I love our little state and for some of you that haven't lived here all your life, or are contemplating a move to the Green Mountain State, I thought it would be fun to share a few interesting tidbits. We're more than just fall foliage and maple syrup you know! (Although we do produce more maple syrup than any other state.) 1. Vermont was [...]

I keep hearing this term "edible landscaping" or "foodscaping" and thought it was interesting so I did a little digging (ha!) According to Wikipedia, edible landscaping isa specialized form of gardening where ornamental plants are replaced by plants that have some food use. The range of plants is varied and can include fruiting shrubs, trees, ground cover as well as edible flowers, and may include an apiary. However, even Wikipedia noted that their entry needed more attention and definition - so this concept is still growing. This picture is an example offoodscaping in Geneva, Switzerlandaccording to a Facebook sight titled "SEED - An Untold Story".Each yard is a vegetable garden and neighbors consult and plan what each will grow so they can trade. I thought this wasamazing! But living here in Vermont, I wanted to find out if anyone was specializing in this type of landscaping locally. Bingo! I had a conversation with Meghan Giroux, owner of Vermont Edible Landscape LLC just this morning. Meghan said that Vermont Edible Landscape works with clients to design, install and establish ecologically regenerative landscapes and that she was currently working on a project with Habitat for Humanity. She said they approach land management through an agrarian lens utilizing a variety of diverse biological disciplines. Her services include: Site Evaluation, Planning and Development. In addition to the land planningMeghan operates a small edible specific nursery in Richmond, Vermont.

Seaberry - a common plant used in Vermont edible landscaping

If you think foodscaping or edible landscaping could be something you like to try, or just learn more about, give Meghan a shout. She canbe reached at 802-578-0829 or meghan@vermontediblelandscapes.com

At property inspections I come across failed window seals quite often.For many first time home buyers this can be a completely new topic that they don't know much about, so I thought I would gather some information together here as a resource. [...]

You might not need a pen the next time you sign a contract!

New for 2014formany Vermont Realtors is the software Dotloop, where real estate agents will have access to Vermont Real Estate forms that can be electronically signed by parties involved in a transaction. So how does this impact you, the buyer or seller in a transaction?

Well, according to the ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES IN GLOBAL AND NATIONAL COMMERCE ACT that was signed into law in June of 2000, signing a document electronically is legal and binding. However, in many real estate transactions, there are a lot of papers to review and signing these documents electronically may be quite overwhelming. Especially if you are a first time home buyer or seller, you may need things explained in detail, or just wish for some face-to-face time with your Realtor for such an important decision. This is completelycompletely understandable.

However, if you are an investor who is very familiar with the process, or someone that travels a great deal and really wants to be able to conduct business and keep the transaction moving along, e-signatures can be a true blessing! I personally usually use a hybrid, where I meet with clients first and explain all the documents and have them sign in person if applicable, and then use Dotloop for any additional subsequent addendums or forms that come along that require less explanation. This was very helpful over the holidays where a majority of my clients were traveling and greatly appreciated not having to get to a printer/scanner/fax in between visits with family. Everything could be handled via their devices. Let us know how you feel about electronic signatures! Is this a convenience or something that makes you uncomfortable? Do you have any other experiences with electronic signatures? Feel free to comment on this blog or onour facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VermontGreentreeRealEstate.