It is all about the Green Mountains, snow and New England tradition. Here are 6 keys to a great year-round property for the winter months:

1. 1.  Keep it close. Vermont is within driving distance
2. 2.  Give me the mountains. The Green Mountains stretch the length of the state
3. 3.  Out my back door: snowshoeing, x-country skiing, downhill skiing and skating
4. 4.  Escape for Dinner one night: Sophisticated local foods – Downtown Grocery
5. 5.  Private, not remote: Slopes, shops and village amenities
6. 6.  Room for the family and friends: Bringing together the people we love

Living room of Highlands Reserve
with exposed post and beam

Vermont barn in the winter
- a New England winter snowscape

LandVest’s great Vermont escape for sale:

Highlands Reserve: Set in the Southern foothills of the Green Mountains, bordering state and national forest, this 627± acre tract provides complete mountain privacy within six miles of the white clapboard village of Weston and ten miles of Okemo Mountain Resort. A summer trout pond becomes winter’s ideal spot for pond hockey at the center of this 20-acre± compound. The main residence is an exposed hemlock Post & Beam with 3,000± s.f. and three bedrooms. The New England Post & Beam barn with attached camp, and a 3,000± s.f. two-suite guest house overlook each end of the pond. A stone turret folly in a hillside field above the residence provides a perfect go to place at sunset. South of the pond is a glade with a stream at its border and the “Kids Camp” fitted with a wood stove and bunk beds and a well-framed mountain view. A short distance by snow shoe there is a series of ten connecting natural ponds in a beautiful woodland setting. A larger trail leads off towards the center of the property to an area of an old settlement identifiable by a series of stone walls. From here, there is a trail to “Tabletop” hill, a great site for a cabin with views of the valley and mountains. A five-mile network of trails, great for skiing, snow shoeing or snow machine, provide sightings of moose, beaver, grouse, woodcock and turkey. The 600 acre managed timberland provides additional value. Offered for $2,100,000.

Contact Story Jenks: sjenks@landvest.com, 802-238-1332

Vermont's numerous ski resorts
attract thousands of skiers every year

Vermont’s natural beauty and mountain environment provide a striking setting and a true escape from the everyday with some of the best ski and hiking terrain in the East. Located 45 minutes from Burlington, Vermont’s International Airport, a three-hour drive from Boston and five hours from the George Washington Bridge, the area boasts diverse terrain, tons of snow and an idyllic way of life.

LandVest’s  listings in the heart of Vermont ski country offer exceptional opportunities.

Panoramic view of Sugarbush Bowl as seen
from Wakanta in Warren and Waitsfield, VT

“Wakanta” meaning “Mountain Spirit”, is aptly named for it captures the essence of this property.  Set on a mountain hillside on 44± private acres, overlooking a spring-fed swimming pond, Wakanta is surrounded by stunning mountain vistas, and offers full-on views of Sugarbush resort. The well-designed and impeccably constructed 4,750 square foot Vermont vernacular residence has enough room to handle a crowd but is just as easily adept at smaller gatherings with comfort and style.   Wakanta features 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, an 8-person steam room and wonderful spaces for entertaining, including a spacious living room with Rumford fireplace and an outdoor heated stone terrace with hot tub.  Located within minutes of two of Vermont’s most popular ski areas, Sugarbush and Mad River Glen, Wakanta also includes a 2-story barn.

Worcester Range Farm, Middlesex VT
- just a few miles to Stowe and the best downhill skiing in the East

Worcester Range Farm offers end-of-the-road privacy and a classic setting of a proper Vermont hill farm with 649± acres of woods, meadows, trails, and stunning mountain views. The historic farmhouse, c1900, was renovated in 1991 and 1997 to the highest standards by Vermont craftsmen leaving the magnificent original features, and adding all the required upgrades. The home includes 3 bedrooms, 4 baths, a formal living room, a chef’s kitchen, a sun porch, sauna, and all new mechanicals.  It’s location in Middlesex is a few miles from shopping and services in Vermont’s Capital city of Montpelier, and some of the best downhill skiing in the East is in nearby Stowe.

