Real Estate Market Update for Portsmouth New Hampshire Condos - September 2008 Real estate is local, VERY local!  The condo market in Portsmouth NH can be very different than the condo market in Hampton or Exeter or Dover, etc.  Make sure, when making assessments about your local real estate market, that you talk to an agent who really knows your market and can provide you with accurate detailed information. Real estate is always one of the topics of conversation wherever we go, and who isn't interested in real estate and how markets are doing!  There's always someone looking to buy a home, sell a home, or they know someone thinking about buying or selling real estate of some sort. Homebuyers and home sellers in Portsmouth NH are no different, and I get asked about the New Hampshire rea... 10/26/2008

As you may guess, I receive many requests from friends and associates for referrals to professional trades and services - everything from painters to attorneys.  Because I've received these requests, and because I operate my own business by referral, I have compiled a Business Referral Directory that lists the finest individuals and companies serving our community.  You can check out this new directory anytime on my website, www.SeacoastHomesForYou.com.  I hope you enjoy this directory and if you or someone you know would like to be a part of it, please give me a call or drop me an email. Now let's take look at what is going on in the market locally... 28 homes sold in Portsmouth in September: - 17 single family homes, and - 10 condos, and -   1 mobile home.  Year-to-date, 217 homes hav... 10/20/2008

Rye, New Castle, North Hampton - Real Estate Market Report Updates for Sept 2008 The Seacoast areas of New Hampshire are really some of the prettiest towns you could want to live in.  And the towns of Rye, Newcastle, and North Hampton are no exception to that statement.  Our coastline here in NH is the smallest in America, and it's also among the most scenic as well.  Those of us who live here just love it, however small it is! Real estate in this area always has a constant demand because of our location, and not just because we're along the Atlantic Ocean.  We are in easy driving distance to Boston, Portland Maine, and Manchester NH - all less than an hour to get to.  The NH mountains for skiing and beautiful scenery are just an easy drive as well.  We have loads of great dining, shopp... 10/18/2008

The Seacoast city of Portsmouth, NH, takes Halloween seriously and I look forward to two events all year long.   There is a house on Middle Road, #292, you really should visit.To say they "decorate for Halloween" would be a massive understatement.  Each year the barn and surrounding area is spooked out to the max, each year a different theme, and each year I am left more amazed at the lengths one family will go to celebrate the holiday.  This haunted barn is open every night in October until 9pm.  It is FREE of charge and better than most you would pay to enter.  The attention to detail is amazing...  This year's theme is a Children's Home...Outside there is a cemetary to walk through and when you get to the end of the path...   Another DON'T MISS Halloween experience:The Portsmouth Hal... 10/14/2008

      We took a Sunday drive up the coast of New Hampshire and stopped in at the Pumpkin Patch to check out what they had to offer.     The signs indicated fresh homemade pies, baked goods, fall decorations, gourds of differing sizes and shapes and of course pumpkins. These are not just your usual pumpkins though - these pumpkins are grown and shipped to New Hampshire from the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. The proceeds from the sale of the pumpkins are split between the Portsmouth First United Methodist Church and the Navajo Indians. There are pumpkins of all sizes and shapes so bring the kids down to the Pumpkin Patch on 129 Miller Ave in Portsmouth, NH to choose one for each member of your family. I'm told that because the pumpkins are grown in  the dry New Mexico climate they last lo... 10/08/2008

Portsmouth NH Real Estate Market Update  - September 2008 Real estate is always one of the topics of conversation wherever we go, because who isn't interested in real estate and how markets are doing!  Someone is always looking to buy a home, sell a home, or they know someone thinking about buying or selling real estate of some sort. Home sellers and home buyers in Portsmouth NH are no different, and I get asked about the New Hampshire real estate market all the time.  I love real estate, and helping people buy and sell homes and condos, so I never tire of real estate conversations!   Here is how the real estate market here in Portsmouth did for the month of September 2008: We currently have 82 homes listed for sale through the Multiple Listing System (MLS), with the average asking pric... 10/07/2008

Over the years I have made my share of Halloween costumes and many of them have been pretty creative.There are plenty of great costumes available at the stores, but if you really want to make some memories, try making your own or making costumes for your kids.  It can be so much fun!  Animal costumes are always popular and youcan get a simple pattern that will enable you to make many different animals. Depending on the shape of the ears, type oftail and choice of fabric, one pattern can go along way. Years ago I created these costumes for mychildren to be The Three Bears, using mydaughter's Cabbage Patch Kid as Baby Bear.    The same pattern was used to make Bo Peep's lamb.   I was so happy with this half girl/half boy costume I made my daughter, that I decidedto make an adult version: ... 10/06/2008

