HOLIDAY PRODUCTION
ELF THE MUSICAL JR.
(Ages 8–18)
Based on the classic holiday movie, this show tells the story of Buddy, a young man raised by the North Pole elves, who embarks on a journey to New York City to learn his true identity. When he realizes that his father is on the naughty list, Buddy must spread Christmas spirit to change the mind of his father and the whole community.
Location: Fleming Center.
Performances:
Friday, Dec. 16 @ 7:30pm
Saturday, Dec. 17 @ 11am & 2pm
Sunday, Dec. 18 @ 2pm
SOURCE: nlbarn.org
OCT
28
GEOFF BARTLEY
Geoff Bartley (1948 - ?) is a folk-blues guitar player singer-songwriter and recording artist. His last two CDs, 2009's "Put the Big Stone Down" and 2011's "Mercy for the Dispossessed", went to No. 1 on folk radio. In the 1980s, Geoff won four guitars at the National Fingerpicking Champion-ships. Some of his songs and co-writes have been recorded by other artists in New England, Canada, Ireland, and Nashville, and some are included in the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings of the Fast Folk Musical Magazine collection in Washington, D.C.
Since 1994 Geoff has played guitar and sung harmony for folk treasure Tom Paxton. In 2007, Geoff's song A Letter from Prison about Nelson Mandela was recorded by the progressive bluegrass band, The Infamous Stringdusters, on their CD "Fork in the Road" on Sugar Hill. Subsequently, that recording was used in the independent 2008 Lionsgate film "The Lucky Ones".
Songs and instrumentals he has written have been used on the History Channel, Animal Planet, the Learning Channel, the Discovery Channel, the National Geographic Channel, NOVA and Nature on PBS and other cable networks, in private and commercial films and documentaries, and in private and commercial advertising in the US and other countries.
The folk press has called him a world-class guitarist, a brilliant songwriter and the prophet and spiritual godfather of the Boston folk scene.
SOURCE: Sunapee CoffeeHouse
Slowdown or Bubble?
The headlines today are attention grabbing. Recession, housing bubble, dropping prices. News is designed to get you to watch more news – not educate you. Fear sells. If you look at the data, there is no case to be made for a national bubble or housing crash. Here’s why:
Since 2008, lending standards are much stricter. The exotic programs are gone and there are now better qualified buyers. Foreclosures have been trending down since 2010 – 2.9M in 2010 to 151K in 2021. Today, only 0.4% of homeowners are facing foreclosure and about 91% of these have at least some equity built up. US households own 41 trillion dollars in owner occupied real estate. There is 12 trillion in mortgage debt, leaving 29 trillion in equity. That’s a big number!
Inventory is still historically low. In the US, it is up 27% year-over-year as of Sept. 9th. Compare this to 2019 where it was 43.2%. In NH, new listings as of Aug., are down 22% and there is only a 1.6 month supply of homes to sell. (A balanced market has a 6 month supply).
Price appreciation is slowing but not depreciating. Experts forecast an avg. gain of 11.3% for home prices in 2022 and 2.5% for 2023. YTD thru Aug., the median sales price in NH is up 14.5% compared to Aug. 2021.
Rates are rising in response to inflation. Over the past 5 recessions, mortgage rates have fallen an avg. of 1.8% from the peak to the trough.
Buyer demand has moderated compared to the frenzy of the last 2 years, however showing activity is still beating pre-pandemic levels. Interest rates will fluctuate, and pricing is all about supply & demand. Housing is traditionally one of the first sectors to slow as the economy softens but is also one of the first to rebound. Don’t let fear stop you from buying or selling today. Contact me to work with a professional to help guide you thru this process.
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
OCTOBER 14TH
EJ TRETTER
This will be my fourth time performing at the Sunapee Coffeehouse, although it will be my first time since joining the team of volunteers that makes this music venue work so well. In these past few years that I've been helping out , I've been audience to an amazing array of talented singer-songwriters and musicians. I've watched and listened closely, and learned some things.
I've been playing guitar since I was thirteen years old and have been writing songs since I was around twenty two, give or take a year. I write about life lessons, loved ones, and the changes, challenges and rewards that fill up the years. (contrary to persistent rumors, I also have a lighter side ). After forty-plus years of writing and guitar playing, it's still fun. And there are always new things to discover with both music and lyrics.
