11 Avocado Lane is at Once and At-Home Vacation Spot and and At-Home Sanctuary. Nestled at the foot of the mountains, the unique feeling and beauty of the mountains surrounds you.  With big mountain views from your decks, living, dining, kitchen, and family rooms, the feeling of being out doors is with you even when you are inside enjoying the warmth of your real wood fireplace. 

At home sanctuaries and at home vacation experiences became more desirable during the pandemic and post pandemic eras, and 11 Avocado Lane's location is ideal as a 4-season vacation home and sanctuary. It is a wise investment for your health and sense of well being and a well-considered financial investment.

Hike all the way to magnificent Mount Major on a trail system near your doorstep. Enjoy sunrises and sunny days on Mount Major and nearby beaches.

 

For a shorter hike, travel to Round Pond, which is accessible only by trail and is just about a mile away from 11 Avocado Lane.

Explore the many destinations through the Belknap Mountain Trails accessible after the short walk to nearby Bickford Road, only a 2 minute walk away from your home (0.4 miles).

Gunstock Mountain trails are visible from your landscaped yard and decks. The Gunstock Mountain Resort parking lot is just 2.3 miles away from your home.  After a day alpine skiing on Gunstock’s slopes or Nordic skiing on their trails, enjoy watching night skiing begin as the lights on the mountain bring their own special brand of magic.  

Nothing is more beautiful than new snow coming down in the evening.  As a family mountain, Gunstock is ideal for families and everyone can enjoy the laughter of children enjoying the thrill of being on the slopes. 

 

Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate at the mountain. Relax and reflect with family or friends as you watch the new snow in the darkening sky. As the lights grow brighter on the trails and the evening deepens you'll want to return home, just a 5 minute drive from the mountain.  Once home, enjoy your hot tub and fresh mountain air on your lower porch. Tell tall tales of your experiences.

 

Enjoy your own improvement at your sports and and be inspired by the local greats, including Olympians, who have skied Gunstock Mountain.

Restore your burning muscles after a day of fun navigating Gunstock's ski trails and enjoying the lake and mountain views from Gunstock's summit.

All Year Beauty and Recreation - Enjoy a Lakeside Perspective from Nearby Beaches. 

Explore the Lakes Region's 4-Season Beauty from Nearby Ellacoya State Park and Gilford's Community Beach. Ellacoya State Park's magnificent beaches and breathtaking mountain views are only 4.8 miles from 11 Avocado Lane. Gilford's community beach has exceptional amenities just 11 minutes by car from 11 Avocado Lane.

Popular restaurants such as The Breeze, Ellacoya Bar and Grill,  and Patrick's Pub offer dining, entertainment, and game nights with their rustic and lakeside ambiences.  Shibley's at the Pier and other very popular Alton restaurants are also  just a short drive away from 11 Avocado Lane. And if you're in the mood to travel to the ocean beaches and a much wider array of dining and entertainment, Portsmouth, New Hampshire is less than an hour's drive from your 11 Avocado Lane home. 

#NewHampshire #NewListings #OpenHouses #LakesRegionRealEstate #LiveWhereYouPlay #NicoleWatkinsNH

Gilford NH - Beautiful Ski Lodge Property on .75 Acres.

• 2.3 Miles to Gunstock Mountain and 6.8 miles to the Gilford's Community Beach.
• Beautiful landscaping creates a fairy tale setting.

• A paved driveway with basketball hoop and big mountain views of Belknap Mountain and Gunstock Mountain Trails suggests carefree times ahead.

• The lovely neighborhood of cul-de-sacs nestled below the mountain connects to a network of hiking trails. The magic of Gunstock Mountain's vibe gives this primarily year round neighborhood a wonderful feeling of escape from the routine and ordinary.
• With a level back yard, woodshed, and storage shed, the firepit is a focal point to gather for story-telling and relaxing.
• 4 BRs & 2 Baths include a living/dining/kitchen area with vaulted ceiling and sliders to the large upper deck.  A real wood fireplace adds to the ski-lodge charm!
• The 2nd flr includes 2 bedrooms, hall, & a 3/4 bath.
• Scratch resistant hardwood floors throughout.
• The 1st floor has 2 more bedrooms, full bath, laundry/storage room, and a game room/family room with sliders to the 9'10" x 23'1" enclosed/screened porch and hot tub.
• Wood-stove for rustic flavor!
• Cozy, comfortable, and well-loved, this property is looking for new owners who are looking for their own enchanting lake and mountain experience.
• Listed for $600,000.
• Delayed Showings until March 15 OPEN HOUSE 10AM-12PM.

