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Why buy a waterfront home on Lake Winnipesaukee when you could vacation on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard or other hard-to-get-to New England vacation destinations? Here are ten good reasons to avoid the Lakes Region.

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

10 GOOD REASONS
To Avoid Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Reason 1: You Enjoy Paying State Taxes

New Hampshire has no income tax or sales tax. So spending all or part of your time at your home at Lake Winnipesaukee would deprive you of that pleasure.

Reason 2: You Prefer Remote Locations

Lake Winnipesaukee is only a two-hour drive from Boston. So the kids can barely watch one movie before you’ve arrived. So you’ll miss the long, arduous travel.

Reason 3: You Love Monotonous Ocean Views

Our picturesque White Mountains will block your views of the ocean’s flat horizon. And when they explode with vibrant colors in the fall, it will be particularly annoying.


Reason 4: You Only Swim in Murky Water

Our crystal clear, spring-fed lake won’t sting your eyes, and your feet won’t sink into muck. And you’ll miss worrying about what type of sea creature may be lurking nearby.


Reason 5: You Enjoy Feeling Hot and Sweaty Year-Round

Our Lakes Region has four seasons, so just when you’re getting acclimated, it changes. And after the leaves change color, you’ll have to pull all your ski stuff out of the closet.

Reason 6: We have far too many quaint downtown areas.

Our gourmet restaurants, art galleries, boutique shops and other non-essential activities will give you headaches.


Reason 7: You Never Eat Ice Cream

In Wolfeboro alone, there are 5 ice cream shops to distract you from your own low-fat diet. So it’s best that you avoid the temptation to eat dessert while strolling around our lake.

Reason 8: You Enjoy Walking on Paved Surfaces

Our bike trails, walking trails, ski trails, and mountain trails (leading to great views) are far too primitive. And you may have to invest in a pair of hiking shoes or cross country skis.


Reason 9: You’ll Miss Boating on Choppy Water

On calm Lake water will bore you to tears on your boat ride out to dinner. And it will be absolutely no challenge for you to sail or water-ski, if it’s not in 4-foot chop.


Reason 10: You Don’t Trust Friendly People

For some reasons, people who live or vacation here all smile and wave at each other, which is certainly suspicious. So it’s best that you avoid them altogether, because it may be contagious.
 

Learn more about the Lakes Region and finding your vacation home from the Dow Realty Group.

This 43-acre estate property is a rare blend of desirable location and unparalleled features. Anchored by an iconic boathouse, it offers a 1938 two-bedroom bungalow, multi-purpose auxiliary building, and the ideal setting for a future custom lake home. Set on the northeastern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee this exceptional home site is in a class by itself.

Highlights include:

• 3 private, mostly wooded parcels
• Stone multi-slip boathouse
• Approximately 1100 feet of prime shore frontage
• Three sandy beaches
• Sheltered boat basin
• Panoramic views

Listed at $7,500,000
For more information on 45 Umbrella Point call Adam Dow, 603.867.7311 or Randy Hilman, 603.677.6713.

There has been positive activity on Lake Winnipesaukee in 2014, especially in the under two-to-three-million dollar range (the number of sales doubled!). Overall, the average list price and average sold price for Lake Winnipesaukee properties both increased from the past several years. Though not a banner year, there has been a noticeable depletion of quality inventory.

I believe the biggest challenge in 2015 will be to find the waterfront home that meets your needs. Given the number of people I know that are looking, the properties that come on in the spring at a fair price will go quickly.

Lake Winnipesaukee Real Estate Market Stats

Signs of continued recovery

We have been watching the Lake Winnipesaukee Market very closely and through the first quarter of 2012 the trend continues to be more sales in the lower end. Having the volume of sales increase shows that demand is still there for waterfront properties, so values will follow. The other sign of recovery is the volume of sold listings, we saw the total volume of listings sold jump from $8,657,000 to $9,835,000 in the first quarter of 2012 as compared to 2011.

June is first of the big closing months in the Lakes Region, so we will soon see what type of year it is going to be. I have heard of a number of properties going under agreement and anticipate some more positive movement.

Click on the graph to see it full size...

Interesting Poll

I sent a survey to 350 realtors in the Lakes Region requesting the number of "Active Lake Winnipesaukee Buyers" they were working with as clients. I stressed active because I wanted the number to be relevant to the current market place. The results were interesting and prove there is a pent up demand. There are 171 people actively looking for a special spot on the Lake.  This number represents just under 10% of the realtors responding to the survey.

Lake Winnipesaukee Real Estate Market Stats

Lake Winnipesaukee Real Estate Market Stats

Signs of continued recovery

We have been watching the Lake Winnipesaukee Market very closely and through the first quarter of 2012 the trend continues to be more sales in the lower end. Having the volume of sales increase shows that demand is still there for waterfront properties, so values will follow. The other sign of recovery is the volume of sold listings, we saw the total volume of listings sold jump from $8,657,000 to $9,835,000 in the first quarter of 2012 as compared to 2011.

June is first of the big closing months in the Lakes Region, so we will soon see what type of year it is going to be. I have heard of a number of properties going under agreement and anticipate some more positive movement.

Click on the graph to see it full size...

