Hampton, NH

Check this out...Save $1000 on Your Next Home Purchase!

With rates dipping recently, housing prices low plus a $1,000 credit at closing, I can't think of a better reason to start looking for a new home or investment property. If you have interest, let me know. Or, if you know of someone who could use our services and a $1,000 credit, please let me know or pass this along. Carol and I love referrals!!

Now let's take look at what is going on in the market locally...

30 homes sold in August:

- 12 single family homes,

- 13 condos, and

- 5 mobile homes.

Year-to-date, 185 homes have sold in Hampton:

-102 single family homes

- 71 condos, and

- 12 mobile homes

In addition, 14 Hampton area homes went pending with active contracts in August.

For more real estate information, check out my website www.SeacoastHomesForYou.com , or to receive a FREE on-line market analysis on your home check, out www.GetFreePropertyValues.com.

An important thing to keep in mind when it comes to real estate is that each and every town is different. Depending on where you are in the country, one town can be thriving and the next town over can be in a slump. This can also be true for large cities-certain sections of a city can be desirable...others not so much. Please keep this in mind when you listen to the news. Reporters are often giving you statewide or national market data and your home town is not the "national market". With that said, let's see what's been going on in the Hampton area.

31 homes sold in the Hampton area in May:

-17 single family homes, and

-14 condos.

Year-to-date, 102 homes have sold in the Hampton area:

-58 single family homes

-39 condos, and

-5 mobile homes

In addition, 17 Hampton area homes went pending with active contracts in May.

If you or someone you know is looking to buy or sell, give me a call. I'd be happy to help them out.

For more real estate information, check out www.SeacoastHomesForYou.com.

To receive a FREE on-line home market analysis, check out www.GetFreePropertyValues.com.

With gas reaching $4 a gallon there must be ways to use it more efficiently. Re-thinking the way we drive can be a challenge in our hurry up world but I have found several ways to save gas while driving.

Start with a fuel efficient vehicle. An increase in 10mpg fuel economy rating can save you $5,000 in fuel cost over five years, based on $4 per gallon.

Limiting the amount of time my car idles - Idling more than 10 seconds uses more fuel than restarting the engine. Turn your car off when parked or stopped for more than 10 seconds, except, of course, in Traffic!

It is not hard on the engine to turn it on and off. Frequent restarting has very little impact on the starter motor and battery.

Excessive idling can damage the engine. An idling engine isn't operating at its peak temperature, which results in incomplete fuel combustion. This leaves fuel residues that can contaminate oil.

Engines don't need more than 30 seconds to "warm up". Maybe this was true in the past but today's modern engines are ready to go.

Drive up windows are a waste of gas! Park your car and go inside when running errands at the bank, pharmacy, coffee stop and fast food dinner.

Take out the remote starter (or at least don't use it). How often have you forgotten and discovered the car has been running for 10 minutes or more. If it's winter - put on more clothes vs. expecting a toasty interior.

Don't be a Jack Rabbit! When starting from a dead stop, accelerate slowly.

Traveling at 55mph gives you up to 21% better gas mileage. Over 40mph the car has to overcome tremendous wind resistance.

Plan out your trips in advance. The most practical trip goes in order and in a straight line. Know where you are going and plan your trips that way.

Remove all the stuff from your back seat and trunk. Lighten the load that you are hauling around with you every day to save gas.

Keep your car well maintained. Check the tires for proper inflation; get filters and oil changed regularly. Keeping you car washed and waxed actually improves the aerodynamics and fuel savings.

Go at a slow and steady pace. No tailgating, no revving the engine at stops; no aggressive driving that cause you to drive the brake. Remember it was the turtle who won the race not the hare.

The price of gas isn't going down anytime soon, if ever. So let's use this resource wisely and the most cost effectively possible. No reason to stay at home but gallons of reasons to think it through before getting behind the wheel.

The summer season is almost upon us. The snow has finally melted and the sun has come back out. Vacation time on the coast of New Hampshire and Maine is about to go into full swing. What would be better than having a place of your own to enjoy and possibly rent out when you are not there! You don't have to be a financial mogul or Hollywood star to own multiple homes. Many people escape the oppressive heat of Florida and the South to enjoy the temperate climate of the North East.

Second home ownership is an extremely popular trend in today's real estate market. Why? Well, demographics, technology and prices are converging to provide a historic opportunity for Buyers to enter this market. Baby Boomers are rushing toward retirement and second homes offer you an opportunity to ready for that day when you want to live in warm weather year round. Experts are predicting that millions of Americans will buy second homes in the next few years.