#GunstockMountain #SkiHomes #LakesRegionRealEstate #GilfordNH #JustListed #NicoleWatkinsNH

Open Houses at 11 Redding Lane Moultonborough - 1:00-5:00 PM  Saturday and Sunday - April 27th and April 28th.  

Please call me at 603-707-7575 when you are 5 minutes away so that I meet you at the gate.

Since the pandemic, cost of land in our beautiful Lakes Region rose sharply, sold quickly, and became scarce. Non-waterfront esidential lots, in towns such as Gilford, doubled in one year. Even some Winnipesaukee multi-million dollar homes doubled in selling price in one year.

Waterfront owners and second home owners began spending much more of their year in our area. The need for climate controlled space that was an extension of their home for luxury collectibles, boat paraphernalia, race cars, RV's and the like became necessary.

Here’s the thought process some Lakes Region home owners went through deciding whether to buy or build.

First their requirements for the space:

Many of the buyers have homes within 3 miles of Winni Toy Box, right on the water in Moultonborough, so they were looking for buildable space that Shoreland development restrictions prevent on existing parcels.

These were common requirements:
10 minutes or less from their home
Interior uses:
Storage for car
General storage
Mezzanine – office, entertainment, etc.

Building the space
Initially many thought they should build so they looked at land parcels in Moultonborough within the distance required.

Location – They did find locations suitable to build.  The price for property was at minimum somewhere in $150,000 range. Several were tear downs.
Site prep cost whether empty lot or tear was in the $40,000 range
Design, permitting and architecture cost in the range of $35,000.
Finding a General Contractor they'd have confidence in meant a nine months to a year before they could start.  That means a 18-24 month wait until it was built.
Construction cost looked like $200,000 – 250,000 for 1,000 SF.
Then they asked themselves how much of their time would have to be committed over the 18–24 month time frame.  They estimated 300-400 hours.  A decent amount of time to commit.
Overall, somewhere in the $450,000+ range, with extensive work, and 18+ months off.  And then there’s the consideration of resale.  They believed an association of owners at a centralized commercial location, directly abutting residential properties, would command a higher resale.  So they looked at Toy Box.

Toy Box:
Experience building this type of facility – 3rd Toy Box of steadily increasing quality, not including the Laconia Municipal Airport Hangars, which this builder also built.
Quality. They already knew the quality from looking at other Toy Box developments by this builder.
Ease of maintenance.
Small Community of 13 units.
Very low Moultonborough taxes.
High efficiency heating and cooling.
Floor – set up for stacked car storage.
Move in ready.

Security:
Gate, Cameras, American Alarm
Personal considerations: They like being in a community.

In the words of one buyer client, who enjoyed watching the entire building process, Toy Box is "Above Expectations." At Toy Box, the joy the owners exude is apparent whenever you visit Moultonborough Toy Box! Check out the Moultonborough Toy Box Listing Details Page.

#LuxuryStrorage #Winnipesaukee #NewHamopshireRealEstateAgent #Moultonborough

 

Ideal Especially for Those who Love Swimming, Boating, Tranquility and Magnificent Nature at its Best.

BY NICOLE WATKINS | A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, an entire island on New Hampshire’s largest lake is for sale.

Located on Lake Winnipesaukee, Little Beaver Island is protected from rough winds by its unique location. Featuring long lake and mountain views, yet tucked away from boat traffic, Little Beaver Island offers the quiet lake living of an era long past.

