Peggy Smith

Charming Condo in Stowe Hollow. If you are looking for a centrally located condo in Stowe, you’ve come to the right place. Just up the hill from downtown Stowe, 678 Stowe Hollow Road has all the charm you could ever want in this 2 bedroom end unit. A converted colonial home takes you away from the cookie cutter condos out there. Give me a call and come take a look:

Click here for the full listing & map: 678 Stowe Hollow Road, Stowe Vermont, Condo for Sale!

Last Saturday, July 12th, I participated in the Prouty which is a walk and bike ride for the Norris Cancer Research Center at the Mary Hitchock Hospital in Hanover, N.H. I raised $1200 and walked 20 K. I have been walking 3 miles everyday and decided that I would like the challenge of walking farther. A friend of mine asked me to sponser her for a 100 mile bike ride for this event and while I was signing up to donate, I became interested in doing it myself. What attracted me to it was the fact that all of the money went to the Norris Center and did not go in support of administation. The other reason was the wonderful care my friends have received at Mary Hitchock.

For the first 10 K ,a friend joined me and we went off on the “wooded walk”. This was a delightful walk with some hills, beautiful vistas, a stunning lake and interesting woods. The support stations were welcoming with smiling, friendly volunteers who could not thank us enough for helping to meet the two million dollar goal. We began at 7:30 while it was still cool. My friend left me after 10K and I had the choice of doing the wooded walk again or try the residential walk. What real estate agent would give up an opportunity to look at real estate?

The residential walk brought you into Hanover and through the Dartmouth College campus. It brought back days of college week-ends and familiar haunts. I must admit that I had a book on tape to entertain me. At no time did I feel stressed or that I could not continue. When I finished at noon ,I felt I could easily do another 10K.

The interesting question for myself, was why did I do it? I think it was for the challenge, but it was also to honor my friends that have and are battling cancer. There is no way that I can take on their struggle, but what I can do is help to raise money to find a cure. What I can do is be there as their support, to spend several hours by myself doing something that challenges me. It allowed me time to forget the concerns of my life and my own conflicts.

I would encourage anyone to sign up for a walk or a ride in support of a cause that you feel is important. If nothing else you can raise money for a worthy cause, but you will find fulfillment in your accomplishment.

The Stowe Fun House!

I would like to highlight my Robinson Springs Listing at 884 Wade Pasture Road, Stowe VT. This is such a fun house. It has the works; a pond, tennis right around the corner, a huge game room, plenty of room for company and x-country ski trails out the door! It is close to Stowe Mountain Resort and all packaged nicely in Robinson Springs on of Stowe’s private exclusive neighborhood.

To view full listing details on this property click here: 884 Wade Pasture Road, Stowe VT

To view a list of ALL Robinson Springs Listings click here: Robinson Springs Stowe VT Property for Sale

I just happened upon this information and thought how perfect wine tasting and chocolate sampling on the same day! Not a drinker myself, I’ll be heading straight for the chocolate.

If you are looking for something to brighten this gloomy Vermont day, right here in Stowe, check out these two events today, June 6th:

Wine Tasting in the Trapp Family Lodge Wine Cellar, 4-6PM
Indulge in a selection of wines from Washington State’s Columbia Valley. A sign up sheet is available at the front desk, call 253-5742 or 800-826-7000 to sign up! There is a $15/person fee for this event.

Laughing Moon Chocolates Benefit Chocolate Tasting, 3-7PM
This event benefits the African Food Aid and Water treatment programs in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. A $5 donation is requested, in exchange you will be treated to make your own chocolates, plenty of samples, give aways and dipping demos! Enjoy.

After drinking all that wine and eating all that chocolate you may want to walk or run it off… what better way to do that then to join the NCAL MUTT STRUTT on Saturday June 7th. It is too late to register online, so head over to the event at 8AM tomorrow to pledge or donate. Now you are supporting 2 great cause in 1 weekend. Check out my daughter’s NCAL Mutt, Gizmo, below!

Next weekend June 13th - 15th the Stowe will be hosting the Green Mountain Corvette Classic! You’ll find these rides hard to miss as they weave their way up and down the Mountain Road in packs of 3-10 cars at a time!

Interesting in buying a Corvette? The Green Mountain Corvette Classic is a great place to start. On Saturday, June 13th they Corvette’s will be corralled at the Ye Olde England Inne for your convince!

