There were just four sales on Lake Winnipesaukee in May 2011 but that does equal last May’s tally although the average sales price was lower at just $1.053 million compared to an average of $1.727 last May. Last May there were three sales over a million, one of which came in at $3.9 million helping to boost that average.

The least expensive sale on Winnipesaukee last month was at 20 Railroad Ave in Alton. This is an updated two bedroom, 744 square foot seasonal camp sitting on a .16 acre lot with 40’ of waterfront. The big selling feature here is that this small cottage has really big, panoramic views from the large deck. This lakeside retreat was listed at $429,000, reduced to $389,000, and sold for $355,000 after 266 days on the market. The current tax assessment for is Alton waterfront is $401,500.

Another completely renovated waterfront home at 177 Kingswood Road in Wolfeboro also attracted a new buyer. This 1980 vintage, 3,400 square foot, three bedroom, five bath contemporary home was put on a new foundation and stripped right down to the studs. The only thing reused were the beautiful fir floors. Everything else is new-inside and out. The home features a custom kitchen with beautiful cabinetry, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, a lakeside living room with gas fireplace, a family room in the walk out basement, and three bedrooms all with private baths. The home sits on a level one acre lot with southern exposure and gorgeous views. There is 119’ of frontage, a sandy beach, and a forty foot dock for the new owners to enjoy now that summer is finally here. This home was on the market for 305 days starting at a list price of $1.995 million, with several price reductions down to $1.595, with an offer accepted at $1.47 million. The current tax assessment for this property is $1.352 million.

The largest sale for the month was at 112 Hopewell Road in Alton. This is a 3,192 square foot, four bedroom, three bath, classic lake home with a large wrap-around porch that is perfect for telling tales on. The home was built in 1999 on a 2.18 acre lot on Roberts Cove that offers great privacy, westerly views, stunning sunsets, 296’ of frontage, plus a U-shaped dock with breakwater. The tale of the sale on this home is a long one. It was first offered in December 2005 at $3.9 million, in October 2006 for $2.995 million, in 2008 for $3.1 mil, and in 2010 for $1.6 as a short sale. This year it was listed for $1.595 million and found a buyer at $1.5 mil after 168 days. The listing doesn’t say that it was a short sale, but the fact that it was under contract for only 39 days before closing would mean that it wasn’t. It probably just felt that way to the seller…The property is current assessed at $1,46,200.

Over on Winnisquam there were five sales which is actually a banner month for this lake! That puts the tally for the first five months up to fifteen sales compared to ten for the same period last year. Three of the five sales occurred on Leighton Ave in Laconia which is a little unusual. The largest sale was at 140 Leighton Ave North in Laconia. This Japanese influenced contemporary home built in 1980 has 1,580 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, two baths, a massive stone fireplace in the living room, a sauna, and a newly remodeled kitchen with granite countertops, cherry cabinets, and Jenn–Air appliances. The home literally is on the water as the decks actually overhang the lake. You can imagine how great the views are! The house sits on a .85 acre lot with 369 feet of frontage. There is even a Japanese Tea House straddling a babbling brook that is accessed by a small bridge. Kind of makes you want to watch a rerun of Karate Kid. It was a bit of a struggle to get this property sold. It was listed originally in 2009 and 2010 at $799,000 and at $749,900 this year. It was reduced to $649,000 with a deal accepted at $605,000 after a total of 977 days on the market. The current tax assessment on this property is $645,200. I bet the former owner was happy to finally say “Sayōnara” to this one…

Right now there are about 275 waterfront properties available on Winnipesaukee and 27  on Winnisquam from as little as $189,000 to just over $10 million with lots of deals in between. Maybe you can find your own great deal on the water this summer!

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There were eight waterfront sales on Lake Winnipesaukee last month at an average price of $988,000. That compares to ten sales last April at an average price of $1,057,900. There were three sales over the $1 million mark both this April and last. It seems to me that the waterfront market is hanging in there and we are seeing good activity on showing as we work our way into the spring season. Now if the sun would come out for a week and it would warm up we’d be in great shape.

The least expensive waterfront sold was an island property at 14 Pine Island  in Meredith. This is a six room, three bedroom, A-Frame style home that has a knotty pine interior, living room with a fieldstone fireplace, master bedroom in the loft, and a large deck. The home sits on a 2 acre lot with 215 feet of sandy bottom frontage and a 30’ dock. It looks like a really cute place! It was listed for $320,000 and sold for $300,000 after 175 days on the market. The property is currently assessed for $373,400. It must have been a cold snowmobile trip to go out and look at this one back in February, but what the heck, they got a good deal!

