Vermont Real Estate

Mid-Year Market Report - Vermont Real Estate

2011-06-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

Flowering Crab Apple Tree in Landgrove, VT

Here is a mid-year report on today’s south/south-central Vermont real estate market . . .

It’s a great time to buy! Especially for locals, first-time home-buyers and buyers looking for investment properties.

There has been a significant increase in the number of houses listed under $250,000. My reports in October 2010 and January 2011 showed 24% and 23% of the listings in that price range, while this most recent report shows fully 35% of our listings are priced under $250,000.

As of today (June 1, 2011), there are approximately 646 residential properties on the market within a 15+/-mile radius of Weston, Vermont (our home base). This number does not include condominiums.

225 (35%) are priced between $69,000 and $250,000
238 (37%) are priced between $250,001 and $500,000
129 (20%) are priced between $500,001 and $1 million, and
54 (8%) are priced over $1 million.

There are currently 46 properties under contract, pending sale. Of the properties under contract, exactly one-half are priced under $250,000 and one-half of the total is priced over $250,001.

In the same 15-mile radius, 96 properties have been transferred (closed) since January 1, 2011 and 281 have transferred in the past 12 months. Of the closings in the past 12 months

26 properties (9%) sold for less than $100,000
155 properties (55%) sold for between $100,000 and $300,000
59 properties (21%) sold for between $300,001 and $500,000
25 properties (9%) sold for between $500,001 and $1 million
17 properties (6%) sold for more than $1 million

The Mary Mitchell Miller Real Estate website (www.mmmrealestate.com) features information on all properties for sale in south-central Vermont. Our default search includes the towns of Andover, Chester, Dorset, Jamaica, Landgrove, Londonderry, Ludlow, Manchester, Mount Holly, Peru, Stratton, Weston, Windham and Winhall. Use the Advanced Search feature to search for properties throughout Vermont.

Survival of the Fittest

2011-04-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

Survival of the Fittest

There’s been a book circulating the “airwaves” in the world of real estate marketing and management that has been intriguing to me. It’s not exactly an ideal template for my business model, but it offers some interesting analysis of business in general and real estate in particular.

Surviving the Serengeti by Stefan Swanepoel compares the brutal yet tender life in the Serengeti to what we face as business owners and managers. “As a brutal business environment meets a soft economy, business leaders and managers are looking for sources of both inspiration and survival. This compelling new fable offers a riveting tale of life in Africa’s Serengeti and what lessons it holds for today’s beleaguered business people and struggling society."

The author encourages people to take a quiz to determine their business strategy and leadership style. According to the author, “The wildebeest rely on stubborn endurance and support from the herd to survive; the alligator is opportunistic; the cheetah ruthlessly effective; the giraffe embodies grace, the lion a master strategist, the mongoose is a risk-taker, the elephant is an excellent communicator.”

So what animal am I? Surprisingly, I am the Graceful Giraffe.

From Surviving the Serengeti by Stefan Swanepoel: “The giraffe symbolizes the broad meaning of the word “grace”. While some see grace in human terms as one’s elegance or charm, for others it’s divine in origin and represents that indispensable gift for the development, improvement and expansion of one’s character and the ability to rise above the negative events of time.

The word “grace” tends to vary in meaning from one person or situation to another, often depending upon the context in which it is used. While many see the grace of the giraffe in human-like terms such as elegance, charm, or a positive attitude, others consider it to be divine in origin. They believe that it represents that indispensable gift for the development, improvement, and expansion of one’s character.

No matter how you see it, grace is a disposition that requires compassion toward others and the desire to extend goodwill. It incorporates the exercise of love and kindness—most importantly, to those who may not deserve it. Grace is as crucial in business as it is in life.

This truth is embedded in the fiber of who we are, what we believe, our appreciation, and the contribution we make to society. Gracious people exhibit the following characteristics:

They seek to make others feel like they’re the most important person with whom they can spend time, and always put the needs of others first.
They live according to personal standards that are higher than any given code of conduct, and incorporate dignity, honor, and respect in extending grace to others—even when things have not gone their way.

