Lakes Region Homes for Sale
(603) 229-8322
brent@rocherealty.com
  • Home
  • Home Buyer
    • Step 1 for Home Buyers
    • Step 2 for Home Buyers
    • Step 3 for Home Buyers
    • Step 4 for Home Buyers
    • Why Buy in New Hampshire?
  • Home Seller
    • Laconia (Single Family Homes)
    • Laconia (Condominiums)
    • Gilford
    • Meredith
    • Moultonborough
    • Marketing Your Property
    • Out of State Sellers
  • Real Estate Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Why it’s a great time to sell your home in Laconia

2/22/2019

Comments

 
Picture
If you own a single-family home or condominium in Laconia, it might be a great time to sell. First let’s look at some reasons why. Then we’ll consider some “how to” tips.

2018 data shows that now is a great time to list in Laconia:
In 2018 the median "closed" price for single family homes in Laconia was the highest in over a decade, since the previous peak in 2006. Further, in 2018 the median number of days "Days on Market" for Laconia single family homes fell to just 37. That’s the fastest median pace in 15 years, since 2003.

The seller’s market is similar—arguably even more favorable—with regards to Laconia condominiums, which in 2018 sold at the fastest median pace (a remarkable 18 days!) since at least 1997 (as far back as available data goes in the New England Real Estate Network Multiple Listing Service database), and 2018 finished with Laconia's condominiums showing the highest median "closed" prices since 2005.

Whether you own a condo or single family home in Laconia, take note if you’ve been waiting for the right time to sell. Prices are peaking and days on market are plummeting. Homeowners who missed the opportunity to sell at the previous peak had to wait well over a decade for home values to recover.

In both cases, with single family homes and condos, the number of days on market tends to be inversely proportionate to buyer demand. A low number of days on market—which we clearly have now—suggests a high amount of consumers with high motivation and capability to buy.        

Now that we’ve looked at a few of the “why’s” of selling, here are some tips on how to economically get your home ready for the quickest sale at the best possible price.

“How to” tips for selling:
Work from the outside in: If prospective buyers like what they see on the outside of your single-family home, they’ll be enticed to see the inside. If they don’t, they won’t.

Clean gutters, a tidy lawn and well-maintained grass, flowers and shrubs go a long way toward creating favorable impressions. Keep in mind that first impressions don’t just occur during scheduled showings; curious prospective buyers drive by homes all the time. It doesn’t have to cost owners any money to maintain their landscaping, but it could cost them a lot if they don’t.

Decorative shutters and window mounted flower boxes offer affordable options to immediately add charm and color to your home’s curb appeal.

Finally, if you have a functional but boring concrete walkway, you might dress it up with stone, clay or concrete pavers that can add complementary color, texture, and appealing width to your walkway.

Clean and cut clutter to close: Whether you own a condo or a single-family home, a clean, clutter free interior makes an amazing difference when showing a property to buyers. It sounds obvious, but it is crucial that your home looks livable. Prospective buyers can be easily distracted by clutter. Clean and declutter as though you are expecting very important visitors… in this case visitors who may want to give you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars for your property!

Pay special attention to cleaning windows so your property looks great from the outside looking in and inside looking out. Consider removing drapes, curtains and valances so every possible ray of natural light penetrates the interior of your home. Just like lighting is important when filming actors, models or products, proper lighting will help your REALTOR® take the best pictures and give the best showing possible.

Paint for profit: Everyone knows you can cover up wear and tear, crayon marks and other sales distractions by painting walls. But did you know that paint color is an important factor that can affect a home’s selling pace and price?
Experts often advise choosing neutral colors when painting rooms, but some recent information suggests that fresh paint in the right color may actually help you sell your home more effectively. Zillow’s 2017 Paint Color Analysis studied over 32,000 photos from homes sold nationwide, in order to determine how certain paint colors impacted average sale price versus comparable homes with white walls.
Their findings suggest that homes with:
  • blue or soft gray-blue kitchens sold for a $1,809 premium
  • powder blue or soft periwinkle colored bathrooms sold for $5,440 more than expected (white bathrooms sold for an average of $4,035 below similar homes)
  • light cerulean to cadet blue bedrooms can earn a $1,856 premium
  • slate blue to pale gray blue dining rooms sold for $1,926 more on average than homes with white dining room wall colors
  • front doors painted in shades of dark navy blue to slate gray sold for $1,514 more
  • light beige, pale taupe or oatmeal-colored living room walls sell for $1,926 more

The bottom line is this: high prices and low days on market suggest now is a great time to list your single family home or condominium in Laconia. Please feel free to contact me if you’re curious how much your home might sell for in this seller’s market.

Brent Metzger is a Realtor® with Roche Realty Group. He may be reached by cell at (603) 229-8322.

Comments

Recess is better when you own a piece of the playground

2/16/2019

Comments

 
Picture
When I was a kid my favorite part of the school day was recess, that recreational respite from the hard labors of class. Winter Recess was even better in my book, because it lasted longer. If you’re a visitor taking some Winter Recess time to enjoy New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, welcome!

