Lincoln, NH

I grabbed my coffee at Dunkins this morning, and drove 9.2 miles on the Kancamagus Scenic Highway to finish my first cup before work.

Spectacular views right, how far did I hike to get these: the Next photo will give you your answer.

I had to get out of the car to take the pictures, but my coffee didn't get cold while waiting for photos.

This one I admit I didn't have to get out of the car for, talk about bang for the buck- this is but one of the more than a dozen scenic pull in areas. It took me 10 minutes to drive here from my office.

Lincoln Woods Ranger Station is Walking Distance from Loon Mountain Ski Resort, and about 3 miles from my office..sounds like I'm bragging ..sorry..if you live in the city.

Now the beast: It's Bow hunting season and the next photo is not for everyone: 345 pound black bear taken by a local hunter..who holds the record for the largest black bear taken by bow at 460 pounds. He was parked at the coffee shop and I had a camera..don't pan down if a dead Yogi is not your thing.

We get more done before 8 am, than some people do all day.. P.S. I am not a hunter..don't own a gun or a bow..but this is life in the country. Beautiful mountains , wildlife mostly alive.

Take a drive..up the "KANC" ..the views are worth the ride..

A run on the high-end homes is a direct result of the removal of stagnant or unsecured assets from other accounts. Many of my Active Rain Bothers and sisters would agree that the vacation home market suffers the most when people aren't comfortable spending large sums of discretionary dollars.

I seems the reverse is true in my neighborhood, sure not everyone runs out and buys vacation homes when the financial markets are volatile. But the ones that are ,have been buying the cream of the crop and why not they have the expendable cash to put down. Many are trying to lower account balance's to the point were their money is FDIC insured ($100,000 / account holder- per bank).

Many have decided spending money of a vacation home means spending time with family. Why stress about your up & down portfolios when a long term real estate asset provided a place to re-connect to family and friends and a place to go up & down the ski slopes instead.Recent properties under contract and pending closing: Cash buyers!!

South Peak home $899,900 The Links condo $359,900 Coolidge Duplex $595,000

Loon Mountain Ski Resort Lincoln NH, 2 hours from Boston Massachusetts, 3 hours from Rhode Island 4 hours from Connecticut. Have you seen an up tick in the higher end properties in your market area? Have you seen buyers using 1031 exchanges to purchase resort / vacation rental properties?

Steve@alpinelakes.com / www.alpinelakes.com /custom homes: www.cargillconstruction.com

The great thing about living in a resort town is:Visitors are here to have fun. Sometimes they become so caught up in the vacation life style it occurs to them "wouldn't it be great to live like this year-round?"

I have walk-in customers every week that come in and say: We have vacationed in the White Mountains for years and would love to move here" Steve can you "tell us how to do that". Sure find something you love to do here and remake your lifestyle to fit that income. Unless you have enough money stocked away not to have to work any more, you will have to work hard at being happy with less income than you are used to. If your job allows you to tele-commute that is the solution, if you work at a business where your presence is required you have a problem. You see we get to live in beautiful surroundings and have wonderful recreational choices but there are no branch offices of IBM, and a three piece suit is when you wear a sweater over your flannel shirt.

Now don't get me wrong, I would love for you to move here and add to the culture..or a least dilute the gene pool. But a seasonal resort is not for everyone, when the resort is busy it's really busy and when it's quiet it's really quiet. I have a friend who owns a ski shop and he works hard for about 5 months, but he lives on a boat in the Caribbean in the off season. My friend Jack has figured it out He plays golf a 100 days, and he skis a 100 days a year, I see him at fund raising events and he has a group of friends he hangs out with that have found away to live here as well. These active friends volunteer at the performing art center, teach skiing to the Handicapped or work at a seasonal business for a few months just to get out of the house. The difference between retiring to the South and choosing a life style in the Mountains is.. when I grow up I want to be like Jack..not just wait for my number to be up.

In New Hampshire we have no State income tax, no broad based sales tax, and in a resort town we have high-end properties paying their real estate taxes without sending children to school here. Those of us that make this our primary residence enjoy what we have, can live on less and have made friends with the rest of the locals who chose life style over six figure salaries. So I tell people that dream about resort living.. get a life so you can enjoy your life.

Two out of Three's not Bad- I'm Working on it Jack..when I grow up..I want to be just like you !!

The Stock Market sucks, returns on FDIC insured accounts are abysmal, and taking a vacation is expensive. Have I just described your baby-boomer life's issues. I have a simple solution with the perfect timing for your 5-10-20 year retirement plan. Many of my clients are purchasing Vacation homes, where they love to recreate and can see themselves living after retirement.

The soft market presents great opportunities For retirement property planning. Buy now while prices are down and rent until you can move into your mountain home full-time. There are two options in a resort town, rent your place short term and be able to vacation 14 days a year while still making periodic maintenance visits or have a yearly lease which relieves you of the utilities and gives you a fixed monthly income. Both of these options allow for depreciation , interest deductions and other pre-taxes expenses.

Aside from the income and tax relief this strategy can provide, it also allows you to explore and become comfortable with your future full time surroundings. The Ski resort clients who have retired to my neck of the woods have found recreation, entertainment and friendship with their neighbors and are thrilled with their choice. The Lack of income tax , no broad based sales tax, and nearly a million acres of White Mountain Nation Forest has made New Hampshire a great choice for future retirees.

What if we change our mind about our retirement location: the sweet thing about this pre-planning real estate purchase is with a simple 1031 exchange you can move on to another location deffer your capital gains and so long as you keep the newly acquired property in an active rental for 2 years (or more) you can still retire there when you're ready.

Our clients are looking for choices and real estate investments especially in the long term are looking very attractive compared to other places to park your savings these days. Let your clients know you have done your home work and have some great values to offer them.

September 5th: Artist Rosemary Conroy will be displaying her Wildlife paintings. Rosemary is a freelance-writer, naturalist and Award Winning Artist, and her art will be on display for the entire month of September. Rosemary Conroy will be at the Lincoln Art Gallery from 5pm to 8pm in person to talk about her work and her art please stop by to see her beautiful paintings(refreshments will be served).

Rosemary has been featured on; New Hampshire Chronicle, was named as one of the states "renaissance Women" and was also named the "New Hampshire Environmental Educator of the year". Rosemary is a juried member of the N.H.Arts association, the N.H. Chapter of Women's Caucus for the Arts, and the Oil Painters of America. Please visit her web site : www.studiobuteo.com , call the art Gallery for more information 603-745-8828 or email the owner at adventureimage@roadrunner.com

This will be an ongoing series of Gallery Showings with the featured Artist in residence on the first Friday of each month, and the associated art work remaining in the Lincoln Art Gallery for the balance of each month.