Whether it’s in our job or in personal matters, grace can open up a richer and more fulfilling life. It’s not an inherent quality that some people have and others do not; rather, grace is learned and acquired by observation and practice. It is first and foremost a skill that is centered on others—how we treat them and how we put their needs above our own without any consideration or expectation of a return in kind.

Our ability to develop grace isn’t based on what we have or don’t have. What matters in terms of grace is whether or not we appreciate what we do have, and how we interact with those around us.

Swanepoel breaks down styles and skills into seven “Serengeti Skills” and believes all seven are critical for businesses (and ecosystems) to survive and thrive.

After 20,000 people have taken the quiz: 31% are Crocs; 24% Giraffes; 13% Elephants; 10% Lions; 8% Cheetahs; 7% Wildebeest and 7% Mongoose.

Take the quiz at http://whatanimalami.com.

The book is widely available at bookstores and online.

The Vermont Property Owners Report

2011-02-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

I always refer new property owners to the Vermont Property Owners Report. Consider it the best $50 you’ve invested in your property!

This bimonthly subscription newsletter is chock-full of invaluable information for property owners (of both homes and land), people thinking about buying or selling property and anyone with an interest in Vermont real estate.

The current issue was particularly informative as it provided an update on our new Governor’s budget and plans for his first few months in office and recommendations from the state’s Blue Ribbon Tax Structure Commission. There were also articles on

septic and well “overshadowing”
Fannie Mae’s concerns about private roads
proposed reforms to Vermont’s Current Use tax policy
an explanation on the state’s new capital gains tax policy, and
several articles about propane gas, including warnings to homeowners to keep their service lines and regulators free from falling snow and ice.

Of particular interest to me as a REALTOR, but also as a property and homeowner, is the 2010 Real Estate Review, a multi-page summary of the state’s real estate market, our ups and downs, means and medians, and a snapshot of what’s to come. Each issue provides statistical information about the real estate market but the year-end summary is always especially interesting.

Giving full credit where credit is due, let me share Vermont Property Owners Report’s analysis of “arms-length” transactions (sales of property that were publically listed for sale on the state’s Multiple Listing Service(MLS) and sold between non-family members).

Volume of Sales by Category

Property Category    2010 Sales      2009 Sales     ’09-’10 Change
Primary – Single Family Homes    3684 3141 +17.3%
Primary – Condominiums 569                 520                 +9.4%
Vacation – Single Family Homes 1017               1034                  -1.6%
Vacation – Condominiums 280                 390                  -28.2%
Mobile Home – No Land              186                 358                  -48%
Mobile Home with Land                108                 188                  -42.5%
Land – 1 to 25 Acres                    816                 676                  +20.7%
Land – 25 to 200 Acres                254                 231                   +10%

MLS Data: Listings, Volume and Days on Market

Residential (primary and vacation)    2009 2010      Change
                   New Listings                    10,960 10,470          -4.47%
                   Sold Listings    3942           3990    +1.22%
                   Sold Volume ($)        $941 million      $997 million +5.87%
                   Avg. Days on Market         139    161        +15.83%
Condo (primary and vacation) 2009 2010 Change
                   New Listings    2371         2224           -6.20%
                   Sold Listings                        991 908            -8.38%
                   Sold Volume ($)      $215 million   $194 million -9.55%
                   Avg. Days on Market         178          178           00.00%

All Properties 2009 2010 Change
                   New Listings                     18,026        17,198        -4.59%
                   Sold Listings                        5753          5852         +1.72%
                   Sold Volume ($)            $1.254 bil       $1.324 bil    +5.59%
                   Avg. Days on Market           151             172         +13.91%

Subscriptions to the Vermont Property Owners Report are $52.95 for Vermont residents (includes sales tax) and $49.95 to non-residents. Discounts are given for multiple year subscriptions. Information is available at http://www.vermontrealestatetoday.com/

Contact Mary Mitchell Miller Real Estate

2011-01-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

New Year's Update - A Snapshot of the South Central Vermont Real Estate Market

2011-01-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

Winter Sparkle - Weston, Vermont

A snapshot of today’s south/south-central Vermont real estate market . . .

You will see that properties in all price ranges ARE selling.

As of today (January 10, 2011), there are approximately 577 residential properties on the market within a 15+/-mile radius of Weston, Vermont (our home base). This number does not include condominiums.

