All Neighbors in Kittery, ME
Top Neighbors: The magic behind the mirrors
You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Keeping a steady strem of incoming posts and photos will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
Although the real estate market was tough in 2008 as you will see below, 105 homes sold in the Kittery area. People still have to move and homes still do sell regardless of the market. With that said, here is A Little Perspective on the Real Estate Market:
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist noted in October that, "A trend away from subprime mortgages to FHA loans, which often carry much lower interest rates, is a positive development for consumers and the house market going forward. Still, it will take some time for the change to yield a measurably higher closed sales volume in the aftermath of the subprime collapse. In the near term, we expect home sales to remain fairly stable." As real estate markets are local, here's what happened in the Kittery/Eliot area market in October: 
As you may guess, I receive many requests from friends and associates for referrals to professional trades and services - everything from painters to attorneys. Because I've received these requests, and because I operate my own business by referral, I have compiled a Business Referral Directory that lists the finest individuals and companies serving our community. You can check out this new directory anytime on my website, 
Check this out...
The latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) claims that existing-home sales are projected to trend up in 2008. I definitely see that happening here in the Seacoast. In fact, Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for NAR was quoted recently saying, "The improvement in the Northeast reaffirms a trend apparent for some months now that shows signs of recovery, noteworthy because that was the first region to slump." Yes, he said did say improvement in the Northeast!
