Orange County, NY Monroe Area (New City, Kiryas Joel: buying a home, neighborhood, buying)

[tpoh]

I live in Mountain Lodge Park and have found the community be a great one. Anyone that is looking into a home in Mountain Lodge Park is looking there because of expense. If someone wanted to spend 350,000 on a home you wouldn't look there anyway since most homes list for between 150,000 and 275,00. Most MLP residents are interested in making/building their homes they aren't interested in a cookie cutter development. Which is how it did start but now there are many nice homes that have been customized by each owner. No one is finding a place for 275,000 in Goshen or even in Blooming Grove. And if you can afford 350,000 why buy here to commute to the city or Westchester? You can buy plenty of places in Rockland with a shorter commute into the city or Westchester, if that's the plan. Greenwood Lake will offer similiar prices as Mountain Lodge Park. A buyer will also find similiar issues: some gravel trails, wells, cottages converted into year round residents. Mountain Lodge Park is a beautiful place. You need to be realistic about what you want to spend your money on. Do you want to worry about covering a high mortgage with an iffy loan or do you want to have some breathing room. You can buy a home for 200,000 in Moutain Lodge Park or buy a place in Monroe, Goshen or Woodbury for 350,000 and still have to replace the furnace, the septic, the water softner, pave the driveway, dig a new well, or replace your roof all of which new home owners I know have had to do within each of these communities a year or two after buying. Just ask any real estate agent. To Zenn the best decision you made was to drive through. I spent several weekends driving through Mountain Lodge Park and Greenwood Lake before deciding the commute and proximitiy to the thruway for my commute into Jersey was best suited in Mountain Lodge Park. Just main roads and mainly highway. Please make sure you check out some of the homes up here you will be pleasantly surprised and in some cases just plain surprised.

[joeymarine]

Originally Posted by seamusgrace

Hello Joeymarine,
thanks for the notes on Mountain Lodge. I am looking in a couple of places in Upstate NY on the internet from my clammy base in Florida right now. At my earliest opportunity I want to drive up and see the areas I'm looking at, one is the foothills of the Adirondacks, Salisbury NY, but on my way up from NYC I want to drive through the ML area and see what all the fuss is about. This might eliminate it from my search or keep it in, but it's very hard to get a full picture from this distance One thing that did concern me though was resale and appreciation. I am not beyond trying something for a couple of years so long as resale is a possibility and even modest appreciation is taking place - this applies to every place but especially to the "special circumstance" (only partial year occupancy) market like that for Mountain Lodge . If I could be reassured about that I'd feel a lot better about continuing my search. Incidentally, I did contact a realtor up there and she was not encouraging about ML.
Thanks again, and any additional details would be appreciated.

Let me know whatever info you may nbeed and i'll be more than happy to help you out....i've actually been spending a lot of time up there lately.

[Envy]

I like the Monroe area. I guess I only like it because it seems so quiet, and they have woodberry common and Walmart in close proximity of each other.

I like that area.

[zenn]

I see this tread is still getting some views. As it turns out I have an accepted offer in New Windsor (Rock Tavern). Thanks everyone for all the info, To anyone interested in MLP, it is a very worthwhile place to consider, ju do yourself a favor an check out the area,understand what it is your dealing with. Its not your typical town or village but its uniqueness is very well suited for the right home buyer.

[acip]

Have you given Greenwood lake a thought? Homes located right off Windermere, are very nice, affordable, transportation right there within walking distance It has beach access, skiing near by, etc I have a listing there 2bdroom, nice garden, peaceful Let me know and good luck If you would like more info it send me an email and I will be happy to send it to you Good luck

[sheistbugz]

mtn lodge is not ach better choice. good place to live. Goshen would be a much better choice. or washingtonvile. bear mountain bridge for ssure.

[hnh]

We currently live in MLP on a paved trail not too high up and we love it. It's very quiet with gorgeous trees lining the streets. We were warned about drugs and crime and various atrocities and have happily found none! As said before, there are various styles of homes and conditions, but most who live here are hardworking people who keep to themselves. As for the comments about claustrophobia, maybe they expected an open field in Iowa?? LOL No offense intended, just a little joke. Anyway, just had to put some more emphasis on the positive things in Mountain Lodge coming directly from a resident. All the best to everyone!

[wamgi0c]

I am reading comments after the fact and I'd have to disagree about Mountain Lodge Park. I am a resident there and although it is not Piermont, NY or Upper Grandview by the Tapp, it isn't a bad community for the starter home buyer. I feel that MLP is an up and coming community with a lot of potential. If the right city people come in and transform the once seasonal homes to all year round palaces, you are looking for a diamond in the rough. You can still find a decent home in MLP and enjoy country living without paying through the nose. The homes were built on the foothills of a mountain and have character for the visionary painter. MLP is evolving and I feel that those that stick around will find themselves very lucky in the future.

[wamgi0c]

I agree....I love living in MLP. I moved from Bronx in 2002 and what an experience thus far. The community is not getting its props. There is a lot to love about it. The $$$ is a lot less in price than what you would pay in Harriman or Woodbury. There appears to be a lot of construction goin on and people are transforming their little cottages to 2 level capes or ranch style homes. Some of the gravel roads are now paved. I feel that it is just a matter of time. How anyone can spend the amount of money on a home and live pay check to pay check is beyond me for a home in Orange (location....location). For a lot less one enjoys the same life style living and owning an affordable home in MLP.

[OC-Gal]

Hello ,
I saw your post about Mountian Lodge.. let's just way you generally get what you pay for! Mountain Lodge has beautiful views and horrible roads! Moderator cut: realtor soliciting