Author Archives: David Nease

Why Londonderry?

March 14, 2012

Ok….I’ll admit it. My wife, Jodie, gets credit for choosing Londonderry as our home town.  In 2004, the real estate market was booming, and we were living in a small ranch in my home town of Stoneham Massachusetts.  Our young family was growing, and our family goals were shifting towards the long term.  Property values and education were our main goals.  Stoneham was struggling with Proposition 2 1/2 and funding the schools was obviously not a high priority for the aging town population. Our young family was looking more towards 10-12 yrs down the line.   A couple of times a week my wife would come home with real estate listings from New Hampshire.  Prices of homes were 15-20% less than Massachusetts and you definitely got more bang for your buck.  In the beginning, our trips North were more to humor my wife, but over time she won me over.  I’ll give her credit….she did her homework.  School reports and crime statistics were tops on our list.  We needed a town that was not only safe, but had a good school system.  Londonderry’s music program and special education program led the pack.  The close proximity to Massachusetts was crucial while still balancing some privacy and space between houses.

I stuck to my guns though and didn’t go easy.  After all…Massachusetts is where our family and friends were.  We spent a couple of weeks looking and then put our search on hold for another year, but my wife is persistent.  Almost a year after our first trek North to look at homes, we were out looking again.  We looked in multiple communities just North of the border, but kept coming back to Londonderry.  I liked the idea of having an airport close by and having two major exits off Route 93.  I teased my wife about moving to the sticks, but hey Londonderry can’t be all that bad.  It has a Home Depot, a movie theater and a couple of grocery stores after all.  I loved the idea of being 45 minutes closer to North Conway and the ski mountains too.

One of the first questions I’m asked when working with out of state buyers or Relocation clients is “Why Londonderry?”  At the end of the day, it’s all about the best fit for you and your family.  Some people want good schools or a safe neighborhood.  Others want close proximity to shopping or major transportation.  Londonderry really has a great balance of all of that and strong potential for future growth and prosperity.  But to be honest with you, the real reason I love Londonderry is that every March we can visit Hank Peterson’s Maple shack and enjoy fresh made syrup.  During the Summer we hike the Musquash and get ice cream at Mack’s Apples and in the Fall our family goes Apple picking during the week and each Halloween we hit the Corn Maze at Elwood Farms.   Looking back…convincing my wife into moving to Londonderry was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

David Nease has always made family priority #1, both in his life as well as his business. That’s why more and more families trust his expertise as one of Londonderry’s leading real estate professionals. David lives in Londonderry with his wife Jodie and three young children. He’s a full time Realtor with Prudential Verani Realty specializing in the Londonderry market. For more information on David or his Real Estate services visit www.davidnease.com

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First Time’s a Charm

February 10, 2012

If there was ever a market for the first-time home buyer….2012 is it!!  Home prices have hit rock bottom, and interest rates are hovering in the high 3’s.  The combination of lower prices, cheap mortgage rates and tax deductions has produced some of the most favorable conditions for home buyers in years.  Home affordability is the best it’s been since 1971. This is a great opportunity for a new generation to invest in the American Dream.  Homeownership is still considered the best long-term investment.

With the Spring market upon us, the selection of inventory is beginning to grow.  There are plenty of great deals available to the first-time home buyer, but many are afraid to take the plunge from renting to owning.  The National Association of REALTORS survey shows that 75% of first-time homebuyers said that finding the right property was the hardest part of the buying experience.   A good real estate professional can guide you through the entire process and make the experience much easier. A local agent knows the inventory well and can help answer questions on the neighborhood, schools, resale value and more. Some agents even offer First-Time Buyer Consultations to help prepare potential buyers for the different steps they’ll face during the purchase process.

First-time home buyers have many advantages in this type of market.  Many are still living with parents or are in short-term rentals so their closing dates can be more flexible which appeals to most Sellers. Since they don’t need to sell a home before purchasing, they have a distinct advantage over competing offers.  Most sellers prefer not take an offer with a home sale contingency.

