47 Advent Cove, Meredith, NH

MLS #4061667

First Time Ever Offered

Priced at $3,995,000

It’s very rare that a Lake Winnipesaukee waterfront property offers the privacy, views and overall serenity that this very special property radiates. The “old lake” feel is all around you. So how did this all come about?

In 1988, John and Virginia Stabile purchased 47 Advent Cove Rd as a house lot of 6 plus acres with 300 feet of frontage on Lake Winnipesaukee. This parcel of land is a rectangle of approximately 300’x1250’. The lot was bought from Fred Fuller, a statewide fuel dealer. Stabile and his wife lived on Blackcat Island at the time and spent the next year working with a team of professionals to design and build their home. The architect, Don Lavallee, of Lavallee and Brensinger worked with George Matarazzo, a nationally renowned land planner to situate the house so as to maximize the view of the lake and mountains. The house was designed as an Adirondack retreat, whereas, Mrs. Stabile grew up in the Adirondacks. The house itself was designed for the Stabile’s and their 3 boys and surrounding family, hence the large eat-in kitchen area and living room activity center.

The house was built with the finest materials. One should note that the exterior siding and wood is redwood. High end Marvin windows were utilized. The interior walls are plaster and the floors are a fine grade of white oak. At the time the house was designed to be as energy efficient as possible. There are five separate air handlers that work off a forced hot water boiler system. Kohler plumbing fixtures were used throughout the home .Kitchen cabinets were hand made on site as well as all the trim work and was done by Stabile’s finish carpenters. An 18 KV backup generator will handle the entire house in the case of power outages.

The house was originally designed so that the Stabile’s could live on the first floor and shutdown the upper floors if they were there alone. That never seemed to happen. All five bedrooms are generally filled on weekends. The kids especially enjoy the recreation room up on the second floor which has bunked many a pajama party. The master suite has a large walk in closet and luxurious bath. The living room features a fieldstone fireplace built with stone coming from an area wall and individually laid by a master stone craftsman. The den was originally going to be a dining room and can be reconverted to same, but it has served well as a secondary downstairs TV location with hand crafted built-ins.

While still on the 1st floor, one will notice the gazebo room off the rear kitchen deck. This room works beautifully in summer evenings after dark so the bugs don’t get you. It also has slip in glass windows to extend the spring and fall usage. The roof is copper roof and you’ll see copper trim throughout the house elsewhere. Upstairs you have three large bedrooms with built-ins as well as the infamous bunk room where the kids held all their sleepovers. Many a story could be told about that room. It’s a kid’s delight.

The basement is prepared to be finished and everything is sized accordingly. There is a wood stove in the basement for emergencies. And if you are golf nut, the basement also has a built in indoor driving range and all utility services.

Even the magnificent two bay boathouse, which boasts a registered heliport above it, has been designed to be part of the landscape. This could come in handy in case you need to commute to and from your day job. The boathouse has the capacity to hold 2 boats in the air during the winter months.

This 5,000 plus square foot home is of the true and timeless Adirondack design and the setting is one of a kind. An offering such as this is truly rare and unique, so schedule a private showing today. Memories are waiting to be made…

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Windover Farm

290 Meredith Neck Road, Meredith
MLS # 4061327

Offered at $1,895,000
 

This stunning Adirondack offers so much more than the typical Winnipesaukee waterfront home. Few other homes in the Lakes Region offer the style, quality, privacy, acreage, waterfront, and sense of oneness with the land that Windover Farm does.

Not only was this home finely crafted using the latest green technology and highest quality materials ensuring trouble free and energy efficient living, it is spectacular inside and out as well. The red cedar shingles with green trim, carriage house exterior lighting, cupola, and fieldstone façade next to the covered front entry provide the classic Adirondack style that welcomes you into the home.
 

Once inside the entry, your eyes are drawn automatically past the columns framing the great room to the views through glass doors and windows in the front of the home. The great room is flanked by a stone double sided, see-through, gas fireplace and also features cathedral ceilings. Gleaming red oak flooring is used throughout the great room, dining, and kitchen areas further enhancing the sunny, open floor plan.
 

The custom kitchen features high end stainless steel appliances, beautiful cabinetry, tile back splashes, and granite counter tops. An adjacent dining room has a serving area complete with custom touches including a wine rack, wine cooler, and granite counters. Just beyond the dining room is a wonderful octagonal sunroom perfect for your morning coffee or evening cocktails. A large composite deck connects the sunroom with the great room providing spacious outside entertaining space.

The first floor master suite also has mountain views, tray ceilings, a luxurious bath with heated floors, premium fixtures, and a large walk in closet. Rounding out the first floor is a guest suite, den, a half bath, and laundry area.
Upstairs over the garage, there is a huge bonus room that’s the perfect place for a billiard table or home entertainment center. You may never see the kids again. Just through a set of French doors is another room that could be utilized as an office, den, or just a comfortable spot to read a book. For convenience, this level also has a beautiful three quarter bath so you won’t have to run downstairs.

