Archive for the 'Housing Solutions' Category

The Upper Valley has been featured in numerous publications about being a great place to live.  If you want tocheck things out for yourself you should move here and have Housing Solutions help but if you need a little convincing here are a few links.

In 2007 Money Magazine ranked Hanover #2 (here) in the Best Places to Live in America. Hanover made the list again in 2009 coming in at #50 (here).  Most recently Hanover came in at #2 on Money Magazines 25 Best Places to Retire (here).

Lebanon, not to be forgotten, showed up in Backpacker Magazines 25 Best Places to Raise and Outdoor Kid at #10 (here).

Just goes to show that the Upper Valley truly is a great place to live.

Today we are going to jump over the Connecticut River into Vermont and take a look at some housing statistics for Norwich and Hartford.

Let’s start with Norwich.  Norwich home sales are up 34% this year!  There have been 35 homes sold so far in 2010, up from just 26 in 2009.  The average sale price has also jumped to $473,227, up a 10% from last year’s price of $428,584.  The average days a home is sitting on the market is down 8.7% in 2010. In 2009 homes were sitting an average of 155 days and in 2010 homes are sitting for 141 days.  Overall, Norwich has done very well this year. Improvement across the board!

Next up is Hartford.  The MLS groups all the townships (Hartford, White River Junction, Quechee, West Hartford, and Wilder) as one, so I won’t be able to give exact numbers for each township, just Hartford as a whole.  Hartford’s home sales have taken a slight dip this year.  There have been 121 homes sold in 2010, down 11% from last year’s 137.  The average price homes are selling for has slightly increased.  In 2010 homes have sold for an average of $209,645 up from $204,068 in 2009.   Homes are sitting on the market a little bit longer this year, an average of 209 days up from 187 days in 2009.

That’s it for now.  If you have any questions please feel free give Housing Solutions a call.

Chris

I was scrolling through the news this morning and I came across a good article from the National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agent (NAEBA) with 5 good tips for homebuyers so they can confidently shopfor their new home.

1. A short sale can be a long process. In a short sale, the property is sold for less than the outstanding loan balance. In this economy, short sales have received a lot of attention but many buyers may not realize that short sales may in fact be a lengthy, complex process requiring multiple approvals.
2. Set a realistic budget. Low housing prices make it even easier for home buyers to stay on budget. Rather than shopping at the upper end of your budget, go a little lower to allow you to comfortably afford your home in the event that you experience a reduction in income.
3. Buy with a long term view. If you plan to sell your home in a year, you risk losing money, even if prices rise slightly. Buy with plans to stay put for a few years to maximize your investment.
4. Don’t skip the details. In addition to reading the fine print and researching the neighborhood, get a home inspection to ensure that you are not later surprised with unexpected repair costs.
5. Choose a representative that will advocate for your needs. Exclusive Buyer Agents (EBAs) only work with home buyers and always represent the interests of the buyer throughout the entire real estate transaction.

Some good stuff to think about if you are planning on buying real estate in Hanover, Lebanon, Norwich, Hartford, or any other town in the Upper Valley.  If you have any questions you just let Housing Solutions know.

Be sure to check out the Housing Solutions bulletin board at DHMC.  The board is located on the second level in the mezzanine, directly above the help desk.  The board features some of current rentals, as well as some for sale by owner homes.  There are listings from Lebanon, Hanover, Enfield, Norwich and Hartford.  If you work at the hospital or if you’re on the interview trail and want to get a feel for what’s out there, our bulletin board is a great place to start.

Chris

A couple of us from the office were fortunate enough to take a tour of Timberwood Commons, which is the newapartment complex going up on Mount Support Road.  These are really nice units and the location will make Timberwood Commons a great option for DHMC employees.  The 252 unit complex will offer 2 bedroom units for $1600/month, 1 bedroom for $1350/month, and a studio for $990/month.  Appliances in each unit will include a washer/dryer, refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and microwave. Apartments will also include central heat/air conditioning and balconies.  The building will have secure entrances, a fitness center, and a clubhouse. Covered and garage parking as well as storage will also be available.

Timberwood Commons will be offering great move in incentives.  To find out more about these incentives I contacted Deb Violette, who will be managing the complex.  Deb explained to me that they will be offering2 month free rent when a one year lease is signed.  So that will make the 1 bedroom apartments rent of $1,350.00 actually $1,125.00 per month and the two bedrooms apartments rent of $1,600.00 actually $1,333.00 per month. They will also require a security deposit of only $500!  Another plus is tenants can get out of a year lease early with a 60 day notice to vacate, so this should really help those who are here and just need time to find the right place to purchase.

