The Vermont Association of REALTORS® has a long history of giving back to the community and this annual event garners enthusiastic participation among the REALTOR® community. This year Team REALTOR® is on track to increase the size of the team and is expecting 45 -50 supporters from across the state. They’ve made a $10,000 goal and are currently in second place for pledges made. See www.vtREALTOR.com for more about joining Team REALTOR® or making a pledge.

“Race for the Cure is all about community and hope,” says Team REALTOR® co-chair Mark Linton. “The events are amazing reminders about the power we have to make a big impact when we come together to tackle problems. It’s really moving to see so many neighbors and colleagues working to change the face of breast cancer – a disease that effects too many of our wives, mothers, aunts, sisters, daughters and friends.”

Last year the Vermont-New Hampshire Affiliate of Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure awarded $464,690 to 19 community-based programs for breast cancer education, screening and treatment.

Since 1993 the organization has raised more than $6.7 million, of which $5 million (75% of funds raised) was devoted to breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs in Vermont and New Hampshire. The remaining $1.7 million went to support the Susan G. Komen national research program.

Grant recipients in Southern Vermont include the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center for education, screenings and care services; and Forest Moon’s Renewing the Spirit Retreats for breast cancer survivors.

“This is one of the most uplifting events you could participate in and I am really excited for this year’s race,” says Betty McEnaney, Team REALTOR® co-chair. “The whole event highlights the best of Vermont – neighbors helping neighbors and supporting a great cause. My REALTOR® colleagues are so generous with their time and commitment to this event.”

This year’s Race for the Cure has lots of new ways to get involved and even has a new race day. It will be the first time that the race will be held on a Saturday. Other changes include Sleep in for the Cure, for people who can’t race but want to collect pledges and the Power of Ten, a fundraising incentive to have each team member ask ten people for a pledge of $10 each.
More information on the Vermont- New Hampshire Affiliate of Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is at www.vtnhcure.org.

The 417 steps of the monument were closed to the public in the 1970s. All climbs will be escorted and narrated. The tours start at 10 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. The cost for the escorted tour of the steps will be $3 for an adult and $2 for children.

The 306-foot monument, a Vermont state owned historic site, opened to the public in 1891, to commemorate the Aug. 16, 1777, Revolutionary War battle fought over the military storehouse located on the site where the monument now stands.

The steps were the only method of reaching the top until 1953 when the Otis elevator was installed. Thousands of visitors ride the elevator each year for the scenic vistas of Vermont, Massachusetts and New York, seen from the observation level high within the monument. The monument and gift shop located in Old Bennington are open daily from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. through Oct. 31.

For more information, visit www.historicvermont.com or call 802-447-0550.

Reprinted with permission from The Bennington Banner, Monday June 28, 2010

While this event does not have any impact on the Bennington VT real estate market, it’s a great way to see behind the scenes of the Bennington Battle Monument.

With arguably the best riding conditions in the state being the trails that stretch through the Green Mountain National Forest 2,300 feet above sea level in Woodford, the club has grown from a couple of dozen people in 1984 to thousands.

Betty Roark, who has been a SnoBuster from the beginning and is in charge of memberships, said the club has more than 2,600 members and has been as large as 5,000 members in 2001.

Roark said poor snow accumulation for a couple of years decreased that number after 2001, but in recent years membership has been on the rise again.

“Woodford probably has the greatest number of riders, more than any other place in Vermont … because of the accessibility from New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut,” Roark said. “It’s a snowbelt, we get snow when nobody else does.”

Roark said the majority of the club’s members come from surrounding states, and even some from the southern part of the country.

“Just like we go down there in the summer … they come up here in the winter to snowmobile,” Roark said.

The conditions have been the same over the years, but the riding conditions seem to improve each year, thanks to the work the SnoBusters put into the trails.

“Twenty-five years ago we didn’t have any trails. We went from no trails to quite an elite trail system that we groom,” Roark said.

In that first winter, trail grooming was done with snowmobiles and pipe drags before members pooled their money to buy a small track machine known as a Bombi.

Now, the club grooms more than 100 miles of trail, with a top-quality grooming fleet that consists of several Pisten Bullys and a high-end trail groomer.

Roark said over the years the popularity of the trails in Woodford has grown immensely, leading to overcrowding on many winter weekends.

As well as maintaining and grooming trails, the SnoBusters also sponsor a hot dog roast and the Very Special People Ride each winter to raise money for charities.