On the lower walk out level there’s a spacious family room with a gas fireplace, three more ample size bedrooms for family or guests, and a full bath.

While many of the quality and custom features in this home may be readily apparent, there are some special enhancements that may not be noticed and that are worthy of special note. This is an Energy Star, Five Star Plus rated home so you’ll not only save money on your heating bills, but it will also be a much more comfortable home to live in. There are two tankless, gas fired, hot water heaters at opposite ends of the home, a Lennox G71 Energy Star qualified gas fired furnace and air conditioning unit with a 95% efficiency rating and four zones, Tuff and Dri water proofing to ensure a dry basement, a sprinkler system for fire safety and insurance savings, solid four panel fir doors and trim, red oak stair railings and treads, Anderson windows and exterior doors, and Lattitudes composite decking, Correct Deck railing, and Kleer Trim for ease of maintenance. A complete list of building specifications and details is available for review.
 

The home sits on a spectacular 13 acre parcel offering privacy, fields, a pond, panoramic mountain views, and 155 feet of sparkling waterfront. Travel down to the shore by following a winding stone path through the fields and woods on your golf cart (included with the home) and you’ll find a serene cove with a 40’ dock and a perched beach. A rustic cabin will also be built to provide storage for your waterfront toys or provisions.
 

Windover Farm was conceived and constructed by the premiere NH home builder, H.J. Stabile and Sons, to exacting standards and with an eye for style and quality that can only be achieved through the construction of over 3,500 homes and condominiums throughout the region.

This property is what dreams are made of and where many special memories will be made. From the anticipation of a flowering spring, to lazy summer days on the water or at the shore, viewing autumn colored panoramas, to winter cross country skiing and skating parties, every moment here will be unforgettable. This could be the stunning horse farm, secluded retreat, a perfect place to raise your children, or the retirement home you have always wanted.

All your dreams are possible at Windover Farm.

Come visit soon, you’ll want to stay for a lifetime…

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122 Paugus Park Rd, Laconia, NH

MLS # 4059678 Offered at $599,000

This well maintained, three bedroom Winnipesaukee waterfront home sits on a level lot with 60 feet of frontage and a nice U shaped dock that provides plenty of space for all your summer toys. The home has a tasteful eat in kitchen, office/den, two bedrooms, a full bath, and a living room on the main level. On the entry level is a two car garage, a family room, and the largest of the three bedrooms. Both these rooms have sliders to the yard providing ample light and views of the lake. There is a large deck on the main level providing a great place for grilling and boat watching. The primary heat source is propane fired stoves and a monitor. The yard affords lots of privacy from the mature plantings and the irrigation system keeps things beautiful through the summer. The current owner has resided for 29 years so that should tell you how much she has loved it! Come check it out soon…

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Looking for a truly unique vacation home, summer retreat, or possible business in the Lakes Region of NH?

“Fernside” is one of the oldest homes in the historic section of The Weirs. Built in 1889 byJasper & Mary Avery, Fernside remained in the same family and was operated as a guest house until November 2007 when great granddaughter, Beth Lavertue died at the age of 88. After her passing, this remarkable old inn was painstakingly and lovingly restored to its former glory, evoking the charm and simplicity of a by-gone era.

Beth had many stories to tell about growing up around her great grandmother, Gram (Mary) Avery and grandmother, Rose Avery. They were hard working women who tended to the home and were great cooks using fresh foods from the garden and bartering for milk or eggs and other sundries as needed. The guests at Fernside were well fed. Life was much simpler, but was much harder than we imagine. The history of this home and its owners is displayed throughout the home with pictures and maps which add to the charm and atmosphere of this remarkable property.

There are six charming bedrooms, a bath complete with a claw foot tub, a sparkling kitchen, dining room, den, and a parlor for evening storytelling. But the best yarns will probably be heard on the wrap around porch with views of Winnipesaukee. The lovely yard features perennial gardens and flowering bushes.

This wonderful home is located in the heart of the Lakes Region and within a short distance to all Lakes Region attractions, restaurants, and activities. There are plenty of exciting things to do, but you will probably find yourself enjoying the simpler things of times gone by like sitting on the porch watching the boats go by, reading a book,  or perhaps playing a board game in the parlor. This home has that kind of affect on you…

The property is located in the commercial resort zone which would allow various business opportunities for a new owner and the front porch is the perfect place to plan your new venture. Schedule an appointment to visit Fernside soon…

MLS #4055937  414 Lakeside Ave, Laconia, NH   Offered at $279,000

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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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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Are looking for a nicely remodeled, ready to move in to, Lake Winnipesaukee waterfront at a reasonable price?

If so, check out this turn-key property at 11 Virginia Court in Alton.

MLS #4036312   Offered at $649,999

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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?