The purchase — which was saw new July 2024  pricing — includes mainland docking at the Beaver Management docks on Veasey Shore Road, just four minutes away from the island by boat. Now offered at $2.9 million, their is truly no other listing that offers such a prime location near amenities, privacy, multiple sprawling coves for swimming, abundant views, and a rare glimpse at a graceful era of lake living. The mainland dock accommodates up to a 23-foot boat with two parking spaces for cars as well as guest parking. From early spring through autumn at 1 Little Beaver Island you can experience the amazing sensory experience of being surround by the magic of Lake Winnipesaukee.

 

Veasey Shore Road is one of the lake’s most sought-after roads, known for having large, multimillion-dollar estates, with great views and waterfront.

Also included in the purchase is shared, undivided interest in roughly 11 acres and 1,200 feet of waterfront on nearby Big Beaver Island, including a beautiful mile-long walking path.  The 11 acres on Big Beaver is across a narrow channel between Big Beaver Island and Litte Beaver Island.

A main cottage with a 341-foot open porch and a 197-foot screen porch for lakeside dining is at one end of Little Beaver Island. A boathouse and two docks are at the island’s other end. There is an outdoor shower for convenience. A decked path between buildings on the island adds to the fairy tale quality of this property.

Blueberry bushes surround the island ready to be picked after a morning swim. The island has little beaches, two sheds and a “honeymoon cottage” which sleeps two. In total, the island comfortably sleeps nine and is being sold fully furnished. Enjoy sunsets, moon rises and some of the best swimming and boating areas on the lake. Shopping, hiking trails, gyms, spas and golf are all within 15 minutes. Manchester Airport is an hour away by car. It’s two hours by car to Boston.

As for the island’s history, Lake Winnipesaukee — which is 21 miles long — is a glacial lake. It has 264 islands. The Winnipesaukee people, who were a part of the Pennacock of the Algonquin nation, lived on its shore and fished the lake.

A Mr. Standish bought Little Beaver Island for his daughter. He had also bought Big Beaver Island. In order that his daughter would not have neighbors, he made a generous, visionary gesture. He put roughly 11 acres and about 1,200 feet of waterfront on Big Beaver Island in BeaverManagement Corp. Not only would his daughter not have neighbors, she could enjoy a mile-long walking path directly across a narrow section of water between Big Beaver and Little Beaver Island. Today, owners on the Beaver Islands enjoy this path and an extensive stretch of waterfront, as well.

The island offers lake and mountain views in all directions, including a long view of the lake. The little sandy beaches make for easy access into the lake. The large stretch of lake all around the island is ideal for swimmers. The bay in front of the main cottage would be wonderful for watching small children in a rowboat or canoe. With pristine islands on either side, you are looking at waterfront and woods or sky, mountains and lake directly in front of you. The mosaic of rocks under the lake keeps boaters at a distance.

The four-minute boat ride across to your own Veasey Docking makes the trip to the mainland very easy, quick and safe. Not only does Veasey Shore have some of the most beautiful homes and shoreline on the lake, it puts you less than 10 minutes from golf courses, town tennis courts, shopping, gyms, restaurants, the post office and library. The 763-acre Page Pond and Forest trail system can be accessed by Veasey neighbors directly on Veasey shore for a variety of scenic hikes.

The boathouse built over the water could not be duplicated today given current regulations. The boathouse is ideal for housing an antique boat year-round. The antique boat in the boathouse may be available for sale, as well. In winter, a harness is used to lift a boat and keep it safe during winter.

The porches around the main cottage and separate honeymoon cottage porch encourage the outdoor island living that makes this property so special. Moving “indoors” after summer is generally cause for a mild depression. No matter how grand a house is, living indoors can’t compete with what being outdoors in nature at its most magnificent does for the soul. The amazing colors in the sky at every day’s sunrise and sunset are always different. Even the color of the lake changes with the weather. Yet, almost every day is great for swimming, canoeing, jet-skiing and sailing. A lake is different than the ocean, which requires more caution. Of course, if you were a camper in your youth, the classic cabin construction, antique glass in the windows and smell of the pine boards transport you to a more peaceful time.

The kitchen has contemporary appliances and butcher-block counters. A new kitchen floor of engineered wood has the look of whitewashed pine. This was just installed in 2022.