With the right employment and credit history, there are many loans available to the first- time home buyer. Loan programs like FHA or Rural Housing allow buyers to purchase with as little at 3.5% down or in the case of Rural Housing even 100% financing is available. Communities also benefit from first-time home buyers … they take care of their property, get involved, and contribute to the economy.  Although the housing market has taken a beating in the last couple of years, new home buyers will help lead us to the road to recovery.

David Nease has always made family priority #1, both in his life as well as his business. That’s why more and more families trust his expertise as one of Londonderry’s leading real estate professionals. David lives in Londonderry with his wife Jodie and three young children. He’s a full time Realtor with Prudential Verani Realty specializing in the Londonderry market. For more information on David or his Real Estate services visit www.davidnease.com

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Open Sesame

April 15, 2011

Spring is here and with it comes the sight of balloons on every corner.  Each weekend throughout the Spring and Summer, local REALTORS take advantage of the great weather to showcase their listings to the general public through open houses.  In the Real Estate community, there are mixed reviews on the effectiveness of open houses.  Having a broker’s open house to allow local REALTORS the opportunity to preview the home is definitely to the seller’s advantage.  Local agents have their thumb on the pulse of the market and are able to give constructive feedback on how the home shows and more importantly if it’s priced correctly.  This is also a great opportunity for agents to get to know the local inventory so when one of their buyers asks about a specific property they are able to relay the important features of the home.

Open houses for the general public are hit or miss.  Most serious buyers are working with a Buyer’s Agent to help find them a home.  If they are truly serious about purchasing a property, in the near future, they’re probably not going to wait until next Sunday to see if the home is open to preview.  Their agent is going to call and schedule a private showing for them to see the home as soon as possible.  Many of the Buyers we meet at open houses are in the early stages of looking.  It’s a great non threatening way to test the waters and see what’s out there without committing to working full time with an agent.

Many home owners put a lot of faith in the open house to sell their home and are disappointed when only a hand few of “lookie loos” or neighbors show up to see exactly what you’ve been hiding for the past 25 years. Yes, I said lookie loos.  I don’t know where that word came from, but I’m sure you know what I mean.  The one major benefit of having an open house is exposure.   Many agents schedule their Open Houses weeks in advance and this gives them the ability to market their open houses online.  Many websites have separate sections advertising this week’s open houses or send emails to perspective buyers letting them know of an upcoming open house.   This extra advertising puts the home front and center for everyone to see.   If they can’t make it on Sunday, there is always an opportunity for them to have their agent schedule a private showing for later in the week.

Would you like to know more about selling your home this Spring?  Stop by my Open House this Sunday, April 17th from 11-1 pm at 6 Albany Ave in Londonderry.  See…..extra exposure for my Open House!

David Nease has always made family priority #1, both in his life as well as his business. That’s why more and more families trust his expertise as one of Londonderry’s leading real estate professionals. David lives in Londonderry with his wife Jodie and three young children. He’s a full time Realtor with Prudential Verani Realty specializing in the Londonderry market. For more information on David or his Real Estate services visit www.davidnease.com

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Better Safe Than Sorry

April 1, 2011

The purchase of a new home is the largest investment you’ll ever make so it’s a good idea to have your contract subject to a home inspection.  This allows the Buyer an opportunity to have a licensed Home Inspector review all of the major components and systems to make sure they’re in good working order and there are no surprises. If there are serious issues, the Buyer has the option to withdraw from the contract or negotiate to have the issues resolved by the Seller. The average cost of an inspection is between $300-$600 depending on the size of the home and whether the Buyer opts for a separate septic inspection and test for water quality.  It’s important to ask your Home Inspector if they’ll be conducting the septic inspection themselves or sub-contracting the inspection to a local septic company.  It’s best to use a septic company that only pumps and inspects systems and does not install them since they’re less likely to benefit from giving a system a failing grade.

Buyers also have the option to test for Radon in the air and well water for around $100.  Radon is a carcinogen that comes from the natural breakdown of Uranium in soil and rock.  Since we are the Granite State, Radon is very common here and approximately 55% of homes in Londonderry have higher than normal levels of Radon.   Radon levels do fluctuate so it’s a good idea to test periodically like you should be doing for your well water.  High levels of Radon should not be a reason to pass up on the home of your dreams.  Radon Mitigation systems can be installed for both air and water to reduce levels by up to 99%.  For more information on Radon, the EPA has put out a booklet titled “A Citizen’s Guide to Radon.”

