If you are planning to sell soon and think that renovations will increase the value of your home, then some research might be in order. Not all remodeling projects deliver the same bang for the buck when it comes to resale. Studies suggest that most renovation projects do increase the price of a house, however, the increase is typically less than the cost of the project. Generally a homeowner will experience a return of 75% to 80% on the dollar at resale. Some of the more cost effective improvements are major kitchen upgrades, bathroom remodeling, and anything that adds square footage. Keep in mind that the cost recouped can be affected by the quality of finish and even the type of neighborhood and local conditions.
Probably the biggest advantage that remodeling has is the fact that it increases the appeal of your home to buyers. A gleaming state of the art kitchen with granite countertops and bathrooms with tile and glass can sell a house more quickly than a home with an outdated kitchen and harvest gold appliances. You can count on me for helpful tips whether you are buying or selling real estate. Give me a call!
Donna ForestThe Sunapee School District
If you are considering a move to the Sunapee region of New Hampshire, you may be interested in the local school system, not only as a parent, but also from the perspective that the quality of the schools can have a direct impact on the values of the homes. The Town of Sunapee has its own school district which consists of But you can also pay bills, deposit checks, and manage your free-credits-report.com from just about anywhere. the Sunapee Middle-High School and the Sunapee Central Elementary School. The school district enjoys an excellent reputation in the area. Each school has its own goals and mission statements:
Sunapee Middle-High School is committed to preparing and encouraging all students to be positive, caring and contributing members of society by maintaining high academic, social and civic expectations within a secure environment
SMHS students will:
- Problem solve effectively
- Think critically
- Read effectively
- Write effectively
- Speak well
- Demonstrate their knowledge and skills
They will:
- Be responsible partners in their own education.
- Be honest, caring members of society.
- Be good citizens who demonstrate tolerance, courtesy, and respect for the rights of others.
The Mission of the Sunapee Central Elementary school is:
To empower students to become lifelong learners and contributing members of society by providing intellectual, social and physical experiences.
Visit the school district’s web site for a broad range of additional information:
Here are some helpful tips and suggestions for things to look for when choosing a neighborhood in the New London/Sunapee area, or any area for that matter, which will suit your needs: 1/Visit the area at different times of day. That will help determine things such as traffic patterns, activity levels, noise levels, and the influence of any of the other nearby by areas. 2/Practice your commute to work. It might turn out that one neighborhood’s location might actually add to the cost of the house, depending on the length of the commute, or possibly, increase the frustration level of the ride to work, simply because of the difficulty of the commute. 3/Talk with the locals. There is no better source of information than the people who already live there. They will be able give you a true sense of the neighborhood. 4/Searching out the details. For information on crime rates, accident incidences, and the like, the local police department can be very helpful. Also, the internet can be a good resource as well. 5/If you’re looking for a home in a larger city or metropolitan area, www.nabewise.com might be fun to explore. You can set up a search which addresses some of the more “quality of life” characteristics which you might be looking for (such as trendy, dining, shopping, museums, etc.) Enjoy your search and don’t forget your greatest resource is your REALTOR®! Source: Inman News columnist, Mary Umberger, a freelance writer from Chicago, 8/18/10
- Overpricing. Your home will stay on the market longer and buyers will be less inclined to make offers.
- Using emotional values to price the property vs. factual market conditions.
- Not preparing the home for sale before it goes on the market.
- Listening to the opinions of friends and relatives vs. the professional advice of your realtor.
- Not giving the first offer serious consideration. Most often, it seems that this turns out to be the best one.
For more selling information, visit my website and click on “Resource Links” and/or “Free Reports”!
Antique brick home in a pretty country setting offers mountain views, spacious rooms, wide pine floors and hand-hewn beams. Close to skiing and Lake Sunapee. Huge attached barn/garage. For more photos and details, visit www.2226BrookRd.com
Located in Merrimack and Sullivan counties, with shoreline in the towns of Sunapee, New London and Newbury, Lake Sunapee…
- Is the 5th largest lake located entirely within the State of New Hampshire
- Is approximately 8 miles long
- Is 142’ deep at its deepest and 1,093’ above sea level
- Has eight islands
- Has approximately 70 miles of shoreline
- And driving distance of about 25 miles around
- Has 3 lighthouses which are on the National Register
- Has 6 boat ramps, 7 sandy beaches, and exceptionally clear and pure water.
