Coming Soon! 90 Allamimo St Manchester NH 03102

This perfect little jewel of a home will have you from hello!  From your first glance at it's lovely neighborhood setting and inviting landscaping, it will be love at first sight!

Four Things A Home Buyer Might Tell A Seller

1.   YOU'RE SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE FOOT WHEN YOU OVER PRICE YOUR HOME.  Yes, even in a relatively hot market!  Today's buyers, particularly those working with a knowledgeable buyer's agent (and most serious buyers are), have access to a wealth of information about what comparable homes have sold for and what you are competing with.  They will be unwilling to pay more for a home just because it's yours (not to mention the whole appraisal issue).  Further, if your home is priced higher than it should be it will compare poorly against other properties which are properly priced in that range.  The bottom line is, do you want to price your home to sell it or do you want to price your home to help sell others?
2.  THE MINOR MAINTENANCE ITEMS YOU LEAVE UNDONE BECAUSE THEY'RE "NOT IMPORTANT" MAKE WE WONDER WHAT OTHER, MORE IMPORTANT BUT LESS OBVIOUS, THINGS YOU'VE LET SLIDE.  Seriously, the unknown is always a little frightening to people and buying someone else's house falls into the category of major unknown.  Don't frighten off potential buyers by leaving maintenance items undone.  Same goes for cleaning and organization.  A lack  in either or both areas sends a message of neglect which will show up in the offers (or lack thereof) made on your home.  So, do yourself a favor and "get 'er done" before you put the house on the market.
3.  YOU SHOULD TAKE PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR SALE SERIOUSLY.  In today's world of HGTV, DIY and Professional Staging

buyers have high expectations, particularly as you move up the price point.  If you can afford to have your home professionally staged, you should do it.  Data has shown that staged homes sell more quickly and for more money.  If you can't afford a full staging, you should take the advice of your real estate agent or a stager you hire by the hour (your agent can recommend someone) about what belongings, decorations and furniture to "edit" out;  what changes or improvements will give you the biggest bang for your buck and what finish materials (countertop, flooring, paint) have the broadest appeal.  Remember, once you decide to put your property on the market it ceases to be your home and becomes your product.  You want to present your product so that it sells as quickly as possible and for the most money possible. Right?
4.  HOW COULD YOU LET PICTURES THAT LOOK THAT BAD APPEAR ON LINE? Dark pictures, blurry pictures, pictures of the front of the house that include the side view mirror of the picture taker's vehicle, not to mention pictures that memorialize your breakfast dishes or your dirty laundry.  With regard to these last two items, reread Items #2 and #3 above and take them seriously.  With regard to the rest, part of your due diligence when interviewing agents should be asking for examples of how they've presented past listings.  An agent who cannot be bothered to take good pictures (or have them taken) and present them in an organized and pleasing manner is probably not an agent you want representing you.

For help getting your home sold in Southern New Hampshire for the best possible price and terms, you can contact me at 603-490-5344.

Winning The Race - How to Be A Successful Buyer In A Seller's Market

This year has certainly been frustrating for buyers.  There is very little available on the market and homes that are priced appropriately for their location,  size and condition are off the market as fast as they come on.  It can seem like a hopeless race with too many hurdles at times but, as I tell my buyer clients, you only have to find one home.  Despite all evidence to the contrary, the right one will come along so the best thing you can do is make sure you are absolutely prepared when the opportunity presents itself.

 So, What Steps Can A Buyer Take To Prepare To Be Successful In A Seller’s Market?

FINANCING FIRST! I cannot stress enough the importance of getting your financing ducks in a row BEFORE going shopping for a home. It’s critical that you understand how a lender is going to look at your income and debt (which may well be different than the way you look at it) because that will impact how much of a loan you can obtain which, of course, will impact what price house you can buy. There is nothing worse than falling in love with a $350,000 home only to find out you can only afford a $325,0000 home. In a seller’s market that is an insurmountable difference.