Home inspections are not just for Buyers, they’re also a good idea for home owners considering selling in the near future.  ”Having a pre-inspection allows a Seller to identify any issues before they potentially jeopardize a sale.  The Seller can then fix the issue for a fraction of the cost a Buyer will try to negotiate for,” said Peter Drougas of Drougas Inspections LLC.  Pre-Inspections are also beneficial to identify potential financing concerns.  Many Buyers today are taking advantage of loan programs insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) because they only require a minimum of 3.5% down.  However, these loans programs have special appraisals and a bad roof, pest infestations, and water quality issues along with safety concerns like broken windows or missing handrails could potentially deny financing or make repairs a condition of the loan approval.  Whether you’re a Buyer or Seller getting an impartial second opinion is always in your best interest.

David Nease has always made family priority #1, both in his life as well as his business. That’s why more and more families trust his expertise as one of Londonderry’s leading real estate professionals. David lives in Londonderry with his wife Jodie and three young children. He’s a full time Realtor with Prudential Verani Realty specializing in the Londonderry market. For more information on David or his Real Estate services visit www.davidnease.com

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Just Don’t Look Up

March 25, 2011

One of the first things a buyer sees when pulling up to a home is the condition of the roof.  It’s a major component of curb appeal and a large expense for a new buyer.  If you’re thinking about selling your home, in the near future, you might consider replacing your roof first.  Many sales are lost in the driveway before the buyer even sets foot in the door.  If a Buyer notices a roof in poor condition their mind starts to wander.  What else needs repair?  What other expenses will I have?  Even worse is when you’ve negotiated the sales price of the home only to have the roof come up has a home inspection issue and jeopardize the sale of the property.

“A proper roof installation is not just simply new shingles. It’s a complete system including protective underlayments like ice and water shield, proper insulation, and plenty of ventilation,” said Ron McPhail of McPhail Roofing LLC in Windham, NH.  A well installed roof will also make your home more energy efficient and some Energy Star rated shingles qualify for Federal Tax Credits.  Finding a reputable Roofing Contractor can be difficult, but it’s important that they’re properly insured and preferably a Manufacturer’s Certified Installer.  Friends or neighbors who have recently replaced their roofs are a good source of referrals for qualified contractors.  Your local REALTOR can also be a great resource when looking for reputable service providers since they’re working with many of these professionals on a daily basis.

Today’s buyers are looking for properties that are in move-in condition.  Their hectic schedules and lack of funds makes it difficult to take on a home with unfinished projects.  Installing a new roof prior to putting your home on the market has many benefits.  You’re able to take advantage of the added curb appeal while controlling the cost of installation.  You’ll attract more buyers while saving yourself the stress of a home inspection and potential financing issues if the buyer’s lender red flags the roof. Preparing your home for sale not only includes sprucing up and staging the interior, but making sure the exterior shines as well.

David Nease has always made family priority #1, both in his life as well as his business. That’s why more and more families trust his expertise as one of Londonderry’s leading real estate professionals. David lives in Londonderry with his wife Jodie and three young children. He’s a full time Realtor with Prudential Verani Realty specializing in the Londonderry market. For more information on David or his Real Estate services visit www.davidnease.com

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How to Avoid the Ten Most Common Mistakes Made By Home Sellers

March 11, 2011

Selling a home is an experience many people look forward to with about as much enthusiasm as a root canal or an I.R.S. audit. Perhaps it’s because they know that with such an important investment, one misstep or wrong turn could be more than a “learning experience.” Making a mistake in selling a home can be a costly blunder that not only jeopardizes the sale, but can mean hundreds or thousands of dollars in lost profit.

What many people don’t know is there’s an easy way to avoid making the mistakes most commonly involved in selling a home. In fact, many homeowners make some of the same errors when selling their home, no matter how many homes they’ve sold in the past. In some cases, the mistakes just make the selling process more tedious. In others, they are fatal to the sale. By understanding these mistakes, home sellers can arm themselves with information and gain a better chance of achieving a profitable sale.

