Fly Fishing

200-acre Catskills compound hits market for $14.8 million

July 11, 2022

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Estates by Brophy consists of two vacation rentals on 200 acres in the Delaware County hamlet of Fishs Eddy, with a half-mile of frontage on the Delaware River. It is currently being used for big life events — weddings, corporate retreats, bar mitzvahs. With space for up to 72 guests about 2 1/2 hours from New York City, the rental is a viable “alternative to the Hamptons” (according to its website).

As of last week, the entire compound is for sale for $14.8 million for the first time since 1839. (It has been passed down in the same family since then.) There’s no stipulation that the new owner use it for hospitality, though certainly one could imagine a spa, resort, or really anything in the commercial realm. It could also be residential, for one deep-pocketed family or maybe a group of inventive friends interested in creating a camp.

“In my seller’s mind there is tremendous potential as a compound,” said Elizabeth Peters of Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty.

The property includes many natural resources that theoretically provide self-sufficiency for anyone living there: land for hunting and growing food, spring-fed wells, access to a river famous for fly fishing, plus ample building materials like bluestone and hardwood timber.

“There are so many people looking for safe havens. It’s so tucked in and private, surrounded by mountains,” Peters said, noting that many other properties along the river have sold their rights, making this half-mile of frontage a rare treat.

Though the buildings on the property aren’t historic, the land itself is mostly undeveloped and has been well maintained. Over the years, it has been used as a family retreat for hunting, hiking, biking and snowmobiling. It was also used for horses; one member of the family owned and bred thoroughbreds. Strike the Gold, who won the 1991 Kentucky Derby, rested and recovered on the property between races. It could easily be restored to a horse farm again.

The two main buildings, which are filled throughout with wood and exude a high-end log cabin vibe, were built in 2000. Between them, there are 29 bedrooms, 21 full bathrooms, and 30,000 square feet. The main house — which is rented out currently under the name DeerRidge — has 17 bedrooms. The other house, RiverView, sleeps 12 guests and has a 1,000-square-foot master bedroom with views of the Upper Delaware River. There’s a pool, a sauna, gardens, marble bathrooms, and everything else you’d expect.

In addition to the property’s almost 200 acres, the seller has legal access to another 600 adjacent acres. Anyone who purchases the property can use that parcel’s trails as well. “There’s a lot of potential here,” said Peters.

Depending on the buyer’s desires and plans, a huge part of this potential is Fishs Eddy itself. “It’s known for being very flexible as a town in terms of zoning,” said Peters, noting there are many spots where additional houses could be sited with “phenomenal views of the river and the mountains.” (While there are no building restrictions on the land, there could be watershed restrictions from New York state.) For buyers wishing to travel by private plane, there’s a regional airport 10 minutes away.

When Peters asked the seller her favorite thing about the land, she expected her to mention the two waterfalls, or maybe something about the unreal view. But the answer? “No people!”