It was a great end to the year with fifteen waterfront sales on Winnipesaukee in December at an average of $675,300. That compares to nine sales last December but at a much higher average price of $1,306,044. Only three of the fifteen sales last month were over the million dollar mark resulting in the low average sale price.

The least expensive sale in December was at 65 Cow Island  in Tuftonboro. This classic Lake Winnipesaukee summer camp has the desired knotty pine interior, wood floors, a first floor bedroom, two large bunk rooms upstairs, a wood stove, and the requisite screened porch where you can sit and tell lies all night. The camp sits on a .79 (more…)

November was not one of those banner months for waterfront sales in the Lakes Region. Winter is on the way you know, although some days it just doesn’t feel that way. There were just five transactions on Lake Winnipesaukee last month at an average $858,600. Last November the tally was double that amount at an (more…)

Halloween has come and gone and it didn’t scare off buyers looking to purchase waterfront homes on Lake Winnipesaukee. There were eleven sales at an average price of $1.17 million and a median price point of $950,000. That matches the eleven sales last October although the average sales price came in higher at $1.46 million. If there is a any bright spot or consistency in our current real estate market it would have to be waterfront sales on the big lake.

As usual, the least expensive sale (that’s the nice way to say cheapest) in October on Winnipesaukee is an island property. In fact, the three least expensive properties were on islands, but the property at 305 Bear Island in Meredith took the lowest priced honors selling for (more…)

Fall may be here, but there were still seven waterfronts sold on Winnipesaukee last month at an average price of just $714,357. That compares to eight sales last September at an average of $941,938. There were two sales over the $1 million mark compared to three last September. For the first three quarters of this year there have been 76 transactions on the big lake at an average sales price of $1.041 million and a median sales price of $840,000. For the same period last year there were 67 transactions with a slightly higher average sales and median price of $1.16 million and $858,000 respectively. So total sales are up 13% over last year which is great, but there has been a slight but definite trend toward lower priced waterfront sales. There have been 45 transaction under $1 million this year compared to 37 for the first three quarters of last year. On the high end there were three sales breaking the $3 million mark so far this year compared to five sales for the same period last year.

The least expensive sale on Winnipesaukee was at 157 Mount Major Highway in Alton. This home is actually across the street from the lake but has 60 feet of frontage and a dock on the water. This seasonal , two bedroom (plus a loft) cottage has a knotty pine interior, brick fireplace, and a screened porch overlooking Alton Bay. There’s also a waterfront deck to hang out on with a pitcher of icy Margaritas. This little place was first listed way back near the peak of the market in July of 2006 at $389,900, was on the market for a couple of years, and then re-listed in December of 2010 for $250,000. It came back on the market again this past March for $199,000, was reduced to $189,000, and went under contract for $155,000. So all it took was five years and a $234,000 price drop to find a buyer. The current tax assessment stands at $216,300. I’m not sure if the seller is ecstatic or crying?

An older 1964 vintage lake home at 420 Edgwater Drive on Governor’s Island in Gilford also sold after 675 days on the market. This 2,626 square foot four bedroom classic lake home has two full and two half baths, a living room with lots of wood, soaring ceilings and the requisite stone fireplace, a den, large kitchen, and great views of the lake. The 1.7 acre lot is level, has a sandy beach, and a permanent covered dock. The question here is whether it will be used as is or if it will make way for a newer, larger home. This home was originally listed at $2.395 million, was reduced to $1.495 million and sold for $1.15 million. It is currently assessed for $1.56 million.

The largest sale for the month was in Wolfeboro at 3 Wyanoke Gate Lane. This 3,600 square foot, open concept, contemporary was built in 1980 and features ten rooms, four bedrooms, three and a half baths, a chef’s kitchen with granite counter-tops, separate dining area, cathedral ceilings and stone fireplace, and views of the lake from almost every room. Outside there is a grand patio and a cabana over the boat house that are perfect for waterside entertaining. This home is located on a well landscaped 1.38 acre lot with 200 feet of frontage on Winter Harbor. It also has access to a private association beach and tennis courts just down the nature trail. This great property was listed at $1.775 million, subsequently reduced in steps down to $1.295 million and sold for $1.188 million after 648 days on the market. This property is currently on the Wolfeboro tax roles at a value of $1.542 million. Sounds like the new owner got a good deal…

Without trying to sound bleak, if you average the last two sales above, it took an average price reduction of $933,500 and 661 days to sell them. For all the waterfronts that sold for over a $1 million in the first nine months of 2011, the average sales price was  $346,000 less than the original asking price and they took 268 days on market to sell.

