one for less, considering the average price of real estate here and the fact that this sits on a pretty busy route. But it has great views and great potential for the This Old House devotee. Right?

I was just going to write this place up for Athens week when I remembered that Alia had already done so. As she noted, it’s all about the kitchen. Actually, no, it’s not all about the kitchen. It’s about the acreage, the water views, the beautifully outfitted guest house. As she pointed out, the former mushroom far was featured in Saveur a while back. Taxes are $8,060 — pretty good for 16 acres.

156 Washington St Athens (Gary Di Mauro) GMAP
Asking Price: $549,000
Beds: 2 + guest house
Baths: 2
Taxes: $8,060
Land: 16.2 acres plus 10.4 additional acres available for purchase.
Features: River views, barn, guest house.

This downtown Athens home might not appeal to New Yorkers looking for weekend homes, but if you’re considering a weekend move and want to try out the village, well, this does seem pretty cool. It’s furnished — and tastefully so, I think — and has a great kitchen and cool-looking deck. Two blocks from the water and from the Stewart House, the heartbeat of downtown Athens. Four beds and two-and-a-half baths. You have to pay a realtor fee, but nothing like what you cough up in Brooklyn. I wonder what the story is — perhaps someone intended to move in and then got called away? Sabattical? Fellowship? Downsizing?

Imagine how much this Athens row house would cost in the city! Well, in Athens, a three-story, four-bed, two-family brownstone of sorts, on one of the main commercial drags (albeit a quiet one) will run you less than two-hundred-grand. It has some updates (tin ceilings, exposed brick, new bath fixtures) and some original details. It’s narrow, but could make a very cool live-work situation for the right buyer. Taxes are estimated at around $2,500, which is very reasonable.

34-36  Second St, Athens (Lake & Mountain Realty) GMAP
Asking Price: $179,000
Beds: 4
Baths: 2
Square Feet: 2,698
Year Built: 1890
Taxes: around $2,500
Features: rental unit, deck

Ah, it’s a beautiful house. If your dream is to own such a work of art and you’re of modest means, Athens is the place for you. This Athens second empire is in town, but has three quarters of an acre so not too claustrophobic. The cool part about being in town is that you’re so close to the river — go ahead and row over to Hudson for your entertainment. The less cool part is that Franklin is a relatively main drag, though this is a bit out of the way so won’t feel like you’re in the thick of it. I love the outbuilding in the back — a great writing studio. The listing says it’s waiting for a final layer of polish after 30 years of restoration by the owner, which translates, per the broker, into this: “needs new mechanicals: furnace, electrical, HVAC, plaster repair, carriage house repair.” So, a fixer-upper ish.

The stats:
26 Franklin St., Athens (Gary DiMauro) GMAP
Asking Price: $349,000
Beds: 4+
Baths: 2
Square Feet: 3254
Land: .75 acres
Year Built: 1873
Taxes: $6549
Features: Carriage House

Athens, just up the river from Catskill in Greene County, has a lot going for it by the way of charm. Or potential charm. It’s right on the Hudson River, with incredible views and water access. It has loads of beautiful old buildings, and a real, walkable downtown. The problem is that there’s not a whole lot to walk to — the town is itching for more amenities, and, of course, more jobs. As this 2008 article from the Times points out, the town was once a ferry stop, and since its long gone days as a transportation hub, it has struggled to find its footing. Still, plenty of second home owners have chosen it for its beauty and its prices. At the time of this writing, the average listing price is around $320,000, far less than many other towns we’ve visited. The median sales price for September to November 2011: less than $150,000. So, we’ll go bargain hunting in Athens this week, but I’ve got my eye on a few moderately priced places, too.

Ok, the $549,000 price point on this country house is more than I usually allow for my Greene County cheapies, but I couldn’t resist this kitchen. It looks so Tuscan, and not in that cheesy Sopranos-way that usually shows up in American interpretations of Italy.

I’m not alone in my love of this home’s entertaining spaces: the house, built on a former mushroom farm, was featured in Saveur a few years back. The home is new, but it doesn’t quite look it. I think the builder did a great job of using the barn inspiration. The property comes with a ton of land as well as the option to buy an additional 10.4 acre building site. My main quibble is the bedrooms look tight—and I’d like more of them at this price. There is a guest house, but I love having house guests and sleepovers and the feeling that we’re all in it together if a serial killer comes …

Stats and map on the jump. (more…)

Ok, the $549,000 price point on this country house is more than I usually allow for my Greene County cheapies, but I couldn’t resist this kitchen. It looks so Tuscan, and not in that cheesy Sopranos-way that usually shows up in American interpretations of Italy.

I’m not alone in my love of this home’s entertaining spaces: the house, built on a former mushroom farm, was featured in Saveur a few years back. The home is new, but it doesn’t quite look it. I think the builder did a great job of using the barn inspiration. The property comes with a ton of land as well as the option to buy an additional 10.4 acre building site. My main quibble is the bedrooms look tight—and I’d like more of them at this price. There is a guest house, but I love having house guests and sleepovers and the feeling that we’re all in it together if a serial killer comes …

Stats and map on the jump. (more…)