You Can Stay in This White Mountains Ski Home Before You Buy It

Take it for a test ride—er, test sleep.

By Madeline Bilis· 12/20/2017, 12:35 p.m.

Photo by J McCarthy Photography

All house hunters know that open houses can only show so much. As you’re shuffling in and out of bedrooms, squeezing past strangers in your possible future home, how are you supposed to know what it’s like to wake up and cook breakfast there? Will a quick walk through the living room tell you if it’s sufficiently cozy for both family board games and movie-watching? The short answer is likely no.

But the owners of a ski home in New Hampshire’s White Mountains are rethinking the sale process. They’ve cherished their six-bedroom, four-bathroom chalet since they custom-built it more than a decade ago, and now they’re on the hunt for a new family to care for their palace. To ensure the home’s next stewards are prepared to maintain the property, current owners Leslie and Kevin Saba are enlisting a “try it before you buy it” policy for the house.

“We’ve decided to allow prospective buyers the chance to rent out the home for two nights through VRBO,” says Leslie Saba. “And, if they take it to closing, we will take the full rental cost of $1,200 per night of their stay and put it towards the closing cost.”

The home is currently listed on rental site VRBO, or Vacation Rentals by Owner. Though the couple has been renting out the home from time to time since 2014, they hope the site will help in finding the right future owners.

“We’ve created an opportunity for somebody to create memories,” says Kevin Saba. “To have a place, a touchstone in their lives to come back to for generations.”

Upon renting the home, all 6,000 square feet of the ski house will be yours to explore. Inside, an oversized window in the living room frames vistas of the nearby peaks, and soaring ceilings establish a sense of grandeur.

Photo courtesy of Leslie Saba

Above the living room, a lofted recreation area makes room for a pool table, and downstairs, a sprawling kitchen offers a fireplace and an abundance of counter space for family cooking. The master bedroom boasts a walk-in closet and a soaking tub in the ensuite bathroom. Then, of course, there’s the indoor slide—it’s suitable for both kids and adults.

“We built our home to be large enough for family gatherings while still feeling warm and cozy,” explains Saba, who calls the house a work of art.

A stay at the ski home will allow prospective buyers to explore the Waterville Valley area, too. Saba says the town is filled with outdoors enthusiasts, and offers plenty of opportunities for cross country and downhill skiing, indoor tennis, hiking, pickleball, and other activities.

The lucky renters who become convinced not to leave will have to reckon with a $2.1 million price tag.

“Enjoy our home. If it becomes yours, our hope is that you will use it to create family memories that you will cherish for years to come,” reads the property listing. “And when the time comes for you to pass it on to the next family, that you exercise the same high level of care and discretion that we exercised in choosing you as its next caretaker.”

See more of the home below and view the listing here.