Charlotte Vermont Real Estate
2009 Summer Fun List for Charlotte Vermont
The return of warm weather makes hangin' out on my front porch with its eye popping views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains dreamy. Lazing and pondering ALL that we have to fit in before the inevitable return of YOU KNOW WHAT...
Here we go with my biased and utterly incomplete Fun List of things to do in Charlotte VT this summer. Oh, this really is THE BEST time of year in this amazing little town:
- Wow, this little gem is worth the price of admission. Right now. Don't miss out! For the next two weeks, you have to see it to believe it. The firefly display in the meadows across from Mount Philo State Park is psychadelic. The southern 60 acre meadow at the intersection of State Park Road and Mt Philo Road is where the evening's silent fireworks display takes place. Imagine undulating waves of blinking lights acre after impossible acre. You won't regret it! (let your eyes adjust to the dark for 30 mins prior for the full affect)
- Breakfast sandwich at the Old Brick Store and a latte on the front porch catching up with familiar faces.
- Tennis at the town courts followed by a running plunge off the town docks into Lake Champlain
- Rick's Barbecue Shaved Pork Sandwich for lunch at the Little Garden Market
- Hanging on my front porch for no reason at all
- Uncle Sam's for your dose of burger, fries, shakes and, last but absolutely not least, a cremee
- Take your bike on the Charlotte to Essex NY ferry for a lovely ride and a meal on the NY side. Essex is alive and charming in the summer.
- Hike up Mt Philo for the best sunset hang out around
- Berry picking at the Charlotte Berry Farm
- Join one of Charlotte's CSA farms (Community Supported Agriculture) for yummy, healthy, local, organic vegetables all summer
- Pizza on a picnic table at Pizza on Earth on a warm, summer evening. Wonderful!!
- Bicycling Charlotte's roads. Sublime.
PLEASE add your own favorites to this list by placing your comments here at Hurd's The Word. If you have questions about buying a home or property, please call me at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or go to my website at Charlotte Vermont Real Estate.
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Charlotte Vermont Annual Market Data & Trends for all of 2008
Based upon information provided by the Northwestern Vermont Board of Realtors (NVBR) as of today for all of 2008, there were 16 single family residential and condominium units sold within Charlotte Vermont with a total sold volume of $12,061,885. These numbers represent a 51.52% reduction in the number of units sold from the same time period one year earlier (1/1/07-12/31/07). Divide this number by the units sold (16) and you get an average sale price of $753,868. These numbers represent a 8.13% INCREASE in the average sales price from the same time period one year earlier (1/1/07-12/31/07).
Average days on the market for these 16 properties was 106 compared to 65 one year earlier or 63.08% longer on the market.
Armed with solid numbers, buyers and sellers alike can manage their expectations and the current realities of our local market.
Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Charlotte Vermont Real Estate.
(These figures include sold numbers for single family residential and condominium only in all the towns which comprise Chittenden County, Vermont only. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed by Vermont Real Estate Information Network which supplies these figures.)
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A New Life for an Old Friend in Charlotte Vermont
The Old Brick Store is being resurrected!
Charlotters can now rejoice at the current transformation of our cherished, historic store. New owners, Carrie MacKillop and Shannon Straight, encourage anyone to stop in to see all the goings on currently underway. The space is being opened up to maximize its natural beauty - the wood floors, the brick, the big windows.
The "new" Old Brick Store will be providing all the basic staples but they'll be offering products that are both conventional or organic and sustainable. The owners hope customers will want to be informed about their food sources and the degree to which their purchases can affect global and local economies. In essence, a store with a conscience.
In addition, the intent is not to be a gourmet grocery store, though there will be some more pricey items than at say our area grocery stores. Yet, the focus will be on simplicity. Fresh vegetables for a dinner salad, local beef, chicken or pork for dinner, fresh breads, a good wine selection, baking items. The intent is to have everything one needs to make dinner, bake cookies, make lunches, bring a meal over to share with friends well, you get the idea.
We can expect to find a full espresso bar, with latees, hot chocolate, chai and teas. Local Artisan coffees, an expanded and upgraded deli, a selection of prepared soups and meals, a penny candy counter and newspapers to include the New York Times once again when the store opens! How's all that sound? If that's not enough, pizza will be available beginning this Spring. Yea!