It just goes to show how long it takes to sell a property that is not priced correctly.

Over on little sister Lake Winnisquam, there were no sales last month and only one last September. I hate getting skunked. But for the first three quarters of this year there have been a total of 17 sales that sold at an average price of $508,254 after an average 99 days on the market. For the same period in 2010 there were 12 properties sold at an average price of $564,104 with an average 135 days on market.

Up on Squam there was just one sale in September and that was at 35 Grapevine Cove in Holderness. This 1974 vintage contemporary was completely and tastefully remodeled in 2003 and has a nice open floor plan. It has 1,536 square feet of lake loving space, three bedrooms, two baths, hardwood floors, stone fireplace, great kitchen with stainless steel appliances, and sliders that lead out to a large deck overlooking Golden Pond. This home sits on a level .32 acre lot with 90 feet of frontage with a sandy beach and permanent dock. This great waterfront retreat was listed at $849,000 and sold for $800,000 after only 102 days on the market. This property is currently assessed at $670,860. For the year to date there have been six sales on Squam with an average price of $1.11 million compared to just two for the same period last year. It’s great to be three times better than last year, right?

So through nine months, the total number of waterfront homes sold in the Lakes Region are up slightly from last year while prices seem to have fallen slightly. Many of the successful sales are coming after long periods of time on the market and usually after some price reductions to bring them down to a point that buyers are able to see true value and potential upside in their purchase.

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189 Dockham Shore Rd

Gilford, NH

MLS #4076401  Offered at $899,000

This high quality Winnipesaukee waterfront home has an open floor plan designed by the owners for everyday living & entertaining.

Enjoy fabulous views of the lake from practically every room in this great home!

The main floor has a custom kitchen with granite counter tops, tile floors, & fabulous center island with a gas cook top. The kitchen opens into the great room featuring a wall of glass to view the lake, hardwood floors, beautiful trim work, a gas fireplace with flat screen TV above, a bar, & vaulted ceilings. Also adjacent to the kitchen is a dining area & a heated three season porch.

The upstairs is dedicated to the master suite complete with a gas fireplace & private deck & an office that looks down into the great room & out to the lake. The lower level walk out has two bedrooms, a full bath, and a family room. The home features in-floor radiant heat & a Bose sound system.

The .33 acre, beautifully landscaped lot has 50′ of frontage, sandy entry, & a dock. Don’t let this one get away!



Construction Specifications:

9’ Poured Concrete Foundation with 2” Rigid Insulation

2×6 Walls with Marvin Windows

Insulation; Spray Foam in Walls, 6” Fiberglass in Floors, Fiberglass & Blown-in in Attic

Skim Coat Plaster over Blue Board through out

Variable Speed Water pump in “True” artesian well

Radiant Heat with High Efficiency Gas fired Boiler

Oak & Pine Trim, Maple Cabinets, Ash, Ceramic Tile & Carpet Flooring

Special Features:

Miele Stainless Appliances with Disappearing Ventilation System

Baths; Under Vanity Lighting, Master; Tile Shower with three heads

Granite Counter Tops with under countertop stainless sink in kitchen

Central Vacuum System with commercial grade vacuum unit

Whole House, Four Zone Bose Entertainment System plus Two Exterior Zones

Two Gas Fireplaces, Great Room & Master

Great Room Soffit & Tray Ceiling in Master both with up lighting

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Yeah! Summer is really here. The temperature is heating up and it finally feels like it is lake weather. It’s time to get out on the boat and enjoy it. There were twelve waterfront sales sales on Winnipesaukee in June which is a 50% increase over June of last year. That’s pretty encouraging! And there were some large sales, too! In fact ten of the twelve sales were over the million mark. There were three sales in the $2-3 million range and one over $4 million. The average sales price last month was $1.778 million compared to $1.376 million last June and the total volume for the month was slightly over $21 million compared to $12.6 last June. That’s a pretty good month in my book.

