The FSBO Mindset: Successful Ways to Sell Your Southern NH Real Estate

When you first set out to sell your home, you are probably excited by all the possibilities, maybe a little scared, and often thinking about the best ways to save money. Many times saving money when selling Southern New Hampshire real estate means trying to sell it as a FSBO (For Sale By Owner). If you have the conviction, the salesmanship and the know-how, you might be able to sell your home yourself and keep the commission in your pocket. There are, however, a few key elements you should be aware of when attempting to sell your own home.

Your House—Not Your Home

The first trick of selling your own home is to immediately stop thinking about it as your home. It may seem like an insignificant change and purely a matter of semantics but as your 'home' you will have far less ability to coldly asses its value than simply as a piece of Southern New Hampshire real estate—a house.
As a 'home' it will be harder to handle rejection, off-handed comments by viewers, and a feeling of general violation as strangers traipse through your rooms at all hours of the day interrupting your home life. As a house it is simply a piece of property you have to move. Thinking about your property as just a house, a structure you need to get rid of, will help you detach emotionally enough to have realistic expectations and the ability to handle the stress of selling.

Be Realistic

Carefully assess the value of your Southern New Hampshire real estate. Check out the competition. Know what others have to offer in your same neighborhood and what their prices are.

Prepare and Market

Get rid of personal items. Put them in storage. Eliminate all the clutter of everyday living and make your home sparkle. Also remember that no one will be viewing your house if they don’t know it’s for sale. Get the word out in as many ways as possible.

If you would like help selling your home, give me a call at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

10 Low-Cost Tips to Cool Your Southern NH Home this Summer

If higher electric rates and lower budgets have you searching for creative ways to cool your Southern NH home without spending more, read on:

1. Stop generating heat. Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use. Lower the thermostat on your water heater. Air dry your dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s dry cycle. Grill outdoors or use your microwave instead of your oven.
2. Install shades or blinds. The best way to keep your Southern New Hampshire home cool is to keep the heat out. White window shades, drapes, or blinds reflect heat away from your house. Close blinds, shades and draperies facing the sun to keep the sun’s heat out and help fans or air conditioners cool more efficiently. 
3. Use a programmable thermostat. Automatically adjust your air conditioner’s setting at night or when no one is home.
4.  Improve your air conditioner’s efficiency. Add insulation around A/C ducts that are in hot spaces such as attics, crawl spaces and garages. Make sure your fireplace damper is closed.
5. Turn on a fan. Whether you use a box fan, a ceiling fan or an oscillating fan, this one appliance can make your room feel 6 to 7 degrees cooler. You can keep a fan on for 12 hours a day and still spend less than $10 a month on electricity for it. 
6. Open your windows. Once the sun goes down and it gets cooler outside than inside, turn off your A/C and open your windows. Getting a breeze of fresh air after your home has been closed up all day is very refreshing.
7. Run your furnace fan. Check your thermostat to see if it allows you to run your furnace fan without engaging the furnace or air conditioner. By running your furnace fan, the air circulates throughout your home balancing out any cold or hot spots. This makes your entire home feel more comfortable. Additionally, allergens that entered your home when your windows were open (see tip 6) will be trapped by the furnace filter. 
8. Move heat generating appliances. Don't place lamps or TVs near your air conditioner's thermostat. The heat from these appliances will cause the air conditioner to run longer.
9. Live in your lowest level. Because heat rises, the basement and first floor of your home are naturally cooler than the upper levels. Spend as much time as possible in the lowest levels of your home this summer. If the majority of your time is spent there, you may want to close up the A/C vents in the unused upper levels to save even more money.
10. Hang laundry outside to dry. Your clothes dryer is like a spinning oven. Don’t heat up your home by turning it on. Instead, go for the green fix and hang your laundry outside to dry. If your neighborhood bans outdoor clotheslines, wait until the cooler evening hours to use your dryer.

Stay cool and enjoy your summer for less!

How do you save on energy bills? I’d love to hear your ideas. Post a comment here, or email your tips to me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Buying Southern NH Real Estate and the Right of Conquest – A History

Before Southern New Hampshire real estate – or real estate anywhere, for that matter – was bought and sold, it was just… owned. I.E.: “Possession is nine-tenths of the law.” If you wanted some land, you found it, fought for it and kept it. Legal rights weren’t even a thought.