Thanks to all the Sunapee Coffeehouse folks; volunteers, audience regulars, all friends..........E J Tretter
For more info; http://sunapeecoffeehouse.org
SOURCE: Sunapee CoffeHouse
SEP 30
COSY SHERIDAN
Cosy Sheridan has been called "one of the era's finest and most thoughtful singer/songwriters" She first appeared on the national folk scene in 1992 when she won the songwriting contests at The Kerrville Folk Festival and The Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Since then she has released 10 cds, written a one-woman-show and her music has appeared in books and film. She has taught songwriting, guitar and performance workshops at music camps for the past 15 years, including The Puget Sound Guitar Workshop and The Swannanoa Gathering. She is the director of The Moab Folk Camp in Moab, Utah.
"Her user-friendly musical philosophy sets her happily apart from the myopic, self-involved songwriters... she is a wonderfully lively, very funny and enormously amiable entertainer with a keen and wicked eye for the excesses of our fast-food, tv-happy and noisome culture." - The Boston Globe
"A Buddhist monk in a 12-step program trapped in the body of a singer/songwriter." - The Albuquerque Journal
"Sheridan is frank, feisty, sublimely and devilishly funny. She fuses myth with modern culture, Persephone with Botox." - Cornell Folksong Society
SOURCE: Sunapee CoffeeHouse
Top 5 Loan Killers
If you plan on getting a mortgage or have already started the loan process, you need to be extra cautious with your finances. Here are the top 5 show stoppers you should avoid.
- Purchasing large ticket items. Don’t buy a new car or even furniture until after the loan closes. New payments will impact how much money you can borrow or can even prevent you from qualifying for a loan.
- Paying late on bills. One 30-day late payment can subtract 80 to 110 points from your credit score. Many lenders require at least 12 consecutive months of on-time payments
- Shuffling money around. Lenders scrutinize all your bank statements as part of the approval process. Any unusual deposits or withdrawals will require clear documentation of what they are. A large sum of money transferred into an account right before closing could be lethal.
- Job changes. Taking on a new job can present some hurdles as lenders like stable income that will likely continue. Changing job fields or starting your own business will be a red flag.
- Getting a new credit card. Even something as simple as getting a Kohl’s credit card will impact your credit score.
Give me a call if you want to work with a Realtor who can help you avoid the common pitfalls when buying your dream home.
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
What You Need to Know About the Housing Market
It seems like the term “housing recession” is in everything you read and see on the news. Since I was not even sure what this means, I researched what the experts are saying and found the following:
- Home sales are slowing, with a projection of 5.1M (million) by year end. It is quite a drop compared to the heyday of the last 2 years; there were 6.1M sales in 2021 and 5.65M in 2020. However, looking back at the more “normal” years with 5.25M in 2019 and 5.3M in 2018, 5.1M doesn’t seem as dramatic.
- Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the Nat’l Assoc. of Realtors states "We're witnessing a housing recession in terms of declining home sales and home building," "It's not a recession in home prices," Yun added. "Inventory remains tight and prices continue to rise nationally with nearly 40% of homes still commanding the full list price."
- In NH, sales are down 15% thru July compared to 2021. The median selling price is up 14.8% at $445K and the state has 1.7 month supply of homes to sell. Anything less than 6-7 month supply is a sellers’ market. In the US, the median price is $403,800, up 10.8% from July 2021 and there is a 3 month supply of inventory.
- Experts predict the following mortgage rates - 5.3% 4th Q this year, 5.2% 1Q 2023, 5.18% 2Q 2023, and 4.97% 3Q 2023. Historically still a “low” rate considering between April 1971 and June 2022, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 7.77% (from Freddie Mac records).
The market has changed from the last two years. Fewer bidding wars, houses staying on the market longer than a weekend, offers being accepted with contingencies. While still a sellers’ market for now, buyers should see more inventory slowly come on the market with a little fluctuation in interest rates. Contact me for more details on how the market impacts you.
Donna Forest ~ donna@donnaforest.com ~ 603-731-5151
LOTS OF FUN ACTIVITIES COMING UP!!!
Wednesday, August 10
FOLDING WITH ORIGAMI At the Library Arts Center, 58 N. Main St., Newport, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Summer art class for participants 7-12 years old. Cost: $10 includes all materials. Scholarships available. Preregistration required. Info: 603- 863-3040, info@libraryartscenter.org or https://libraryartscenter.org/classes-and-workshops/classes.
MESSY ART WORKSHOP At The Livery, 58 Main St., Sunapee, 10-11 a.m. For children. Experimental printmaking – Have fun and get messy with art at The Livery’s Riverside Workshops. Limited to 8 children and their caregivers. Cost: $10 per child. Register at thelivery.org.
