Economy Bringing Families Closer Together in Southern NH Homes

Although the slowed economy has been a catalyst for many unfortunate changes, some of the trickle-down effects have had a positive impact on Southern New Hampshire homes and homeowners. One of the most notable effects is that families are drawing closer together.

Over the past thirty to forty years, the “steps” to take for growing up were always one: grow up and two: move out. Few parents ever considered that their now adult children might be moving back in to their quiet, empty Southern New Hampshire homes. However, with the economic problems hitting millions of Americans, the number of multi-generational households is growing.

During the Great Recession and more specifically in 1940, approximately 25% of households were multi-generational. Homes often held children, grandchildren, and sometimes even great grandchildren – four familial generations. However, as the U.S. economy began to prosper and the baby boomer generation grew into adults, more homes became single family households. By 1980, only 12.1% of homes held more than one generation.

Now, the percentages are once again beginning to climb. Loss of jobs, foreclosed homes and lack of security has contributed to approximately 49 million Americans, or 16.1%, living in multi-generational homes. While this is far from ideal for those in a hurry to leave the nest, the benefits are many.

When asked what it was like moving back in with her parents, one single mother said, “It was hard at first, redefining the boundaries, but having my parents around has been a blessing in disguise. My kids have a stabilizing influence and extra attention, while I get occasional breaks that I normally wouldn’t get. We eat dinner together too, which helps build the family atmosphere for my kids. It’s not all smiles and roses, there’s a lot of compromise, but it works.”

For those who have been thinking about letting your family move in to your Southern New Hampshire home, try to consider more than just the negatives. Look at the positives as well.  And what could be more positive than closer family ties?

Whether you need to upgrade to a bigger family home or downgrade to a smaller one, I can help. Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Downsizing Your Demands for a Home for Sale in Southern New Hampshire

Are you tired of looking for a home for sale in Southern New Hampshire? Have you seen homes that had everything you wanted, but cost too much? Are you dissatisfied with the selection in the price range you want?

A while back, I had a buyer tell me he didn’t want to spend more than $150,000 on a home for sale in Nashua. He gave me a long list of features he felt the house must have - a pool, a big kitchen for his wife, four bedrooms, etc. With it being his market (a buyer’s market), he said, I should have no problems finding a home with those qualifications and that price. He refused to budge on any of it. That buyer is no longer my client.

You May Have to Compromise
The buyer had read tons of material about it being a buyer’s market. Prices, while not particularly great for the sellers, are great for the buyers. “Thar’s gold in them thar hills.” In other words, there are deals to be had.

It’s all true, but there are limitations to what your money can buy, even now. If you’re getting frustrated due to a lack of fully automated homes with pools and fallout shelters for $35,000, it’s time to ask yourself, “Do I really need a pool?”

Okay, so that’s an exaggeration, but there is a legitimate question in all this. Can you compromise? If you want a pool, can you buy a home with a big backyard where a pool can be built later? Do you have to have a pool right now?

Consider that a home is a long-term acquisition. Think about what you want versus what you need. For example, maybe you want a big kitchen. What you’ve found are smaller kitchens with big dining rooms. Can the two rooms be opened up to create a dining/cooking area? Again, can you compromise?

Before you go house hunting again, examine your expectations. Are they realistic? If not, create a list of needs, and then create a list of wants. Think about where you can compromise on the two lists. Of course, you should be able to get some of your “wants,” but you may not be able to get all of them.

When you look at a home for sale in Southern New Hampshire that you can afford, also look at the possibilities. Can the affordable home be remodeled over time into the dream home you want? 

If you’re looking for a home with great potential, I can help. Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Myths about Selling Your Southern NH Real Estate in a Slow Market

Trying to sell your Southern NH real estate in a slow market can be frustrating. You may find that it takes longer to sell and you can’t get as much money as you could during a booming market. However, you can’t believe all the hype about a sluggish real estate market. Do your research and separate the facts from the fiction. 

Here are 3 myths and the facts behind the fiction:

1.    You won’t get a decent price. Your Southern New Hampshire real estate will sell for whatever a buyer is willing to pay. A comparative market analysis shows you what other buyers spent on property like yours. Of course, if you bought your home when values were up, you may not get the return on your investment you’d hoped for. However, most sellers get a fair price and even make a profit in a slow market.

