As we roll towards December, it seems like every agent is being asked the same question from their sellers - should I keep my house on the market through the winter? Unless you absolutely do not want to move in the winter, it is usually best to keep your house for sale. There are pros and cons, however. Yes, there are fewer buyers out looking, but these buyers are serious and motivated. Also, at this time of year, there is less inventory meaning less competition for your property. During the holidays there are a number of people coming back home to visit family who may decide to start their house hunt now. If your house is not on the market it for sure will not sell. It only takes one buyer to sell a home. You don't want to miss them by not having your house available to be shown. Looking for an experienced agent to help you sell? Contact me and put my 24 years of knowledge to work for you. 603-526-4116, Donna@DonnaForest.com, www.DonnaForest.com.
Before you purchase a home, hire an inspector to make sure the structure is sound and there aren’t any defects.
An inspection helps buyers identify serious issues with a house, condo, townhouse or other type of home. Some lenders require home inspections before they’ll approve closing on a mortgage loan. Professional home inspections aren’t always a required part of a purchase contract; they’re a smart part of buying a home and a property investment.
Whether or not a loan officer insists on an inspection, getting a home inspected is to your advantage. No one wants to find out there’s something wrong with a property after they’ve signed the papers.
Here’s what you need to know about home inspection, followed by a handy home inspection checklist:
Not all home inspections cover the same points
There will likely be numerous home inspection companies and professionals to choose from when you’re buying a home. As you look for an inspector or consider inspection company referrals, keep in mind that not all inspections cover the same points.
When inquiring or interviewing inspectors, make sure those you’re thinking of hiring will inspect the inside and outside of the property. Inside, an inspector should look for leaks, fire hazards, the health of the house systems and the life of the water tank. Plumbing and wiring inspection are essential to make sure these systems are up to code. Inspectors should look at a home’s ventilation systems and smoke detectors. If the home has appliances, they should be tested.
Outside, inspectors should check for cracks in walls and the foundation. Missing siding, damage to the roof and cracked woodwork are all issues that may point to structural problems with a home.
Most general home inspectors won’t check septic systems or insect damage. These are points that you should hire specialists to address.
Buyers should choose their own home inspector
As a buyer, you can certainly negotiate who pays for a home inspection. However, consider that sellers paying for an inspection may want to choose the company themselves.
It’s in your best interest to choose your own inspector when purchasing a home. This may mean that you’ll have to pay out of pocket for the inspection. This service is not usually included in the fees a lender will roll into a loan.
The cost for a home inspection is typically a few hundred dollars. If you need in-depth inspection of a property, such as a review by a structural engineer, prepare to pay much more.
In some states, a home inspector must have a license. If you aren’t sure where to look for a licensed home inspector, your real estate agent should be able to offer a referral. It’s a good idea to verify any inspector’s license to make sure you’re hiring someone qualified.
Home inspections can offer a way out of a purchase contract
Every purchase contract is different. Buyers should refer to their binding agreement with questions about getting out of a sale due to issues that come up during a home inspection.
It’s wise to write a purchase offer that lets you out back out of a sale if an inspection reveals issues with which you don’t want to deal. Sometimes, buyers are willing to spend the extra time and money to fix problems. Often, it’s just not a good idea. If your agent or you have written a good purchase offer, you’ll be allowed out of the contract should the home inspection uncover problems.
If a home inspection uncovers damage to a property, buyers can ask the seller to pay for repairs as part of the contract. Buyers and their agents may want to submit a Request for Repairs that negotiates part or all of the cost of repairs, or asks for repair work to be completed prior to close of escrow. In lieu of money for repairs, you can request a cash credit (reduced price) for the home.
Refer to the home inspection checklist
It’s always smart to be present when an inspector is checking out your potential home. If you’re working with an agent, your agent should also be there at the inspection. Some of the specific points you’ll want to make sure your inspector looks at include:
- foundation
- lot
- roof
- chimney
- exterior
- attic
- interior leaks
- basement
- electrical
- plumbing
- appliances
- heating/cooling system
- odors
- mold and mildew (consider a specialist in this field)
An inspection is a crucial step in the home purchase process. Remember, it’s there to help you, not discourage you. Many home inspections reveal minor issues that buyers can live with. There aren’t many houses that are completely free of defects.
Having a real estate professional by your side is important during the home inspection process. If the inspection report brings up any issues that you don’t understand, or aren’t comfortable making a decision about right away, your agent can help you navigate the situation wisely and within the time frame indicated in your contract.
