Nice to meet you.
I first fell for the Catskills while renting a house in Kerhonkson with my husband and our dog. It was mid-October—peak foliage, peak cozy—and our Airbnb host handed us a lovingly obsessive list of local spots: Westwind Orchard, Arrowood Brewery, the Kingston Stockade District, Minnewaska trails, Peekamoose Blue Hole… you get the idea. When we were packing up to head home, their kids pulled fresh carrots out of the garden and yelled, “Look! We just harvested a snack!” And we thought: “Okay. These people are doing it right.”
That weekend set off a year-long search for our own upstate escape. We looked at houses all over the Hudson Valley and Catskills—each one promising the perfect location and good bones. Finally, on a snow-covered January morning, we found the one, just 20 minutes from our usual rental spot in Accord. And let’s just say… we learned a lot. About houses, yes—but also about ourselves, septic systems, the cost of doing things, and how much local contractors will haunt your dreams.
In 2020, we ditched our Clinton Hill apartment, left the “weekender” identity behind, and made the move upstate full-time. I pivoted to real estate as a career (as in, actually studied, licensed, and threw myself in), and I’ve been lucky to work alongside some of the sharpest, most seasoned agents in the region.
As someone who started this journey as a New York City buyer looking for a second home, I get what my clients are searching for: space, charm, clean design, better air, and a little magic. I offer a personal, knowledgeable, strategic, and frankly pretty fun approach to helping you find your upstate place—whether it’s a cozy cabin, a multi-family investment, or a farmhouse with enough room for your sourdough starter and your in-laws.
Since becoming an agent, my listings have been featured in The New York Times, Dwell, Remodelista, and Realtor.com’s featured properties. You can also find interviews with me on Chronogram, AD’s Clever, Dwell, Spoak, and Salam Hello.
When I’m not touring houses or negotiating deals, I’m usually doing some wildly unnecessary DIY project at my own home, foraging for mushrooms, bragging about my garden, in a yoga class, or moonlighting in the fashion world for old city friends who still remember my past life.
Call or text: 412.760.0176
Email: arlena@thatupstateagent.com