2.   Your Southern New Hampshire real estate will stay on the market too long. While it’s true that real estate tends to take longer to sell during a slow market, it’s not impossible to sell. People still buy in slower markets. If your home is priced right, prepared for sale and marketed professionally, it will sell.

3.    Buyers only want foreclosures and short sales. The truth is that buyers want good deals, and this can be in the form of money or time. The price of a foreclosure or short sale may certainly be attractive, but they can take a considerable amount of time to close while the banks negotiate their terms and require significant repairs after closing. Paying slightly more up front for a traditional sale is sometimes well worth the time and they can save and hassles they can avoid.

Using my proven marketing plan, I can help you sell your home whether it's a slow market or a booming market. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Should You Buy Southern New Hampshire Real Estate Through an Auction?

With the many auctions here and throughout the U.S., you may be wondering if it’s worth buying Southern New Hampshire real estate this way. Auctions let you bid at a public sale.  Some property is being sold by the owner, but most properties are foreclosures being sold by banks.

Like any endeavor, there are pros and cons to buying Southern NH real estate at an auction. For instance, a pro for auctions might be the price; you can often get great discounts on nice homes through an auction. However, you may get caught up in the fervor of the bidding process and pay more for a home than you ever intended.

The Condition of the Home may be Questionable 
When you work with a real estate agent to buy a home in the traditional manner, you go through the home inspection process.  This ensures the home is in sound structural condition.

In an auction, you have to go with the timeframe of the bidding process and most likely will not have time to get a home inspection performed.  In fact, homes sold at auction are sold “as is.”  That means no improvements will be made to the home, even if you had it inspected and found something wrong.  Additionally, there’s no warranty and no legal recourse to get your money back if you find problems later.

Tax liens can be Costly
In foreclosure auctions, a property may have a tax lien. If you win the auction, you may then become responsible for the payment of the tax lien. It could be a small or large amount of money, but no matter the size, you may not be able to afford it on top of the cost of the house.

Large Payments in Short Timeframes
Lastly, consider that full payment may be required at the close of the sale; if not full payment, earnest money will at least be required. Because closing usually happens within a month of the auction, it’s always best to be pre-approved for your loan before you start bidding.

If you’re looking at Southern New Hampshire real estate auctions for your dream home, do your homework first. You could end up with a fantastic deal, but, without enough information, you could also end up with a dead end.

If you’re looking for a great deal on a wonderful home, I can help. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Southern New Hampshire Homes: Strategies for Selling in Slow Markets

While the changed nature of the real estate market makes it much more difficult to sell Southern New Hampshire homes, the fact remains that home are still being bought and sold.  Buyers are out there; you just have to attract them to your home.

Here are a few tips for getting Southern New Hampshire homes sold in a slow real estate market:

Prepare for the Sale
Your home needs to stand out from the rest. Give it a lot of sparkle and shine:

    * Make minor repairs:  Patch holes, fix faucets and replace cracked tiles.
    * Clean inside and out:  No cobwebs, dirty carpets, worn rugs or smelly odors.
    * Check your curb appeal:  Mow the lawn, plant flowers, trim bushes, etc.
    * Remove clutter and de-personalize:  If it isn’t essential, pack it up or get rid of it.
    * Straighten your cabinets and closets:  Buyers will open them; make sure they’re nice and neat.

Stage Your Home
Hire a professional home stager or read informational home staging articles on doing it yourself. Here are a few quick tips:

    * Carefully choose your window coverings.
    * Tie new bathroom towels with ribbons for a “finished” bathroom look.
    * Use color psychology.
    * Bring in plants.

Use Good Marketing Techniques
A strong marketing campaign is a must.  A few techniques you want to be sure you and/or your agent include in your marketing campaign are:

    * Take photographs with good lighting that show off the positive aspects of your home.
    * Create a virtual tour that showcases both the inside and outside of your home.
    * Display the photos and virtual tour on as many real estate websites as possible.

Selling Southern New Hampshire homes isn’t a quick or easy endeavor. Especially now, aggressive marketers are the winners. Taking the time to clean and stage your home as well as create a wide-reaching marketing campaign can get that for sale sign taken down for good.

