Holiday Gifts for New Southern New Hampshire Home Owners

To find the perfect holiday gifts for new Southern New Hampshire home owners, consider gifts that will keep on giving efficiency, convenience and luxury for years to come. To help with your shopping, here’s my list of seven great holiday gifts for new Southern NH home owners:

1. Gift card to a local home store. This is the easiest gift to give, and often the most popular with home owners. It can help finance their bathroom remodel or purchase of a large item like a riding lawn mower or snowblower.

2. Fireproof safe or lockbox. A small fireproof safe is the perfect place to store important items such as mortgage papers, home owner’s insurance information and receipts for
home repairs.

3. Luxurious bath towels. You can never have too many big, thick bath towels. Consider getting them monogrammed if you want to do something a little extra special.

4. Green cleaning products. You can buy green cleaning products at just about any store. Or, you can make non-toxic cleaning products, put them in nice spray bottles and include the recipes so the home owners can make more when the bottles are empty.

5. Subscription to a home-related magazine. There are magazines about decorating, cooking, entertaining, and home repairs. Consider Family Handyman Magazine for those who want to learn the basics of home repair, Real Simple Magazine for those who love to organize, or Do It Yourself Magazine for, guess who, the do-it yourselfers.

6. Luxury showerhead. Give the gift of daily luxury with one of the spa-style showerheads. You can find showerheads that provide a wide variety of sensations from an energizing massage to a relaxing rain shower.

7. Your time. Create your own coupon offering a set number of hours of your time helping with home projects such as painting, mowing the lawn or, if you’re not handy, babysitting while the home owners work on a project.

If you’re a Southern New Hampshire home owner, you might want to give yourself one of these great gifts. If you don’t own a home, consider giving yourself the gift of home ownership. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com, and I’ll send you a list of homes for sale that meet your needs.

Myths about Buying Southern New Hampshire Real Estate for Sale by Owner

There are a few misconceptions about buying for sale by owner (FSBO) Southern New Hampshire real estate.

Myth 1: Sellers aren’t Serious

Some buyers think that the seller isn’t serious about selling the house, that they’re just testing the market. While this is true in some cases, most sellers are serious and will accept an offer that is close to the asking price.

Myth 2: There’s Something Wrong with the Home

Sometimes Southern New Hampshire real estate for sale by owner sits on the market for a while. Generally, it isn’t because there’s something terribly wrong with the house. It may be because the owner isn’t open to negotiations on the sale price. More often, it’s because the owner doesn’t have the experience marketing and showing homes to potential buyers that a real estate agent does. A typical owner isn’t likely to have the time to properly market the house. If there aren’t enough buyers looking at the house, it’s going to be harder to
get a good purchase offer.

Myth 3: Real Estate Agents can't Help

Some buyers believe that real estate agents can't help them negotiate the purchase of a FSBO. That's not true. If you find a FSBO you're interested in taking a closer look at, whether you find it because you drive by it or see it in an advertisement, let your Southern New Hampshire real estate agent know.  Real estate agents can represent your best interests when purchasing FSBOs, just like they do when purchasing homes
listed with a real estate agency.

If you're interested in buying a home, whether or not it's a FSBO, I'd like to help you. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Five Renovation Projects that Increase Your Southern New Hampshire Home’s Value

Whether you’re planning on selling soon or just want a comfortable home to live in now, here are five projects that increase your Southern New Hampshire home’s comfort and value:

   1. Uncover hardwood floors.  Is there a hardwood floor hiding under your Southern New Hampshire home’s carpet?  If you're not sure, pull up the carpet in an unnoticeable corner and investigate. If you find wood floors, you’ll probably need to refinish them, but that’s a lot less expensive than installing new hardwood flooring.

  2. Add ceiling fans.  Everyone likes to save money, and adding ceiling fans can reduce your electric bill considerably.  Central air conditioning costs about 70 times more to run than a ceiling fan.  In the summer, fans can make you feel 3 to 8 degrees cooler, allowing you to reduce the use of your A/C and still feel just as cool.   Use your ceiling fan in the winter too.  Just reverse the direction the blades rotate so the air flows up toward the ceiling, and keep the fan on low.  This circulates the warm air around the room without creating a chilly draft.

