Buying a Southern New Hampshire Home for Sale versus Renting

Should you buy a Southern NH home for sale? Maybe yes, maybe no. People don’t live in cookie cutter situations; everyone has a unique set of circumstances. For that matter, you may not even need a house. Maybe an apartment is a better fit for your lifestyle.

Here are four factors to consider before deciding whether to buy or rent:

   1. Maintenance:  One factor you might use to decide whether or not you want to buy a Southern New Hampshire home for sale is maintenance. As a homeowner, you’re responsible for the roof when it leaks and the plumbing when it’s clogged. As a renter, you have a landlord who takes care of all that.

   2. Frequency of relocation:  Another factor to consider is how long you plan to be in the area. For example, if you plan to move in less than five years and don’t fancy renting out the home after you move, buying probably isn't the best option for you.

   3. Tax deductions:  The interest you pay on your mortgage is usually tax-deductible. As well, when you close on a home you have the option to pay “points” to reduce your interest over the life of your loan. The amount you pay to cover the points is also usually tax deductible for the year in which you buy the home.  Now think about renting… none of your rent is tax deductible. You don’t get money back for living in a home; you get money back for buying a home. With that money, you could further pay down your loan, make repairs or any number of things you need to do.

   4. Home decor:  When you own, you can decorate any way you want.  You can paint, hang pictures or even knock down walls.  When you rent, you must live by the rules and regulations established by the landlord, which are usually very restrictive.

So, should you rent or buy? I could tell you buying is the best thing to do, but I could be wrong because I don’t know your particular situation. However, if you can afford a Southern New Hampshire home for sale and want to buy one, don’t pass up the best mortgage rates the real estate industry has ever seen!

Still uncertain as to whether renting or buying is best for you?  Give me a call at 603-821-1134, and I’ll personally help you figure it out.

Have you decided owning a home is right for you? Let me help you find and buy a great home at a great price. Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Southern New Hampshire Homes for Sale: 29 Inside Tasks

Those who have never had a Southern New Hampshire home for sale before may think selling is as simple as hiring an agent and putting a sign in the yard. It’s not, however, as you’ll soon discover.

The Inside of Your Home
The exterior of Southern NH homes for sale is the first up-close impression buyers get.  So, when buyers make it inside, they’re one step closer to actually buying.  However, if the interior is a mess, it could blow the whole deal.

Here’s a checklist to make your home’s interior buyer ready:

   1. Make sure the front door doesn’t stick
   2. Test windows to ensure they open and close easily
   3. Wash windows inside and out
   4. Move pets and pet supplies to a temporary home (if possible)
   5. Fix leaky faucets
   6. Update your cabinet hardware and door knobs
   7. De-clutter closets and cabinets (yes, people open them!)
   8. Replace or repair cabinet doors
   9. Clean grout
  10. Wash the walls if not repainting
  11. Repair cracks or holes in the wall
  12. Paint walls a neutral color
  13. Remove personal items, such as knick-knacks and personal mementos
  14. Clean the fireplace
  15. Have the chimney professionally cleaned
  16. Remove clutter from countertops, tables and shelves
  17. Steam or dry clean the carpets
  18. Scrub all appliances
  19. Clean cobwebs and dead bugs from light fixtures and ceiling fans
  20. Make sure every light has a working bulb
  21. Degrease the stove and oven
  22. De-clutter and clean the attic, basement and garage
  23. Make sure crawl spaces have crawl space waterproofing
  24. Remove excess furniture
  25. Rearrange remaining furniture in good proportion (Or hire a home stager)
  26. Clean the drapes
  27. Replace broken panels for electrical switches and outlets
  28. Wipe down baseboards
  29. Clean and wax linoleum floors

While each of the Southern New Hampshire homes for sale is unique, with different selling points and selling problems, this list is a good start for any home.

If you’re ready to sell your home, I can help. Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Barriers to Buying Southern NH Real Estate

Buying a new home takes a lot of preparation. Without knowing what you are walking in to, you are bound to run into road blocks. A good Southern New Hampshire real estate agent can help you understand the intricacies involved in purchasing your new home. Some of the most common problems that buyers run into are avoidable.

