View of Mt. Mansfield from West Hill Rd. Still plenty of snow on the mountain.

Spring in Vermont is kind of like a puppy trying to climb stairs for the first time. It’s slow going, maybe it will hang out on a step to catch for a little bit, and sometimes it may stumble down a couple, but eventually it does get to the top and does a little celebratory dance. Similarly, spring here is a gradual process punctuated with fluctuating temperatures (perhaps 40 one day and 25 the next) and pockets of snowstorms, but the icy hands of winter finally release their grip and make way for a change. The other day, I went in search of signs of spring around Stowe and wasn’t disappointed.

One of the earliest signs of spring is smoke and steam coming from the roofs of sugarhouses, like the clouds billowing from the roof of Stowe Maple Products.

Stowe Maple Products’ cloud of steam and smoke is a sure sign of spring. Their address is: 2618 Waterbury Rd, Stowe 05672
802-253-2508

Sugaring season starts as the sap begins to flow in the sugar maple trees. It is collected, brought to the sugarhouse, and then boiled down into the golden syrup we know and love. A good season has warm days and cold nights. As this is one of the first signs of spring and snow is hopefully still in abundance during this time, we are able to enjoy sugar on snow.

Those warms days and cold nights soon turn into warmer days and not-so-cold nights and we get a thaw, heralding the start of Vermont’s unofficial fifth season, Mud Season. Our yards become marshes covered in dead grass (I know ours is) and driveways and roads become obstacle paths that must be carefully navigated if you’re going to arrive at your destination with all the pieces of your car still attached. The real problem isn’t necessarily the mud—though you will see lines at the car wash, another sign that spring is coming.

Oh Ruts!

The real problem are the ruts that appear in the road and steer your car for you akin to those cars you find in funhouses—you steer one way, but the road is trying to take you another. Just make sure to give yourself some extra time and you’ll make it there just fine.

Eventually, we dry out and tinges of green appear in yards, like here in front of the Stowe Free Library.

Those little bits of green are a welcome sight.

Buds begin to peek out on limbs, giving trees a gold or reddish glow depending on the species. We see fewer and fewer overcast days. While we most definitely enjoy the winter here, there’s something to be said for not having to wear two or three layers of clothing when you want to take a walk. And spring does not mean the end of winter’s fun—there’s still snow on the mountains and trails, so skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding are still options. So, get on out there and have some fun while the sun is shining, for soon we get on to our next topic—Spring Cleaning!

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Now, we could just repeat everything the news story says—Stowe Mountain has a freestyle park and halfpipe, miles of trail, great snow and snowmaking capabilities, plus views of Mt. Washington, Camel’s Hump, and Lake Champlain on clear days—but you should really check out the video, Slopeside with Nick Borelli: Stowe, instead.
WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

There are some aspects of the resort that the video didn’t include, but we did want to mention them as well. For instance, Stowe Mountain offers dog-sled tours by Peace Pups Dog-sledding. The resort also offers adaptive skiing and riding lessons (with advanced reservations) and is a partner of the Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports, a chapter of Disabled Sports, USA. For those who are not downhill skiers, there are cross country and snowshoe trails. Add in the Spruce Peak Arts Center, offering film series, lectures, and live performances, and the Spa and Wellness Center, and you’ve got the makings for a great time.  And we haven’t even started on everything you can do in the summer!

The Stowe Mountain Resort is a great place to spend the day or entire week. Get outside while the getting’s good and enjoy!

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For this year’s hopeful pilgrimage, we decided to visit Moss Glen Falls just north of Stowe (not to be confused by a waterfall of the same name near Granville). We had been out to the trailhead once this past summer, but it turned out that the path immediately crosses a small but muddy marsh near the beginning, and we didn’t think our sandals and street shoes were up to the task. With the few feet of fresh snow that came shortly after Christmas, though, we figured the Falls would make a perfect warm-up snowshoe hike on a day when we only had a couple of hours to spare.

And we were right; although it turned out that the term “hike” has to be used pretty loosely here. I had for some reason assumed it would take at least a half an hour or more to reach the falls, but the truth is that the base of the waterfall, and the ravine that it funnels through, lies just beyond the small marsh previously described. Even in deep snow, you can reach the bottom of the falls in snowshoes within a few minutes. Handily, if you want to get a little more exercise, there’s a hill that climbs the left side of the ravine.