Watershed Farm, Roxbury, VT 570 acres of stunning mountain and valley views provide diverse recreational opportunity for the sports enthusiast

Just over the gap from the Mad River Valley, Watershed Farm also offers incredibly diverse recreational opportunities for the winter sports enthusiast.  Miles of trails wind through this 570-acre hilltop property approached by a mile-long driveway and is absolutely private.  The 6,400 sq. ft. Victorian residence is well-maintained and offers stunning mountain views from almost every one of its 15 rooms as well as from the wide wrap-around porches.  Also included is a 20-stall barn, indoor riding arena and an observatory.

Vermont is fortunate in that we are never over-inventoried with quality properties.  Many of these properties only come available once in a generation.  Although we have only mentioned above the properties that are in the Sugarbush Valley region, there are several other outstanding opportunities with large acreage and with extraordinarily well-maintained and private houses all within a very short distances of major ski areas up and down the Green Mountains.  Please check our website regularly for new property opportunities in Vermont.

For more  information on these or other Vermont real estate for sale, contact Wade BC Weathers Jr .   Phone: 802-651-5392, Email: wweathers@landvest.com

Private and exquisite Vermont Gentleman's farm on 104 acres within three miles of Woodstock Village

Uphill Farm is the Vermont farm, perfected.  It is an idealized Vermont landscape, protected by abutting conserved land, with each of the components: meadows, views, ponds, ski hill, brook, red barn, cow pastures and ancient maple trees… on a manageable scale.  From the air, the artists’ palette of green rolling meadows, and managed landscapes begin to tell the story of the exceptional detail of Uphill Farm.  To fully understand the quiet excellence of this property, one needs to experience it in person. There is a magic to the place.

We are struck by the effect Uphill Farm has on visitors.  They step out of their cars, take a big, deep breath and just stand quietly for a minute.  They visibly relax and their shoulders drop as they take in the clean air and the sounds of the breeze in the big old sugar maples and the brook down the hill.  And so it begins…

The current stewards of this farm took great care in keeping the property fresh without interfering with its sense of place and history.

Main residence is a 5564 sq ft expanded/renovated post and beam farmhouse

The renovated and expanded c1805 Post and Beam main residence has all the expected luxury amenities, with tremendous craftsmanship and Vermont farm character.   The main house is manageable for a couple, but expands to accommodate children and guests due to its well-designed floor plan.  The main living space includes open areas that flow well to accommodate today’s lifestyle with plenty of light and top of the line amenities.  The ground floor master suite is separate enough from the main living areas to afford privacy, but close enough to accommodate a young family.  Amenities are as one would expect for a property of this caliber.   The kitchen, for example, comes equipped to serve a crowd with two Dacor wall ovens, two SubZero refrigerators, and two Bosch dishwashers.  The library has a stone fireplace and French doors that lead to the summer dining porch, and SubZero wine cooler. The elegant billiard room features cherry raised panel molding, fireplace surround, coffered ceiling, built-in cabinetry, a wet bar and bay window overlooking the rear yard and pool.  The master bath has a jetted tub with marble surround and heated towel racks.

The artfully crafted Gunite pool and spa includes a cascading waterfall and heated terrace

The master suite also has a dressing room with two cedar closets, and wonderful big marble tub.  The outdoor living touches are also remarkable with several covered porches and patios to choose from.  The nature-scape pool with cascading waterfall and spa offers respite after a day of being out and about the farm and the pool terraces are heated to keep your feet warm on your way to a soak.

Ample guest accommodation is provided by the open and airy three story 19th century farmhouse at Down The Hill Farm, which also features an elegantly updated floor plan and amenities, and can comfortably sleep a couple or a big extended family.  Both residences are offered completely furnished and the extensive inventory of farm equipment, vehicles and carriages convey with property as well.  The new owner need only bring a toothbrush!

Renovated in 2008, stable has 6 box stalls, cedar shake roof, cedar doors and teak and copper walls.

The multiple barns are  well equipped for horses and provide ample storage and opportunity for creative and functional endeavors.

There are so many opportunities for a family and friends to enjoy the property, from casual meals in the open and bright kitchen to a big celebration in the huge Down the Hill loft, sugaring at the sugar house, skiing with the snow cat on the little ski hill, mountain biking, cross-country skiing or horseback riding on the beautifully maintained trails, fishing in the brook and ponds, quietly gathering herbs and flowers in the charming fenced kitchen garden, a barbeque in the outdoor kitchen followed by an evening of friendly competition in the billiard room, or curling up by the fireplaces with a good book.  The tour is not complete without mentioning that this private escape is within three miles of everything the charming village of Woodstock has to offer, and a quick hop over the hill to a great day of skiing at Killington or a fun family day at Suicide Six.  This is a true dream farm.