134 (23%) are priced between $69,000 and $250,000
227 (39%) are priced between $250,001 and $500,000
149 (26%) are priced between $500,001 and $1 million, and
67 (12%) are priced over $1 million.

These numbers closely parallel my summary from October 16, 2010, when there are 619 properties on the market in the same geographic area. The breakdown by price is almost identical - see October 2010 - Real Estate Market Summary

Of the properties listed for sale in area, they are located as follows: 19 in Andover, 36 in Chester, 76 in Dorset, 21 in Grafton, 19 in Jamaica, 2 in Landgrove, 58 in Londonderry, 84 in Ludlow, 87 in Manchester, 34 in Mount Holly, 17 in Peru, 16 in Stratton, 22 in Weston, 17 in Windham, and 69 in Winhall.

Remember, these numbers do not include condos; there are currently 230 condominiums on the market ranging in price from $58,500 for a 25% share for a studio unit at Okemo’s Jackson Gore Inn in Ludlow to 4000-square foot ski-in/ski-out, 4BR/5BA Mountain Reach condominium unit in Stratton listed for $2.2 million.

There are currently 27 properties under contract, pending sale. One half of those properties are priced under $500,000 and one half of the total is priced over $500,000. Three of the properties that are currently pending are priced over $1 million.

In the past 12 months, 251 properties have been sold. The sales range from a very rough, unfinished house in foreclosure on 0.3 acres sold for $19,000, to a large country village contemporary on 239 acres in Weston that sold for $2.375 million.

22 properties (9%) sold for less than $100,000
105 properties (42%) sold for between $100,000 and $300,000
57 properties (23%) sold for between $300,001 and $500,000
45 properties (18%) sold for between $500,001 and $1 million
22 properties (9%) sold for more than $1 million

Fully half of all sales in the past 12 months were for properties that sold for less than $300,000.

2011-01-05T06:05:00.000-08:00

Starting the New Year Off on the Right Track

Those who know me well know that I love to cook. So, as the craziness of the Christmas and New Years holidays wind down, we begin to see lots of “Best of . . .” and “Year in Review” lists. I saw one this morning that made me smile. I particularly like this list because I not only agree with it, but I am proud to say that I am 10 for 10! Okay, not exactly 10 for 10, but 10 for 10 in terms of owning a similar product!

According to Epicurious.com – a favorite website, of course – the Top Ten Most Important Cooking Gadgets are . . .

· 8-inch Cook's Knife
· 9-inch Tongs with Nylon Heads
· Mandoline
· Silpat Baking Sheet
· KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer
· Immersion Blender
· Rabbit Corkscrew
· Salad Spinner
· 6.5-Quart Digital Slow Cooker
· Knife Sharpener

See how you stack up . . . here’s the list: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/bestof/toplists/bestgadgets_knife

If You Build It, They Will Come

2010-12-30T07:33:00.000-08:00

A quick tech update . . .

Only days after posting the last entry about the lack of Internet service some rural parts of the state, Great Awk Wireless announced a major initiative to bring increased and improved wireless Internet service to the tri-mountain area. This initiative was spurred in part by Oliver Olsen (Vermont State representative representing parts of Londonderry, Weston, Winhall and Jamaica) and a group of existing subscribers, after GAW initially announced that it would be eliminating or decreasing service to the area because of a lack of customers. The problem, as I see it, was that no one knew about GAW. If you build it, they will come. If you don’t know about a service, how can you purchase/subscribe.

So, on December 1, 2010, we were hooked up to GAW’s wireless Internet. It’s pretty fast. Fast enough to stream Netflix! We’re still in the midst of our trial/money-back period, but I think we’re going to stick with it! We are now, officially, part of the 21^st century.

Technology Needed - Vermont Lacks Internet Access

2010-11-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

Technology Needed - Vermont Lacks Internet Access

I was hit with my first (and, hopefully, my last, cold of the season. It came on fast and has lasted far longer than I had hoped. I spent Sunday feeling lousy and then left work early on both Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday has dawned dark and dreary and the cold still lingers. I’m whining a little, I know, but the biggest problem is that if and when I go home sick, I have no Internet connection and I cannot work from home! Work be damned.