As a local we know it is great to live here! But it is always great to see others appreciate your home for all it has to offer. Stowe was ranked #7 out of 30 of the best places to spend your Memorial Day weekend in New England. Here is a bit of what they had to say:

“Often thought of as a great skiing destination, Stowe, Vt., is also a wonderful summer place to vacation. Attractively tucked away between Mt. Mansfield and other spectacular mountains and hills, Stowe has a high concentration of dining, lodging, shopping and recreational opportunities.” Click here for the full article and we’ll see you this weekend!

I have been a long time board member of the Stowe Land Trust. It has been our goal to conserve scenic, recreational, and productive farm and forest lands for the benefit of the greater Stowe Community.

We put our head together and came up with the idea of having a flea market to fund raise for our cause. What better way to continue our goals of conservation and clear out our basements! We’re jumping on the GREEN train and what you to join US!

Grab a booth to sell your goods or stop by to help Reduce, Recycle and Reuse!
Saturday, May 24th from 8AM - 3PM

Admissions to buy is $2.50 for adults, children are free. More than 60 vendorsthere is food available and rock bottom prices!

Booths are still available for $35 (8′ x 6′ space). Click here to register!

ASSEMBLE A TEAM;

1. Determine how much you have to spend:You have decided that you are going to build. Now what is the next step? Before you go any farther you should sit down with a financial counselor from a lending institution and get an idea of exactly how much money that you will have to complete the project from the purchase of the land to the final nail being pounded and the landscaping completed. Once you have that number you can begin.

The very first question you need to research is: how much is it costing a square foot to build a house. This will vary from modular to stick built but with a few quick phone calls to local contractors and modular home companies you can get a ball park figure. Next you should have some idea how large a house you would like to have. Once you have figured that out you can multiply the dollar per sq. foot figure you got, add another 20% and that will determine whether you can afford to buy land and build a house. It will also determine how much you should spend on land.

2. Find a mortgage lender: You can ask your realtor for a recommendation. Usually they are the best source of knowledge because they usually know who is lending for construction loans, who has the best rates and who they trust. Once they give you several names you should call and see whose personality fits your style. They will work hard to get you a loan at the best rate that they can find.

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I have had several phone calls in the last couple of months from potential customers and past clients that have asked me about building. My standard answer has been, if you can find a home you like, it is better to buy than to build. But lately I have been rethinking this.

In the latest issue of Money Magazine (April 2008) there is an article (Dream It, Build It) about building your dream home. The article makes an argument stating that” now “might be an excellent time to build that home. It says that “behind the dark clouds hanging over the houseing market is a very compelling silver lining. The cost of building your dream house is coming down.”

Why would this be? Well, there are many factors, but the main one is; the cost of raw materials has dropped and contractors are not as busy as they once were. In interviewing some modular home companies I have found that the demand for modular homes is so far down that some companies are running on a skelton crew. What this means to you the consumer is; dollars are not coming out of your pocket. Money Magazine states that framing lumber is 18% cheaper thtn 18 months ago and that drywall is selling for 40% less.

Not only are prices dropping in the construction area ,but also land prices have dropped in Vermont; in some cases 48% of the asking price from 2006. This is not as true in resort areas such as Stowe. The list price of land might not have dropped, but the actual sale of land has done so. We have seen the listing price of large lots over 25 acres being dropped while the smaller lots prices have stayed the same. Overall, large or small lots have not seen a record number of sales, and this has lead to lower sales prices.

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If you are interested in finding sugarhouses in Vermont go to this website:

http://www.vermontmaple.org/

If you would like to try another great maple syrup recipe, try this one:

SUGARBUSH MOUNTAIN MAPLE MOUSSE
1 envelope plus 2 tsp. unflavored
gelatin
1/2 c. cold water
4 egg yolks, well beaten
1 c. pure maple syrup
1/2 c. light brown sugar
4 egg whites
2 c. whipping cream, chilled
Sprinkle gelatin on water; let soften 5 minutes, then set cup in pan of hot water. Stir until gelatin dissolves. Add gelatin to beaten egg yolks, mix into maple syrup and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats spoon. Do not let mixture boil. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar, blending well. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature. Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Whip cream only until stiff enough to hold its shape. With rubber spatula, fold cream gently into maple syrup mixture. Then fold in egg whites until whites no longer show. Spoon mousse mixture into a 1 1/2 quart mold that has been rinsed in cold water. Cover top with plastic and chill at least 4 hours or until firm.

If you love this recipe, pass it on to a friend to try. Here is a way to win a jug of maple syrup:

Tell your friend to make a comment on my blog and you both might win a jug of maple syrup. Your friend has to mention your name and you have to make a comment on my blog also. Oh and you have to try the recipe.