LandVest has recently produced a short video which distills the essence of Uphill farm and we invite all those considering buying or selling a farm to view this video (see link below).
For those who are interested in Vermont Farms for sale, or, if you have a farm and are considering it for sale, contact Ruth Kennedy Sudduth. (rsudduth@landvest.com)

Click link to View Uphill Farm, Woodstock, Vermont Video

For more information, click on the photos, call the LandVest office in Woodstock, VT (802) 457-4977 or contact the LandVest real estate brokers listed below.

Craggle Ridge Farm

92.70 acres

255 Delano Road, West Windsor, VT 05089

$1,345,000

For more information contact Story Jenks or Ruth Kennedy Sudduth.

_________________________

North Mowing

230.30 acres

30 Fairground Rd., Springfield, VT 05156

$2,295,000

For more information contact Jon Weber or Ruth Kennedy Sudduth.

For more information click on photos or contact: Wade B.C. Weathers, Jr - wweathers@landvest.com or call 802-651-5392

Rock Harbor

11 acres overlooking Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains of Vermont

356 Rock Harbor Way, Westport, NY

$1,995,000

Click here for Wade B.C. Weathers, Jr info

Click here to view Wade’s current listings.

2010 was a year of consolidation across the markets we serve. With pricing well off the highs of 2005, and approaching 2001 levels in many markets, seller expectations became realistic and buyers stepped in to pick up attractive deals with cash. Yankee thrift largely avoided the distressed market prevalent in the Southwest and California, and bottom-fishers have largely been frustrated at trying to pick off superb properties which hold considerable value despite the market.

LandVest led record sales through this challenging market, reflecting our strength and the quality of the properties we represent. Wyck Estate – spectacular waterfront French chateau reproduction in Manchester, MA was offered for $12.25 million. Lochland – eclipsed only by the previous New Hampshire record set by LandVest in 2006, this former home of Babe and William Paley on Squam Lake sold for $6.85 million. Round Pond Road – remarkable Martha’s Vineyard beachfront property was offered for $18 million and sold in early 2011, setting the tone for a stronger spring market.

North Mowing, located in Springfield, Vermont is privately set on 230± acres and is currently for sale. The amenity-rich estate offers nine clapboard buildings in an idylic Vermont setting.

Vermont

Sales Volume
The Vermont high-end market is predominantly a second (or third…) home market, driven by want rather than need. 2010 volume of state-wide residential sales over $1 million topped 60, improving ever so slightly from 2009’s trough of 54 sales, but down over 57% from the peak in 2005. Sales over $2 million showed a similar trend with a bigger rebound in 2010, but off the peak by 62%. The average marketing period lengthened to over 1.5 years.

It was not until end of 2009 and beginning of 2010 that the scale of price decreases became clear. Here are sample sales in the primary high-end markets in Vermont.

Prospects for 2011 are looking better. Our market is driven by wealth, and with the S&P 500 recovering strongly, and bonuses for financial services firms roaring back, we are seeing an influx of young, smart buyers, looking for wonderful places in Vermont. However, competition is fierce. With over several years of unsold inventory on the market, great properties, well-priced, beautifully presented and well-represented will have the advantage.

Lost Cove in Colchester Vermont, is a remarkable 6,997± shingle-style, Lake Champlain real estate offering

Market Observations:

●    Buyers who were willing to make offers in 2010 were well-informed and opportunistic. They knew the area well from childhood camp, family gatherings and vacations, and they have been in the hunt for awhile. Buyers looking for the first time were more likely to sit on the sidelines.

●    There is a build-up of properties for sale but not on the public market (“Shadow Inventory”), motivated by a fear of having over-exposure in the public eye. The result is a potential for additional inventory to come to market in the coming year, particularly if there are signs of an improved market climate. Given this competitive environment, the clear advantage is to properties that are positioned properly and marketed with a broad market reach.

●    Generational Shift:  Buyers are young and looking for family 2nd homes. The “empty nester” buying pool has stepped back, replaced by the young financial market Turks. The market is being driven by the needs of families for ample bedrooms together and informal living spaces. We are working with sellers to assist them in positioning their properties to showcase their advantages for families with younger children.