Source: www.bhgrelife.com
I recently attended the National Association of Realtors (NAR) conference in Boston. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for NAR, presented his 2019 housing forecast at this convention. Below are some of the key points.
- 2017 had the highest home sales activity in 10 years. While many realtors feel they are currently experiencing a “slow down”, the reality is total sales in 2018 are only down 1.5% YTD compared to 2017.
- Typically, rising interest rates would impact home sales, however, as we are in a period of job growth and low unemployment, this cancels out the impact of higher rates. 2019 is predicted to be similar to 2018, with sales forecasted for a 1% increase.
- The national median home price is expected to rise 3.1% to $266,800 in 2019.
- Low supply could continue to suppress sales, especially for first time buyers.
- The US is experiencing historically normal levels of affordability but buyers may be staying out of the market because of perceived problems with affordability.
Bottom line, Dr. Yun forecasts 2019 home sales to be stable and similar to 2018, with continued growth in sales prices. Contact me if you want to work with a realtor who stays on top of trends and issues facing buyer and sellers today! 603-526-4116, Donna@DonnaForest.com, www.DonnaForest.com
Having great online photos is the key to selling your house quickly. Below are some must do’s before the photographer arrives.
- Clean & clear kitchen and bathroom counters
- Replace burned out light bulbs
- Remove unnecessary furniture & décor
- Clear refrigerator of magnets, etc.
- Remove floor mats, runners
- Make all beds, fluff pillows, clear off nightstands & dressers
- Remove heavy drapes and unnecessary curtains
- Hide pet bowls, beds, toys
- Tidy the yard, sweep the decks, hide trash cans
- Remove all cars from the driveway
Remember, your goal is to go for the HGTV look. Light, clean, decluttered. Making your house look as appealing as possible will translate to more money in your pocket. Contact me for more valuable tips on prepping your home for sale. Donna@DonnaForest.com, www.DonnaForest.com, 603-526-4116
Halloween-themed games are a fun way to get party guests into the spirit of the holiday and break the ice.
There are plenty of games to play that are perfect for every age. From bingo and word searches to pumpkin tosses and guessing games, entertainment is easy to find this Halloween.
Here are some of our favorite Halloween party games:
Halloween Pumpkin Patch Hunt
Set up a pumpkin patch indoors or outdoors with real or plastic pumpkins. Hide toys, candy and money inside them. Let guests search for treasures and tally each person’s findings if you want to name a winner.
Wrap the Mummy
Use crepe or toilet paper to wrap one guest as a mummy. Teams should decide if they want to play to create the most artistic, scariest or fastest mummy. When it’s time to unwrap them, make a game out of seeing who can pick up the trash the fastest.
Pin the Face on the Jack-o-Lantern
Just like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, your party guests will pin the face on a giant jack-o-lantern. Make this game out of construction paper or felt. Create funny and scary features to pin on a bare pumpkin.
How Many Candies in the Jar?
Before guests arrive, fill a jar with Halloween candies and make sure you count how many pieces you’ve placed inside. As guests enter your home, invite them to guess how many candies are in it. At a designated time, reveal the total and award a prize to the person who guessed the closest without going over.
What’s in the Box?
This game can be as fun or “icky” as you want to keep in line with the theme of your Halloween party. To play, place a variety of objects inside a box with a hole cut into the side or top. Have guests reach into the box and touch what’s inside. They’ll guess what they’re feeling and name up to five objects. After everyone has had a turn, reveal the contents and see who guessed the most items correctly.
Halloween Word Search
This party game is great for those who want to sit and relax while playing. Before your party, make your own Halloween-themed word search or download one from the internet. There doesn’t have to be a winner.
Halloween Bingo
Who doesn’t love bingo? There are plenty of Halloween bingo games online for guests to play, but you might like customizing boards with pictures and markers. Get creative. Use candies to mark spots and use Halloween words or pictures in the squares.
Pumpkin Toss
Set a real or fake empty pumpkin on the floor inside your home or outside in the yard. Have party guests toss ping pong balls, bean bags, candy, coins or whatever you like into the pumpkin. Each partygoer gets five tosses.
Name That Spooky Movie
Set up a video screen or computer to run clips of scary movies for five seconds each. Let guests call out the name of the movie as soon as they recognize. You can play for prizes or fun.
