Joshua Leonard, known for his role in “The Blair Witch Project,” is venturing into home-flipping. Leonard, who appeared in the 1999 horror classic, has listed a newly renovated home in New York’s Hudson Valley for $4.275 million, after purchasing it for $718,900 in 2021.
The roughly 20-acre property has a pond and streams.
This approximately 200-year-old stone house, situated on about 20 acres in the rural area of Accord, around 90 miles northwest of Manhattan, is represented by listing agent Robert Airhart of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hudson Valley Properties. The home, featuring three bedrooms and about 4,000 square feet of space, ranks among the most expensive properties on the market in Ulster County, according to Airhart.
Leonard restored a 19th-century barn on the property, and tore down and rebuilt two guesthouses.
Leonard, 48, has an extensive career in writing, producing, and acting, with credits including the 2022 Hulu film “The Drop” and the 2020 indie movie “Fully Realized Humans.” He explained that he is transitioning from acting to home renovation to stay local and raise his 6-year-old daughter, Wilder, with his wife, “Hello Tomorrow!” actress Alison Pill.
Much of the stone used in the renovation was excavated on the property.
“I was fortunate to travel for work, but I missed the experience of being home and nesting,” Leonard said. “My daughter provided the perfect reason to make this lifestyle change.”
Leonard said he plans to renovate and build more homes in the area.
Joshua Leonard fell in love with the Hudson Valley while filming the 2011 movie “Higher Ground,” and built a summer home there in the mid-2010s. Leonard mentioned that he and his wife, previously based in Los Angeles, spent the early pandemic lockdowns in the Hudson Valley and made it their full-time home in late 2021.
Leonard stated that while he has renovated several houses for his family in the past, this house marks his first professional renovation project. Although little is known about the property’s history, local historian Charles Cullen believes it was built in the early 1800s. When Leonard purchased the house, it was in a dilapidated state. He gut renovated it, almost doubled its size with an addition, raised the ceilings, added a cupola, and reconfigured the floor plan. The primary suite now spans roughly 1,000 square feet.
The family room features an original stone fireplace. “It was important to me that the original stone structure remain the hero of the property,” Leonard said, adding that much of the stone used in the renovation was excavated on the property.
The primary bedroom suite spans about 1,000 square feet.
Leonard also restored a 19th-century barn on the property, incorporating stained-glass windows from a church near Syracuse. Additionally, he tore down and rebuilt two guesthouses. He noted that the project cost “seven figures” and ended up being about double what he had anticipated.
The kitchen has white-oak floors.
He also mentioned that the property boasts a spring-fed pond and streams adorned with seasonal waterfalls.
According to Airhart, New Yorkers sought refuge in the Hudson Valley during the pandemic, causing single-family home prices in Ulster County to surge by over 50% from the first half of 2019 to the first half of 2022. Airhart noted that price growth has since stabilized. The highest-priced home sale on record in Ulster County to date was a $5.35 million transaction overlooking the Hudson River in 2022, as reported by Zillow.
Joshua Leonard is married to the actress Alison Pill.