MAR
25
JOEL CAGE
Joel Cage is an award winning veteran singer/songwriter from Boston. Once a member of the internationally acclaimed rock & roll group Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, Joel has been performing regionally and nationally as a soloist for the past 2 decades. He has performed at some of the most prestigious folk & acoustic venues & festivals in the country, including the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas where he was awarded top prize in the Kerrville New Folk Competition.
A virtuoso guitarist and an impassioned vocalist, Joel Cage's music is both evocative and raucous. He spans the gamut from sounding like a full rock band to 'hear your own heartbeat' intimacy.
Joel Cage is also a master interpreter of other people's music, spanning a wide field of musical genres, garnering him the oft used moniker "Acoustic Rock Song Stylist."
SOURCE: Sunapee CoffeeHouse
11
OPEN MIC NIGHT
The Tradition continues, Stop by to listen or join in. Sign up on site with the host for your 15 min or three songs. Storytellers also welcome!
Tonight‘s Emcees:
Al Carruth & EJ Tretter
18
THE WHITE MOUNTAIN CEILI BAND
White Mountain Ceilí Band is Dexter Harding on the tenor banjo, Fiona Howell on the flute, Siena Kaplan-Thompson on the fiddle, and Mike Levine on the guitar and occasional concertina. They play Irish, Scottish and Cape Breton instrumental music with warmth and joy, as well as the occasional song.
Dexter first came to Irish music when he played for contra dances around the valley, and the session at May Kelly’s deepened his focus on the Irish tradition.
Fiona grew up playing flute through Mountain Top Music Center, and went on to study music at Loyola University. While in New Orleans she began playing at Irish sessions, and now plays and sings with a few groups around New England.
Siena grew up playing classical violin and viola and switched to fiddle in college when she discovered the Boston Scottish and Cape Breton music scene.
Mike has played a wide range of musical styles, from classical to rock, and more recently bebop. He and Siena have both enjoyed branching out into Irish music with the White Mountain Ceilí Band.
Here's a sneak preview of The White Mountain Ceili Band
Tonight‘s Emcee:
TBD
Source: Sunapee CoffeeHouse
Dine Local
Take a look at these businesses offering Take Out, Delivery, Curbside Pick Up, Online Orders and more...
Andover
The Refinery - https://www.refinerynh.com/
Bradford
The Appleseed - http://appleseedrestaurant.com/
Sweet Beet Market - http://www.kearsargefoodhub.org/sweet-beet-market
Newbury
Bubba's Bar & Grille - https://bubbasbarandgrille.com/menus/
The Shanty - Salt Hill - https://www.salthillpub.com/
New London
Grounds - https://www.facebook.com/374mainst/
Blue Loon Bakery - https://www.blueloonbakery.com/
Tuckers - https://tuckersnh.com/
Flying Goose - https://www.flyinggoose.com/
Inn at Pleasant Lake - https://innatpleasantlake.com/nh-restaurant-fine-dining.html#to-go-menu
Pizza Chef - https://pizzachef.com/new-london-nh-pizza/
Sunapee
The Anchorage - https://www.anchoragesunapee.com/
Other Locations
Salt Hill Pub in Newport & Lebanon - https://www.salthillpub.com/
SOURCE: Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce
FEBRUARY 18th
THE MILKHOUSE HEATERS
In the early days, Mike played bass while Jan sang lead and played guitar. They could often be found kicking around the Boston music scene. They received airplay on several of the city’s radio stations and were nominated for a Boston Music Award in 2001. They have shared the stage with The Black Crowes, Corey Glover, Fuel, Feeder, and Hum as well as playing the Boston leg of The Vans Warped Tour. Their songs are on numerous compilations alongside the likes of G. Love and Special Sauce, Jack Johnson, Burning Spear, and The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones. Their music has been licensed to television shows on ABC, VH1, MTV, ESPN, and ESPN 2.
Mike and Jan bought land in rural Vermont in 2003 and started building their home, doing most of the work themselves. This is where the humble seeds of The Milkhouse Heaters were planted. Mike bought an acoustic guitar, and began writing Americana songs. With Jan on bass, they honed their sound and played their first show as The Milkhouse Heaters in 2010.
Mike and Jan have added several notches to their musical belt, including closing for Billy Bragg as part of a WOOL Black Sheep Radio fundraiser and opening for Fred Eaglesmith at The Shoulder to the Plough concert, which benefitted the farmers devastated by Hurricane Irene. Two of their songs are featured on The Shoulder to the Plough CD, which was recorded live at the Rockingham Meeting House in 2011. Since then, The Milkhouse Heaters have been playing nearly every weekend around New England and were invited to play the 14th Annual Roots on the River Festival.
Source: sunapeecoffeehouse.org
Don’t Wait Until Spring to Sell!
If you are thinking of selling and waiting for spring, you might want to re-think your timing. Yes, historically 40% of home sales occurred between April and July. However, we still are not in a normal year and the number of homes on the market is extremely low. Here are 5 reasons to list now versus wait for spring
- Buyers are out looking in full force and ready to buy. Multiple offers are the norm which means prices are up.
- The average homeowner gained $56,700 in equity over the past 12 months according to CoreLogic. This may be just what you need to cover a down payment on your next purchase.
