Buying an 18th-century stone house

There are more 18th-century stone houses in Ulster County than almost anywhere in America, and every year a few come up for sale.

What to check

Look at the mortar, the roof and the sills where the wooden frame meets the stone. Ask how the house is heated and how dry the cellar stays in spring. A good inspector who knows old houses is worth the wait.

Living in one

Stone houses stay cool in summer and hold heat in winter once they are warm. Most owners add a wood stove and never look back.