Bay Point is one of the only completely private residences on the Eastern Shore of Lake Champlain that is currently for sale.

Woodstock and Norwich Region

The uncertain economic climate primarily affected the second home market in 2010, which weighed more heavily on Woodstock than Norwich where Dartmouth College and Hitchcock Medical Center create a more stable “primary residence” market. Unit sales indications show a slight increase over 2009, following a state-wide trend. Three of the eleven Vermont sales over $2 million were in the Woodstock area.

(*) 2 distressed sales helped pull the sale/assessed value down in 2009

The gap between seller and buyer expectations ballooned in 2009, and began to close in 2010. “Sale Price to Assessed Value” is an interesting, if occasionally misleading metric, depending on how accurately assessments reflect the condition of the properties being sold. Days on market reflects the abundance of choice for buyers. In better market conditions, sales discounts average 10-15% of asking price.

The good news is the quality of buyers we are seeing step forward. Their appetite for large land parcels – the gems of Vermont listings – is solid, though very sensitive to value. In 2010, there were three sales of large land parcels and two residential sales where the driver was for the quality and location of the land. With a base of buyers currently looking for this same land profile, better prices will be supported by this demand (LandVest Vermont properties for sale).

Lake Champlain

The Lake Champlain real estate market improved as the year went on, with increased number of showings relative to a still limited number of sales.

Beautifully renovated properties in great waterfront locations sold best.  Yet scarce really great inventory pushed buyers toward purchasing waterfront properties, razing modest existing structures and building anew. Lake Champlain real estate sales in 2010 included three sales of substantial waterfront properties trading for land prices. Values have become compelling, falling below assessed values even in such prized areas as Charlotte and Shelburne.

There are currently 28 Lake Champlain waterfront properties on the market for $1m or more, providing 4 years of inventory. This underscores the importance of carefully positioning and price properties for sale, a LandVest specialty.

Gentleman Farms

Location drives value, especially in a challenging market. Buyers have focused on farms closer to amenities, supporting values. The remote hill farm retreat has seen steeper sales discounts than for farms that are closer to Woodstock, Barnard, Charlotte, and Shelburn – towns known for their lovely environments and nearby amenities. This next year is likely to see some exceptional farms come on the market, providing great opportunity for buyers.

The 92+ acre Craggle Ridge Farm in West Windsor, Vermont (near GMHA) offers 92+ acres, a 2,943± home, a a two-bedroom guest/caretaker house, a 6-stall stable, a riding arena, a pond and more

LandVest Is Assisting Clients In:

●    Grieving inappropriate tax assessments: Some properties are still assessed too high and LandVest has had excellent results in assisting land owners in establishing a basis for tax grievance, which in some cases can have a significant decrease in the tax burden.

●    Capturing timber value: With owners of large wooded land parcels, there is a value to the standing timberland and it should be understood as part of the property’s value. The value may not be substantial from a financial standpoint, but as often it is important emotionally, with great sugar bushes or mixed hardwood stands adding to the intrinsic sense of place of a property, but making the difference in a buyer’s interest or the strength of an offer. Increased interest in inflation hedging through commodity exposure gives another dimension to timber as a land attribute. LandVest Timber can help with a valuation.

●    Protecting the value of your property: This can be the purchase of adjoining land to make a property more marketable, careful disposition planning of the property for children or for liquidity, or having solid marketing advice when considering a conservation easement  to protect the marketability of your property and to protect your deduction from recent IRS challenges. LandVest Consulting is unmatched in its depth of knowledge for planning this increasingly important asset.

 

The Takeaway

The market is improving. Quality endures – there is pent-up demand for beautiful properties in great locations with privacy and views.  This is the time for careful planning and market-sensitive execution. The high-end market requires a particular focus and LandVest stands alone with this expertise.

For more information, please view contact information for Story Jenks, Jon Weber, Ruth Kennedy Sudduth, and Wade Weathers. Or, contact Story Jenks at sjenks@landvest.com, Jon Weber at jweber@landvest.com, Ruth Kennedy Sudduth at rsudduth@landvest.com, or Wade Weathers at wweathers@landvest.com. 

LandVest serves high net worth clients and their advisors in planning and marketing their fine homes, farms and timberland. Our practice has grown over our forty years well beyond our New England roots to a national and international practice. This unique perspective allows us to intelligently partner with clients who may own multiple properties, from Florida and Coastal New England to farms and timberland in Vermont, New Hampshire and the Adirondacks. We are proud to be an exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, with reach to 40 countries and 148 offices.