A long, long time ago…
William, Duke of Normandy, felt he had a claim to the throne of England. King Harold Godwinson, crowned king in January 1066, didn’t much agree. While it took until October to arrange, William and Harold met on the battlefield at Hastings; Harold was killed, William moved on to storm London.

Upon his coronation, William became King William I of England. He then made a proclamation that went something like, “I came. I conquered. Give it.” William I claimed the complete ownership of all land in England based on right of conquest. He won the battle, so it only made good sense to claim the spoils, and possession equaled ownership.

English aristocracy and the feudal system began. Lords could bargain with the King, who then might make them tenants-in-chief through tenure, or estate. The most extensive and complete estate was called the Fee Simple Estate (also known as an estate of inheritance, fee simple absolute or fee ownership), the basis of our real estate laws now, in America.

When our British ancestors spread across the pond to American soil, they brought Fee Simple Estate with them. And, they claimed America by King William’s idea of “right of conquest.” However, they also developed the concept of an informal association of agents in the 1880s.

Inception of National Association of Realtors®
In 1908, they formed the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). At that time, the NAR had all of 19 Real Estate Boards and one state association!

While the history of real estate associations probably isn’t that exciting unless you’re trying to pass a test, modern real estate laws are based off that history.

Although things have changed in terms of law, they really haven’t changed that much in terms of conquest. Okay, so maybe now the army is real estate agents and the weapons are contracts, but you still have to fight for the land you want.

If you’re looking for Southern NH real estate to buy and you’re feeling tentative, it’s time to buck up a little. Buying and selling is still a matter of conquest, and it can still get rough. Negotiations, for instance, aren’t usually quiet discussions over Earl Grey tea. Before you go house hunting, do yourself a favor and make sure you’re armed… with a good real estate agent.

If you’re looking for a great piece of land to call your own, I can help. Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Is Your Southern NH Home for Sale a Victim of DIY Remodeling?

Has your Southern New Hampshire home for sale been victimized by DIY remodeling projects? Did they not quite turn out like you thought they would? You aren’t alone; I’ve walked into houses with cabinets hanging at a slant and the owner proudly telling me they did it themselves.

Leave it to a pro.
Not everybody can be a remodeler. Not everybody is handy at everything. For instance, I can change the oil on my car, but I leave engine overhauls to the professionals. Why? Because that’s what they do, and they do it well.

Now, many people choose to do remodeling themselves because they think it’s cheaper – and it often is when done right. However, knowledge is power. It’d be cheaper for me to do my own engine overhaul, too, but I’ve never done it before and don’t know how. I’m not going to start learning on my own car, either.

Consider the quality.
If you’re considering a major remodeling project to add value to your Southern NH home for sale, I strongly recommend hiring a professional remodeler. I especially recommend this if you don’t know anything about plumbing, wiring or building standards. Keep in mind that your house will have to pass inspection. If your remodeling project doesn’t stand up to building codes, it won’t pass inspection.

As well, when you remodel to add value in order to sell, quality is of utmost importance. The first DIY project you do very seldom ends up looking right, and – although you may be understandably proud of sloping countertops or unevenly stained molding because you did it yourself – it won’t help sell your home.

Start small.
If you’re remodeling and you plan to stay in your home, I strongly suggest – if you must DIY – that you start small. Here’s a hint: expanding your bathroom or kitchen isn’t considered a small project. A small project is like fixing a squeaky stairway or replacing a door.

DIY sites like This Old House and Do It Yourself make big projects look easy, I know. However, if you want to, say, strip your wooden kitchen cabinets, try starting with a piece of furniture. Go buy a cheap wooden chair from a flea market and see how it turns out first.

Whether you’re remodeling to get more value from your Southern NH home for sale or just to make it a more comfortable space to live, I implore you – your home implores you – at least think about a professional. If you don’t know what you’re doing, your home may end up as just another victim of random DIY.