Landgrove, for all its charm and beauty, is still in the dark ages. Neither cable nor DSL is available for the majority of the town and those that truly need Internet service are forced to subscribe to pricey and unreliable satellite service. Between the cost for the hardware and the installation, coupled with the lengthy contract they require, you’re into it for several hundred dollars before you’ve even opened your first webpage or downloaded your first email. And, the speeds are reportedly too slow to really call High Speed. Streaming movies is clearly not an option.

I try not to be too political unless it’s the right opportunity or the right forum, but I have to say that our state and federal leaders have failed us. Greatly. More than three years ago, sitting but retiring Vermont Governor Jim Douglass promised us that Vermont would be an E-State by the end of 2010 – promising cellular and Internet coverage in all but the most remote parts of the state. Well, Jim, we’re 45 days from the end of 2010 and much of Vermont still has spotty cell-phone coverage and no high-speed Internet service. How can Vermonters compete with the world, much less our own countrymen and –women when we can’t work from home, when our kids can’t do their homework, and when vacation-home buyers are starting (seriously!) to consider buying in other parts of the state, region and country so that they can be assured of Internet and cell coverage. This is a disgrace!

This country, and Vermont in particular, needs to spend federal stimulus dollars on getting its citizens up and running technologically. I’ve been in the wilds of Mexico, the islands off the coast of Venezuela and the mountains of rural Canada with better access to technology. Why is that that every other person in the developing world, including most of Asia has better access to cell and Internet service than those of us lucky enough to call Vermont our Home?

Snapshot of the South/South-Central Real Estate Market

2010-10-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

A snapshot of today’s south/south-central Vermont real estate market . . .

As of today (October 16, 2010), there are 619 residential properties on the market within a 20-mile radius of Weston, Vermont (our home base). This number does not include condominiums. They range in size and price from a tiny seasonal camp on 1.8+/- acres in Windham to a palatial country estate on 24 acres in Dorset listed for $5.8 million.
• 147 (24%) are priced between $69,000 and $250,000
• 240 (39%) are priced between $250,001 and $500,000
• 164 (26%) are priced between $500,001 and $1 million, and
• 67 (11%) are priced over $1 million.

Of the properties listed for sale in the 20-mile radius around Weston, the are located as follow: 20 in Andover, 44 in Chester, 81 in Dorset, 24 in Grafton, 18 in Jamaica, 8 in Landgrove, 62 in Londonderry, 80 in Ludlow, 97 in Manchester, 49 in Mount Holly, 16 in Peru, 24 in Weston, 24 in Windham, and 72 in Winhall.

Remember, these numbers do not include condos; there are currently 275 condominiums on the market ranging in price from $19,000 for a 300-square foot one-bedroom unit at the Hawk Resort in Plymouth to 4000-square foot 4BR/5BA Mountain Reach unit at Stratton listed for $2.2 million.

In the past 12 months, 239 properties have been sold. The sales range from a very rough, unfinished house in foreclosure on 0.3 acres sold for $19,000, to a large country village contemporary on 239 acres in Weston that sold for $2.375 million.
• 29 properties (12%) sold for less than $100,000
• 109 properties (46%) sold for between $100,000 and $300,000
• 52 properties (22%) sold for between $300,001 and $500,000
• 36 properties (15%) sold for between $500,001 and $1 million
• 13 properties (5%) sold for more than $1 million
Interestingly, these figures show that 58% of area sales in the last 12 months were for less than $300,000.

Living in a Small Town

2010-08-25T14:34:00.000-07:00

Living in Small Town America

I love living in a small town! There. I said it. And, I meant it. Let me give you a few different examples and maybe you’ll be able to figure out why . . .

1. Earlier this week I called my favorite “deli” in a neighboring town – okay, it’s al Ducci’s in Manchester! – and the owner answered the telephone by saying, “Hi, Claudia, what can I get for you today.” They obviously have caller ID and some people might be horrified by the invasion of privacy . . . but, not me. I wiped a sh**-eating grin off my face in time to sputter, “The usual, please!” Well, this being a small town, they know who’s calling and they know what my usual is. Attention to detail and friendly service – what more can you ask for? Editorial aside: Their tomato, basil, mozzarella panini is heavenly, especially with local produce in season!