Buying the Best is Nice… but

If you’re looking at the most expensive house in the neighborhood, in the city or in the state, you’re asking for problems.  The risks involved for your lender make it more difficult to get a mortgage: It's harder for appraisers to justify the sales price for the most expensive home; if it's already been over-improved, there's no room to increase the value aside from just a general increase in market value over time; and therefore, if anything changes in your lifestyle within the first 5 to 7 years of ownership, it's likely to be hard to sell or refinance to avoid foreclosure.

If you must have the most expensive home, pay the most you can as a down payment.  That will lower the risk and make it more likely your loan will be approved.  If you can't afford a big down payment, you’re probably looking at a formidable roadblock to a loan.

Being Unprepared

Walking into a mortgage lender unprepared is like shooting yourself in the foot - it's going to take you a lot longer to get where you want to go! So have your financial information in hand. If there are any problems with your credit, be prepared to explain them. Have a good budget including the estimated new mortgage to show you can handle the loan.  Don't make the kind of mistakes that got other buyers in trouble when the real estate 'bubble' deflated.  Think like a Boy Scout and be prepared.


Not Taking All Costs into Consideration

A big mistake many prospective home buyers make is not realizing there are many costs associated with buying Southern NH real estate besides just a new mortgage. There are closing costs, legal costs, insurance costs, property taxes and deed and recording fees.   All of these have an impact on your wallet and most need to be paid at closing, but there will also be some expenses during the purchasing process as well as move-in costs after closing.

Want to know more about how to prepare to purchase Southern New Hampshire real estate?  I’d be happy to walk you through the entire process.  Give me a call today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Selling Your Home for Sale in Southern New Hampshire: 17 Outside Tasks

When you have a home for sale in Southern New Hampshire or elsewhere in the nation, you have to know the competition is fierce. Many home sellers think they have all their ducks in a row when a potential buyer comes to view the house, only to have a minor, forgotten issue blow the deal.

The Outside of Your Home
Your home’s exterior is the first thing potential buyers see up close. Online, you may have images of the front yard, back yard, kitchen and other rooms, but pictures can’t do justice to your home for sale in Southern New Hampshire. 

To prepare your home for that first up-close viewing, here are 17 outside tasks:

   1. Power wash your siding and windows
   2. Fix broken siding
   3. Give the exterior a fresh coat of paint if it needs it
   4. Paint the door and trim
   5. Mow the lawn
   6. Trim bushes
   7. Remove oil spots from the driveway (for those of you w/ concrete)
   8. Pick up all tools, toys or trash in the yard
   9. Remove lawn ornaments
  10. Clear weeds from the walkway and driveway
  11. Plant seasonal flowers
  12. Rake leaves
  13. Clean roof and gutters
  14. Sweep the porch, walkway and driveway
  15. Clean fences
  16. Take photos of a garden if it comes up each spring, as well as the yard when it’s fresh and green
  17. Add tasteful landscape lighting if possible

Of course, not knowing what your specific home looks like, I can’t give a complete list, but these 17 items should get you off to a good start. Don’t forget that a few fall decorations can be the added touch that gets your home for sale in Southern NH sold to a new owner!

If you’re trying to sell your home and need more pointers, I can help. Call me at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Make Small Changes to Get Big Energy Savings at Your Southern New Hampshire Home

A survey conducted by “Money” magazine and Lowe’s found that out of 21 common projects, energy updates gave DIYers the most satisfaction, given the time and money.  Get some satisfaction this week by implementing one or two of these easy energy savers at your Southern New Hampshire home:

   1. Add dimmers: If every home in the U.S replaced two standard light switches with a dimmer, we could save $1.5 billion in electricity.

   2. Recycle rechargeable batteries, plastic bags and compact fluorescent lights (CFLs):  It’s as easy as taking them to your local Lowe’s Recycling Center.  Simply drop the items in the bins near the store’s entrance.

   3. Stop energy leaks:  Seal all holes and cracks in your Southern NH home.  Add weather stripping or caulk to leaky doors and windows.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates these changes can save you up to 20% on heating and cooling costs.

