Is it the weather, the interest rates, the choice of homes on the market? Maybe all of the above, but home sales have increased so far in 2012. Read on. . .
Give us a call if you’d like to see any properties in our market area – We’re “The Best Team in Town”! 603-526-4116; www.cbmilestone.com.
If you’re getting ready to put your house on the market, it is important to make sure it photographs well. Since 90% of buyers start their search online, good pictures are essential to grabbing buyers’ interest. Before your REALTOR® arrives to take photos, here are some tips to help maximize your online exposure.
Talk to your REALTOR® to make sure they are using a camera with a wide angle lens and that they are putting as many photos as possible online. You can count on me for this kind of good advice which will help your property stand out in the market and get the attention of serious potential buyers. Give me a call – 603-526-4116!
Donna Forest, Broker Associate
It’s not perfect, but it’s a great price for New London! $178,000 for this 4 bedroom, 2 bath ranch in a great location with easy access to the medical center/hospital and shopping center. Wood floors, some renovations started. A great opportunity if you’re looking for a project with “home” work! Call 603-526-4116 to schedule your showing.
Donna Forest, Listing Broker
The latest newsletter from The New London Hospital gives some good suggestions for lifestyle changes that may help. You’ll also find other interesting articles for good health. Keep that New Year’s resolution going and get healthy! Read on. . .
At prices starting at $5? Arrowhead Recreation Center in Claremont offers a back to basics fun experience for young and old alike. While affiliated with the Claremont Recreation Department, Arrowhead is run entirely by volunteers and every penny collected goes right back into the Center. It’s a wonderful place to have a ton of fun without breaking the bank. We’ll definitely go back again! Give it a try. Arrowhead Recreation Area Main
It is commonly said among REALTORS® that the first offer is often the best offer. And for good reason! You would be surprised by how frequently we see sellers who are unable to come to terms with the first offer made, then end up selling the property at a later date for much less. Usually the seller argues that the property has been on the market for such a short time, there must be more buyers out there willing to meet the price. Sellers often get attached to that last $1000 – when buyer and seller fail to agree, the sale is lost for a tiny percentage of the overall price. My advice to sellers? Give serious consideration to the first offer and try to make it work if at all possible. Hanging on to the property and paying taxes, mortgage, and maintenance for another few months may eliminate any perceived increase in selling price. With the current market, sellers need to seriously consider a viable offer, especially if it is the first one presented.
Please feel free to contact me for any of your real estate needs, 603-526-4116, donna@donnaforest.com.
Donna Forest, Broker Associate
New Hampshire was home to a 2 percent increase in residential unit sales in 2011, while the median price of those homes fell by 6 percent, according to data released by the New Hampshire Association of REALTORS.
There were 10,714 residential unit sales in 2011, following 10,529 sales in 2010. The year‐over‐year increase was, in part, fueled by an 8 percent jump in December 2011 (923 sales), compared to 2010 (855). The median price of New Hampshire residential home sales, meanwhile, dropped from $215,000 in 2010 to 201,700 in 2011.
“We’re certainly seeing stabilization in terms of the number of sales,” said NHAR President John Rice, a 40‐year veteran of the real estate industry and an agent with Tate & Foss Sotheby’s International in Portsmouth. “On the price side, we have a continued inventory issue. With so many homes available in most New Hampshire markets, buyers are still able to be very selective, and many are reluctant to buy if the price isn’t just right.”
The standard for evaluating inventory is “months supply,” meaning the length of time it would take to sell off the current inventory based on the number of sales in the prior month. Typically, six to eight months is considered a balanced market, while less than that constitutes a sellers’ market and more is indicative of a buyers’ market.
There is currently an 11‐month supply of housing inventory in New Hampshire. “It’s been as high as 21 months supply within the last two years,” Rice said. “We’re generally trending in the right direction, but we still have a gap between where we are and a balanced market.”
In local markets, December unit sales increased in eight of the state’s 10 counties, including an 8.5 percent jump in Hillsborough County, the state’s largest. Median price fell in all but three counties, Cheshire (22 percent increase), Belknap (22 percent) and Coos (4 percent).
December 2011 data residential
As for condominium sales in New Hampshire, there was a 3 percent drop in unit sales from 2010 (2,635) to 2011 (2,549), while the price of those sales fell 6 percent, from $165,000 in 2010 to $155,000 in 2011.
Source: Dave Cummings, New Hampshire Association of REALTORS® Director of Communications
Mortgage rates are at a historical low. If you keep waiting to buy your home, you could miss this great opportunity of low interest rates/lower monthly payments. Read more. . .
There’s always something going on in our area – outdoors and indoors. Have attended any of the events held at the local Opera Houses? They’ve showcased magic shows, comedians, local musicians and more. Keep an eye out for the events to be held at the Claremont Opera House, Newport Opera House and Lebanon Opera House. You’re sure to find entertainment for one and all!
Positive signs for the housing market and economic conditions – read more. . .