   3. Install a new bathroom floor.  Installation is typically the most expensive part of this home improvement, so if you can do it yourself, you’ll save quite a bit of money.  Choosing a neutral-colored tile adds the most value.

   4. Update bathroom and kitchen fixtures.  Replacing outdated or unattractive fixtures is a low-cost, high-impact renovation project.  In bathrooms, put in new spa-style showerheads and towel bars.  In both rooms, put in new light fixtures, sink faucets, switch plates, outlet covers, cabinet knobs and drawer handles.  Choose items in colors and finishes that appeal to a wide audience.

   5. Power wash your Southern New Hampshire home’s exterior.  Make your home look almost as good as new by power washing away the grime.  Clean the siding, driveway, walkways and patio.

Want more home-improvement ideas like these?  Subscribe to my blog.  It’s free and easy.

How to Go Green in Your Southern New Hampshire Home this Holiday Season

Start a new holiday tradition:  Give the environment a holiday gift this year by going green.  Here are six green traditions you can begin at your Southern New Hampshire home:

1.    Use LED lighting.  Save energy and protect the environment by using LED lights.  LED lighting is 90 to 95% more efficient than non-LED lights. 

2.    Decorate organically.  Use seasonal fruits as decoration, which you can eat afterwards, or are at least biodegradable. Pomegranates and oranges are good choices. Use organic holiday decorations such as grapevine wreaths, eucalyptus, fresh pine and pine cones.

3.    Give environmental gifts.  Help others go green by giving environmentally focused gifts.   People who brown bag lunch would enjoy a reusable lunch bag, homeowners could use energy-saving compact fluorescent lights or a compost bin, commuters might like a reusable travel coffee mug, and both women and men might appreciate a reusable razor.  For a truly green gift, consider donating to a charitable organization in that person's name. (Make sure it's one you know they would like supporting!)

4.    Wrap with cloth.  Fabric makes a beautiful presentation when used to wrap a gift.  The average bolt of cotton fabric is 42” to 45” wide, and many seasonal fabrics are very reasonably priced.  These decorative wraps can be used year after year.

5.    Recycle electronics.  Donate or recycle your old electronic components and dispose of batteries responsibly. 

6.    Buy a living tree.  Buy a living tree that will grow in your area and can be kept in a pot outdoors until your ground thaws.  Then plant the tree in your yard.  It’s a gift that keeps on giving! 

If implementing all six green traditions in your Southern New Hampshire home feels overwhelming, start with just one this year and add a new one each year.

I wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Holiday!

Closing Costs Defined: Lender Fees for Buying Southern New Hampshire Real Estate

The closing table can be a confusing place. You have what seems like mountains of paperwork pushed in front of you. You sign countless pages, often not completely understanding what is written. People often leave the closing on their Southern New Hampshire real estate wondering if anyone took advantage of them.

When you understand the meanings of the words that are included in the closing paperwork, you’ll feel more secure about what you’re signing.  To help you gain that knowledge, here are definitions for some of the most common lender fees included as part of closing costs when buying Southern New Hampshire real estate.

    * Appraisal Fee: This covers the cost of the appraiser who assesses the property’s value.

    * Credit Report: Lenders check your credit history before approving you for a mortgage. This covers the cost of your credit report. 

    * Discount Points: This fee lowers the interest rate on your loan. Each discount point costs 1% of your loan amount and reduces your interest rate for the life of your loan (usually by fractions of percentages).

    * Flood Certification:  This is the cost of the automated service that tells the lender whether or not the property is located in a flood plain.  If it is, it may require flood insurance.

    * Lender’s Inspection Fee: This fee usually applies to new construction. It covers the cost of inspections performed by the lender, but does not include pest inspections.

    * Mortgage Broker Fee: This fee covers any fees or commissions paid to the mortgage broker.

