Here are two great houses in need of work:

The first is a Colonial house built in the 1770′s. It’s a large Center Hall of excellent proportions, without the low ceilings and narrow second-floor windows that can make some historic houses feel claustrophobic.

The windows on the first floor, in fact, reach almost from the floor to the ceiling, making this one of the brightest old houses you’ll ever come across.

The Italianate porch was added in the 19th century, along with a single-story kitchen and utility area sometime later.

This property was owned by one family for generations, and no significant updates have been done in decades so the original floorboards and much of the detail is intact. The roof is recent, and the attic is an impressive sight.

It comes with over 5 acres in a beautiful valley in New Lebanon, for only $189,000. Take a look at the listing and see if you are up to the task of bringing this gem back to life.

The second house is a very attractive cottage from the 1880s – too early to properly be called an Arts & Crafts home, though that’s what it looks like from the outside.

This is a entirely different project from the Colonial above, as a quality renovation is already underway. The inside is completely gutted and reframed. Brand new electric lines are in.

The roof is new and there are new cedar shingles on three sides of the house (but not the front).

All the rooms need to be refinished and the plumbing needs to be installed. Much of the materials and fixtures are already on the site, just waiting for the right person to finish the job. It’s located in an attractive section of Philmont, and the land goes way back with some beautiful mountain views, especially in the winter.

Offered at $110,000. View the listing on our site for more information.

It’s January 4 and most of Columbia County has seen very little snowfall since the big storm at Halloween. Skiing and sledding will have to wait.

This is classic photo of the 1840s Center Hall on Carpenter Road in Ghent, currently listed with Old Ghent Realty. It’s a good example of what winter in Columbia County usually looks like.

We are ideally located approximately 2 hours North of NYC in the renowned rich, lush Hudson Valley, quietly ensconced between the beautiful Berkshire Mountains on the East, and the majestic Hudson River with its magnificent Catskill Mountain backdrop on the West. Sunrise, sunsets, both are incredible.

Our goal has always been excellence. We wish to be worthy to represent this very special part of the world. Almost all of us have been here forever. We have all traveled extensively and have chosen to stay right here. Our county is rich in history, beauty, culture, comfort, convenience and hospitality. Our four seasons readily lend themselves to family fun and recreation all year round.

Old Ghent Realty also has quite a history, albeit not as long as the county.

For well over 40 years Frances Schools (our founder and principal broker) and all of us have been involved in way more than our share of the most beautiful properties in our county. We have also been involved in the sale of many historic homes, which have been restored to their original beauty by the purchasers. Some homes we have sold four or five times. Recently a house sold for $1,200,000 which Frances sold over 40 years ago for $35,000 cash. You don’t see much of that anymore.

We are and have been an important and integral part of the real estate business in this very special place for a very long time. Our history is impressive and our reputation speaks for itself. We brought Art/Omi here. It is our baby. We brought Kinderhook Farm here. Check them both out. We also had a hand in preserving the Old Chatham Country Store.

Our listings and sales encompass all the towns, villages, hamlets and countryside. Chatham, Canaan, New Concord, Old Chatham, Chatham Center, Ghent, Hudson, North Chatham, Spencertown, Austerlitz, Hillsdale, Claverack, Kinderhook, Stuyvesant. All of them, really.

You would have to spend hours and hours on your computers, iPhones, and iPads to learn what we could teach you in ONE day. Give us a try.