If one of your dreams is to own property in one of New England’s finest playgrounds, I’ve compiled some resources to show why and how to own a home in the Lakes Region.

Let’s start with some “whys.” Aside from the obvious fact that this is one of the most beautiful locations in one of our nation’s most beautiful states, New Hampshire is a great place to own property because the Granite State offers:

Quality of life
  • New Hampshire has been ranked America’s “Most Livable State” eight times since 2004, according to Morgan Quitno Press, a research and publishing company that ranks U.S. cities and states.
  • In 2017, U.S. News and World Report named New Hampshire the number one state in the nation for opportunity, number two for best state overall, number three for education, and number four for health care.
  • New Hampshire was rated the number one state for “quality of life” for those considering moving to the United States, according to BritishExPats.com.
Solid employment and earnings
  • New Hampshire had the highest median household income in the nation in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • In October 2017, New Hampshire’s unemployment rate was 2.4 percent, which is the fourth lowest in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • Earnings go further here because there’s no state income tax or state sales tax.
A great place for family and education
  • In 2017 New Hampshire was rated the best state to raise children, according to a report published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
  • Also in 2017, U.S. News and World Report ranked New Hampshire as the number one state in the nation for Pre-K through 12 education.
An awesome place for permanent recess: retirement
  • In 2017 New Hampshire was Bankrate.com’s top pick for the best state to retire.
  • New Hampshire was also chosen as the number one state for retirement by moneyrates.com. This ranking was based on cost of living, unemployment rate, tax burden, average climate, violent and property crime rates and life expectancy.
  • The Lake Winnipesaukee area was rated the number one retirement place in the country under the category of “leisure living for recreational and cultural opportunities” by MacMillan Travel’s Fifth Edition of Retirement Places Rates.
 
Now that we’ve covered a few “whys,” here are some tips on how you can own a piece of the playground we call the Lakes Region.

It doesn’t have to cost a fortune

The Lakes Region offers properties at a wide variety of price points from the palatial, multimillion dollar lakefront home to an economical condominium that doesn’t bust the budget.  

For example, my listing at the Village at Winnipesaukee (178 Treetop Circle #114, Laconia / MLS# 4730503), offers a two-bed, two bath condominium for just $115,000, within walking distance to Weirs Beach, the Mt. Washington cruise port and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad stop, and just minutes away from numerous restaurants and area attractions including the Bank of New Hampshire Music Pavilion for world-class concerts.

This property is an affordable, year-round, Lakes Region base camp perfect for adventures on Lake Winnipesaukee, family fun at neighboring Weirs Beach, exploring the White Mountains, and enjoying winter activities at nearby Gunstock Mountain Resort.

Centrally located between downtown Meredith and Laconia, this turnkey, low maintenance condo features peekaboo lake and mountain views and has been renovated with new carpet throughout, fresh paint, updated bathrooms and a new electrical panel. It also features a walk-out patio and spacious grassy area perfect for cookouts, and offers fantastic association amenities for the whole family including a saltwater in-ground swimming pool, tennis courts and a playground.

Take advantage of the variety the Lakes Region offers

Many visitors are drawn here by Lake Winnipesaukee only to leave discouraged when they can’t find big lake properties that fit their budgets or needs. While Winnipesaukee is New Hampshire’s largest, most popular lake, “Lakes Region” is plural for a reason: the area boasts a whopping 273 lakes, ponds and rivers. That means there’s a wide variety of water bodies for people with a wide variety of desires, preferences and budgets, so expand your horizons.
Opechee Bay, for one example, is a centrally located midsized lake with 426 acres of surface (about half the size of Central Park in New York City), a length of 1.9 miles, a width of .7 miles, and about 5.9 miles of shoreline. 
That size makes it less of a tourist draw and therefore perfect for people who prefer peace, quiet and the tranquility of nature over a floating boat show. Accordingly, it tends to be calm, a perfect place for families and individuals to swim, kayak, sail, windsurf, waterski or Jet Ski without the same risk of wakes, collisions and getting lost as one would have on the big lake.

Find an agent who knows the lakes intimately

When selecting a doctor it’s wise to research how many procedures they’ve performed in their specialty. It’s similar with Realtors®—you want to find an experienced specialist.
If you have questions about local water bodies, the Shoreland Protection Act, dock permitting, aquatic lake plants and more, our experienced Realtors® comprise one of the top independent real estate companies in New Hampshire for all-time sales, and the Lakes Region is not an afterthought for Roche Realty Group; it is our exclusive focus.

Join us for an informational open house

On Saturday, February 16th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. you’re welcome to visit the Roche Realty office at 97 Daniel Webster Highway in Meredith to speak informally with seasoned Lakes Region professionals including Realtors®, loan originators and settlement Company representatives. Light refreshments will be served and you can enter a raffle to win a $50 gift card to Home Depot.

If your family is on Winter Recess, enjoy your visit (until the bell rings) and remember… recess is available any time when you own a piece of one of New England’s finest playgrounds.

