Burlington, VT

Burlington, VT is healthiest city.

By MIKE STOBBE - 2 days ago

What's the healthiest city in America? It appears to be Burlington, VT.

Vermont's largest city is tops among U.S. metropolitan areas by having the largest proportion of people - 92 percent - who say they are in good or great health.

It's also among the best in exercise and among the lowest in obesity, diabetes and other measures of ill health, according to a recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This New England city of 40,000, on the shores of Lake Champlain, is in some ways similar to the unhealthiest city - Huntington, W.Va. Both are out-of-the-way college towns with populations that are overwhelmingly white people of English, German or Irish ancestry.

But there the similarities end:

_Burlington is younger, with an average age of 37, compared to 40 in Huntington, according to the Census Bureau.

_Burlington is better off financially, with 8 percent living at the federal poverty level, compared to 19 percent in Huntington.

_It's much more educated, with nearly 40 percent of area residents having at least a college bachelor's degree. Only 15 percent in the Huntington area do.

The cultures are significantly different, too. Bicycling, hiking, skiing and other exercises are common in Burlington. Neighborhood groups commonly focus on improving parks, working in community gardens and repairing and improving sidewalks.

"There's this norm of a lot of activity," said Chris Finley, Vermont's deputy health commissioner, who works in Burlington.

And though college staples like pizza are common, healthier foods are also popular. Grass-fed beef is offered in finer restaurants, vegan options are plentiful, and the lone downtown supermarket is run by a co-op successful in selling bulk rice and other healthy choices to low-income residents.

Burlington is helped by the presence of IBM and other employers offering more generous health benefits and corporate wellness programs than companies in Huntington, some experts suggested.Copyright ©

Source: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1859507,00.html

Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Burlington Vermont Real Estate.

You have heard it said time and time again: Home is where the heart is. But if your house is smoldering or under water, it can be hard to make yourself feel at home.

After all, every minute of worry is time wasted. Every hour you spend trying to return your home to normal is an extra hour of stress and work. That's the reason Servpro of Burlington/So. Burlington is pleased to offer emergency services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Let's face it - floods, leaks and fires just don't abide by normal business hours, and fire and water damage can strike a home at any time, night or day. So whether disaster strikes at 5p.m., 8 a.m. or any time in between, don't waste valuable time waiting for daylight. Just call 1-888-350-5544 or 802-865-4457.

Utilizing or 1-4-8 Service Response Guidelines, we will strive to:

• Contact you within 1 hour of loss notification to arrange for service
• Be on-site to begin mitigation services within 4 hours of notification
• Provide verbal briefing of scope to the appropriate agent, resident or home owner within 8 business hours of on site arrival

Your time is precious, and your house needs to feel like home again. If disaster strikes, let us help you make it "Like it never even happened."

1. Detail and de-clutter. The first step in preparing for an open house is to ensure that your entire property is clean and de-cluttered. The goal of an open house is to enable prospective buyers to envision themselves living there, and clutter and disorder prevent them from doing so. So sellers should detail their entire house room by room. Also, make sure that outdoor spaces are in tiptop condition. Pay particular attention to the walkway leading up to their front door because that's where the people are going to come in for your open house. As in other endeavors, first impressions are tremendously important to real estate.

4. Lock it up. Unfortunately, there has been an increase in open-house-related thefts over the past couple of years, with thieves posing as potential buyers and then making off with homeowners' belongings, The most commonly stolen items, are prescription drugs and small pieces of jewelry. To prevent theft, homeowners should store their valuables and prescription drugs in a safe place during the open house.

It's that time of year for mad purchasing for dorm rooms. The have to have's in what's hip in the latest clothing. Haircuts. The University Bookstore. Meeting so many new faces, getting settled and all the rest...

Burlington is a great location for purchasing an investment property for your son or daughter and recouping your investment when they graduate. I have worked with parents/families over the years to find just the right property.

Read this recent testimonial:

"My husband and I live out of state in Connecticut and our son attends the University of Vermont. During our first visit to Burlington Vermont, we fell in love with the area and decided it would be a good place to purchase an investment property. At that time, we knew basically nothing about the area and by sheer luck became connected to Chris Hurd when we Google searched for a realtor who could represent us. Chris was sensitive to our many concerns about purchasing and renting a property from out of state. He realized we needed to proceed cautiously. He quickly understood our wants and needs and found properties that we liked and would require very little maintenance. We did not have time to waste and Chris was very efficient and thorough. Chris is an extremely ethical and responsible person and my husband and I would highly recommend him as your realtor. We found Chris to be a genuine person who filled all our needs and requirements."

Stan & Nancy Mikrut - Southbury,

Read the following recent remark from the National Association of Realtors:

"VERMONT AT THE TOP OF SALES RECOVERY. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun reported last week at the Annual Leadership Summit in Chicago that Vermont is in the top ten states for sales recovery. "

I have lived in the Burlington area for over 29 years. Burlington Vermont is a great community. Full of cultural activities, shopping, great restaurants, nationally recognized educational institutions with all the qualities that only Vermont can offer set on the shores of lovely Lake Champlain.

Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com with your inquiries about purchasing an investment property in this great city.

Post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Burlington Vermont Real Estate.

A purely personal list subject to change (guaranteed!) of my favorite things to do on Lake Champlain throughout the year:

10. Ice skating,

9. North Beach in Burlington for the day and an evening cookout,

8. Taking any of the Lake Champlain Ferries to catch a sunset or watch the full moon rise or both,

7. Wish List item...Owning a home on Lake Champlain,

6. Jumping off the back of my boat yelling with joy on a hot day in the middle of Lake Champlain,

5. Renting a boat or taking sailing lessons at the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center in Burlington,

4. Going to Basin Harbor passing Cathedral Rocks by boat for dinner,

3. Watching summer storms advance out of the Adirondack Mts across the lake from behind the Coast Guard Station in Burlington,

2. July 4th festivities and fireworks over the Lake Champlain from Waterfront Park in Burlington,

1. Hanging out in my boat, reading a book or listening to the Red Sox, drifting along with no particular place to go.

If you would like to add a comment or add your favorite Top Ten list of favorite things to do on Lake Champlain, please do so by posting a comment here at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Burlington VT Real Estate.