Centuries-Old Homes Go for Millions in This Upper Hudson Valley Enclave

This is the final installment of a three-part series on the Hudson Valley luxury market, following features on the Lower Hudson Valley and the Middle Hudson Valley.

There's a place where centuries-old homes aren't just the norm—they command the same premium prices as modern luxury builds.

Columbia County in the Upper Hudson Valley leaves the rest of the country in the dust when it comes to period houses—an astonishing one-quarter (24%) of its housing stock was built before 1900, compared to a mere 1% at the national level. Rensselaer County is right on Columbia County's heels, with a hefty 18% pre-1900 housing stock.

"The overwhelming majority of what comes to market in these counties is architectural history, not a product," says Realtor.com® senior economist Anthony Smith in his latest luxury spotlight on the Hudson Valley. "Properties here carry original wide-plank floors, hand-hewn beams, stone foundations, and built dates that predate most American cities."

And that is the way buyers like it.

Buyers here often have their city homes, too—modern units in sleek skyscrapers—and the Upper Hudson Valley is where they come to get away from the glitz and glam. And the farther away, the better.

Unlike the more commutable lower and middle tiers of the valley, the upper section—consisting of Albany, Columbia, Greene, and Rensselaer counties—can take three hours to reach Manhattan by car.

For those who can absorb Columbia County's median luxury (top 10%) price tag of $2,651,250—more than twice the national luxury benchmark—or Greene County's somewhat lower $1,496,500, the point in buying here isn't necessarily value.

People come for the vast open spaces and abundance of stunning forested land. In nearby Greene County, one can easily pick up hundreds of acres of land for what a three-bedroom would cost in New York City.

Yet, the Upper Valley offers proximity to major travel hubs and arteries like the Albany International Airport, the Taconic State Parkway, and Amtrak.

Where 1 in 4 homes predates 1900

Janet Kain of The Kinderhook Group currently represents two historical homes, one from 1810 and one from 1850, both in Columbia County's Old Chatham, which leads the Upper Valley in median list price.

She tells Realtor.com that the typical period homebuyer is deeply into design and architecture, enjoys the charm and uniqueness of an old homestead, and "is proud to maintain a property built hundreds of years ago."

She also says that many of her clients are "artsy"—which could help explain the popularity of the county with the cast of HBO's "White Lotus."

Stars of the show who have moved to the area include Sam Rockwell and Leslie Bibb, who have been documenting their renovation of a 1750s-built house on social media; Walton Goggins, who isn't far away, with a 1928-built house on 122 acres; and Parker Posey, who admits she might ditch her farmhouse on 16 acres due to costly renovations.

That's the other thing about centuries-old homes. Owners must have the means—financial and emotional—to keep up with them.

"There can be serious maintenance involved," warns Kain.

For example, her 176-year-old $1.6 million listing on Riders Mills Road "has all of the amenities of a modern farmhouse," but it also boasts original details such as a slate roof, outer stone walls, and wooden ceiling beams, all of which can require more upkeep.

Period homes also have quirks like lower ceilings.

"They're not for tall people," says Kain.

But it's not just history buffs and artsy types snapping up abodes in the area: It's those who want remoteness while still being able to access high-end amenities like fine dining (Kain raves about Klocke Estate in Hudson), a renowned tennis club, and cultural events such as the international film festival FilmColumbia.

According to Realtor.com data, Columbia County has the largest share of million-dollar properties in the Upper Hudson at roughly 28.5%, outpacing the next-closest county, Greene, by more than 10 percentage points.

The county's 90th-percentile threshold grew by approximately 97% year over year, nearly 2.5 times the national rate of 38% over the same period.

"That upward movement in the top 10% is notable in the context of a county where the overall median listing price edged down slightly year over year, suggesting appreciation is more concentrated at the top than spread evenly across the market," says Smith.

Kain says the combination of luxe attractions and unspoiled nature is luring buyers from the much higher-priced Hamptons but also from as far away as Los Angeles and Miami, as buyers seek less congestion and a comparatively lower cost of living.

"People are sick of bumper-to-bumper traffic and $100-an-ounce lobster salad," she says. "Plus, we don't have wildfires or floods."

Kain, who herself traded in city life for Old Chatham almost a decade ago, says that she's seeing more and more "weekenders" who decide they want the Upper Valley lifestyle full time.

"It's just a great way to live," she says.