LOW hopes open gate will close deals

BY ROBIN KNEPPER

Shoppers for homes or building lots don't have an easy time of it if they're thinking about living in a gated community such as Lake of the Woods.

The "gated" part can be a barrier if a potential resident just wants to look around.

But Sunday, a collaborative effort of LOW officials, residents and real-estate agents will open up the Orange County community for the first-ever community open house. The subdivision off State Route 3 in Orange has 141 active listings among its more than 4,200 lots, ranging in price from $89,000 to more than $1 million.

Normally, visitors to the subdivision are admitted only if a resident notifies the security officer at the front gate. But LOW board member Neil Buttimer said security officers will send Sunday home-shoppers straight through to the clubhouse.

"We'll give visitors information on open houses and a map of the community with the major amenities marked," Buttimer said. "People can drive around and stop at homes for sale or amenities like the golf course, community center, equestrian center or whatever they'd like to see.

"Volunteers will be available to answer questions about the community and give directions."

Real-estate agents or homeowners will be at the open houses.

Normally, "For Sale" and "Open House" signs are forbidden on LOW lawns. Properties on the market are marked by unobtrusive posts with phone numbers.

"If this is successful," Buttimer said, "we hope to allow open houses at least once a month. Maybe not the signage, but we can give out passes to interested people."

Jamee and David Hearn's lakeside home will be one of those open on Sunday. They're downsizing and hope the open house will help bring a buyer to their door.

"It hurts not being able to have open houses here," she said recently.

This is the Hearns' second home in LOW. They want to stay in the area because they are happy with the education sons Zachary and Anthony are getting at Locust Grove Elementary.

So when this house sells, they will probably buy something smaller in the subdivision, "just not on the water," Jamee Hearn said.

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Here are some figures on Lake of the Woods home sales, provided by Suzanne Brady, managing broker at Coldwell Banker Elite's Locust Grove office:

141--Current active listings in local multiple-listing service. $89,000--Lowest listed price in LOW $1,049,000--Highest listed price in LOW $302,578--Average listed price in LOW 141--Average days on market 37--Homes under contract $195,113--Average price of homes under contract 87--Homes sold since Jan. 1 13--Number of waterfront homes sold since Jan. 1 $509,387--Average price of waterfront homes sold this year (91 percent of list price) $154,567--Average price of non-waterfront homes sold this year (83 percent of list price)

--Numbers are of homes sold through the MRIS multiple listing service and do not include homes that change hands through foreclosures, condemnations or estate transfers.

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Date published: 9/11/2009

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