Over in Laconia, the waterfront at 178-194 Channel Lane finally found a buyer. This is a 4,833 square foot, five bedroom (four suites), six bath immaculate contemporary home built in 1968 along with a two bedroom guest cottage that has a phenomenal view down Paugus Bay. Located at the very end of Channel Lane, this home has great privacy, 581’ of shorefront on two lots of record, a two bay boathouse with boat lifts, and an amazing yard with beautiful landscaping. It also has a workshop that Bob Villa would love, an elevator, and a three car garage plus another garage for the yard equipment. If this house doesn’t have it, you don’t need it. But it was a struggle getting this property sold. It was originally listed back in November, 2007 for $2.3 million, was reduced several times down to $1.795 million, and finally sold for $1.3 million after a total of 1,216 days on the market. The current assessment on the property is $1,454,400.

The largest sale for the month was at 129 Dockham Shore Road in Gilford. This is a 6,000 square foot, four bedroom, five bath, custom showcase model home built by Graystone Builders. It has 180 degree views of Winnipesaukee and the mountains beyond. This fabulous Adirondack home has all the bells and whistles including custom cherry cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, Douglas fir moldings, trim and doors, mahogany floors, Pella triple glazed windows, large deck, a professional landscaped yard, and three car garage. The home sits on a .48 acre lot with 103 feet of frontage. The home was originally listed back in January 2009 for $2.395 million, was relisted at $1.999 million, and sold at full price after a total of 780 days on the market. The current tax assessment stands at $1,223,520.

There were no waterfront sales on Winnisquam or Squam in April which is a little disappointing especially if you have a home listed on one of these great lakes, but the season is young. It’s kind of like watching the Red Sox.

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136 Jefferson Road, Belmont

MLS #4056086

Unbelievably Priced at $224,900

This Winnisquam water access property is a true sleeper. It is hard to believe that this compact home has eight tastefully done and comfortable bedrooms. You have an old camp feel upstairs with bead board ceilings, a great stone fireplace with woodstove insert, a cute kitchen and dining area, and a wonderful front porch. The main part of the loft is used as a master bedroom but there is also another bedroom tucked off to one side plus a sleeping nook. The basement has a large family room and three more bedrooms plus a full bath all done with a little more of a modern feel. The beach is just around the corner providing access for water fun in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter. Check it out soon…

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Despite the relentless winter, there were six waterfront sales on Lake Winnipesaukee in March of 2010 at an average price of $986,667. There were two sales in excess of $1 million. Last March there were seven sales at an average of $1.1 million with the average price bolstered by a $4.25 million sale in Wolfeboro. The tally for the first quarter of this year stands at 17 sales which is equal to the first quarter of last year although the average sales price is down from $1.9 million to $857,471. There were only three sales over $1 million this year so far compared to eight for the first quarter of last year.

The least expensive property sold on the big lake was in Meredith at 7 Stonedam Island Road. This was a bank owned contemporary built in 2005. It has 2,880 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, three baths, and a great room with cathedral ceilings and lots of glass looking out at Sally’s Gut (I am not referring to former owner’s wife—that’s part of the lake). The home sits on a .48 acre lot with 143’ of frontage. The property was offered at $664,900 and quickly went under agreement in 31 days for $670,000. The current tax assessment on the property was an even $1 million leading me to believe that the new buyer must have been dancing around the closing table.

Over in Alton, at 42 Tranquility Lane, a nice 4,400 square foot Adirondack home built in 1997 also found a new owner. This home was constructed utilizing vintage materials from an old mill and summer camps. It features five bedrooms including a first floor master, four baths, cathedral and wood beam ceilings, additional living space and kitchen on the lower level, great views down the broads, and wonderful sunsets from the huge porches. The home sits on a manicured .60 acre lot with 147’ of shorefront with a breakwater and dock. This property was originally listed in July of 2008 for $1.777 million, relisted in 2010 at $1.499 million, reduced to $1.299 million, and finally sold for $1.075 million. The current tax assessed value was $1.317 million.

