Hurd’s The Word

February 4th, 2010

Burlington Vermont

Vermont continues to have the lowest foreclosures of any state in the entire United States. Recent information reported by Bloomberg BusinessWeek indicate that Vermont has suffered the least with ONLY 143 foreclosures in the entire state for all of 2009!

RealtyTrac, in its monthly report from December 2009, reported that only 6 homes in all of Chittenden County (includes 17 towns around and including Burlington VT) went into foreclosure or 1 in every 10,479 housing units. 

Put another way, The Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA.org) reported from the Bloomberg.com website that as of January 29th, 2010, Vermont had the lowest foreclosure rate in the country at 0.04% of all homes in the state. The Bloomberg article went on to report that Vermonters are avoiding the foreclosure mess in part owing to traditions of ”thrift, modesty and self-reliance - bolstered by laws that protect buyers and land”.

In addition, the article went on to say “state and local laws discourage the kind of speculation that spurred development in some states, said Robert Hill, executive vice president of the Vermont Association of Realtors in Montpelier. “If a site for home construction is found to be on prime agricultural soil, the project is halted. The house must be built elsewhere, other land must be purchased and put in a trust as an offset, or the builder must go to court to seek clearance,” he said.

Hill continued saying, “The permitting process is extremely difficult to maneuver in Vermont.” “Any developer or builder has to make a significant investment of time and effort. You just can’t come in here and throw stuff up overnight.”

Whatever the reasons, tiny Vermont (pop. 621,270) leads the nation in a category we can be extremely grateful for. With stringent environmental and zoning laws on the books for decades supply has been kept low. This enraged developers looking to make a fast buck during the go-go years. Hill added, as a result, “demand has outstripped the supply of housing. With no surplus of homes, prices didn’t collapse (like in many other states) when buyers decreased,” Hill said.

If you are considering listing your home for sale or buying a home or condominium in or near Burlington Vermont, please give me a call or email me to discuss the market and your options. I would be delighted to assist you. I can be reached on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com

Armed with solid numbers, buyers and sellers alike can manage their expectations and the current realities of our local market.

As always, please feel free to post any thoughts and comments about downsizing right here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

January 27th, 2010

Shelburne VT 

Based upon information provided by the Northwestern Vermont Board of Realtors (NVBR) as of today for all of 2009, there were 85 single family residential and condominium 
units sold within Shelburne
Vermont with a total sold volume of $34,810,350.

These numbers represent a 16.44% INCREASE in the number of units sold from the same time period one year earlier (1/1/09-12/31/09). Divide this number by the units sold (85) and you get an average sale price of $409,534. These numbers represent a 2.20% increase in the average sales price from the same time period one year earlier (1/1/09-12/31/09). 

Average days on the market for all these 85 properties was 127 compared to 96 one year earlier or 32.29% longer on the market.

If you are considering listing your home for sale or buying a home or condominium in or near Shelburne Vermont, please give me a call or email me to discuss the market and your options. I would be delighted to assist you. I can be reached on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com

As always, please feel free to post any thoughts and comments about downsizing right here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

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 here at Hurd’s The Word.

(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.)

January 27th, 2009

Charlotte VT 

Based upon information provided by the Northwestern Vermont Board of Realtors (NVBR) as of today for all of 2009, there were 29 single family residential and condominium units
sold within Charlotte Vermont 
with a total sold volume of $19,493,197.

These numbers represent a 61.61% increase in the number of units sold from the same time period one year earlier (1/1/09-12/31/09). Divide this number by the units sold (29) and you get an average sale price of $672,179. These numbers represent a 10.84% decrease in the average sales price from the same time period one year earlier (1/1/09-12/31/09). 

Average days on the market for these 29 properties was 137 compared to 106 one year earlier or 29.25% longer on the market.

If you are considering listing your home for sale or buying a home or condominium in or near Charlotte Vermont, please give me a call or email me to discuss the market and your options. I would be delighted to assist you. I can be reached on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com

As always, please feel free to post any thoughts and comments about downsizing right here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

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 here at Hurd’s The Word.

(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.)

January 27th, 2010

Burlington VT 

Based upon information provided by the Northwestern Vermont Board of Realtors (NVBR) as of today for all of 2009, there were 276 single family residential and condominium units sold within Burlington Vermont with a total sold volume of $70,919,923.

