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Questions to Ask When Choosing a REALTORĀ®

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QUESTIONS TO ASK

When Choosing a REALTOR®

How long have you been in residential real estate? Is it your full-time job?
Like most professions, the experience is no guarantee of skill. But much of real estate is learned on the job.

What’s your business philosophy?
While there’s no right answer to this question, the response will help you assess what’s important to the agent and determine how closely the agent’s goals and business emphasis mesh with your own.

How many buyers did you and your real estate brokerage represent last year?
This will tell you how much experience they have and how up-to-date they are on the local market.

What’s the average variation between your initial offers and the final sales price?
This is one indication of a REALTOR®’s pricing and negotiating skills.

Will you represent me exclusively, or might you choose to represent the seller as well?
While it’s usually legal to represent both parties in a transaction, your REALTOR® should be able to explain his or her philosophy on client obligations and agency relationships. 

Can you recommend service providers who can help me obtain a mortgage, make home repairs, and so on?
Practitioners should be able to recommend more than one provider and let you know if they have any special relationship with any of the providers.

How will you keep me informed about the progress of my transaction?
The best answer here is a question. A real estate agent who pays close attention to the way you prefer to communicate and responds accordingly will make for the smoothest transaction.

Source: National Association of  REALTORS

7 Reasons to Work With a REALTORĀ®

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REALTORS® aren’t just agents. They’re professional members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict code of ethics. Read about the REALTOR® difference for home buyers:

1. Ethical treatment.
Every REALTOR® must adhere to a strict code of ethics, which is based on professionalism and protection of the public. As a REALTOR®’s client, you can expect honest and ethical treatment in all transaction-related matters. The first obligation is to you, the client.

2. An expert guide.
Buying a home usually requires dozens of forms, reports, disclosures, and other technical documents. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes. Also, there’s a lot of jargon involved, so you want to work with a professional who can speak the language.

3. Objective information and opinions.
REALTORS® can provide local information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They also have objective information about each property. REALTORs® can use that data to help you determine if the property has what you need. By understanding both your needs and search area, they can also point out neighborhoods you don’t know much about but that might suit your needs better than you’d thought.

4. Expanded search power.
Sometimes properties are available but not actively advertised. A REALTOR® can help you find opportunities not listed on home search sites and can help you avoid out-of-date listings that might be showing up as available online but are no longer on the market.

5. Negotiation knowledge.
There are many factors up for discussion in a deal. A REALTOR® will look at every angle from your perspective, including crafting a purchase agreement that allows enough time for you to complete inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase.

6. Up-to-date experience.
Most people buy only a few homes in their lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you’ve done it before, laws and regulations change. REALTORS® handle hundreds of transactions over the course of their career.

7. Your rock during emotional moments.
A home is so much more than four walls and a roof. And for most people, property represents the biggest purchase they’ll ever make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on the issues most important to you.

Choose one of our outstanding agents below to help with all your real estate needs!

                                                       

David Citron                                               Julie Citron                                                 Bonnie Chandler

REALTOR® - Principal Broker/Owner         REALTOR® - Broker/Owner                                  REALTOR®

Cell: 802-688-5556                                                 Cell: 802-688-6566                                                  Cell: 802-342-9056   

Click here to read Bio                                              Click here to read Bio                                              Click here to read Bio     

 

                                                   

 Peter Pierce                                            Deke August                                            Patti Trudell

 REALTOR®                                                                Broker Associate                                                     REALTOR®

 Cell: 802-688-6384                                               Cell: 802-325-2747                                              Cell: 802-282-3765

 Click here to read Bio                                           Click here to read Bio                                            Click here to read Bio

                    

                           

source: National Association of REALTORS

Winter Activities to do in Southern Vermont

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Photo by Tristan Schmurr

If you're one to enjoy the outdoors and don't want to be indoors all winter, see our list below of activities Vermonters enjoy. There are a lot of activities to enjoy in the Vermont area during the winter that aren't skiing or snowboarding. Click the links in the list below to find out more on each activity. 