The main house of the classic Kent Hill Farm sits on Happy Valley Road.

LandVest properties tend to be the realization of an owner’s dream. Kent Hill Farm, just outside Woodstock, Vermont, is no exception. The owners had a vision of a classic Vermont farm set in an unspoiled valley. They wanted a private, comfortable home with the ease of modern layout and construction where they could control their views. Over the course of several years, they assembled a substantial landholding on both sides of Happy Valley Road (which is as pretty as it sounds), just outside Woodstock Village. In 2000, on the west-facing side, they built what looks like a reproduction Cape style house, correct in scale and feel for rural Vermont. The home evokes the feel of an antique—wide pine floors, hand-hewn beams, a stone fireplace with forged iron pot rack—with the light, flow and understated luxury of modern living: cathedral ceilings, big windows, radiant heat and an open chef’s kitchen. In addition to the main house, there is a charming guest house, big workshop and ten bay equipment shed. Equestrians will appreciate the well-thought through horse barn with run-in shed, tack and feed rooms and fenced paddock. The property is being offered on 181 private acres which are a part of the 653 acres assembled on both sides of Happy Valley Road. The owners will convey the property with protective covenants and will add protective covenants to the land they own across the road so that the views from Kent Hill Farm are preserved from both sides of the road.

A large workshop, equipment shed, and barn are a part of the privately-set Kent Hill Farm.

View of lush Vermont countryside from Kent Hill Farm.

This is a beautifully conceived Vermont farm for sale, offering sizable acreage, complete privacy and a gracious comfortable home. It is less than ten minutes into Woodstock Village with its charming shops and restaurants, thirty minutes to Killington and twenty minutes to Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth College and the renowned Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

This comfortable, private Vermont farm is located just minutes from Woodstock Village.

Click to view additional Vermont farms for sale.

Click to view additional New England farms for sale.

For more information on Vermont Real Estate and Properties for sale, contact Jon Weber at jweber@landvest.com, or click here for Jon Weber’s Contact Information. Contact Ruth Kennedy Sudduth at rsudduth@landvest.com or click here for her Contact Information.

LandVest Senior Advisor Keith Ross is a leader in the effort towards collaborative land conservation.  In a recent article that appears in the fall edition of Northern Woodlands magazine, Conserve More Land Today through Parcel Aggregation, he promotes this concept of collaborative “aggregation” of woodlands; combining or “bundling” preserved land from separate owners into one larger project.  This process conserves large landscapes and attracts interest from motivated landowners and investors alike. 

The strategy may seem like a difficult feat, but recent examples in New England prove this is feasible and beneficial.  In Western Massachusetts, seven land trusts are working together to obtain funding to buy conservation easements for more than 10,000 acres of timberland owned by 71 landowners, and have raised over seven million dollars to-date.  Several other areas throughout New England have been replicating this land aggregation concept and have been successful lowering costs related to conservation easement monitoring, and appraisals.

Why is land aggregation beneficial for land owners? 

Not all forest conservation projects are significant enough to be completed as stand-alone individual projects.  Most are smaller acreages that have significant ecological values to maintain large forest blocks or protect lakes, ponds, streams, wildlife habitat, etc.  By grouping these projects together they can attract funders that don’t normally focus on small individual projects and the costs of the transactions can be reduced by grouping together the appraisals, negotiations, baseline documentation, etc.

 Why is land aggregation beneficial for the land? 

Most forest land conservation projects are not the highly visible road frontage pieces people drive by every day, nor are they the large mega acreage tracts that are conserved up north.  Most are much smaller tracts that are important to knit together to ensure we have large blocks of forest necessary to ensure the production of clean air and clean water that support all of us.

