There were 61 residential home sales in April 2012 in the communities in this Lakes Region real estate market report. The average sales price came in at $324,580 and the median price point at $170,000.

It looks as though the theft charges filed against a Gilford man will be dropped before the case can go to court. Fred Byer was charged with grand larceny in connection with the theft at the property located at 19 Mountain Ridge Drive in Meredith. It was alleged that Mr. Byer perpetrated the crime after visiting the residence sometime in mid March. Witnesses were to testify that he cased the place thoroughly and then some 51 days later returned and stole the entire residence for $350,000. That was $89,000 less than the asking price and $259,000 less than the current tax assessment which is criminal. It also appears that Mr. Byer was not acting alone.

The Meredith Police Department and the NH State Police were summoned to the scene by a passerby who noticed suspicious activity around the long vacant home. The perpetrator, who was caught red handed at the residence, appeared to be delirious and light headed from the high that accompanies these high stake robberies. Mr. Byer was cuffed and taken to LRGH for observation and released into custody later the same day. A back ground check revealed Mr. Byer had been a suspect in other similar robberies, so he was detained and then charged with the crime. Upon further investigation it was learned that Mr. Byer had the help of not only a local lending institution, but a title company, and two shifty looking real estate agents who appear to have received some compensation in connection with helping Mr. Byer pull this caper off. After extensive interrogation of Timothy Vault from the bank and Sharon Deeds from the title company (no one would have believed the real estate agents) it was determined that this was a new form of legalized grand larceny and all charges against Mr. Byer had to be dropped.

It appears that this was not just an isolated event. There has been an rash of house thefts in the Lakes Region as of late. It does not appear that the robberies are connected, but it does seem that the modus operandi is very similar. In each case the perpetrator literally walked away with thousands of dollars in instant equity. Here are the addresses of a few of the homes hit in this latest crime wave:

31 Johnson Street, Belmont, a 3 bedroom, 1,080 sq ft home on .49 acres stolen for $75,000 or 51% of the assessed value.

63 Sand Hill, Gilford, a four bedroom, 4,520 sq ft contemporary on 1.95 acres stolen for $257,500 or 58% of the assessment.

364 Black Brook Road, in Sanbornton, a three bedroom waterfront cottage on Winnisquam sold for $370,000 or 73% of the assessed value.

6 Old Bristol Road, New Hampton, an 1800’s vintage, 4 bedroom, 3,900 sq ft colonial on 1.8 acres stolen for $315,000 or 80% of the assessment.

A neighborhood watch is being organized in several communities to help restore calm. All residents are requested to report anything unusual to local law enforcement officials. While the names in this report have been changed to protect the innocent and the story a total fabrication, the sales results are real.

The least expensive sale for the month was at 20 Olive Street in Alton. This seven year old, 2,922 square foot, four bedroom and four bath home is in immaculate condition and has three levels of bright, cheery living space. The main level features an open floor plan with an eat-in kitchen with stainless appliances, dining area, large living room, hardwood floors, and a great wraparound farmer’s porch overlooking the water. All the bedrooms are on the second level and there is a large family room, den and office in the lower level walkout. This home sits on a level .87 acre lot with 290 feet of frontage and an L shaped dock. This home was on the market for 182 days at $975,000 before accepting an $850,000 offer. It is currently assessed at $689,000.

Over at 13 Friends Point in Tuftonboro, a vintage 1920’s seasonal three bedroom, four bath cottage with 2,650 square feet of space found a new friend to live there. The cottage is the typical rustic finish of that era with classic brick fireplaces, pine floors, and natural woodwork. I suspect the new owner was more taken with the breathtaking views from this level 1.75 acre lot with 400 feet of shoreline, dock, and breakwater. This home has simply amazing views and sunsets. I expect the buyer’s new dream home might be on the horizon here. This property was only on the market for 40 days and 40 nights which is a pretty good indicator of just how nice the lot is. It was offered at $3.1 million and closed at $2.2 million with a tax assessed value of $1.432 million. Spectacular…

The highest sale for the month was down at 50 Whitegate Road on Winter Harbor in Wolfeboro. This home is a 6,059 square foot, four bedroom, four bath Adirondack that has all the classic features you’d expect; the requisite stone fireplace in the great room, plenty of natural woodwork, wainscoting, beamed ceilings, first floor master suite, lower level family room, and incredible detail and quality throughout. This home was built in 2006 on a level 2.6 acre lot with 150 feet of southwesterly facing frontage. There’s a U shaped dock for the water toys and a two car heated garage for the Bentley. This home has been on and off the market since 2008 for a total of 548 days starting at $3.6 million. The listing was revived this year at $3.495 million and sold the same day at $2.84 million. A buyer in waiting I suspect. The property is currently assessed at $2.863 million.