Ice Fishing

Lake St. Catherine, in Wells and Poultney (a little north of our area, but worth it) 

List of ice fishing spots in all of Vermont here.

Museums

Museum of the Creative Process http://www.museumofthecreativeprocess.com/

American Museum of Fly Fishing https://www.amff.org/

Hildene-The Lincoln Family Home https://hildene.org/

Dorset Historical Society http://www.dorsetvthistory.org/museum.html

Antique Shopping

Comollo Antiques http://www.vtantiques.com/

The Country Gallery Antiques https://www.country-gallery.com/

Dog Sledding

Husky Works Mushing Company http://www.huskyworks.com/

Snowmobiling

Vermont Association of Snow Travelers https://vtvast.org/

Skiing

Read our post about the local ski resorts in our immediate area here.

Ice Skating

Riley Rink at the Northshire Civic Center https://www.rileyrink.com/

Hiking

Staff-guided hikes in the moonlight at Merck Forest http://www.merckforest.org/events/

 

2019 Thanksgiving Weekend Events in Manchester Vermont

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If you live in the Manchester Vermont area or are visiting for Thanksgiving, here is a list of local events for the Holiday weekend - from Thanksgiving Day dinners to tree-lighting ceremonies and entertainment. 

COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER

Thursday, November 28 @ 1:00 pm-3:00 pm

Venue:

St. Paul's Parrish Hall, Manchester

802-362-3516

THANKSGIVING AT YE OLDE TAVERN

Thursday, November 28 @ 3:00 pm-7:00 pm

Thanksgiving is perhaps the greatest of all American traditions: we gather at a familiar location with our nearest and dearest, and fill our bellies in honor of a historical event. Why not celebrate this event at authentic circa 1790 Colonial Inn?

Chef Clifton Cooper will be preparing is annual Thanksgiving menu.

Reservations are always suggested.

Venue:

Ye Olde Tavern

5183 Main Street
Manchester, VT 05255

Phone:(802) 362-0611

Website:https://www.yeoldetavern.net

THANKSGIVING FIRESIDE ALL AMERICAN SING-ALONG 

Saturday, November 30 @ 8:00 am-11:00 am

Join family innkeeper and award-winning Off-Broadway songwriter and children’s entertainer Melissa Levis for a fireside family singing along at the Wilburton Inn. Gather in the historic mansion’s living room beside the blazing fire and sing-along to all the classics from “This Land Is Your Land” to “American Pie.” All welcome. Bring your own instruments and play along too! The Singalong is free. Thanksgiving buffet breakfast is served prior to the sing-along from 8:00am-10:00am, $20. RSVP. 802-362-2500.

Venue:

The Wilburton Inn

257 Wilburton Drive
Manchester Village, VT 05254 United States 

Phone: (802) 362-2500

Website: https://www.wilburtoninn.com

THANKSGIVING CONCERT – TACONIC CHAMBER PLAYERS
Saturday, November 30 @ 4:00 pm-5:30 pm

Deborah Buck and Joana Genova, violins, Ariel Rudiakov, viola and Sophie Shao, cello perform string quartets by Mozart and Mendelssohn in what has become a popular tradition for families and their holiday guests.

Venue:

Manchester Community Library

138 Cemetery Avenue
Manchester Center, VT 05255 United States

Phone:(802) 362-2607

Website: https://mclvt.org/

COMMUNITY TREE LIGHTING CELEBRATION
Saturday, November 30 @ 6:00 pm-6:30 pm

Come one, come all to the Factory Point Town Green for a community celebration to kickoff the holiday season. Join in as we ‘flip the switch’ and light the trees on the green. Don’t miss caroling and a visit with Santa too!

Venue:

Factory Point Town Green

30 VT-11
Manchester Center, VT 05255

http://manchester-vt.gov/

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at RE/MAX Four Seasons in Manchester Center, Vermont!