The entire hike took about an hour and a half, if that. We had begun walking around noon, and we were back at Black Cap Coffee in downtown Stowe, sharing soup and a dark roast, by two o’clock, asking ourselves, once again, why we didn’t do this more often. Then we went home and threw all of our stuff into a corner of the mudroom. Hopefully it won’t stay there for another 12 months.

Even though you can’t tell from the picture, there is water flowing under that ice.

To get there: Take Route 100 about three miles north out of Stowe village, then bear right on Randolph Road. Take another right onto Moss Glen Falls Road. Immediately before the road takes a sharp right turn, there is a parking are off to the left. It’s pretty obvious where to go from there.

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Situated on Main Street, Laughing Moon Chocolates is a small business that produces handmade chocolates. While they may not be able to cram a lot of people in their shop (we’ll call it an intimate space), they offer a wide variety of chocolates—you can find anything from truffles to chocolate bars to chocolate covered apples to handmade candy canes. Even if you don’t make it in time to see their chocolate dipping demonstration, you can still see them work their magic through a window that looks from the shop directly into their workspace. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to help you with your purchasing decisions; help you may need since there are a variety of flavors available. For example, besides the more conventional offerings like mocha or raspberry truffles, Laughing Moon has offerings for the more adventurous chocolate lover like Chamomile and Lavender Chevre, Bayley Hazen Blue Cheese, or Fennel. By the way, Laughing Moon offers a 3% discount when you pay with cash.

Laughing Moon Chocolates

78 S. Main St

PO Box 3214

Stowe,VT 05672

(802) 253-9591

Twice a year the Vermont Craft council organizes an Open Studio Weekend when the public can watch artists at work. However, if you are in the Stowe area, you don’t need to wait for a particular weekend; Ziemke Glassblowing Studio is open year round with live demonstrations. Glenn Ziemke’s studio is located on the Waterbury-Stowe Road. Attached to the studio is a store with an observation window that looks into the space in which he plies his trade. When we visited we, and a rapt audience, were able to watch him as he made a sugar bowl in a matter of minutes. Watching him, it’s easy to forget how difficult and dangerous glassblowing is. Glenn sells his work in the store and online—items available include lamps, pitcher and tumbler sets, creamer & sugar sets, jewelry, and decorative items.o

Ziemke Glassblowing Studio is well worth the visit

Ziemke Glassblowing Studio

3033 Waterbury-Stowe Rd

PO Box 327

Waterbury Ctr,VT 05677

(802) 244-6126

The benefit of visiting businesses with demonstrations is that you can ask questions and get a better appreciation of the process and the finished items. Get out there and explore. If you don’t know where to start, check out the events page on our website to learn about more about local happenings. 

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After all the frivolity of the holiday season, you may be feeling a financial pinch and wondering about ways to tighten your belt (figuratively) so you can still get a start on buying that house or fixing the one you already have. Here are some ways to help you get started on saving money around your home.

Realtor.com posted a short article about ways to save money for a down payment. They suggest that once you know how much you are able and willing to spend on a house, figure out what your down payment will be. Create a budget so you can see where your money is going and how to make adjustments (should you need to) in your spending habits. They also suggest creating an automatic savings plan in which part of your paycheck goes directly into a savings account. When my husband and I wanted to start saving to help with our mortgage payments, we started to going out less, bringing in coffee from home, and brown-bagging it more and more. We were paying for cable, but we realized we were only watching a few channels, and so decided we could cancel it. We started an automatic draft on our bank accounts. The money goes into a joint account that covers our household expenses—mortgage, electricity, phone, etc—with a little left over for emergencies. We also got a piggybank (no joke). The bank knows what coins are going in and keeps a tally of how much money is in there. We find it very reinforcing. We collected $100 of pocket change in about 9 months—easiest $100 we ever made.

His favorite food is nickels

Once you’re in your home, there are all sorts of easy ways to save a little here and there. The Daily Green has a list of methods you can save by going green. We’ve all heard about switching to energy efficient lights and using a clothesline, but how many of us would think about using a rain barrel to water our garden? Instead of buying tools, how about renting, borrowing, or finding them on Freecycle? Because, really, do you need to buy a stud finder when your friend has one? It’s a tool you use about twice and then are done with forever. Pass it on. Bankrate.com also lists ways to save on utility bills—simple things like checking to make sure everything is off before you go to bed or turning your hot water heater down or off when you go on vacation.

