Archive for the 'NH Real Estate for sale' Category

Congratulations to the new residents who found out last week that you will be working at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center starting in July of 2011.  I know there is a lot to think about between now and July and housing is a probably one of the tops on the list.  I know many of you will be coming from a land far far away from here, so let us help you make the transition to the Upper Valley a little easier.  We offer a secure rental database at no cost to residents.  There are many rentals currently on our site and more are being added every day.  Give us a call (603-643-4800) or shoot us an email (info@hs-re.com) and we’ll get you set up in no time.  If you’re thinking about buying a home we can help you out with that as well.  Housing Solutions is an Exclusive Buyer Agency, meaning we represent only buyers in real estate transactions.  Representing your interests, and only your interests, is our main priority!

We’re here to answer any questions you might have to help make your move to the Upper Valley as easy as possible.

Landlords, now is a great time to post your rental on the Housing Solutions website.  The incoming residents at DHMC have started to look for housing in the Upper Valley and our office helps many of these new residents relocate to the area.  The Housing Solutions website is easy to use, and posting your rental is simple, just go to www.hs-relo.com and click on the “Landlord Sign Up or Log On” tab at the top of the page.  From there step by step instructions are given and in no time your rental will be up and running on our site.  Don’t forget the pictures!  Pictures are a must to get your place rented and we allow up to 10 pictures to accompany your listing.  If you are a DHMC or Hypertherm associate there is no cost to you.  We know technology can be scary, so if you have any problems give us a call.

Matt McIntyre and Carol Robert, the owners of Housing Solutions, asked me what young DINC’s do during winter in the Upper Valley.  My response “what in the world is a DINC?” Matt explained the acronym stands for Duel Income No Kids.  So I got to thinking and came up with a sample of some things my wife and I enjoy during the heart of winter.  So, here we go with the winter edition of what DINKs do.

My wife and I both enjoy the slopes and don’t like crowds so we have taking a liking to the Dartmouth Skiway.  Killington and Sunapee are nice resorts, but on the weekends it can be like skiing through Boston at rush hour.  The Dartmouth Skiway has all the terrain we need to enjoy a half day on the mountain.  And the price is right (here).  It’s a short drive up to Lyme and the snow this year has been great, so we’ve had a blast at the Skiway.

Wine, Beer and Cheese tasting at the Lebanon Coop.  This has become a weekly event for me.  Every Friday afternoon there are a few booths set up featuring some tasty food and drink. The wines that are featured are different every week and there are usually about 3 to 5 varieties to sample.  The beer and cheese are usually from local breweries and farms.  Like the wine, there are is a range of varieties to choose from.  When you stop to pick up something for dinner on Fridays make sure you don’t miss the free samplings, it’s a great way to get the weekend started.

Dartmouth Sporting events are another thing we enjoy.  My wife and I weren’t big hockey fans before moving here, but after watching Dartmouth take on other Ivy League opponents in front of a packed house, we were hooked.  If you enjoy sports, check out the Dartmouth athletic site (here) and see schedules for upcoming events.

If night life is your thing then you won’t be disappointed. There are plenty of places to enjoy a bite to eat and cold drink. Some of our favorites include Murphy’s (here), where it can be hard to find a table on Friday and Saturday. They have some really good food as well as plenty of beer on tap.  We also enjoy the Canoe Club in Hanover (here).  Again, great food and cool atmosphere make this a great place to hang.  Salt Hill Pub (here)is great as well.  The pub has two locations, the original in Lebanon and a newer location in Hanover.  Good pub fare and usually some good music on the weekends.  A place a little off the beaten path that we enjoy is Whaleback ski area (here)on Thursday night.  Thursday is race night a Whaleback and they open the bar upstairs in the lodge.  It’s usually shoulder to shoulder and always a great time.

This is but a small sample of what DINKs do in the Upper Valley.  As winter comes to a close (woohoo) and the days get a little longer, it won’t be long and we’ll be back into the spring and summer when the activities are endless.  If you have questions or comments please let us at Housing Solutions know.

Chris

I’ve pulled together some statistics for Hanover and Lebanon from the Northern New England Real Estate Network.  Both towns have fared pretty well this year.  Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Hanover has seen a slight decrease in the number of units sold, 74 this year compared to 86 in 2009, a drop ofabout14%.  Prices seem to be on the rise in the Hanover area. The average sale price has jumped 27% from last year. In 2009 the average was $409,959 and in 2010 the average sale price has shot up to $522,267.  Average days on the market are down as well.  In 2009 homes were on the market an average of 133 days, and in 2010 homes are being sold at an average of 110 days.

In Lebanon the YTD numbers are similar to 2009.  The number of units sold has increased 8.5% from 117 in 2009 to 127 in 2010.  The average sale price changed very little over the course of the year.  In 2009 homes sold for an average of $215,212 and in 2010 an average $212,817.  Average days on the market in Lebanon have remained steady as well, in 2009 homes were on the market for 112 day and in 2010 homes are sitting for an average of 119 days.

More Upper Valley stats will be available shortly. I think we might head across the river and look at Norwich and Hartford.

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