Building / Designing A Lake Home!  Any design Ideas? 

My wife Paula and I have been selling lakefront property since 1999 and we have been fortunate enough to build two lakefront homes and view thousands of waterfront homes.

Our job is actually a lot of fun! We visit hundreds of lakefront homes yearly from vintage homes built in the 1920's to current new [...]

Waterfront Commercial Land Available in Wolfeboro NH. Build a Hotel / Condos / Shops

Investment Opportunity walking distance to downtown Wolfeboro with over 2200 feet of shoreline on 3.7 acres all located on Winnipesaukee's Back Bay. Level lot with sunsets offering a perfect location for hotel / lodging / Condos to commercial [...]

NH Winter Adventures!  Driving habits can determine the activities!

The beaches are empty and the landscape is winter white gold. You can almost judge the activities on any given weekend by the traffic heading up Interstate 89, 93 or Rt 16.

On any given day the flow of trucks at 5 to 6 am are ice fishermen heading up to the uncrowded frozen [...]

Homes cost a lot of money to maintain. But are you spending extra money unnecessarily on the upkeep of your home? Here are 10 of the most expensive mistakes you could be making in your home.

1. Using Traditional Light bulbs

If you still have incandescent light bulbs in your home, you could be throwing a lot of money away every month on inflated electric bills. Over its life span, an incandescent bulb can use $180 worth of electricity. A CFL will only use $41 worth of electricity over the same time period. Even better is the LED bulb, which only uses $30 per bulb. Think what replacing every light bulb in your home could do to your home's bottom line.

2. Ignoring a Leaky Faucet

A leaky faucet that drips one drop per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year, which is enough water to take more than 180 showers. Some of us live in areas where water is plentiful, but for those of us in areas plagued with drought, this could be costing you a fortune. Fix or replace your leaky faucet and save a ton on your water bill.

3. Using the Wrong Air Filter Size

We all sometimes forget to change out the air filters for our HVAC systems or accidentally buy the wrong size. But using the wrong filter or a dirty filter can increase your power bill and cause expensive problems for your furnace down the road. Use the correct filters for your system, and set a reminder to change them after the recommended amount of time. You won't regret it.

4. Not Customizing Temperature

Invest in a customizable thermostat. If you're away at the office all day, you can program your heater to shift down a few degrees while you're gone and then shift back up shortly before you return home. Heating or cooling an empty home wastes a lot of money in energy costs.

5. Not Adjusting Air Vents Properly

Is one room in your home hot, while the others are cold? Oftentimes homeowners will crank up the air conditioning in the whole house to combat hot temperatures in one area. Instead, adjust air vents to direct the flow of air more evenly throughout your entire home. Professionals will come regulate this to ensure that your entire home is receiving the same amount of air conditioning or heating.

6.Over Watering Lawn

Many homeowners have their sprinkler systems programmed to come on in the early morning hours for optimum lawn health. This can become a problem, however, if you're never around to see what you're actually watering. A broken sprinkler head could be causing a fountain, or the trajectory of your sprinkler may be directed at a fence instead of your lawn. Periodically run your sprinklers during the day so you can see how they are performing when you're not around.

7. Water Heater Temperature Set Too High

Unless you have a tankless water heater, your water heater is keeping the water in its tank hot 24/7. If you don't keep an eye on the temperature as each season changes, you may be paying too much to heat your water. Decrease the temperature in the summer, and bump it back up when winter comes.

8. Leaky Windows and Doors

Leaky windows and doors are great places for cold, winter winds to enter your home. Many homeowners simply ignore them and crank up their heaters. Caulk leaky windows and put rubber seal around doors to keep winter winds out and warmth in.

9. Paying a Handyman

Don't pay a handyman for a job that is simple enough to do yourself. If you're unsure of how to do something, look up video tutorials online. Doing simple tasks yourself can save you a lot of money.

10. Ignoring Curled Shingles

It may be easy to ignore problems on your roof, but it will only lead to bigger problems later. If you see any possible issues with your roof, repair them as soon as possible, as this will save you significant costs later.

Use these 10 tips to cut maintenance costs on your home today.

By Cary Teller, Housecall

Luxury Winnipesaukee Home we sold fall of 2016

For additional information on lake homes call Four Seasons | Sotheby's International Realty at 1-888-737-5550 or e-mail at info@nhlakesrealty.com  or visit our websites to view lake homes in New Hampshire at www.nhlakesrealty.com or www.lakeorskirealestate.com.

Contact Carl Sack or Paula Hinckley   #nhlakesrealty

Buying a lake property can be frustrating!

You have a magical checklist.  Sunsets, Sandy Beach, Three Bedrooms, Two bathrooms, Level Lot, Large Lake, Newer Construction, Private Lot, Move in Condition and the list goes on. Plus you want the home located close to skiing and [...]

Selling your Lakefront Home can lead to anxiety!

Time leads to changes in our life that often leads to what seem like drastic adjustments in your lifestyle. One transition is selling your lake home.  You will retain the wonderful memories you enjoyed with family and friends and you will meet some resistance from family members.     

So selling your lakefront home can be an emotional process. First step is to change your emotional view of the property to a business [...]

Preparing your Lakefront Camp for Winter!

The first part of the preparation is sitting back looking out onto the lake and taking in all the memories you will have for years to come.  Tubing with the grandchildren to getting up for the first time on waterskis and the ultimate dropping one ski going slalom. What about the first fish caught or [...]

In New Hampshire the Lakes meet the Mountains and our state is a number one destination four season vacation and retirement target. Why? Our lakes are deep with crystal clear water and the major ski resorts are just a short ride from any of our 250 plus lakes. On Winnipesaukee for example, you can boat to major ports around the lake for a [...]