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Portsmouth, NH Real Estate News

By Jim Lee, REALTOR, CRS, ABR, Buying or Selling? Ann & Jim are the local experts
(RE/MAX Shoreline)
Navigating the world of real estate can be daunting, especially with the industry-specific jargon used by professionals. Whether you are looking to buy or sell a home, understanding common real estate terms is essential. As your dedicated real estate experts, we’re here to break down the most important terms you’ll encounter, ensuring you’re well-prepared for the journey ahead.  For Home Sellers 1. Listing Agreement: This is a contract between you, the homeowners, and a real estate agent (like us), authorizing the agent to represent you and sell your home. Let’s discuss how we can represent your interests.2. Asking Price: The initial price you set when your home is put on the market. It’s crucial to set a competitive asking price that reflects the current market conditions. We can provi...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
HOME WARRANTY......I can't remember the last time I had a buyer interested in buying a home warranty. It's like life insurance, if you die it's sure nice to have. Not all things or items are covered in the basic plan. One needs to read thoroughly that is covered and see if it's worth it to them. Home Warranty covers the repair or replacement of many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of home systems and appliances, but not necessarly the entire system. Like everything there are options. Many different plans from which to choose, some include service plans some don't. Some are seasonal and some are not. Make sure you speak to the company representative and ask questions before signing on the dotted line. The company I work with insists we put this in among all the other paperwor...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
Located at the edge of the Piscataqua River and across from Strawbery Banke Museum, Prescott Park was donated to the city of Portsmouth around the turn of the century by two sisters, Josie and Sarah Prescott. The popular waterfront park features extensive flower gardens, including large demonstration beds where many varieties of flowers are shown each summer. The park also is the site of one of New England's most popular outdoor summer events, the Prescott Park Arts Festival, which during July and part of August presents a musical and dozens of performances by musicians and theater groups. Since 1974 the festival has drawn more than 9 million visitors for productions from "Annie" to "The Wizard of Oz." Location: Marcy Street, Portsmouth, NH map Web site: Prescott Park Arts Festival Come...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
Home shopping is an emotional process dominated by gut reaction to visual stimuli.   Buyers go to real estate sites to look at photos   They enjoy looking at photos. Pretty pictures = joy.   The smallest detail in a photo (wall color, fireplace, flowers in a garden) can trigger a strong, even illogical conviction: “If I don’t see any trees, something’s wrong”.   Photos are the first thing participants look at and the most influential   Bad Photo Equals Bad House Participants feel few and/or poor quality photos mean “Don’t bother to look, move on, nothing to see here” The agent or seller is lazy, not trying very hard or hiding something There is nothing worth photographing; the house is ugly, dilapidated Something is wrong, start worrying This house isn’t ready to be shown or sold   GOOD...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
        Boston’s history stretches beyond the land to the sea. Boston has a wealth of maritime history – both past and present. Bostonians welcome crews and cadets from all over the world to their harbor on a continual basis as part of the Sail Massachusetts Visiting Ship Program and are gearing up to greet the return of the Tall Ship fleet for Sail Boston 2009!Known as America’s Walking City, Boston is home to many historic sites that date back to the American Revolution. Visitors to Boston are encouraged to stroll the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile red brick walking trail that passes sixteen nationally significant historic sites. The Freedom Trail begins at Boston Common and ends at Bunker Hill, near the Charlestown Navy Yard and the home of the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned s...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
Wordless Wednesday, hmmmm.....what can I say.  Well I'm not at a loss for words when it comes to the Grey rainy weather here in seacoast NH. Yikes...it's been terrible. Rainy and cool every day for the last 5 or 6 weeks now. The kids are all home on vacation and I'll bet every mother in NH is tearing their hair out with frustration. It's been sooooo rainy that the kids can't every play out in the yard. Then there are those people who have paid a pretty penny to rent ocean side cottages hoping the enjoy the seashore with sunny weather. Well, they are tearing their hair out as well. The meals tax has gone up and so has the tax on alcohol. Gosh darn, now  that's a bummer!! With only 18 mile of seacoast this summer (ha ha)the sales of shops, resturants. and  consession stands wiill be down ...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
Just read about  bankruptcies in NH ~ While some experts see the recession easing, there was no letup in the number of bankruptcies filed in June.Some bankruptcies were declared in New Hampshire – 412 households and 11 businesses -- 27 percent more than last June, and the most in that month since 1988. That brings the half-year total to 2,475, also a 27 percent increase over the previous first half of the year.If filings continue to come in at the same pace, that would mean nearly 5,000 New Hampshire households and businesses would have filed by the end of the year, more than any year on record, save when the bankruptcy law changed in 2005, which led to a rush of filings. What's the bankruptcy news in your neck of the woods? Please leave a comment.   Patricia Aulson/  Portsmouth nh real...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
