Lost a loved one?
Probate Law Group
Verified Florida partner for probate and estate matters.
(813) 600-9717
- 182K Residents
- $11B County GDP
- $62,524 GDP per Capita
Ulster County
Ulster County
Ulster County is in the mid-Hudson Valley west of the Hudson River, anchored by Kingston (county seat and largest city, NY's first capital). The economy mixes Hudson Valley tourism (Mohonk Mountain House, Minnewaska / Catskill Park, New Paltz), SUNY New Paltz, Bard College Simon's Rock-adjacent satellite, healthcare (HealthAlliance Hospital), Selux Diagnostics / iSchemaView in Kingston, and one of NY's strongest STR / second-home markets driven by NYC commuter / weekender demand. The County Clerk (Taylor Bruck) operates from 244 Fair Street.
Property in Ulster
What every owner, heir, and investor should know.
Owning a home in Ulster.
Ulster is a high-priced Hudson Valley / Catskills homeowner market with strong NYC second-home demand.
- STAR / Enhanced STAR, senior, veteran, Cold War veteran, and agricultural exemptions apply.
- Property tax cycle: school bills September; county/town/city bills January.
- City of Kingston and Ulster towns reassess periodically.
- Tax-foreclosure redemption under RPTL Article 11 (two-year window).
- Foreclosure surplus rights under RPAPL § 1361.
- Watch for Catskill Park overlays, NYC DEP watershed (Ashokan Reservoir), Mohonk Preserve / Shawangunk Ridge zoning, and STR rules in Woodstock / Saugerties / New Paltz.
Investing in Ulster.
Ulster is one of NY's strongest investor markets outside NYC, with Hudson Valley STR upside and Kingston / New Paltz student- and weekender-rental demand.
- Tax-foreclosure auctions run by the County Department of Finance (annual).
- Judicial foreclosure auctions held at the Ulster County Courthouse, Kingston.
- Land records search via Ulster County Clerk online records.
- Real Property parcel lookup at ulstercountyny.gov.
- NYSCEF case search for lis pendens.
- Watch for Catskill Park / NYC watershed restrictions, Mohonk / Shawangunk overlays, Woodstock / Saugerties / New Paltz STR caps, and FEMA flood zones.
After a Ulster foreclosure or tax deed sale.
Ulster uses New York's judicial foreclosure process and runs in rem tax foreclosure under RPTL Article 11.
- Mortgage foreclosures filed in Supreme Court, 3rd Judicial District.
- Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale executed by court-appointed Referee.
- Surplus money proceedings under RPAPL § 1361.
- County Department of Finance / Commissioner of Finance holds annual tax-foreclosure auction.
- Post-Tyler v. Hennepin reforms require return of tax-foreclosure surplus to former owner.
- Notices published in the Daily Freeman and Hudson Valley One.
Courts and records in Ulster.
- Ulster County Courthouse — 285 Wall Street, Kingston, NY 12401 — 3rd Judicial District
- County Office Building — 244 Fair Street, Kingston (County Clerk)
- Supreme Court & County Court — Ulster County Courthouse
- Family Court — 16 Lucas Avenue, Kingston
- Surrogate's Court — 240 Fair Street, Kingston
- 3rd Judicial District (Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster)
- Appellate Division, 3rd Department — Justice Building, Empire State Plaza, Albany
- County Clerk — Taylor Bruck — 244 Fair Street — (845) 340-3288 — ulstercountyny.gov
- Real Property Tax Service — 244 Fair Street — (845) 340-3490
- Department of Finance — 244 Fair Street — (845) 340-3460
- Sheriff — 380 Boulevard, Kingston — (845) 338-3640