Not long ago some friends asked me whether owning my lakefront home was worth the extra cost given the amount of time spent vacationing at the property.  My response was yes, because it costs a lot less than you might think.  As my friend pointed out it is precisely the fact that we are not always there that makes the difference.

You see, lakefront property or ski homes can have a higher initial price tag, costing up to double or more than a principal residence but you may reside there for only a few weeks per year.  The trick is to look at the property as an investment property and rent.  Of course this scares some people, who have no desire to be landlords.  Often, however, that doesn’t need to happen.  Many vacation home properties have onsite rental programs, for example properties associated with Attitash Mountain Village can be included in the rental program there.  If your vacation property isn’t part of an association with a rental program prime vacation regions like the Mount Washington Valley have plenty of property management companies that can take care of business for you.  Of course we would be more than happy to help you put together a plan that will change the bottom line and bring that vacation home well into your budget.

JtRealty specializes in vacation properties at Attitash Mountain, Mount Cranmore, Conway Lake and Hale’s Location Country Club.  Let us know if we can help you.

-Rick

Creating Transactions and Friendships that Stick

Duncan & Diane wanted a weekend home in Mt. Washington Valley badly — a situation real estate consultants live for.  And Diane was not short on stamina as we scoured the web, drove through neighborhoods, and viewed homes with potential.  Not only that, Diane was quick with a tape measure to make certain room dimensions would accommodate her furnishing tastes.

We were having fun but several items thwarted initial purchases: a soured inspection and a lakeside cottage that needed considerable monies to winterize. The emotional roller coaster was deflating for Duncan & Diane and I reminded even myself at times, “A home purchase is a process and our timing will meet opportunity soon enough.” However, the summer screamed ahead and the possibilities felt like they were shrinking.

Alas, we found a three bedroom cottage close to Conway Lake that is ultra efficient and extremely well cared for. Duncan and Diane moved forward but more tense moments played out as we found ourselves in a multiple offer situation. After successful negotiations and counter offers, Duncan & Diane purchased the home.

In the end everything felt right: a place Diane thoroughly enjoyed and a home that wouldn’t require Duncan’s tools.  My daughter Maya, who joined us for several showings, grew quite fond of Diane who had even given her a tape measure of her own, “A girl’s best friend when house hunting.” Photo of Maya and Diane during morning coffee — sweet.

Buddies: Diane & Maya End of the Fall Season

"Is the show going on?" End of the Fall Season

End of the Fall Season

 

 

 

 

 

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The Shiners that inhabited the murky water at the end of the dock kept my kids busy. Their fluorescent bobbers jerked in starts, the empty hooks baffled the kids, and I hurried to re-bait the hooks as quickly as possible.

Soon an old-timer stopped to watch the simple joys of kids fishing. He reminisced about his early fishing days in the 1950’s; we recounted our own fishing conquests (in generic terms), and shared a moment of silence when the time was right to just watch youthful enthusiasm.

Several wood ducks swam in vicinity and Maya soon lost interest in fishing. Supplied with an old loaf of bread, she fed the ducks and spoke kindly to them in earnest.

Water parks and arcades are okay, but then again, so is a can of worms, a fishing pole, and a loaf of bread.

– happy fishing from Ryan the Realtor

RYAN’S FREE REPORTS ON THE WEB

Conway Lake Homes

Full Moon on Conway Lake by Terri Brooks

As a kid spending my summers in South Conway NH I took for granted the pristine and rustic beauty of a land that has looked virtually the same since the 1800s. Every morning I would hop on my bike, lunch, tennis racquet, and swim suit tucked into my backpack and head of for a day of adventure. I would meet up with friends and cousins and spend my days building forts in the woods, swimming on Conway Lake, digging for bottles in old stone walls, and having all sorts of fun.

Luckily for me and my neighbors, South Conway still looks almost exactly the same as it did in my younger years. This is due to the generosity of the landowners there and the dedication of organizations like the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust (USVLT), a “non-profit organization working with local landowners to permanently protect the lands and waters that define our communities and enrich our quality of life.” Since 2000, the USVLT has been helping landowners in the Mount Washington Valley place their land in conservation easements to protect it for future generations.

