The Lake Champlain Islands have been producing apples for generations. Fall apple picking is a must-try activity when visiting or living in Vermont. These popular Grand Isle County apple orchards have been family owned for generations. Learn more about them below! 

Allenholm Farm 

Allenholm Farm is located on South Street in South Hero, Vermont. Allenholm Farm has been around since 1870; the Allen family has run the farm for seven generations. According to the South Hero Land Trust, it is the oldest commercial apple orchard still operating in Vermont. They offer pick-your-own apples, desserts such as Papa Ray’s Pies, and the best maple creemees. 

Hackett's Orchard 

Family-owned since 1967, the 50-acre farm and market offer apples, fresh cider doughnuts, apple cider, cider slush, and even apple crisp! Hackett's Orchard has a total of 47 different varieties of apples. In September, they offer pick-your-own apples. Head to South Street to get your Vermont apples, pumpkins, and sweet treats.

Hall’s Orchard

Hall’s Orchard is a family-owned apple orchard located in Isle La Motte. The property in Isle La Motte has been in the Hall family since the late 1700s and the orchard has been family owned since 1828. The farmhouse is a historic structure made with stone quarried on the island and shows the famous ancient coral reef fossils. 

Owner-operator Allen Hall grows and harvests apples and pears on Main Street in the town of Isle La Motte, Vermont. The orchard has pick your own and fresh cider in season as well as pears, maple syrup, pumpkins, and honey!

The beautiful landscape, close-knit community, history, and countless places to explore are why so many are grateful to call the Champlain Islands home.

Thinking of making a move? Learn more about Life In The Champlain Islands or to begin your property search browse available homes in the Champlain Islands.

Curb appeal plays a huge part in getting buyers through the door in the fall selling season. While the flowers are fading and the cold weather sets in, it doesn’t mean it is time to abandon your outdoor spaces! Take advantage of the fall ambiance and use these tips to attract potential buyers.

1. Pressure Wash & Paint

Pressure washing will clear any debris and dirt from the home's exterior. Consider adding a fresh coat of paint to the front door or trim for a quick transformation.

2. Refresh Your Old Hardware

Replacing the doorknob and purchasing new house numbers is an affordable yet impactful way to take your home’s exterior appeal to the next level.

3. Add Outdoor Decor

Pick up some pumpkins or mums to draw the eye to your front entrance. Remember to complement your home's style, but less is often more when decorating.  

4. Clean the Gutters

Clearing out the gutters is both visually appealing and essential for home maintenance. This task prevents water damage, rot, and a place for pests to nest, and it helps the overall lifespan of the roof and foundation. 

5. Keep it Light

As the sun drops earlier, outdoor lighting will help improve your nighttime curb appeal.  Add some warm outdoor lights, such as solar lights, near your walkway, or clean your existing lighting.  

 

This fall remains a great time to sell your Vermont home. These curb appeal tricks will help you to create a warm and welcoming home to get your home noticed faster. Selling a home is complicated, but our agents at Coldwell Banker Islands Realty is here to guide you through every step. 

 

 

Summer 2022 has been a season of change for the U.S. real estate market. With housing affordability at a 33-year low, existing-home sales have continued to soften nationwide, falling 5.9% month-to-month and 20.9% year-over-year as of last measure, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Pending home sales have also continued to decline, a while new listings have steadily increased, with unsold inventory reaching 3.3 months’ supply at the start of August. The pullback in demand has been particularly hard on homebuilders, causing new-home sales and construction to slow.

New Listings decreased 10.7 percent for single-family homes but increased 16.4 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Pending Sales decreased 5.5 percent for single-family homes but increased 1.4 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Inventory decreased 22.8 percent for single-family homes and 32.8 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

The Median Sales Price was up 9.5 percent to $450,000 for single-family homes and 32.5 percent to $330,000 for townhouse-condo properties. Days on Market remained flat for single-family homes but decreased 9.1 percent for townhouse- condo properties. Months Supply of Inventory decreased 5.9 percent for single- family homes and 30.0 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

Inflation, higher interest rates, and fears of a potential recession have taken a toll on buyers and sellers this summer, leading many people to stay on the sidelines to see what will happen with the market. But some experts, including NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, believe the worst of inflation may be over. Although sales prices remain up from this time last year, price growth is expected to moderate in the months ahead as the market continues to shift in a more buyer-friendly direction.”

