Adirondacks and Catskills- pricey? (Syracuse, Albany: real estate, trip , jobs)

[Griffis]

I know this may seem like a no brainer for people who live there, but are the Adirondacks or Catskills particularly expensive?

Do they consist more of isolated, sort of rural towns or are they more bedroom communities and playgrounds for the very wealthy?

It doesn't look like finding a job in the mountains of NY state would be very easy, but I would like to look into it and wondered if any places were affordable.

[winnie]

Jobs are hard to come by unless you commute to Kingston or Saugerties. possibly Albany. (I'm talking the Catskills here not Adirondacks)

Pricey? Not particularly. Unless you are from out of state and then the prices will probably raise an eyebrow! Taxes are on the high side all throughout NY.

Cheap places are Cairo, Accord, Saugerties, Conesville area. Towns north of Saugerties are generally pretty reasonable.

Expensive places are near Hunter mountain and some parts of Coopertown, and I am sure there are a few more scattered expensive places up there as you get towards Albany too, I just haven't come across them yet.

[I'minformed2]

The job market is decent in Albany and Syracause, both of which are in a reasonable distance from the Adirondacks. Albany is probably an hour away, and Syracuse an hour and a half. The Adirondacks are much nicer than the Catskills IMO, more affordable too.

[Phish Head]

Keep in mind that both parks are protected as "Forever Wild" by the NY State constitution. That means building a house, a road, easement, or any general removal of large trees are subject to many laws. Existing homes, especially in the Adirondacks, are few and far between, and mostly in isolated villages. They tend to be run down, as there isn't much money or jobs there.

The Catskills are nice, but the Adirondacks are breathtaking!

[sweetana3]

In-laws live in upstate in Gloversville. Have lived there 80+years. The area is depressed with Walmart the height of shopping. While visiting we checked out Saratoga Springs and it was nice with some more national chains.

However, taxes on real estate are a killer in some of these communities that do not have any other tax base. They pay more on a tiny tiny house than I pay for my 3X bigger downtown home in Indy. And the taxes go up every year. They get about 8 feet of snow a year, have a lot of city rules.

It is so very pretty in the summer that I always fall in love, but one winter trip kills it. They have also had over 90degree days these last two years and AC is rare.