Jim Lee, Seacoast Realtor Portsmouth, NH, Jewel of the NH Seacoast

Here's a couple of new free stuff aps that some may find useful.

First is called "NudgeMail" which sends you email reminders when you want to be reminded of something, e.g. appointment, birthday, whatever. You can set your email to just send you an email reminder on the appropiate date and/or time.

I know lots of other stuff does the same thing but it's one more tool in your toolbox to keep you from missing something that's important or that you really want to do.

It also synchronizes with Google Calendar.

'Fallin off a log' easy to use, free, and can be useful.

next is a cool file sharing ap called "Ge.tt". Say you want to send a client a batch of new photos of his or her listing to get their OK or approval or just to show them you're working on their listing. Sending a big attachment doesn't always work as we all know. With Ge.tt you just upload them to Ge.tt, copy the shortened URL, and send them along to whoever. They then click the link, go to the Ge.tt website and see whatever you sent them.

You can mix and match different file types too. I tried it with 6 JPGs, 2 .doc file, 4 PDFs, and a Publisher file thrown in for good measure. (your recipient has to have the program to open file types). They all appeared on Ge.tt just as I uploaded them and were easy to open.

"Ge.tt Huh? What is it?

Ge.tt is a real-time file sharing service. But what is it really and what can you use it for?

Let's try to explain it a bit. What is Ge.tt? Ge.tt is an instant, real-time file publishing and sharing service. With Ge.tt there is no need for special software or plug-ins. It is a simple file sharing and publishing tool for all types of materials including documents, video, music and photos.

How does it work and what can you use it for? With Ge.tt you can turn any type of file into web content and share it instantly. You can share documents, video, music and photos in the browser making them instantly available for the recipient.

If you sign up, you can even re-use and keep track of the materials that you previously shared. Ge.tt is suitable for professional and personal use.

Real-time sharing Your files are ready to be published or shared as soon as you select them! No need to wait for files to upload.

Real-time statistics You can easily track how many people have downloaded or viewed your files."

So two cool new ways to do stuff you're already doing and both are my favorite price; FREE!

Ge.tt and NudgeMail, give em a try.

And as a bonus for reading this far here's another cool, free website called WorkFlowy which is one of those things so simple it makes you mad you didn't think of it yourself. Basically Workflowy is just a list you generate but it goes way beyond jsut being a list. I have mine on my Bookmarks toolbar and look at it daily to see what goals, projects, links, notes, or whatever, I need to remind myself of or get done today. Take a look at WorkFlowy, it will help simplify your life.

I find it fun to explore hidden and little used roads, trails, and byways I come across. One cool road that has a lot to offer but gets very little use is Little Harbor Road near our home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Turn off Sagamore Avenue just past the South Street Cemetery onto Little Harbor Road, it’s only about a mile to the dead end but it’s a beautiful walk or run through the little used, wooded road.

First turn along the way is Currier Lane, a short little cul de sac with about 8 fairly modern homes. Continuing along Little Harbor Road you next come to Little Harbor Chapel on your left. Founded in 1902, the Chapel is an undemonimational church that has services only during the summer months of July and August. This beautiful little church in the woods is also available for weddings and recitals as long as they are smallish affairs, the church only has seating for 80 and no heating system.

Read the rest of the story at Portsmouth Home Center.

The first 3 months of 2011 are well past and in the record books now so we can start to get a picture of what the Portsmouth area real estate market looks like this year.

The following graph is a comparison of the first quarters of each year for the past 10 years.

You can compare the above numbers to the current (as of 4/11/11) number of 155 active listings for single family homes and condos in Portsmouth.

We’re starting to see an uptick in both the numbers of sold listings as well as the number of pendings (under agreement but not closed) as well as a decrease in the numbers of new listings coming on the market.

Another valuable piece of sales data to determine the current state of the Portsmouth real estate market is the absorption rate, that is, how long does it take a listing to sell.