Thursday, August 11
FREE CONCERT At Newbury Harbor, Route 103, 6:30-8 p.m. The Terrapin Tuesday Band, Grateful Dead tribute band. Sponsored by the Newbury Recreation Department.
Friday, August 12
FREE CONCERT At the Mary D. Haddad Bandstand, Sargent Common, New London, 6:30-8 p.m. East Bay Jazz Ensemble; big band era music with a twist. In case of inclement weather, held at the First Baptist Church. Presented by the Town of New London Bandstand Committee and made possible in part by funds provided by the late Steven M. Mendelson.
FREE SUMMER CONCERT In the Jim Mitchell Community Park, 16 East Main St., Warner, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Peabody’s Coal Train. Donations appreciated for the performers. Sponsored by MainStreet Warner, Inc., a community 501(c)3 nonprofit. Info: 603-456-3745, leave message.
SUMMER MUSIC SERIES At The Livery, 58 Main St., Sunapee, 7 p.m. The Mink Hills Band is a New Hampshire based acoustic band whose selection of music includes bluegrass, swing, folk and original compositions. Tickets available at thelivery.org/music or at the door.
Saturday, August 13
FREE KIDS’ ACTIVITIES At the Sunapee Farmers Market, 68 Main St., Sunapee, 9-11 a.m. Obstacle course. All materials provided. Also free face painting for kids.
FREE WARNER PALOOZA EVENT At the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum powwow field, 18 Highlawn Road, Warner, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain date Sunday, Aug. 14. Over 30 Warner businesses, nonprofits, artists and crafters will showcase what they have to offer. Food and beverages will be available, and live music will be provided by Warner musicians. Info: www.indianmuseum.org.
CARS & COFFEE At the Ice House Museum, 91 Pleasant St., New London, 9 a.m. to noon. Bring favorite vehicle, old or new and enjoy car camaraderie. Open to the public. Suggest donation $10. Info: www.wfkicehouse.org.
FREE CIRCUS MINIMUS At the Wilmot Public Library, 11 N. Wilmot Road, Wilmot, noon. Entertainer, comic, and circus-in-a-suitcase performer Kevin O’Keefe teaches circus performance to children. This one-man circus in-a-suitcase gives everyone an opportunity to participate in an enthralling, whimsical celebration of the imagination. Each performance becomes a dialogue between the characters and the audience – a light-hearted collaboration. Info: 603-526-6804 or wilmotlibrary@comcast.net.
ICE CREAM MAKING At the Springfield Historical Society, 4 Corners Road, Springfield, 1-3 p.m. Make and eat ice cream. Info: www.historicalspringfieldnh.org.
SECOND ANNUAL PICNIC/ SILENT AUCTION At Wadleigh State Park, Sutton, 1 p.m. Catch up with friends, old and new. The food promises to be more spectacular than last year, with main dishes supplied by the KLPA. Bring your favorite sides and desserts to share. Also fabulous items for the auction donated by generous merchants and individuals. More items needed to make the auction a big success and raise money to protect Kezar.
FREE CONCERT At Flanders Stage, Sunapee Harbor, 5-7 p.m. East Bay Jazz Combo. Info: www.sunapeeharborriverway.com.
FREE CONCERT On the town green, 9 Kearsarge Valley Road, Wilmot Flat, 6-7:30 p.m. In case of rain, held at the Wilmot Community Association, 64 Village Road. Frogz, classic rock & folk. Free popcorn donated by Coldwell Banker Lifestyles of New London. Info: 603-526-4802 or www.wilmotnh.org/community/bandstand
Monday, August 15
ANNUAL HISTORY CRUISE On Lake Sunapee, 5:30 p.m. Departs from town dock to explore lakeshore development from Gardner Bay to Georges Mills. Presented by Sunapee Historical Society. Cost: $40 per person. Reservations required. Info: 603-763-9872, info@sunapeehistory@gmail.com or www.sunapeehistoricalsociety.org.
Tuesday, August 16
MUSIC WITH FRIENDS At The Livery, 58 Main St., Sunapee, 10-11 a.m. For infants-preschoolers. Experience making music with your children and their caregivers together. Everyone sings, dances, drums and claps for fun experimenting with voices, instruments and movement. Cost: $12 per class; sign up for the full series or just the weeks that work for your family. Register online:love.j@comcast.net
SOURCE: INTERTOWN RECORD
5 Tips to Avoid Last Minute Stress
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-thru 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 28 years of real estate knowledge to work for you!
Donna Forest ~ donna@donnaforest.com ~ 603-731-5151
Real estate markets are local, and we have the real scoop on ours.
Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate - The Milestone Team