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Keene, NH Real Estate News

By Kim Brown, Keene, NH - New England at its Best!
(Keller Williams Realty)
Even chickens know that the place to get all the latest gossip is around the watercooler...     Since I don't speak "chicken", I have no idea what or who they're talking about.  Which is probably for the best...Who wants to be known as a gossipy old hen? Have a fun and relaxing Labor Day Weekend, everyone!  
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By Kim Brown, Keene, NH - New England at its Best!
(Keller Williams Realty)
I love the discount corner at my local grocery store.  Yours probably has one, too...usually hidden at the back of the store, you can find some shelves tucked into an out-of-the-way corner stocked with all kinds of things that have been discontinued, have damaged packaging or simply weren't selling, and they're typically marked way below their suggested retail price in order to get them sold.  On my last trip I scored big time!  One-pound packages of imported pasta from Italy:  50 cents each. (MSRP:  $4 each) Here at Chez Brown we go through a lot of pasta.  It's quick and easy, and, good mother that I am, I've made sure that everyone in the family is an accomplished water boiler.  At 50 cents/pound, I couldn't resist.  I bought 10 of them. Would I have paid the manufacturer's suggested...
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By Kim Brown, Keene, NH - New England at its Best!
(Keller Williams Realty)
After reading a post by Lisa Hill, Does Your "Professional" Photo Look Like A Facebook Picture?  I really started thinking about it. I see all manner of profile pictures in my social media travels...logos, avatars, casual shots, glamour shots...you name it...and as I read the post, I began to wonder whether or not my profile picture (which also happens to be my personal Facebook profile picture) might be considered unprofessional. I have a business page on Facebook, complete with my "professional" head-shot.  The very same shot that I use on my business cards and on our business website.  And I hate it.  Oh, it's not necessarily a bad picture...actually, it's pretty good.  My age has apparently diminished, and the zit that had, predictably, chosen that morning to put in an undeniable ap...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Pricing Your Home to Sell was an outstanding DVD I purchased years ago to help my sellers and I have the sometimes difficult conversation around pricing their home. I'd either leave the DVD with them to watch, or refer to it as I worked on objection handling during times when the truths about the market were less than what they wanted to hear. I'm selling this DVD on Amazon used as I no longer need to use it. If anyone is interested it could be a great help to your sellers.   University Wealth : 21 Success Secrets to Buy and Manage Student Rental Property was another great read I purchased when I wanted to learn more about what investors needed to consider when making their purchases.  Living near Keene State College and selling real estate within a college town makes this a great locat...
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By Kim Brown, Keene, NH - New England at its Best!
(Keller Williams Realty)
  JULY 2010 MARKET REPORT FOR CHESHIRE COUNTY, NH The July Real Estate Stats are in! Below you will find Real Estate Market statistics for July 2010, for Cheshire County, NH, broken down into four categories:  Residential, Condo, Manufactured (mobile homes) and All Properties. Sellers will be encouraged to see that the average days on market for Residential properties from January through July 2010 are reduced by 13 days compared to the same time period of 2009, and the average days on market for condominiums has dropped a whopping 57 days during the same time period.  That's a reduction of 9.03% and 22.8%, respectively.  Although the median sales price for residential listings dipped by 3.85%, the median sales price for condominiums increased by 23.05%, Year-to-Date. If you would like ...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
During the past couple of years I've noticed an increase in my business representing single women who buy a home on their own.  These women are brave and strong, dedicated to taking control of their lives and making it work for them.  They take the time to become educated and learn as much as they can not only about the process of buying a home but about the necessities that come from home ownership. I recommend to them they attend a homebuying workshop in Keene through Cheshire Housing Trust. The two day workshops are free and not given every month, but maybe every 2 or 3 months. For some buyers purchasing through USDA's Rural Development, attending this workshop is a requirement. For others it is an added value and absolutely educational experience. A single homebuyer managing not onl...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
