The housing market still appears to be going strong both in the US and in NH. Nationally, the median sales price through Aug. was up 4.7% to $278,200 and in NH it was up 5.6% to $299,900. A strong labor market, low interest rates, and low inventory continue to impact housing sales by pushing up home prices. Locally, in the towns of Newbury, New London, & Sunapee combined, sales up are up - 164 homes sold YTD through Aug. compared to 135 sold in 2018. Avg. days on market this year is 78 days compared to 116 days last year for the 3 towns and the avg. selling price was 96% of the asking price. Interestingly enough, in our area the median sales price through Aug. stayed about the same at $351,000 (last year it was $350,000).
While the U.S. economy at large looks positive, experts are split on whether another recession is on the horizon. However, most signs point to continued good news for the housing market. The CoreLogic HPI Forecast predicts a moderate but healthy 5.6% acceleration in annual home price growth to June 2020. Bottom line, the housing market is really good for buyers and sellers. Mortgage rates are low and home prices are still rising. Contact me to work with a realtor who understands how the market impacts you! 603-526-4116; www.DonnaForest.com; Donna@DonnaForest.com.
Whether you bought a starter home or what you hoped would be a forever home,circumstances change. One thing that doesn’t change though, is the inevitable expansion that occurs when you become a homeowner. As time goes on, you acquire tools that need to be used just once or twice a year, like step ladders and extension ladders, lawn mowers, edgers and leaf blowers. When it’s time to sell, you may find you’ve expanded just a bit too much. Getting rid of clutter is the first thing you need to do when you’re thinking of putting your home on the market, and sadly, unless you move frequently, there are very few peoplewho don’t accumulate more than they should.
Here are seven reasons you need to get rid of that clutter to ensure a quick home sale.
1. It’s all about imagined lives
Clutter makes it hard to think.You may not think of your collection of exotic masks from your foreign travels as clutter. But let’s face it, we don’t all like the same things, and if your home is bursting with small objects, buyers can’t imagine themselves in your space. You have to make room for them and their imagined lives in what might soon be their home rather than yours. Store the highly personal collections during the selling process so buyers can see the space as theirs, and they’ll be more likely to make an immediate offer.
2. Help the potential buyer maintain focus
Extra seating, family photos and bone china tea cup collections are all distractions.You don’t want potential buyers to become so intrigued (or puzzled) by the things you’ve collected—none of which they’ll be purchasing—that they don’t actually register the house itself. You want them to look at the space,appreciate its best features and become convinced of its potential for their family.
3. Create the illusion of space to entice buyers
By getting rid of extra seating, paring down the clothes in your closets and weeding out everything in the pantry that’s past its best-before date, you create the illusion of more space, which is always a good thing when trying to sell a home. After all, empty rooms always look bigger than rooms filled with furniture.
Be strategic, though, and don’t leave yourself with nowhere to sit. Think of your home as wearing its Sunday best rather than sweats and a t-shirt, and if there’s a chair the cat’s clawed, the sun has faded or that needs cleaning or reupholstering, get it out of the house while potential buyers are viewing. There will be plenty of time to kick back and relax in that past-its-prime lounger when you’re moved into your new home.
4. Well-staged homes photograph better
While you might get a viewing from a drive-by or after an open house, most potential buyers these days are going to look at your house and its listing online. Good photos make all the difference here, but you’re not going to get them if you haven’t decluttered. Put the family photos away, get all the toys into the toy box, remove the gym equipment that’s migrated from the basement to other living areas and make your real estate agent’s job easier by presenting a home that shows to advantage in both photos and real life.
5. Maximize kitchen counter space
Yes, it’s a pain. But even though your family uses the toaster and blender everyday, putting them away in cupboards before viewings provides a clean slate and makes potential home buyers think about all the meals they’re going to prepare in their new home.
If your home’s being shown to first-time home buyers, chances are good they’re looking for more space, particularly an opportunity to expand from a galley kitchen to one that has room for a table and chairs. Help them believe they’regoing to be transformed into hosts with the most when they buy your home by giving them the visual space they need.
6. Don’t borrow trouble
Cluttered homes make potential buyers uneasy. Viewing someone else’s occupied home is slightly uncomfortable for most people. Clutter is not only a distraction; it makes your home look uncared for. This can make potential buyers start to ask themselves, “if they haven’t taken care of their possessions, what other problems are brewing here?” You could lose an offer if this kind of nebulous doubt sets in.
7. Let your home show itself
Let’s face it—you’re selling your home, not the couch and coffee table. By getting rid of clutter and replacing it with neutral but stylish accessories, you lead the buyer’s eye to the features of your home that are its true selling points. That means you’re going to get a quicker sale and a higher price than if you make a potential buyer struggle to see your home’s merits.