Finally, what if you were planning on some home improvements this year? This Old House and How Stuff Works both have great suggestions for staying within budget (seriously, check them out). Get multiple estimates and go over the project line by line with your contractor so you know what you’re paying for. Clean up after the crew each day instead of paying them to do it. Think about using the space you have more efficiently instead of knocking out a wall or building an addition (saves on construction costs plus heating/cooling costs later down the road) and try not to move the toilet or sink if possible (plumbing is expensive). Do your own demolition and buy building supplies at auctions. Most important, know your limitations. Paying someone to fix your mistakes can be more expensive than having them do the job in the first place.

These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg, but hopefully they help start the juices flowing of how you can save some money around the house. If you have any real estate questions, ask your friends at Pall Spera.

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We decided to start off with cheese. The farmer’s cooperative originated in Cabot, Vermont, and has been making dairy products

Cabot Annex Store

for a little over 90 years. The Cabot Annex Store sells all manner of cheese- and Vermont-related gifts. From cheese boards to wine to tote bags to dog biscuits, you can find it here (plus cheese, of course. And not only Cabot cheese; they sell cheeses made by other Vermont companies as well). At the outlet, you can also sample many of the cheeses made by Cabot (watch the habanero—it has a kick).

Cabot Annex Store

2657 Waterbury-Stowe Rd

Waterbury Center, VT 05677

 (802) 244-6334

From there we moved on to Lake Champlain Chocolates. Based in Burlington, the company has been making chocolate for close to 30 years. The store offers a variety of truffles, chocolate bark, fudge, factory seconds, and drinks, such as milkshakes and coffee. That day they were offering a sample of their dark chocolate—yum. If chocolate isn’t your thing, they also sell bulk candy as well as tea and coffee by the Vermont Artisan Coffee & Tea Company  and coffee by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, both based right down the road in Waterbury.

Lake Champlain Chocolates is located on the left and Danforth Pewter is on the right.

Danforth Pewter, from Middlebury, Vermont, shares an adjoining space to Lake Champlain Chocolates. While you may think of pewter mostly for decorations and keepsakes, Danforth goes beyond that. They  sell jewelry, table-settings  baby cup and spoon sets, oil lamps, and much more. My friend and I spent a lovely time ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the beautiful items we found in there. Both Lake Champlain Chocolates and Danforth Pewter are located at:

2653 Waterbury Stowe Rd

Waterbury Center, VT 05677

Phone for Lake Champlain Chocolates is (802) 241-4150

for Danforth Pewter is (802) 560-4100

 As with our previous post regarding specialty markets, this is only a small sampling of all the wonderful crafts and culinary delights available in the Stowe area (such as Laughing Moon Chocolates and Ziemke Glassblowing Studio—both of which have live demonstrations. How cool is that?). We can’t wait to introduce you to more of what Stowe has to offer!

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Before we bought a house, I used to think the most important tools to give would be lawn care implements. These would be dirt or snow shovels, a rake, a hose, possibly a sprinkler, or hedge clippers. We were lucky that the previous owners of our house (who were downsizing to a condo) left us all of these, plus a lawnmower for good measure (we were really lucky). These are great, useful items and I’m so glad we have them. However, there are also a few tools that I didn’t automatically know we would need once we bought a house, which I love just as much if not more.

For one thing, I’m getting to know our caulking gun more and more. In a previous post, I put a picture of a messy yet functional caulking

The caulking gun–I never guessed how much time I would end up spending with this tool.

job I had done on a window repair. As I go along, I am improving and learning tricks to do a neater job (like using painter’s tape to get cleaner caulk lines—a tip I learned from the website Young House Love). While the caulking gun is not my favorite tool, I have spent oodles of time with it and will continue to in the future. This is definitely one to keep in mind for gift giving.

Another great gift, and possibly my current favorite tool, is the 5-in-1. I have used this in nearly every house project I have attempted this year. Honestly, I’m not sure what the official 5 in the 5-in-1 are, but here are the 5 uses that I know of so far. The hole can be used for prying out nails. The pointed edge can be used for gouging out caulking or scraping out other substances from small channels. The long, flat edge can be used for scraping surfaces. The short flat edge can be used to open a paint can and the curved edge can be used to clean a paint roller. Plus, I’m fairly confident I spent less than $10 on this little gem—how great is that?

I don’t think this tool has ever seen the inside of our toolkit–that’s how much I use it.