Thinking about selling your home or condo in Portsmouth NH?   If so, this is a great season to help enhance the beauty of your home!  Fall colors and scents are glorious here in New Hampshire and Maine.  Embrace them and put them to use to help showcase your condo or home to potential Portsmouth homebuyers.  Fall here in the Seacoast is just gorgeous, and these tips will help you incorporate that beauty into your Portsmouth NH home to help potential buyers see that beauty as well! Some of these tips are common sense, and some add a really nice welcoming feeling to potential buyers and their agents, and they all offer homeowners easy things to think about doing if their home is for sale. --   "Curb Appeal" - never forget to think about those all-important 'first impressions'.  With the g... 10/05/2008

                             Portsmouth NH - Early Morning Views From the Sidewalks Around TownPortsmouth New Hampshire is such an awesome town to live in, and to visit as well.  We have all kinds of things to do here for everyone and we're a beautiful port city full of history.  Portsmouth was settled in 1623 after all, so it would be natural to have living history all around us here, and we do. Our neighborhoods are full of beautiful homes, both old and new, many with wonderful welcoming porches, and sidewalks to take you wherever you want.  Beautiful old trees line many of our streets, friendly greetings from residents, bright and colorful gardens everywhere you look - a fabulous place to call home. This morning I decided to go for an early morning walk.  The air was crisp and dry, t... 09/20/2008

Check this out...Save $1000 on Your Next Home Purchase! With rates dipping recently, housing prices low plus a $1,000 credit at closing, I can't think of a better reason to start looking for a new home or investment property.  If you have interest, let me know.  Or, if you know of someone who could use our services and a $1,000 credit, please pass this along.  Carol and I love referrals!! Now let's take look at what is going on in the market locally... 26 homes sold in Portsmouth in August: - 11 single family homes, and - 15 condos.  Year-to-date, 189 homes have sold in Portsmouth, NH: -85 single family homes -98 condos, and -  6 mobile homes In addition, 7 Portsmouth homes went pending with active contracts in August. For more real estate information, check out my website www.SeacoastH... 09/17/2008

Dryer fires account for over $9,000 in damage to residential buildings annually. For every 1,000 residential dryer fires, there are an average of 33 injuries and 1.2 deaths. Dryer fires peak during the winter months of November through March and occur most commonly between the hours of noon and nine in the evening. Failure to properly maintain dryer vents is the leading cause of dryer fires. Other causes of dryer fires include improper venting material, storage of combustible material near the dryer and mechanical or electrical problems.    To ensure safety in the home and to prevent clothes dryer fires, consumers should take the following actions:    •·         Keep a working fire extinguisher, designed for use in the laundry area •·         Test smoke detectors periodically, replacing... 09/09/2008

Whist! Whist? What is Whist? Whist is a card game. Every Wednesday night at 6:30pm at the Moose Hall in Portsmouth they have a Whist Card Party. It is set up in a round robin fashion. You buy into the game for a whopping $2. After every hand you move down one seat and play with new partners. After 10 hands everyone breaks for snacks. Some of the best brownies around, I am telling you! Everyone brings a small treat to share and coffee/water is provided. Then we play another ten hands. At the end of the night the winner is the one with the most tricks. Tricks? Yup. Here is a basic overview of the game. Derived from a older game called Ruff and Honours it was widely played in the 18th and 19th centuries. Similar in play to bridge but it moves faster. The classic game is a plain trick game ... 08/28/2008

Although, the housing market has slowed, Housing Predictor, an independent real estate market forecaster says that the next 12 months will be the best time to invest in the U.S. housing market.  I know what you're thinking...just another real estate agent telling me to get into the market.  BUT, veteran real estate investors know that when it looks bad, that is the time to pull the trigger and buy real estate to have the highest probability of making top profits.  With this said I'm hoping you can do me a favor...if you hear of someone who might like to take advantage of this market, would you give me a call or send me an email?  I'd be happy to follow up and take great care of any of your friends or family interested in taking advantage of this market. Now let's take look at what is go... 08/17/2008

Clothes dryers with venting problems are a leading cause of house fires costing millions of dollars annually    Concord, NH--Clothes dryers are a wonderful invention, but they do require maintenance to assure safety in homes.  The National Fire Prevention Administration reports over 15,000 fires annually, costing millions of dollars, many injuries and loss of lives.  Consumers in New Hampshire have been emailing DVW to thank them for their advice and safety tips offered on their website.   Dryer Vent Wizard advises proper maintenance and installation; dryer vents should be as short as possible and contain few bends and turn which can inhibit venting and cause lint to build up and clog the vent.  Dryer Vent Wizard does not advise use of sheet metal screws when attaching multiple sections... 07/29/2008