It's that time of year again - flu season! Be safe instead of sorry and get your flu shot. Below is a list of clinics in the Lake Sunapee Region where you can get your shot:
Upcoming 2019 Lake Sunapee Region VNA & Hospice Flu Clinics. For persons 19+ years of age. LSRVNA will take Medicaid, Medicare and Medicare Replacement Plans. Please bring your ID card(s). If paying with cash or check, the cost is $35 for the regular dose and $80 for the high dose (recommended for persons 65+ years of age). For more information go to www.flu.gov. Call 603-526-4077 for updates and info. www.lakesunapeevna.org
FLU CLINICS 2019
9/30 Newbury Library 5-7pm
10/1 Danbury Community Center 10am-noon
10/2 Warner Pharmace 9:30-11:30am
10/3 Claremont Senior Center 10-noon
10/3 Springfield Town Office 4-6pm
10/4 Lyon Brook, New London 10:30am-noon
10/4 Our Lady of Fatima, New London 1:30-3pm
10/7 The Center at Eastman, Grantham 9-noon
10/7 Sutton Town Hall, Sutton Mills 1-3pm
10/8 Bradford Senior Center 10-noon
10/8 St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, New London 1-3pm
10/10 Hilltop Place, New London 11-1pm
10/10 WCA Red Barn, Wilmot 1-7pm
10/14 Sunapee Cove 10-noon
10/15 Upper Valley Senior Center, Lebanon 10-noon
10/15 Kearsarge Area COA, New London 1-4pm
10/15 Washington Town Hall 5:30-7pm
10/16 South Newbury Union Church 4-6pm
10/17 Claremont Senior Center 11-noon
10/18 Kearsarge Presbyterian Church, New London 10-noon
10/21 Sunapee Seniors at United Methodist Church 10-noon
10/22 Cornish Town Hall Senior Lunch 11-12:30pm
10/23 Warner Pharmacy 9:30-11:30am
10/24 Plainfield Elementary School 11:30-1pm
10/24 First Baptist Church, New London 2-4pm
10/25 Newport Senior Center 11-12:30pm
10/28 Andover Town Hall 10-noon
10/28 Mascoma Area Senior Center, Canaan 10-11:30am
10/29 Marion Phillips Apartments, Claremont 12:30-1:30pm
10/30 Earl Bourdon Centre, Claremont 9:30-11:30am
10/30 Sugar River Mills, Claremont 12:30-1:30pm
10/31 Wilmot Town Office 9-11am
In order to take the mystery out of the closing process for buyers, here are some basics on the process:
- You do a walk-through the day before or morning of the closing to ensure the house is in the same general condition as when the offer was made and things are left that were supposed to be there (e.g. appliances).
- Your lender hires a closing agent who creates a statement outlining the loan amount, loan costs, recording fees, title insurance premiums, escrows for insurance & taxes, state transfer tax, tax prorations, and the deposit. This will show how much money you will need to bring to close.
- You are charged for any oil/propane/firewood/pellets left. This may be put on the closing statement or paid by check to sellers.
- Be prepared to sign lots of paperwork at the actual closing! The funds you bring should be on a bank check or previously wired to the closing agent.
Your agent will help you through this process, but knowing what to expect can alleviate many concerns. Give me a call if you want an experienced Realtor helping you! 603-526-4116, www.DonnaForest.com, Donna@DonnaForest.com
There will be plenty at the New London Food Truck Festival on Sunday, 9/15/2019 on the Town Green! It starts at noon and ends at 4pm and is hosted by the New London Rotary Club in conjunction with the New London Recreation Department. It will be a great day to sample all kinds of delicious morsels and enjoy great music by Rusted Chrome of Sunapee, NH. Proceeds will be used by the rotary's charitable foundation for scholarships to area students and to promote literacy. Admission is $8/Adults; $5/children, free for ages 3 and under. Tickets available from New London Rotary Club members, online at www.nl-nh.com/rec and at the gate. Get out and enjoy the day!
The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams. (Oprah Winfrey) If your dream is to live in down-to-earth simplicity in an antique farmhouse on 47 acres, then this is a must-see. Privately located on a dead-end road with a picturesque settiing of perennial gardens, shade and apple trees, a swim pond, plus acres of fields and woods and gorgeous mountain views - including views of Mt. Sunapee. The huge barn includes 7 stalls, a tack room, hay storage, and multiple bays for vehicle and other storage. Trail riding, hiking, snowmobiling are right out your front door! Gorgeous sunrises, stargazing at night, bird watching, rocking on the porch. Seldom do you come across a home that immediately slows your heart rate, lets you take deep breaths, and evokes a deep sense of peacefulness. Sale is a portion of the existing deed. Offered at $469,000. To view virtual tour: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=Qt5nb8ZmyUB&mls=1
Donna Forest, Listing Broker, 603-526-4116
Teamwork from the Team that works –Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate - The Milestone Team
Meander up the paved driveway, lined with lilies, roses, ferns and hollyhocks. Pass the 28' x 38' studio that has many possible uses - space to create and sell, tradesman's workshop, yoga or music studio. Enter the lovingly maintained, soaring and light-filled great room, recently renovated with many significant upgrades. New maple floors and tiled entry downstairs and new carpet upstairs, new stainless steel appliances and double sink in kitchen with new countertops, complete interior painted throughout, new garage doors and openers. Lots of natural woodwork and windows, exposed beams, charming original bathrooms. Professionally cleaned right down to the polished windows. Attached two car garage with storage above and solar panels for net metering electricity. Unfinished basement provides even more space. Conveniently located midway between Hanover and Concord - minutes to New London, easy access off of Route 4A. This home has many possibilities for use and is ready to move right in! Offered at $359,000. Virtual Tour: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=QKoKkS1HN6E
Anne Marie Appel, Listing Agent, 603-526-4116
Buying a home is one of the largest investments you will make. Here are some tips to help you prepare:
- Don’t do it alone. Use an experienced agent who can provide you with invaluable advice through the process.
