Without question the most common question we get several times a day is, ” how is the real estate market?’. Well, we live in Vermont and that is not an simple question to answer. We certainly can’t refer to Standard and Poor’s Case-Shiller Home Price Indices to track how the residential housing market is doing in Vermont. There is simply not enough data available even in the best of times. In the market we have been in over the last 24 months, data needs to be generated and analyzed by brokers wishing to have a handle on the current conditions. Here at Vermont Country Real Estate, we work throughout the entire state of Vermont which allows us to keep a pretty good handle on just how the market is doing.

So, how is the real estate market in Vermont?

Glad you asked, the last few months have shown some very interesting trends statewide. The 2008 and 2009 real estate market in Vermont was by and large very flat. Most all sectors of the marketplace experienced a very strong slowdown. Curiously, here in Vermont this does not necessarily mean that the prices have gotten too high, but rather that the buyers are very few and hence what sales do occur do not offer enough data to draw conclusions. The usual response nation wide to a slow market is to lower the pricing and trigger a response from the marketplace. But again, we have not had sufficient buyers statewide to guage if that is going to elicit an upswing in the market. Fortunately, the marketplace here in Vermont is showing a very strong resurgence. Discussions with brokers statewide confirms that inquiries on properties by way of phone calls, emails and appointments for showings are definitely improved over what it has been over the last couple of years. And yes, this is translating into properties going into contract and closing.

What about pricing?

Clearly there has been a need for many properties to have a price adjustment to reflect current conditions. Many properties have been on the market for a very long time. A property that has been on the market for over a year does not necessarily mean that it is over priced. However, the effect is that many of the newer listings coming on the market are taking into account the fact that to be competitive they must be priced well. This is where experience and understanding of the market come into play. As the marketplace is gaining strength, the pricing is still reflective of a slower time. Now is the time to be looking if you are seriously considering buying in Vermont. The properties that have been on the market in many cases have had price adjustments that make them very attractively priced. New listings tend to be what I can only term “reactionary”.  The listing brokers want to create market interest and the sellers are usually only too aware that a correct listing price is the only way to gain that.

So in short, we seem to be having a marketplace where interest and sales are taking place while listings are reacting to a slower recent past. This is creating a condition that will only exist for a short period of time. Given the activity we are experiencing so far this spring, we should see a much stronger real estate market through this spring/summer season than we have seen in a long time.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

The most common comment I hear from people looking at real estate in Vermont is how Vermont looks and  feels so special and unique. There are many reasons for this beyond the obvious beauty of the State, the friendliness of its people and the varied cultural and recreational opportunities. Many of the reasons are a bit subliminal such as no billboards, the cleanliness and it’s iconic small villages. But there is also a solid foundation of legislative tools that have been implemented over the years to make sure that Vermont doesn’t make the mistakes of other once pristine regions and states.

In my opinion, there are three legislative acts that have been instrumental in preserving that which we hold dear in Vermont. They are Land Gains Tax, Act 250 and Current Use Program. All were established in response to conditions that were seen to be detrimental to the health of Vermont. In essence they all are closely linked to land development  in Vermont.

The Land Gains Tax

The Land Gains Tax was established at a time that development was rapidly growing in response to the need for second homes for primarily the ski industry. In essence, it is a fairly simple principal that makes it very difficult for anyone to buy a parcel of land, subdivide it and quickly sell off the individual lots at a large profit. It is a digressive tax that expires after six years. It is based on the length of time the property is owned and on the percentage of profit. This has stopped the quick exploitative speculation that has ruined vast amounts of land throughout the country.

Act 250 is the permitting process that is triggered by subdivisions and development in the state. when first enacted in the 1980’s, it was a very daunting process. However, over the years it has been streamlined to not overly burden a developer and to carefully review all development to protect Vermont’s water resources and environment.

Current Use Program

Current Use Program was developed in the late 1970’s to help farmers and land owners with their property taxes by basing the valuation of the land on its productive value versus it’s traditional highest and best use value. To qualify, a landowner must own a minimum of 25 acres of forest or farm land, and in some cases, less farmland is required. A management plan is developed by a forester and then approved by the county forester. By keeping land in Current Use, a landowner gets a substantially reduced tax burden. The landowner cannot develop land in Current Use. It can be withdrawn from the program, but doing so requires payment of  a penalty. What this program has accomplished, is the betterment of Vermont forest land through proper management, and it lessens the need for a landowner to sell off bits of their land to pay for property taxes.

