Betty Ann Bickford on her way making waves and breaking new records. The 850th Sale for Island Real Estate on Lake Winnipesaukee.

ate last Fall, when you could see yourbreath in the air, no leaves on the trees, andbirds on their way south, Betty Ann Bickfordof Island Real Estate was still out on Lake Win-nipesaukee in the Lakes Region of New Hamp-shire taking buyers, sellers, agents, inspectors

and appraisers on her 21 foot GradyWhite to help finish her years’ busyisland sales. It is no surprise shelogged over 2000 miles on her boathelping people achieve their islanddreams. I don’t know anyone whospends that much time on a boat —until I met Betty Ann.

A few of these miles on her boat were spentwith one waterfront agent who shared a listing

on Rattlesnake Island. at would be me. No stranger to island living, my familyowned a 1.3 acre island in McGregor Bay,Canada, 9 miles by boat to get to in unchartedwaters from the landing and 28 miles by car tothe nearest town called Little Current—whichwas an over statement. I learned from when I was a skinny red-headed freckled face 11-year-old the real ap-peal of island living as part of a family of seven.I learned to drive a boat—even build a boat,before I learned to drive a car. I grew up learn-ing about nature, fishing holes, camp fires,boating rules, sail boat races,swimming — and girls. Ithought I had learned every-

thing that had to do with island living —untilI met Betty Ann. Decades pass. My hair is no longer red—actually much of my hair is no longer. Life tookme from the shores of Lake Michigan, to Man-hattan Island, to East Haddam on the Con-necticut River, and Commercial Wharf on theBoston Harbor. en life began again for me as an ownerof a small lake house in New Hampshire, andthen waterfront agent in real estate. Eventhough I have sold properties on over 50 differ-ent lakes, I thought I knew everything I needed

to know about waterfrontreal estate—until I metBetty Ann.

L

©2015 Michael Travis • Media Wing LLC, PO Box 1644, Wolfeboro NH 03894, 603-515-9422 • www.MediaWing.com

Betty Ann is a true waterfront agent here onLake Winnipesaukee for over 30 years. Her en-

tire focus being non-bridged is-land properties. ere are some365 islands on Lake Win-nipesaukee-only 252 habitable. July 2015 marks the 850th island

sale for Island Real Estate. at’sright—850!Island Real Estate began as a

weekend hobby for John F. Bridges from hisTreasure Island home in 1977—ironically sell-ing only properties with no bridges. In 1984, Betty Ann began doingweekend bookkeeping work for Johnin a small office in Minge Cove with

a desk and an outhouse out back. Aer a yearof much resistance, John finally convinced BettyAnn to get her own real estate license. at presented other challenges, like, for in-stance, she had to learn how to drive a boat, notto mention docking, rope knots, navigation,buoys, weather, the rules of the water—andwhere all of these 365 or so islands were—noGPS or MapQuest to help—just maps. It is one thing to simply know about IslandReal Estate. It is another to actually work andshare a listing with Betty Ann, and experience

first hand the Betty Ann herclients know and love in action. Iwas humbled by her knowledge ofthe water, the islands and island

life. I never knew someone with the innate abil-ity to navigate a lake and the master the some-times murky waters of a real estatetransaction — until I met Betty Ann. And now, before summer has of-

ficially begun, Betty Ann Bickfordhas made new waves and broken newrecords. e 850th Island Real EstateSale. Congratulations on such an ac-complishment. I doubt you’ll find such a devotedsteward of the islands of Winnipesaukee untilyou meet Betty Ann.

~Michael Travis, REALTORBHHS Spencer-Hughes Real Estate

Betty Ann Bickford • Island Real Estate • 35 Bay Street, PO 1680 Wolfeboro, NH 03894 • www.IslandRE.com • O: 603-569.3972Michael Travis • Bean Group • 10 Endicott Street, POBox 450, Wolfeboro • www.WaterfrontAgent.com • O: 603-569-0700 • C: 603-303-2599