The highest sale of the month was at 88 Powers Road in Meredith. This turn of the century lodge style home was built in 1900 and sits literally on the water’s edge.  Ah, what you could do back then! This rather small and cozy, 8,100 square foot home has eight bedrooms, five baths, exposed wood beams and cathedral ceilings, massive stone fireplaces, a great wrap-around porch, and wonderful lake views. The 3.6 acre lot has 200 feet of frontage, manicured lawns, and a nice sandy beach. There’s also a five car garage for your “flivers” and a two bay boathouse to keep the woody in. Now this 110 year old home is pretty remarkable, but it only took the last 10 years of its grand life to find that elusive new buyer. It was originally listed (at least according to the MLS) way back in 2000 at a cool $6 million. It has been listed continually every year since at different price points as high as $6.7 million in 2007. The most recent listing price was $2.495 million which enticed a buyer to make a deal at $1.83 million. The current tax value on the property is currently $2,349,101 which makes me think of Real Estate 101; if the seller had the home priced correctly to start with, it might not have taken a full decade to sell it.

Over on Winnisquam there were two waterfront sales in March bringing the total number so far this year to a total of four. There was just one sale on Winnisquam in the first quarter of 2010 so we are already doing four time better! One of the homes that sold was a classic, cozy three bedroom cottage with a knotty pine interior at 57 Collins Brook Road in Meredith. It sits on a .49 acre lot with 132’ of frontage across from the Loon Sanctuary. It had all the important amenities one would want including a bathroom, outside shower, dock, a boat house, and a shed with a beer fridge! It was listed for $425,000, reduced to $409,900 and sold for $365,000 which is over the $282,900 tax assessment. It must have been the beer fridge? The other sale on Winnisquam was at 24 Bayview Drive in Belmont. This totally renovated ranch style home with a full finished walk out basement has 2,068 square feet of space, three bedrooms, two baths, cathedral ceilings, hardwood floors, fireplace, an eat in kitchen, dock, and 112 feet of shorefront. It was listed at $549,000 and sold for $530,000 with a current tax assessed value of $419,400.

A quick look at happenings up on Squam Lake for the first quarter revealed just two sales which is two more than the start to last year! The sale of significance was at 30 Laurence Road in Holderness which is known as the L.J. Webster Estate. This outstanding example of historical architecture and luxury has 7,353 square feet of living space, sixteen rooms, six bedrooms, and six baths. This impeccable home sits on a private 20 acre parcel surrounded by pristine pastures and woodlands. It has 200 feet of shorefront on Squam and views of the lake and mountains from every room in the house. This is the epitome of a luxury home from another era. This property was originally offered at $4.3 million, was reduced to $3.9 million, and sold for $3.045 million. It sounds like a place you could really get used to…

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No, not this one,

This one!

Price just reduced $10,000

Brand new, high quality ranch

With Winnisquam Beach Rights

79 Sarah Circle, Laconia, NH

MLS #4029780 – Now Offered at $299,000

Virtual Tour

This brand new three bedroom, open concept ranch features gleaming hardwood floors, a large kitchen with beautiful bisque cabinetry, center island, and a large pantry closet, a great room with cathedral ceilings and gas fireplace, spacious master suite with large walk-in closet, huge first floor laundry room, a three car garage plus beach rights to Winnisquam at the Lakewood Association beach on Shore Drive! Out back you’ll find a 12′ x 15′ trex deck to complement the low maintenance vinyl exterior. The huge basement could be the perfect space to finish off as your family room as it has nine foot ceilings and is plumbed for a bath. The home also features a high efficiency Slant/Fin Eutectic hot water boiler and hot water superstore! The builder is also including a $5,000 allowance for the appliances of your choice.

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February was a pretty good month for waterfront home sales on Lake Winnipesaukee with six propertiessold at an average price of $467,667. The monthly sales average was low because there were no million dollar sales last month. Last February there were only three sales on the lake, and two of the three sales were over the $1 million mark so the average was considerably higher at $1.248 million.

Not surprisingly, the least expensive waterfront that sold last month was an island property and it was located at 291 Cow Island in Tuftonboro. This home was a built in 1980 and it has 1,424 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, and a bath. The home has some upgrades and some work yet to be finished. The 4.17 acre lot is very private and has a newer three bedroom septic, dock, and 104 feet of frontage. This property was Fannie Mae owned and was originally offered at $250,900, reduced to $179,900, and then sold for $180,000. It was on the market only for about three months. The current tax assessment is $364,600, so I am sure the new owner is quite happy with his purchase.

