About Catskill Farms & Charles Petersheim

19 years ago, Charles Petersheim left NYC for the tumbleweed towns of Western Sullivan County.  Inspired by the wind-swept prairie farmhouses and easily understood American Architecture that were found around the county, and somewhat conscious of the fact that the families he witnessed purchasing and then maintaining fixer uppers and this old house perhaps did not fully understand what they were signing up for, he embarked on his first new old farmhouse in 2002.  It took a while to build and complete.  It's still there - owned until recently by the same family that bought it 18 years ago.  A little more windswept, and very well-loved.

That was nearly 250 homes ago.  During that time, we've expanded our new homes into Ulster County and Dutchess County, improving their real estate options as well.  We've also developed a wide range of home styles, from our beloved farmhouses, to our well-received cottages, our not-too-dwell mid-century modern ranch homes, modern cabins, barns, mini-homes and other interesting architecture inspired by the Catskills.

It was never easy - lacking in experience, pooling from a shallow labor pool, selling into a very finicky marketplace, a global real estate collapse, hitting rock every time we put a shovel in the ground - but in the end, we are still here fighting the good fight for our clients each and every day.  Our efforts and judged and validated by all those country house porch lights that come on on a typical Friday night - one by one, in Towns as varied as Woodstock, Accord, Narrowsburg and more - as families arrive for a little rest and relaxation in their Catskill Farms' home.

Charles Petersheim, Builder

Chuck has been leading the charge of Catskill Farms with his creative vision and operational energy for 20 years, ever since he emigrated from NYC after 9/11 found him jobless and a lease ending. Outmatched and outwitted by the urban set, he tried his hand at the rural life, where the cost of entry was lower, and a reset possible. Since then, his writings and marketing efforts  have enticed more people to the Catskills real estate than the respective Chambers of Commerce of the areas he works.

In NYC, he worked on the Aldo Rossi Scholastic Building in SoHo, and the independent film studio Shooting Gallery. He was raised in Lancaster, PA, and studied Writing at the University of Pittsburgh.

He has a 12-year-old son named Lucas, a 4-year-old dog named Lulu, a home in Milford, PA, and 11 employees.

Charles Petersheim (he goes by Chuck mostly to keep his subcontractors from raising their prices they would naturally charge to a 'Charles') has tried to parlay his Catskill's life into an enjoyable journey that can be followed on his Videos, Blog, Instagram and Press links.

Petersheim has spent 20 years, invested $200,000,000, and built over 250 homes with a simple goal in mind that he sometimes achieves, sometimes fall shorts, but always keeps trying — to provide a reasonable and quick and smart and creative way to buy in the Catskills. While he never set out to be most popular (and seems to have achieved that goal), he's out there daily fighting the good fight — wars large and small — on behalf of his clients, on many battlefronts, that they are never aware of.

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About The Catskill Farms

Our influences are the area’s architectural history, as well as influences our new buyers and new generations, are bringing with them to their Catskills real estate journey. Modern, country, industrial, or some blend of all the above, Catskill can do it, does do it. Every day for twenty years. No other company leaves their clients with so much money in their pockets while getting exactly what they desired from an upstate home. Simply put, the value we offer is hard, if not downright impossible, to match.

It’s no secret there just aren’t a lot of homes that inspire families to pull that buying trigger. After 20 years and 200 homes, Catskill Farms can confidently boast we’ve inspired amazing people to buy our humble new homes across Ulster County, Sullivan County, and Dutchess County. Check out our Vimeo and YouTube channels to see some fun videos and learn more. We offer full design services as well.

We build homes that look good, emote strong and positive architectural feedback, and most importantly, our homes work. The roofs don't need work, the kitchen doesn't need to be replaced, the siding doesn't need painting - it's just move in, relax, and invite the family up.  They are fully warrantied and don't need any maintenance or require any non-discretionary projects for years.

Respecting the intelligence of our buyer has always been the secret behind our success, and most buyers can't believe we can offer our Sullivan County cottages for $340k, or our Ulster County barns for $480k, or our Rhinebeck farmhouses for $600,000 - move-in ready with even the patio barbecue. It just seems too good to be true. But it's not - it's what we do, and have been doing for two decades.

We began this design & build journey with inspiration directly from that Old American Home, which has always symbolized a simple, traditional, and romantic way of life. We reinvented Sullivan County real estate when we introduced our new old homes back in - dare I say it - 2003. From there we evolved our offerings with barn homes, modern homes, ranch homes, cabins, micro and mini homes, and the amazing mini-barns. 1, 2, 3, and 4 bedrooms ranging from 700 sq ft to 5000 square feet on 4-10 acres.

At Catskill Farms, we revisit the architecture and history of the Catskills and classic American Design with our designs - they are wholly inspired by the designs found throughout the real estate in the Catskills. We've curated our favorites, added more windows, improved the energy efficiency, added some twists, and produced a remarkable home that fully satisfies a wide range of buyers of Catskills real estate.