For more information on Collaborative Land Conservation Contact Keith Ross

View of Green Mountains and Arnold Bay from Bay Point

Lake Champlain is a fascinating water body with an enormous amount of history. Not only was it the birthplace of the American Navy and the home of such fascinating facilities as Fort Ticonderoga, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and known for such battles as the battle of Valcour Island during which Benedict Arnold led his fleet against a far superior British fleet. The results of this battle essentially devastated the fledgling American Navy however its success was in turning the British fleet back north for at least six months allowing Arnold to escape and warn soldiers at Fort Ticonderoga of the impending potential attack.
Arnold’s escape brought him to what is now known as Arnold Bay in the town of Panton, VT on Lake Champlain where he scuttled what was left of the American fleet to keep the boats from falling into the hands of the British. Benedict Arnold was a hero of the times by delaying the British from taking Lake Champlain. He was acquainted with Peter Ferris of Panton and chose his bay to scuttle his fleet and save them from being captured by the British. It is widely believed that this delay gave the Americans time to regroup and the next year defeat the British at Saratoga. Peter Ferris’s home was a well-known location to the militia, and it is thought that a delegation consisting of Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase and Charles Carroll , commissioned by the Continental Congress,  spent the night there.
Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire signed the Panton charter of 1761. Panton is located on the western shore of Lake Champlain in Addison County between Ferrisburgh on the north and Addison to the south. Sweeping views exist from the Green Mountains to the east and the Adirondacks to the west. Bordering on the east is The Otter Creek and running through the Town is the Dead Creek, both well-known spots for fishing, hunting and birding.

Although the major endeavor in the town is agriculture, there are several small home-based businesses, a feed store, and a campground. There has been a general store in the center of Panton since 1908; it has also housed a doctor’s office, and post office. There are farms and houses that can document their past to the original settlers.

The Penninsula on Arnold Bay

In the early 1950s, Arnold Bay and the peninsula to the south was acquired by a New York attorney and industrialist who eventually accumulated some 1500 acres now known as Arnold Bay Farm. The stone residence on the peninsula on the southern point was built in the 1920s of locally quarried stone and well known in the area as Panton stone. The stone and clapboard residence grew to the size of approximately 3900 ft.

Bay Point's Grand Residence

The site for this grand residence was selected because of its level ground, protected bays, magnificent views west to the high peaks of the Adirondacks, and fertile farm grounds. Apparently, the original builder of the Bay Point residence was quite diminutive which resulted in a design that offers grand scale rooms but several areas of narrow hallways.  Subsequent owners renovated the early 20th century bathrooms and now have created a magnificent residence currently used as family vacation site.
In addition to the 3900 ft.², six bedroom house is a separate carriage house/caretakers apartment that includes a two-car garage on the lower level and open studio type apartment on the second floor. A pool house contains 2 changing rooms, a bathroom and shower and the pool filtering and heating equipment.

The entrance to the property off the Lake Shore Road is through and along the proper white fence with farm fields on both the north and south side of the of the west facing drive.   Entering the property through these fields then into mature pine oak and hickory woods ensures the absolute sense of privacy that prevails throughout this entire property. It’s rare to find 125 acres on a lakeshore.

Additional land is available.

For more information on this Lake Champlain property for sale visit the BayPoint Website

For more Panton, Vermont History or information on this or other Vermont real estate for sale, contact Wade BC Weathers.   Phone: 802-651-5392, Email: wweathers@landvest.com
Click for more information on Wade BC Weathers Jr.
Click to view additional Vermont Real Estate for Sale.

In the late 1960’s Thomas and Wynanda Clifford from Pittsfield, MA loaned a horse to a friend to compete in the GMHA 50 mile trail ride in South Woodstock, Vermont. Hearing the stories of the beautiful countryside they rode through, the friend convinced the Clifford’s daughter, Buffy (Clifford) Bell, to ride with them the following year.  Thus the story began, as it has been for so many people who have been enticed to Vermont thanks to a wonderful experience riding at GMHA.  

GMHA is the oldest continuously operated horse association in the U.S., and started in 1926 connecting a vast network of riding trails.  Over these 80+ years, tens of thousands of people have learned, practiced, competed, shared experiences and have enjoyed the sense of community of horse lovers on GMHA grounds.   For generations, children have talked their parents into pulling off the road to watch the events running virtually non-stop at the large GMHA facility that includes a cross country course, numerous riding rings, stables and club house and lodging, and the cycle begins again. 