Interesting Poll

I sent a survey to 350 realtors in the Lakes Region requesting the number of "Active Lake Winnipesaukee Buyers" they were working with as clients. I stressed active because I wanted the number to be relevant to the current market place. The results were interesting and prove there is a pent up demand. There are 171 people actively looking for a special spot on the Lake.  This number represents just under 10% of the realtors responding to the survey.

Lake Winnipesaukee Real Estate Market Stats

Included in the report are: 2011 Report - Click Here

Winnipesaukee Homes Sold 2003-2011

•     Total Number of Homes Sold
•     Median Price
•     Highest Price
•     Days on Market (DOM)

Wolfeboro Homes Sold 2000-2011

• Total Number of Homes Sold
• Median Price
• Highest Price
• Days on Market (DOM)

Winnipesaukee Condos Sold 2000-2011

• Total Number of Condos Sold
• Median Price
• Highest Price
• Days on Market (DOM)

 Here is a link the summary report:

2011 Report - Click Here

Local and well respected builder, Joe Skiffington, just provided this helpful summary of what was passed in the Senate.

March 20, 2011 UPDATE New Hampshire Senate Bill 154, passed by the Full Senate on March 16, 2011 and is now off to the NH House.

The following items are addressed by the reform:

1. The Act will rename CSPA as the Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act.  By including "water quality" in the title, the Act will emphasize the purpose of regulating shore-land development to protect the quality of New Hampshire's lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.
2. The standards applicable to the redevelopment of existing, nonconforming structures is rewritten to allow greater flexibility for landowners.  Under the reform language, existing structures can be repaired, replaced in kind, and reconstructed in place.  The alteration and expansion of nonconforming structures is also permitted, provided the structure is changed in a manner that makes it more nearly conforming to the standards of the Act.
3. The existing tiered requirement to preserve up to 50% of buildable areas as unaltered would be replaced.  Instead, the Bill establishes a uniform 25% requirement for all shorefront properties regardless of lot size.
4. The tree scoring system applicable within the waterfront buffer (the area within 50' of the water) would be revised to increase credit for larger, more mature trees and to encourage the planting of shrubs and groundcover.
5. Limitations on the percentage of impervious coverage is relaxed, provided storm-water management systems are designed (and implemented) to encourage storm-water infiltration and to control runoff and erosion.
6. The review periods afforded to the Department are shortened for faster decision making.
7. The Department will establish a permit by notification (PBN) process for approving smaller projects that propose minimal upland impacts or the restoration of previously disturbed areas.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more updates as this all unfolds! Joe Skiffington

Local and well respected builder, Joe Skiffington, just provided this helpful summary of what was passed in the Senate.

March 20, 2011 UPDATE New Hampshire Senate Bill 154, passed by the Full Senate on March 16, 2011 and is now off to the NH House.

The following items are addressed by the reform:

1. The Act will rename CSPA as the Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act.  By including "water quality" in the title, the Act will emphasize the purpose of regulating shore-land development to protect the quality of New Hampshire's lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.
2. The standards applicable to the redevelopment of existing, nonconforming structures is rewritten to allow greater flexibility for landowners.  Under the reform language, existing structures can be repaired, replaced in kind, and reconstructed in place.  The alteration and expansion of nonconforming structures is also permitted, provided the structure is changed in a manner that makes it more nearly conforming to the standards of the Act.
3. The existing tiered requirement to preserve up to 50% of buildable areas as unaltered would be replaced.  Instead, the Bill establishes a uniform 25% requirement for all shorefront properties regardless of lot size.
4. The tree scoring system applicable within the waterfront buffer (the area within 50' of the water) would be revised to increase credit for larger, more mature trees and to encourage the planting of shrubs and groundcover.
5. Limitations on the percentage of impervious coverage is relaxed, provided storm-water management systems are designed (and implemented) to encourage storm-water infiltration and to control runoff and erosion.
6. The review periods afforded to the Department are shortened for faster decision making.
7. The Department will establish a permit by notification (PBN) process for approving smaller projects that propose minimal upland impacts or the restoration of previously disturbed areas.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more updates as this all unfolds! Joe Skiffington

The NH Shorefront Association is really staying on top of the current legislation in Concord. The proposed bill will hopefully change the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection act for the better, including the Name! The proposed name is "Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act." I really like the name change as it focuses us on what is most important, the water quality of our invaluable lakes.

Here is their latest update.

There are developments regarding two of the shorefront related bills:    Senator Bradley's bill, SB154, which makes a number of reforms to the Shoreland Protection Act, was amended and approved by the Senate Energy & Environment Committee in a unanimous vote of Ought To Pass (OTP).  Among many other changes, this bill clarifies and simplifies the standards and permitting requirements.

The NHSA Board and membership worked closely with Sen. Bradley and a number of others to edit this amended bill to simplify, clarify, and hopefully gain efficiency in the regulations to protect private property rights balanced with protections for water quality.  This bill also changes the name to the "Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act".  The full text of the amendment is not yet available on-line, however, we will issue an update soon as this bill will now move to Finance and the House.  More as this develops...

SB142 - which makes changes to the NH DES permit process to allow an "integrated permit process" for those projects which require multiple permits, was voted "re-refer" the bill for further study.  Click here for bill language.  The NHSA Board supports this concept, but believes that more work is necessary to better define the process and procedure.  This concept will be debated in the fall.