Reprinted from NH Business Review

CELEBRATING  35 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE NORTH COUNTRY

Lancaster, 1973.  Home from nearly four years on Capital Hill in Washington, and at the end of a statewide political campaign, Peter Powell made the decision to stay in NH and take the chance he had long considered: move from the Seacoast to the North Country, try to live a life that was close to the land, and find a way to make a living.  After a year of building his home from foundation to finish, Powell Real Estate began with a briefcase, a Jeep, and a focus on acreage and farms in the White Mountains and upper reaches of the Connecticut River Valley.  Thirty years later, with an expanded focus on much of Coos County and nearby towns in Vermont, Peter and his associates look back with pride and satisfaction on three decades of service to the communities north of the notches.

“My files from the early years are full of listings on the back of napkins and envelopes, sealed by a handshake and consummated by goodwill.  Things have changed, but our focus continues to be on service to our neighbors.  We are primarily a seller’s agency, serving our clients while introducing new prospects to the opportunities and challenges of North Country life.  We’re a bit like country doctors, relieving headaches in the morning, performing major surgery in the afternoon, and handling a bit of everything: residential, commercial and investment real estate - even manufacturing properties.  However, ours is primarily a residential brokerage offering village and country homes, large and small acreage, and investment opportunities.  We regularly handle large woodland holdings, and take pride in solving complex problems.

“Economic development in southern NH is a business opportunity.  Up here, it is a volunteer activity, and we have spent many of our 30 years on boards, commissions and task forces working to bring economic opportunity to those who choose to live and work here.  Many have come to realize the value of this region and its people.  Public service here is a privilege, and we continue to contribute time and energy to non-profit boards and activities both statewide and locally.  We have seen many changes, and some tasks remain the same, but we are increasingly aware of the need to conserve and protect while we promote and advance our region. 

“I like to say that here in the North Country, we are stewards of the image that the rest of New Hampshire has of itself, but which is often no longer found in many areas of the state.  This gives us a special responsibility to find balance in our work, to think long term - like a good forester when he manages his forest - and to consider the impact of what we and our clients and customers might do.  We can’t always be successful, but we do often find ourselves promoting conservation easements and good forest management, just as we advise on sensible development and intense use where it is needed.  We want to be successful, but we want to do so with our communities and not at their expense.

“Ours is a small office, but conscientious, competent, caring and hard working.  We are grateful for the support of our communities, and for our opportunities for service.  We are also grateful to be REALTORS.  The continuing education, professional enhancement, communication and encouragement of our state and national organizations have been critical to our ability to grow and serve.  We hate to think how we might have floundered in those early years if the chance for learning and cooperation had not existed.  We hate to think what our industry would be like now without the Code of Ethics and requirements of membership.  Members of our staff are as committed as any to the strength of our organization.  I hope we - all of us - will remember our importance to each other, and to our communities, as we pursue our livelihoods and the chance to do well for ourselves, our neighbors, our towns, our cities and our state.”