Back to the Clifford’s story of their migration to Vermont.  Wynanda’s family grew up riding in Connecticut in the early part of the 20th century.  When she married Dr. Clifford, he had no choice but to continue to ride and soon he was fitting his horses in around his family medical practice.  After their visit to Buffy’s first 50 mile at GMHA, the family began coming up during the summer and Dr. Clifford worked part time at the Ottauquechee Health Center.  Their hearts were now in Vermont and soon after they began to look for a farm of their own.   In the 1969, the Cliffords stopped at the huge red barn owned by Stanley Clay, and spoke to the farmer about selling them his 90 acres of  beautiful rolling meadows, with views of Mt. Ascutney.  Importantly for the Clifford’s, the farm was located in the heart of the GMHA trail network in West Windsor. The negotiations took place in the barn while Stanley Clay tended his cows.
In 1974, the Cliffords asked architect Charlie Helmer to design a 3,800 s.f. understated home set privately into the hillside, capturing the lovely views and combining single story functionality, spacious and light living areas with custom stone and wood detail.  At the same time, the family built a six-stall barn just below the house and within site of the master bedroom.  The farm name, Craggle Ridge, came from the family walks along the ridge behind the house from which they had an amazing view of the farm and Rush Meadow valley.
Now in their fourth generation on the property, with family living all around the area, the story of the Clifford’s life at GMHA is told visually by the wall of family photos chronicling the life of the Clifford family on horses, riding in different competitions and disciplines and enjoying their family legacy. Dr. Clifford and his wife Wynanda lived out their lives on their beloved farm and have passed on their passion for horses, their love of Vermont living, and their legacy property to family.   Dr. Clifford’s granddaughter, Amy Atkins, and her husband, Peter Atkins, have been based at the farm while he represents his native Australia at the World Equestrian Games.    In a modern chapter to this classic story, Dr. Clifford’s great grandson, Owen, has delighted his followers on Facebook with charming pictures of his leadline victories on Peter’s famous Rolex and World Championship mount, Henry Jota Hampton, aka Henny.
Each place is enriched by the stories of the people who have loved it.  Vermont, and the GMHA area in particular, gifted by beautiful terrain and generations of people who have made it a vibrant and welcoming community. The Cliffords are now ready to share their property with the next family who wants a lovely base to enjoy the wonderful landscape and community of South Woodstock/West Windsor.
The property is listed with LandVest, and for more information please contact T. Story Jenks or Ruth Kennedy Sudduth.

 Click links to learn more about Woodstock Real Estate  , GMHA , or Craggle Ridge Farm or additional Vermont Farms for sale

One of the challenges in marketing real estate is trying to convey what makes each property special, within a limited amount of space and time. At LandVest, where we have the luxury of focusing exclusively on high end properties, it can be challenging to extol the magnitude of greatness, particularly when the value is in a the sum of a great number of parts.

Uphill Farm, "The Perfect Vermont Farm" in Woodstock, Vermont

What makes a good property great, and a great property, perfect?

The following are what make Uphill Farm the perfect Vermont country farm.

First, the most important axiom of real estate –location. Uphill Farm is set three miles from Woodstock village in an area of large landholdings, yet is completely private and a world unto itself.

Second, the sense of place and beauty of the site.

The Wildflower Garden at Uphill Farm in Woodstock, Vermont

Uphill Farm has authenticity that can’t be replicated, a legacy of hundreds of years of Vermont farm life. Guests of the owners get dreamy looks on their faces recalling the magical drive up the hill past the brook, the grazing Jersey cows, and the vibrant cutting garden with its romantic cottage, the ancient sugar maple trees overhanging the house, and the courtyard surrounded by big red barns. The house site is nestled into the hillside, and the meadows expand endlessly outward, opening up huge views to the lovely Vermont hills surrounding the property. The land is big enough at 105+/- acres to be private, yet not overwhelming in scale. It also manages to have all components of a great Vermont property: huge open pastures, big views, a sugarbush, a ski hill, farm and trout ponds, a lively brook that used to power a mill on the property, and miles of groomed trails through mixed hardwood forest and meadows. Simply put, it is the most perfect parcel of this size we have seen.

Third, the welcoming and peaceful feel of the property.

Uphill farm is privately set in Woodstock, Vermont

Uphill Farm is luxurious, but above all, it is comfortable and manageable in scale. The kitchen is bright and open with a fire crackling on the hearth.