Unfortunately, during these economic times, the Current Use Program has come under scrutiny as a way of generating more revenue for the state by changing the valuation and availability of Current Use. To do so would be to tamper with the very foundation that makes Vermont what it is today. There is a very strong movement underway to keep Current Use intact and by properly educating the citizens of Vermont as to  just how important this seminal program is the future of Vermont.

View Vermont Country Real Estate’s Land opportunities

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

There are a variety of fun activities in which to partake throughout the state of Vermont as the fall foilage season reaches it’s peak.

The Lake Champlain Quadricentennial continues with a variety of activities and celebrations in towns throughout the region.

Have you herd? The Bennington moosefest continues through October.

The 37th annual Woodstock Apple and Crafts Fair will be held from 10:00 to 5:00 on October 10 and 11 at Bailey Mills on Rt. 4 in Woodstock. Over 100 craftspeople will be displaying their wares.

The Killington Brewfest will be held on Saturday, October 3 at the base of Killington Peak. There will be live bands, fabulous food, and over 60 local brews to sample. Admission is $25.

The fall foliage is just reaching its peak so we hope you can join us for awhile!

Posted by Ken Felten

Vermont is so unique in that it’s seasons are all so different and all so remarkably beautiful. Clearly my favorite in terms of inner reflection and stopping to appreciate all that surrounds us is Fall. The other morning I went out early to grain the horses and I had to put on my wool Ibex vest for the first time this season. The morning was crisp and that unmistakable cool clean air had just a hint of the changes coming. The trees are starting to show signs of the inevitable change they will soon make. There’s an uncontrollable urge to completely embrace  all that surrounds you and make it last forever.

How best to enjoy this Fall season? I always like to go for drives along back roads that I haven’t visited in some time. Truly, the fall colors are magnificent where ever you go. I always like to drop into country stores when I travel Vermont. A great many of the rural towns in Vermont still depend tremendously on the General Store. Many throughout the state also contain the local Post Office. You will be sure to encounter a strong aroma of coffee and hopefully some fresh baked goods upon entering. I like to recommend to my customers and clients that are visiting this time of year to plan to be in a village that features a good General Store around lunch time. Sandwiches and drinks will be waiting. It’s also a way to interact with the local Vermonters and fellow visitors, all of whom depend on the General Store for their quick needs. A good source to locate General Stores is the Vermont Alliance of Independent Country Stores. Their website has many, but not all,  General Stores in Vermont  listed.

As to what routes to take to view the foliage, it’s really up to your individual wants. All of Vermont is very picturesque, and yet foliage changes at different times of the season in different parts of the state. The best website to check on  is the Fall Foliage Report.  There you will find what areas of the state and what roads are showing the most color. The only thing left to complete the fall picture, is a stop at a local farm stand for cider and donuts. It really doesn’t get much better.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

No time of year demonstrates community spirit better than the Fourth of July. Throughout Vermont the celebrations and traditional events of the Fourth continue to exemplify the patriotism and spirit of this great nation. Most all towns in Vermont have parades, barbeques and all day events.

Starting the week before the Fourth, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, VSO, plays at several locations throughout the state. This years theme is The Lake Effect, in celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the discovery of Lake Champlain by Samuel de Champlain. A great tradition of the VSO is the playing of the 1812 Overture accompanied by a spectacular fireworks display. Check their website for locations and times.

Here in the Woodstock area, we start the Fourth with the 33rd Annual John Langhans Green Miles Road Race. All day long is a Celebration at the Woodstock Union High School, which features food, live music, acts and of course the fireworks display after dark.

Barnard has a delicious Chicken Barbeque and Flea Market at the Town Hall, just across from Silver Lake.

Pomfret is famous for its Strawberry Supper with seatings at 5, 6 and 7PM.

The Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock features an all day event with horse drawn wagon rides, spelling bee, ice cream making and an egg toss.