Through the Trees by Terri Brooks

To date the USVLT has acquired 30 Conservation easements and 4 land fees, protecting over 4,000 acres in the Mount Washington Valley from any future development. In February, 2010 the USVLT purchased 99 acres on the top of Foss Mountain in the Town of Eaton NH. “Protection of the property provides public recreation and protects its scenic values, productive blueberry fields, important wildlife habitat, and long term ability to produce forest products.”  I like to say that Foss Mountain is a hike with the most “bang for your buck” as it is a very short little walk with breathtaking 360 degree views of our mountains and lakes. The perfect place for a sunset picnic or a day of picking blueberries.

On May 15^th from 5:30-7:30pm Tin Mountain Conservation Center is hosting “Art Celebrates Place” A show of work by artists inspired by the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust’s (USVLT) Conservation Easements (several of which are shown here). Please come to this event to help support the USVLT and their quest to preserve the natural beauty of the Mount Washington Valley for generations to come. Click here to learn more about the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust and become their fan on Facebook.

October Jenkins Field by Terri Brooks

*Photos Courtesy of the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust and contributing artists

Hi All,

Harrison called late yesterday; bad news, S. Cove nest was apparently attacked by something, egg is broken and no loons sitting!

Maybe next year,

Dick

It is no secret that the Mount Washington Valley, and Conway Lake in particular are great places to cast a line and catch great fish. Valley Angler, Bill Thompson tells the tale of the seasonal change from trout in the White Mountains to Bass. The following article is reprinted with Bill’s permission. Bill and Janet Thompson own North Country Angler, a local shop of gear and lore. If you are in the area please pay them a visit. You can get directions, reports and other information from their website.

By Bill Thompson

With the onset of warmer water it is time to put the trout rod away and pick up the bass rod. As much as I love trout fishing I also have a soft spot in my heart for the black bass. There are few angling experiences that can top sitting in a canoe in the dead of night waiting for “Old Man Bass” to inhale your deer hair popper. In the dim light it is hard to see your fly on the water, but there is no mistaking the feel of the strike. No gentle sipping of the fly like a trout; this is an all out assault and the water explodes at the point of attack. Your heart tries to free itself from your chest as you try to keep the rod from being pulled from your hands. Those with weak hearts should stick to golf.

Visitors to our valley and many locals as well generally think of trout fishing when they fish the area. Many are surprised to find out how much good bass fishing is available to them. True, there is not much bass water in the White Mountains, but just a few miles south there is an abundance of good bass lakes.

Perhaps the closest is Conway Lake. This lake, with its many rocky coves, is prime small mouth bass water. I have had people visiting from the south tell me that Conway Lake rivals their home waters. Silver Lake and Ossipee Lake are also excellent for bass. All of these lakes require a boat of some kind in order to fish them. Each of these lakes have great boat launches and boats maybe rented at the Cove Campground to fish Conway Lake. There are also a number of smaller lakes that provide great bass in the area. Purity Lake in Madison offers some great bass fishing. There is an unimproved launching area on Route 153 that will accommodate canoes and other small car topped boats.

One of my favorite bass fishing venues is the Ossipee River. The river starts at the dam on Ossipee Lake between Effingham and Freedom. There can be some good trout fishing there in the spring, but by July it is a bass fisherman’s haven. There are lots of opportunities for the wading fishermen to target these fish. The bridge on Route 153 is a good place to start. Another good location is at the Huntress Bridge just off of Route 25 as you head towards the Maine border. There is a great boat canoe launch at the site ofFi the old Route 25 bridge on Route 153 in Effingham. Floating the Ossipee can provide an exciting days fishing.

It is surprising how few fly fishermen fish for bass. By the same token it is surprising how few spin fishermen, who fish for bass, ever pick up a fly rod. Fishing for bass with the fly rod is an American tradition. In fact the wooden plug, plastic today; owes its origin to the fly rodders deer hair bug.