These numbers represent a 26.03% increase in the number of units sold from the same time period one year earlier (1/1/09-12/31/09). Divide this number by the units sold (276) and you get an average sale price of $256,956. These numbers represent a 11.16% decrease in the average sales price from the same time period one year earlier (1/1/09-12/31/09).

Average days on the market for all these 219 properties was 74 compared to 75 one year earlier or 1.33% longer on the market.

If you are considering listing your home for sale or buying a home or condominium in or near Burlington Vermont, please give me a call or email me to discuss the market and your options. I would be delighted to assist you. I can be reached on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com

As always, please feel free to post any thoughts and comments about downsizing right here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

Armed with solid numbers, buyers and sellers alike can manage their expectations and the current realities of our local market.

(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.)

January 27th, 2010

Burlington VT 

Based upon information provided by the Northwestern Vermont Board of Realtors (NVBR) as of today for all of 2009, there were 1410 single family residential and condominium units sold within all the towns which comprise Chittenden County in Vermont with a total listed volume of $398,226,858. Compare that number to the actual volume of total sold properties at $383,158,490. The List-to-Sell Variance is $10,687 or last year’s List-to-Sell Percent is 96%. The average sale price for all of Chittenden County was $271,744. These numbers represent a 1.00% increase in the average sales price from the same time period one year earlier (1/1/09-12/31/09). 

Average days on the market for all these 1410 properties was 93 compared to 91 one year earlier or 2.2% longer on the market.

Armed with solid numbers, buyers and sellers alike can manage their expectations and the current realities of our local market.

If you are considering listing your home for sale or buying a home or condominium in or near Burlington Vermont, please give me a call or email me to discuss the market and your options. I would be delighted to assist you. I can be reached on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com

As always, please feel free to post any thoughts and comments about downsizing right here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

(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.)

January 25th, 2010

Burlington VT

No other neighborhood in Burlington Vermont can boast about the infrastructure and amenities that Appletree Point and its Association provide. Not one.

Price points range from over a million to be right on the lake with a single family home, to the $350,000 to $600,000 range for single family homes not right on the lake, to high $200’s for a townhouse. Appletree Point also has a well run Association with affordable cost effective association fees.

The list of amenities is long for this neighborhood. Sandy private beach on Lake Champlain with a gradual descent into the lake make it ideal for swimming or launching kayaks/canoes. Two swimming pools set at either end of the neighborhood cater to families during the summer months. The City of Burlington has a public park which includes a baseball diamond, several hardcourt tennis courts, a basketball court and toddler playground.

Appletree Point is located off North Avenue about 2.5 miles north of downtown Burlington. The road into this neighborhood is not a “through road.” Coming into Appletree Point is THE destination. Thus, the vast majority of people coming into this area are its residents not people commuting through or just driving around.

The area is within a half mile of the Burlington Bike and Recreation Path which runs along Lake Champlain for cycling, rollerblading, running and walking in the milder months and walking, snow shoeing and cross country skiing in Winter.

If you are considering buying in Burlington be sure to consider this fantastic neighborhood.

If you are considering listing your home for sale or buying a home or condominium in Burlington Vermont, please give me a call or email me to discuss the market and your options. I would be delighted to assist you. I can be reached on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com

As always, please feel free to post any thoughts and comments about downsizing right here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

January 22nd, 2010

Shelburne VT and Charlotte VT

The Vermont Community Energy Mobilization (VCEM) Project sponsored conjunction with the Charlotte VT Energy Committee, the Shelburne VT Energy Committee, Transition Town Charlotte and Transition Town Shelburne have ALL joined arms to provide free in home energy assessments. The goals of the project are to:

• Achieve quantifiable reductions in home energy use;
• Increase awareness and understanding by Vermonters of home energy savings opportunities and resources; and,
• Demonstrate that a community-based, volunteer program can be a successful model for achieving home energy savings and raising awareness of Vermonters on home energy savings.

Last night around 30 volunteer (of which I am one) residents of Charlotte and Shelburne met for an evening of training at the Charlotte VT Senior Center. Efficiency Vermont is providing all energy saving measures free of charge. Energy saving measures will include offering compact fluorescent lightbulbs (cfl’s), low-flow showerheads, water aerators for faucets, electric hot water tank wraps and pipe insulation.

Efficiency Vermont trained the volunteers last night to assist homeowners in identifying whether their home’s heating is inefficient.