Do you have questions about the current market? We're here to help. Contact us today.

Did you know that real estate listings with video get 403%* more inquiries?

Video home tours are an exciting and engaging way to highlight a home's unique qualities to prospective buyers. At Coldwell Banker Islands Realty, we leverage these short-form videos on our social media platforms to promote our listings and attract the most interested buyers. These videos reach a broader audience, have higher engagement and lead to more views on the listing page maximizing the listings exposure. Check out our top performing videos below!

The first video is a short “highlight” instagram video reel of a contemporary luxury retreat on Lake Champlain. We use Instagram to promote listings and our real estate services. Agent bio and area videos have proven successful online as well and receive much higher engagement than images. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Coldwell Banker Islands Realty (@cbislandsrealty)

 

It is always important to stay on top of the next big thing, especially when it comes to real estate marketing. The second video is from our TikTok account. TikTok is the most recent video app platform to take off and offers high reach and engagement. You will be able to consume content such as the property tour above as well as real estate tips on our page.

 

@cbislandsrealty RATE THIS FARMHOUSE 1-10#farmhousestyle #farmhouseliving #farmhouselife #farmhouselife #farmhousekitchen #vermonttiktok #farmhousesink #vermontlife In My Room by Chance Peña - chancepena

 

The third video is an example of one of our fast-paced mini home tours. We use short-form and long-form videos on our Youtube channel to reach more potential homebuyers and give them a better idea of the layout of the home and property. In 2021, we reached 720.6K people through our Youtube Channel! 

 

 

Make sure to follow us on along on our social media platforms to see beautiful homes and all other things Vermont real estate related!

 

*According to National Association of REALTORS® Statistics

 

1. Lake Champlain is 120 Miles in Length

Lake Champlain is about 120 miles long and 12 miles in width at its widest point. It reaches Vermont, New York, and Canada and even gets all the way down to 400ft at its deepest point.

2. Lake Champlain was once the Sixth Great Lake

President Clinton declared Lake Champlain the sixth Great Lake on March 6th, 1998. Most of the country disagreed with the decision and convinced Clinton to rescind the title only a couple of weeks later, on March 24th, 1998.

3. There are 71 Islands throughout Lake Champlain

These range from tiny remote islands to larger islands with towns. The three largest islands are towns that include: South Hero/Grand Isle, North Hero, and Isle La Motte.

4. Lake Champlain is Home to the Oldest Reef in the world.

The Chazy Reef is a fossil reef in Isle La Motte, Vermont, that spans over 1,567 acres and is over 480 million years old. As a National Natural Landmark, the reef is viewable to the public at the Goodsell Ridge Fossil Preserve and the Fisk Quarry Reserve.

5. Lake Champlain Holds over 90 species of fish. 

Over 90 species of fish live in the waters of Lake Champlain. It’s considered a frontline fishery for two species in particular: salmonid species (lake trout and salmon) and bass. Bassmaster magazine even named Lake Champlain the fourth best lake in the region for fishing in 2021!

6. It was the Location of the Battle of Plattsburgh.

The lake was a vital part in many battles and wars. The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, took place during the War of 1812 and prevented the British from invading New York.

7. Lake Champlain has a 14-Mile Long Recreational Trail

The Island Line Trail takes you from Burlington, Vermont to the Lake Champlain Islands. Historically, the trail was not meant for recreational use. It was built in 1899 by the Rutland-Canadian Railroad for coastal market connections. Eventually, in the 1980s, the railroad was converted into a recreational path.

If you found these facts interesting, learn more about Lake Champlain here!