Veasey Shore and its environs are known for gentle waters, which allow lakeside enjoyment all day without heavy winds, and can only be appreciated by spending time at this Lake Winnipesaukee property and comparing it to many other locations around the lake.

Gunstock Ski Resort is the country’s largest county-owned ski resort. It’s only 30 minutes by car from the Veasey Shore docking. In summer you can enjoy more than 8,700 feet of zipping on Gunstock’s zip line and astounding views of Lake Winnipesaukee.

Mills Falls at the Lake (with four different resort hotel options) is less than 10 minutes from the Veasey Shore parking by car. There are lakeside indoor/outdoor restaurants and a spa deck available to locals. The influx of guests, conferences, guest speakers and, of course, the beautiful lakeside weddings held at Church Landing, are spectacles to behold.

Mount Lafayette, one of the largest and most challenging of the many hikes in the White Mountains, is less than an hour away by car. Many miles of additional conservation land with trails and beaches are within 10 minutes by car from Veasey Shore Road. Squam Lake, New Hampshire’s second-largest lake, has 30 percent of its watershed in conservation and about the same amount of its waterfront in conservation.

For more information, contact Nicole Watkins at 603-707-7575 or nicole@nicolewatkins.com. 

 

 

Meredith and Moultonborough Lake Winnipesaukee Statistics 01/01/2023-04/16/2023 Versus 01/01/2024-04/16/2024*

In Meredith for this time frame in 2023 there was only one Lake Winnipesaukee residential sale at $5,575,000 with 5 days on the market.  In 2024 there were 3 sales with an average selling price of $2,341,666 and an average number of days on market of 40. 

In Moultonborough, in 2024 for this time period, the average selling price went up 11.7 percent from 2023 to 2024  and the average number of days on market went down 127.5% in 2024.The Winni market is holding steady.

Below are more details about the Lake WInnipesaukee Residential Real Estate Market 

*Statistics on this page drawn from NNEREN MLS for the time period of 1/01/2023-04/16/2023 versus 01/01/2024-04/16/2024 for the towns of Meredith and Moultonborough for exclusively owned residential real estate.

Moultonborough Lake WInnipesaukee Residential Real Estate trends from January 1, 2024 throguh April 16, in 2024

7 Moultonborough residential listings with owned waterfront closed between January 1, 2024 and April 16, 2024. The average days on market was 22 and the median days on market was 23. The high selling price was $6,300,000, the low selling price was $825,000. The low selling price of $825,000 was for the 1 Lake Kanasatka property in this search.  All the rest were Lake Winnipesaukee home sales. The average selling price for these 7 sales was $3,120,571. The median selling price was  $2,669,000. The total sales volume for this time was $21,844,000. If it has not been for the inclusion of the one Lake Kanasatka sales, the median selling price for the Winnipesaukee only residential sales is $3,324,500.The average selling price without the Kanasatka Sale included was $3,503,166. 

 

 

 

2024 Moultonborough Lake Winnipesaukee Residential Sales 01/01/2024-04/16/2024 

Likewise, 7 Moultonborough residential listings with owned waterfront closed between January 1, 2023 and April 16, 2023.  The average number of days on market was 102 and the median number of days on market was 41.  The high selling price was $5,685,000 and the low selling price was $569,000. The low selling price was for a house on Shannon Brook. This was the one waterfront residential property not on Lake Winnipesaukee that sold in this time frame. The average selling price for these 7 sales was $2,752,000.  The median selling price was $2,500,000.  The total sales volume was $19,264,000. If it had not been for the inclusion of the Shannon Book sale the average selling price would have been $3,115,833 and the median selling price would have been $3,337,500.  

Call me for recent trends in your neighborhood or to request a comparative market ananlysis on your property.

 

 

From One of the Best Places to Live in New Hampshire and the U.S. 

Yesterday, on the day of total solar eclipse in history, we were reminded that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. The eclipse passed through many large cities and is considered the most watched solar eclipse in history. It was a powerful day to reflect and appreciate the people in your community. It was a powerful day to reflect on beginnings, changes, and where you have traveled. While Meredith, New Hampshire is becoming one of the more desirable lakeside resort towns in the U.S., those of us who have been in Meredith, or the surrounding Belknap County, for many years, love it, not only for recent exciting changes, but for the many ways that it hasn't changed.