Are you good at remodeling and looking for a home with potential? I can help. Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Southern New Hampshire Real Estate Do It Yourself Project: Staining Kitchen Cabinets

You’d like to remodel your kitchen, but like many Southern New Hampshire real estate owners, you need to do it as inexpensively as possible.  Consider cutting costs by staining the kitchen cabinets yourself.

Here’s the basic 4-step process to staining kitchen cabinets for your Southern New Hampshire real estate.

1.    Gather supplies:  120-grit and 220-grit sandpaper, wood conditioner, paintbrushes, tack cloths, rags, stain and polyurethane.  Some experts recommend water-based stain and sealer because they’re easier to work with, while others insist on oil-based products because of their durability.  Do some research to make the right choice for you.

2.    Prepare the wood:  Using 120-grit sandpaper, lightly sand the wood in the direction of the grain.  This removes small scratches.  Wipe off all of the loose dust with a tack cloth.  Then sand the cabinets again, this time using 220-grit sandpaper.  This creates a smooth finish.  Remove all the loose dust with a tack cloth and apply a coat of wood conditioner to the cabinets.  Let it dry completely.

3.    Stain the wood:  Brush on a coat of stain with a paintbrush following the grain of the wood.  Then take a rag and rub the stain into the wood using a circular motion. Finish the staining by wiping along the grain of the wood one final time to ensure an even finish.  Let the stain dry completely.

4.    Seal the wood:  Apply two coats of polyurethane following the manufacturer’s directions.  Once you’ve sealed the cabinets, make sure you give them ample time to cure.

Staining the cabinets for your Southern New Hampshire real estate kitchen remodel can save you a lot of money.  Just be sure you take the time to do a quality job.  You’ll be living with the results for a long time, so make sure it looks good.

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3 Things You Need to Know About the Mortgage Payment for Your Southern NH Home

When you look for a mortgage, you want to find one that allows you to buy the biggest house possible for a monthly payment you can afford. This seems simple enough. All you need to do is a little division to determine your monthly payment.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the entire picture of your monthly mortgage payment, and lenders don’t always explain this to you. Here are three things you need to know about your monthly mortgage payment for your new Southern New Hampshire home:

1.    Interest and Principal. Only part of your monthly mortgage payment actually pays down your loan. A portion of your mortgage payment goes toward your loan principal and part of it pays the interest. The longer you have your loan, the more money goes toward your principal each month. Be aware that at the beginning of your loan term, most of your payment goes toward interest and does little to reduce the amount of money you owe on your home.

2.    Homeowner’s Insurance and PMI. Typically, your lender collects money to pay your homeowner’s insurance premium. This increases the amount of your monthly payment and can change if your insurance company raises or lowers premiums. Depending on your loan amount and property value, you may also have to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI) which protects a lender against loss if you default on your loan.

3.    Property Taxes. In most cases, your annual property taxes will be paid through your lender. The lender collects extra money each month that they pay to your local government at the end of the year. When local taxes increase or decrease, so does your payment.

Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com to help you find the home (and mortgage provider) of your dreams.

Choosing the Right Southern New Hampshire Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home

Choosing the right Southern NH real estate agent for you is a vital task. This is someone who will be inside your home, interacting with your family and working with one of your most valued possessions—your home. You need to find someone you trust to take care of you and give you the best advice. So what should you look for in an agent?

·    Personality. You need to get along with your REALTOR®. Interview Southern NH real estate agents. Get to know them. Do you trust them? Can you ask them questions? Are you comfortable around them? Be honest as you answer these questions. If something doesn’t feel right to you, trust your instinct.

·    Work Ethic. Does your real estate agent return your calls within a reasonable amount of time? Do they answer your questions without making you feel foolish? Do their office hours fit with your schedule?

·    Environment. REALTORS® either work for brokers at a large franchised real estate agency or for brokers with a small boutique agency. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. This is your own personal preference. Choose which you think will work for you.

·    Experience. Agents with years of experience tend to understand more about market fluctuations. On the other hand, newer agents don’t always have as many clients at one time, so they may be able to provide more individualized care.

·    Specialization.  To get the best advice, find an agent who specializes in selling homes in your community.

I may be the Southern New Hampshire real estate agent for you. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com to find out more about my experience and areas of specialization.