2. I’m a volunteer EMT-Intermediate on the local rescue squad and ambulance service (the Londonderry Volunteer Rescue Squad) and the other day I responded to a call that was toned out to respond to my parent’s home address. Slightly panicked, I told a customer who had arrived at my office minutes earlier that I had an emergency and was leaving the office open (Gasp!) and they could look at my listings on their own and they could call me with questions.

Well, I sped up the road and arrived to discover that a neighbor (second-home owner, friend and long-time part-time resident!) had crashed her bike on the road near my family home. I had plans for the evening and was already running late, so I intended only to provide initial treatment and then turn her over to a crew who would take her to the local hospital. But, the look of sheer relief when she saw me changed my mind. Being able to provide comfort and care to a neighbor and a friend is worth ruining the evening’s plans. In the end, we are able to salvage our plans and the ambulance dropped me off in Chester so I could meet my husband and friends at a restaurant in Chester.

3. I’m in a book group with 13 other women. Four of the women I’ve known since before kindergarten; I’ve known 12 for more than 10 years; one is my sister-in-law; three are literally my closest neighbors; seven have been in the group since we started in January 1999; two have left and come back again; and, all 13 would quite practically give their left arm (provided they’re right-handed!) to help any one of us in the group. We’ve seen each other through life’s best and worst times and we’ve always been there for each other. Sometimes books and reading take a backseat . . . and that’s okay. These are my friends and I am eternally thankful for each and every one!

4. It takes me twice as long as it should to go grocery shopping at our local grocery store (Clark’s IGA in Londonderry). Usually, this is a good thing and I’m not complaining. It means I’ve encountered friends in the wine section, “patients” shivering in the frozen food aisle, real estate clients and customers among the produce and too infrequently seen neighbors scouting the organics section. Taking the time to say hello and visit serves many purposes: it makes us feel loved, it connects us to our world and it can, on occasion, provide an idea for dinner!

Starting the Day with a Smile

2010-08-11T06:06:00.001-07:00

I had a “moment” this morning on my way to work. Keep in mind, this is a rural commute of less than five miles along one of the area’s prettiest roads. Just as I was coming down Lawrence Hill Road into the heart of Weston village and approaching the intersection with Main Street, I saw a middle-aged, shirtless man in the middle of the street. He looked like he was wrapping up a morning jog; he had a bottle of water in one hand and looked rather damp. Just as I was about to pass him, he kicked a previously unseen soccer ball across the road towards Weston’s Village Green. He missed! The ball flew in front of me and hit one of the railings and ricocheted out into Main Street. Surprisingly, the road was empty at this moment. I scowled at the jogging soccer-dad, mentally admonishing him that our roads were not his playground and it was irresponsible for him to play with his ball in the middle of the street. What kind of example was he setting for children? My MOMENT occurred as I passed him. I glanced in my rearview mirror to see him jog out into the middle of Main Street and kick the ball once again towards the Green. My frown turned upside down into a huge grin when I saw the ball again hit a rail and catapult itself across the road into Main Street. I laughed all the way down the street to my office as I watched the ball aimlessly drift down the center of the street with this poor guy jogging after it!

Happy Bastille Day from Beautiful Southern Vermont

2010-07-14T11:42:00.001-07:00

Happy Bastille Day

My mother was a first-generation French-American. Her parents both emigrated from France in the mid-1930’s to find better opportunities in the United States. This was a time in American history when immigrants were especially proud to be American and they did all they could to distance themselves from their native homelands and blend in and assimilate into American life. My mother grew up speaking only English, eating English food, and celebrating American holidays. I didn’t know this until I was in my early teens, when I was stunned to learn that my mother’s love of all thing French and her celebration of life as a Francophile was a learned skill rather than innate! Thank goodness, she passed it all along to me.

July 14th and the onset of mid-summer means two things to me – celebrating Bastille Day and devouring my mother’s “French Trifle.” Usually done simultaneously! I’ve since learned that the Trifle (AKA Tipsy Pudding) is an English tradition, but I still associate it with my mother and given the opportunity will always think of it as French!