Meredith has many quaint shops and spas on Lake Winnipesaukee, such as Lady of the Lake, Innis Free BookShop, and the Inns at Mills Fall and Church Landing. Lake and mountain views from many of the Inns guest rooms bring travelers to our Lakes Region year round.  Having 72 square miles of often awe-inspiring waterfront, Winnipesaukee is not like any other lake.  The beauty of the light reflecting off the breadth of the lake inspired the native Americans who lived here to name it "Winnipesaukee"...meaning  "The Smile of the Great Spirit." The NH DES and Non profit organizations such as NH Lakes and the Lake Winnipesaukee Association work to educate the public on lake-friendly practices to keep our lakes healthy. Festive holiday charity events at Church Landing sparkle with friendly smiles and the good will of friends and acquaintances. With the magnificent nature surrounding us, we are thrilled to live here. The abundant beauty we enjoy brings the best part of us forward.  Frequently after I've sold a property on Lake Winnipesaukee, the buyer will tell me that they left their job to do a consulting version of the job or to take on a less stressful and time-consuming job.  The life experience of the Lakes Region is truly transformative. 

As residents we feel that local businesses often seem like extensions of our family. Often being small and owner managed, the businesses around Lake Winnipesaukee are run with sensitivity to the nuances of life in the town.  Whether you are at the Meredith Library or a cafe on Main Street, many of the people you meet can't engage with you without instinctively trying to make your day better.

Some of the Inter-Lakes teachers at the schools teaching our children today were our teachers when we were school age. If we see them on the street they still remember our names and we remember some our most inspiring moments with them. The warmth and joy that they took in our learning is something that our own children have been able to experience in the Inter-Lakes School system. Some of our local residents who volunteered to choreograph the high school musicals decades ago still work with grade school children on story projects. We are intertwined in the best sense of the word in our small, but beautiful and big-hearted community.  I'm especially thankful this week to live in our community.  As move beyond the day of the historic total solar eclipse, I wish everyone a joyous new chapter in their lives.

If you know of anyone who might be interested in attending one of the bookstore events Academy Award Winner Ernest Thompson is doing throughout New Hampshire, including TONIGHT, October 27, at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord at 6:30 PM, feel free to pass along this link: https://ernestthompson.us/thebookofmaps/thebookofmaps-events/

And to learn more about the book 207 | News Center Maine did a nice story on Ernest and THE BOOK OF MAPS. To watch, click here.

How lucky are we to live in a region that still has local book stores and local writers.  Tonight is a chance to get out and support them.  Enjoy this beautiful fall day!

Curious about the Latest News in the Hot Winnipesaukee Real Estate market?

Last spring there was a time period where we expected the real estate market might slow down because of the pandemic.  Do you remember those days? In fact, just the opposite happened. 

Please see attached a market snapshot showing a breakdown of Lake Winnipesaukee single family sales in the past 2 years.

The average list price increase year over year was 11%.

The average selling price increase year over year was 15% 

Please see this Winnipesaukee Market Snapshot to review the listing and selling prices in the individual towns.

These statistics are drawn from the Northern New England Real Estate Network for single family residential properties from 4/27/2019-4/27/2020 and from 4/27/2020-4/27/2021. The information is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

With lumber prices expected to continue to rise, the cost of real estate is not likely to go down any time soon.  CNN Business posted the following May 5 article by Matt Egan: "New Homes Cost $36,000 More Because of an Epic Shortage of Lumber." The full article is     https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/05/business/lumber-prices-home-building-costs/index.html.  You can follow him @MattEganCNN

Please email me with any questions about the Lake Winnipesaukee or Lakes Region NH real estate market. I can be reached at nicole@nicolewatkins.com. Or call me at (603) 707-7575.

