Monthly Archive for April, 2011

Stormwater Management for Homeowners

Published on April 26, 2011 in Advice for Buyers and Sunapee Community. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Concord, NH  – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has released two new tools to help homeowners better manage water running off their properties during storms (stormwater).

The New Hampshire Homeowner’s Guide to Stormwater Management:  Do-It-Yourself Stormwater Solutions for Your Home provides fact sheets with step-by-step instructions to install stormwater treatment practices that homeowners can do themselves, such as dry wells and rain gardens. These stormwater treatment practices help protect nearby streams and ponds from water pollution, and help reduce flooding, create wildlife habitat, recharge groundwater, and conserve water resources.

The second tool, The New Hampshire Residential Loading Model, is a modeling tool for homeowners to estimate the amount of nutrients, specifically phosphorus and nitrogen running off of their properties.

As residents add driveways, walkways, home additions, sheds, or garages to their properties, the amount of water that seeps into the ground decreases and the amount of water running off their property increases.  This can result in flooding and water pollution as the increased water flow picks up and carries pollutants such as phosphorus and nitrogen to nearby waterbodies or groundwater supplies.  This model can help homeowners plan their additions and changes to properties while reducing impacts to water resources.

According to Harry Stewart, DES Water Division Director, “our intent is to provide homeowners and local building officials with a simple tool to identify cost effective ways to offset potential impacts to water resources.”

Both resources are available at

http://m1e.net/c?82384231-HPRMth9PvdXmQ%406386493-FG8fge/HKtKqk by entering in “Stormwater Management” in the “search this site” at the top right of the DES home page.  For more information please contact Eric Williams at (603)271-2358 or at eric.williams@des.nh.gov.”

Do You Know What a Short Sale Is?

Published on April 22, 2011 in Advice for Buyers and Advice for Sellers. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Simply put, a short sale is when a seller has a hardship (e.g. death, divorce, job loss), needs to sell, and owes more on the mortgage than the home is worth.   It is a complicated process for both sellers and buyers and is anything but short when it comes to time frames.

Sellers first should speak to their lender’s short sales specialist (which could entail many phone calls) and submit a financial package.   Not all lenders will accept short sales – it may be financially better for them to foreclose.   There could be tax consequences if the IRS considers the amount forgiven as income or the lender may still want the difference owed even after the sale.    Sellers should speak with a CPA and lawyer.

Buyers need lots of patience!  Even if the Seller accepts your offer, it still has to be approved by the lender.  This could take months.   (It is more complicated with multiple loans on the house.)   The National Association of Realtors® report that on average, short sales sell at a 17% discount.  A short sale can be a good deal but understand the obstacles and bring plenty of patience.

Keeping my buyers and sellers educated is part of my job.  Give me a call if you would like to work with a Realtor® who will always keep you informed, 603-526-4116.

Donna Forest, Broker Associate

 

Between The Mountains Farm for sale – New Listing in Newbury, NH

Published on April 20, 2011 in Advice for Buyers and Sunapee Housing Market. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

A true gentleman’s farm for those who want space, a beautiful home in tip-top shape all on a spectacular piece of conserved land.  This antique home was totally restored/renovated in 2008 and sits on 113 peaceful acres.  Views, historic barn.  A place you won’t want to leave.  For more details and photos, visit www.BetweenTheMountainsFarm.com.

Stacey Viandier, Listing Agent

 

Radon Gas Mitigation: Let’s Breathe Easy

Published on April 15, 2011 in Advice for Buyers and Advice for Sellers. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

By: Jan Soults Walker

Take steps immediately to reduce radon gas buildup if your home tests high. Knowing the available radon mitigation methods and costs will help you make the best choice.

Reducing radon: Simple strategies

If radon test results indicate that levels in your home are only slightly elevated–less than 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air):

  • Caulk cracks or gaps in the slab, foundation, or framing–wherever your home contacts soil–to inhibit radon gas infiltration. This step also improves the success of other radon reduction strategies.
  • Open exterior crawl space vents to increase air flow and dilute radon buildup.
  • Install a heat recovery ventilator (HRV). An HVR introduces fresh, air-conditioned air into homes that are otherwise tightly sealed.

