Is Buying a Southern New Hampshire Home for Sale Ever Going to Be a Good Move?

If you’ve thought about buying a Southern New Hampshire home for sale, you may be wondering, “Is it ever going to be a good idea?” I understand; there’s an endless stream of media pouring out bad housing news. It’s discouraging to say the least if you’re a homebuyer or a home seller.

Yet, the problem with the news from the home buying standpoint is that it focuses on profit. The media says, “You can’t make a profit from buying a home.” They talk about prices dropping and more homes hitting the market, among other things. What they miss, however, are the real reasons most people buy a Southern New Hampshire home for sale.

It’s your home. Period.
You can do what you want with it. You don’t have to worry about whether painting a mural on the wall will get you an increase in rent. You don’t have to deal with the noisy people who just moved into the apartment above you, who obviously brought a zoo because something’s pounding on your ceiling all the time. You can paint the walls black and nobody can say “Boo” about it, because it’s your home.

Fixed-rate mortgages stay put.
Unlike rent, which can go up and up and up, fixed-rate mortgage loans stay the same. They work exactly like they sound; the rate you start at when you buy your Southern New Hampshire home for sale is the rate you end at when you finish paying off your mortgage.

You can eventually stop paying out.
Rent will always be owed. At no time in the future will your landlord say, “You’ve paid enough rent. You don’t have to pay anymore.” Mortgages, however, will eventually be paid off. Therefore, while renters pay for 15 years and then must continue to pay, homeowners who have a 15-year mortgage can pay for 15 years and then stop.

It’s your castle.

Nobody owns it but you. There’s a certain pride to owning a home that far outweighs profit. The excitement from making a profit, however small or large, is a fleeting, momentary thing. When you buy a Southern New Hampshire home for sale, you’re buying a castle – a safe haven where you can get away from the world; a place where you can relax and be comfortable.

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

Step by Step Plan to Spruce-Up the Garage in Your Southern NH Home

De-cluttering your Southern New Hampshire home is an important part of preparing it for sale. Buyers want to be able to imagine themselves and their belongings inside your home. However, this idea isn’t limited to the inside of your home. It also applies to your garage.

Cluttered, over-crowded garages turn buyers away. Fortunately, sprucing up your garage is easier than you think. Here are some tips to get you started.

   1. Start with a list. If you’re like most people, you probably don’t even know what’s inside your garage. Take a pencil and paper and walk through your garage, writing down everything you see. You don’t need a detailed list. For example, screws, bolts, and nails can be listed together as hardware.

   2. Reduce the list. Cleaning your garage means getting rid of anything you no longer need or want. Just like inside your Southern NH home, the general rule is that you can toss any item you haven’t used in 1 year. If you don’t use it, it’s only taking up space. Give it away, trash it, or recycle it.

   3. Group related items. It just makes sense to store items together. If all your camping supplies are stored in one place, you won’t waste time anymore looking for them. Place each item on your list in a group, like painting supplies, home repairs, winter blankets, etc.

   4. Create zones. Decide what you want to do with your garage. If you want to park a car inside, designate a parking zone and don’t let anything but your car in that zone. Choose a work area where you can place a workbench or household projects. Garage storage zones should be at different heights throughout the garage.

   5. Give it some personality. Once your garage is organized and clean, make it more attractive with some decorative touches. Paint the garage floor. Decorate it with an automotive theme. Upgrade to an automatic garage door.

With a little work, your Southern NH home will be ready to sell in no time. Let me help you prepare your home to sell. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Helping Your Southern New Hampshire Real Estate Agent Get You into a New Home

Confident buyers

Buying a home is often considered one of the most stressful things you will do in your life.  Unless you're a seasoned real estate investor, you will most likely experience home buyer stress.

You can help your Southern New Hampshire real estate agent find you a home and successfully close the deal if you are as prepared and knowledgeable as possible. Here are a few tips to help you be ready and make your transition as painless and stress free as possible.