#Winnipesaukee #WinnipesaukeeMarketStatistics #LakeWinnipesaukee #NicoleWatkinsNH #Waterfrontrealtor

It's never just another day in the second home real estate market. A couple's future may change when they pick up a magazine and see a beach home that steals their hearts. A family may drive by a home with a soul-stirring lake view while on a ski vacation and decide to act on their dream of a second home..... but in an entirely different region than what they were previously thinking. Real estate is a dynamic business and even more so in the second home market since COVID-19.

The Escape Home latest Newsletter "Helipads, Mud Rooms and Ivanka Trump's Next Home" has several quotes from Blue Water's Construction's Jason Beane regarding changes they've seen in the design/build business since COVID-19.

"Even in the northeast, where the winters can get extremely cold, vacation-home builders are designing more outdoor living space that can be used for several seasons. Jason Beane, a designer at Blue Water Construction & Development, which builds custom homes in the lakes region of New Hampshire, said his company has traditionally built vacation homes that were used mainly in the summer. But now the buildings are designed to be used year around."

“The outdoor kitchen and outdoor living space has always been a big design feature in our vacation homes, but now the outdoor space is being designed for three seasons, not just one season,” he said. That means adding more heating elements inside and outside. “We’re even heating up the garages now,” said Beane.

"A popular feature is the three-season porch, a screened-in room off the main house typically with lots of windows and skylights. For comfort in colder months, the rooms are designed to include gas heaters or fireplaces and glass inserts that replace the screens in the fall. “Screened-in porches have always been popular, but we’re seeing more of that than ever.” Blue Water specializes in Adirondack timber frame homes.

Journalist constance Mitchell Ford sums up her builder interview stating, "The big question now is whether these design trends—and our embrace of spending more time outdoors in the cold—will be long lasting or just a temporary response to the pandemic. If so, the basement office can always be turned back into the wine cellar."

Check out a few of The Escape Home's other recent newsletters.

The Escape Home has also teamed up with Pacaso, a platform for co-ownership of second homes to identify the shifting climate around second home ownership since COVID-19. Click to read their second home market trend research.

If you are looking for your escape home, browse Adriondack homes, homes with acreage,orcondominiums.You can adjust the searches by selecting to search by Newest First, Most Recently Updated, or Lowest Price First.

Not sure which type of property would suit you? Feel free to search MLS.

If you're already a Lakes Region home owner, may your winter dreams be of summer boating!

Take care and stay well!

The desirability of the west side of Winnipesaukee is apparent in this photo of the waterfront by Lagos Restaurant and The Inn at Bay Point.

The desirability of this side of the lake is also apparent when looking at a snapshot of the Lake Winnipesaukee Moultonborough and Meredith December Statistics.

The low inventory on Lake Winnipesaukee is at a record level. It is hard to believe the numbers.

Lake properties have even sold, sight unseen, above listing price, with the inspections waived. It is not a market I would have believed if I was not in it myself.

*As of December 8, 2020 there were only 5 (five) Moultonborough residential properties with owned Winnipesaukee waterfront. Moultonborough has more waterfront than any other town on the lake so its stark inventory is staggering.

The average number of "Days on Market" for these Moultonborough listings as of December 8 was only fifty-eight (58). The high number of “Days on Market” was one hundred and forty-nine (149). The low number of "Days on Market" for these listings was 17 (seventeen).

Moultonborough and Meredith often share a similar pool of buyers as they are abutting towns. As of December 8, 2020 there were only 2 (two) active Meredith residential properties with owned Winnipesaukee waterfront. The high number of “Days on Market” was 97 (ninety seven). The low number of “Days on Market” was 12 (twelve). Both average and median number of “Days on Market” for these listings was 54.

It will be interesting to see in if the listing trend is up or down in January 2021!

*Statistcs drawn from the Northern New England Real Estate Network for the towns of Moultonborough and Meredith, respectively, for residential properties with owned Lake Winnipesaukee waterfront.

#homebuyer  #mountainview #BerkshireHathawayHomeServices #BerkshireHathaway#lakewinnipesaukee #evening #eveningsky#nhrealestate #lakesofinstagram #december #nhrealtor #waterfrontrealtor #december2020 #meredith #nicolewatkinsnh#meredithbaynh #meredithbay #lakesregionnh #docks