Suissevale: A family-friendly community on Lake Winnipesaukee

By Frank Roche, President, Roche Realty Group, Inc.

When you navigate the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, there's 71 square miles of water and 274 islands to meander through, and on the northeastern shores of the lake there's an interesting four-season community that offers so many recreational opportunities for families to enjoy. Suissevale is one of the largest lakefront communities on the "Big Lake." This established year-round community includes over 600 acres of land located in Moultonborough. The developer of Gunstock Acres in Gilford, George Katter, was also instrumental in the development of Suissevale. Today, this active second-home community includes over 400 single-family homes and it's another example of so many fine communities and choices for prospective buyers which are located in New Hampshire's Lakes Region.

The majority of residents are vacation home owners; however, many couples who started with a vacation home have now made it their permanent semi-retirement home. There are approximately 72 full-time residents during the winter months at Suissevale. This sounds about right when you consider that Moultonborough leads the Lakes Region with 61 percent of its total residences being utilized as vacation homes. That's a pretty high percentage.

I know that Hebron on Newfound Lake comes in a close second at 58 percent. This is due to the fact that Moultonborough is blessed with approximately 66 miles of shorefront within the town – a pretty amazing fact when you compare it to New Hampshire's entire coastline, which includes only 18 miles. That's a lot of water, and it translates into a lot of second homes. So many families want to experience New Hampshire's largest lake, and Suissevale is a great choice for that endeavor.

The community enjoys 2,500 feet of shorefront and features enormous sandy beaches for all of its members to experience. The community also features a large marina with individual boat slips and a boat launch. The boat slips are not deeded and members register on a waiting list.

There are approximately six or seven slips that become available each year. A fee of approximately $1,000 each year is charged for a boat slip rental. Additionally, there are canoe and kayak racks, tennis courts, community clubhouse, barbecue areas, gazebo, children's playgrounds, and a snow-coasting hill for the children during the winter months. Suissevale is a very family-friendly community with a multitude of activities for everyone to enjoy.

The development features a community water system with individual septic systems. Throughout the 600+ acres of land there are over 26 miles of private roads contained within the community. This would be an amazing feat to complete at today's costs, and imagine trying to find today 2,500 feet of tranquil shorefront on Lake Winnipesaukee with a beautiful westerly facing shoreline. Another factor contributing to Moultonborough's desirability is its low tax rate, at $9.01 per $1,000. Additionally, the annual dues for a single-family home on its own lot is only $950 per year. This is bargain when you consider how many fine amenities you are getting in return on Lake Winnipesaukee.

I've pulled together an analysis of sales within Suissevale comparing 12 months ending 2015 versus 2014. Also included in this breakdown are the current active listings which are offered as of March 25, 2016. Over the years, we've seen a surge of sales activity in communities similar to Suissevale. It offers a wonderful alternative to owning a waterfront home because of the lower entry-level price points for a water access community with boat slips versus a single-family home on its own lot on the lake. Additionally, we find that many families with children enjoy the "community atmosphere" of a planned community because their children are able to meet and interact with other children and the adult members of the family are able to socialize with other members in the community. At Suissevale, all property owners can enjoy those lasting memories of great summers on the lake and an occasional drop down the sledding hill in the winter months, along with all the skiing and sports activities to enjoy each season.

So there you have it, a thumbnail sketch of Suissevale in Moultonborough. Take a look on Google.com and search "Purchase property at Suissevale on Lake Winnipesaukee" – RocheRealty.com will pop up on top and direct you to the Suissevale community page on our website showing all available properties for sale.

Please feel free to visit www.rocherealty.com to learn more about the Lakes Region and its real estate market. Frank Roche is president of Roche Realty Group in Meredith and Laconia, NH, and can be reached at (603) 279-7046. Data complied on 03/25/2016 and is subject to change. Google and the Google Logo are registered trademarks of Google Inc.

***Caption for the graph: Suissevale sales statistics and current inventory.

One of Suissevale's beaches. (Courtesy Photo)

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Suissevale's on-site marina. (Courtesy Photo)

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