Summer is here!  And, this is always a busy time for real estate because who really wants to move when snow is falling right?!  Let's see how the Portsmouth real estate market has fared over the last month:  33 homes sold in Portsmouth in June: - 19 single family homes, - 13 condos, and -   1 mobile home.  Year-to-date, 134 homes have sold in Portsmouth, NH: -60 single family homes -70 condos, and -  4 mobile homes In addition, 16 Portsmouth homes went pending with active contracts in June. I have also listed a couple of properties you might be interested in this month.  Just click on the links below for more information. **22 Muirfield Drive in Stratham, NH--a stunning 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath colonial priced at $649,900. **287 Austin Street in Portsmouth, NH--a charming English "cottage" h... 07/15/2008

Living on the Seacoast one of the best things to do is be a tourist in your own backyard. Walking is one of my all time favorite activities. I am blessed to have lived in downtown Portsmouth for 20 years. Portsmouth is the ultimate walking town on the Seacoast. From my current home I can walk to the office, church, the library, dozens of restaurants, 2 theaters, Prescott Park, Hannaford's Supermarket and 2 pharmacies. There is never a dull moment living in Portsmouth. On any given nght you can find live music, dancing, buskers on the street, fishing off the piers, darts, pool, movies, book groups and more. My all time favorite walk is, of course the Downtown Loop. Coming in on State Street by the John Paul Jones House and the Rockingham Hotel go all the way down to the end - to the righ... 07/07/2008

Well, let's take a look at the numbers to see what has been happening in Portsmouth for single family and condominium sales: 2008 Q2 Total Sales 74 - Average Sale Price $351,409 - DOM 121 2007 Q2 Total Sales 106 - Average Sale Price $336,922 - DOM 133 The obvious is not as many homes sold this year compared to last year. Our total units sold is down 30.18% but lo and behold our sales price is up by 4.19% and days on market have reduced by 12 days or 9%. 2008 January 1-June 30 Total Sales 143 - Average Sale Price $337,129 - DOM 120 2007 January 1-June 30 Total Sales 167 - Average Sale Price $330,577 - DOM 122 So, overall Portsmouth is not doing badly at all. Our total units sold is down by 15% but our home values are holding steady and even rising by 1.9%. Now is a great time to invest i... 07/02/2008

An important thing to keep in mind when it comes to real estate is that each and every town is different.  Depending on where you are in the country, one town can be thriving and the next town over can be in a slump.  This can also be true for large cities-certain sections of a city can be desirable...others not so much.  Please keep this in mind when you listen to the news.  Reporters are often giving you statewide or national market data and your home town is not the "national market".  With that said, let's see what's been going on in the Portsmouth real estate market. 14 homes sold in Portsmouth in May: -9 single family homes, and -5 condos.  Year-to-date, 101 homes have sold in Portsmouth, NH: -41 single family homes -57 condos, and -3 mobile homes In addition, 11 Portsmouth homes ... 06/15/2008

Portsmouth New Hampshire - Saturday June 14th Fun and Celebration! Do some shopping and then some celebrating - this Saturday in Portsmouth NH, you get the opportunity to do a little shopping on your way into one of Portsmouth's largest, and longest-running celebrations.  Saturday June 14th - mark your calendars!  All day long - what a day full of fun you'll have!Who doesn't love a great multi-family yard sale??  Check this one out at:520 Sagamore Avenue in Portsmouth NH - 8:00am to 12 noonLoads of fun stuff:  15 year Playboy Magazine collection, antique wooden trunks, artwork,  collectibles, great variety of books, household goods, electric stove, loads of baskets, and more......  Stop by on your way into the fabulous Portsmouth celebration of Market Square Day!  This is the 31st year ... 06/12/2008

Living here in Portsmouth NH is really terrific!  We live along the beautiful 17 mile coast of the Atlantic Oceen, we have bodies of water all around us, our great highways can get us into Boston or Portland Maine in under an hour, the mountains are a quick drive away, and we have all kinds of things to do right here in the "Port City" of Portsmouth! One of the things that the local residents and visitors alike love is our park along the waterfront - Prescott Park.  The flowers and plants here are simply beyond description, and must be seen in person to fully appreciate just how beautiful they are.  What a gorgeous place to while away the time with friends and family, or simply for some time by yourself among wonderful surroundings. Another part of Prescott Park is the outdoor theater ... 06/01/2008