For more information you can check out their website www.timberwoodcommons.com or give them a call @ 802-212-2060.

As summer comes to an end, another school year is set to begin.  The Upper Valley has some great schools. High Graduation rates, great attendance, great test scores, and a low student to teacher ratio, makes these schools some of the best in the region.   For this post I pulled together some statistics from a few of the larger high schools in the UV.  The schools I’m going to take a look at are Hanover High School, Lebanon High School, and Hartford High School.   The statistics were pulled from publicschoolreview.com.

Hanover High School is a part of the desirable Dresden School District, which includes the towns of Hanover,Norwich VT, and Lyme. The Marauders of Hanover High have just fewer than 750 students.  The student to teacher ratio is 13 to 1.  And the expenditure per student is $25,457, which is the highest in the state of New Hampshire.  Hanover ranks as one of the tops in the state when it comes to state testing, last year ranking 3^rd in English and 1^st in Math.

Lebanon High School is part of the Lebanon School district.  Lebanon High lays claim to about 760 students from Lebanon, West Lebanon, Plainfield, and Grantham.   The student to teacher ratio is 13 to 1 and the expenditure is $15,315 per student.   The Raiders of Lebanon High did pretty well in last year’s state testing, ranking 24^th in English and 26^th in math. Lebanon boasts a graduation rate of 98 percent.

Hartford HighSchool is located just across the river in White River Junction Vermont.  The  Hurricanes of Hartford High are members of the Hartford School District which features roughly  690 students from the surrounding towns of Hartford, West Hartford, White River Junction,    Quechee, and Wilder.  Hartford has an amazing student to teacher ratio of 9 to 1.  The district  expenditure for Hartford is $15,209 per student.

Hopefully this was somewhat helpful for those you looking to relocate to the area, or for those who might just be curious.  If you are, however, looking to relocate to the area and have a question about a particular school or district, just let us here at Housing Solutions know and we’ll be happy to help you out.

Here are some statistics I’ve pulled together using the Northern New EnglandReal Estate Network. These are the YTD (year to date) figures ending August 5^th for each of the last three years.  You can see how Lebanon, Hanover, and Norwich have fared.  For the most part things are looking pretty good.  Take a look and see what you think. If you have any questions or comments please let us know.

Chris

1/1 – 8/5

Hello all!  A coworker of mine introduced me to a couple of great websites that I think you may find helpful.

The first is www.walkscore.com .  This site ranks how walkable certain neighborhoods are.   What this means is that it approximates the distance from your home to grocery stores, restaurants, schools, hospitals, and more!  Whether you are looking to purchase a home or just want to see how your current home fares, this is a fun way to get to know a neighborhood.

Another great way to find the perfect neighborhood is http://drivescore.fizber.com.  This site is similar to the Walk Score site, however it rates addresses by the proximity to community establishments by driving rather than walking.  This site is another fun way to see how close you are to local amenities and is also great if you prefer driving.

If you are looking to find out what communities like Lebanon, Hanover, Enfield, Norwich, and Hartford have to offer, these sites are nice resources to help you find your perfect neighborhood.

Chris

This coming Saturday, July 17^th, is none other than the Norwich Historical Society’s Home and Garden Tour!  The event will be from 10am – 4pm and is a rare opportunity to check out some beautiful and historic homes and gardens in the Upper Valley.  The self-guided tour will showcase seven gardens and five houses.   Save $5 by buying your tickets early! Tickets for adults will cost $15 in advance or $20 on Saturday.  Tickets can be purchased at the Lewis House, 277 Main Street.  The weather looks like it should be pretty nice, so don’t miss this exciting opportunity to tour these beautiful homes and gardens and maybe even take home some new ideas for your home or garden!

For more information call the Norwich Historical Society at 802-649-0124. You can also check out Wednesday’s Valley News or www.vnews.com.

Chris

Here’s a quick look at the YTD condo sales statistics for Lebanon and Hanover.   These statistics were pulled from the Northern New England Real Estate Network.

The numbers are looking good in Lebanon with 17 units sold, which is an increase from last year’s 14. The average price has increased to $254,382 up from $183,259 last year, a jump of 38.81%!  The average number of days on the market has increased to 195, up from 150.

Condo sales in Hanover, unfortunately, have been less promising and have actually seen a substantial dip in 2010.  So far there have only been 8 units sold, down from 21 last year.  The average price has stayed constant at about $310,000.  The average number of days on the market is also up to 268, up from 199 last year.

Chris