While there were no sales on Squam last month, there were three sales on Winnisquam compared to just one last April. The highest sale was at 25 Bay Shore Drive  in Sanbornton. This 1930’s vintage, 2,589 square foot, four bed, three bath contemporary has been tastefully updated. It features a spacious kitchen, a huge living room with a fireplace overlooking the water, four season sun room, a second floor master suite, and a comfy den. This home sits on a .18 acre lot with 100 feet of frontage and a dock. This property was originally offered at $595,000, was reduced to $549,000, and sold for $518,000 after 348 days in the market. It is currently assessed at $482,800.

So it looks like the waterfront market is off to a good start this year and it is promising to see some big dollar sales, too! Visit Lakes Region Home each and every month for the latest on the residential and waterfront markets in the Lakes Region of NH!

The number of homes for sale in the twelve Lakes Region communities in this report continues to creep up with 105 more listings available than last month.

There is obviously a pile of homes in every price range to look at if you are in the market for a new residence. I took a look at the homes that have come on in the past month to see if there were any potential good deals based on a comparison where the asking price is a lot less than the property’s tax assessed value. That’s as good a place to start as any in finding a bargain, but as I have said many times before, that’s just one factor. You have to go look at the home to see what condition it is in, what updates and repairs are necessary, and whether the property fits your overall needs. So here’s a look at some fresh meat for the carnivorous home buyer.

The home at 38 Range Road road in Belmont might not exactly be fresh meat as it has been on the market several times before, but it is offered a very fresh and greatly reduced price. It was originally offered back in 2007 for a little over $300K, last year in the mid $200′s, and is now listed at $179,900 which is a short sale situation. With a tax assessment of $236,400 it seems like a pretty good price. The house is a 2,000 square foot, three bedroom, two bath colonial that has had many upgrades including a new roof and boiler. It has a large eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, spacious living room, and a 10’ x 24’ family room. The home sits on a great 5.6 acre country lot with a nice yard and open fields for your horses.

Over at 558 Stage Road in Sanbornton is a spacious 3,612 square foot, three bedroom, two bath ranch that also looks like it might be a good deal. This home was built in 2002 and sits on a private 8 acre lot with a loooong driveway. I like loooong driveways. There’s a large country kitchen, a master suite, hardwood flooring, a fully finished walk out basement, central air, and a two car garage. This home also was on before. It was listed at $269,900 last year, but is now offered at $245,900. It has an assessed value of $295,000.

A truly fresh listing with stunning long range views awaits you at 20 Hillside Drive in New Hampton. This mountaintop, 1,856 square foot, three bed, two bath raised ranch with cedar siding has lots of glass and a great deck to enjoy the fabulous views. This home has an open concept floor plan and the large living room boasts a gas fireplace as does the master suite. The price tag on this home is $269,900 which is 91% of the assessed value of $295,250. Looks nice and sounds like a deal for a house with a million dollar view.

Another home that has never been on the market is at 139 Eastman Shore Road in Laconia and it looks like it is priced right and ready to go. This well cared for three bed, one and three quarter bath, 1,978 square foot ranch was built in 2003 on a 2 acre lot that has access to Winnisquam. You’ve got easy one floor living with a galley kitchen with a pantry and built in computer nook, an ample sized living room with a soapstone gas stove, a master suite, and a wonderful four season room with tongue and groove pine walls. There’s a large family room plus two additional large rooms in the walkout lower level. There’s also a great farmer’s porch and an attached two car garage. This home is priced at only $219,000 and has a current tax assessment of $235,100. Sounds like a good deal to me!

There are plenty of other opportunities out there for savvy buyers looking for a good deal, so get out there and look before the one you could have had is gone. Talk to a REALTOR® that can help you locate the dream home you have always wanted at a price that won’t give you nightmares…

Anyway, here goes. You might be a Redneck Home Seller if you have chickens running loose around your yard. Please put them in the chicken coup prior to showing your property. Chickens can distract buyers from seeing the many finer points of your home. This also goes for pit bulls, alpacas, cats, and small children. Also, please take note. Despite your interpretation of the zoning regulations, livestock are not allowed in all zoning districts. Remember, where chickens are outlawed, only outlaws will have chickens.

