-By Kyla Brustin

Last Saturday morning as many people got up and rushed to the slopes to ski, Josh and I started the day slowly, watching the snow falling heavily from our living room window. Not wanting to deal with lift lines at Cranmore, Attitash or Wildcat, we considered how we would take advantage of this bounty. Read the rest of this entry »

-By Peter Pinkham

Ambling through North Conway Village on a February afternoon in the year 2010, with bare grass showing through the thin frosting of snow around the edges of Schuler Park, yet, amazingly, a crowd of skiers, shoppers and out-of-state cars making the Village appear to be the center of the vacation world, I wondered what the same scene would look like if Mt. Washington Valley ski areas hadn’t snowmaking on their slopes and trails.

There was a time they didn’t. Forty years ago the only snow in Mt. Washington Valley came from the heavens. And in February of 1970 the heavens hadn’t provided more than dustings all winter. Inns and motels were next to empty; restaurant owners gazed through their steamed windows at empty streets. One North Conway innkeeper, who could see that the only melting that would take place that spring would be his business, had had enough. He called other innkeepers and restaurateurs, and together they visited Herbert Schneider, the maestro of Cranmore Mountain Ski Area to see what could be done to help.

With a poor town and no funds anywhere to be seen to cure the problem, the conclusion of the little meeting was: all we’ve got are our bootstraps. That’s what we had to work with; so we did. Without the voice of the Conway Daily Sun, which would make its appearance in future years, the Manchester Union Leader was prevailed on to get out the word. Neighbors were called, posters were printed, and, struggling as they were, the Valley’s many small businesses and ordinary citizens all got behind the effort. A new firm, Resort Development Corporation of Mt. Washington Valley, was the vehicle, financed by the nickels and dimes of many small stockholders. It raised enough dollars to help Mt. Cranmore install its first snowmaking system.

While too late to save the winter of 1970, the knowledge had been acquired that it could be done. That with cold enough temperatures, nothing more was needed from the heavens. Snowmaking grew at Cranmore, Attitash Bear Peak, Black Mountain and Wildcat ski areas. New and better systems were installed, and every year improvements were added. The Valley had responded. And at no time was it more obvious than a winter 40 years later when the snow went south, yet guests and customers streamed north to Mt. Washington Valley, confident of some of the finest skiing and riding snow anywhere, with 100% of its Alpine slopes and trails covered.

The positive momentum felt in the New Hampshire housing market during the second half of 2009 continued into January 2010, with the state’s residential home sales ahead of January 2009 by 16.5 percent.  This time, there is additional good news on the price side as well, as the median price of residential homes increased by 7.5 percent over the same period last year – the first month-over-month median price increase in 26 months and the largest such jump in 52 months. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s vacation week! Time for the whole family to come to Mt. Washington Valley for some R & R. If, in your happiest dreams, Rest & Relaxation doesn’t include chauffeuring everyone to the mountain early in the morning, maybe before your first cup of coffee, picking them up for lunch, and taxiing them home at the end of the ski day…a trailside townhouse is the deliciously self-indulgent way to go. Read the rest of this entry »

Some people would call it the best of both worlds: own and enjoy your very own weekend and vacation getaway without having to pay the full costs of ownership. Many second home owners in Mount Washington Valley get a little help on their expenses by renting their properties out to short term vacationers when they are not in use. Renting your Conway, Madison, North Conway, Bartlett or Jackson home or condo can be done pretty easily and is a great way to get a little help on the bills. Depending on where you buy and how you market it, you can even earn enough to pay your taxes, condo fees, and sometimes a portion of your mortgage. Read the rest of this entry »

If you follow the real estate market, you have undoubtedly noticed the words “short sale” appearing on more and more listings. Short sales occur when a seller owes more on his mortgage than he can sell his home for in a given real estate market. In order to sell the home without owing the balance of the mortgage out of pocket, the seller’s lender must agree to accept less than the full mortgage amount for the home. Lenders are willing to participate in short sales because sellers asking for a short sale are usually under financial stress. The chances are good that if he can’t sell, a seller might not continue to pay the mortgage and the home will go to foreclosure. While short sales often represent a good opportunity to get a lot of home for your money, they are not easy. Both the buyer and the seller need to have A LOT of patience. If you are a buyer thinking about a short sale, below is a typical short sale scenario. Read the rest of this entry »

If you open the paper these days, you are bound to see announcements advertising foreclosure auctions. You have probably even heard a story or two about someone who has gone to an auction and gotten an amazing property for a steal. You may be thinking about it yourself. Here’s what you need to know if you are interested in foreclosure auctions… Read the rest of this entry »

The Cranmore Mountain Meisters began for the season yesterday. A local tradition, Meisters takes place every Wednesday at Mt Cranmore. Throughout the day teams of 4 people each make a run through the gates in hopes of being the overall fastest team at the end of the series. This year 525 skiers and snowboarders have signed up for the challenge.  While most are locals, there are some Sea Coasters who make the drive up every week to join the fun. Some are driven by a passion for getting the fastest time of the day or a personal best, but many come to enjoy a healthy dose of apres ski. There’s often live music and there is always something to good to drink and eat at the Eating House at Mt Cranmore as well as at our other local bars and restaurants.

Are you ready to become a local and join us in the Meisters tradition? Prices and rates are still low, and ski homes and condos are available. Give Pinkham Real Estate a call (800-322-6921) or visit our website, www.pinkhamrealestate.com. We are excited to help make our lifestyle yours.

For more information and results from Week 1 of  Cranmore  Mountain Meisters, see the article Race 1: A Great Opening Day on The Conway Daily Sun online dated 1/7/10.

Skiing Cranmore or Attitash or Black? Maybe Bretton Woods? Wildcat? Whereever you ski Mother Nature gave us a snow blessing just in time for the winter vacation. About three inches of new powder on the ledge (Glen) last night. Hope you brought your long johns or knickers. Knickers. There’s a word. Read the rest of this entry »

Real Estate buyers looking for that perfect house or parcel of land usually want to see mountains through their new home’s windows, and often cruise Mt. Washington Valley looking for areas that offer mountain views. An effective approach, but usually involves time-consuming trips up and down Valley roads.

This winter maybe try the Reverse Spin. Take the lifts up ski areas Cranmore, Attitash Bear Peak and Black. From the top, the locations you can see can obviously see you, and thus have the potential of great mountain-view sites. Mark them on a map and check them out. Read the rest of this entry »