As a leading Listing agent here in the Manchester NH area there is one fact that a lot of sellers have not come to terms with. Here in Southern New Hampshire, their homes are not going to sell this year. There are many reasons why a home may not sell, however these five are the deal killers in most scenarios.   1. PRICE: Your home is over priced. In this market your home need sto be priced at or below market value in order to attract buyers and bring about a sale.   2. EXTERIOR: A buyer when driving by a home, makes a split second decision whether they want to go inside or whether they will keep looking. Your lawn should be cut, shrubs trimmed, leaves raked up, debris removed and the exterior paint should not be peeling.   3. INTERIOR: Your home does not show well. Your home needs too m... 12/15/2011

As a Leader in Listing Bank Owned Homes and Foreclosures in the Manchester NH area I have witnessed what is dubbed "The great American land Grab". I do not know where it comes from but some neighbors of homes that have been foreclosed on decide to extend their boundries. Be it a a road, fence or shed, they think it is free land, who will question them? In a suburban town in Southern NH a mailbox was the lot line, I took pictures months before the foreclsoure as I do with all my listing assignments. After the former owner moved out, it is alleged the neighbor moved the mailbox closer to the foreclosed home, mowing the grass tring to add an extra 30 feet or so of land.  On another home there was some nice drag marks of a shed that was moved 40 or so feet to make a yard larger.  On a third... 12/15/2011

On the 13th day of the Active Rain Blogging challenge I spent the afternoon with a couple bankers and a lawyer who specializes in Short Sales. (I know there is a good joke there somewhere but on this day, it was all business) As a Leading Listing Agent of Short Sales, Bank Owned Homes and Foreclosures here in The Manchester NH area I have noticed a flaw in appraising these homes. Reps from 2 banks asked to drive with around with me for the day to get a feel for the Southern NH market.  One of the lawyers I use to negotiate the short saloes took us to lunch to start the day. I wish all asset managers would spend a day with the agents they work with. I got a great feel from where they come from and the challenges they face. They got to see the condition of homes, what is for sale and what... 12/14/2011

On the 12th day of the Active Rain Blogging challenge I broke down and bought a new lap top.... alright i did not break down, my laptop broke down.... well almost as there was a pen in my laptop case that got in between the screen and the keyboard and shattered the screen... but I still bought a new Laptop to help with business. Afterall it is a required tool.   It is unbelievable how many usernames and passwords there are to enter each time you go on a website that you have to remember when starting from scratch. If anything this will help me be better prepared for the future.  I also have 100'e upon 100's of pictures and files to transfer. Instead of writing a long winded blog I have new tools and toys to figure out and play with. I am hoping this will compliment my other efforts to c... 12/13/2011

In the season of giving, I have noticed some people who are going too far. They maybe do not know better or maybe just were not thinking. I know here in the Manchester area sometimes it is harder to get a bank owned home, foreclosure or short sale to close than it is to find a buyer willing to make an offer. This shows our market is showing a strong recovery, unemployment is down, listing inventory is way down and sales are way up. What else is up is human error. BUYERS are not immune as I had a buyer purchase a new car for him and his wife prior to closing. Their debt ratio is now too high and they cant purchase the home we have worked on for the last 3 months. LOAN OFFICERS are not immune as I had a buyer putting down 20% on a bank owned home, It needed too much work to go FHA. They h... 12/13/2011

It was a day last week that an anniversary passed with little fanfare or celebration. It is my 25th anniversary for becoming a Licensed Real Estate Broker here in New Hampshire. Just days after my 18th Birthday I took and passed the NH Real Estate test becoming the youngest person to pass the NH Real Estate Agent test in NH. A year later I met the requirements to become a NH Real Estate Broker. Starting so young was not so easy, it was actually much more difficult to get into the Industry. To this day I remember getting my first Listing and upon the first showing with the owner of the first Remax office in Manchester, he turned to me and said "We are Remax Professionals - We would not have a kid showing houses." At 18, I was a math wiz, 18 years of exposure in the Real Estate business a... 12/12/2011

Perhaps it is the full moon but this weekend has been anything but ordinary. In a day that seemingly was full of "Last Straws" that could push anyone of the edge, I made the best of what I was dealt. It started by being called and asked to go to a house for a "Listing Interview". The Home Owner said they wanted to list their home, and was going to interview a few agents and chose the best. The hitch was I needed to be there within the hour. Not a problem, i quickly rearranged some scheduling and quickly pulled their tax card, checked previous MLS history, pulled neighborhood comps and prepared a Listing package. I hit the road ready to go. I pulled up and their were cars everywhere. i walked up to the door where i was met by the home owner and welcomed in. They had called at least 6 oth... 12/11/2011

