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In my 19 years of selling real estate, there are a few common maintenance items that frequently come up as points of contention during a home inspection.  You can save time, added stress, and possibly avoid renegotiating your selling price by addressing them BEFORE your property goes on the market.

1. Service your furnace.  If it’s been a few years since your last service, have it done and keep a record on hand to prove it.
2. Pump your septic tank.  Septic tanks should be pumped every few years as it is.
3. Clean and seal your chimney and make sure it is in good repair.  Poor flashing around the chimney can be an issue so check that as well.
4. Test your drinking water and include testing for radon, uranium and arsenic.  Better to deal with these issues up front.  If you have a dug well, it is very important to have a water test – dug wells are highly susceptible to coliform bacteria.
5. Touch up any flaking paint.  Not only does this help with curb appeal, but also if a buyer uses an FHA loan, there cannot be ANY peeling paint either inside or out.

If you are looking for more ideas on how to expedite the sale of your house, visit my website at www.DonnaForest.com and click on Real Estate Tips.

I’m happy to share with you the Summary of New London Sales for 2012. I’m particularly happy because, as I look back at my letter of last February, I see that my predictions came true! At last, the cliché of “over the hump” is totally appropriate! After 5+ years, I feel confident in saying that the worst is behind us, and that is very clearly reflected in the performance of the New London real estate market this year. Sales were up in all categories of property in the number of transactions, dollar volume, and average price.

Numbers of residential sales were up about 27%; dollar volume up about 34%; and the average selling price up about 5%+. You can see the significant increase in the number of sales in the $300,000-$399,999 range. This is a good indicator that 2013 will likely see more sales in the $400,000+ range. Even land sales showed decent improvement; this has been a very sluggish part of the market for quite some time. The same has been the case of the commercial market, but a number of sales occurred there as well. With a 36% increase in the number of condominiums sold, what were large inventories in that sector have come down significantly. I expect that we will see continued improvement here as well.

In looking at some of the numbers, you will see that the total dollar volume increased by $20,000,000+. About $11.5M of that total can be accounted for by an increase in lakefront sales (from about $8.1M in 2011, to $19.6M in 2012). In the 2012 total, there was one sale for $4.5M, one for $3.75M, and one for $2M. The average selling price of the 13 transactions (just residential waterfront) was about $1.5M. Condominiums account for another $3.4M; residential sales, about $4.5M. It’s just interesting to see how the increase was spread around.

Our continued hard work and consistency of attentive customer service yielded great successes for our sellers and buyers and an extremely productive year for Coldwell Banker Milestone, considerably out-performing the market overall. I believe that, with an improving and more stable economy, the easing of uncertainty, a stock market showing confidence, and the hint of some upward movement in interest rates, sideline-sitting buyers will be motivated to make a commitment. Advice to sellers will continue to be, “Price it to the market and good things will happen!” While we don’t want this market to take off like a rocket (we all know the results of that), a slow and steady pace of continued improvement will be most welcome. As always, we appreciate your referrals and you can be sure that our Team will deliver extraordinary care, service, and results! Thanks!