I’ve been receiving wedding presents lately and some neighbors dropped off a lovely package from renowned Vermont glassblower Simon Pearce the other day. It was a gorgeous glass bowl – absolutely perfect for a summer trifle. I spent part of my morning today avoiding the filing and bill-paying I should have been doing and searching online for the perfect trifle recipe. I have a feeling my mother’s recipe is tucked away in a family recipe book, and I’ll have to search for it later. In the meantime, I’m going to christen our new Simon Pearce bowl with a delicious “French” trifle in honor of my mother and celebrating the 220th anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille in 1789. Cheers!

The Onset of Summer

2010-07-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

It’s July 1^st and barely 50 degrees out! What’s up? So much for global warming. Never mind – not going there!

July 1^st and the upcoming July 4^th holiday week is what we locals typically refer to as The Beginning of the Summer People. Second-home owners arrive in droves, vacation rentals perk up, and day-trippers come and go. And, best of all, our social calendars start to fill up!

July also brings the arrival of fresh produce. Sure, there are a few delicious offerings in June – spinach, lettuce, peas, and my favorite – berries! But, July is when we go to the farmers’ market without a shopping list and have increasingly wonderful things to choose from. I don’t care what I leave with, so long as I leave with a basketful of fresh bounty. Fresh flowers, bounties of fresh vegetables, Grandma Miller’s fruit pies, Sugar Bob’s maple syrup, some Taylor Farm Gouda cheese. And my favorite way to end the shopping expedition is with a delicious burrito made with local ingredients and fresh-squeezed lemonade!

The West River Farmers’ Market is among the oldest and most popular in the area. On Saturdays from Memorial Day through Columbus Day you can spend your morning wandering among the vendors’ stall, visiting with friends and neighbors, making new friends and supporting local families and businesses by purchasing locally grown and made produce and wares. This is a community and there isn’t anything more important than supporting one another!

See you there . . .

Back on the Blogging Wagon Again

2010-06-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

I recently became engaged and have taken an unintended sabbatical from blogging. I had made good progress in getting into the routine of writing . . . but, wham-o . . . life throws me a curve (albeit, a good curve) and I fall off the proverbial wagon. So, the wedding dress is on order with my seamstress, the caterers are confirmed, tent and linens ordered and a band has been selected, and now I can get back to work!

Site of My Recent Engagement - Akumal, Mexico

A Well Priced Property = A Sold Property

There is always an increase in new listings come spring and this spring is no different. What is different this year, however, is that sellers are finally listening to realtors and are pricing their properties to sell. There are new properties on the market in all price ranges and there are some tremendous buys out there.

New to the market in Weston, Landgrove, Londonderry, Peru and Andover are 22 properties ranging in price from $140,000 for a lovely antique Cape on 2.9+/- acres in Andover (in need of restoration) to large four bedroom home on 5+/- acres listed for $499,00 in Londonderry. A summary of these 22 new listings is available at 22 New Properties for Sale - Click Here for Information .

Pricing a property fairly and realistically from the onset is critical. Buyers are savvier than ever and properties that are over-priced tend to linger on the market for months (and years). Eventually, even though the asking price has been reduced, there is a perceived stigma attached to the property and it becomes harder and harder to sell . . . even at the “right” price.

Mud Season Snapshot of Local Real Estate Market

2010-03-24T10:17:00.001-07:00

March 24, 2010

Not much is new in my world . . . it’s mud season, a time when business is traditionally slow and tourists and vacation-home buyers are wisely off visiting sunnier, greener and southern climates. I’ll be joining them myself in a few weeks!

In the general area we service, there are 31 new residential listings since March 1^st ranging from a large European-style post and beam beauty with a pristine pond and extraordinary mountain views on 25 acres in Dorset listed for $2.35 million to a cute and affordable “starter home” in a nice neighborhood of Chester listed for $145,000. The quality and depth of our inventory is excellent and there’s a little bit of everything on the market now. There aren’t many “bargains” to be had, but there are lots of good values and houses in every price range seem to be selling. Slowly. But, the good news is that things are moving again!

In that same time period (since March 1^st), 11 properties have transferred.