Over at 3 Stonedam Island Road in Meredith, a property that was originally listed way back in April of 2007 for $1.49 million finally attracted a buyer. Unfortunately, the buyer came far too late to help the owner because he didn’t own it any more…the bank did. At the time the property was listed back in 2007 it assessed for $946,700. The home was then relisted in 2008 for an even higher t price tag of $1.649 million and then again for $1.399 million. The home is a 2,842 square foot contemporary built in 1974 and has three bedrooms, three baths, large family room with brick fireplace, and a huge master suite. The home sits on a .17 acre point of land with 180 degree views and 145 feet of shoreline. The home was foreclosed on and listed at an even $1 million with subsequent price reductions that brought it down to $629,900. It finally sold for $595,000 which is 62% of the current tax assessment is $960,200.

The largest sale for the month was at 9 Worcester Island Road in Wolfeboro. This 1969 vintage home has 2,374 square feet of living space with four bedrooms, two baths, an open floor plan, two fireplaces, finished lower level with guest quarters, a screened porch, and a large deck to sit on and gaze out at the lake . The home sits on a level .81 acre lot with 150’ of shorefront, permanent dock, and a sandy beach. It sounds pretty perfect to me. This home was originally listed at $1.09 million, was reduced to $899,000, and then sold for an even $800,000 which is 85% o the current tax assessment of $944,700. This property was on the market for 553 days.

There was only one sale on Winnisquam last month, which is one more than last February. That sale was a 3,341 square foot cape located at 70 Weed Road in Meredith. This well maintained home was constructed in 1988 and has three bedrooms, four baths, a first floor master suite, lower level family room, a deck, and patio. The beautifully landscaped .33 acre lot offers long views of Winnisquam, a perched beach, a dock, and 100 feet of shoreline. This property was originally listed back in July of 2008 for $827,000, relisted in February of 2010 for $719,000, and then reduced to $679,000 enticing a buyer to do a deal at $624,000. This property sold at about 12% higher than the assessed value of $555,300.

So all in all, February was a pretty good month for waterfront sales. And there were some bargains, or they were at least perceived to be, by the buyers. But when someone buys a property for one half of the assessed value is it really a steal or is the tax assessment way too high? When someone pays more than assessed value (as is often the case with waterfront property) did he pay too much? That is hard to answer because every property is unique and the market is forever moving. Sellers (and owners that aren’t selling) are always unhappy when their properties are assessed for more than they can sell it for and others are equally unhappy when they are assessed lower than what they have invested in the property. All I can tell you for sure is that a property is worth exactly what someone will pay for it and that can be more, or less, than the tax assessment. That kind of sums up Real Estate 101…

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It’s the time of year when there is actually a lot of activity on Lake Winnipesaukee. The Town of Meredith just hosted another highly successfully Pond Hockey Classic with 152 teams playing on 14 rinks out on the bay. Snow machines are whizzing by and bobhouses are sprouting up all over the lake as ice fisherman claim their favorite fishing spot for the 32nd annual Rotary Fishing Derby this weekend. Waterfront home sales activity was also pretty good in January as five happy new owners also claimed their favorite spots on the lake. The average sales price was $1.17 million and the average time on market was 243 days (not including properties that were listed previously). Four out of the five sales were under the $1 million mark (still a shade more expensive than a really, really nice bobhouse). Last January there were just six sales on the big lake at an average price of $1.45 million, so we are really not off to a bad start this year.

The least expensive sale on the lake was at 126 Castle Shores Road in Moultonborough. This three bedroom, one bath ranch with 1,344 square feet of living space sits right on the water’s edge offering a true lake home feel. The home has a classic knotty pine interior, two living rooms, a screened porch, deck, a detached garage for the toys, deep water docking, and sits on a .33 acre lot with 100 feet of sandy bottom frontage. This home was originally offered at $629,000, was reduced to $539,900, and sold for $485,000 after 178 days on the market. This property is currently assessed for $633,900 so I would say that this lucky buyer got a pretty good deal. What do you think?

Another happy fisherman, I mean buyer, closed on a property in Wolfeboro at 18 North Keewaydin Shore. This cute 1954 vintage, 1,200 square foot, two bedroom cottage has hardwood floors, a knotty pine interior, fireplace, the requisite deck, and has a detached two car garage with storage above. It sits on 1.55 acres (two lots of record) with 71 feet of level frontage and an “L” shaped crib dock. It’s the perfect spot to enjoys some great sunsets…when it warms up that is. This property took 230 days to secure a buyer as it was initially listed at $905,000, reduced to $850,000, and sold for $765,000 which is just under the tax assessment of $783,400.