The paneling of the family room, cut from butternut grown on the property, is elegant and comfortable. The master bedroom is understated but opulent with a cathedral ceiling and white marble bathroom. The four bedroom main house is big enough for a family but comfortable for a couple for a quiet weekend. The guest house sleeps as many as sixteen and there is even more overflow space in the barns for a family holiday or a big gathering of friends. Take a walk around the farm – explore the beautifully restored barns, see how thoughtfully set up they are for the horses happily munching hay in their stalls. Meander through the meadows and the sugarbush on wide soft trails, soak in the spa, pick flowers in the garden — the property feels open and welcoming.

Fourth, the quality of construction, luxury and meticulous attention to detail of the completely restored property. The property is as close to immaculate as we’ve seen. The owners have continuously renovated, come up with clever ways to add in modern amenities to the property yet retain its rural charm. The pool, for example, echoes the brook below with cascades set into the hillside. The Vermont stone terrace is heated radiantly from below, lest your toes get chilly going to the spa from the house in the wintertime. The grill is not a stainless behemoth, but is set into a stone surround. The kitchen, baths, bedrooms, are all completely up to date with top-shelf amenities, but are not obtrusive or overtly opulent.

In a sense, most great properties offer a lifestyle as much as a place to live. If Vermont farms are a small scale, romantic ideal of American agriculture, and Woodstock is a refined notion of Vermont, Uphill is an idealized notion of a Woodstock farm. Uphill Farm’s offering includes furnishings, farm equipment and a vast array of toys – from a snowcat to ATV’s to gentle trail horses. Up the Hill the real world seems a million miles away.

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View more Vermont Farms for Sale

Signs Of A Winter Thaw In High-End Real Estate…
After freezing up in late 2008, the high-end real estate market gradually began to thaw toward the end of 2009. There was so little activity for most of 2009 that it was hard to know where the market was. As volumes recovered, clearing prices became apparent.  Location and quality were paramount.  Second-tier land in country house markets near New York City saw price decreases near forty percent in 2009. For example, a 200± acre property near Millbrook, New York, was on the market for $18,000/acre at its peak, and ultimately sold for $9,500/acre. Many second home markets in New England, and on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard saw price decreases up to 50%.  The most solid market in our sphere was the $2 million range primary home suburbs of Boston with good schools- down 10-15%. 

Vermont Sales
The number of Vermont sales over $1 million dropped to 54 in 2009, versus 90 in 2008, and 118 in 2007.   Vacation properties—ski resorts, lakefront and concentrated areas of high-end homes, such as Woodstock and Manchester—were most affected. Sales are going through at big discounts to tax assessment values which have not been revised from “old market” valuations.  LandVest appraisers find that pricing at the high end is down about 25% from peak; for example: 

McNeil Tavern - Sold

• A lovely restored tavern on Lake Champlain that sold for $2.225 million in 2006 resold in June of 2009 at $1.7 million.

• A big, newer house on the Killington side of Woodstock that sold for $7 million in 2007 and resold for $5.4 million in fall of 2009.

Best Buying Opportunities In Years…
This is a fabulous opportunity for buyers of landmark properties with pricing back to levels not seen in years.  “We have some of the best inventory—much of it privately listed—that we’ve had in decades” says Wade Weathers, who directs LandVest’s Vermont operations.  “Buyers have an opportunity to quietly put together remarkable transactions.”  For example,  Lottery Hill Farm in Woodstock, the 121± acre former home of actor Michael J. Fox, is now offered publicly at $3,985,000, down from an original asking price of $5.3 million. There are some spectacular remote rural properties with large acreage that are priced under $1 million. 

Watershed Farm - Roxbury, Vermont (Listing Coming to Market Soon)

REVIEW 

• Sharp drop in high-end sales volumes in 2009.
• Sales accelerating end of 2009/early 2010 at sharply lower clearing prices.

OUTLOOK  

• Buyers, largely economically intact, are looking for value at low risk.
• Sellers are looking for ways to simplify without overexposing their properties in a soft market. Private marketing seems to be a good answer.

Available: Lottery Hill Farm, Woodstock, Vermont, $3,985,000

THEMES 

• Older owners with multiple properties are evaluating usage and paring down; those who do not have to sell quickly are looking at private marketing to avoid over-exposing their properties in a soft market.
• House sizes are getting smaller, particularly in the resort areas.  In Stowe, for example, 20,000 s.f. houses are seeing even greater discounts.
• Buyers want a discount for the risk of stepping up, with the discount rising with the risk of the property.
  The “Kingdom Buyers” are re-emerging, putting together remarkable deals on very big properties.

 

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