These are ten of the most common errors committed by home sellers:

1. Limiting the home’s accessibility. Buyers want to view a home when they want to view it. It’s important that you are flexible and your home is prepared to show on a few hours notice. You never know, that showing you turned down could have been the one that sold your house.

2. Panic selling. In some instances, selling quickly is unavoidable. That’s when it pays to know the right techniques to get your home to sell fast without looking desperate and making yourself a prime target for low-ball bidders. Sometimes, however, panic selling is a result of poor planning up front. By knowing all the ins and out of selling before you put your home on the market and working hand-in-hand with the right real estate professional, you can make sure you don’t wind up backed against the wall and settling for the first offer that comes along.

3. “My home’s the nicest on the block” syndrome. Your home is your pride and joy, but blindness to your home’s flaws and cosmetic problems can make you overvalue your home, hurting its chances on the market.

4. Letting emotions rule. In the heat of making a deal, many sellers get caught up in pulling the last $500 out of the buyer, instead of backing up, taking a deep breath, and looking at the big picture.  I’ve seen both buyers and sellers blow a deal up over less than a thousand dollars and regret it after the dust has settled.

5. Failure to disclose property flaws. Sellers today are required to complete a property disclosure detailing the condition of the home.  You can hire the same type of home inspector a buyer will use to conduct a pre-inspection prior to putting your home on the market.  This way you can either disclose the issues in advance or better yet, fix the problems at your cost and avoid renegotiating or worse having your sale fall apart.

6.  Unwillingness to make cosmetic improvements. Today’s buyers are looking for move-in condition.  The wallpaper you don’t want to remove or the bedroom your daughter painted hot pink won’t show well in photos and buyers won’t even schedule a showing.  If you don’t want to spend weekends taking down wallpaper neither do buyers especially when there are plenty of other homes out there. Hopefully, your REALTOR utilizes the expertise of a Staging Professional who can provide you with a customized list of things you can do to make your home more salable and explain the most important things a buyer is looking for.

7. Telling your agent how to do his or her job. Would you tell your physician that you had run your own tests and decided your diagnosis was better? Unfortunately, many sellers try to tell their agent why a home isn’t selling instead of listening to the advice of a professional. If you’ve chosen the right REALTOR, you’ve got a valuable team member on your side who can not only protect your best interests, but help you make your sale as profitable as possible.

8. Doing it yourself–at any cost. In real estate as in life, everything has a price. The majority of homeowners who sell their homes themselves do so because they believe they can save money by not having to pay a real estate commission. However, many times those homeowners find that the true cost of selling it themselves is found in the enormous amount of time and effort they must spend to do it, or worse, they face the legal ramifications of not doing it correctly. Selling a home really is a full-time job. Make sure you’re aware of all the pros and cons before you decide to try and do it yourself and remember this is even a challenging market for real estate agents with a full set of tools at their disposal.

9. Selecting the wrong Realtor. People often pick a friend or family member as their agent. What they should be doing is choosing the most successful, experienced agent in the area with the strongest track record of customer satisfaction and sales. Highly successful agents have many contacts with buyers and know the market well.

10. Over pricing your home. I saved this one for last because at the end of the day, in this type of market, it’s always about the price! Your best opportunity to sell your home, for the highest price, is in the first 2-3 weeks of listing. This is when the most serious, but most educated buyers will see your home.  If priced slightly under market value they’ll feel the sense of urgency and make an offer.  If priced too high, you’ll get what I call “nice house syndrome” where every buyer that comes through thinks your home is “nice”, but never makes an offer. Six months later buyers will wonder what’s wrong with this house and why is it still on the market. Most likely, you’ll need an aggressive price reduction and your final sales price will be much lower than if it was priced correctly in the beginning.

These mistakes kill thousands of sales each year or cost sellers a good portion of their proceeds.  Choosing a experienced REALTOR to guide you through the process is critical in today’s challenging market.

David Nease has always made family priority #1, both in his life as well as his business. That’s why more and more families trust his expertise as one of Londonderry’s leading real estate professionals. David lives in Londonderry with his wife Jodie and three young children. He’s a full time Realtor with Prudential Verani Realty specializing in the Londonderry market. For more information on David or his Real Estate services visit www.davidnease.com

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