The owners want to encourage and provide a resource for local shoppers to remain close to Charlotte to find the goods they want and need.
The Old Brick Store is seeking community support as it approaches its mid-February Grand Opening. The new owners are building a "community supported enterprise" model to garner local affinity. Supporters can provide an investment of $500 to $1,000. Debit cards in the amount of the investment plus 10% are given back to each supporter. They can use their card for up to 10% each month of their original investment.The cards never expire and members never lose any of their balance, regardless of how long it takes to use up the card. The obvious intent here is to have local supporters actually use the store.
If you would like to become a supporter/member of the Old Brick Store or just to "pitch in", call 802.425.2421 or just stop in.
Good luck!
Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Charlotte Vermont Real Estate.
First Snows Arrive!! (Charlotte, Vermont)
It helps us adults feel like kids again when our children run into our bedrooms in the early morning light to tell you excitedly, "it's snowing hard outside!!!" There's something extra special about that when you live here in Vermont.
As I craned my neck to look out the window above my bed, I tried to gain the contrast of the background through my ocular fogginess to pick up the foreground flakiness. Scrolling in and out, I could indeed see snowflakes tumbling and flitting about. My daughter said, "Dad. It's really coming down out in front of the house!!" With a beaming smile, I vaulted out of bed and sprung to the stairs and looked out the front door panes, past the whitening front porch, down the front yard, out across the meadows into a backdrop that looked like a horizontal AND vertical cloud.
Winter is here.
If you place any stock in the Farmer's Almanac (and I do), then we're in for a cold and snowy one. It's a simple equation really. Vermont + Snow = Winter. Today's high temp supposed to be 31 degrees. Tonight lows of 14!
Yep. It's here alright and ahead of skedj.
Now, thoughts of snow tires (with studs this year) begin percolating along with ski passes, getting the parts needed for a$$%#@! whuppin' sledding (last year took its toll on the hardware), a warm fire to sit beside, hot chocolate with freshly made whipped cream, and preparing the outdoor hot tub all come to mind again (ahhhhhhh...).
And yeeeees (lest I give you an imbalanced perspective), so does shoveling. May even have to break down this year and have a guy plow my driveway instead of me dancing with my Toro. Maybe?! Haven't yet committed one way or the other. I still love that ole' girl though. Not sure if I want to give her up just yet.
Let's see...Christmas is coming. Definitely need an upgraded set of YakTraks for my boots. Gotta put that high on the list. That would be a great Christmas present! (that is if I can wait that long...) Time to break out the scarves and nuclear (have we all figured out how to pronounce this word yet) warm coats.
Moments ago, before I sat down to write, I stepped into my kitchen and was filled with sudden, spectacular joy! The east wall and a half of cabinets I replaced last summer with windows is flooding light all around. Even with today's cloudiness, the ambient reflection off newly fallen snow on the ground brightens the place up exponentially. It'll make mornings in the kitchen with the sunny view up Mount Philo a true blessing. I love that.
Hmmmmm. Here's a warm thought. Can I get to an island or a beach this winter??? Any beach!? Okay, okay I said it!!!!!! I said it!! Am I a traitor? Oh my! Please let me wistfully digress with this dreamy song...click the following link and crank it up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciFesab7OYA (btw that was not MY blinking house just in case you were wondering...) Goodness! Back to reality!
YES, INDEED. She's here almost five weeks ahead of her official day.
Ready or not, here she comes...
Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Charlotte Vermont Real Estate.
Ry’s Sunset in Charlotte Vermont
Four nights ago, while driving from Williston through Shelburne on my way home to Charlotte at dusk, I was blown away by a stunning, mad November sunset unfolding from north to south along the upper ridges of the Adirondack Mountains illuminating Lake Champlain in an other worldiness of color.
While craning my neck and driving perilously close to the edge of the road, I reached instinctively for my camera to capture these rare, intense moments. Jesus, I thought. It's not here. It's at home! Mon Dieu!!
Seconds later, my cell phone rang. It was my 17 year old son excitedly asking me if I could see the sunset and did I have my camera to snap some pictures. Dejectedly, I remarked, "I didn't" but I said, "call your sister. She's at home."
