Fremont is made up of quiet hamlets near the Delaware River
The town of Fremont is a collection of hamlets near the Upper Delaware River in Sullivan County where the quiet, rustic nature of the area appeals to buyers looking for remote living or weekend getaways. New York State Route 97 runs along the river and the Pennsylvania border, but for the most part, woods and water make up the landscape. Be sure not to confuse this Fremont with the Fremont in Steuben County, which is about 180 miles west of here.
A rural community in a remote corner of New York
About two and a half hours from New York City, Fremont offers a peaceful respite from the bustle of city life. “Fremont is very rural and very small, like Cochecton,” says Elizabeth Bernitt, a licensed associate real estate broker with Century 21 Geba Realty who has 22 years of local experience. “It’s a township, and there are areas within the township like Long Eddy, which is a little river community.” Other hamlets include Fremont Center, Obernburg and Acidalia.
Roads are narrow and winding, with plenty of fields and forests between properties. Hiking is a popular way to pass the time; the Bouchoux Trail, also known as Jensen’s Ledges, is just outside Long Eddy and weaves about 2 miles up a steep incline, where you’re rewarded with views of the river valley below. Back down in town, you’ll find a few bars and restaurants, along with a small winery and a craft distillery, but most daily conveniences are a few miles away.
Fremont's farmhouses and lakeside cabins appeal to second-home owners
Housing styles in Fremont are pretty diverse. You’ll find 1800s farmhouses, National homes from the early 1900s, midcentury ranch-style houses and lakeside cabins. Prices start in the lower $200,000s for smaller farmhouses and climb to the mid-$900,000s for properties with water access or tons of land. If the place was designed as a summer home and you want to convert it into a year-round residence, you can expect to spend more on renovations to make sure it can withstand the cold New York winters.
Property taxes can also hike up monthly expenses. “They’re high, and you don’t get a lot of services,” Bernitt says. “There are so many miles of road because it’s so rural, and so few people live here that it can get a little costly.” Some residents try to offset housing costs by renting out their properties as Airbnbs when they’re not using them. “A lot of people are trying to get that second home on a budget or do short-term rentals, so they’re really crunching numbers,” Bernitt says.
Nearby towns and what you’ll find there
For groceries and dining out, people usually head to nearby towns. Here’s a brief rundown of what each area has to offer:
- Delaware – a riverside Main Street with restaurants, groceries at Peck’s and a year-round farmers market in the hamlet of Callicoon
- Roscoe – a coffee shop, deli, art gallery, Taylor & Ace antiques and local brews at Roscoe Beer Company
- Livingston Manor – bars, breweries and succulent BBQ at The Smoke Joint
- Hancock – hunting gear at Marino’s Outdoor World and weekend bowling at Fox Bowling Center
It’s only 10 or 15 minutes to Delaware and Roscoe, but if you go to Livingston Manor or Hancock, you can expect the drive to take about half an hour.
Most residents work from home or commute to Monticello
Because Fremont is so remote, there are not a lot of employment options in the immediate vicinity, so the majority of working residents do so remotely. Fortunately, internet connectivity isn’t an issue for most homes. “There is Spectrum now, but most people are finding they like EarthLink, because it is rural,” Bernitt says. There are also those who commute to Monticello, about 40 minutes away; the Center for Discovery, a nonprofit that works with medical providers, is the largest employer in Monticello. The closest hospital for residents of Fremont is Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills, about 15 minutes away in Callicoon.
Kids might attend Roscoe or Sullivan schools
Most students can attend schools in the Sullivan West Central School District, but kids who live in the northern part of the township can go to Roscoe Central School. Roscoe serves students from prekindergarten through Grade 12 and has a student-teacher ratio of 8 to 1. Depending on your address, it should take 15 to 25 minutes to drive to any of the area schools.
Flooding isn’t usually a concern in this river community
Fremont borders the river, and there are plenty of small lakes throughout the township, but homeowners don’t usually have to worry about flooding. The terrain in this area is hilly, and most houses are built above the flood line. If you buy an older home, it’s important to get a thorough inspection to determine whether it needs any work done.
Local utility companies and firewood suppliers
Although this is a remote community, it’s not completely off the grid. You’ll probably use one or more of these local providers:
- New York State Electric & Gas
- The New York Firewood Company
- Spectrum for cable and internet
Several cell providers serve the area. If you have Spectrum for internet and cable, it might be convenient to go with Spectrum Mobile, which uses Verizon towers in Sullivan County.