If Billy the Big Mouth Bass, the talking fish, is the focal point of your living room, you definitely are a Redneck and you will need help to sell your home. Please consult with a qualified home staging expert to arrange your home to maximize its appeal for the discerning home buyer. He or she will find a place to put Billy, your Dale Earnhardt Senior paint by number portrait, and your NASCAR die cast racecar collection. It will be someplace that will really enhance your home. That place will most likely be where the sun don’t shine. No…. I know what you were thinking, but I meant the closet in your guest bedroom.

When your real estate agent tells you that your home is not approved by Fannie Mae, please stop arguing with him. He is not trying to pick a fight and he surely is not referring to your second cousin that married your third cousin on your mother’s side. I know she thinks your home is just wonderful, but your agent has never set eyes on her. What he is referring to is the Federal National Mortgage Association whose function is to finance the otherwise un-financeable and to line various politicians’ pockets. At this writing, no one is sure which is more important. I think they are having some kind of hearings on that down in D.C.

If you have some of those colorful signs on your property that say something like “This Property Protected by Smith and Wesson” or “My dog can make it to the gate in 2 seconds, can you?” you are definitely a Redneck Home Seller. It would be prudent to remove them while you are trying to sell your home. Some people could erroneously think that (a) you are not a very friendly sort of guy or (b) this might not be a safe neighborhood. It does seem that most people that have seen you are kind of intimidated though. I guess that is probably why the neighborhood is so safe. That and the fact that you shoot tin cans off the fence from the back porch. Anyway, I know they are cool signs, but please remove them.

Finally, you should remove any Redneck lawn ornaments such as tractors, farm implements, and other rusty iron from your front (or back) lawn. The venerable and appropriately placed horse drawn hay rake or plow is probably the only exception to the rule.  All bathroom fixtures should be inside your house. Toilets turned into planters are not “in” and should also be removed along with those two romantic claw foot tubs you have side by side on your yet to be completed back deck. Despite the success of the Cialis commercials they won’t help you sell your house. You might say you have already made it hard enough…

There were 64 residential home sales in March in the twelve towns listed in this Lakes Region of NH real estate report. That’s a 12% increase over last March.

For the first quarter of 2012, there were 171 residential single family home transactions. Sales are up 18% for the quarter compared to the first quarter of 2011 and 24% over 2010! There were seven sales exceeding a million dollars this year compared to just four last year. The lower priced properties are getting an increasing share of the total sales. Transactions under the $200,000 mark represented 51% of the total number of sales in the first quarter of 2010 and 2011 but increased to 59% in 2012.

The average sales price for the first quarter of 2012 came in at $272,526 which was very close to the $272,854 last year but off the $308,062 posted in for the first quarter of 2010. Anyway, this is a great start for the new year with significantly better activity for showings and sales. Every real estate agent, home inspector, appraiser, lender, and closing agent I have spoken to has remarked that they are seeing an increase in activity as well. Scary, isn’t it?

I like to see what homes sell quickly and try to figure out why as other homes sit for years on the market. There should be an easy explanation why certain homes sell extremely quickly. There was one home that sold the same day that it came on the market up at 38 Oslo Street in Moultonborough. I always suspect that the agent had a buyer lined up when the property came on the market when I see this. This home was a nice 1700 square foot, two bedroom, two bath Skiffington built home in 1998 in the water access community of Suissevale. I can’t tell you a lot about it as it sold so fast the agent didn’t have to put any pictures in the MLS. It was listed at $199,000 and sold for $180,000. The property was listed last year at $239,900 with no takers. So you might argue it didn’t sell the same day it was listed, but you can say it sold the same day it was listed at the right price. The current tax assessment is $194,900 so it seems that this was a pretty good deal and a great way to have access to Winnipesaukee this summer.

Over at 357 Old Lakeshore Road in Gilford, what appears to be a picture perfect 1,908 square foot, three bed, three bath cape sold in one day (really–one day.) Why? Well, I am not sure if the house was perfect, but the pictures sure make it look that way. The home has a nice open layout with hardwood floors, a well appointed kitchen with center island and what appear to be stainless appliances, a living room with wood stove, a family room off the kitchen, and a spacious deck with a hot tub. The house sits on a private 2.76 acre lot with lots of privacy. It was priced at $214,000 and sold at full price which is well under the assessed value of $235,240. Not a lot of arguing went on here! It looks like a great property that was presented well and was offered at the right price. Sold!

