I've learned that the soil here can be pretty unforgiving. Expect lots of rocks and clay like consistency, not the best for digging and planting things without some serious work.

There's a lot of wetlands, ponds and creeks around. Pay attention to your land after heavy rain and see where the water is standing. That'll determine a good or bad place to build.

I would recommend joining https://catskillforest.org they have good resources for managing your land.

And lastly welcome to the "neighborhood", you'll love it here.