Super Bowl Man Cave

As of February 1, 2012 there were 975 single family residential homes on the market in the Lakes Region communities covered in this report. The average asking price came in at $526,831 with a median price of $249,900. On February 1 of 2011 there were 940 homes available at an average of $545,417 and a median of $279,000. The current level of homes represents a 15 month supply which is the same as last February.

Home is all about the holidays and having friends and family over for parties and celebrations. We have Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and the 4th of July. We also have Super Bowl Sunday which, to many, is probably the biggest non-holiday house party of the year. I think Super Bowl Sunday should be changed to Super Bowl Monday, call it a holiday like it should be, and give people the day off. Production is way off on Monday anyway as hung over employees just pretend to be working. Of course, the game time would have to be changed to noon on Monday or people won’t work on Tuesday and we are right back where we started.



People have always gathered to celebrate big sporting events. I think it goes back to prehistoric times when the cavemen had a successful hunt. They all went into their caves to have a feast, drink fermented fruit juice, and draw pictures of the hunt on the walls. These were the first known flatscreens. Humanity progressed and in the Roman times spectators watched teams of gladiators dismember each other from skyboxes in the Coliseum in Rome. I’m sure there were just as many taverns around the stadiums back then as there are today. These establishments were for those who couldn’t afford the 87 Denarius Roman silver coins that it would cost to buy the equivalent of a $2,500 Super Bowl ticket. Many modern sport fans that don’t make it in person to the big game gather in sports bars to watch the Super Bowl. Fans like to be with other fans and to be surrounded by the trappings of sports; the memorabilia, pictures of stars, pennants, banners, and big screen TV’s. It also helps that the pubs have food and drink which are the key ingredients for any successful Super Bowl party.



Other fans like to gather at their homes and have Super Bowl Parties. Drawing from their prehistoric past and the sports bar, many avid sports fans demand that their home have a properly outfitted Man Cave for these special events. But the Man Cave has become so much more than just a place to gather and pay tribute to sports. It is a retreat to which today’s hunter and breadwinner goes to unwind and gather strength to carry on the battle the next day. While the lady of the home requires a nice kitchen, a walk in closet, and a Jacuzzi tub, the warrior/sports fan of the home could care less. The Man Cave is paramount in his mind. This is an important observation if you are selling a home in today’s market. Do you have an existing Man Cave or is your home Man Caveable? It could make a difference in selling or not selling your home.



I find it my duty to expose the best of the Man Caves on the market to the manly men out there that might be looking to upgrade to something more befitting their station in life. My first selection is at 141 Riverwood Drive in New Hampton. This cave is located in a 6,289 square foot, thirteen room, four bedroom, five bath super high quality, custom built home that would impress even Tom Brady. It has everything a Caveman’s wife would want; gourmet kitchen, granite counters, an open floor plan, a great room with a huge field stone fireplace, a first floor master suite, formal dining room, beautiful woodwork, and exquisite craftsmanship throughout. Who cares! The Man Cave here is over the three car garage and provides ample space for the largest and most intense sport watching get-togethers you can imagine. It features large comfortable leather chairs and couches, a massive widescreen TV, a fully stocked bar/kitchen area with granite counter tops, a popcorn machine, and pool table. A three quarter bath is adjacent so you don’t have to run downstairs at the commercial break. This property is offered at $649,000 and is currently assessed at $761,050. You won’t find a better equipped Cave, plus you get an additional 5,000 plus square feet of space for the missus.



Another truly fabulous Man Cave property I have seen recently is at 109 Hickory Stick Lane in Laconia. This Man Cave is located in the lower level (feels more natural) of a 3,553 square foot, four bed, four bath, high quality home built in 2007 in Country Club Shores. This home also has all the bells and whistles for the ladies including a well appointed kitchen, first floor master suite, tile, granite, hardwood floors, and breakfast nook. The lower level Man Cave is truly great; cork flooring, widescreen, built in Bose surround sound, pool table, and fully equipped bar with a kegerator (beer tap-very important). There’s a separate workout room with an exercise machine that looks like a piece of art (it's too nice to hang your clothes on it though), and a bedroom in case you can’t make it back upstairs. The downstairs bathroom is what really defines this space. There is a sink and a urinal only—a true Man Bath. This home is manly priced at only $399,900. If you are a true sports fan looking for a new home, you could be there for Super Bowl XLVII. Call me...