The hybrid base
Space to work, room to host and a route back to the city that fits the week you actually live.
Copake Lake · New York
For Buyers / North of NYC
More life. Less tradeoff.
Find the right upstate base for weekends, hybrid work and the life that happens between them—with local context from the first conversation through closing.
Matthew Nolan · New York Real Estate Salesperson · Houlihan Lawrence
Copake Lake · Hillsdale · Hudson · Ancram · Millerton · The Catskills · The Berkshires with licensed partners
A more useful brief
Start with the life. Then find the house.
A successful upstate search is not simply a bedroom count and a radius from Manhattan. It begins with how often you will come, how much work you want to take on and which combination of lake, land, culture, food, skiing and village life will keep drawing you back.
Matthew helps translate that brief into the right towns, roads and property types—then brings the practical questions about infrastructure, access and long-term value into the conversation early.
Lake + land
Understand shoreline, lake rights, acreage, wells, septic and the realities behind a beautiful first impression.
Four-season culture
Skiing, arts, antiques, architecture, farm-driven restaurants and the local rituals that make a second home feel rooted.
The buyer process
Context before competition.
- 01
Define the territory
Align lifestyle, timing, financing and appetite for renovation.
- 02
Search with context
Compare micro-locations, infrastructure and value—not only listing photography.
- 03
Act with clarity
Evaluate the property, structure a credible offer and understand the tradeoffs.
- 04
Navigate to closing
Keep diligence, communication and the many moving parts connected.
A local point of view
The property is only part of the decision.
Read Matthew’s original reporting on migration, architecture, market data and life across Columbia County and the Hudson Valley.
Explore The Upstate Edit →Buyer questions
Begin before the listing.
Where does Matthew help buyers search?
Matthew serves buyers across Columbia County and the wider Hudson Valley, including Copake Lake, Hillsdale, Craryville, Claverack, Hudson, Ancram, Millerton and the Catskills. Massachusetts opportunities are served with appropriately licensed partners in the Berkshires.
Can I begin before I am ready to buy?
Yes. An early conversation can clarify territory, budget, financing and tradeoffs before a specific property creates pressure to decide.
What should city buyers understand about upstate properties?
Wells, septic systems, broadband, private roads, lake rights, older mechanical systems and seasonal access can matter as much as square footage. A locally informed search evaluates how the whole property will live.
Why buy with Matthew at Houlihan Lawrence?
Matthew pairs local guidance with Houlihan Lawrence’s broader platform and affiliated mortgage and title resources. Prosperity Home Mortgage can help qualified buyers explore purchase, refinance and renovation financing, while Thoroughbred Title Services provides New York title insurance and related title services. The aim is a more connected route from search and financing through diligence and closing. Clients are free to choose any mortgage, title or settlement provider; products, pricing, eligibility and availability are determined by each provider.
Ready when you are