The quick way to gain attention within your local area and go to the top on AR is with some friendly competition. Another person whom shall remain nameless is neck and neck with me all the time on AR. We constantly, I do mean constantly vie for the second and third spot at the top of our local area .  If I'm second one day she'll get right to posting a blog or two and then she jumps to the second place spot. From day to day, hour to hour we go up and down ~ second place, third place......second place, third place. It's friendly and competitive. It pushed me every day to blog whether I feel like it or not. It might be late in the evening and I'm on AR to see where "we are" on the roster!  Ha.....it's fun, it's competitive and it's non-stop. It sure has given me a reason to daily blog awa...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
What are the sellers thinking? I showed four homes this morning and two of them were very nice, not brand new but nicely maintained and priced right for the area and neighborhood they are in. One of the homes was beautifully maintained, immaculately clean and neat and nicely decorated. The interior was done in neutral colors and the bathrooms were tastefully updated. The rooms were generous in size and lots of windows which brought in the light. Nice size yard with pretty landscaping in and around the house set it off on the lot.This home was priced "right on." In fact it was priced low, lower than the three others that weren't as nice. The 4th home was situated on a very large lot, set back from the road so it afforded privacy and it was fenced in. Now it looked ok from the outside but...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
Realtors are given a "red card" which has the contact number and company that they are affiliated with. This red card serves as an alert to anyone that the circumstances and surroundings seem suspicious. The Realtor, when with someone they feel uncomfortable with simply passes this red card and hope that someone calls to alert the company of this. When I show a home alone I always have the prospective buyer go in first ahead of me and I keep a distance following. I am very aware of exits and make sure I'm aware of all doors that lead outside. I always make cell calls touching base with the secretary/admin at work, or anyone else you can reach by way of cell. If  they see you making calls they know your are in touch with people and may be a deterrent to foul play. I think it's always goo...
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By Sharon Tara, Retired New Hampshire Home Stager
(Sharon Tara Transformations)
Selling a house can be a stressful process.  Preparing a house for sale is a lot of work.  Living in a house for sale can be very inconvenient.  You may have to rearrange the furniture or even worse, move your favorite recliner to storage.  If you want to sell your house, here's the first question you need to answer:What's more important to you -  that you be comfortable in your favorite chair or that you sell quickly without having to reduce the price? I find it quite amusing when sellers take a firm stand, arms crossed, a look of defiance on their face, and refuse to remove the giant TV from the master bedroom  because they just can't give up watching  TV from their bed.  Or, they refuse to move the monster bag of dog food from the kitchen to the garage, because it would be too inconv...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
I live the "the Live Free or Die State" of NH.  You never know what the weather is going to be like. It can change on dime. It can be sunny one minute and rainy or snowy the next.  The expression we all use is, "if you don't like the weather just wait a minute it's change." Well I had an Open House and it rained all weekend long until this morning and it stopped for a bit and actually got a bit sunny for a short time.  The Open House was scheduled for 1:00 so I had great hope that the rain would hole off but it didn't.  It began to put as I got to the driveway of the house and continued all afternoon and unfortunately, no one showed up....NO ONE! Yikes was I upset.  I walked around the house for a bit and remembered my father telling me "when all you've got is lemons... make lemonade." ...
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By Sharon Tara, Retired New Hampshire Home Stager
(Sharon Tara Transformations)
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is more than a wonderful place to live, great place to shop, and fabulous place to dine...it's a seacoast city rich in culture and history...a great place to visit and vacation.In 2008 Portsmouth was named by Prevention Magazine as one of the Top 100 Walking Cities.  That same year, Portsmouth was added to the list of  "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" by the National Trust For Historic Preservation who called it "one of the most culturally rich destinations in the country with a stimulating mix of historic buildings, sidewalk cafes, great restaurants, art galleries, jazz clubs and distinctive artisans' boutiques."  For More Information: Beaches Fort StarkFort ConstitutionAlbacore MuseumPortsmouth Harbor LightStrawberry Banke MuseumThe Music HallPortsmouth Harb...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
Today I was in a house that had transformed a closet into a wonderful space for a build in desk, draws and a corner of it's own for a computer and the many things that go with it. When I asked the seller about it he went on to tell me that they didn't need the closet as such but needed a space for their computer. They had heard or seen where they could transform this into just the area they needed . It was easy to do and at a reasonable cost. If you aren't inclined to do this yourself it should be a huge expense  to have someone build it for you. I'm thinking of doing this in my home and will look into the cost and let you know.  It's amazing how people dream stuff up, now why didn't I think of this?!   Patricia Aulson   www.patricia4realestate.com  Hampton NH Real Estate - Portsmouth N...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
I have a love of Fairies and one day while searching for all things Fairy on the internet, I discovered Fairy Houses; little dwellings for your yard and gardens for your family fairies to reside in. Of course I was immediately taken with the little homes constructed of materials found in nature.  There are many wonderful books showing how to build these fairy houses and has little text, Just brief introductions to pictures here and there. The pictures themselves are enchanting. These little homes are so inviting any fairy would be happy to reside in one. There are houses built into trees, on the beach, in the water, snow and even in pumpkins and gourds. Some of the houses are intricate and have a lot of detail; others are wonderfully uncomplicated, but still appealing. There is a home f...