Rep. Bill Botzow, D-Pownal/Woodford, said he sponsored the legislative resolution congratulating the SnoBusters on its silver anniversary because of the service its volunteers have put in over the years to attract thousands of people to the area each winter.

“I was just impressed by the hard working, dedicated people who want to give their time so others can enjoy our forest,” Botzow said by phone Thursday. “(The SnoBusters) are a big piece of our local economy and they have made great progress in building buildings and maintaining the trails.”

Contact Dawson Raspuzzi at draspuzzi@benningtonbanner.com

Reprinted with permission from The Bennington Banner, Sunday April 18, 2010

Bike Shop Riding Downtown

BENNINGTON — A longtime bike and winter gear shop on Benmont Avenue is heading to a downtown location later this month.

Dan Rhodes, who owns Roads & Trails with his wife, Faith, said the couple plans to open at 417 Main St., a site formerly occupied by Thyme Bee Mine gifts, on Feb. 23. They have owned and run their store for the past five years.

The Benmont Avenue site has hosted a bike and ski shop for much longer. Before the couple purchased the businesses, it was known as Eiger, and before that, as Up and Downhill.

But Rhodes said he sees a downtown location as a benefit to his business because it should attract more walk-in traffic. Rhodes said he ran a similar store in Connecticut that thrived in such an environment.

“Where I worked in Connecticut, we were on a Main Street, and I enjoyed the traffic flow,” Rhodes said Tuesday at the store’s current location. “Particularly, here, when I look on a Saturday what’s going on down here and then I look at the traffic flow downtown, it’s much busier. It’s more retail business.”

Rhodes said he has been in the business for about 20 years. His store offers road and mountain bikes, nordic skiing and snowboarding equipment, skateboards and apparel to accompany all of those sports.

The stock of skateboard equipment, shoes and clothing attracts children and families, he said, and has benefited from the construction of a skateboard park in North Bennington.

The new space affords a similar amount of retail space, according to Rhodes, but offers increased storage and repair space. The store will continue to do repairs, he said.

“We’re kind of like an old-fashioned bike shop. As long as it’s a bicycle we’ll work on it,” Rhodes said.

When the couple decided to search for a new location they focused the search on the downtown, Rhodes said. “I like the idea of being in more of the retail area. I like the way the town is trying to support downtown,” Rhodes said. “If there’s a section of town that they’re really working on, it’s the downtown area.”

They are holding a sale before the move, and will be stocking the new location with new 2010 products, according to Rhodes. The store should add to the downtown as much as it benefits, he said.

“We’re excited to be down there. We’re excited to be a part of downtown,” he said. “As much traffic as we get from downtown, I hope we add some, too.”

On the Web: www.roadsandtrailsvt.com

Contact Neal P. Goswami at ngoswami@benningtonbanner.com

Reprinted from The Bennington Banner with permission

BENNINGTON, VT — It’s often said, “What’s Past is Prologue.” In real estate, the past can indeed determine the future, when buyers choose to restore or preserve a historic property. “Opportunities abound for those wanting to purchase a historic home, but so do questions about the soundness of the investment,” says Troy Richardson, ABR, Broker / Owner of RE/MAX Maple Leaf Realty].

Before making an investment in history, the Troy Richardson recommends that potential home buyers consider these questions:

• What regulations govern local historic buildings and districts?

• Does the house need extensive restoration?

• Are original or substitute materials available for repairs?

• Are craftsmen who are knowledgeable about historical materials and building systems available?

• How will the house be appraised?

Knowing what to look for is an important first step. “Potential buyers should understand that there are significant differences between a historic house and a new one,” Richardson says. “Before purchasing a historic home, consumers will want to research just how much restoration is needed and how much the restoration will cost. That includes, of course, uncovering any possible environmental problems not typically found in new construction such as the presence of asbestos or lead paint.” 

Knowledge of any structural problem and the time and money needed to fix it should not only influence the decision of whether to buy, but also how much to offer. In some cases, the seller may be required to undertake some of the work as part of the purchase agreement.

Yet the advantages of owning a historic house often outweigh the work that goes into finding and securing one. There is a rewarding sense of history in the unique detailing and meticulous craftsmanship found in historic homes as well as the satisfaction of restoration. 

“There may also be financial benefits for a historic home owner,” explains Richardson. “Those benefits range from reductions in property taxes and adjustments to assessed value, to state income tax credits and property tax freezes for qualified rehabilitation and restorations.”

The National Trust for Historic Preservation reports that 37 states and the District of Columbia have laws that provide individuals with incentives for owning historic properties. 