You don’t need to spend big bucks on a bass outfit. Any eight and a half or nine foot rod with a line weight of six to nine will do the trick. A seven or eight weight line is perfect for throwing big streamers and large popper’s. You can by a line designed for bass or you can just cut four to six feet off the front of an old weight forward line and it will do the job. Reels are typically larger than trout reels in order to accommodate the heavier lines.

It is a good idea to do some practice casting if you have never tried casting a fly line before. However, the skill level needed for bass fishing is nowhere near as high as required for trout. No delicate presentation needed for bass, in fact a big hair bug that is slammed to the water is much more effective than a delicate presentation.

For the next few weeks, at least until the water temperatures go down you will no doubt find me in the evenings on one of my favorite bass ponds. I will be setting in my little pontoon boat watching the stars and waiting to be jarred out of my seat by a big old bass.

See you on the river.

Thanks Bill!

Now, if you love fishing and are interested in owning property on Conway Lake or any of the areas Bill mentions in his article please contact us today.  We know Conway Lake!

Related articles:

The Lure of Conway Lake

Summer of Conway Lake

Country Ecology: Loon Egg

To all:

Checked status of Thorne Island chick today after water testing; chick is fine, healthy and was on the back of one of his parents; did not get to S. Cove as it started to rain; we’ll find out  if nest is still inhabited after Saturday’s loon census! Will advise.

Dick

By Rick Biche

I am not sure that I fully understood how great the experience of growing up on a lake was until I had the opportunity to watch the experience again through the eyes of my own child.  I was so fortunate that my parents made the decision to buy a place on the water when I was young.  Now the property has passed hands and I understand what really motivated my parents.  The times are irreplaceable.  That first dive off the dock, discovering a loon nesting on an island (yes, we got out of there quick so as not to disturb), the first time sailing, watching children playing in the sun and water…

I came across this wonderful little video about summer on Conway Lake.  I think in many ways is gives a nice picture of many ways that lakeside living is unique and special.

According to Richard Louv, in Last Child in the Woods, children need time to play, seek and discover in natural areas in order to grow and prosper emotionally and intellectually.  He cites evidence linking experience in nature at a young age to creativity, success and happiness.  And, he says, parents need nature too.

In our busy lives it is often difficult to find and structure time to be outside, somewhere special with family and friends.  For my family spending summers, summer weeks and weekends on the lake makes it that much easier.

Joy Tarbell knows Conway Lake.  If you are interested in buying or selling real estate on Conway Lake, let Joy put her experience to work for you.

Quick MLS Search for Conway Lake homes

Quick MLS Search for lakefront properties

Contact Joy Tarbell Realty

Hi Loon Lovers -

Did a lake loon survey run yesterday; Thorne nest still active and one was sitting, signs OK. Lake level OK but that nest doesn’t have much margin at all. Checked S. Cove nest, both loons off nest and feeding. Took the opportunity to get close and spotted 2 eggs intact;  they did not like me that close and were very voracious in telling me so!! Hell of a show, taught me a lesson I didn’t think I needed! I know now, won’t make that mistake again!

Their nest is higher than Thorne, so it has more margin for water rise if it happens; efforts to avoid serious water level rises still needed, especially for Thorne nest: Town has managed level during this incredible wet season extremely well. Let hope Loons hatch this month and predators stay away;

Regards,

Dick

By MICHAEL COUSINEAU
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
Sunday, Jun. 28, 2009

Recent rainy weather has fueled the growth of a bacteria that researchers suspect could cause “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” and has required the state to post more warnings on the state’s lakes and ponds this year.

But the state has an extensive system to test many of the its 950 lakes and ponds, and residents and tourists alike shouldn’t fear going into the water, according to Jody Connor, a limnologist with the state Department of Environmental Services.

“I think we’ll find New Hampshire waters are very safe to swim in, and among the clearest in the United States,” Connor said.

The New Hampshire Sunday News reported this month that researchers found the risk of developing Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a fatal neurodegenerative disease known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease or ALS, was 25 times higher than the norm for residents near Macoma Lake in Enfield.

Doctors and scientists at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon say there is strong evidence that cyanobacteria — single-celled organisms that form on lakes and ponds, and release harmful toxins — might be a trigger for the development of ALS.