The largest sale of the month was at 104 Veasey Shores in Meredith. This beautiful 4,900 square foot four bedroom, seven bath, Adirondack home was built in 1997. It features a gourmet kitchen and pantry, living room with cathedral ceilings and stone wood burning fireplace (one of three), a master suite with its own screened porch, game room, two car garage, and a newly completed guesthouse. The home sits on a 2.4 acre point of land looking out at the Beaver Islands with 300 feet of frontage, a two bay boat house, and spectacular 180 degree views. The grounds feature lots of patios, walking paths, extensive plantings, and even a small pond. This fabulous property didn’t sell overnight though…it took 822 nights. The property was originally listed for $4.495 million way back on September 26, 2007, It was dropped to $3.995 million, then to $3.499 million, and finally sold at $3.2 million. The current assessment stands at $2,438,000.

There was only one sale on Lake Winnisquam last month, but that was one more than last January! Located at 372 Leighton Ave North in Laconia, this 1,584 square foot home was built in 2007 and has three bedrooms, two baths, a high end kitchen with granite countertops, a master suite with a private deck, and a full basement. It sits on a half acre lot with 100 feet of frontage and sunset views. Unfortunately, the previous owner didn’t get to enjoy them for long. The bank foreclosed on this waterfront retreat, listed it for $454,900, reduced it to $429,900, and sold it for $399,000 which is well below the $691,700 assessed value!

Even with snow up to their eyeballs, buyers are out looking for waterfront homes and they are dead serious about finding a place for this summer season. So if you’d like to sell this year, you might want to think about getting your property on the market. It’s a good time to go fishing, not only for bass, but for buyers…

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December 2010 turned out to be a very strong month for waterfront sales on Winnipesaukee with nine waterfront properties exchanging hands compared to just four last December. The average sales price came in at $1,306,044 which is up just slightly compared to $1,288,750 last December. All nine sales were mainland properties which really isn’t surprising as it is a bit difficult looking at island properties this time of year. The great news is that in 2010 Winnipesaukee waterfront sales were up 26% over 2009. There were 96 waterfront homes sold this year at an average price of $1,257,584 that took an  average of 237 days on market to find a buyer. In 2009, there were 76 waterfronts sold at an average price of $1,178,566 and 205 days on the market. So, all in all, even in a down economy it seems pretty evident that interest in owning a home on the big lake is still very strong. There are some great deals on the lake right now and savvy buyers can recognize it. These buyers believe that investing their money in lakefront property is not only a sound idea, but that they will get the added benefit of being able to enjoy the money they have invested. Try getting some enjoyment out of your mutual funds…

The least expensive property that sold in December on the big lake was at 469 Weirs Boulevard in Laconia. While this three bedroom home is located across the Boulevard from Paugus Bay, it does have a waterfront lot on the water with 96 feet of frontage, three docks, and a deck with its very own Tiki hut. This 1,540 square foot home has an eat in kitchen with hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances, a nice living room with views of the lake, a grand master suite on the upper level, a finished basement, and a one car garage under. This home was originally listed at $425,000, was reduced to $375,000, and sold after 306 days on the market at $299,900 which is 81% of the current tax assessed value of $371,600. That’s a great deal with instant equity!

Down in West Alton at  52 Woodlands Road a new 4,000 square foot, four bedroom, five bath Adirondack home also has some happy new owners. This beautiful, energy star rated home constructed by local builder Jason Drouin features two master bedroom suites plus two additional suites, a gourmet kitchen (of course) with all the bells and whistles, a wet bar and fieldstone fireplace in the living room, a nice screened porch and southerly views. The home sits on a level .32 acre lot with 103 feet of shoreline and a U shaped dock. There is an addition 17 acre parcel across the street that has a detached two car garage and 30’ x 35’ accessory building for storing all the toys. This property was originally listed at $1,995,000, was reduced to $1.75 million, and sold for $1.65 million after 538 days on the market.