 

Skiing in Vermont - Winter Vacation Homes

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We've received our first snow of the season last week!

Even though it may have only been a dusting, it has us gearing up for winter and ski time here in Southern Vermont. Time to break out your winter gear and get your equipment ready. Below is a list of the ski resorts in the Southern Vermont area. 

Ski Resorts in Our Immediate Area:

Bromley Mountain Ski Resort - Click here for Bromley's Website

Bromley plans to kick off the season on Saturday, November 23, weather permitting. Season pass pick-ups begin November 11th. 

Walking up to the Base Lodge this winter is going to look a little different. They've made a few minor tweaks to the Base Lodge Entrance to better the overall guest experience. They've re-positioned the entrance to improve guest flow in-and-out of the lodge (reducing guest congestion) and prevent snow/rain from dripping over the doors. Plus, they've added heaters to the entrance to keep the Base Lodge warmer.

They've also relocated the snow gun on Lower Twister (previously located under the lift) to Lower East Meadow, to prevent the snow from blowing directly at the lift and give them the ability to blow snow at any hour in a full 360 degrees. As for the trails, their crew spent some time this Summer/Fall widening the Ridge, Sunder, No Name Chute, Lower Twister, Spring Trail and Blue Ribbon in efforts to get the trails back to their original widths.

They plan to open for the 2019/20 Winter Season on Saturday, November 23, 2019. Early season operations are as follows: open November 23-24, suspend operations November 25-28, open November 29-December 1, suspend operations December 2-6, open December 7-8, suspend December 9-12, and open for full-time, 7 day a week operations on Friday, December 13.

Stratton Mountain Resort - Click here for Stratton's website

Stratton's projected opening day is Saturday, November 23, 2019.
Lifts start spinning at 8:30am
Schedule:
9am Get a chance to try before you buy! Full jacket and pant combo of The North Face new waterproof winter line "FutureLight "

10am - 3pm Visit the Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan for a Family photograph.

11am - 3pm DJ Joe Bell will be entertaining the crowd in Grizzly’s

12:30pm Join the North Face Doggie and Me Hike and bring your pup alongfor a free guided hike! Attend all 6 hikes and you will get the chance to enter in a raffle for $100 North Face gift card! All participants will receive a free give and in store exclusive discount!

Magic Mountain Resort - Click here for Magic Mountain's website

Since Ski Magic’s purchase of the mountain in 2016,  Magic has continually invested in new snow-making infrastructure. Currently their snow-making system covers 50% of their trails, including the West Side, to insure quality skiing even when New England weather doesn’t always cooperate.

Magic has dramatically expanded its lift capacity since 2016 with now 6 total lifts to insure minimal to no lift lines even on their busiest days. All lifts are centrally located at the base area for easy access from the lodge. 2 of them are fixed-grip chairlifts that service the upper mountain. The iconic Red Chair (2 person) and new Black Line Quad Chair (4 person) service the top of the mountain from the base area. The Green Chair (2 person) services the easier mid-mountain. Because these chairs are fixed grip, they are rarely on wind hold. At the bottom of the mountain there are also 2 handle tows, one that services our terrain park and one that services the tubing park. In our Learning Center, we have a new Sunkids “Magic Carpet” lift for beginners and families.

Tubing park plans on opening 11/29 while skiing opens 11/30.

Okemo - Click here to view Okemo's website

Okemo Mountain Resort and the surrounding area is the outdoor enthusiasts dream come true.

The wintertime brings exceptional Vermont skiing and snowboarding on snow that is known as one of the best skiing and riding surfaces in the East year after year. While other mountains talk a big game, they've proven that it takes a lot of pipe, water and power - with highly trained, completely dedicated teams at the reins - to make it happen.

Opening day is 11/22.