Five of the 11 had been reduced in price at least once since the original listing and, on average they sold for 85% of the original asking price and 93% of the revised asking price. The average Days on Market was 286, which is typical for this area but, still, a long long time and longer than most sellers (or their agents!) want a property to be on the market.

I’m not sure this snapshot tells a story, but it will be interesting to check in now and again to see how this month’s activity compares to future months. Stop back and see . . .

Another US Open Snowboarding Weekend Has Come and Gone

2010-03-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Another US Open Snowboarding weekend has come and gone and . . . from what I can tell . . . everyone is alive & well and rested & relaxed after a fabulous week of sun and fun. It was the proverbial perfect storm for a successful event - ideal sunny warm weather, lots of snow, school vacation week (for colleges on the trimester system and private schools) . . . and, best of all, there were appearances by most of the US's snowboarding team's 2010 Olympians and medal winners including Shaun White, Kelly Clark, Hannah Teter, and Louie Vito!

Saturday's events capped a week of almost perfect March spring weather. Temps hoovered in the high 50's and even hit the mid-60's a couple of times throughout the week. Stratton hosted tens of thousands of skiers and boarders and, from all reports, everything seems to have been a success.

As a volunteer with the local rescue service and ambulance, I see things slightly differently than the average attendee! Having tens of thousands of visitors partying their way around southern Vermont is often a recipe for disaster. Past years have been mostly tame with a few exceptions. Indeed, I think most folks were exceptionally well-behaved this year. I did "enjoy" my first all-nighter in years as a result of a busy rescue week/weekend, and I'm still recovering from lack of sleep. Recovery takes longer and longer as we get older!

In addition to being on duty two other nights during the week, and having to stand-by at a structure fire on the mountain earlier in the week (everyone was fine and I'm pretty sure the condo was "saved" with the exception of smoke and water damage), my crew and I had the dubious honor of pulling the Friday night shift for the US Open weekend. While I can't share any details, I can tell you that our shift started with a two-fer call (two patients) to Stratton at 5:15 PM Friday afternoon and ended with a call that brought us back to the squad building a little after 7:00 AM Saturday morning. In all, we transported five times to three different hospitals in the 14 hours we were out.

So, another US Open has successfully come to an end. Fans of all ages were happily entertained, and we all wrapped up the weekend with a little sun on our faces and a love for Vermont in our hearts!

Mud Season Has Arrived!

2010-03-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

We’ve had a string of perfect spring days and I for one have a touch of spring fever! The sun is shining, there’s not a cloud in the sky and I think we might hit the mid- to high 50s this afternoon. On top of all this, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, so I’m feeling green and cheerful – like a little leprechaun has taken over my brain and body.

This is the time of year when there is a confluence of events and seasonal signs that make this one of the most enjoyable and the most miserable mini-seasons for us local folks.

Cold nights and warm days mean the sap is running and that means maple syrup isn’t far behind. Steam rising from the sugar shacks in the woods and along the road always put a smile on my face!
Spring skiing! Need I say more? Spring skiing means we get to work on our tans – at least from the neck up and, if we’re lucky, our forearms! Spring skiing means some of us spend more time on the deck t the base lodge visiting with friends and enjoying a cold one than we do on the slopes. Spring skiing really means that spring is around the corner and within sight.
Cold nights and warm days also mean the roads are one step away from an official mud bog course and savvy drivers purposely drive miles out of their way to avoid certain roads rather than risk ending up in knee-deep mud up to the under-carriage of their cars requiring a tow from a friendly neighbor and a chastising from the automobile mechanic who stated that my car was among the worst he’d seen that year (that’s another story)!

As we travel south out of the mountain towns to Manchester and beyond or north toward Rutland, we notice there is little if any snow. Here in the mountains we still have feet upon feet of the white stuff. We watch miserably as folks in thse towns get to start raking lawns, putting their driveway’s gravel back in their driveways, and clearing broken tree branches. We, however, still have snow up to our eyeballs. The snow banks are gray and ugly and we still have months before yard care is on our to-do lists.

A friend posted on her facebook page last night that the warm days are making her think of sitting on the porch and watching the world go by with a G&T in hand and a smile on the face. Porch-sitting, cocktail in hand, is one of my favorite pastimes. My porch is a little far from the road, but I can still watch the comings and goings of our rural “neighborhood. I have noticed a decided change in traffic patterns as people go the “long way ‘round” from Peru and Manchester to Weston rather than cut through Landgrove. Must be the mud roads they’re hoping to avoid.

