Environmental Hazards: In-Ground Oil Tanks

Working as a licensed real estate salesperson is not all roses and lovely drives in the country. Most of the time it is but, as we all know, some roses have thorns and this is a case history from my personal experience.

A buyer-client of mine was interested in purchasing a foreclosure. Needless to say, the property was not in the best of shape, but it had potential and my buyer wanted to pursue an offer. Because it was REO (bank owned), there was no Property Condition Disclosure Statement. However, there was a brand new oil tank in the back yard. So far, so good.

On the second visit, we noticed what looked like an oil fill valve sticking out of the front yard.

Now, oil leaks are not small potatoes. Once one is discovered, it is mandatory that the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) become involved. A case file number is assigned to the leak that must then be remediated by a licensed contractor and closed to the satisfaction of the DEC.

Back to my story. My buyer, at my advice, decided to spend the not-small amount of money needed to have the oil tank and soil tested to ascertain whether or not the tank was sound prior to making his offer.

The picture above shows the telltale fill and relief valves of an in-ground oil tank. These valves do not always protrude above the ground, are sometimes located under decks, or are otherwise hidden when they are either professionally or unprofessionally retired from use.

In-ground oil tanks are one of the most common environmental hazards encountered in our local real estate market. Caveat emptor: Let the Buyer Beware.

The Hendrick Smit House, c. 1704

A short post today highlighting what I like to call the Dutch Patrimony of the Hudson Valley. The Dutch were the first European settlers in the Hudson Valley, arriving before the English by over a hundred years. Dutch settlement in Ulster County, which began as a fur-trading post in Wiltwyck (later Kingston) on the banks of  the Rondout River where it meets the Hudson, expanded down the interior river valleys. As a result, Ulster County boasts some of the finest and most beautiful examples of pre-Revolutionary Dutch architecture in the New World.

The home pictured above, the Hendrick Smit House, c. 1704, is a stunning example of this early vernacular architecture. What began as a clapboard family home with barn attached (now the foyer) was expanded by the addition of the stone portiion, built for the first son 's family as was customary at that time, and later attached to the main house. This property is a particularly fine example of an early Dutch home as it has been restored and maintained with exceptional integrity, grace and style.

I am proud to say that the Hendrick Smit House is one of my featured listings and is currently offered for sale. It is a rare opportunity to experience the pleasure of owning a home with original wideboard floors, hand-forged hardware, two fireplaces and many other original architectural details, while enjoying the comfort of modern amenities. For antique home lovers, this property is a true delight.