[RiceCake]

Hey Gang - You guys have been great on the feedback for town recommendations and I'd like to ask one more request on a recommendation for a spot for my soon to be retired mother. She will be like a snow bird but really just up for a few months in the summer and back in the Carolinas for the majority of the year. She's a big golfer and we're big skiiers so we're trying to get a win/win out of this as a family

Here is the punch list:
- Ski community
- Golf community
- Health club
- Not too stuffy/spendy
- Semi-year round community
- ~1hr. from Burlington/Montpelier or lower third of state.

Ideally if we move to N. VT that is the general area we'd look but as an alternative while we're still in E. CT, we'd be open to looking into S. VT. Just trying to get a list of spots for her to golf this summer and check out.

Thanks, in advance

[GeoffD]

Pretty much every ski resort has golf. Stowe is a no-brainer if you can afford it. Without saying what you'd be willing to pay for real estate and what you'd be willing to pay for yearly ownership costs + golf costs + skiing costs, it's tough to make recommendations. For a retiree, health care access also matters. Fletcher-Allen/UVM Medical Center in Burlington and Dartmouth-Hitchcock are the two places you want to go if anything serious happens.

One place to take a glance at is Quechee. Golf/equestrian with a little ski hill. 20 minutes from Dartmouth-Hitchcock. About 30 minutes to Killington's Skyeship gondola. Woodstock next door as an "almost Stowe" New England village. You won't pay destination ski resort real estate prices. A more realistic drive from Connecticut. Other than riding my mountain bike through it, I don't know anything else about it but it might be worth looking at.

Make sure you familiarize yourself with Vermont tax law for non-residents and other costs before buying in. Expect to pay 2%+ in property taxes due to the Act 68 state school tax where you pay the commercial rate. When you sell, any gain is taxed as regular income at high state brackets. If you're buying a condo, there's no such thing as cheap condo fees; particularly at a condo complex with amenities like a health club.

[RiceCake]

Thanks, Geoff! Yeah, I almost wrote "not Stowe" because it's a little too high. My wife grew up going to Woodstock every year to stay at the Inn and ski Suicide Six. Great village atmosphere. I'll take a look at Quechee. As for what we'd like to spend <150k for the real estate (2 bed/bath condo) is the target. Ski/Golf/Regime fee still being figured out...

Great points on looking into tax law and healthcare... two things that weren't even on my radar since we're just kicking off.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by RiceCake

Thanks, Geoff! Yeah, I almost wrote "not Stowe" because it's a little too high. My wife grew up going to Woodstock every year to stay at the Inn and ski Suicide Six. Great village atmosphere. I'll take a look at Quechee. As for what we'd like to spend <150k for the real estate (2 bed/bath condo) is the target. Ski/Golf/Regime fee still being figured out...

It's not just the purchase price of the condo. It's condo fees, property taxes, utilities, and insurance. A 2 bedroom condo with amenities can easily cost you $1000/month even if you pay cash for it.

Personally after owning a vacation home for 20+ years, I'd rent rather than buy if I had to do it over again. You can walk away whenever you want. Owners love long term renters because they don't destroy the place. The rent isn't usually much more than the carrying costs to the owner. For a snowbird, there is an enormous glut of rental stock so you can do a 2 or 3 month summer rental at very reasonable prices.

[RiceCake]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

It's not just the purchase price of the condo. It's condo fees, property taxes, utilities, and insurance. A 2 bedroom condo with amenities can easily cost you $1000/month even if you pay cash for it..... For a snowbird, there is an enormous glut of rental stock so you can do a 2 or 3 month summer rental at very reasonable prices.

This is great advice. We really were just getting started and fees of this level would be a nonstarter. Long term rentals in the summer might be the ticket. Especially as she gets acclimated and starts to learn the area. Thanks, again for the info (and wisdom.)

[tkln]

Yup, long term summer rental would be what I would recommend too...we own a small condo in Stowe and for a few years running we had the same couple coming up from FL to stay for 6 weeks each summer. Great for us, great for them. Plus this way she can check out a few areas, maybe she won't like the first spot she lands after being there for more than a week.

[joe moving]

I think Sugarbush area would work well. 150k should get you a nice 2 bedroom condo.
Definitely have to watch for condo fees - they range a lot. Some condos are selling for $40k because their fees are $850 a month and will not sell otherwise.

Mine costs about $400/month to sit on HOA + insurance and taxes. Utils are low if you are not using it.

[Flashback]

Lots of condo owners from MA, CT and NJ enjoy Stratton. Beautiful area and shorter drive for sure.