The Fourth of July is a special celebration at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth, VT. Calvin Coolidge is the only US President to be born on the Fourth of July. A special laying of a wreath from the White House at the presidents gravesite takes place at Noon. This is followed by a chicken barbeque.

Don’t want to leave home but want to witness the festivities? Act quickly and you could watch the Woodstock fireworks from your own deck at Rainbow Ridge on Westerdale Road in Woodstock, one of our featured listings for sale.

Need some noise making of your own? Check out The Cannon Store and perhaps the Winchester Model 98 Signal Cannon which fires 10ga blanks will fill the bill. However, it  just might prevent the chickens from laying for a few days.

However you choose to celebrate the Fourth of July, this years events should prove to be memorable.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

This summer marks the 4ooth anniversary of Samuel de Champlains exploration of the lake named after him. A great deal of time and effort on the part of many organizations and individuals has gone into what promises to be a memorable celebration of a very significant event in the history of North America.

A full schedule of events and happenings can be found on the Celebrate Champlain website. There are ongoing exhibits and individual events all summer long. In addition to the planned events, day trips up and down the shoreline of both Vermont and New York can yield many great towns, restaurants and attractions. One of my favorite places in Basin Harbor Club. The Beach family have been the hosts of generations drawn to the scenic beauty of Lake Champlain. The slow pace and all encompassing attention is truly old world gracious living at its best.

While exploring the Lake Champlain basin, perhaps the idea of owning a shorefront property will come to mind. Here at Vermont Country Real Estate, we specialize in marketing unique properties state wide. On Lake Champlain, we have one of the best preserved, most private land parcels available. Located in Benson, this 75 acre listing, known as Lake Champlain Shoreline, has 1050 feet of shoreline with great views and easy lake access. Owning this property just might prevent one from further exploration of our wonderful Lake Champlain. It is that nice.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

There was a time not so long ago that Vermont was known for its picturesque hillside dairy farms and the abundant production of milk, milk products, cheese and maple syrup. The farms still dot the landscape and help to fortify the iconic symbol of gracious rural life in Vermont. The products though have taken a very dramatic turn. Vermont has been known for its wheels of sharp cheddar cheese gracing the counters of the local general stores. It helped to propel Cabot into being a nationally recognised brand of cheese and other dairy products. But cheese production has become a major rural commodity that is helping to save many of Vermonts farms.

The Vermont dairy farmer has always been at the mercy of the federal government fixing milk prices. The basic economic factors that dictate the pricing of goods is thrown out the window when it comes to dairy farming. It land prices go up, if equipment prices go up and if fuel prices go up the farmer has no control to raise his milk prices to reflect their increased costs. Thankfully many enterprising farmers and start up farmers have realized that rather than selling milk for below cost, they can use that milk to create cheese. And create they are. Vermont is rapidly becoming recognized as a major cheese producing state.

The Vermont Cheese Council is the first stop anyone should make on their web search of Vermont cheeses. There you will find access to lists of all Vermont cheesemakers, and directions of how to find them. By following the Vermont Cheese Trail you can eat your way through Vermont.

The Vermont Cheese Book by Ellen Ecker Ogden is also a tremendous resource for information on Vermont cheeses. However, as rapidly as new cheeses are being produced, it may need to be amended on an annual basis.

Local outlets are also a good source for trying Vermont cheeses. I regularly sample new cheeses at my local market, Woodstock Farmers Market. They also mail order cheeses as well as other gourmet treats. Sources can be located through the Vermont Cheese Council.

Even though Vermont cheddar is hard to beat, try some of the gourmet cheeses being produced. You won’t be disappointed.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

For those of us that live full time in Vermont its always curious as to what draws people to our wonderful state. Its easy to identify the skiers and boarders with their laden vehicles heading for the slopes, or the kayakers with their boats on top of their cars. But the more obscure  interests are harder to spot. We also have a somewhat jaded sense that people are flocking here just because…..Vermont is great.

We, at Vermont Country Real Estate, like to take our lunch when possible at the Long Trail Brewery in Bridgewater. Its close and has an excellent luncheon menu, to say nothing about a great selection of beers and ales. I decided during one of these lunches, that I should write about some of the breweries in Vermont. Little did I know as I started my research just how popular and plentiful they are.