This month, the state has issued warnings about high levels of cyanobacteria for six lakes and ponds, though only one remains in effect, for Willand Pond in Dover and Somersworth.

“Typically, we don’t have a lot of cyanobacteria problems until late July or early August,” Connor said, noting June usually has only one warning. “I think the weather has a lot to do with it. What’s causing the cyanobacteria cells to increase is the phosphorous that’s coming from the water shed. It could be from fertilizers. It could be road runoff.”

Extensive monitoring

Cheryl Keeler of Merrimack said she grew up in Enfield Center and swam in Mascoma Lake 30 or 35 years ago before she read the recent news of the increased ALS levels.

“When I saw it, it made my heart drop,” she said.

Last year, her brother-in-law, Charles Keeler, died of ALS, and she wonders whether his death was tied to swimming in New Hampshire lakes, including Mascoma. Still, she plans to go camping soon along White Lake. “That won’t stop us, unless there’s something posted as warnings,” she said. “I don’t think it will hurt tourism.”

James Haney, who heads the University of New Hampshire Center for Freshwater Biology and has studied cyanobacteria for 15 years, said New Hampshire, unlike many other states, has a system in place to respond to cyanobacteria blooms, or concentrations.

“I would send people to New Hampshire first of all because they’re better protected here than elsewhere,” he said.

Haney and his team are using a sophisticated detector to measure cyanobacteria levels. They flash a green light at suspected areas and can confirm whether the bacteria is present if a red glow appears, he said.

Earlier this month, Haney said Willand Pond “looked pretty good” on the surface.

But below the water line, concentrations “were extremely high, even though you couldn’t see it,” Haney said. “There was a danger lurking below the surface.” New testing Friday revealed the high levels had shifted from the pond’s south side to its north end, he said.

In a lake with high concentrations of cyanobacteria, “the greatest danger is if you ingest it,” he said. “Touching the water is probably unlikely to cause any serious problem.”

Warnings issued

So far this month, the state has issued warnings, now expired, for high levels of cyanobacteria for Mascoma Lake, Locke Lake in Barnstead, Harvey Lake in Northwood, Goose Pond in Canaan, and Lake Monomonac in Rindge and Winchendon, Mass.

Cyanobacteria warnings

Six ponds and lakes have been under a cyanobacteria warning this month. The state discontinued all but one, for Willand Pond.

Source: N.H. Department of Environmental Services
MICHAEL COUSINEAU/SUNDAY NEWS

“Toxins can cause both acute and chronic health effects ranging in severity from skin and mucous membrane irritations, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea to liver and central nervous system damage,” state environmental officials warned in a statement.

DES suggests people and their pets avoid contact with the water where there is a surface scum or blue-green flecks.

This Wednesday in Concord, Connor will host a workshop on the topic for more than 70 people, including municipal workers and lakeshore residents.

He said New Hampshire was the first state to start a program to monitor cyanobacteria, at least five years ago. The state checks 180 public beaches for cyanobacteria and has volunteers who monitor about 200 lakes and bring samples to the state for analysis, Connor said.

“The thing people don’t understand with cyanobacteria is, it’s worldwide. It’s not just in New Hampshire lakes,” Connor said, noting most bodies of water contain only minute amounts.

DES, UNH and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center have submitted a proposal for a four-year grant to study cyanobacteria and its possible link to ALS, Haney said.

“It’s a very compelling argument that can be made that there is a possible link between these two: ALS and cyanobacteria toxins found in some of the lakes,” he said. “However, until we test that hypothesis, we won’t know.”

Many Mascoma Lake residents became concerned after the ALS reports surfaced, according to Andrea LaMoreaux, education director of the New Hampshire Lakes Association.

“We did get calls from Lake Mascoma (residents), ‘I have company coming next week. Can they swim in the lake?’” she said. “Absolutely, unless you see a bloom in that area, we would recommend people swim in the water.”

LaMoreaux said the “ALS report does not raise our level of concern. There’s still a lot of science to be done to show a link.”

As far as the state’s lakes, she added: “We don’t want people to be afraid to use the water. We just want people to be educated about what’s in the water.”