Have all of your financial records in order. This includes:

·    Income records: You usually need two recent pay stubs. If you are self-employed, it will get trickier.  Want to be even more prepared?  Get pre-approved for your mortgage.

·    A clean credit report: Make use of those free credit reports and check for errors, outstanding debts, and a high debt-to-income ratio.  If you find any errors, it's worth your time to get them fixed prior to applying for a loan or searching for a home.

·    Know what you want: As unusual as that seems, not knowing specifically what you need and want in a new home can prolong the search and have you and your agent running in circles trying to find the right home. Price is only one of the considerations. Know how many bathrooms and bedrooms you need. If there are specific amenities you desire, let them be known.  Don't wait until you've traveled all over the countryside looking at homes to tell your Southern NH real estate agent you absolutely must have a sunken tub.

Read up on everything you can find that will help you understand the options available to you and what you need to get financing and you will be your own best asset in finding the perfect home. Making your Southern New Hampshire real estate agent work smarter, not harder, is the way to a beneficial arrangement for you both.

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

3 Things You Shouldn’t Say No To With a Home for Sale in Southern New Hampshire

The point of having your Southern New Hampshire home up for sale is to… well, sell it, isn’t it? I mean, it makes logical sense, right? Yet, too often, home sellers seem to think that selling is as easy as “hire agent, put sign in front, sold.”

This attitude, especially in a slow real estate market, has left many a seller empty-handed. They say “no” when they should have said “yes.” They have all these reasons why they won’t “A, B or C,” rather than just doing “A, B or C” for their home for sale in Southern New Hampshire.

What am I talking about? Well, here are just a few of those “don’t say no” things:

Buyer Incentives
Listen – a slow market or not, you do have competition. What does this mean? You may have the best house on the block, but if your neighbor’s house has higher perceived value, yours will be left sitting there.

By offering buyer incentives such as a home warranty plan, pre-paid homeowner association fees or credit toward the closing costs, you’re giving the buyer more perceived value. Let’s face it; buyers want the best bang for their buck.

Home Showings
When an agent calls and asks if they can show your home, say YES!  It doesn’t matter if they want to show it in five minutes or five hours, your answer should be yes.  If your home doesn’t get seen, it won’t get sold.  That person you said “no” to might have been your ideal buyer.

Virtual Tours
Buyers like to be able to view a potential home online first. The best way for them to do this is with a virtual real estate tour, looking at the home with a 360-degree view. Because this is such a quickly growing trend (some buyers ignore listings without them), you can’t afford to pass it up.

If you have a home for sale in Southern New Hampshire and it’s been on the market for a while, you may have said “no” to too many things. Take some time to look at what you can do to market your home better. These pointers may very well make all the difference!

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

3 Tips for Buying an Eco-friendly Home for Sale in Southern New Hampshire

Buyers are becoming more concerned about their personal environment, from eco-friendly carpeting to energy efficient appliances. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly home for sale in Southern NH, but aren’t sure how to find it, here are a few tips on what to look for:

   1. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) – Although the number is growing, only a few builders are employing eco-friendly practices during construction. However, those that do can qualify for the EPA Indoor airPlus designation. These homes are designed for better IAQ, which means a healthier home for you. Rest assured, if a builder meets this designation they’ll tell you about it. However, just in case – ask!

   2. Energy Efficient – If it qualifies for the EPA Indoor airPlus designation, the Southern New Hampshire new construction will also be energy efficient. However, if you’re not looking at a newly built home, look for those homes that are Energy Star efficient. According to the Energy Star website, “These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.”

   3. Eco-friendly – Energy Star and EPA qualifications aside, you can also find homes in which the seller has made eco-friendly changes that will help you even though they may not meet the guidelines for qualifications. For instance, solar paneling, wind turbines and geothermal heating aren’t covered by the EPA or Energy Star qualifications by themselves, but they’re eco-friendly and can lower your utilities.