Finally, you can’t go wrong with safety equipment such as protective eye-wear  masks, and gloves of both the rubber and gardening varieties. I am not a gardener, but I do have to spend time clipping things like grass and hedges; my hands are happier not to have blisters on them, so gloves are a big help. We have been removing old plaster and wallpaper from our walls and the masks are a must. Eye-wear is good for whenever there will be small particles floating in the air.

We know this is an incomplete list and there are many other tools needed for the upkeep of a house, such as the pry bar and drill, but hopefully this will help get the creative juices flowing as you search for that perfect something for a new homeowner.

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Created in 1992, the Immigrant Investor Pilot Program, commonly known as the EB-5 investor visa, allows foreign nationals to immigrate to the United States by making a significant financial investment in a new commercial enterprise or what is known as a “regional center.” The objective of the EB-5 program is to promote investment and create American jobs by setting aside a certain number of green cards for these investors, who must each invest at least $500,000 through a regional center in a project that will generate at least ten indirect jobs. There are some 250 Regional Centers across the United States which are involved in the promotion of economic growth, job creation, improved regional productivity and increased domestic capital investment.

What makes Vermont’s regional center so attractive to investors is the fact that it is the only state-run, statewide regional center in the nation, which investors believe adds weight and credibility to their investments, as well as facilitating ease of investment. As a division of the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, the regional center has already worked with more than 100 investors in developing job creation projects. With the exception of the Burlington-South Burlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, investment projects can be set up throughout Vermont, including Stowe.

Self-professed “ski capital of the East,” picturesque Stowe, in Lamoille County, is the quintessential New England town. It combines quaint 250-year-old character with everything that the mountain sports enthusiast could want, nestled, as it is, against a backdrop of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak. Stowe’s unique character and high-end facilities, make it popular with tourists year-round, from hikers in summer to leaf peepers through the Fall and skiers in the winter. With a population of just 4,314 people living in an area of 72 square miles, Stowe is Vermont’s second-largest town. Relying heavily on tourism, opportunities for investment in the area are likely to be tourism industry-based. In addition to providing services for visitors, with 53 per cent of properties in Stowe being rental/vacation properties, an investment in a real estate venture such as hotel accommodation and ski-lodge rentals could be lucrative, providing that the venture would create ten indirect jobs. Since there is a constant demand for long- and short-term rental properties in Stowe, it could reap the benefits of attracting foreign investors as Jay Peak has done.

Situated just 50 miles north of Stowe, and with a similar reliance on tourism, Jay Peak has reaped a share of more than $500 million in EB-5 investment as part of the Northeast Kingdom Economic Development Initiative, which will see seven projects developed across four towns, creating some 1,750 jobs.

Following enterprising Jay Peak’s lead, Stowe Regional Center could work with developers and realtors to create projects that see an increase in real estate units and improvements in infrastructure. These could be similar to those in real estate developments in Jay Peak which have included:

• Improved ski lifts and facilities
• An increase in the number of hotels
• An increase in rental properties
• A new medical center
• A new conference center
• A new business park

Clearly, Stowe is ripe for the type of investment that other towns in Vermont have reaped from the EB-5 program, and with natural beauty that never ceases to attract a steady stream of visitors, it simply needs to garner the interest of eager investors seeking to get a green card.

Contact Pall Spera Company Realtors today to learn more about buying and selling real estate in Vermont.

Pall Spera Company Realtors
1800 Mountain Road
Stowe, VT 05672
802-253-9771
info@pallspera.com
http://www.pallspera.com/

The post How Can Stowe Vermont Benefit From EB-5 Visa? appeared first on Pall Spera Company Realtors Blog.

It’s not hard to dine well in Stowe. The variety and quality of local restaurants in the area is truly impressive, especially considering its population of barely 4,300. According to GoStowe.com, Stowe has the third largest number of award-winning restaurants in New England, trailing only Boston and Providence.

When you want to eat well at home, though, there are a few local markets that really stand out. The supermarkets are fine for day-to-day provisions. But where do you go when you need items not necessarily found in a conventional grocery store? We’ve found that Harvest Market, Stowe Seafood, and Green Top Market are great go-to places for those hard-to-find items.