- Fewer homes for sale translates to less competition - you can negotiate for the best price and terms now.
- Mortgage rates, while rising, are still far below what they’ve been in recent decades. Lock in a low interest rate now as experts are projecting rates will continue to rise.
- If you’re selling to move into a bigger home or downsize, prices are expected to go up in 2022. Move now and beat the higher interest rate and price climb.
If you are wondering if now is a good time to list your house and want to know more about the next steps, contact me to learn how you can take advantage of the current market conditions.
Contact Donna Forest, Donna@DonnaForest.com, 603.731.5151
FEB 11th, 2022 OPEN MIC NIGHT at Sunapee Coffee House
The Tradition continues!
Stop by to listen or join in.
Sign up on site with the host
for your 15 min or three songs.
Tonights Emcees:
Al Carruth and EJ Tretter
Source: Sunapee Coffee House
Tips for Buyers in a Competitive Market
Given I haven’t seen a whole lot of homes come up for sale these days, it goes without saying buyers are still facing a very competitive market when trying to purchase a house. Below are some tips to increase your chances of getting that dream home.
- Move quickly when something new pops on; homes tend to sell within the first few days of being on the market.
- Offers need to be submitted with proof of funds or a lender letter. Get pre-qualified with a local lender or better yet, get pre-approved. Pre-approval means you submitted verification of your finances and had a credit check.
- You typically only get one shot to compete so put in your highest and best offer up front.
- Find out the ideal closing date for the sellers and use in your offer. Flexible dates can make your offer more attractive.
- Have inspections for informational purposes only or waive a certain amount of dollar repairs so sellers know you will not be re-negotiating the price.
- If possible, guarantee you will purchase even if the home’s appraisal is less than the contract price by stating you will pay the difference between the two.
Addressing price, time, convenience and certainty can position you for success in this competitive market. Contact me to put my 28 years of experience to work for you.
Contact Donna Forest: 603-526-4116
You’ll be moving in the right direction with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate - The Milestone Team
FEBRUARY 4TH
Bill Brink has been playing music for over 20 years. He enjoys playing many different styles of music using 6 and 12 string acoustic guitar as well as bass and electric guitar, banjo, harmonica, kazoo, mandolin and washboard. In addition to having an extensive collection of cover songs, he also has many of his own that he has written and produced since the early 90's and is still writing and recording today. He has received accolades from people such as Richie Havens, John Sebastian, and Tom Ghent. His recorded songs have been played across the globe and recently Vermont's WCAX TV news channel used one of his recorded songs for an on-air photo montage also Vermont Public Radio purchased another some to feature on their radio station. In addition to writing and performing, Bill, along with his wife June, produce music and videos, organize local music events and host live social media performances.
SOURCE: Sunapee CoffeeHouse
After a strange and fast-paced year in real estate, it’s sometimes helpful to look back and see what the market did in 2021. Below are some interesting statistics.
In NH, when comparing single family home sales in 2021 to 2020 - the median sales price was up 17.9% to $395,000, the number of days a house was on the market was 26 days, the number of listings was down 6.3%, the number of homes sold was down 5.5%, and houses typically sold at 102.5% of the asking price.
Comparing the combined 8 area towns (Kearsarge School District plus Sunapee) – the median sales price was up 17.5% to $417,000, the number of days a house was on the market was 9 days, the number of homes sold was down 22% (463 sales in 2020 vs. 361 sales in 2021), and houses typically sold at 100% of the asking price.
In short, sale prices reached new highs, inventory remained low and homes sold in record time and usually above asking price. The expectation for 2022 is a bit more of the same, albeit at a more moderate pace. If you are thinking of buying or selling, contact me to find out how the market impacts you.
Data taken from NH Assoc. of Realtors and NEREN MLS, 1/1/20 to 12/31/20 and 1/1/21 to 12/31/21.
Contact Donna Forest: 603-526-4116; donnaforest.com www.DonnaForest.com Donna@DonnaForest.com
You’ll be moving in the right direction with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate - The Milestone Team
I recently watched a presentation by acclaimed economist Elliot Eisenberg titled Economy 2022 Growing & Slowing. He was extremely informative and I thought it is worth sharing just a few of the interesting points he mentioned.
- The housing shortage is due in large part to years of insufficient building. This will not be changing any time soon as builders face a lack of workers, a lack of affordable land to buy, and a scarcity in building materials. The cost of supplies are so high builders are not building entry level homes.
- The labor shortage is due to multiple factors – more than 3 million excess retirements - above the normal pre-pandemic retirement rate, the lack of daycare means one parent is staying home and not working, immigration has fallen, over 600,000 people left their current jobs to start their own business and more than 700,000 people have died of COVID.
- About 70% of the home sales in NH this year were purchased by people who already live in NH. Approx. 20% of the buyers were from MA and the remaining 10% of buyers were from other states/countries.
There are many factors and issues affecting the housing market. Whether buying or selling, contact me to work with someone who keeps up-to-date with the latest news and its impacts on you.
Contact Donna Forest: 603-526-4116; www.DonnaForest.com; Donna@DonnaForest.com
You’ll be moving in the right direction with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate - The Milestone Team