Brent Metzger is a Realtor® with Roche Realty Group. To learn more contact him at (603) 229-8322 or visit
www.RocheRealty.com.

Comments

Has your home been on the market for too long?

2/1/2019

Comments

 
Picture
Once there was a man who loved traveling, but he had been around the world so many times it seemed as though he had seen all there was to see.

​Then one day the traveler came across something he had never seen before: a man standing beside a lovely home and beating his head repeatedly against one of its stone walls.

The traveler watched with amazement until it was time to move on. Before leaving he said: “Please excuse me, sir. I don’t mean to be rude or interrupt, but I’ve traveled far and wide and I’ve seen the Wonders of the World… but I’ve never seen a man beating his head against a stone wall before. Would you please tell me why you do this?”

The local stopped beating his head against the wall of the stone house. An expression of relief spread across his face as he turned to look at the traveler and replied: “Because it feels SO GOOD when I stop!”

As I write this article, 27 percent of the active listings for single family homes or condominiums in Laconia have been on the market for more than 200 days. About ten percent of them have been on the market for 399 days or more. For context, in 2018 the median number of days on market for Laconia homes was 29.

If you ever have a Lakes Region property for sale that has been on the market without selling for more than, say, 180 days, it may be time to stop beating your head against the wall and try something new.

An excessive number of days on market broadcasts a signal to both buyers and their agents that says, “Something might be wrong, proceed with caution, if at all.”

Scientists who study persuasion psychology have identified three powerful and proven psychological factors that can help us understand this reaction: the principals of primacy, scarcity and social proof.

The “primacy effect” asserts that our first impression strongly shapes our lasting perception of a person, place or thing.

For example, if a job seeker shows up late for an interview, the manager’s perception is tainted by the unprofessionalism of that late arrival, even if that candidate is experienced and qualified for the job.

When it comes to real estate, a prospective home buyer’s perception of a property is filtered through her initial impression that the property has been on the market for a really long time. This can taint the perception of a property’s positive features, just like a late interview arrival can compromise a candidate’s chance of getting hired.

In turn, the primacy effect triggers the next psychological reaction: “social proof.”

Social proof means we take cues from what the masses do, in order to guide our own decisions. This is especially true when we feel uncertain, and few things make people feel more anxious than the expense and commitment of buying a home.

To give a common example of social proof, have you ever purchased an item online based on the strength of hundreds or thousands of positive reviews? That’s social proof. On the other hand, if you ever avoided going to a movie or buying a product because it had bad or mediocre sales or reviews, that’s also social proof.

The more people who do (or don’t do) something, the more of a no-brainer it feels to take the same course of action.

In real estate, an excessive number of days on market can shout: “It’s been a year and half and no one else has bought this place… there must be some reason why… maybe I shouldn’t bother looking.” If you aren’t getting regular showings from legitimate buyers, social proof may be why.

Finally, there is the “scarcity” response, which refers to the fact that when something is less available, we value and want it more. If you’ve ever been in or seen video of a Black Friday Sale in which shoppers are acting insane, it’s because of scarcity. This response is quite powerful because it is literally tied to survival instincts. (Today it causes mild mannered mothers to engage in fisticuffs over the limited number of Tickle Me Elmo dolls.)

The flip side, however, is that the MORE available something is, the LESS we value and want that thing. That’s why granite is less expensive than diamonds, and why a home that’s been available for sale for more than year doesn’t trigger a Black Friday crowd.

If you ever find yourself in a position where your property has been on the market for multiples of the median days on market, and you’re tired of beating your head against the wall, there are several approaches you can try.

The most obvious approach is to match the list price to what the market will bear. When it comes to pricing for sale, the collective wisdom of the market (social proof of the masses) trumps what Zillow says, or even what the home owner paid, wants, thinks or feels the home is worth.

If the market is giving you evidence you’re priced too high, then be objective as possible and lower the price appropriately.

Alternatively or additionally, you can ask your agent to try a new marketing approach.

How long has it been since the listing remarks were updated? Given the frigid temperatures, are there cold-weather positives (like an attached garage, updated heating system, quality insulation, proximity to ski areas) that aren’t highlighted but should be?  

Did your agent prepare a quality full-color brochure of your home in order to make it memorable, or are they just handing out printouts of the listing? Does your property have its own website? What could be done for promotion besides listing the property and planting a sign in the yard? Maybe ask if your listing agency can take Matterport® 3D images of your home—it’s like Google Street View for properties, allowing amazing virtual tours that can help prospective buyers see what others have missed.

​An excessive number of days on market broadcasts a negative signal to both buyers and their agents, one that compromises sales and negotiations. Maybe it’s time to stop beating your head against the metaphorical wall and experience relief by trying something new.

Comments

    Archives

    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017

















    ​Copyright 2018

    Brent Metzger is actively licensed as a sales agent (# 072494) with the New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure, Certification/NH Real Estate Commission, and is affiliated with brokerage Roche Realty Group / 97 Daniel Webster Highway Meredith, NH 03253 / office: (603) 279-7046
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.