The other critical reason for financing first is that if you do fall in love with a house that is in your price range, the seller will not consider an offer if you cannot show that you are qualified to purchase it. And, considering the market, if you start the financing process AFTER you find THE house, there is a very good chance it would be gone before you could go to a lender, provide that lender with all the necessary documentation and obtain a valid financing letter.

Become Educated Regarding The Market Area You Are Interested In. Location, Location, Location is more than just an old saying, it has meaning. You could take the same house and move it to different towns and it would sell for a different price. Also within a given a town the same house would sell for a different price depending upon its location within the town…cul de sac neighborhood vs main street, for instance… so you need to become acquainted with what your dollar will buy in the area you want to be in.

Set Realistic Expectations. Once you understand what your dollar will buy, you can go through your fantasy list of wants…at least 3,000 s.f., 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, finished lower level, brand new kitchen with granite counter tops, hardwood floors, 3 car garage and determine which of those wants are attainable, given your budget, and which need to be adjusted.

Make Yourself Available. In a hot market, there is a good chance the home of your dreams will not be available long. Reconcile yourself to the fact that your home search may not always be convenient.  Actually, do yourself a favor, reconcile yourself to the fact that your home search WILL BE inconvenient.

Make A Strong, CLEAN Offer. A seller’s market is not the time to lowball! If you find THE home, make a strong offer right out of the gate. DO NOT ASK FOR MONEY BACK TOWARD CLOSING COSTS UNLESS YOU REALLY NEED IT AND DON’T CLUTTER UP YOUR OFFER WITH A LAUNDRY LIST OF PERSONAL ITEMS YOU WANT (that will create a problem with your financing anyway)

Understand That There Is More To An Offer Than Price. The sellers and their agent will be looking at your qualifications (financing first!), how much you are putting down, the terms of any contingencies – home inspection, financing – you need to strike a balance between so long it won’t appeal to seller and so short it is not do-able, what you are asking for (do yourself a favor – DO NOT ASK FOR things the sellers specifically excluded), whether or not you need money back toward closing costs (do not ask for it unless you really need it).

Understand That The Seller Is Not Tied To You Just Because You Have Made An Offer And You Are “Negotiating” With Them. A common buyer misconception is that once an offer has been made in writing and the seller has responded (either verbally or via email) that the seller is now tied to them until they “finish negotiating”. That is not true. Until all terms have been completely agreed to and all parties have signed the contract, the seller is free to take another offer. So, don’t mess around. Make your best offer right out of the gate. You may not have another chance.

Understand The Purpose Of A Home Inspection. The purpose of a home inspection is to uncover serious defects to the structure and systems of the house that were previously unknown to the buyer. I bring this up because some buyers are under the misperception that the home inspection is an opportunity to renegotiate the agreed upon sale price. If something that is serious and was previously unknown is uncovered, then certainly, the sale price might be renegotiated or the seller might agree to fix it but if the item was previously disclosed or is typical for the age of the house, the seller will most likely not agree and then the buyer will either have to accept that or will have to withdraw and will have lost the money they spent on their home inspection. So, make your offer based upon any already disclosed items.

Do Not Get Caught Up In A Bidding War And Go Over Your Maximum Comfort Level. It goes without saying that you should not offer more than you are approved for.  You should also not offer more than you're truly comfortable with, regardless of whether you're approved for that amount.  Only you know what your best offer is.  It may be asking price, higher than asking or lower than asking.  Your best offer is the offer that you will be comfortable with if  accepted and, even more importantly, it is the offer that you will be comfortable with if it is not accepted.  There is nothing worse than discovering what a property you bid on sold for and realizing you would have been happy if you bought the house for that price.

DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED AND DO NOT GIVE UP!  If you get your financing in line, do your market research so your expectations are realistic and make YOUR best offer right out of the gate, you can be successful!

For help successfully purchasing in Southern New Hampshire's Seller's Market, you can contact me at 603-490-5344.