An appraisal is a licensed appraiser’s opinion of value of a property usually based on comparable sales. When buyers get a mortgage, the lender requests an appraiser to conduct a written valuation of the house. The lender will compare the appraisal price to the selling price to make sure the buyer is not borrowing more than the house is worth. An appraisal is subjective and is more of an art than science. Some appraisers are more generous in their adjustments and some are more conservative, all following lending guidelines. In quickly appreciating markets such as this one, it does happen where a home will appraise lower than the agreed upon sales price. The lack of similar sales and higher prices due to bidding wars make it challenging for appraisers. If the appraisal comes in low, it does not mean the seller must sell it to you at the appraised value. It can become a point of renegotiation or buyers may have to pay out of pocket for the difference. Obviously the goal is to make the sale work for both parties. Remaining calm and working with an experienced agent is the key to a successful sale. Give me a call if you'd like professional service in buying or selling a home. 603-526-4116; www.DonnaForest.com; Donna@DonnaForest.com.
Come enjoy this recently updated 3 bedroom 3 bath condominium overlooking the first green at Lake Sunapee Country Club. Golf, tennis and pool membership is available separately. The on-site restaurant is open to the public and is within walking distance. Three season, enclosed porch to enjoy the views. Five minutes to town and shopping. Offered at $329,900 with monthly association dues of $777.
Joan Wallen, Listing Agent, 603-526-4116
It takes more than just putting a sign on your front lawn to sell a house. Below are some surefire ways to make your house attractive to buyers.
- Maintain the Yard – First impressions count and mowed lawns, trimmed bushes, fresh mulch help.
- Remove Clutter & Personal Items – Decluttered rooms will feel larger. Remove family photos, collections, etc. so buyers can picture themselves in the house.
- Get a Professional Cleaner – Sparkling windows, shampooed carpets, spotless kitchen & baths will speak volumes to buyers.
- Let the Sun in – Light & bright sells. Remove curtains, open blinds, put in high wattage bulbs.
- Paint – A fresh coat of paint (neutral colors) makes the house seem larger, brighter & more appealing.
Getting ready to sell involves a lot of time and energy. Contact me for more sound advice on how to prep your home for sale. www.DonnaForest.com; Donna@DonnaForest.com; 603-526-4116
In this area there definitely is. Usually it’s our first sign of spring when For Sale signs start popping up like dandelions in the lawn and our multiple listings change daily with new homes and land on the market. Data from the National Association of REALTORS show that May through August are the busiest months for volume of sales. Buying stays steady through the summer and early fall. It usually drops off right after Labor Day for a couple of weeks and then picks up again in October through early November. Two of the more obvious factors for this “seasonal” market include the fact that school has ended and families prefer to move before the next school year starts as well as the weather is much nicer in the spring-summer to be out looking at properties. This is not to say that properties will not sell any other time of year. It just means in this area there may be fewer buyers out there looking. With proper pricing and enhancing your home for maximum effect, a house will sell regardless of the month. Give me a call to get the Better Homes & Gardens advantage any time of year. 603-526-4116; www.DonnaForest.com; Donna@DonnaForest.com.
Teamwork from the Team that works –Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate - The Milestone Team
Moving to a new neighborhood is never easy. Why not show a warm welcome by giving a welcome basket to your new neighbors? As an established ambassador of your block, now’s your opportunity to bring over a few little gifts for neighbors to make them more comfortable in their new home.
Fruits, vegetables and flowers
If you’re a gardener, consider sharing the bounty. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always a big hit. They may even inspire some fun, future garden rivalry. Feeling inspired? Pack your treasures into a box with a few seed packets that easily grow outdoors, a tool for weeding and a nice pair of gardening gloves.
Snacks and a drink
Who doesn’t love treats? Although it used to be the tradition to bring by a bottle of wine for new neighbors, be cognizant of the fact that some may prefer not to drink alcoholic beverages. Instead, bring over a bottle of sparkling water and fruit juice to make a spritzer. To accompany the refreshers, pack a small fruit basket and chocolates.
If you really want to impress your new neighbors, bring them baked goods straight out of the oven. Make sure to provide a full list of ingredients in case your neighbors have allergies. You may want to make options that are free of nut, dairy and eggs.
A gift card to a great local restaurant
Your new neighbors may not feel up to preparing a meal. After all, their kitchen may still be filled with boxes! Offering a gift card to your favorite local restaurant is a nice gesture that will also prevent your neighbors’ stomachs from rumbling. Fortunately, gift cards can be purchased in a wide range of amounts to avoid worrying about overspending. A typical amount for new neighbors is anywhere between $20 to $50. Try to choose a restaurant with a lovely view and a wide variety of menu items to suit all dietary needs.
Host a small gathering
Plan a meet and greet as a gift for neighbors. It’ll give you an excuse to have a party and will help your new friends acclimate to the neighborhood. You don’t need to plan anything fancy. A small backyard BBQ is always fun. You can move the party indoors during the cooler months. Have plenty of snacks on hand, including an assortment of finger foods. This is also an opportunity to ask everyone in the neighborhood to contribute. Rather than prepare all of the food yourself, plan a potluck and have people bring their favorite dishes.
A touch of green
Even neighbors who don’t have green thumbs will appreciate a nice plant. Stick with a plant that doesn’t require a lot of care. Spider plants, devil’s ivy, philodendrons and calla lilies are safe bets. Instead of a houseplant, put together a small herb garden as a gift for neighbors. Mint, basil and thyme come in starter sizes. Get creative with the containers you choose. Whether you give your neighbors a houseplant or a selection of herbs, just make sure to provide instructions on how to care for their new plant.
After giving your neighbors a small gift, ask if there are any ways you can help them get settled in and just generally make yourself useful.
Source: www.bhgrelife.com
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!