   4. Wrap up your water heater:  Cover your water heater with an insulating jacket.

   5. Install a programmable thermostat:  By lowering the temperature in your Southern New Hampshire home slightly while you’re at work or on vacation, the thermostat saves you up to $180 a year.

   6. Repair Leaky Toilets:  According to the EPA, a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water a day. Depending how much you’re charged for water, a leaky toilet could add as much as $400 a year to your water bill. Check for leaks by putting food coloring in the tank. If you have a leak, color will appear in the bowl within 15 minutes. Flush as soon as you're done with this test to avoid staining the bowl.

   7. Use a power strip:  Save electricity and more than $500 over five years by plugging devices with standby power, such as TVs and stereos, into a power strip. When not in use, you can turn them all off at once by turning off the power strip.

Saving energy not only helps the environment, it also lowers your expenses considerably.

Want to buy an energy-efficient Southern NH home?  I can help.  Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Southern New Hampshire Home Buyer News – Foreclosures Halted Nationwide?

Legality of Foreclosures Questioned

As a potential buyer of a Southern NH home, you may be looking at foreclosures as a way to get a good home at a great price. The Saga of the Housing Bubble continues, however, and it might just have you, the homebuyer, looking at regular housing with a more favorable eye.

In October, numerous mortgage services voluntarily suspended foreclosures nationwide, including Bank of America (which has already lifted the suspension in 23 states), J.P. Morgan Chase, Litton Loan Servicing and GMAC Mortgage/Ally Financial. The suspensions include pending foreclosures as well as foreclosure sales, as the mortgage lenders/servicers investigate flaws in their foreclosure processes. In short, there is concern that some amount of the foreclosure documents were improperly reviewed and improperly handled, which could potentially cause title issues for current owners.  For those of you wanting to buy a foreclosed Southern NH home through one of these companies, it may be a long wait.

A task force including representatives (mostly attorneys general) from all 50 states is investigating the mortgage foreclosure practices of several major lenders and has been working to arrange meetings with the lenders.  Thanks to nationwide, coordinated efforts of State Attorneys General, at least 17 of the states are probing all lenders’ foreclosure processes independently for accuracy with respect to state laws.

Depending on who you ask, this drama could take a very long time to unfold or it could be resolved quickly.  In general, the lenders don’t expect to find many problems because most foreclosures are believed legitimate. However, because each state has it's own foreclosure laws, national lenders must follow many variations of the foreclosure process, which naturally makes it easier for them to make mistakes.  Even if it only lasts for a few weeks, some buyers are left sitting with an offer on the table and no closing.

With the foreclosure processes being reviewed and many of the sales halted, buying a foreclosed Southern New Hampshire home may not be as ideal as you think – at least for a little while. Don’t give up hope on owning your own home, however. Instead, take a few minutes to look over the other homes for sale. Your dream home and great deal may not be a foreclosure after all!

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

Choosing Plants for a Fast Sale of Your Southern New Hampshire Home

Buyers look at more than just kitchen appliances and room sizes when deciding what home to purchase. Curb appeal, or the view of your Southern New Hampshire home from the street, is extremely important.

If you want your home to sell quickly, you need to put in some extra effort to make your home’s exterior look especially attractive. You can easily do this by improving your landscaping. Here are some tips for choosing plants for your Southern NH home that will help you to sell faster.

●    Stay close to home. Plants that are native to your area are always a safe choice for landscaping. They are adapted to your region, so you know they can survive there. They are also easier to take care of and better for the environment because they don’t require as much watering. This can be an important consideration if you are selling a vacant home.

●    Older is better. You can buy plants at varying stages of growth. Newer, smaller plants cost less and are easier to transplant; mature plants tend to have more foliage. Think about how they will look immediately after planting. You want to sell your home quickly, so you don’t want to wait around for your plants to grow.

●    Choose carefully. No matter what types of plants you choose, make sure you find plants with lots of color. You want your landscaping to look as attractive as possible. Choose plants that bloom often, form hedges, and are not high maintenance. The last thing you need right now is a plant that requires a lot of your attention.

Let me help you sell your home quickly.  Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.