I'm not sure if I want to sell and buy right now.  Where do I begin? Contacting a REALTOR is an important step toward answering this question for yourself. I just spoke with a woman today who needs to arrive at an answer to this very question.  Without additional information, she is unable to go further. My conversation with her led to my discovery of the following things: 1. She needs to see what's out there and look at a couple of listings in various price ranges to determine which one she will be searching in.  Is her criteria going to put her above what she's qualified to pay for the house? 2. What is she qualified to pay for a house, and what amount per month is she comfortable paying on a mortgage? 3. Does she have any money down and where is this coming from? If it is dependent u...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
This year's real estate sales statistics are hard to compare to those from 2009. With the tax incentives offered to home buyers, the number of closed transactions in the Cheshire County, NH region increased for the month of June. Below are comparisons between single family residential sales for the month of June during 2009 and 2010 taken from Nneren.                                             2009                              2010 Number of properties sold     69                                  93 Average days on market      140                                 142 Median days on market        90                                   80 Average selling price            $188,000                        $197,000 Median selling price             $165,000                        $158,000   I wo...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
I haven't written a blog in months. I've been partially distracted, partially re-prioritizing my career agenda and partially plain ole' busy!   My client load has been very buyer heavy this year as I wallow through the loan options process with several of them.  I've found more people qualifying for the Direct Rural Development loan program offered here in NH through Brian Ritchie.  They offer new construction loans, simple rehab loans and loans for new mobile homes on their own land.  The direct RD loan is subsidized, offering the buyer 1% interest rate! When a buyer comes to me and says they only qualified for $120K through FHA, they seem to be an ideal candidate for this Direct RD loan.  Oftentimes they end up qualifying up to $150K+/-! It's completely impressive. The phones have bee...
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By Kim Brown, Keene, NH - New England at its Best!
(Keller Williams Realty)
Most of us are familiar with this common bedtime rhyme: Good night...sleep tight!  Don't let the bed bugs bite! Apparently, a bed bug infestation can happen anywhere...in luxury hotels, apartment buildings, college dorms or homes.  Housekeeping, or lack of it, has little to do with a bed bug's chosen place of residence.  They're not picky, as long as there are humans or other warm-blooded animals to provide them with their sustenance. These uninvited guests bite their host, feed on their blood, and leave their hapless victim itchy as all get-out. According to a recent article in The New York Times, this resurgence (or perhaps it's just renewed awareness?) of the pests has not only brought additional business to exterminators, but has also led to a new business niche for (wo)man's best f...
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After months, or even years, of working toward your goal of buying a home in Keene or the surrounding towns of Cheshire County, NH, the time has come!   You've sacrificed and saved, carefully built and maintained your credit and collected countless recipes for budget-friendly meals built around ramen noodles.   At last, you are ready to begin the process... Being the financially responsible person that you are, you've already researched and discussed various loan products with a mortgage professional.  You've kept abreast of current interest rates, down payment requirements, etc. and are finally ready to reap the reward of your careful planning and preparation. While your favorite real estate pro is working on compiling a list of potential properties that meet your needs, you sit down w...
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By Fred Doleac, Real Estate in a Virtual World
(Fred Doleac - Bean Group)
Keene, New Hampshire Foreclosures, Short Sales and Bank Owned Real Estate Purchasing property at a Keene NH foreclosure auction has many risks to a potential buyer and in most cases the bank will bid and take possession of the property at the auction. The property is then referred to as bank owned, REO (real estate owned) or foreclosed property. A home owner may attempt a "short sale" whereby the bank agrees to accept less than the mortgage balance based on the owner's hardship and financial status. Obtaining approval can be a long and difficult process. Additionally, there is no assurance that the lender will accept an offer at or above the listed price. Register at Keene NH foreclosures (bank-owned) listings and short sale opportunities. We will contact you and provide: A list of exis...
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By Jeannette Duhaime
(Beaman Real Estate)
Homes For Sale in Keene, NH number 84 on this 10th day of February, 2010.  Contact Jeannette Duhaime at The Beaman Group if you are interested in homes for sale in Keene, NH. Check out my home buying tips.