Hours later, I excitedly learned that he reached her and asked her to grab her camera and nail that sunset on film. Whereupon Ry calmly and warmly remarked, "not to worry, Will. I already took 15 shots."
God, I love my kids. The mere fact we saw what we saw and were connected at those same moments and were all so moved blows me away! We all appreciated nature's stunning display and the glory of the red sky that night taking time, care and love to reach out to one another so as to share that beauty. It doesn't get a whole lot better than that in my book!
The picture you see above is one of fifteen my daughter took on that evening. I emailed it to our town newspaper, The Charlotte News, earlier this morning. They, too, thought it was spectacular. In fact, my daughter will have her first published photograph in their upcoming edition. Cheers to you Ry!!! Love you!!
Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Charlotte Vermont Real Estate.
Summer of 2008 Storm Photographs of Lake Champlain in Charlotte Vermont
What an amazing summer for storms! Sometimes 4 and 5 in a day. Some would come from across Lake Champlain from the west. Some from the south. Some from the northwest. The drama was spectacular as it unfolded from my porch beside Mount Philo State Park with its pastoral westerly views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. Let's not forget the spectacular lightning display of a week ago. It even brought my teenage son with his three friends out from behind their video game, "Call of Duty", to witness the awesome power. How's that for jaded 16 year old boys?Record rainfall. Record lake levels. Thunderstorm watches and warnings it seemed everyday for a month. Our states' moniker, The Green Mountain State, earned its deserved reputation this summer. All the different greens reminded me of that great Johnny Cash tune, "40 Shades of Green." If you haven't heard it here you go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0oTDS9ur_U
We are in the tail end of summer now. My daughter started high school today. Heavens. Onward we go.I'm hoping September and October are the longest stretch of Indian Summer weather in Vermont's history! And I'm betting there's another 650,000 people who would agree with me.If you have your own summer storm stories, please share them and post them here.
Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Burlington Vermont Real Estate.
Top Ten List for Charlotte VT
A purely personal list subject to change (guaranteed!) of my favorite things to do in Shelburne VT throughout the year:
10. Walking my dog up Mt Philo,
9. Swimming/Tennis/Sunsets at the Charlotte Vermont Beach,
8. Charlotte Land Trust/Open Spaces,,
7. Charlotte Central School,
6. Launching out of Point Bay Marina en routh to Basin Harbor or Whallon's Bay,
5. A "Charlotter", cup of coffee with half & half and sugar, and the newspaper hanging out on the porch of The Old Brick Store,
4. Sledding down Mt Philo,
3. Views anytime atop Mt Philo,
2. Cycling Charlotte VT back roads,
1. Views from my front porch!
If you would like to add a comment or add your favorite Top Ten list, please do so by posting a comment here at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Charlotte Vermont Real Estate.
Praise for the Charlotte Vermont Land Trust
Christmas has come early this year. I was rejoicing reading the Free Press this morning about the successful efforts of the Charlotte Land Trust to preserve 40 acres of open land west of Mount Philo, near State Park Road. A three year effort has paid off and I would like to express my deep gratitude to all who had a hand in making this preservation of important land a reality.
The Charlotte Land Trust recognized two main purposes for conserving this land. The first was for the property's prime agricultural value and the second was for preserving expansive westerly viewsheds from atop Mount Philo.
Who among us hasn't rejoiced in those spectacular views earned with only a short (30 min) hike to the top of Mount Philo to view the beauty of our Champlain Valley, Lake Champlain, The heart of the Adirondack Mountains, westerly sunsets that are superlative, walking with loved ones and our dogs, watching the bi-annual migration of Canadian Geese, Snow Geese, or Peregrine Falcons in jackknifed dive into the now preserved meadows in search of a meal.
Yes. It feels like Christmas Day allright!
Charlotte residents contribute to the conservation funds each year through 2 cents of the tax rate. This was authorized by the voters in 1996 and re-ratified again in 2006. Every ten years a revote must occur to reapprove the allocation of resources. In excess of a dozen properties have been conserved with help from this fund.
If you would like to make a contribution to the fund, you may do so by writing to the Charlotte Land Trust at P.O Box 43 Charlotte VT 05445. Their website is at present under construction at http://www.charlottelandtrust.org/
As always, if you would like to add your comments here at Hurd's The Word, please feel free to do so or go to my website at Charlotte Vermont Real Estate.
