LAND UTILIZATION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 



31 



In general, there was a positive relationship between the prices paid 

 for recreation properties and the amount spent on improvements. Two- 

 thirds of the open country residents who paid more than $2,000 for sum- 

 mer homes likewise invested more than $2,000 in improvements, while 

 a larger proportion of those who invested smaller sums originally, paid 

 smaller sums in improvement. Among waterfront residents, improve- 



Fig. 9. Waterfront Summer Home 

 Inexpensive, yet attractive cottages bring enjoyment during summer vaca- 

 tion months to persons of modest income. 



ment outlays varied directly with purchase prices up to $1,500. Smaller 

 amounts were spent for improvements on properties bought at higher 

 figures. These relationships indicate" that when lots alone were pur- 

 chased, more valuable cottages were associated with more valuable sites, 

 but when cottages or homes were purchased with the lots, improvement 

 outlays were considerably less. 



Improvement expenditures on open country properties were mainly 

 for remodeling, restoring, and modernizing the buildings, and improving 

 the grounds; a large proportion of expenditures on waterfront properties 

 was for building and furnishing new cottages. Improvement expendi- 

 tures in Sanbornton were lower than in the other towns. Many low- 

 income persons did much of the work themselves and built simple lake- 

 front cottages. The group of college professors did much of their own 

 hand work as a relief from the mental strain of academic life. 