Possibly the best place in the area for supplying your next picnic or party is the Harvest Market on the Mountain Road. Harvest Market offers an excellent selection of prepared foods, baked goods, local and international cheeses, charcuterie and wine. They also have an on-site bakery at the back of the store that produces superb breads in woodburning ovens. It’s worth the trip even if you don’t live in Stowe. Their grissini—a crackingly crisp mini-baguette—sort of like the best breadstick you’ve ever had, made with olive oil, sea salt and Parmigiano-Reggiano—is particularly addictive. Harvest Market is also a great place to fuel up on coffee and pick up a pastry to go if you’re headed up to the resort to go skiing; if you want to stick around while you eat, they have several tables inside and a few more on  a shady patio beside the store.

Harvest Market, 1031 Mountain Rd Stowe VT 05672 (802) 253-3800

If you plan to do your own cooking, there are at least  two especially good local, independently owned gems. A short drive up the Mountain Road from downtown is the Stowe Seafood. This market has the freshest seafood we have found in the the area, shipped in regularly from the Boston Pier. They also have several small coolers stocked with, among other things, smoked salmon and homemade lobster stock. There’s a good meat counter as well, serving steaks, veal, chicken and lamb.

Stowe Seafood, 504 Mountain Rd, Stowe VT 05672 (802) 253-8004

A few years ago we discovered our final market on this list, the Green Top Market, outside of Stowe at the quiet four-way intersection of Stagecoach Rd and Morristown Corners Road. Technically, the Green Top is in the town of Morrisville, but it is close enough to Stowe—only a ten-minute drive from town on Stagecoach Road off of Route 100—that it is makes sense to include as a local option. The Green Top has more of a rustic, traditional country store feel. They sell local produce and meats at very reasonable prices, and make breakfast sandwiches and panini to order. Green Top may have the best meat counter around. The butcher is happy to order hard-to-find cuts, and we’ve come across things you won’t see elsewhere like tasso ham and rabbit. If you are stopping by for a sandwich or a cup of coffee, there are tables on the sheltered front porch; when it’s warm enough, though, we try to grab one of the  picnic tables in the back, which have a lovely view of the valley, east toward Stowe and the Worcester Range.

Green Top Market, 639 Morristown Corners Rd, Morrisville, VT 05661 (802) 888-8883

Want to learn more about living and shopping Stowe? Check back in as we continue to explore Stowe and its environs.

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I don’t have a picture of a haunted house, but here’s one of Stowe’s decidedly uncreepy cemetery.

Most of my knowledge about haunted houses comes from my parents and mass media. For example, I remember my father taking my sisters and me for a drive on a beautiful sunny day. As we passed by a lone house on a dirt road, my father said nonchalantly, “There’s the haunted house” (where else would you take your young daughters while cruising?). Of course, we started pounding him with questions like, “Do things move on their own? Do people see ghosts? How do you know it’s haunted?” My father, who always took the time to answer any question we might pose regardless of subject, informed us that apparitions weren’t seen, but that radios were heard playing and people talking in empty rooms. Everyone knew the house was haunted, he explained, that’s why it was called “the Haunted House.” (He also told me that most haunted houses are destroyed by fires, but I saw in the movie Poltergeist that they can also collapse in on themselves and disappear into an alternate dimension.)

There’s a real estate term for a property that “everyone knows” something about: “stigmatized property.” Basically, a stigmatized property is a property with which, for one reason or another, people have a negative association. And it doesn’t have to be hauntings—it can be just about anything that makes a property distasteful in public opinion. Perhaps it was the site of shady dealings or financial debt. But defining a property as stigmatized can be confusing, and how to handle being a realtor for them can be daunting. Just check out these (Stigmatized Properties Make a Tough Sell or Got Ghosts? How to Sell a Haunted House) on the subject from Realtor Magazine.

So, how do you know if the property you’re thinking about buying is stigmatized? Ask! Laws vary from state to state about what has to legally be disclosed to potential buyers. For example, in California, a death on the property doesn’t have to be disclosed if it has been over 3 years since the event took place (unless the buyer asks). As noted in an article about stigmatized property in Seven Days, in Vermont, a realtor only has to disclose information that they believe affects the property value. So, if you are wondering why the beautiful house with the fantastic garden hasn’t sold—ask. It may be because people say that when the wind blows just right you can hear Old Man Johnson’s ghost whistling as he putters away in the basement, or it could be because when the wind blows just right you can hear the kid next door practicing for the International Whistling Convention.

If you have questions about buying and selling stigmatized properties, ask your friends at Pall Spera Company Realty.

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