Time Off to Recharge is Critical for True Success

2010-03-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

Those who know me at all know that I positively NEED to take vacations and they know that I have absolutely fallen in love with Mexico. Last year I managed to find the time and finances to enjoy two trips to Mexico - one with the kids, one just for us lucky adults! Two whole weeks away . . . can I do it again? Pretty please?

Being a small business owner has its challenges and finding the time and the confidence to leave the office and leave for a vacation is one of the hardest things I've tackled. I love my work and I have found great satisfaction in being a successful and professional REALTOR. Part of my success and my continued passion stems from the fact that my work is NOT my life. It's a big part of who I am and what makes me tick, but it's not what makes me "me."

I am convinced that taking time off makes me a better professional. It gives me perspective and it allows me to focus on challenges when I need to because I've had opportunities to rest, relax, enjoy and recharge my batteries. The years that I've been too busy, too poor or too stubborn to get away have been long and miserable. Life is too short to be such a grind.

All this talk of vacations comes because I'm planning to take off again at the end of April for a week of sun, sand and fun and I'm deep in the midst of making plans and arrangements so that I can leave the office knowing that I'm still accessible and still available to keep the business up and running in my absence. I may be out of the country but that doesn't mean that I can't still be "there" for my clients and customers. I always bring a laptop, I have a cellphone (rented from Mexitel- awesome solution) and, thus using technology, I'm able to stay available. All this takes time to organize and now that I've done this a half-dozen or so times, it's becoming routine. It's worth the time to get all set so that I can actually kick back and enjoy myself rather than obsess about what I'm missing back in the office.

As a sole proprietor and practitioner I'm never able to completely get away from it all. I do my best, though, and knowing that I can leave and still be available and accessible makes it work for me. All I need to remember is that a good seller-client will understand my need for personal time and time off, and a loyal and committed buyer will wait for me to return. I'll do my best to work with them and for them while I'm gone . . . but . . . if either a buyer or a seller doesn't understand my need to recharge the proverbial batteries, then I'm not sure I want to work with them!

It's March, The Sap is Running . . . All is Good in the World

2010-03-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

It's March, the sap is finally running and all is good in the world!

March means winter is nearing an end and, while there is still tons of snow and we're still enjoying some of the best skiing of the winter, we locals start to think about an end to the long winter and the beginning of our all-too-short "green" season. This is especially true when - on a day like today - the sun is bright, the sky is crystal clear and beautifully blue and we've had a string of cold nights followed by warm days. All this means that Vermont's quintessential sugar maples have or will soon begin to produce the world's best sap. And, after hours of hard work, lots of laughter, good times with family and friends, and a few near catastrophes later, you will have altered gallons of sap into quarts and pints of liquid gold: Maple Syrup.

My day today began with that all too coveted call from our neighbor Ann with the news that the sap is running and they're going to begin collecting this afternoon and the sugar house (AKA The Cabana) will officially open for business tonight! Hip hip hooray. In locals' words, "They're BOILING."

Today is the beginning of about 4-6 weeks of good fun for us neighbors. Somehow I thankfully manage to stay away from the mucky job of collecting the sap and have assigned myself the role of cheerleader and sustenance provider. I'll bring drinks and snacks while the guys (and gals) do the hard work!

Years ago, when I was working for then Senator Jim Jeffords, I played softball for his Senate team. The name of the team was the Vermont Saps and our t-shirts featured a graphic of the State of Vermont with the words "40:1." We wanted people who were stupid enough NOT to ask what that meant to assume that it was our win:loss record, but in truth 40:1 is the ratio of sap to syrup. It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup! As I said, lots of hard work.

Part of the reason I think so many of my friends have chosen to live in this neck of the woods is that we get to experience the true joy and camaraderie that comes from events like this. Neighbors come out to play and talk, folks of every age group work together, we share tales of our long winter and we open our fridges and coolers to share food and grog. There's a place for everyone and everyone is welcome.

Off to the boil . . . see you soon.