Great website for SELLERS

Getting ready to sell and need helpful hints for making repairs of all kinds? Check out this website: HouseLogic.com

Virtual Tour of 69 Hill St, Dover, NH- Walk to town, hospital and park.

Asbestos; has anybody ever heard of testing for asbestos in the walls of a house?

This is a first for me. A request was made by buyers to test for asbestos in walls by having an EPA certified expert drill holes in the interior walls of a house by extracting a small amount of plaster to send to a lab for diagnosis.

Now's the time!

Call it what you will, because it is said that we New Englanders talk about the weather too much, but it's Spring as far as listing your house goes! If you are a seller don't wait too long. The buyers seem to be out in droves, wanting to secure a house earlier this year in the season, than in 2010. For a market analysis and straight forward advice as to what you should do and what your house needs to make it market-ready, contact me at SaraTreacy@comcast.net or by cell: 603-661-8588.

Portsmouth, NH sales statistics for 2010

If you want sold prices on specific properties just "say the word". Ask Sara at SaraTreacy@comcast.net

New Year's Resolutions for Buyers and Sellers

Everyone who is the least bit organized is making New Year's resolutions for themselves in 2011, so I thought it might be fun to make some NY's resolutions for buyers and sellers of real estate, to help them achieve their goals.

BUYERS NOTE to SELF: 1)Find a REALTOR and cultivate an open and trusting relationship.(BTW, what's a REALTOR? A licensed real estate agent, who is a member of the National Association of Realtors and does business by a written code of ethics, is a REALTOR.) 2) Drive by the houses and neighborhoods found on-line over the past 4-6 weeks. Realize that previewing the location of a house will dictate if I want to see it or not. 3) Find out what price range is affordable. Meet with a banker or mortgage broker as "job one" before serious house hunting and home buying begins. 4) Trust my REALTOR to guide me through the process and have fun doing it!

SELLERS NOTE TO SELF: 1) Learn current market values and price property accordingly. Do not over price it! 2) Stage each room to show it to its best advantage. This may require a good cleaning and de-cluttering. 3)Pay attention to details such as emptying kitty litter box before a showing. 4) Reduce asking price if property is not getting showings or offers. 5)Show confidence to my REALTOR in his or her ability to get the house sold. Ask for a review of marketing strategy every two weeks.

Surprises can happen in real estate.

A funny thing happened today with a buyer client. I took her to a house that is under construction, and she loved it. That is not the funny part. It is, that prior to today she described her new "dream home" as an older home with lots of antique charm, pine floors, fireplace and some acreage. Having looked at many homes in many small towns in southern Maine and NH and not finding one she really liked, the buyer was getting very discouraged. So on a recent night I decided to email her all the available listings that had some of her requirements but not all, to try to open up her thinking about what she might like or at least preview. Today she walked into a house that was no where near finished, on less than an acre, in a small subdivision and knew she was "home". It just goes to show...that you never know what you'll buy or what your REALTOR will suggest you look at; just remember that it never hurts to look because you might be surprised and buy what at first you wouldn't consider.