Killington Ski Resort - Click here to view Killington's website

Following the single largest investment in on-mountain improvements that took place for winter 2018/19, they’re excited to announce even more improvements for the future. The new experiences and improvements unveiled during the 2018-19 season included Woodward Peace Park, new Snowdon Six Express bubble lift, return of South Ridge lift service, three tunnels in busy trail intersections with a fourth slated for construction this spring, K-1 Express Gondola improvements and new RFID ticketing, all of which significantly enriched the guest experience and made the resort more accessible to all.

The highlight of their improvement plans is the replacement of the K-1 Lodge. A two-year project, skiers and riders will be welcomed into a brand-new state of the art facility for winter 2020/21. Additional improvements include a new quad chairlift to replace the North Ridge Triple and snow-making enhancements consisting of pipe replacement, new low-energy tower guns, and new semi-automatic hydrants. Extensive snow making improvements are currently underway at out sister resort, Pico Mountain.

They are open now.

Mount Snow Resort - Click here to view Mount Snow's website

Mount Snow is a premier four season resort located in the Green Mountains of Southern Vermont featuring four mountain faces of downhill skiing and snowboarding - including one of the East's best terrain parks, Carinthia - slopeside lodging, golf at the acclaimed Mount Snow Golf Club as well as flexible wedding and conference facilities. Other activities include snow tubing, ski & snowboard lessons, downhill mountain biking and a full schedule of festivals and events. Mount Snow is also a member of the Peak Resorts family.

Opening day is 11/15.

Interested in a vacation home in the ski areas? Check these out!

126 Minute Man Lane - Peru (Bromley Village)

Luxury Living at Bromley Village. The current owners have lovingly renovated this 3 bedroom home since taking ownership in 2011. Enter through the spacious mudroom with radiant heat in the tile floors, shiplap paneling, tin roof, and ski storage closets with boot warmers. Once inside you will love the warm and welcoming living room with hardwood floors, cathedral ceiling, reclaimed barnwood ceiling and beams, stacked stone facing on the fireplace, and sliders to the large deck. The gourmet kitchen/dining room features Viking and Thermador appliances plus a brick fireplace for indoor grilling. There is also a sleeping loft above the kitchen. The house features two wings off the main living space. The master wing to the left includes a sauna, luxurious master bath with radiant heat, 2 sided gas fireplace you can enjoy from the soaking tub or master bedroom, and cathedral ceiling. The wing to the right starts with the foyer which leads to a cozy den with built in book shelves, and corner wood burning fireplace. The den leads on to the hot tub room with wet bar which connects via slider to the outdoor living space. Beyond the foyer and den are 2 additional guest bedrooms including a spacious bunk room plus 2 additional fully renovated baths with radiant heat. The tasteful furnishings are negotiable. Bromley Village features shuttle service to the base of Bromley Mountain plus the pool, tennis courts and clubhouse with exercise room are a short distance away.

20 Blackberry Lane - Peru (Bromley Village) 

Calling all skiers, this Bromley Village contemporary has loads of space for your large group to fill. The heart of this home is the open living room, dining room and bar area with fireplace, vaulted ceilings, natural woodwork and sliders to the deck area. The gourmet eat in kitchen features Thermador gas cooktop, hood and double wall oven and Sub Zero refrigerator with soapstone counters and sink. The lower level game room is an excellent place to unwind after a day on the slopes. The upper level features two bedroom suites, one with jacuzzi tub and sauna as well as two loft areas and laundry. The lower level also includes 3 additional bedrooms and baths including a bunk room. Bromley Village provides shuttle service to the slopes as well as pool and tennis for the summer months.

91B Sun Bowl Ridge Rd, Stratton 

Exceptional opportunity to own at Solstice. Private location, ski in - ski out directly onto 91 trail from your backyard. Offering 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths including master suite with gas fireplace and exterior balcony. Open kitchen, dining, living room with vaulted ceiling and gas fireplace. Patio and attached garage, pool, hot tubs and shuttle service to the base of the mountain complete the package.

Contact us today for all your real estate needs! 802-362-4067

Sources: bromley, stratton, magic mountain, okemo, killington, mount snow

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