Lastly, the visit will include a “kitchen table talk” about energy saving opportunities and resources - specifically about energy conservation behavior and explaining referrals to services that are currently available. Efficiency Vermont offers several incentive programs, appliance rebates, and low-interest financing for additional energy efficiency measures of which most Vermonters are unaware of these savings opportunities.

If you are interested in receiving this free energy assessment service (only 80 will be available initially for both town so contact us soon!) or have additional questions, please email Suzie Hodgson of Charlotte at suzyhodgson@gmavt.net or Judy Raven of Shelburne at ravenvt@msn.com so we can put you on our schedules. Assessments will begin in mid-February and continue through April.

If you are considering listing your home for sale or buying a home or condominium in Burlington, Shelburne or Charlotte, please give me a call or email me to discuss the market and your options. I would be delighted to assist you. I can be reached on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com

As always, please feel free to post any thoughts and comments about downsizing right here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

January 19th, 2010

Burlington VT

I was having lunch at the Brick Store in Charlotte Vermont the other day and overheard several conversations about residents considering whether to downsize their homes. I overheard others having this discussion while waiting for my latte at the Shelburne Wine and Coffee Shop in Shelburne VT a day later.

It’s not uncommon to hear people talk of downsizing their homes at all these days. In fact, I think it’s on a lot of people’s minds.

Usually, people take this step once kids are off to college and the need for all that extra space diminishes. In addition, as we get older, we look for homes that are smaller or that fill our needs as we near retirement (i.e having the master bedroom on the main floor should a health impairment prevent climbing stairs.)

Moreover, I hear people contemplating the size of their homes as though they have some newly discovered social or moral awakening. “How much space do we need?”, they ask. What is our 4,000 square foot home’s carbon footprint? Is it wise to live in the country so far from services? Can I walk to the stores or the bank? How much time do I spend in my car each day driving back and forth to everything? Should we downsize to reduce our expenses? Should we downsize into a condo and buy a 2nd home in a warmer climate for winters?

On the other extreme, there is The Tiny House Movement. Its proponents relish a minimalist approach free from the constraints of a mortgage and freed from other financial responsibilities. One proponent living in Johnson Vermont makes a convincing argument though it’s not clear where you put the kids and grandkids .

Of course, determining what suits you is very personal and is a process unto itself. It requires careful consideration. Particularly, in this real estate market.

If you are considering listing your home for sale and downsizing into a smaller home or condominium, please give me a call or email me to discuss the market and your options. I would be delighted to assist you in this important next step of your life. I can be reached on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com

As always, please feel free to post any thoughts and comments about downsizing right here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

January 13th, 2010

Burlington VT

What is the future for Burlington Vermont and business development? This and many other questions were raised and addressed recently.

Last week, I attended the 8th annual Business Summit sponsored by the Burlington Business Association (BBA) hosted at Champlain College. The summit brought business people from across the area together to hear three lecturers discuss the past, present and future for our city and to brainstorm in breakout sessions what needs to be done to keep Burlington vibrant, creative and growing.

Several statistics presented at the outset bear repeating and amplification. The unemployment rate in Burlington VT stands at 5.4% compared to the national average which stands at 10%. I found that to be a startlingly positive number. In addition, the vacancy rate for homes and residential rentals stands at 3.08% (amongst the lowest in the USA - AOL Real Estate). These figures are simply outstanding at a time of great difficulty faced by scores of other communities across the United States.

As the keynote speakers concluded, one in particular stood out above the rest for her outspoken and positive take on what is going on at the “street level” in Burlington and in the State of Vermont.

Liz Robert is the CEO of Terry Precision Cycles, a company which has pioneered several innovations aimed at improving the quality of cycling for women. Robert’s list of business accomplishments is deep and she spoke with great confidence and reverence for what attracted her to very recently relocate her company from Rochester NY to Burlington VT.

Robert recited in short order a list of reasons why such a relocation at first blush made no sense financially. The costs of doing business in Burlington were significantly higher. She cited higher home prices, medical insurance premiums and tax rates as obstacles yet she continued to ask herself  “should I relocate my company to Burlington?”.

In the end, Robert concluded that Burlington VT offered a climate of “creative energy” that simply did not exist in Rochester NY. She added “people are passionate in Burlington about what they do both from a work, play and socially concious center. People here like to engage in debate as a community and ask the tough questions to help derive better answers and results. She continued underscoring that there is a “powerful visual aesthetic” that adds to the exceptional quality of life. People here have a greater sense of “purpose, mission, tolerance and an independent mindset” that is lacking in other places.

