When housing inventory is this tight, buying land and building from scratch can look like a logical workaround. In the Hudson Valley, the math on that strategy is harder than most buyers expect, and one factor that rarely shows up in early conversations is the tax treatment of new construction.
Brokers active in the region are flagging a two-part cost problem that is quietly steering buyers away from land purchases and toward existing homes, even when the resale market is competitive and expensive.
Stefan Bolz, principal broker and owner of Hudson Dwellings Realty, a brokerage serving buyers across Ulster and surrounding counties, describes the situation plainly. Construction costs in the Hudson Valley have climbed sharply over the past five to ten years. Where an existing home might cost around $250 per square foot, new construction is running closer to $400. That gap alone is enough to give most buyers pause.
But the construction cost is only the first obstacle. The second is property taxes. According to Bolz, municipalities in the Hudson Valley tax newly constructed homes at a substantially higher rate than existing homes, roughly 50% more, based on his observations in the market. A buyer who builds a house isn’t just paying more per square foot to construct it. They’re also committing to a permanently higher annual tax burden compared to a neighbor in a comparable older home.
That combination – higher build cost plus higher ongoing taxes – means the financial case for buying land and building rarely pencils out against purchasing an existing home, even in a market where inventory is scarce, and prices have risen steadily since 2020.
Land sales at Hudson Dwellings Realty reflect this. Bolz estimates that land transactions make up only about 5% of the company’s business. The low figure isn’t a result of weak demand for the Hudson Valley generally – buyer interest from New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey remains strong. It’s a result of buyers running the numbers and concluding that building isn’t worth the premium.
There’s a further complication on the supply side. Construction companies in the region are busy – not with spec development or large residential projects, but with work for clients who have already committed to building. Buyers who do decide to pursue new construction may face a wait to find available contractors, adding time and uncertainty to an already expensive process.
The practical result is that most buyers who arrive in the Hudson Valley thinking they might buy land and build eventually pivot to the existing home market. That pivot adds pressure to an already inventory-constrained market. Sellers of existing homes benefit from the economics of new construction; every buyer who rules out building becomes a buyer competing for the same limited pool of resale properties.
For buyers genuinely committed to building, the tax issue is worth investigating before purchasing land, not after. Property tax rates and assessment practices vary by municipality, and the difference between towns can be significant. A buyer who falls in love with a particular parcel should ask specifically how new construction is assessed in that town and request comparable tax figures for recently built homes nearby. That information is a matter of public record and can be obtained through the local tax assessor’s office, something Bolz notes his team regularly helps buyers navigate.
The land market isn’t entirely without opportunity. Bolz points to towns like Highland and Ellenville as areas where land and entry-level properties still carry lower price points than much of the county. But even in those towns, the construction cost and tax premium apply. A lower land price doesn’t eliminate the build-cost gap, it only reduces it.
One number worth holding onto: buyers who assumed they could find raw land in the Hudson Valley for $25,000 to $50,000 are finding that figure no longer reflects reality. Bolz puts the floor for a modest lot closer to $60,000 to $65,000, and that’s before any development costs, permits, or infrastructure. “The days of cheap country land here are well behind us,” he says.
Looking ahead, none of the forces driving this dynamic appear likely to reverse soon. Construction labor remains tight, material costs have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, and municipal tax structures change slowly if at all. Buyers entering the Hudson Valley market should treat building as the more expensive, more complex path, not as a shortcut around high resale prices. Those who do build successfully tend to be buyers who planned for the full cost from the start, including the long-term tax implications, rather than those who backed into new construction after losing out on existing homes.
About the Expert: Stefan Bolz is Principal Broker and Owner of Hudson Dwellings Realty, serving the Hudson Valley real estate market with a client base that is roughly 75 to 80 percent composed of buyers from the New York City metro area.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. The views and opinions expressed herein reflect those of the individuals quoted and do not represent an endorsement of any company, product, or service mentioned. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and consult qualified professionals before making any investment decisions.
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