Foote Farm II : Just minutes from Middlebury College Campus.............................. but miles away .

Foote Farm II is a planned residential community of 22 homesites in the heart of the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Located in historic Cornwall, just three miles west of Middlebury College and mid-way between Burlington and Rutland, Foote Farm is situated on one of the most beautiful tracts of land in the Middebury area. Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains are ten miles to the west; the Green Mountains five miles to the east.

The homesites and common areas of conserved land were part of a farm that had been in the Foote family for over 200 years. Foote Farm homeowners have common use and ownership of 112 acres of open farmland, a large protected wetland and deep hemlock forests, preserved in perpetuity through a partnership with the Middlebury Area Land Trust.

Each site is fully permitted and ready to build in the traditional style of New England. Underground utilities and a state-of-the-art community septic system are in place and stubbed to the entrance to each lot.

Twenty of the original 22 lots were recently acquired by an existing Foote Farm homeowner and are offered for sale at prices up to $50,000 below original listing prices — making this desirable community even more appealing and affordable.

22 secluded building lots in a pastoral setting
Off Route 125 - minutes from Middlebury College
Over 100 acres of common-use conserved land
Each building site unique; covenants in place
Wildlife corridor through dedicated natural areas
Enjoy the cultural, culinary, athletic and social opportunities of a "college town" community.



Questions? Would you like to schedule a visit to Foote Farm?
Contact Chris von Trapp. 802-846-9525 (o), 802-343-4591 (c). www.chrisvontrapp.com

Buying an Old Vermont Home: Truth 5

Truth#5: Vintage Homes are a great value: While often viewed as a “money pit”, older homes can offer you the most home and square footage for the money and here are some of the reasons why. When a new home is built buy the new home owner, the first part of the process involves finding a suitable lot, at today’s market value. Then you have to contract with an excavator to install the driveway, bring the utilities into the site and to the new home, do the site work, foundation hole, backfill, construct the septic system, all at today’s prices. The home is then built, once again, at market prices for materials and labor costs. At the end of the process, the bills are tallied and the total cost for the home can range for a low of $200/ square foot to $400/sq ft.

When an older existing home is priced for re-sale, it is compared to recently sold homes on the market with the appropriate corrections made for major differences in size and amenities. You never go back and start the valuation of an existing home by determining the current value of the lot in today’s market and then add the cost to reconstruct the existing home. In fact the land value in a comparative market analysis of an existing home is virtually discounted to zero. In the case of older homes with much of the original woodwork, built in’s, solid wood doors and hard or softwood flooring, the price to reproduce the finishes is not only exorbitant but in some case impossible. In the final analysis, a pre-existing older home of restorable quality is most often priced far below the underlying land and construction value of the same home if built new. While the restoration of the structure and updating of the mechanical and electrical systems can be expensive, when completed you will have that special one of a kind family home to enjoy and remember forever.

So take heart and if you have always dreamed of owning a Vermont Vintage home with all of the warmth and charm that only an older home can offer, go for it. By understanding the pro’s and cons and not setting unreasonable expectations, you can find that great older home perfect for you and your family.

Should I Take My Home Off the Market During the Holidays?

When you look at your November and December calendars you may find the months already overloaded with seasonal obligations -- shopping, entertaining, children's pageants, charity work, decorating the house, and so much more. If you are also trying to sell your home, you are under extra pressure to keep your home in "showtime" condition. And that could be the last thing you need before the holiday spirit is broken. It is understandable why you would be tempted to take your home off the market during the holidays. And the list of justifications is long. If you are too busy, buyers may be also, and you may find your efforts unrewarded by enough showings. And what if you do get an offer? You may be faced with the possibility of packing and moving during the busiest time of the year. Besides, you can give your house a rest, and it will have better momentum after the holidays. Better to just pack it in and start fresh in January, right? But wait! Most top Realtors agree that taking your home off the market during the Christmas season is a mistake. The house sure isn't going to sell off the market! What is the advantage of that? So you're busy. Let your Realtor do the work. You can leave in the morning, go to work, go shopping, and let your Realtor take care of things. The holidays are a wonderful selling period. Why? Because most people take off work sometime during the season. The husband and wife are both off and want to see houses. Most agents like the holidays because the buyers have more time, and they can look at homes together.

Before you take your home off the market, consider the following points:

• Although buyer activity may appear to slow down, the buyers who are actively looking during the holidays are that much more serious. Agents believe the home market is no more affected at Christmas than during other "busy" periods. If that were so, the market would shut down throughout the year as families concentrate on spring weddings, June graduations, summer vacations, and autumn back-to-school activities.
• Many buyers deliberately choose to shop for a home after the busy spring and summer rush. They know that it will be easier to look, and that negotiations will be less stressful. They may not have children, or they may have grown children, so moving to accommodate the school year isn't a consideration. Finding the right home at the right price, however, is.
• Relocating families often don't have a choice when they can leave for their new destination. Although 68% of transferring families have children, many families have to transfer during the middle of the school year. These families are that much more motivated to get their families settled in before either the January semester begins, or to arrange for the move during spring break in March. If you sign a contract by New Year's Eve, the timing couldn't be more perfect.
• At Christmas time, our culture focuses on family and the home. Preparing for the indoor activities of winter is one of the most enjoyable periods of family life. Allowing buyers to view your home during this most hospitable of seasons lets them better picture their own family life in the attractive environment you have created.
• When is your home ever more beautiful and inviting? You have cleaned and decorated, and your home looks like a picture postcard. If the results are good enough for family and friends, they will surely be good enough to impress your buyers. Get the family team on board to do a five-minute blitz pick-up every morning to keep holiday messes to a minimum.
• With reduced inventories and motivated buyers, you will have all the members of the MLS on your team. You may find you have more showings than you would if you marketed your home during a busier time of the year.
• If you do get a contract, you can arrange the terms to suit your needs. If moving during the holidays isn't an option, you can put in the closing date of your choice. Most people can close 30 to 60 days after a contract is written, so there is plenty of time. Possession and closings are very negotiable.