A wonderful antique cape with all the charm and curb appeal of a Currier and Ives painting sold in just two days at 30 Pleasant Street in Meredith. This 1875 vintage home has 1,400 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, one bath, two wood stoves, and lots of upgrades including Brazilian hardwood flooring. There’s a great wrap-around porch to sit on and a picket white fence to complete the picture. As an added bonus there is also a 28’ boat slip included about 100 yards away at the Meredith Nautical Club! Sweet! This property is assessed at $162,800 and was listed at $199,900 and sold for $200,500. What’s that tell you. It was a pretty nice deal especially with the boat slip and I suspect there were several interested parties…

There were a number of other sales that happened at the speed of “Ahhh.” The speed of “Ahhh” is extremely fast. It’s equivalent to the speed of light but in the alternate reality of real estate sales. It is usually achieved when a switch in the buyer’s brain gets tripped and jolts the bejesus out of him. The buyer has the proverbial epiphany and realizes that (a) “Ahhh, this is a really, really nice property” or (b) “Ahhh, this is a really, really great price”, or (c) both, in which case that is when the “Ahhh, haaa” moment happens. “Ahhh Haaa” houses always sell very quickly.

Here are a few other “Ahhh Haaa” Houses:

33 Vineyard Way in Belmont  Sold in 2 days…

44 St. Catherine Street in Laconia  Sold in 5 days

47 Ossipee Mountain Road in Moultonborough  Sold in 4 days 

Hey! There were fourteen waterfront sales on  Winnipesaukee in March!

The least expensive home sold on the lake last month was at 24 Notla Lane in Alton. This 1950’s cottage looks like a place where you can really kick back and relax. It has 2,014 square feet of living space with three bedrooms, two baths, a living room with the requisite stone fireplace, lots of windows, and is finished in knotty pine paneling for that lake feel. The third acre lot has 100’ of waterfront and a great little boat house with a deck up top to watch the sunsets from. Pretty cool. This home was listed at $549,000 and was only on the market for 34 days before being snapped up at $497,500 by a happy buyer. The property is assessed by the town at $481,500.

Over in Moultonborough at 7 Blackey Cove there is a beautiful 5,000 square foot contemporary home that also has a happy new owner. This home has a bright open concept floor plan with a wonderful great room with cathedral ceilings, pine flooring, floor to ceiling stone fireplace, and fifteen sets of French doors that open to the large deck with beautiful westerly views on Blackey Cove. The kitchen/dining area has wood ceilings, granite countertops, a continuation of the pine flooring, and lake views as well. There is a first floor master suite, three guest bedrooms upstairs plus a large game room over the attached garage. The walk out lower level has a family room, den, and three “additional” rooms. I wonder what goes on in there? This home sits on a level .7 acre lot with 100’ of shore front, sandy beach, dock, and great westerly sunset views. This property was originally listed at $1.499 million, reduced to $1.499 million, and sold for $1.14 million after 190 days on the market. The tax assessed value is $1,343,100.

The largest sale of the month was also in Moultonborough at 39 Gregson Lane which is also on Blackey Cove. This 3,000 square foot Adirondack was just completed and has the sought after open concept floor plan with the large great room with cathedral ceiling, stone fireplaces, lots of natural woodwork, and a first floor master. There’s an office and a bedroom on the second level and a family room and exercise room in the lower level walkout. The house is listed as a two bedroom home because the size of the lot constrains it to a two bedroom septic, although it says that a three bedroom septic was installed. Confused? Me, too. But I bet the buyer wasn’t. Anyway, this home was originally listed at $1.65 million, was reduced to $1.595, and sold for $1.45 million. The tax assessed value is listed at $985,000 because the home was under construction. It won’t stay at that number long…

There were no sales on either Winnisquam or Squam in March which is kind of unusual, but things have been slow on both lakes. In fact there has only been one sale on each lake so far this year. I think we gotta start using better bait…

The residential home inventory in the twelve Lakes Region towns in this report jumped up again from 994 properties on the market last month to 1080 as of April 1.

I saw a movie on the Netflix steaming service which may be the earliest and best movie about real estate. It should be required viewing for anyone contemplating getting their real estate license. This early silent movie was filmed in 1921 in Germany and was set in the fictitious city of Wisborg where a real estate broker named Knock had his firm. He was marketing property in the nearby sate of Transylvania to get buyers. Since Al Gore hadn’t invented the internet, he was using the Transylvania Sun to reach prospective new clients in this remote area. You can probably guess where this is leading…

Anyway, Knock gets a letter from a buyer named Count Orlock who wants to buy a home in Wisborg. Knock gets one of his rookie agents, a handsome guy named Hutter who desperately needs a sale, to go to Transylvania to seal the deal on a run-down split level house which happens to be directly across the street from his own home. Hutter travels by boat to Transylvania and then by carriage into the mountains to meet the buyer at his castle. Why a guy in a castle wants a split level in Wisborg will become clear later.