Reducing radon from unsafe levels

If radon levels inside your home test at 4 pCi/L or higher, enlist the services of a professional contractor who is trained in radon mitigation strategies. Contact your state radon office for a list of contractors in your area who are trained and certified in radon reduction techniques. Obtain several bids.

Professional radon mitigation options

Some of the systems used for reducing radon are:

  • Soil suction. A special vent fan draws radon from soil beneath your home through pipes that dispel gas into the open. Negative pressure created by the suction further inhibits the buildup of gas. Fans run 24/7, and are usually guaranteed for up to 10 years of continual operation.
  • Sub-membrane suction. Considered the most effective strategy for homes with crawl spaces, sub-membrane suction employs a high-density plastic sheet atop the soil. A fan draws radon gas out through vent pipes located beneath the plastic.
  • Passive and active ventilation. Ventilating a crawl space or adding additional vents may also reduce radon gas. Opening vents is passive ventilation; adding a fan is active. When employing either of these methods in a colder climate, you may need to add insulation in a crawl space to prevent pipes from freezing.

Costs for radon mitigation

Prices for radon mitigation vary depending on the extent of the work being done, but range between $800 and $2,500. The average cost nationally is $1,200 to $1,400.

As a rule, a house built on a slab or with a basement requires less labor, resulting in the lowest costs for radon reduction. Radon reduction in a house over a crawl space tends to be most expensive since a vapor barrier may be required.

Homes with any combination of slab, crawl space, and/or a basement fall in the middle range for costs.

Another budget consideration: As you ventilate radon gas from your home, energy costs increase—either from releasing air that’s been heated or cooled, or from you operating a fan full-time. Using an HRV to ventilate helps reduce waste.

With four home renovations to her credit, Jan Soults Walker is a devotee of improvements, products, and trends for the home and garden. For 25 years she’s written for a number of national home shelter publications, and has authored 18 books on home improvement and decorating.  Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Mt. Sunapee – Enjoy the Last Weekend of Skiing!

Published on April 8, 2011 in Sunapee Activities. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Ticket prices have been rolled back to $36 through Sunday, April 10.  It looks like a nice days coming up  with sunny skies and highs in the low 50’s. All trails are still edge-to-edge. They are operating the Sunapee Express, Sunbowl quad and North Peak triple chair serving 38 trails off those lifts. Don’t forget the sunscreen.

Saturday, April 9 is the 20th Annual Intragalactic Cardboard Sled Race. The most amazing cardboard sleds you have ever seen will be racing down Eggbeater trail and vying to win the most creative design award. Bring the camera or video and join the fun. All entry fees are donated to David’s House in Lebanon.

Sunday, April 10 it’s Cares & Shares Day at Mount Sunapee. Anyone who brings five non-perishable food items to the ticket window can ski or ride all day for only $30. Food is donated to local food shelters. Season pass holders and staff are also welcome to bring food.

If you purchase your season pass for next year on or before April 30 you can enjoy big savings on all of our pass products. Plus, if you purchase a Peak Pass by April 30 you receive two free companion tickets that can be used during next season. Where else would you want to make your home mountain? Mount Sunapee has been ranked with the best snow in the East the past five years by SKI Magazine readers.

Mt. Sunapee is planning to close Sunday, April 10. Thank you for making this another great season at Mount Sunapee.  See you next year!

 

 

 

My Stuff is Better Than Your Stuff – Or Is It?

Published on April 7, 2011 in Advice for Sellers and Sunapee Housing Market. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

It’s human nature – we put a greater value on things that we already own.  This is a well known theory called the “endowment effect” developed by an American economist, Richard Thaler, in 1980. One classic study is done with mugs where Group A, with no mugs, is asked how much they would pay for a mug.  The typical answer is $4.  Group B is given mugs and then asked how much someone would have to pay for you to part with it.  The average response is $8.

