Great Barrington-Lee area custom woodworking career? (Pittsfield, Greenfield: rentals, house, closing)

[AOCStairs]

Our family is considering a move to Western Mass in the not too distant future. We're interested in any opinions regarding the prospects for making a living in this area in my trade. I am a custom woodworker with my own workshop and equipment. I primarily build wooden curved stairs and can deliver and install them in a fairly wide radius. We moved to Naples FL from Southern RI about 2 years ago and although we're getting by here, it's not really for us.
From what I've read in posts here, the Great Barrington area sounds like a much better bet than the Greenfield/Shelburne area; which we've spent a lot of time visiting with friends and family. Any advice on the above and where one might look to find a single family rental in proximity to industrial/warehouse space, or a house with an outbuilding would be appreciated. If we are prepared for somewhat of a challenge, could this be a good move?

[litlux]

There are a few furniture makers-woodworkers in the Southern Berkshires, especially Sheffield and Lee and they seem to do ok. The market includes the northwestern corner of Connecticut and the Taconics region of upstate New York.

Not sure about rentals that far south in the Berkshires, but there are sure a lot of them from Pittsfield up to North Adams. The prime market are the Tanglewood summer home folks in and around Lenox.

[AOCStairs]

Thanks for the reply. There seem to be some nice rentals in Stockbridge on Craigslist. I'm going to be in RI over the weekend and hope to get up there to have a look around. I hear some paper mills may be closing and the mill space will propably go to rentable warehouse space.

[cvap]

You surely have a better chance of doing well in Barrington than Shelburne.Probably half the homes in southern berkshire county are weekenders or people who retired there form more affluent places.So I would think your craft could be very profitable there.
Leaving Naples!!! I would think long and hard about that one. Maybe we could trade homes....haha