Marilyn R. Kidder, Broker/Owner, 603-526-4116

NL 2012 Stats

Ask Not Only What a Fuel Efficient Vehicle Can Do For the Environment, But Ask What It Can Do For Your Wallet Are you thinking of buying a car with your tax refund? February is a popular time of year to buy a vehicle with the majority of NH dealerships promoting specials in honor of Presidents’ Day. Purchasing a car is an important investment. With gasoline prices well above $3 a gallon, buying a fuel efficient vehicle makes sense. Fuel efficient cars use less gas, reduce the amount of emissions produced by your vehicle, and release fewer pollutants into the air. Have you ever thought of purchasing an electric or hybrid-electric car? Many hybrid-electric vehicles already travel NH roads. Plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles are starting to be purchased and leased in our state. Hybrid-electric vehicles run on gasoline and electricity (from a large battery), allowing for increased fuel economy - over 50 mpg in some cases. Plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles get over 50 mpg; an electric motor powers the vehicle for the first 15 miles of travel before engaging the gasoline motor. The pure electric vehicle uses no gas at all. These vehicles can be charged via household electricity. The federal government currently offers incentives in the form of tax credits for the purchase of plug-in hybrid-electric and pure electric vehicles. A tax credit of $2,500 is allowed on a Toyota Prius Plug-in; $7,500 for electric vehicles like the new Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt. Vehicle owners can also receive a tax credit of up to 30 percent off the cost of an electric charging device for their home. Fuel efficient vehicles come in all makes and models. There are over 130 models from which to choose, from small cars to SUVs - each with combined miles per gallon (mpg) of 30 or better. These vehicles are listed on DES’ Granite State Clean Cars program website, along with a list of participating dealers (visit: http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/air/tsb/tps/gsccp/index.htm). If you need a bigger rig, such as a truck, van or larger SUV the US Department of Energy’s fueleconomy.gov website lists “2013 Most and Least Efficient Vehicles.” This can steer you to a smart, fuel efficient choice in all types of vehicles. This website also has a feature that allows you to compare two or more vehicles. No matter what you choose for your ride, it’s bound to be more fuel efficient than the vehicle your parents purchased at your age. Since the 1970’s, the EPA has worked with other organizations to establish fuel economy standards which has resulted in cleaner, more fuel efficient vehicles. Purchasing these vehicles can save you money, reduce our country’s dependence on petroleum, and reduce air pollution from transportation. To find more ways to reduce your gas consumption, visit DOE’s Techniques for Drivers to Conserve Fuel webpage: www.afdc.energy.gov/conserve/behavior_techniques.html. For more information on petroleum reduction in New Hampshire, visit DES’s Granite State Clean Cities Coalition web page: http://www.granitestatecleancities.nh.gov/. Source: GREENWorks, the February publication of the NH Department of Environmental Services, Concord, NH

Designed after the Solomon Richardson House in Old Sturbridge Village, this home is right out of Country Living!  A gardener's paradise with solarium for plants and passive solar gain.  A wonderful house for entertaining, the living room/dining room is open to the kitchen, the enormous living room fireplace is complete with a kettle and crane, and the corner kitchen fireplace is a classic.  Just as enticing is a 1/5 interest in beachfront on Highland Lake.  Enjoy the water access without the hefty tax bill of direct water frontage!  Offered at $475,000.  Visit www.NHSaltbox.com for more photos and details.

Stacey Viandier, Listing Agent, 603-526-4116

Every year the National Association of REALTORS® publishes a profile of buyers and sellers.  Working with a REALTOR® who is familiar with these buyer statistics and understands how they might impact the marketing and sale of your home is definitely to your advantage.  Below are some additional facts about buyers.

• The typical buyer searched 12 weeks and viewed 10 homes before making a buying decision.  In other words, sellers need to be patient as buyers look around.
• 87% of buyers financed their home purchase and usually financed about 91% of the sales price.  With tighter restrictions on lending, buyers with cash should be cherished.
• The top factor influencing where a buyer purchased a home was the quality of the neighborhood.  If your neighbors are less than stellar, you can only overcome this with proper pricing.
• The median price of a home purchased in the Northeast was $215,000.
• 90% of buyers in the Northeast purchased a home through a real estate agent.
• Nearly all buyers ranked the Internet and the real estate agent as the most useful sources in their search process.

Call me if you are looking for a REALTOR® who understands the housing market and how it impacts you!  603-526-4116; donna@donnaforest.com; www.donnaforest.com.

A warm and welcoming waterfront home with lake views and designed with year-round vacationing in mind.  Beautiful cook's kitchen, perfect for cooking for large gatherings and open to living room.  Two fieldstone fireplaces, family and billiards rooms.  Five bedrooms, four baths, and outdoor shower.  Sip your morning coffee on the lakeside screen porch or stone patio.  Offered at $750,000.  For more photos and details, visit www.GetAwayToNH.com