Thanks to technology, second homes have become a place to work as well as play. Tele-commuting has come a long way in the last few years. High speed internet and FIOS connections are available everywhere on the Seacoast. How you use your second home is up to you but if it something you have dreaming of, now is the time to get the information you need to make an informed decision. Working with a professional real estate agent who is up to date on 1031 exchanges, summer rentals and the financial considerations is the way to go. You may even be able to use the equity in your current home to finance the purchase. A vacation home can even be an income property when not in use. Peace of mind comes with using a professional to sort out all the details.

Married couples, generally over 35, with or without children are almost twice as likely to own second homes as single persons. And the fastest growing segment of second home Buyers are between ages 35 to 54 without children at home. Some of the best locations are usually within 2 to 3 hours of your year round home. People from Boston, New York and Canada can find the Seacoast of New Hampshire and Maine the ideal location for vacation homes.

What makes for an ideal location for a vacation home? Natural beauty is top of the list but other activities, arts, popular sports and theater are also on this list. With second homes being a discretionary purchase, everyone wants quality of life and security to be tops. You will get the most enjoyment out of your second if it is within an area you can get too relatively quickly and can use more often. Make sure you look at any property with an eye towards tomorrow because the best value and most likely to appreciate are the ones that Boomers can play in today and retire in tomorrow.

There are 23 local Farmer's Markets in the area to choose from. Support our local agriculture and improve your diet by doing some of your shopping there.

Mondays

Durham NH Traffic Circle - 2:30-5:30pm- Seacoast Grower's Association

Tuesdays

Kingston NH Main Street - 2:30-5:30pm - Seacoast Grower's Association

Hampton NH Route 1 - 3-6pm - Seacoast Grower's Association

Wednesdays

Dover NH McIntosh American Culinary Academy, Silver Street - 2:30-6pm - Seacoast Grower's Association

Saco ME Saco Valley Shopping Center - 7am-12noon - Saco Farmer's and Artisans' Market

Springvale ME Rite Aid Parking Lot - 8am-12noon - Springvale Farmer's Market (anniesgardens@yahoo.com)

Wells ME Parking lot of the Wells Town Hall on Sanford Road - 2-6pm - Wells Farmer's Market

Thursdays

Exeter NH Swasey Parkway - 2:30-6pm - Seacoast Grower's Association

Rochester NH Front lawn of Foster's Daily Democrat 90 N Main Street - 3-6pm - Rochester Downtown Farmer's Market

Lee NH Old Fire Station Rte 155 - 3-6pm - Lee Cooperative Farmer's Market (leemarket@comcast.net)

Fridays

Sanford ME Rte 109 next to Sanford Institution for Savings - 8am-12noon - Sanford Farmer's Market (anniesgardens@yahoo.com)

New Durham NH Depot Road at Post Office parking lot - 1-6pm - New Durham Farmer's Market (davcrord@metrocast.net)

Rochester NH 4 Corners Antique Store, corner of Estes & Meaderboro Rd - 3-6:30pm - Rochester Farmer's Market

Deerfield NH Off Cotton Road at Back entrance to Deerfield Fairgrounds - 3-7pm - Deerfield Farmer's Market

Saturdays

Portsmouth NH City Hall - 8am-1pm - Seacoast Grower's Association

Saco ME Saco Valley Shopping Center - 7am-12noon - Saco Farmer's and Artisans' Market

Farmington NH Corner of Central Main Streets - 8am-12:30pm - Farmington Farmer's Market

Springvale ME Rite Aid Parking Lot - 8am-12noon - Springvale Farmer's Market (anniesgardens@yahoo.com)

Kennebunk ME Grove Street Parking Lot - 8am-12noon - Kennebunk Farmer's Market

Rochester NH 4 Corners Antique Store, corner of Estes & Meaderboro Rd - 9am-12noon - Rochester Farmer's Market

Barrington NH Rte 9 & 125 across from Calef's Country Store - 9am-1pm - Barrington Farmer's Market

York ME Corner of Rte 1 and Stonewall Lane at York Visitor's Center - 9am-1pm - Gateway Farmer's Market

Sundays

Nottingham NH - Blaisdell Memorial Library 129 Stage Road - 1-4pm - Nottingham Farmer's Market (blaisdellml@comcast.net)

Portsmouth NH Farmer's Market at City Hall on Junkins Ave