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By Sharon Tara, Retired New Hampshire Home Stager
(Sharon Tara Transformations)
If you are looking for a place to eat on the Seacoast, then Portsmouth is the place to go.Fine dining or casual...gourmet, organic, or sweet treats...Portsmouth has it all. For more information on the Portsmouth establishments featured in my video:BrazoCanine CupboardCeres Street BakeryDolphin StrikerDos Amigos BurritosLindt ChocolateMoe'sOld Ferry LandingPortsmouth BreweryPortsmouth Gaslight Co.The Rusty Hammer 
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
I Love What I do and it Shows! I'm amazed that most Realtors don't wear their pin that proudly says, I'm a Realtor. I can't remember the last time I saw someone with this pin on. It seems that most Realtors don't wear it on a routine basis. I wear mine however showing that yes I'm a Realtor, I love what I do and it shows! The other day I was at the bank when someone mentioned they saw the pin on my jacket and asked me about real estate in the town we were in .  I was happy to give him the information and also my business card. He went on to say that he was relocating from the south and was interested in looking at homes.  His wife will be up this way in a few weeks and they plan to start looking at homes then. I was quick to point out my personal website address and my cell number on m...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
      I have always loved the color purple/orchard or any variation thereof......It's my favorite color! Over the years I have enjoyed the Lavender sent of a room  spray air refresher that you can buy in different specialty shops.  When I buy flowers I'll wind up buying purple ones. Just the other day I read an article where  velvety lavender flowers act as a mood elevator and that old from the flower absorbs into your skin, in your bloodstream and winds up going to your brain telling you that everything is going to be alright. I have found flowers of any color to be delightful to have around the house,  both inside and out.   I love to garden and enjoy planting pretty plants and flowers about. After reading the article I am inspired to plant lavender flowers in my yard and reap the rew...
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By Matt Listro, Your Credit Repair Expert
(National Credit Fixers - Matt Listro)
New Hampshire Credit Repair National Credit Fixers: 330 Roberts Street 4th Floor East Hartford CT 06108 phone: 860-282-6181. National Credit Fixers boasts of 13 years experience repairing low FICO scores. Whether your credit has been damaged by a foreclosure, bankruptcy, slow credit, collections, judgments, repossessions, etc. we can help. We are the experts in credit restoration and credit repair. We have helped numerous residents of New Hampshire and are experts in New  Hampshire credit repair. Fixing a bad credit score is becoming increasingly important today. Getting any type of credit is getting harder and interest rates are becoming increasingly punitive for those with bad credit. The Basics Of Your Credit ScoreEveryone will calculate your credit score slightly differently, but th...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
I've been a Realtor for over two decades and things have sure changed.... I remember  the good old days when the market was strong we Realtors always gave great closing gifts to the buyers.   It's a nice gesture to show up to a closing with a gift for those that bought the house through you and perhaps you'll be remembered longer as a result of this gift. With the slow economy,  I'm wondering if most of you Realtors still give a closing gift and if so what is it?How much money do you spend on a gift? You don't need to be extravagant and in this market your pocket book may not permit the cost of an expensive gift.  Remember, it's the thought that counts and showing up to the closing with a gift package celebrating "the purchase of a new home" is always a great gesture. There are lots of ...
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By Patricia Aulson, Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes
(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate )
The good  news is ~ Yes, it has been approved by HUD The First Time Buyer's $8,000 tax credit, can be used toward the down payment......or the credit  can be applied to the closing costs. Sounds good but  I'm curious to know where the  "credit is coming from?" Who is giving it to the buyer and when? I checked around and talked with a mortgage person I know and this is how I understand it. Borrowers can use the tax credit towards the closing costs and expenses associated with buying the  home. The catch is that lenders are the ones who have to give the borrowers this money. Essentially they would be buying the tax credit from the borrower. At this point there are no lenders that are willing to do this.  So while banks can lend the borrowers the $8,000....at this point they are deciding o...
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