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Traditionally, my real estate business takes a bit of a shift during the winter months when some sellers decide to take their homes off the market, while only the most serious buyers are shopping for real estate.  Come February, March- early spring, I begin to see an upswing in calls from buyers and potential sellers then, in one week (usually a nice, spring-like, warm sunny week) the light bulb turns on and I see an influx in buyers buying and sellers wanting to list... Traditionally. This year, however, I've seen the buyer market follow very closely the tax credit incentive offered by the government.  My stream of buyers shopping under $200K remains very steady and homes continue to sell in this price range. There has been a slight drop in inventory this year, though still a seller's ...
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By Jeannette Duhaime
(Beaman Real Estate)
What's happening in Keene, NH, you ask? Real Estate is happening in Keene, NH! Check out Beaman Real Estate's Website to peruse all of the homes for sale in Keene, NH. Downtown Keene, NH is a happening place, be sure to attend the Keene Ice and Snow Festival on February 6th.
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Contrary to what you may think, no I did not take a vacation to attend more social media workshops...I took a vacation from social media! Sometimes to see the value of something, I might remove myself from it to reassess how I wish to utilize it.  The changes I will make will be deliberate and intentional, after determining what it is I want to continue with my social media use, and what exactly I can live without. Back a few weeks ago when I wrote my blog about "I will not make the Meatballs" I was going through a period of feeling inundated with some of the roles I had chosen for myself.  Every once in a while, like cleaning out a closet or file cabinet, it's time to clean out the superfluous duties we've taken on. That's just what I did. On the other end I saw a light, so to speak! N...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Upcoming Open Houses for Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group Keene office are as follow: 1/16/2010   39 Prescott Street, Keene- 11:00-12:30 26 Red Oak Drive, Keene- 12:00-1:30 17 Union Street, Keene- 10:00-11:30 48 South Grove Street, Swanzey- 11:00-1:00 84 Kendall Rd, Keene- 3:00-4:30 19 Iceland Circle, Keene- 1:00-2:30 28 Owens Drive, Swanzey- 10:00-12:00   1/17/2010   28 Owens Drive, Swanzey- 11:00-1:00   To schedule a showing on a listing, please do not hesitate to reach me.  
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By Kim Brown, Keene, NH - New England at its Best!
(Keller Williams Realty)
If you're a first-time homebuyer ready to take the plunge, this is information you need to know to determine whether or not you qualify for up to $8,000 in tax credits. Regardless of how frigid it is outside at the moment, April 30 is closer than you think (110 days and counting...)  Everything you ever wanted to know about the First-Time Homebuyer Credit directly from the IRS can be found here!   Provided you meet the income and eligibility guidelines, you may be able to claim an $8,000 credit on your 2010 Federal Income Tax Return. $8,000 can buy you a lot of paint, furniture, window treatments...whatever it is you need to make your new house a home...but you must have a purchase & sales agreement in place before May 1, 2010 and you must close before July 1, 2010 in order to take adva...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
I have recently spoken with several new potential sellers who will be requesting a short sale from their lenders. Just when we think things are improving, there are people who have worked so hard to hang on to everything they've got for the hope that their situation will improve soon. For many, it did. For these folks, it did not. I have worked with several short sale clients during the past 2 years. It's always a sad story and I have to do the best I can to help them get a fresh start. I see them when they are are "rock bottom" and my heart goes out to them. Some people I can help, while others I can not. Of the sellers who are the best candidates for a short sale, I've found that their ability to work with me and their bank in a consistent and stable manner is key to making this work....
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
There comes a time when a working mom has to sit back and take a good hard look at her values for herself professionally, personally and for her family.  This week has become my moment. It's a hard earned moment, one that one comes during times when change occurs. This is a period of likely change for me and for my family and I announce officially today that, "I will not make the meatballs any longer!" For me, coming home from work and cooking everything fresh was a way to relax from my busy work day. I enjoyed, and still do, creating new recipes and watching my family devour my meals. Though they did not always react the way I wished, it was self rewarding for me to eat well and fresh meals. How does this relate to real estate? With two children, dual careers and a persistent tug from ...
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