Scary Halloween Story
Start this Halloween game by sitting around a fire or in a circle. Have one guest start a story by saying a spooky sentence. The guest to their left will continue the story with another sentence, with each person taking a turn telling part of the Halloween tale. Set a time to end the lore or finish when everyone seems ready to move on.
Whispered Ghost Stories
Another Halloween story game, this one is played like “Telephone.” One guest will whisper a very short story into the ear of the person sitting to their left. That person will then whisper it to the next guest, and so on. When the story gets back to the original partygoer, it will likely have taken on a life of its own.
These are just some of the Halloween party games you can play to keep guests entertained and make your event memorable. You can even set up a Halloween craft table for kids.
Source: www.bhgre.com/bhgrelife
Teamwork from the Team that works –Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate - The Milestone Team
We've got just the home for you! This property has a lot to offer with a roomy house, airplane hangar with small airstrip, another outbuilding, and pastoral views all on 128 acres. The home has been lovingly maintained with hardly any utility expense because of the use of solar panels and a wood furnace. Enjoy privacy and tranquility with all types of outdoor activities just steps away - hiking, hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and much more. Highland Lake nearby offers a town beach and boat ramp. Come live in lovely Andover, NH! Offered at $548,500. For more information and photos visit http://tour.circlepix.com/home/DM8HKM/120-Valley-Road-Andover-NH-4713903
Jane Snow, Listing Agent, 603-526-4116
You’ll be moving in the right direction with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate - The Milestone Team
Our local housing market mirrors what is going on in NH and the U.S. The shortage of inventory has led to higher prices and fewer sales. In the combined towns of Newbury, New London, & Sunapee, from 1/1/18 to 10/1/18, a total of 135 homes sold, the average days on market was 114 days, with a median selling price of $350,000. The same time frame in 2017 saw 159 homes sold, the average days on market was 126 days, with a median selling price of $344,000.
For the state of NH through August, the median sales price was $284,000, the average days on market was 62 days, and sales prices were up 7.1% from the year before.
According to Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Assoc. of Realtors, “the most significant challenges facing the housing market stem from insufficient inventory and accompanying unsustainable home price increases.” As a result, Yun anticipates a slight drop in 2018 sales in some markets but feels home price growth will remain strong and increase about 5% nationwide. The forecast for 2019 continues along these lines with a 2% rise in inventory and 3.5% rise in home prices expected.
Bottom line, as long as buyer demand exceeds the housing supply, prices will continue to increase. Whether buying or selling, contact me to see how market conditions impact you. 603-526-4116, www.DonnaForest.com, Donna@DonnaForest.com
Figures are based on information from the Northern New England Real Estate Network, Inc. for the period 1/1/17 - 10/1/17 and 1/1/18 - 10/1/18.
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Selling and in the throes of packing and moving? Below are some tips to help get through those final days to avoid creating work for yourself at the last minute.
- Don’t leave personal items unless buyers agreed to it. While you may think you are doing them a favor by leaving the bar stools, the buyers could view it differently. You don’t want to be coming back to remove things right before the closing. Always check first.
- Leftover paint, tile, & cleaning supplies. All useful for the new owners, right? Confirm that buyers want it left. It’s not easy to get rid of this stuff at the last minute.
- You may be closing in a week, but you still need to maintain the yard. Having buyers pull up to a house with foot high grass to do their walk-through inspection could be contentious.
- Be sure to understand what stays with the house. Check with your agent before removing anything attached. For example, hooks, shelves, blinds, light fixtures, & TV brackets should be left unless specified otherwise.
- Don’t leave multiple holes in the walls where pictures hung. Take a few minutes to spackle and paint.
Thinking of selling? Contact me and put my 24 years of real estate knowledge to work for you! 603-526-4116, www.DonnaForest.com, Donna@DonnaForest.com
This house ha been well maintained as it has been deeply loved and enjoyed over the years. Watch the sun rise over the mountain while enjoying a cup of coffee on the year-round sun porch, or relax on the brick patio overlooking the private back yard. This home offers plenty of space, stainless steel appliances, jacuzzi tub in master bath, generator hook-up, Marmoleum floors, and a Harmon pellet stove with battery backup. A portion of the back yard is fenced in for young children or pets. Offered at $364,000. For more information and photos, visit http://tour.circlepix.com/home/9YG8FD/10-Granite-Hill-Road-Wilmot-NH-4705069
Jane Snow, Listing Agent, 603-526-4116