Warm up in the whirlpool tub then make first tracks at Mt. Sunapee Ski Resort just 4 miles away! Enjoy lazy summer afternoons in the sparkling pool or lounge on the pool side deck. This 4 bedroom home will surprise you with generously proportioned bright rooms and flowing floor plan. For more details and photos, visit www.50SiouxPath.com. Offered at $258,900.
Simplify your life and live maintenance-free! Let someone else worry about snow removal and lawn mowing. Total independence yet in a community environment within walking distance to New London's shopping center. Garage, elevator, central A/C, large common room with kitchen. Ground floor unit with patio. Was $165,000, now $138,000.
Live the life you love in this spacious 4 bedroom multi-season retreat! Light and airy open floor plan, ample storage and counter space, hardwood floor, lower level with family room and rec room. Only 4 miles to Mt. Sunapee Resort. Offered at $359,000. For more photos and details, visit www.42Burkehaven.com.
Donna Forest, Listing Broker
July 2011 housing market data from the New Hampshire Association of REALTORS® Director of Communications, Dave Cummings.
New Hampshire residential home sales rose substantially in July 2011 compared to July 2010, but the state’s Realtors stressed the same message they had been offering in prior months, when the news hadn’t been as good: Don’t consider any of it a trend just yet.
Statewide, 1,048 homes were sold in July, a 29 percent increase from the 811 that were sold in July 2010, according to data released this week by the New Hampshire Association of REALTORS (NHAR). Those homes sold at a median price of $216,000 this year, 2 percent below the $220,000 of July 2010.
The sharp increase in sales was due in part to the significant drop-off in sales of last July, which came immediately following the expiration of the $8,000 home buyer tax credit incentive.
Just as 2011 home sales through June were light compared to sales impacted by the tax credit rush through June 2010, the July 2011 sales looked strong compared to a relatively light July 2010.
“We’ve said for some time that year over year numbers won’t really tell us much until we’re completely clear of any comparisons impacted by the tax credit,” said NHAR President Tom Riley, a 35-year veteran of the real estate industry and president of Riley Enterprises in Bedford. “The further along we get in the year, the more relevant and telling these comparisons become.”
In general, Riley said, the housing market remains an issue dictated by consumer confidence. “Housing remains one of the best long-term investments available,” he said. “That hasn’t changed. What has changed is that consumers in general are feeling less secure with regard to the economy, and in many cases their own personal circumstances, and when that happens people are more likely to stay put.
“We certainly respect that, but it’s also important to point out that for those who are in a position to move, buying conditions are excellent.”
In local markets, July unit sales increased in nine of 10 counties (and stayed the same in Carroll County), while six of 10 counties saw an increase in median price, one remained unchanged, and three experienced declines.
You won't want to miss this "snug as a bug", get-away cottage in Sunapee just minutes to skiing at Mount Sunapee Resort! 2 bedrooms, 1 bath and deeded access to Mountain View Lake. Secluded back yard with deck. Kayak in the summer, ski in the winter - what more can you ask for at this price? Offered at $132,500. Visit www.MinutesToSkiing.com for more info.
The warmth of wood and beams surrounds you as you enter this elegant, custom built home. 5 bedrooms, 5 baths and beautiful views of Lake Sunapee and surrounding mountains. Open floor plan with granite fireplace in the great room. Red birch floors and multi-level living. Enjoy Brown's Hill amenities including an in-ground pool, tennis, and beach front on Lake Sunapee. Visit www.57HighRidge.com for more photos and details. Offered at $1,100,000.
Donna Forest, Listing Broker
Wouldn't you like one floor, maintenance-free living? Take a look at this Hilltop Place condo in New London, NH. Great location, close to shopping and the post office, private end unit, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths and lovely view of Mt. Kearsarge in the back yard. For more photos and details, visit www.33Hilltop.com.
Marilyn Kidder, Listing Broker
For most people, selling their home is an emotional experience. Many memories are tied up in a house. As your house goes on the market, you need to bear in mind an important thing – your home has just become a commodity. It’s property. Real estate. Your goal is to have other buyers see it as their potential home. As difficult as it sounds, failure to make this emotional disconnect can cost you buyers. Part of preparing a house for sale is to de-personalize it. Remove family photos, trophies, knick-knacks, etc. This allows buyers to visualize themselves in the space without being distracted. A house with personality is great – just try to keep the “person” out of it.
For more selling tips, visit my website www.DonnaForest.com.
Low maintenance, 4 bedroom home and yard well-designed for carefree vacations. Private setting. Slope 'n Shore Club membership includes use of a beautiful beach, tennis, picnic tables and a community rec building. A great opportunity with lake access and close to skiing for 4 season fun. For more photos and details, visit www.PleasantLakeAccess.com.
Marilyn Kidder, Listing Broker
By: Les Shu
Easy-to-install security cameras let you keep an eye on your home from afar, ensuring safety and security for you and your family.
Network cameras
Internet-based network cameras are a quick solution in setting up home surveillance. They connect to your broadband connection and don’t require difficult wiring or mounting.
Logitech’s Alert lets you view either real-time or recorded footage—with audio—of the inside and outside of your house through your iPhone, Android, or BlackBerry smartphone, and the system is expandable by adding additional cameras. You’ll get text or email notifications on your phone or computer if the camera's motion sensor is triggered.
Panasonic’s BL-C131A goes one step further by giving you remote pan and tilt control from your smartphone or computer, allowing you to view in eight different positions.
The Alert 750i Master System starts at $299.99. (A similar device from D-Link costs $119.99.) The Panasonic BL-C131A costs around $300.
Riding the Z-Wave
If you have a Z-Wave-based home automation system installed, you can add wireless cameras to create a security network inside and outside of your house.
ADT’s Pulse is a complete home alarm system that uses Z-Wave cameras for home monitoring from your iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android. ADT Pulse service plans start at $48 a month, not including installation and cameras.
Schlage’s LiNK offers its Z-Wave Wireless Camera as an option to its electronic locks. Like ADT’s Pulse, you can also perform additional home management functions with compatible Z-Wave products like thermostats. Schlage LiNK starter kits cost around $300, and the Wireless Camera costs around $150.
Similar wireless security cameras are available for X10 home automation systems.
DIY camera
You can turn a basic computer webcam into a surveillance system using free downloadable software from Yawcam and EyeSpyFX. You’re required to have your computer remain on, but once set up you can log in remotely from another computer—say, at work—and view streaming video of your home. Just position the camera at what you want to monitor.
Yawcam offers motion detection and can send a snapshot to your email when triggered, while EyeSpyFX lets you view footage from dedicated iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry apps.
An affordable webcam like Microsoft’s LifeCam VX-2000 costs about $30 or less.
A writer covering the latest technologies and trends for a variety of national publications, Les Shu is currently automating his home with the newest doodads to make it smarter than he is.
Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®