Written by Blanche Evans - Realty Times

Safe Havens in Real Estate

Here is a great article that was passed onto me from a coworkers. It just helps to show that real estate in local and not national. Vermont is a great place to buy.

With foreclosures skyrocketing and home prices plummeting, real estate has had a tough year. But in certain pockets across the country the damage has been minimal -- if nonexistent.We found six cities with slow, steady growth, using data from Fiserv Lending Solutions, a home-price research company. These cities' local economies have kept unemployment and foreclosure rates below average. Plus, their affordability index -- a measure of home prices versus family income -- is low.

Burlington, VT
Population: 145,360
Median home price: $250,000
12-month change in home value: +1%
Affordability index: 4/10
Homes sold this year: 592
Home value vs. national average: +21%
Top employer: IBM
On the shores of Lake Champlain, Vermont's largest city focuses on retaining its high standard of living rather than growing its population. Strict zoning standards make homebuilding difficult and discourage speculators. Burlington's small-town mentality ensures that home lenders maintain personal relationships with their clients and help them stay within their spending means. Technology, health care, and education drive the local market.

By Louis Jones, Kiplinger.com
Nov 21st, 2008

Click on the link to read the entire article: http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/safe-havens-in-real-estate.html

Buying an Old Vermont Home: Truth 4

Truth #4: Older homes take full advantage of their site. It occurred to me a number of years ago that one of the art forms that have really been lost over the years is the proper siting of a new home. With the dawn of the planned subdivision and the dreaded cul-de-sac, homes have become nothing more than playing pieces on a Monopoly board. You divide the land, create the lots, (all nice equal rectangles or squares) and you place the homes on them in the center of the lots facing the new streets. Gone are the days of walking the land, observing the sun patterns through the seasons, noting the prevailing fair weather wind and the gales that accompany any storms, observing the natural windbreaks and landscaping all before sighting your new home. The native Vermonters lived on and made their living from the land. The thoughtful sighting of their homes and farmstead was a matter of survival. It affected the heating of their homes, the productivity of the farms and in short the well being of their entire family. It was an extremely important part of the pre-construction preparation and was often done to perfection. This is one of the best reasons to explore older homes and is the one that is most often overlooked.

Buying an Old Vermont Home: Truth 3

Truth#3: Not All Older homes are worth fixing up. I think there is a major misconception out there in the market place that all old homes are worth restoring. For the most part that is true. However I have found in my travels that there are two kinds of old farmhouses, those built by prosperous farmers with a good work ethic and pride in ownership and the other kind. Sometimes the actual historic period in which it was built will reflect in the original quality of the construction. Don’t assume that just because it was built back in “the day” by an old Vermont Farmer that the Old Vermont Farmer knew what he was doing , or was prosperous enough to be able to afford to do it right. Some of the best and the worst engineered homes that I have seen were old Vermont Farmhouses. You have to remember that “back in the day” you did not need a building permit to build; there was no building code and no building code enforcement. Having said that, there is no doubt that the finest examples of Architectural integrity and solid Vermont engineering can be found in these vintage homes and often times in parts of the house where you least expect it. So, do your research, learn about the construction methods of the day and start your search. With the right mix of persistence and knowledge, the perfect vintage home is out there just waiting for you and your family to enjoy.

Buying an Old Vermont Home: Truth 2

Truth #2: Older Homes Tend to be close to the road: It is rare to find an old vintage home that is not located within a close proximity to the edge of the road upon which it is located. The reason for this, if you think about it, is that back when many of these homes where built, let’s say 1850 or earlier, the fastest thing that was going to pass by was a horse at a full gallop. Cars, traffic, tractor trailer trucks and road noise had not been invented yet and neither had the snow plow. How convenient would it have been to build your brand new 1800th century farm house a mile and a half from the town road only to have to navigate your way to the road without the assistance of modern conveniences every time you had to leave the farm? There are occasions when you Can find older homes that are now “off the beaten path” due to historic changes in traffic patterns but on the average, if you want an older home be prepared before you pull up for the first visit to deal with it’s proximity the road. Often the perception is worse than the reality, especially in the case of older brick or stone homes. These structures seem to wear the road noise well and except in warm summer months with the windows open, can be remarkably quiet in spite of their location. Whatever you do , do not discount a home due to it’s perceived proximity to what you have decided is a busy road, go see it and spend some time there before passing judgment. Go at different times of the day and weekends as well as week days. It would be a shame to pass up a classic charmer only because of the road, without at least giving it some serious consideration.