Not every old home is historic. “A historic house is an example of the cultural or physical development of a community, state, or the nation due to its architecture or association with an important historical figure or event,” Richardson says.

If a home does qualify as a historic property, then it may be listed individually or as part of a historic district. The listing of a building or district in the National Park Service’s “National Register of Historic Places” provides public recognition of its importance, but will not interfere with an owner’s right to alter, sell, or determine how an individual property may be used. 

“A local or state government housing preservation organization usually will assist owners who want to pursue a historic designation,” Richardson says. However, even if the historic building meets the designation criteria, it will not be listed if the majority of property owners in a district object for whatever reason. In this case, the building is put on an “eligible” list should the objections be overcome in the future.

For more information on historical properties, contact the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers at 444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 342, Washington, DC 20001-1512. For a list of historic real estate specialists, contact the National Trust for Historic Preservation at 1785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. 20038. For a list of professional real estate buyer representatives, please contact the Real Estate BUYER’S AGENT Council, 430 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611; phone (toll-free) 800-648-6224 or direct 312-329-8656. 

Richardson is one of more than 50,000 members of the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, who have attained the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation. As the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer, REBAC is “The Voice for Buyer Representation,” with more than 50,000 active real estate professional members of the organization throughout the world.

Troy Richardson is Broker / Owner of RE/MAX Maple Leaf Realty at 203 Northside Drive in Bennington VT.  He can be reached at 802-447-3210 or www.TroyRichardson.com

It started in 1983, when members of the Southeastern Vermont Board of Realtors learned the family of a Dummerston girl, who had serious medical issues, didn’t have the financial means to pay for her care.

The SVBR is now known as the Southern Vermont Board of Realtors.

As a result, Frank Martocci, Cathy Eakins, John Morrison and Al Carbone formed the Realtors Youth Benefit Corporation so they could donate funds to the family.

At first, they borrowed money from SVBR to pay for the medical care. They then established fundraising events to pay for RYBC’s charitable giving.

Those events included auto raffles and the construction of new homes, profits of which went to the fund. Along the way, they started a golf tournament to benefit the fund.

 “The golf tournament is our major fundraiser,” said David Brown, of Better Homes and Garden/Masiello Group, a member of the RYBC’s Distribution Committee.

Last September, the RYBC raised $6,250 as a result of the tournament, which is held at
Haystack Golf Course.

 The fund was originally established to meet medical needs that were not covered by insurance, said Brown. “We still do some of that,” he said, but much of the focus has been shifted to enrichment type programs for children living in difficult situations.

 “We have seen an increasing need for kids with special needs because of the changes in state laws,” said Brown. “It’s clear that there are needs not being met and we’re committed to helping fill in the gaps.’

 Ginger Gaudette, the mother of two young boys, said the RYBC helped her get them into summer youth programs.

 “I had to cobble together different activities and camps,” she said. “All that stuff costs money.” The RYBC was one piece of the puzzle.
Gaudette, who is divorced, receives a small monthly stipend from her husband, who is currently in prison.

If not for RYBC’s help, she said, she would have had to quit her job to care for her boys during the summer.

“Without the help of the community, I would have been in a real jam,” she said.

Cindy Coble, the mother of a 13-year-old autistic boy, Jack, thanked the RYBC for helping to pay his tuition to the New England Youth Theatre for the past seven years.

Coble, a single mother with three kids, wasn’t having financial difficulties until she was hit by a car while riding a bicycle, requiring seven surgeries.

“RYBC has been there consistently for Jack and I can’t express my gratitude enough,’ said Coble.

Jack’s health problems made school difficult for him, said Rebecca Waxman, the executive director of the New England Youth Theatre.

“This was a kid ready for success,” she said. Since his first foray onto the stage, Jack has excelled, said Waxman.

“His energy on the stage is limitless,” she said. “In every show he has been in he has been outstanding. It’s really delightful to watch him.”

Though the NEYT is rightfully proud of the work it’s done with Jack, Waxman said the credit belongs to his mother.

“I commend Cindy for doing an exhaustive search to help Jack get the help he needs,” said Waxman.

Brown said it has been a pleasure watching Jack’s progress with NEYT.

“He really thrives in that setting,” he said.

Over the years, the RYBC donated money to a number of young people for eye glasses, dental work, medical bills and tuition for camp and after school programs.

“We have great communication with the area service providers such as Youth Services, Brattleboro Parks & Recreation Department, River Gallery School, Green Mountain Girls Camp, YMCA Lewis Day Camp, Camp Waubanong, and New England Youth Theatre among others” said Brown.

