Stowe, VT offers year round activities, one of the major draws in this area aside from Stowe Mt. Resort and The Trapp Family Lodge, is the the rec path.
The rec path is 11 miles long and runs from the center of Stowe Village up towards Mt. Mansfield, ending near Topnotch Resort. The path follows the West Branch River and the Mt. Road.
It is great for biking, walking, running in the summer and cross country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. There are plenty of swimming holes located along the path.
The path is fun for all ages and there are places to stop and eat along the way so you can fully experience all Stowe has to offer. During the summer the Helen Day Art Center hosts Exposed in Stowe, an outdoor art exhibit along the path.
Running next to the paved Rec Path, is the Quiet Path, which is for walking and quiet enjoyment of the natural surroundings, it’s also great for walking your dog off the leash.
For more information on the path click here: Stowe Rec Path
Time to make that final push before the end of the month and summer starts. Home clean up and maintenance is really important for selling a home. It makes a big difference in being able to get close to your asking price and when the building inspection happens.
Curb appeal draws buyers to houses, but the curb appeal has to come through on line before they will actually go and look at the house. Making sure your house goes through a strong spring cleaning even if it is on the market.
Here’s a great article on tips for spring maintenance from Inman News:
The historic Stowe Hardware building is now on the market and available for purchase. Having housed a hardware store for over 100 years, this property is one of a kind. It’s prime location in Stowe Village allows for maxim exposure for any business.
This building housed the Stowe Hardware and Tin Shop from 1829 until 2011: one hundred and eight-two years of history and commerce. Restored in 1999 to reflect the character of the 1800’s, this building offers almost 9000 square feet of retail and storage space. Few buildings in Stowe offer the versatility and location as this anchor at the north end of the village. There are endless possibilities where the character and history of this building could enhance businesses. Any possibility you can create there is square footage with charm. Wine bar, bookstore, coffee shop, restaurant to retail shop, ample parking, garage or shop space, use your imagination. Own a piece of Stowe’s history and make your imprint on its future.
Exclusive: $1,500,000
Contact: Peggy Smith: 802-793-3566 or McKee Macdonald: 802-375-5009
When we sit down with clients to discuss selling their homes one of the main features we review is the shape of the house. Not just the overall condition and impression it will make on the market, but how it will be received by the market. What we have found is there are very few home owners that don’t need to declutter on some level. By decluttering your home you make it show and feel larger and move inviting to potential customers.
Think about how much stuff we collect over the years, how much of it just ends up taking up space in a closet or the basement. What type of impression does that leave? Many people may think that since you can’t keep an organized home it’s a sign of other underlining problems like you haven’t kept the house in shape. Even if you just clean up your closets so they give the appearance of having more space that’s a start.
Here’s the latest article from Smith Macdonald Group’s McKee Macdonald featured in this week’s Stowe Reporter:
Spring Cleaning for Sellers
Winter is over, albeit a short one by Vermont standards, but it’s time to refocus and use “mud-season” to your advantage. If your home has been on the market for a while, or just coming on the market spring cleaning takes on a whole new meaning. Buyers expect to see a property that reflects the season. This reflection has to take place on-line as well as at the actual property.
First understand where your home is being viewed and how it reaches buyers. Knowing how and where buyers shop allows you to meet their expectations.
89% of all buyers start their search on-line
88% go through a realtor, who use an on-line format to present your home to potential purchasers
Buyers expect an on-line shopping experience that is similar to other on-line shopping experiences for items like clothing, cars, etc.
Since the first showing of your home happens in an on-line environment, this is one area you should focus some of your spring cleaning. In order to meet buyer’s expectations, you should be presenting them with a complete and full listing experience on-line and at the actual home. Here are a few questions you should be asking yourself:
Is my home where buyers are searching and can find it on-line
Am I presenting the property as seasonally relevant
What do my photos convey
Do I have video
Does my spring clean up come across on-line
Have I addressed winter damage
Be prepared as a seller, by examining damage that might have occurred during the winter, you can be proactive and fix issues or figure them into your new and improved asking price. This allows for you to account for any damage and shows potential buyers that you’ve done your homework.
In addition to the cosmetic changes, examining your asking price in relation to recent sales cannot be overstated. Sales from the winter months have established where homes are most likely to trade in the warmer months. Using this information to your advantage will result in a faster sale at a higher price.