For those searching for Vermonts microbreweries, a quick search on the web of Vermont Brewers gives a full listing of the various producers. It ranges from the smallest brewery in America, Jasper Murdock’s Alehouse, located at the Norwich Inn in Norwich, to such well known brands as Long Trail and Harpoon. The state has microbreweries scattered throughout all regions.

Would people come to Vermont just to jump from brewery to brewery? Apparently so. There are also events at the various breweries, such as the Harpoon Championships of New England Barbecue and the Vermont Brewers Festival. Just proving that man does not live on beer alone.

Vermont Breweries are just one of thousands of reasons that people use to head to Vermont. But I have to say I have yet to have a customer ask me specifically to  find them a house next to a microbrewery.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

Barnard, Vermont is located directly north of Woodstock, Vermont and has always enjoyed being Woodstocks quiet neighbor. It has a rich heritage and a wonderful cross section of citizens. For many years Barnard was the quiet retreat for Sinclair Lewis and his wife Dorothy Thompson. They lived on a hill side farm that after their death became Sonnenberg Farms. Sonnenberg was a private ski hill with a tasteful second development. The Lewis homestead became an Inn and excellent restaurant. At present the property is known as Twin Farms, a world class resort that prides itself in outstanding accommodations and hospitality services. World figures and celebrities can relax and enjoy the Vermont at its best without any fanfare or recognition. Ah, quiet Barnard.

The focal center of Barnard is the Barnard General Store. Here citizens enjoy excellent foods prepared on site and catch up on the latest news after strolling over from the Post Office. For much of the year one can enjoy looking over Silver Lake form the covered porch and the comfort of the Adirondack chairs.

Less luxurious than Twin Farms but very impressive are the Barnard Inn and the Inn at Chelsea Farm. Comfortable lodgings with excellent meals.

With all of this going for it, Barnard sounds like an unknown, undiscovered community in the hills of Vermont. Quite the contrary, as recent articles in two local newspapers, The Valley News and The Vermont Standard,  have reported. A wonderful Barnard property, the old Fraunces Farm, has recently been sold and has shattered the Vermont state record for a residential sale. The Fraunces Farm, comprised of 292 acres,  has undergone a complete rebuild including a new 12000 sq ft stone residence. It has just sold for $18 mil, way beyond the prevous state record of $8.4 mil for a ca 1910 stone manse on Lake Champlain with 423 acres.  Being at state record and by such a huge margin has drawn much attention to Barnard. But this is not the only state record that Barnard real estate has set. In 2001 Stonegate, a magnificent colonial reproduction on 81 acres sold for $3.9mil a short lived state record. Yet consistently Barnard properties have achieved prices that tend to buck the trends. In the current economic climate, there is some reassurance that Vermont real estate is still viewed by the rest of the world as a good value.

So what about Barnard? Is it now going be exploited, developed and destroyed? It never has previously and just like the rest of Vermont, its citizens will continue to value and preserve their wonderful haven. Ah, quiet Barnard.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

Clearly the year of 2008 has been one of the most relevent periods of time in the history of modern man. I think it safe to say that every institution of virtually all nations have had to reevaluate their place in the world and reposition themselves for the sake of future survival. The year saw political changes, financial changes and hopefully a radical change in the consciousness of all people. The complacent mindset of the twentieth century has hopefully been replaced with a greater understanding of the needs of the twenty first century.

The business of real estate brokerage has seen its share of changes. The traditional business model of a real estate agency has been reshaped by changes in buyers and sellers access to the internet. Never before has there been such access to the tools that brokers use to help educate and inform the buying public. The typical buyer of today has a clear understanding of market conditions, available properties and historic sales data. When we at Vermont Country Real Estate set up our website, we did so in a manner that would attract buyers and sellers looking for insight into Vermont Real Estate. Not only can all listings be accessed state wide, but past sales data going back to 1986 makes for a better understanding of market conditions today. It was our hope and has been proven to be the case that visitors to our site come back frequently for information about Vermont real estate and state and community information.

We welcome comments on how we can better serve your needs as we enter 2009. Helping you is why we are here, and we readily await the opportunity to serve your needs.

Ken, Kathy and I wish you the very best of this new year and look forward to strengthening the bonds, and increasing the opportunities we have with our clients, customers and colleagues.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway