Best Upstate New York Listings, From Rhinebeck to Hudson

Part of living in New York City is thinking about moving out of New York City. Each month, we’ll round up the best listings within commuting-ish distance, places where entire houses go for the cost of a “junior one-bedroom” (or less) but you’ll have to fix your own toilet.

This month, we have a historic Rhinebeck house with a separate writing studio, where you can pretend to write your novel. Plus a roomy wooden farmhouse in Austerlitz that comes with its very own chicken coop.

$475,000: three-bedroom, two-bath

A newly renovated kitchen is featured in this listing photo.
Photo: Catskill Mountain Houses

The listing photos show all-white interiors that just need a little color added to them.
Photo: Catskill Mountain Houses

This 1920s farmhouse has just been newly renovated, so you get the feel of an old house with the convenience of modern amenities. It’s a tad blindingly all white for our taste, but hey — that’s what paint was invented for. The exposed wood beams and sunlit kitchen with a generous-size island are nice touches. You’re also just a stone’s throw from the Delaware River and, if it’s too cold for all that outdoor activity, Narrowsburg’s Main Street, which is full of restaurants, galleries, and antique shops.

How do I get back to the city? It’s about a two-and-a-half-hour drive.

So what do I do if I live there? Go fishing, kayaking, or hiking around the Delaware River.

$995,000: three-bedroom, three-bath

This listing photo shows the cozy wood stove in a light-drenched living room.
Photo: Columbia Greene Northern Dutchess MLS

The open-plan kitchen featured in this photo is the star of this listing.
Photo: Columbia Greene Northern Dutchess MLS

This 1,900-square-foot farmhouse has great light and a cozy all-wooden interior. The open-plan kitchen is huge, there’s a wood-burning stove, and pine floors. The house also comes with a swimming pond, chicken coop, and vegetable gardens, so you can finally be free of the drama in your city-parking-lot community garden. We’re not sure if the sheep come with the house, but it never hurts to ask.

How do I get back to the city? It’s about a three-hour drive.

So what do I do if I live there? Go hike the Beebe Hill State Forest trail, and check out the sheep farm in nearby Chatham.

$625,000: two-bedroom, two-bath

Only three of the eight French doors fit in this listing photo.
Photo: Houlihan Lawrence Inc. Ml

The wide floorboards are the star of the living room in this listing photo.
Photo: Houlihan Lawrence Inc. Ml

If you’re looking to save the dignity of a 200-year-old cottage turned Airbnb and make it into a full-time home, this might be the listing for you. The house has a huge wraparound porch and comes with a new metal roof and eight French doors. The bedrooms are enormous: The bigger one is 21 feet long, not counting the “dressing area” on the other side of the stairs, and the house is filled with wide floorboards throughout. There’s also already a well-kept vegetable-and-herb garden — in the spring, all you have to do is start planting.

How do I get back to the city? Drive 15 minutes into Hudson and take the Amtrak.

So what do I do if I live there? Bike into town via the Empire State Trail and grab a drink at Spotty Dog.

$1,250,000: five-bedroom, three-bath

Photo: Houlihan Lawrence Inc.

This listing photo shows the barn that is currently being used as an artist’s studio.
Photo: Houlihan Lawrence Inc.

This 263-year-old stone farmhouse got a price cut and is a registered historic house. The interiors are tastefully updated and include built-in bookshelves, a claw-foot tub, and a ton of light. Several of the bedrooms feature deep windows and built-in window seats, and one has a wood-burning fireplace. The listing also comes with a smokehouse, a lofted barn, and a writing studio along a stream, so you can pretend to “write” your “novel.”

How do I get back to the city? It’s just a seven-minute drive to the Rhinecliff Amtrak station.

So what do I do if I live there? Walk 15 minutes into town and go to the Rhinebeck farmers’ market. In the fall, invite a friend to stay for the Sheep & Wool Festival.