- Get pre-qualified with a lender before going out to look.
- Don’t overbuy. Look at all the expenses including heating costs, utilities, insurance, needed home repairs, etc.
- Check out the neighborhood at different times of the day and week before committing to buying. Get information on the town and the schools.
- Think re-sale. A house in a bad school district or on a busy street will impact the future value and limit your target audience.
While buying a home is an emotional experience, it is a business transaction as well. Preparing yourself in advance will help avoid costly mistakes. Call me if you are looking for an Accredited Buyers’ Representative to help find your new home. 603-526-4116; www.DonnaForest.com; Donna@DonnaForest.com
If you’re lucky enough to have reached the time in your life when you can seriously contemplate buying a vacation home, there’s much to be excited about. According to the National Association of Realtors, one in eight homeowners are thinking of buying a second home. While summer may be the time of year you start to think longingly about sun, sea and sand, it may not be the best time to buy a cottage.
Here are some things to consider when you’re buying a vacationhome.
Peak of season is seldom a good idea
Avoiding peak seasons makes sense in supply and demand terms. Peak season, whether you have your eye on a Vail ski chalet or a Cape Cod sea shanty, is when the area in which you’re looking is at its finest. Since vacation homes can be sentimental investments, many who’ve inherited them rent them out as additional sources of income so they can hang onto a property. They may be sharing it with siblings or have had to buy them out. They also may be part-time vacation home investment owners who got in early on a new resort but need to ensure 100 percent occupancy during peak season to make their investment pay off.
Aim for the final weeks of the high season to make your offer or hold off until just after peak season ends. If you’re looking for a summer vacation home, the time between Labor Day and Thanksgiving is the perfect window of opportunity.You’ll still take possession early enough in the year to be able to get a glimpse of what future summers can hold, and you’ll also have a chance to do any needed repairs before winter sets in. Then you can spend the winter planning what you need to do to make the place your own the following summer.
If you’re looking at a winter vacation home, spring is the best time to make an offer. While diehards may still be renting or occupying their vacation homes, hoping to get one or two more days of spring skiing or boarding in, most will have placed their properties on the market. Just be careful not to leave your offer for too late in the year if the area you’re interested in is remote. Some owners board up their properties for the off season, making it harder to get viewings. Also, don’t forget the power of spring mud. Properties accessible through three seasons may become harder to access during spring thawing and flooding.
Be sure the time is right
Before buying a vacation home, you need to think long and hard about a whole host of considerations. First and foremost is whether you will be able to use it enough to make it worthwhile for you financially. Even if you buy a vacation home and plan to rent it out to defray expenses, that means your time there will be limited. While you may love a cottage on a lake in fall, not everyone else does. If you can’t afford to spend the 4th of July at your own cottage, this may not be the time to buy.
Second, have you considered all the duplicate expenses involved? Whether you want your vacation home to mirror your principal residence in all ways, you can’t escape the fact that you’re going to need two of everything now. Unless, that is, you want to treat every weekend you spend at your vacation home like a camping trip (which may well be the case). You’re not going to want to haul lawn mowers and leaf blowers to the cottage every summer weekend. That goes double for appliances, linens and furniture. You’ll also have a second set of bills for property taxes, insurance, yard maintenance, internet and cleaning costs. In addition, there may be HOA fees, too.
Third, what are your vacation goals? If you want to visit every continent and are running out of time to tackle Asia and Africa, does a vacation property make sense? If you find you’re drawn to experiential vacations like hiking the Appalachian Trail, swimming with the dolphins or building someone else a home with Habitat for Humanity, a vacation home may be an anchor you don’t need.
On the other hand, if you know you can afford to invest in a second property and have a long-term plan to use it as a home base while you globe trot in retirement, or if you want your family to have the freedom of the great outdoors while they’re growing up, it might just be time to seize the day.
Source: www.bhgre.com/bhgrelife
A very cute, comfortable and cozy cabin with open porch and nice views. Open patio for grilling or relaxing. Two bedrooms, plus additional sleeping area in the finished attic, living/dining room with stone fireplace. Restaurants and shopping nearby (including a super deli right at the bottom of the hill). A great getaway near Lake Sunapee, hiking and snowmobile trails, and Mt. Sunapee for year-round recreational opportunities. A wonderful place to build family memories! Septic is unknown. Boiler likely needs to be replaced. Sellers are offering property in its current condition. While it will need some improvements, it's a great comfy cabin in a neat location! Offered at $170,000.
Marilyn Kidder, Listing Broker, 603-526-4116