Lastly, Robert concluded her remarks by saying “moving to Burlington makes you work hard. You end up working more than just for the almighty buck. It makes you willing to defy the odds of taking a startup to success.”

When asked about Burlington and the state of Vermont’s reputation for lack of incentives for business owners she emphatically decried, “It’s simply not true. The business community here has a really well-oiled machine at its disposal. The state of Vermont really steppped up to the plate to help get us here.”

All of these factors, she reasoned, would help her attract and retain quality employees much more so than the vibe which existed in Rochester.

“Rebuilding economies is about entrepreneurship,” said Robert. “It’s about entrepreneurs taking the initiative and working with regulators. It’s up to us. It’s up to businesspeople like ourselves to step up to the plate to do the hard work.”

Stay tuned here at Hurd’s The Word for more information from the breakout sessions from the Burlington VT Business Summit as additional details are forthcoming.

As always, please feel free to post your thoughts and any comments about The State of Burlington VT’s Business Sector right here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

If you are interested in purchasing a home in and around Burlington Vermont, please call me on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com

January 6th, 2010

Burlington, Vermont

New Year’s Eve celebration (called First Night ) in Burlington Vermont rocks! If you haven’t been to a First Night in Burlington yet, keep it in mind to check it out next year. This year was the 27th year Burlington’s First Night has been celebrated and it was better than ever. Where else can you pay $15 to get into so many, many venues? Okay, a few of the choice concerts at the Flynn Theater added $3 more to the night per person per event but it’s laughable how much fun can be had for such a modest outlay.

For a brief history, First Night originated in Boston Massachusetts in 1976 by a small group of artists who sought an alternative way of celebrating New Year’s Eve, creating an event where the consumption of alcohol is banned. First Night is an indoor/outdoor artistic and cultural celebration which occurs from afternoon until midnight. The intention of First Night is to celebrate that community’s local cultures often showcasing music, dance, art, comedy, parades and fireworks.

This year’s relatively mild weather brought out lots of revelers. Snow covered streets, sparkling Christmas lights twinkling on Church Street, smiles on passersby scurrying to their next event while chatting up what they had just witnessed created an energy of joy and community. You just couldn’t help but feel it. All events are suited to young ones and the young at heart too. There truly is something for everyone.

This year my gang and I saw an amazing comedy act from a guy from Hardwick. Hardwick? Hello! This fellow was a former Cirkus Smirkus clown. He was wonderful. His act was really funny as he involved members of the audience from little kids to a coupla dads in his acts. Charming and hilarious with a bit of daring, he received a standing ovation.

From there we went down to the Flynn Space to hear Gregory Douglass. Unfortunately, the sound wasn’t great and it was hard to hear him so that felt a little disappointing.

Next, we popped into Ali Baba’s Kabob Shop for some felafel to take the edge off our hunger. The place was jam packed and the food was absolutely yummy.

Onward, we went to the Main Stage at the Flynn Theater to watch Kilamanjaro and the Unknown Blues Band with Sondra Wright kick it into high gear. Once that swing beat locked in, my sweetheart and I couldn’t contain ourselves any more and we danced five smokin’ songs in the aisles. How much fun is that?

Hot and sweaty, we left the Flynn to take a Brazilian dance lesson with Sambudacada drummers who wrought their wild South American beat upon us. I was dripping. It was so much fun to see so many smiling faces, young and old side by side, all having such a great time.

Last, we wandered back into the refreshing cold air to ready ourselves to hear the Bluegrass Gospel Project. This group is amazing. Guitar, mandolin, bass, banjo, harmonizing vocals and a female lead singer with an alto voice as sweet as honey. She and they were so phenomenal it was hard to believe and they received two standing ovations. There were some folks behind me from Los Angeles California who were in utter disbelief at how great this band sounded.

All in all, we had tuckered ourselves out, felt satiated and ready to head home. But what a great way to have rung in 2010! Great memories. Ran into lots of familiar faces throughout the afternoon and evening. And best of all, no hangover to start the New Year.

Take my advice. Give First Night in Burlington Vermont a try next year (First Night buttons make great stocking stuffers). Dress warmly and in layers. You won’t regret it one bit.

As always, please feel free to post your thoughts and comments about First Night here on Hurd’s The Word by clicking on the “Comments Button” below.

If you are interested in purchasing a home in and around Burlington Vermont, please call me on my direct line at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com