By making sure your listing on-line has gone through a transformation, it will help you to prepare your home for actual showings. Spring cleaning of any home is paramount to keeping it in top shape, but for homes on the market it can be a matter of selling or not.
Here we go people, we’ve been blogging, tweeting and reporting on the progress of the Cady Hill Forest Conservation Project being conducted by the Stowe Land Trust. Let’s make the final few days of April count. If we can raise $100K then the Stafford Family Foundation will donate $25K!
Also the Stowe Mountain Bike Club has signed on to develop and maintain the Mt. bike trails within the forest. Check it out here.
Welcome to the Smith Macdonald Report, our 1st Quarter examination of the Stowe, Lamoille County and Waterbury’s residential and land real estate market. This report uses market-wide data based on transactions that closed in the first three months of 2012 and compares them to closings that took place during the first three months of 2011. Closings usually occur four-to-eight weeks after a contract is signed for that reason, the sales activity charted here reflects transactions that closed during and through the end of the 1st Quarter, and does not include contracts signed that have not closed.
Winter 2012 was lacking snow and that did have an impact on the number of buyers searching for homes while here for vacation. Although the snow was off compared to 2011, there was a 7% increase in total units sold in 1st Quarter 2012 compared to Q1 2011. Inventory continued to dip to 100 residential listings for a 12% decline in Q1 2012 compared to a year ago. Although, there were three sales above $1 million during the 1st Quarter, that majority of sales happened below $500K, which resulted in a decline of 32% in the median selling price from $555K to $377K. Although sellers have been reducing their asking prices, buyers continue to test the market by placing lower offers. Smart sellers and buyers are able to find common ground, but usually after both have stated their initial positions.
Lamoille County residential sales turned a corner in Q1 2012, increasing 10% in sales volume compared to Q1 2011. Although there was an increase in units sold the median and average prices were down 5% and 1% respectively compared to 2011. Waterbury residential sales volume had a significant drop off in Q1 2012 down 60% compared to this time a year ago. It is important to note the Waterbury market is very small and the reduction was a result of 2 sales compared to 5 last year during Q1. This reduction resulted in declines in both, median and average prices, 12% and 25% respectively compared to Q1 2011.
One constant theme in the current market is the difficulty transactions have from start to finish, whether it is marketing, price, inspection or financing. We have found that without the right team working hand in hand with you it can be extremely difficult to sell or purchase a home. Coldwell Banker Carlson Real Estate continues to be the area expert representing 38% of sellers and buyers. Of that 38%, Smith Macdonald Group represented 49%; we are ready to provide you with unmatched expertise and advice.
Welcome to my new series, Sunsets Throughout the Seasons in Stowe Vermont.
I hope to bring you different sunsets from different times of year and from different locations in Stowe. We have an amazing back drop for most of our sunset, that being Mt. Mansfield and Stowe Mt. Resort.
I hope you enjoy this series and our beautiful town.
The community is being challenged to raise $100,000 in the month of April, in order to claim a generous $25,000 gift for Cady Hill Forest from the Stafford Family Foundation.
The land trust, which has raised nearly $1.2 million toward the $1.56 million project, is urging the community to pitch in and get the job done.
For everyone who has been thinking about giving to the project, we urge you to donate before April 30th so we can claim this gift!
Stowe Land Trust works hard to preserve the land in and around Stowe. This is one of the many reasons Stowe remains pure and natural looking and fantastic. Their new project will help to conserve the Cady Hill Forest for generations to come. What the result will be is 320 acres of town forest preserved and put into use with 11 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, walking the dog, snowshoeing and more. All of this will be a short walk from the village of Stowe. This will add to the many properties that the Stowe Land Trust has preserved and put to community use over the years like Wiessner & Kirchner Woods, H. D. Burnham Farm and Mill Trail Property.
In order to get there the Stowe Land Trust needs to raise the final $450,000 by May 30, 2012. Help Stowe Land Trust reach this goal by donating to help preserve this beautiful land.
Visit the Stowe Land Trust site to learn more about the Cady Hill Forest and all their projects. Donate and Learn Here.
Stowe, VT offers year round activities, one of the major draws in this area aside from Stowe Mt. Resort and The Trapp Family Lodge, is the the rec path.