In addition, the RYBC has worked with Mollie Burke and supported her summer arts project at Westgate Housing Community through her Art in Neighborhood organization, the Circus Arts Camp and the Therapeutic Horse Back Riding Camp.

To be eligible for funds, a child must be referred by an outside agency, such as a school or a health care provider.

By BOB AUDETTE, Reformer Staff, The Brattleboro Reformer

It’s important to visualize your needs and plan ahead. “Know what you want in a home, what’s important to you, and what you can live without,” Troy Richardson, ABR, Broker / Owner of RE/MAX Maple Leaf Realty says. “Many of us start out with a champagne taste and a beer pocketbook, so it’s important to be realistic,” he adds.

Where and what you buy will affect you for as long as you live in the house. “Get your priorities in order before you start looking or even talk to a real estate broker or sales associate,” Richardson says.

For first-time home buyers this is a new experience, so it’s especially important to do your homework. If you currently own a home, you know exactly what’s lacking. You may need another bedroom or bathroom, or a good school nearby.

First, decide where you want to live. A big part of the answer hinges on where and how you earn a living. If your job requires a lot of reading or is quite stressful, public transportation may offer valuable time to sit quietly. “Regardless, you should practice the commute in rush hour before you make a commitment. A seemingly quiet road can transform into gridlock during peak hours,” Richardson cautions.

People with children have other major considerations: school and safety. If you plan to send your children to private schools, you can live where you want assuming you can easily arrange transportation. On the other hand, a lavish public school system may indicate high local real estate taxes. Check them out.

Obviously, lifestyle is an important consideration. People who frequently dine out, go dancing and attend the theater probably belong in the city or a close-in suburb. “In other words, make sure you’re in close proximity to the things that matter most,” Richardson says.

It used to be that homes came in a limited variety, but today, you have many choices. In addition to the traditional single-family home, you can buy a townhouse, condominium or apartment condominium or co-op. 

In planned unit developments (PUDs), you can find almost any combination. In condos and other such communities, make sure the rules and regulations, as well as the by-laws, match your lifestyle. This type of housing is great for people who want to own their own space without being responsible for mowing the lawn or repairing the roof; a management company handles that.

On the other hand, you’ll pay fees for these services. “In addition to checking the documents and financial soundness of the homeowner’s association, you must determine if the monthly fees are worth the services and additional amenities such as a swimming pool or exercise room,” Richardson explains.

Affordability can be a factor not only in the type of housing, but whether it’s new or an existing home. Old houses often have fine woodwork or interesting nooks and crannies not normally found in new homes. They generally sit on landscaped lots with mature trees and grown bushes.

New homes may cost more, but you can make many more decisions on amenities, colors, carpeting and fixtures. “Make sure you’re dealing with a reputable builder, and have an attorney review all documents, Richardson says.

Selecting a real estate professional is an important first step in beginning your search. “Ask for personal recommendations to find an individual who is knowledgeable about the neighborhood and has access to the local Multiple Listing Service,” Richardson says. Make sure you feel confident about his or her knowledge and skills, and understand the business relationship that you have established between you.

Richardson is one of more than 50,000 members of the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, who have attained the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation. As the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer, REBAC is “The Voice for Buyer Representation,” with more than 50,000 active real estate professional members of the organization throughout the world.

Troy Richardson is Broker and Owner of RE/MAX Maple Leaf Realty at 203 Northside Drive in Bennington VT.  Troy can be reached at 802-447-3210 or www.TroyRichardson.com

“The ‘hidden’ options of auctions and foreclosures can open up greater possibilities,” says Troy Richardson with RE/MAX Maple Leaf Realty. In some cases, these purchase methods can even offer opportunities to consumers who might not otherwise be able to purchase a home.
Properties are auctioned by motivated sellers for a variety of reasons, but the reasons rarely have any effect on the property itself. In the recent housing market, foreclosure has become regrettably familiar. But this creates a situation where banks and other mortgagees have a surplus of properties that they would rather divest themselves of than own.
Auctions and foreclosures can be found in most every area, too, and in almost every market segment: single-family homes, condos, resort and multi-unit properties.

Yet many consumers may be unaware of these purchase options or are reluctant to pursue them, due to a lack of knowledge. Certainly learning the ropes to these “alternative” homeownership paths can be difficult, and the cost of making a mistake can be steep.
However, working with someone who understands these industry niches can smooth out the process. “Real estate professionals who know how to manage both traditional transactions and those conducted through less well-known purchasing methods can help guide consumers through the intricacies of such alternative-method purchases,” says Richardson.