An eco-friendly home for sale in Southern New Hampshire may be hard to find, but the numbers are growing. If you’re looking for an environmentally friendly home, I can help. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Big Kitchens Becoming Bigger Selling Points for Southern NH Homes

If your Southern NH home for sale has a big kitchen and you haven’t already marketed this feature, it may benefit you to do so, thanks to a recently noted trend.

With the wobbly economy, the national unemployment rate is still sitting above 9%.  (New Hampshire's unemployment rate was only 5.7% in August.) Many young adults just out of college are having trouble finding jobs. In fact, the age group hardest hit seems to be between 16 and 24. As well, there are a number of people without homes due to foreclosure. How are Americans weathering the economic fallout? Many are doing so by consolidating multiple generations into one home.

2 Things That May Change How You Market Your Southern New Hampshire Home for Sale
A Pew Research Center study on living conditions and an Associated Press - iVillage poll on dinner habits may change how you market your home.

The Pew study, based on information gained from the Census, shows that over 16% of U.S. households had multiple generations living together by 2008. Although the results of 2009 and 2010 aren’t in yet, you can assume with reasonable surety that this trend continues to rise.

The iVillage telephone survey shows that over 60% of families – no matter how big or small – still eat together. Granted, dinner may be full of texting, phone calls and TV, but it’s also full of home cooked meals most of the time.

What does this mean for you and your home?
A larger family in one household, eating home cooked meals together, equals the need for a bigger kitchen. According to several surveys through the years, dinnertime is one tradition that’s held on – despite both parents working. Also, keep in mind that the cost of eating out may have many more people eating at home.

Lastly, buying bulk food, which also needs bigger kitchens, is fast becoming another trend. According to the Bulk is Green Council, bulk buying is one of the biggest money-saving trends for this year.

The next potential buyer may just be looking for a big kitchen. If you have one, it may be the number one benefit of your home. Don’t sell it short. Make sure the large kitchen and/or dining area is highlighted in the marketing material for your Southern New Hampshire home for sale. With the above-mentioned trends, big kitchens are – well, big!

If you’re looking for a home with enough room to make and sit down to a home-cooked meal, I can help. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information.

Southern New Hampshire Home Inspection: What it Covers

The home buying process isn’t complete without a home inspection. Your real estate agent will mention it. The lender will ask about it. Even your closer will make sure the Southern New Hampshire home you’re purchasing had an inspection.

Home inspections are important. No matter how much you trust the seller, there are some things you need to know about your Southern NH home before you purchase it.  While you’re not required to attend the inspection, it’s an excellent idea to do so.

So you’ll know what to expect, here are the basics that a typical home inspection covers:

    * Appliances. You will know if the appliances are in working order.

    * Electrical. The inspector makes sure the main panel, circuit breakers, lights, and outlets are working.

    * Exterior. An inspector looks for defects on the outside of the home, like problems with the wall covering, landscaping, trim, and exterior electrical outlets.

    * Garage. You don’t have to worry about what the garage is hiding. You will know if the slab, walls, vents, and entries have any problems that need to be addressed.
 
    * Home structure. The inspector checks the foundation, ceilings, floors, roof, and wall construction for any defects and will alert you to any issues requiring the advice of a structural engineer.

    * Plumbing inspection. Although inspectors do not check sewer systems, they can tell you if you need to do any work to toilets, showers, sinks, and faucets.

    * Roof and attic. The roof inspection is not a guarantee of its condition, but you will know what type of roof you have and what condition the roof covering, flashing, vents, and gutters are in.

    * Systems. They will also check the effectiveness of your air conditioner, duct work, fireplace, and heating system.

A quality home inspector will look at every nook and cranny to gauge structure stability, present and potential dangers. But remember, a home inspection is not a guarantee or a warranty - it may not find everything.

No house is perfect, so you should expect your inspector to find some issues with the Southern New Hampshire home.  If significant problems are discovered, you can ask the seller to repair them, reduce the sale price or you can even back out of the deal without consequences, as long as your contract includes this contingency.

Let me help you find the right home for you. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com for more information about home buying.