Historically, the Lake, after the B & M Railroad brought a stop to Newbury, was a destination for summer guests from the Boston area, and elsewhere. Numbers of steamboats ferried the visitors from landing to landing, delivering them to various large resorts or cottages on the Lake. The biggest steamer to ever sail on Lake Sunapee was the 101’ Armenia White which was launched in 1887 and was capable of carrying 650 passengers.
As recently reported in the New Hampshire Union Leader (Monday, July 19, 2010) by Doug Ireland with The Eagle-Tribune, a recent state report shows rental costs rising, despite the overall economic climate. The report was issued by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority and concluded, that despite the fact that home prices are still adjusting downward, rents are still increasing.
Over the past year the median price for a typical 2-bedroom apartment, which includes utilities, rose about 2% to $1,056 ($1,205 in Rockingham County). This trend of rising rent prices is making it hard for some residents to pay their rent. The median income in Rockingham County is already lower than what is estimated to be needed to keep up with the rent payments. It is the same case statewide. There are approximately 31,315 rental units in the state.
At the same time, there are more and more rental units coming on the market as sellers, particularly of upper end properties over $350,000, give up trying to sell and decide to rent instead. There are also more potential renters moving into the market from foreclosure loss of home as well.
For those who can get qualified to buy a home, this is still the best time in years to do so, especially considering the current rates and inventory.
You'll love the large greenhouse attached to the lower level of this 2 bedroom home in Goshen, NH. Quiet, country location, yet only minutes to Mt. Sunapee for skiing and Lake Sunapee for swimming and boating. This ranch style home was designed by a solar expert to maximize solar heat gain in the winter. Walk to the town beach on Rand Pond. A great spot for year-round or vacation living. For more photos and details, visit www.1221BrookRd.com
Invite the neighbors and enjoy the park-like setting from this 3 bedroom, 3 bath, charming country cape. Beautifully updated kitchen and baths. Visit www.59ShindaganRd.com for more details and photos.
COLDWELL BANKER REAL ESTATE WINS COMMUNICATOR CREATIVE EXCELLENCE AWARD FROM INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF VISUAL ARTS
Brand’s ‘On Location’ YouTube Channel Honored in Real Estate Website Category
The International Academy of the Visual Arts has named Coldwell Banker On Location, the brand’s YouTube channel, a recipient of this year’s Communicator Awards for Creative Excellence in the real estate website category. The category honors the best site for the sale or rental of residential or commercial property.
“We were the first national real estate brand to add streaming video to our website. Today, our agents across the globe have posted more than 15,000 videos to our On Location channel,” said Mike Fischer, chief marketing officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “The most exciting part of On Location is that we have only just begun – there’s a lot more to come.”
On Location has been rated among the top 10 most-viewed brand channels on YouTube. In April, just 11 months after launching On Location, Coldwell Banker announced it had received over 1 million views. The site was launched in May 2009 and was produced in collaboration with FD Kinesis.
“Home buyers would much rather see a home than only read about it,” Fischer said. “Our On Location videos empower them to get a feel for a home, a community or a real estate professional that they could not get from photos or a text description alone. Equally important are the home sellers who are now expecting video to be a part of marketing their property.”
With thousands of entries received from across the United States and around the world, the Communicator Awards is one of the largest and most competitive awards program honoring the creative excellence for communications professionals. The Communicator Awards are judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, advertising and marketing firms.
About Coldwell Banker®
Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker® organization has been a premier provider of full-service residential and commercial real estate. Coldwell Banker is the oldest national real estate brand in the United States and today has a network of more than 98,000 agents working in more than 3,600 offices in 50 countries and territories. The Coldwell Banker brand is known for creating innovative consumer services as recently seen by being the first national real estate brand to augment its web site www.coldwellbanker.com for smart phones, the first to create a iPhone application and the first to fully harness the power of video in real estate listings, news and information through its Coldwell Banker On LocationSM YouTube channel. The Coldwell Banker system is a leader in specialty markets such as resort, new homes and luxury properties through its Coldwell Banker Previews International® marketing program.