Marilyn Kidder, Listing Broker, 603-526-4116

Then you'll want to see this beautiful home in New London.  Sited well back from Main Street with a beautifully designed landscape of trees, shrubbery, and flowering gardens, this gracious, elegant, and eminently livable, brick-ended, Federal of Royal Barry Wills design has earned its recognized "presence" on Main Street.  Finish details throughout create style and subtle grace.  Crown moldings, raised panel trim, wainscoting, oak flooring, detailed mantels, curved open banisters, and much more.  The kitchen is updated and offers wonderful work and entertaining spaces.  The dining room will host both your small and largest gatherings.  The sun room offers the perfect "hang out" for reading, TV, games with family, and more.  The gas fireplaces in the formal living room and den/office will keep you snug and warm.  The second floor offers a master bedroom with fireplace and private bath, along with 3 additional bedrooms.  Another room with bath over the garage provides the perfect "bunk room" for visiting grandchildren (or maybe an office or exercise room?).  The lower level play room leaves more space to enjoy with guests or visiting family.  Add the views of Mt. Kearsarge and Gunite pool and you're home!  Visit www.NHMainStColonial.com for more photos and details.  Call us today to schedule your showing - 603-526-4116.

Marilyn Kidder, Listing Broker

The New Hampshire residential real estate market ended 2012 with the most unit sales since 2006, the highest sales volume since 2007 and, over the last five months, a trend toward improving median price as well, according to data released this week by the New Hampshire Association of REALTORS® (NHAR). The 12,961 sales of single family residential properties was a 21 percent increase over the 10,714 sold in 2011, and the $3.2 billion in total sales volume was also 21 percent higher than that of a year ago. Median price in 2012, which had been lagging behind that of last year by 6.5 percent after the first four months, ended the year at $202,000, a hair ahead of the $201,700 in 2011. “Certainly there are a variety of economic factors that will be critical in terms of a sustained housing recovery, but we have reasons to be encouraged,” said 2013 NHAR President Bill Weidacher, a 30-year veteran of the real estate industry and a managing broker at Keller Williams Metropolitan Realty in Bedford. “Rather than the occasional statistical anomaly which we had seen over the past six years, this seems to be a genuine trend based on simple supply and demand principles.” To that end, each month in 2012 saw a substantial increase in unit sales compared to the same month one year prior, including a 38 percent increase in November. Of the last 18 months, 17 have seen an uptick in unit sales. “When you begin to see that sort of a consistent upward movement in sales, in a healthy market you would expect that to lead to a decrease in inventory and ultimately an increase in price, and that’s just what we’ve seen,” Weidacher said. “Even so, we don’t want to give the impression that we are expecting dramatic price gains any time soon. “ Slow and steady are the watchwords here.” Prices remained below 2011 levels for each of the first seven months in 2012, but that began to turn in August, when the $210,000 median price was equal to that of August a year earlier. September witnessed a 2.3 percent increase, followed by 11.6 percent in October, 9.1 percent in November and 0.3 percent in December, leading to the year-end median price of $202,000. Locally, each of the 10 New Hampshire counties saw significant unit sales increases in 2012 compared to 2011, ranging from a 17 percent boost in Belknap County to 24 percent in Coos County. The state’s largest, Hillsborough County, witnessed a 23 percent gain in unit sales. Four counties saw increased median sale prices in 2012, four counties saw decreases, and both Carroll and Hillsborough counties remained unchanged from 2011 prices. December 2012 data residentialData December 2012 condo salesSource:  Press Release, Dave Cummings, NHAR Director of Communications

Every year the National Association of REALTORS®  publishes a profile of Home Buyers and Sellers based on survey results.  Below are some facts from the 2012 report that sellers might find eye opening!

• The median size of a home sold was 1900 square feet.  Only 9% of buyers purchased a home over 3500 square feet.  If your house is significantly larger or smaller than 1900 square feet, there are fewer buyers for your size house.
• 83% of buyers purchased a home with 3 bedrooms.  If you are selling a 2 bedroom or 4+ bedroom, you are targeting only 17% of the buyer pool.
• Only 8% of the sales in the Northeast were homes built prior to 1910.  Translation – not many buyers for old homes.
• Approximately 59% of buyers had no children, 18% had one child, 16% had two, and 7% had 3+.  The majority of buyers are not looking for “large family” homes.
• 90% of buyers in the Northeast used an agent to purchase a home.  The top home search sources are the internet, real estate agents, and yard signs.

Feel free to contact me if you are looking for a REALTOR® who understands the housing market and how it impacts you!  603-526-4116; donna@donnaforest.com

Donna Forest, ABR, Broker Associate