The largest sale in December was at 49 McLeod Road in Alton. This property is a spectacular 23 acre family compound with three lots of record, a circa 1914 year round main home and four charming vintage cottages with a total of eleven bedrooms and 5,000 square feet of living space. The property has a private, tranquil setting with its own pond, 650 feet of shoreline, a sandy beach, covered boat dock, and long range views with beautiful sunsets. It was originally offered at $4.1 million, was reduced to $3.95 million, and sold after 471 days on the market for $3.5 million. The property is currently assessed for $1,918,516.

Over on little sister Winnisquam, there was only one sale in December at 101 Collins Brook Road in Meredith. This is a five room, two bedroom cottage built in 1938 that sits on a .65 peninsula lot near the north end of the lake. From the 472 feet of frontage you can look into the loon sanctuary making it a very nice spot on the lake. The property needs an overhaul but the call of the loons must have captivated the buyer. It was originally listed at $429,000, was reduced to $389,000, and sold for $340,000 after 221 days on the market. The current property assessment is $364,4000.

Sales were up for the year on Winnisquam if only marginally, but that’s still welcome news considering the economy. There were sixteen sales at an average price of $583,182 in 2010 compared to fourteen in 2009 at an average sales price of $496,536. That is right on par with the average number of sales on the lake over the past seven years. Winnisquam will continue to be an affordable and desirable alternative to Winnipesaukee for those looking for little more of a quiet lake experience.

Currently there are over 175 waterfront listings in Winnipesaukee ranging from $264,900 for a cottage on Bear Island to over $10 million for a couple of small estates on Governor’s Island. So if you are lucky enough to be in the market for a waterfront home, there’s bound to be something somewhere in between that will fit your lifestyle and pocketbook. There are currently nine properties on Winnisquam priced from $275,000 to just under $1 million and of course there are many more homes on the other smaller lakes in the area at even more affordable price points.  2011 just could be the year to make your dreams come true in the Lakes Region…

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Buuurrr! It’s getting cold. There were ten sales in November of 2010 on Lake Winnibuuurrsaukee at an average price of $1.55 million and a median price of $1.645 million. The old lake is pretty consistent as there were 10 sales last November although the average was a little higher at $1.835 million and the median was just $925,000. What’s that mean? She’s consistent and cold (you just thought of your mother-in-law didn’t you?).  With one month to go for the year we stand at 87 sales on the big lake at an average price of $1.252 million which is well up from the 74 sales at an average price of $1.144 million for the same period last year. If you recall, waterfront sales were red hot for the first few months of 2010 (it even caused an early ice out) and that contributed to a higher sales tally for the year. Let’s hope the trend continues this coming new year.

 The least expensive honors go to a five room, three bedroom, 1900 square foot contemporary island retreat on a 1.25 acre lot with 220 feet of water frontage at 804 Rattlesnake Island in Alton. The lot appears to be one of those steep ones but the saving grace is that the property has great views and is bordered by conservation land. The property was bank owned and was originally listed at $284,900, reduced to $199,000, and sold for a mere $150,000. With a listed assessment of $321,400, I would say that this buyer believes in Santa Claus. A great buy!!

Over at 27 Umbrella Point in Wolfeboro, an eight room, four bedroom, five bath, 7,571 square foot  contemporary also changed hands just in time for the Christmas season! The listing sheet says it has one of the best lots on the lake (you can check the pictures out on my website—so you be the judge). There are some incredible 180 degree views and gorgeous sunsets to be had from this completely remodeled home which sold completely, and impeccably, furnished! This gorgeous home sits on a three acre lot with 210 feet of sublime waterfront, a boat house with direct access to the home, and a seven car garage (yes, Tiny Tim, everyone needs a seven car garage!) This property was listed at $3.39 million and sold at $2.3 million which was less than the listed tax assessment of $3.15 million. Yup, Santa Clausstrikes again!

 The biggest sale on the Winnipesaukee occurred at 14 Calverly Point Road in Tuftonboro. This 6,500 square foot Adirondack has 14 rooms, six bedrooms, and eight baths. Unfortunately, Timmy, it only has a three car garage, but no matter it has two boat houses, a tennis court, and a carriage house. This spectacular home has all the amenities one would expect in this price range including a huge living room, family room,  a well appointed kitchen, screened porch, two master suites, several fireplaces, and quality craftsmanship throughout. This home sits on a 4.4 acre lot with 204 feet of frontage and incredible views. This property was originally listed at $3.95 million, was reduced to $3.75 million, and sold for $3 million even. A very Merry Christmas will surely be celebrated in this home!

