Ask 20 Hudson Valley residents how they ended up here and you will probably get 20 different answers.  But if you ask what they like most, there seems to be a universal response: the beauty of the area. Where else can you find a magnificent river, mountains, creeks, lakes, beautiful meadows, and vistas suitable for any postcard? Not too many other places, and certainly none within 100 miles of New York City.

A History as a Destination
People have come to the seven-county area that comprises the Hudson Valley for rest, relaxation, and inspiration since the mid-19th century. Steamboats on the river were the first popular mode of travel here; then the development of trains and highway routes made the area more accessible. As New York City became densely populated, the appeal of country retreats increased. Arts colonies were founded, farms expanded, and businesses were created in the cities and towns along the Hudson River. The post-World War II economic boom funded visits to area resorts and the start of a strong vacation home market. The last 10 years have seen a dramatic increase in second-home buyers in this area.

"All of these new arrivals have really changed our economy," says High Falls resident Mary Collins, who has been in the real estate business since 1976. "On the up-side, there has been a surge in business for contractors, plumbers, electricians, gardeners, snow-plowers - you name it."

Real estate appraiser Patrice Brice observes, "Often it's the weekenders who have the means to buy older properties - old farms, barns, and mills - and renovate or refurbish them, improving the appearance of an area." Brice remembers seeing very few weekenders when she was growing up in Stone Ridge in the 1970s. "We had one weekender neighbor on Peak Road. They didn't really socialize with the rest of us, but they did take an old farm house and make it look really beautiful."

Others have noticed the change. "Emmanuel's Market in Stone Ridge sells sushi now," says Rita Prusanski, a 25-year resident of Ulster County. In fact, Emmanuel's is simply keeping up with several other supermarkets in the region that offer a wide selection of gourmet and organic foods. For a long time, locally grown produce was picked and delivered to small, high quality stores in NYC, but was not made available here. Now the supermarkets are packed with local products, and there are innumerable roadside stands and more than 10 different regularly scheduled weekend farmers markets throughout the Hudson Valley.

The region is home to a large number of excellent restaurants, many run by graduates of Hyde Park's Culinary Institute of America who simply never left the area when they graduated.

Weekenders become Mid-Weekers
Several real estate professionals cite the events of September 11, 2001, as another cause of the influx of people to the area.

Van Calhoun, a Chatham-based mortgage wholesaler with Washington Mutual bank, observes, "People feel more secure out of the city. Since 9/11, people have found ways to organize their lives so they can spend more time in the country."

Weekenders are now becoming mid-weekers. People are moving up here and spending just two or three days a week in New York City instead of vice versa. Changes in the way business is done - telecommuting, flex time, and the rise of freelance labor - have made it easier to earn a living in the country. "Look at me," says Calhoun. "I live here in Chatham, my office is in Long Island, and my company's corporate headquarters are in Seattle, Washington."

"But," says Collins, "all this upgrading has come at a price. People who have been in the area forever, who are earning local wages, are having a hard time with the higher cost of living here." Brice says that when she returned to the area in 1992, she bought a house in Kingston because the properties she liked in the surrounding countryside were beyond her means.

There have been many positive results as well. "We're seeing a revitalization of main streets in the small villages that were practically dead 10 years ago," says Calhoun. "My town, Chatham, is a prime example. We now have shops, restaurants, and services - even a computer support business - that didn't exist here just a few years ago." These smaller towns and local cities have not yet experienced the prohibitive price increases that many of the more rural communities have seen.