I see this happening frequently with sellers when it comes to pricing their homes.   Even though they are shown similar houses sold for less and the competing homes are priced lower, sellers still want to price their house higher.  The negative consequences of the endowment effect is that homes take longer to sell, the price ends up “chasing” the market and sellers eventually end up selling for a lower amount than if the house had been initially priced correctly.

Bottom line – sellers should be aware of how the endowment effect impacts their decision-making on price.  Don’t go by what you “think” it is worth.  Make decisions based on what is actually selling in the market.  Give me a call if you need a REALTOR® to help you price your way to a successful sale!  Donna Forest, 603-526-4116, email:  donna@donnaforest.com, web site:  www.donnaforest.com

Don’t Let Clutter Hide the Value Your Home

Published on April 5, 2011 in Advice for Sellers and Sunapee Housing Market. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

In our modern world, many of us have succumbed to the excesses of capitalism. Giant warehouse stores allow us to buy in bulk; massive chain department stores allow for incredible bargain prices. We drive giant vehicles to haul the stuff around and super-size meals to fuel our shopping frenzy.

As consumers we have expanded the idea of basic needs well beyond necessity. Needs are things that we cannot survive without such as food and shelter. For whatever reason, many of our desires have become needs and the result is too much stuff. In a society where shopping has become a recreational sport, and the acquisition of things a daily ritual, we must be cautious not to acquire too much to clutter up our homes.

While those of us who live in cluttered environments may have developed some numbness, meaning that we no longer consciously notice or see the chaos of clutter, we are still affected at some level. Lack of energy, motivation and low self-esteem are often characteristics that accompany the daunting task of making sense of, or separating from, our clutter.

From the prospective homebuyer’s view, clutter translates into an undesirable home. Cluttered homes often appear smaller. They look darker, and tend to smell from the excess dust. The excess stimuli can be an immediate turn-off because the combined effect suggests that all of the home’s other features will be rundown, decayed and in need of much repair. The converse is also true: homes devoid of clutter and kept clean give the impression of being well maintained and not requiring much work.

As sellers, it is important to understand that when prospective buyers view a home they do so through various lenses. Some will look at a property in terms of its resale value, others will view it as a starter home, and others will view it as their potential home for life.

For those looking at property strictly for investment, clutter can be a good thing. Clutter means that the property doesn’t show well and as such the potential buyer stands a good chance of acquiring it below value. For those looking at a property as a starter home, the clutter only serves to widen the gap between the desired home and the home they must settle for. People looking at a property as their potential permanent home will imagine themselves occupying it. Clutter compromises the ideal image and prospective buyers view the home in terms of cleaning and maintenance.

Properties with clutter translate into increased time on the market and lower values, not only because the clutter decreases the perception of size, air and light, but also because of the perceived level of work involved in maintaining the property. It might behoove sellers to spend a little upfront and hire a professional clutter clearer and/or home stager. This initial cost will be recouped by way of a higher selling price and faster sale.

 

Spring at Mt. Sunapee? Not with 8″ of Fresh Snow Today!

Published on April 1, 2011 in Sunapee Activities. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Snow foolin’, Mt. Sunapee received another 8” of snow today and this looks to be the most exciting weekend so far this season. It will probably be your last chance to enjoy packed powder surfaces until next December. At least 53 trails will be open and 9 lifts operating. There are still limited tickets available for the big concert Saturday featuring O.A.R. DJ Logic and the Pete Kilpatrick Band. They expect to sell out before the tent flaps open at 2:30pm to a 24,000 sq. ft. performance tent. If that’s not enough, it’s the 13th Annual Slush Cup Sunday. Join the fun as 200 people try to negotiate an 85’ pond filled with 34 degree water. You won’t want to miss this weekend at easy-to-reach Mount Sunapee where you will find great skiing and riding, great music and one of the most popular spring events. It is spring, isn’t it?