 Over on Lake Winnisquam there were just two sales in November, but there were none last November. The first sale  at 31 Pine Brook Lane in Laconia is a well maintained and remodeled 1957 vintage multi-level lake home with 2,700 square feet, three bedrooms and two baths. This home is in a nice residential neighborhood on a quiet cul-de-sac and sits on a 1.2 acre lot with a large lawn leading down to the dock on 169 feet of shoreline. Listed at $899,000, it was reduced to $699,000 and found a new owner at $657,657 (must have been the lucky number?). The current assessment after the recent Laconia revaluation is $722,600 so these buyers should be pleased. Just around the corner at 58 Shore Drive, a 4,156 square foot, five bedroom, six bath, stately brick colonial home built in 1941 found a new buyer after being on the market just 14 days. The home sits on a .79 acre wooded lot with 199 feet of westerly facing shoreline perfect for enjoy the sunsets. It was listed at $829,000 and sold for $750,000 which was considerably less than the current $932,100 tax assessment.  It looks to me like Santa is visiting a lot of waterfront properties early this year ensuring that both sellers and buyers will have a great Christmas! With just a few house shopping days before the big holiday, the question is, will he visit you, too?

 The number of waterfront sales on Lake Winnipesaukee continued to improve over last year with eleven sales in October at an average sale price of $1.464 million compared to seven last October at an average price of $1.856 million. The total number of sales this year on the big lake stands at 77 with an average price of $1.214 million compared to 64 for the same period last year at an average of $1.36 million. Total sales are up about 20% over last year and the average price is up 17%. Not too bad for being in a bad market!

The least expensive sale on the lake was actually a bank owned island property on Paugus Park in Laconia. This is a post and beam, 1,200 square foot, three bedroom home built in 2005 and is the only home on this tiny .14 acre island. The buyer doesn’t have to worry about neighbors, but the home is solar powered so he might be watching the weather some. This home was originally listed at $299,900, was reduced to $199,900 and sold for $189,500. Considering the current town tax assessment of $436,400, I would say this new owner should be very happy all by himself out there on his island!

The second highest sale for the month was at 65 Spindle Point in Meredith. This home is a 5,699 square foot, twelve room, three bedroom post and beam contemporary built in 2004. The home features an open living area, high cathedral ceilings and stone wood burning fireplace (one of four in the home) in the great room, the requisite master suite, a family room in the walk out basement, radiant in-floor heat, beautiful hardwood floors, screened porch, and even an elevator. The home sits on a wonderfully landscaped 1.39 acre lot with 170 feet of frontage on Meredith Bay and a deep water U-shaped dock. The property was listed at $2.925 million and sold for $2.6 million which was well above the assessed value of $2.055 million. This is a beautiful home in a great location!

The highest sale honors for the month of October go to the spectacular property at 59 Little Road in Meredith. This extraordinary home has 12,933 square feet of living space, 20 rooms, five bedrooms (including a first floor master suite), seven total baths, and a five car garage! This home obviously has all the high end features imaginable including beautiful wood and stone work, massive fireplaces, a gourmet kitchen, soaring great room, an in-law apartment, wine cellar, exercise room, an outdoor kitchen, and multiple decks and patios. This home sits on a 4.31 acre lot that provides total privacy and 830 feet of frontage with great views. This property was originally listed at $8.9 million, was reduced to $6.999 million and sold for $6.839 million after 419 days on the market. The town has it assessed at a$4.466 million. I wonder if these folks are looking to adopt?

There was not a lot of activity on Winnisquam in October this year, or last, as there was only one sale in each month. There have been 13 sales on the lake so far this year at an average price of $583,327 compared to 12 with at an average price of $485,375 for the same period last year. The sale this year was at 212 Black Brook Road in Meredith. This home is a very nicely done 2,200 square foot, eight room, three bedroom, contemporary sitting on a .67 acre lot with 100 feet of frontage. The home features an open concept living area with a large great room with cathedral ceilings, floor to ceiling fieldstone fireplace, a gourmet kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, radiant in-floor heat, a screened porch, and a great deck with broad views of the lake. The home was listed at $975,000 and sold for $814,000 with a current tax assessment of $594,400.

Right now there are over 250 properties available on Lake Winnipesaukee and Winnisquam with prices starting in the $200-300,000 range for island properties. It is a great time to buy your own spot on either of these fantastic lakes!

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