On his journey, he stops at an inn to eat and rest. He had left his Kindle at home but happens to find a book in his room to read himself to sleep. Unfortunately, it was a book on vampires so the sleeping part didn’t go so well. The next morning he takes the carriage further into the mountains. But the drivers refused to go anywhere near the Count’s castle so he has to walk the final few miles. He is furious that there are no Dunkin Donuts shops anywhere along the way. When he finally arrives at the castle the Count greets him outside. He seems nice enough but he is one of the creepiest, ugliest little dudes you have ever met. He was very gaunt looking and had a big bald head, huge ears, piercing eyes, gnarly teeth, and fingers about a foot long. But Hutter is a determined agent (i.e. starving.) He shows the Count the MLS listing info and after a wonderful dinner the Count signs on the dotted line to buy the property.

Hutter retires to his room for the evening. In the middle of the night the Count appears in his room and scares the daylights out of him. This scene is probably as spooky as anything you’ll see in any movie anywhere! Really. The next morning he awakes with what appear to be a couple huge mosquito bites on his neck. Hmmm… He leaves his room to talk to his new client but can’t find the Count anywhere. He finally goes down to the basement and finds the count lying dormant in a coffin. He realizes this guy is a vampire. Being a new agent, this scares him as he has never had a buyer that bites. He’ll learn to get used to that after a while.

Now he’s really scared and hides in his room. Later that evening he looks out the window and sees the Count loading coffins onto a TUPS wagon (that’s Transylvania United Parcel Service—that’s where UPS got started). The count climbs into the last coffin and ships himself to Wisborg via a TUPS schooner. Hutter finds he is locked in the castle but climbs out a three story window on a ripped up Garnet Hill sheet and makes his way home by horseback. He arrives home at the same time as the Count’s ship enters port. Everyone on the ship has disappeared except the captain who is dead but tied to the wheel (unlike that Italian ship captain who tipped his ship over.) The count sneaks of the ship with his coffin and moves into the split level across from Hutter. The harbor master arrives to inspect the ship and chalks up the carnage to the plague.

Hutter gets to his house and tells his beautiful wife, Ellen, what has been going on. After reading the book on vampires that Hutter stole from the inn, she realizes they’re in deep trouble. The book says that the only way to kill a vampire is for a beautiful woman who is pure of heart to distract the vampire until the sun comes up and the sunlight will kill him. She can see the Count eyeballing her from across the street. She realizes that she has been chosen and sure enough Count Orlock comes to her room in the moonlight. Hutter was apparently so tired from trying to make a living he never wakes up until it is too late. Count Orlock is so taken by Ellen, he keeps munching on her neck until the sun comes through the widows and he goes up in a cloud of smoke.

The moral of the story here is that if you market real estate in a neighboring state and you get a buyer, be careful not to sell them a house across the street as they might suck as a neighbor. Seriously, the movie is called “Nosferatu” and is an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. While lacking the Spielberg special effects, it is considered to be one of the best vampire movies of all time and worth watching if you are a horror film fan or a budding real estate agent.

29 Prides Point Lane, Laconia NH

MLS #4144787

Offered at $659,00

Have you been looking for vacation or primary home in the Lakes Region of NH?  Well you should check out this great home in  at 29 Prides Point Lane the prestigious gated community of Long Bay in Laconia NH!

This meticulously maintained, like-new, contemporary cape has fantastic views of Lake Winnipesaukee and  is located just a short walk from Long Bay’s beautiful pool, tennis courts, and fabulous beaches!

This one owner home has a bright, open floor plan complemented by upgrades like granite counter tops, soaring cathedral ceilings, cherry cabinetry, and  Brazilian cherry flooring throughout the living areas.

The well appointed kitchen flows nicely into the dining room and great room making this a perfect home for entertaining. The great room and lower level family room have gas fireplaces and views of the lake. The first floor master features a tiled bath with Jacuzzi tub and shower. There’s a nice three seasons enclosed porch finished in bead board and a large covered deck for barbequing. You will undoubtedly find yourself sitting here enjoing a meal or just watching the boats go by.

Come and enjoy all of Long Bay’s fabulous amenities from this wonderful low maintenance home!