    * Mortgage Insurance Application Fee: Mortgage insurance protects the lender and pays a portion of your mortgage in case you die or default on your loan. This fee pays for mortgage insurance processing.

    * Processing Fee: The lender charges these fees to process and approve a mortgage.

    * Tax service fee: This fee covers the cost of the lender setting up your tax escrow and monitoring the payment of your property taxes.

Let me help you take the confusion out of closing costs. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@daveheeter.com for more information about lender fees for your Southern New Hampshire real estate.

Southern New Hampshire Real Estate: 4 Myths About Vacant Land

The Path Less Traveled

Purchasing land to build a home on is very different from buying a home within a Southern New Hampshire real estate development. In fact, vacant land can be downright scary to someone who’s never dealt with it. However, if you have strong ideas about what you want in a home and haven't seen anything to your liking in pre-existing construction, don’t let fear keep you from buying land.

Do your research and separate the truths from the myths.  To get you started, here are 4 common land myths debunked:

   1. It takes too long to build on. The truth is that you can build on your vacant land as soon as you’re ready. What can take time is getting the right building permits and fitting into your builder’s schedule. However, none of this has anything to do with the land itself. You can run into these delays if you build in a planned community.

   2. It has no value. You’re most likely not going to be able to flip a piece of vacant land like you could a home that you rehab. Yet, like any other type of Southern New Hampshire real estate, land generally goes up in value over time. If you add improvements to land, like septic and water systems or even a home, its value will go up even more.

   3. I have to pay cash for it. Although it may not be as easy for just anyone to get a bank loan for vacant land, it is possible. Even if you can’t get a bank loan for land, many land owners are more willing to offer owner financing or a lease to own arrangement so you can purchase it.

   4. It’s just too risky. Of course there’s a risk involved in buying vacant land, but it’s no different than any other real estate investment. There’s always a chance the Southern New Hampshire real estate market will shift and make it more difficult to sell. However, as long as you do your homework and buy land in a desirable area, it’s still a rather safe investment.

If you’re interested in buying land or learning more about it, give me a call today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.

Myths About Southern New Hampshire Real Estate Agents

Ask anyone about their experiences with Southern New Hampshire real estate agents, and you will no doubt hear a variety of responses. This is why there are so many myths about agents circulating. A good real estate agent is worth every penny you spend for their expertise. Let’s examine some popular myths about Southern New Hampshire real estate agents.

   1. They make too much money. The truth is that the median salary for real estate agents in 2009 was approximately $54,000. Agents have to pay business expenses such as broker’s fees, professional organization memberships and MLS listing fees.  One of their biggest expenses is marketing homes for sale for buyers and sellers like you. These expenses quickly add up and take away a large percentage of their commission.

   2. They won’t get you a good deal because they make a commission on the sale price. Yes, real estate commissions are based on a percentage of the sale price. However, the commission on a $185,000 home is $5550, while the commission on a $200,000 home is $6000. That’s a difference of $450, which is hardly worth creating a negative impression by getting you a bad deal.

   3. They say anything to make a sale. Professional Southern New Hampshire real estate agents work for you, and they want you to have a positive experience with them. After all, most of their business comes from referrals. They want you to be happy so you will tell your friends and family about their excellent service.

   4. They don’t do anything you can’t do on your own. The truth is that buying and selling real estate can be a complicated and time consuming process. Sure, on the buying side you can manage your own search and negotiations & inspections & financing while hiring a lawyer to help with the paperwork and on the selling side you can pay a one time fee to get your home listed in the mls with no further agent involvement and then read up on how to price, stage, and market your home as well as negotiate terms & conditions of a sale. However, professional Southern New Hampshire real estate agents are trained to do all these things and have experience at it. As a result, they’ll save you money, time and make your life less complicated throughout process.

Don’t underestimate the value of a professional real estate agent.

Let me help you save time and money when buying or selling your home. Call me today at 603-821-1134 or email me at Dave@DaveHeeter.com.