The least expensive sale on the lake was at 13 Acadia Lane in Alton. This lakeside fifties vintage, 728 square foot, two bedroom cottage was a bank owned property that has had some recent updates including a metal roof and vinyl siding. The home sits on a one third acre lot with 100’ of frontage and a dock. The home was only on the market a month before some buyers jumped on it so they could enjoy the lake for the summer. It was priced at $385,000 and actually sold for more at $425,000. Sounds like there could have been a little bidding going on for this one. The current tax assessed value is $497,200 so it would seem that the buyer still got a good deal.

On the higher end pricing spectrum, across the lake in Moultonborough at 11 Mallard Way, there is a waterfront that is about ten times larger that also has a new owner. This Adirondack style home has 7,500 square feet of living space with seventeen rooms, six bedrooms, eight baths, and a whole lot of quality! This Skiffington home was built in 2004 and features post and beam construction, a gourmet custom kitchen, a fabulous great room with soaring ceilings, five fireplaces, a large family/game room on the walk out lower level, first floor master suite, a three room suite over the three car heated garage, and sweeping decks. The home sits on a 1.1 acre lot with beautiful landscaping, great sunset views, 156’ of frontage, a perched beach, and a covered dock. This home was originally listed on New Year’s Eve in 2008 for $3.999 million and again in September of 2009 for the same amount. It was listed again in November of 2010 for $3.495 million and sold for $2.9 million after a combined total of 750 days on the market. The current tax assessed value is $2,864,300. I wonder if there was confetti dropping and they were blowing horns when this one sold?

The highest sale on the lake last month was also in Moultonborough at 31 Wallace Point. This beautiful 10,000 square foot lodge style waterfront has fifteen rooms, seven bedrooms, nine baths, a grand living room with fieldstone fireplace, cathedral ceilings and exposed beams, a lower level family/pool room plus a lower level living room, and master suites on the first and second levels. This magnificent home sits on a professionally landscaped 1.89 acre lot with 235’ of frontage that has a sandy beach, two bay boat house, plus a permanent 58’ crib dock. As with many homes in this market, this one took a while to sell, too. It was originally listed in 2008 at $6.495 million, in 2009 at $5.295 million, in 2010 at $4.795 million, and this year at $4.495 million finally selling at $4.325 million after a combined total of 367 days on the market. The current assessed value is $3.639 million. Anyone see any trends here?

There have been a total of 41 Winnipesaukee sales for the first half of 2011 at an average of $1.172 million compared to 38 sales for the first half of 2010 at an average of $1.28 million. I’d say that’s holding our own in this economy!

Over on Winnisquam there were four waterfront sales with the largest being in Laconia at 126 Shore Drive This sixties vintage ranch had 3,900 square feet of living space, four bedrooms, three baths, a large living room, two fireplaces, and a family room in the walkout lower level. The one third acre lot has 100’ of frontage, a sandy beach, dock, and fabulous sunset views. This home was snapped up after one day on the market at the full asking price of $699,000 which is slightly above the current $665,000 tax assessment. A great deal in a great Winnisquam neighborhood. There have been thirteen sales on Winnisquam during the first half of 2011 at an average of $470,204 compared to just seven for the first half of 2010 at an average of $521,571. I’d say things are going pretty well on Winnisquam so far this year!

There weren’t any sales on Squam last month and only three sales through June 30th this year, but that is three more sales than the first half of last year. I’m not sure what’s going on up there but there are 24 homes on the lake for sale ranging from $399,000 to over $8 million so hopefully sales will pick up over the summer months. Maybe people have forgotten that the elusive lake trout “Walter” (or actually his descendant) is still out there. I read that “Walter” was brought over to Squam for the movie from a trout pond at the Castle in the Clouds. Ahhh, he wasn’t a Squamy after all…

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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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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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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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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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