On the 9th day of the Active Rain Blogging challenge I worked any expanding my Localism Posts. Here in the Manchester NH area there is a never ending supply of topics. Choosing which one to blog about is often the toughest challenge with Real Estate sales being so busy, time for blogging has been limited.   I took the time last night to categorize and list those topics that are most important to the community and causes and organizations in which i support. I hope this will better serve my business in 2012. It does not take magic to turn your "For Sale" sign to a "Sold" sign. it takes a full time Local Agent who specializes in Listing homes like yours. If you need to sell a home in New Hampshire I can be that agent for you. I strive to provide the best personal and professional service ... 12/10/2011

Upon reading a couple of featured posts regarding commission splits, i have to say that something is being lost while people argue on how to split a commission. There are some facts I agree with, some I do not and some points being missed. Bryant Tutus had some great points in his post 10 Things you need to know about Real Estate Commissions. The problem is, you can not earn a commission until you sell and close on a home. You can not sell and close on a home if you can not get the buyer inside, get the buyer to write an offer, get the seller to accept it, get the buyers mortgage approved and the home inspection satisfactory. Most Agree that:1. Commissions are negotiable. 2. The commission is paid by the seller to the listing Broker.3. No one can or should interfere with the contract be... 12/09/2011

  On the 8th day of the Active Rain Blogging challenge I worked any expanding my Listing Database here in the Manchester NH area. I work with alot of different Asset Managers and have learned the best way to get new Bank Owned listings is through "hard work". The two most common types of 'Hard Work" that banks want to see is completing BPO's for them, doing them quickly and correctly. The 2nd type of "Hard Work" they like to see is in past listings. They want the listing agent to maintain the listing, visit teh listing at least weekly, complete the monthly reports on time and correctly, set a price that is at market value and arrive at a quick sale with little to no problems.   I have mastered both of these aspects as I am one of the top agents who completes BPO's in the whole state of ... 12/09/2011

On the 7th day of the Active Rain Blogging challenge I overhauled my BPO philosophy and planning. In 2007 when I was experiencing more free time as sales slowed, I began working with additional Banks to complete BPO's. A BPO is a Broker Price Opinion. Usually a 1 to 3 page report that lets the bank know if the home is vacant, occupied and what the value is in todays market. There are two types of companies that order BPO's, the first is an Asset Management Company that manages the assets of a Bank while in the foreclosure process and after the foreclosure auction when the home becomes bank owned. They order BPO's and assign Listings based on an agent's amount of work and quaility of  that work. The 2nd type is a BPO mill that simply prepares BPO's but does not assign any Listings. They ... 12/08/2011

For the 6th Day of the 31 days of December Blogging contest I finished the DECEMBER SEASON OF CELEBRATIONS AND SHARING CONTEST. I am proud to have picked 6 worth causes to be involved in. I hope you will check them out and get involved as well. My thank you to everyone and my wishes that you have a Great Holiday Season.1. THE UNION LEADER "SANTA FUND"2. TOYS FOR TOTS3. THE BOSTON POPS HOLIDAY SHOW4. HELPING THE ELDERLY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON5. FREE PLOWING FOR OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES6. THE DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY MARKET As a Leading Listing Agent here in New Hampshire, I strive to offer my clients the best in personal and Professional service. Whether you are the seller, the buyer or another agent it is my goal to be the most helpful agent i can be. Treating Buyers and Other Agents with res... 12/07/2011

If you are looking for something to do this Holiday season, come on down to The "Downtown Manchester NH Holiday Market." Every Thursday on November Local Vendors and Artisans take over the Brady Sullivan Plaze Mall at 1000 Elm Street.. High-quality arts, crafts, jewelry, home decor, baked goods & SANTA! Shop unique, homemade custom gifts for your friends and family in the heart of downtown Manchester! This is the perfect opportunity for you to skip lines at department stores & shop local! Make a day of it! While downtown, patronize our downtown businesses which are all a short walk away from the market! Located at the Brady Sullivan Plaza Mall on Thursdays, December 1, 8, 15 & 22 from 10am-5pm with extended shopping hours until 8pm on Dec. 15th. Call 645.6285 for more information or vis... 12/06/2011