Richardson is one of more than 50,000 members of the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, who have attained the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation. As the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer, REBAC is “The Voice for Buyer Representation,” with more than 50,000 active real estate professional members of the organization throughout the world. 

Whether down the traditional route transacting business through a seller’s agent or along less-traveled paths of finding auction and foreclosure properties, ABR-designated REALTORS® make a buyer’s best interests their own.

RE/MAX Maple Leaf Realty is located at 203 Northside Drive in Bennington Vermont.  Troy Richardson can be reached at 802-447-3210  or through the website www.TroyRichardson.com.

Pending home sales have risen for nine months in a row, a first for the series of the index since its inception in 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in October, increased 3.7 percent to 114.1 from 110.0 in September, and is 31.8 percent above October 2008 when it was 86.6. The rise from a year ago is the biggest annual increase ever recorded for the index, which is at the highest level since March 2006 when it was 115.2.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said home sales are experiencing a pendulum swing. “Keep in mind that housing had been underperforming over most of the past year. Based on the demographics of our growing population, existing-home sales should be in the range of 5.5 million to 6.0 million annually, but we were well below the 5-million mark before the home buyer tax credit stimulus,” he said. “This means the tax credit is helping unleash a pent-up demand from a large pool of financially qualified renters, much more than borrowing sales from the future.

The PHSI in the Northeast surged 19.9 percent to 100.2 in October and is 44.2 percent above a year ago. In the Midwest the index rose 11.6 percent to 109.6 and is 36.6 percent higher than October 2008. Pending home sales in the South increased 5.4 percent to an index of 115.4, which is 31.6 percent above a year ago. In the West the index fell 11.2 percent to 127.7 but is 21.9 percent above October 2008.

Yun cautioned that home sales could dip in the months ahead. “The expanded tax credit has only been available for the past three weeks, but the time between when buyers start looking at homes until they close on a sale can take anywhere from three to five months. Given the lag time, we could see a temporary decline in closed existing-home sales from December until early spring when we get another surge, but the weak job market remains a major concern and could slow the recovery process.

“Still, as inventories continue to decline and balance is gradually restored between buyers and sellers, we should reach self-sustaining housing conditions and firming home prices in most areas around the middle of 2010. That would mean broad wealth stabilization for the vast number of middle-class families,” Yun said.

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

# # #

*The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.

The index is based on a large national sample, typically representing about 20 percent of transactions for existing-home sales. In developing the model for the index, it was demonstrated that the level of monthly sales-contract activity from 2001 through 2004 parallels the level of closed existing-home sales in the following two months. There is a closer relationship between annual index changes (from the same month a year earlier) and year-ago changes in sales performance than with month-to-month comparisons.

An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales.

Existing-home sales for November will be reported December 22 and the next Pending Home Sales Index will be on January 5; release times are 10 a.m. EST.

Inventory is up. When the market is hot, new listings can’t replenish the supply of homes fast enough, and that works in the sellers’ favor. In today’s market, the opposite is true, providing more choices for buyers.

Sellers are motivated. Homes that in a hot market would have been snapped up in days are now lingering unsold for weeks, even months. Factor in bank-owned properties due to the recent and unfortunate spike in foreclosures and buyers find themselves in an advantageous negotiating position they haven’t enjoyed for years.

Interest rates are down. Recent cuts in the prime rate by the Federal Reserve have sparked drops in interest rates, which at the end of January were below 6 percent for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. While banks have tightened lending requirements in the wake of increased loan defaults, homebuyers with few credit problems qualifying to purchase a home they can afford should still have little trouble securing favorable financing terms.

What’s more, a market climate like this especially favors buyers who don’t need to sell an existing property before their purchase, buyers like first-timers and those looking for a second home. This tilts the scale even more towards many buyers.

But regardless of the situation, for every buyer, the key is to work with a real estate professional that knows the local market and specializes in buyer representation – like an agent who has earned the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation.

Richardson is one of more than 50,000 members of the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, who have attained the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation. As the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer, REBAC is “The Voice for Buyer Representation,” with more than 50,000 active real estate professional members of the organization throughout the world. 

Troy Richardson is Broker and Owner of RE/MAX Maple Leaf Realty, located at 203 Northside Drive in Bennington, Vermont.  He can be reached at 802-447-3210 or www.TroyRichardson.com