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Lake Winnipesaukee Real Estate
Lake Winnipesaukee - The Heart of New
Hampshire's Lake Region Real Estate
By Mark J. Donovan
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Lake Winnipesaukee is located in
central New Hampshire and is the largest lake in the New Hampshire lakes region.
The locals refer to it as the "Big Lake" as it has 72 square miles of water
surface, has 182 miles of shoreline, and includes 253 islands. Due to its size,
location and beauty, Lake Winnipesaukee is a summer Mecca for tourism. In
addition, due to its proximity to the New Hampshire White Mountains, many people
visit the Big Lake in the fall and winter to view the foliage and to take part
in outdoor recreational activities. Consequently Lake Winnipesaukee real estate
is a precious commodity.
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| Having spent the last 30+ years
living in New Hampshire, Lake Winnipesaukee has been a regular vacation
spot for my family. I have also been fortunate to have owned Lake
Winnipesaukee waterfront property in the town of Moultonboro, NH for the
past 10 years. Like many I purchased an old camp, razed it and built a new
modern home on it. We use our vacation home year round and take advantage
of all the local amenities in the New Hampshire lakes region area. |
Photo by Mark Donovan |
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As a frequent visitor and property owner of Lake Winnipesaukee real estate,
I have witnessed the growth, and the occasional contraction, of the area for
the past 30 years. Due to the fact that waterfront property is a limited
commodity, New Hampshire Lakes Region real estate has, for the most part,
performed extremely well as an investment. This said, there has been the
occasional contraction in the market over the years. However compared to
other areas of the state and country, Lake Winnipesaukee real estate seems
to hold out better during down real estate times. |
From the late 1990's until
approximately 2006, Lake Winnipesaukee real estate experienced a boom in
new home construction. Home sizes and prices soared. The $3 Million, 5000+
square foot Adirondack McMansion became ubiquitous with the times. The dot.com bubble was most
likely the event that triggered both the boom and the eventual contraction
of the New Hampshire lakes region real estate market.
| Though home sales have cooled since 2006, and prices
have receded a bit, new Adirondack homes continue to spring up, albeit
at a slower rate. The fact that new home construction continues during
a major housing recession is a testament to the areas resiliency, as
well as a clear sign of future boom times ahead for the Lake
Winnipesaukee real estate market. However, again it is understandable.
With its crystal clear waters, proximity to the foothills of the White
Mountains and two other local mountain ranges, as well as only 2 hours
outside of Boston, MA, Lake Winnipesaukee has it all. |
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Owning Lake
Winnipesaukee Real Estate
Before deciding to purchase
Lake Winnipesaukee waterfront property it is important to understand the
local communities around the lake, and the pros and cons each offer.
Property taxes, for example, are high in New Hampshire, and depending upon
where you are on the Big Lake, property taxes can be very high. In
general, southern communities surrounding Lake Winnipesaukee have higher
property taxes than northern ones. The reason for this is that New
Hampshire funds much of its public education at the local level.
Consequently, on the southern part of the lake where there are higher
populations, including children, property taxes are higher. Property taxes
on the southern part of the Big Lake can be 2 times higher than a home on
the northern part of the Big Lake, for the same priced home. So it is
important to keep this fact in mind when looking at Lake Winnipesaukee
real estate. It may be worth driving that extra 30 minutes to save
$10K/year in property taxes.
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As already suggested the southern
communities surrounding Lake Winnipesaukee have larger populations.
Consequently they are more crowded. Weirs beach for example, though a great
family spot and fun to visit, may not be the preferred choice for the person
looking to "get-away-from-it-all". The northern part of the lake, such as in
Center Harbor, Moultonboro, or Tuftonboro, NH may be a better place for
those looking for the serenity of nature.
Care and
Upkeep of Lake Winnipesaukee Waterfront Property
My old friend and neighbor, who
sold me my property on the Big Lake, frequently reminded me of the truism
that a home is not self maintaining. No matter if you purchase a camp or a
brand new McMansion, it is important to realize and budget for regular
maintenance and repair of your Lake Winnipesaukee real estate. Besides fall
leaf raking, and spring clean up of fallen branches, there are also many
other maintenance items to consider when owning Lake Winnipesaukee
waterfront property. Docks and boats need to be removed or installed every
season, homes need to be winterized in late fall if not planning to be used
during the winter months, and snow plowing needs to be arranged. In
addition, there are always small maintenance items inside the home, such as
cleaning and mechanical maintenance of furnaces and water systems.
| Lake Winnipesaukee real estate is
a great investment that unlike money sitting in the bank can be fully
enjoyed and appreciated. However, it is important to research the area
prior to jumping into the first property you see and to understand that
there can be market ups and downs. Finally it is important to understand
that owning Lake Winnipesaukee waterfront property is a privilege and a
responsibility. It is important that the water and shoreline be protected
and preserved for future generations to visit and enjoy. |
Photo by Mark Donovan |
If looking for more information on Lake Winnipesaukee Real Estate feel free
to contact me at
mark@homeadditionplus.com. Though not an active real estate
professional, I do hold a New Hampshire Real Estate license and can refer
you to some extremely knowledgeable New Hampshire lakes region real estate
professionals.
For help on building a new custom home, see HomeAdditionPlus.com's
New Home
Construction Bid Sheet.
The
New Home Construction Bid Sheet
provides you with the knowledge on how to plan a custom home building project,
and what to look for when hiring contractors for your new home construction. It
also includes a detailed cost breakdown table and spreadsheet for estimating
your own new home construction building costs.
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