For Day 5 of the 2011 December Blogging Challenge I volunteered to donate the funds to set up a new website for MGSL which is the Manchester Girls Softball Leauge here in Manchester NH. MGSL serves girls from age 5-17. There are 4 divisions in their recreational league. MGSl is also proud to sponsor the Manchester Vipers which is made up of two ALL Star Travel teams for the U-10 and U-12 levels.Please fee free to email me about more information for your daughter to play in MGSl or if you are a local business owner who would like to sponsor a team for the 2012 season.   Through volunteering i get to interact and network with local families who can find out what a great personal and professional service I provide whether buying or selling a home. It does not take magic to turn your "For S... 12/06/2011

One of my favorite causes is helping our troops and their familes who sacrafice so much for all of us. For the families of troops one of the hardest things is the upkeep of their homes and property. Here in New Hampshire winter brings on new challenges to the families of removing all that snow falling from the sky. Familes with troops overseas can get free plowing by going online to www.projectevergreen.com/scft or call toll free 1-888-611-2956 to become part of the National Snow Care for the troops Movement. Local companies who sign up to donate the plowing are paired with those families in need. The plowing movement has grown out of their providing free lawn mowing for troops families in the warmer months. Project Evergreen is underwrotten by BOSS Snowplows. During this Holiday season... 12/06/2011

This weekend I received a call from a home owner in Manchester NH who said they had to sell their home. This morning i met with them and toured their home. As I was asking them why they were selling I received a heart breaking answer. They could not afford their Real Estate taxes. They showed me a copy of the new bill. I must of smiled ear to ear as the wfe asked why I was so excited. I let them know that in Manchester NH there is an Elderly Tax exemption that could get their whole tax bill waived. They did not have to sell their home of 50 years after all. They were so excited. They called their daughter and their neighbor while i was there and put me on the phone wth both of them.  The husband then turned to me and said "You know we are not listing are home any more?" I said of course... 12/05/2011

For Day 4 of the 2011 December "31 days" of Blogging Challenge I made a decision to work an extra few hours Saturday afternoon after my office would normally close in order to catch up on all the emails and leads I got last week but did not have the time for a second follow up. Last week was one of the busy weeks in Real Estate for December ever here in the Manchester NH area. A combination of the market staying strong and good weather has kept buyers looking, making offers and buying homes. It is very important to me to utilize my time taking care of my current listings, tend to my pending sales and show buyers homes. In order to succeed an agent has to tend to new leads which can become the future new listings and new buyers. I return all of my emails and phone calls promptly. Some po... 12/05/2011

For Day 3 of the 2011 December "31 days" of Blogging Challenge I hired an attorney to assist with me my current and future Short Sale Listings. I have noticed an increase in Listing inquiries as of late with the banks ending their foreclosure moratorium. Having an attorney who is experienced in working with the banks negotiators will give the home sellers an extra layer of protection. The attorney fees are paid at closing and only if the short sale is approved and closes. This way teh attorney has an incentive to get these approved and the seller does not have to pay anything at closing for legal fees. I feel it is a Win-Win situation for everytone involved. It will allow me more time to take on more short sale listings and prvide even better service for my short sale sellers and short ... 12/04/2011

The BOSTON POPS Esplanade Orchestra, Keith Lockhart Conductor will be coming to The Verizon Wireless Arena Saturday Dec. 17, 2011 at 730pm. Kicking off the Holiday Season with the POPS has become an annual tradition. This year the Vocal Powerhouse rockapella will accompany them playing Holiday Classics and New Originals.The annual concert enriches the lives of many here in New Hampshire who look forward to the Boston Pops coming to our area. The concert brings thousands of people and families downtown who shop in our stores and eat at the many eateries and restaurants along Elm Street in Manchester's downtown. For me, I have seen them and get to see them every year. I meet alot of people who would love to go to the show that just do not have the money for such an experience. As my gift ... 12/03/2011

For Day 1 of the 2011 December "31 days" of Blogging Challenge I built an email List. I have different mailing lists for former clients but had not put all of their emails into an easy to use email list. My goal is to be able to email my monthly updates that I print in my blogs to them directly so they do not have to go search for them. I feel this will increase awareness of the New Hampshire markets and remind former clients that I am available for all of their Real Estate needs.  It does not take magic to turn your "For Sale" sign to a "Sold" sign. it takes a full time Local Agent who specializes in Listing homes like yours. If you need to sell a home in New Hampshire I can be that agent for you. I strive to provide the best personal and professional service through each step of the s... 12/02/2011