Gunstock Acres

[mcdude]

Retirement is right around the corner. (YIPPEE!) We're starting to think about our retirement home (last stop before the nursing home :)) that has one level living. I've seen several appealing fixer-uppers (the fixing-up will be my retirement "hobby") in Gunstock Acres. I know there is an association beach down on the big lake near Samoset condos that cost $75 yearly to access for association members. Looks nice in the pics. I know that most of the roads in the "the Acres" are town-owned as there have been articles in the Sun lately about which ones will be receiving attention in the near future. I also know there is a community water system.

What are association dues yearly? What amenities are included? Is there a separate fee to be on the water system and wondering how reliable the system is? (water pressure?) What is the board of directors like? Is it a welcoming place? How well are the roads maintained in winter?

What are the downsides? (if any)

Smokienorm? pjard?

[pjard]

As you mentioned $75 for the beach association dues. As a Gilford resident you have access to the Town Beach as well. There is also a moorning field that you must pay for if you want it. Then is $400 per year for water...whether you use 1 gallon or 1 million gallons you pay $400. That's it....no other fees. We have never had any water pressure problems.

The roads are probably the biggest problem right now...many are beat up on not on the schedule yet.

[bab1234]

I live up in the acres been here for 7 years, the roads are very well maintained in the winter. The water system is in OK shape very dependable except when the power is out it does not have backup power! Only lost water once for more than a day that was last thanksgiving when one of the three phases of power was out for 2 days. That was the longest time power has been out up here.

[Smokienorm]

My wife & I semi-retired to the Lakes Region in mid-2012 after living & working for 40 years in Miami. We had been coming to the Lakes Region for many years because of family living in the area, and in 2005 we purchased a vacation condo in Samoset on Route 11.

We started looking for homes in Gilford about 6 months before we finally settled here, and ultimately found our home, with a spectacular view of the Lake, in Gunstock Acres by my wife’s on-line searches. We moved in and have done a lot of renovations and most recently a nearly-completed major addition.

All but a very few of the lots in Gunstock Acres come with automatic “membership” in the Gunstock Acres Common Property Trust, which effectively functions as the “association.” Dues are $75 per lot per year, for which you obtain 2 electronic card keys to operate the gate to the Gunstock Acres beach. The Common Property Trust shares the access roads off Route 11 with Samoset Condominium. The basketball and tennis courts on your left as you enter Samoset belong to the Acres, not Samoset, which has their own deeper in their complex. As you continue down the road, there is a road veering off to the left, which is to the Acres recreation property. After the gate, at the end of the road is parking, a bathhouse, the beach, a small dock, a picnic area, a general play area, and storage racks for canoes and kayaks. If you want a mooring, you must sign up each year and there is a waiting list with an extra annual charge. There is a dingy to take people to and from their moored vessels.

The membership of the Trust meets annually in the summer to approve the budget and elect Trustees. I assume the Trustees have meetings but have not bothered to attend so I do not know what they are like.

There is a separate Gunstock Acres Water District with its own trustees and officers, and some, but not all, of the trustees are the same as those for the Common Property Trust. The water district contracts out the maintenance and operation of the water system, consisting of wells, pumps, and distribution pipes. The water charge is $400 per year, without any meters, and is billed and collected by the Town Tax Collector in a bill separate from property taxes.

When we bought our home, it already had a water pressure booster pump in place so we merely upgraded it because we are high up in the Acres and near the “end of the line” as far as the water pipes go.

We put in a whole house generator, but have only had it start up on a very few occasions and I can only remember one occasion when we were without water for a few hours because of an area-wide power outage. We do have an emergency number to call about any water problems that is answered 24/7/365.

The roads in the Acres are well plowed and sanded/salted in winter by the Town of Gilford and we, like many, have a private plowing company to do our driveway and walkway, or you can do it yourself.

The road surfaces are quite variable and we are eagerly awaiting the repaving of our street, which is supposed to happen this summer after the Water District replaces a large section of underground distribution pipe for which they floated a bond issue. Until then, we just try to remember where the bumpy patches of road are and drive around them as best we can.

Because we have done so much work on our home, we have accumulated a list of excellent tradesmen, suppliers, contractors, etc. and would be glad to share to anyone if they want to email me a request offline at njs@silbersnh.com.

Our only regrets about moving to the Acres are that we did not do it many years before we finally did it.

[wynndog]

Well thanks Smokie! That was good info for others that are thinking about it too.
Do you know if there is a safe place for dogs to swim near the beach. Have the resale prices been good there? Thanks, Wynn

[Rich]

Someone should tell the Gunstock Acres Common Property Trust that they are not in Gilford, MA! :rolleye1:

http://gunstockacrestrust.com/

[mcdude]

Our only regrets about moving to the Acres are that we did not do it many years before we finally did it.

Thanks so much everyone for your feedback...especially Smokienorm for your lengthy and well-thought-out response!

Actually the association functions very much like the association that I'm familiar with - Alton Shores (http://www.altonshores.com/) - except there are four beaches, water is only seasonal and, except for the main road through the area, all other roads are private and maintained (but not plowed) by the association.

As I said, I've just started to look.....but I'm already regretting that I can't do it sooner!!