If you’d like to sell your home, let me create a strong, wide-reaching marketing campaign to get your home sold.   Give me a call today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Buying Southern New Hampshire Fixer-Upper Real Estate – Pros and Cons

Are you buying Southern New Hampshire real estate chiefly as an investment or as your primary residence? Does it need a little updating or a big overhaul? When you consider that buying Southern NH real estate is a major purchase, no matter what the reason, it’s always a good idea to look at the potential pros and cons of doing a rehab.

Pros of Buying a Fixer Upper
Location – The fixer upper you’re considering could be in a great neighborhood. It might even be on the best street. And because it needs work, you could get a home in a location you might otherwise not be able to afford.

Cost – It’s almost always cheaper to buy something broken than to buy something that works. Well, the same can be true for any kind of real estate investment. Buying a fixer upper may be a good alternative, if you want to own a home but can’t afford a high mortgage payment.

Style – It’s your home. When you remodel, redecorate or renovate, you get to choose what you want it to look like. Maybe it has a big picture window just dying for a window seat. Maybe you like soft mauve walls instead of the institutional green currently there. That’s okay, because you can fix it up to fit your personal style.

Cons of Buying a Fixer Upper
Cost – You may be able to save money on the selling price of a fixer upper, true. However, the savings could be totally lost once you start looking at the cost of renovations. Before you sign on the dotted line, do what any homebuyer should do and get a home inspection. Figure out how much you’ll be spending all together instead of basing your costs exclusively on the selling price.

Location – Often, fixer uppers are in less than pleasant neighborhoods or on streets with other homes in equal disrepair. Especially if you’re flipping houses, the chances of getting your investment back are low. When buying a fixer upper – for any reason – make sure you weigh it’s location against the cost.

Style – Quite simply, your personal style might take more energy and knowledge than you have available. For instance, if you don’t know anything about drywall, plasterwork or woodwork, that window seat you want so badly may not be possible. As well, if you only have an hour or so a day to work on the home, it could be in a state of disrepair for a long time before it’s finished.

If you’re thinking about buying Southern NH fixer-upper real estate, always look at the pros and cons of the specific house. You could make a great investment or end up with a money pit.

If you’re looking for a fixer upper that needs some tender loving care, I can help. Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Staging Southern NH Homes for Sale: Not Just Pretty Furniture

Many real estate agents say, “Stage your Southern New Hampshire homes for sale!” If you have no idea what that means, you might Google it, read a few articles and get the idea that you throw a little rented furniture into your home and call it done. If you read a little bit more, you might add a mirror or potted plant here and there. However, if you really dig into it, you’ll find that properly staging Southern New Hampshire homes for sale takes a whole lot more than that.

Test Your Knowledge
Did you know…

    * Smaller furniture in small areas makes the space appear bigger.
    * Carefully arranged plants bring warmth to a living area.
    * Rugs and artwork add depth and dimension to a room.
    * Sunlight shining through a window makes a room feel warm and inviting.
    * A staged bedroom is as important as the bathroom and kitchen.
    * The colors you choose can make the difference between a sale and a flop.

If you didn’t know any of the above, it’s time to learn how to stage or hire a professional stager. Why?  Because home staging has been proven time and again to be one of the best steps to take to sell a home quickly and for more money.

Find Home Staging Resources
There are tons of online resources available to help you stage your home if you’d rather do it yourself. Here are just a few, in no particular order:

   1. Field Guide to Preparing and Staging a House
   2. Home-Staging Cheat Sheet
   3. Staging to Sell: The Secret to Selling Homes in a Down Market

Hire a Professional Stager
Does this mean you can’t do it yourself? Not at all. You just need to ask yourself two questions: 

   1. Can you afford to wait to sell your house while you’re learning how to stage your home?
   2. Even after researching and studying, will you be able to do a quality staging job?

If you can’t afford to wait or you’ll never be great at staging, hire a professional.

What’s the moral of the story? If you have one of the Southern New Hampshire homes for sale and you’ve been considering home staging, stop considering. Do it! 

Need help preparing your home for sale?  I can help. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.