I calculate it by determining the total number of sales for the past 12 months, which is 254 in Portsmouth, divide that number by 12 months which equals 21.17 sales per month. Next take the current number of active listings which we saw above is 155. By dividing 21.17 into 155 (21.17 ÷ 155 = 7.32) we get the Portsmouth absorption rate of 7.32. The 7.32 number means that we currently have a 7.32 months supply of homes for sale.

Assuming no new listings come on the market, which is not realistic, it would take 7.32 months to sell all the current inventory of homes in Portsmouth. A six month supply of homes is considered by most to be a balanced market, over that number it’s a buyer’s market and under is a seller’s market.

I think in the Portsmouth and most of the Seacoast market we’re fast approaching a balanced market now that some of the oversupply is being sold and/or taken off the market. The second quarter will tell us if that theory is accurate so stay tuned.

Apparently the affordability of American homes is not going unnoticed by both investors and foreign buyers. According to this article from Realtor Magazine. ” A record 33 percent of existing home sales were made to cash buyers in February, the National Association of Realtors recently reported.

The proportion of cash deals could hit 40 percent by the end of the year, predicts Thomas Popik, Research Director for Campbell Communications in Washington, which conducts monthly surveys of 3,000 real estate brokers.”

“Lenders have only been willing to lend to the cream of the crop in terms of credit scores”, says Walter Molony, an NAR spokesman, “As a result you’re seeing a depressed level of traditional buyers.” “But it’s not just investors moving: Many of these cash deals are also coming from a growing number of international buyers.

About 55 percent of international buyers paid cash for their U.S. homes according to an April 2010 by the NAR.”

I’m happy to crunch the real estate numbers for your neighborhood if you live in the Seacoast area.

Keep up with the latest Seacoast New Hampshire news by subscribing to Portsmouth Home Center.com

NOTE to literals, there really is an igloo but we don't have it listed for sale.

FOR SALE: Newly constructed igloo, only the finest New Hampshire river ice was used in construction. Built by local craftsmen, 1 mason, 1 contractor, and 1 crane operator (he carried the ice blocks and operated the chain saw.

Incredibly light and airy inside, temperature controlled (cold all the time), and located within easy walking distance from historic Exeter, New Hampshire. Don't miss a rare (and very limited time) opportunity to own this truly "one of a kind" home. Approximately 300 square feet, very open inside, with sparkling 9 foot ceiling.

Very private, nearest neighbor is a fishing shanty with seasonal occupants; you'll hardly know they're there when they're in residence because they tend to stay indoors most of the time.

Below is a photo of the Exeter igloo under construction showing the meticulous attention to detail and care these ice craftsmen took while building this masterpiece of the ice carvers art.That's me on the left getting instruction on how to properly set an ice block.

And in the photo below my partner 'Eskimo Annie' demonstrates how roomy and spacious the interior is.

Don't miss this rate opportunity to own this truly unique home, it's a limited time offer in more ways than one.. Once the sun comes out and it gets closer to spring it's going, going, gone.

And two of the 'coolest' Realtors in New Hampshire.

It’s the end of January in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Temperatures are in the mid 20s and we’ve had a couple of feet of snow so far.

Perfect weather for a big, hot, bubbling pot of home made soup as well as an update on current and also bubbling Portsmouth NH real estate market.

We finished up a ham last night for dinner. I took the nice sized bone with quite a bit of meat still clinging to it and boiled it for a couple of hours and stuck it in the fridge overnight. When I took it out this morning there was a big pot of jellied ham broth and all the flavor and goodness from that ham bone.

So I diced up a couple of potatoes, some carrots, and a large sweet onion and tossed them in the pot with the ham stock and lots of pieces of ham. Next I put in a can of corn and another of Kidney beans. All that is now simmering on the stove top getting ready for a hearty dinner tonight.

I also diced up some listings and sales info on the Portsmouth and Seacoast NH area real estate market.

The Portsmouth real estate market is simmering too. We actually beat the 2009 sales figures in 2010 and 2011 is off to a bubbling start as well.

So far we’ve put several of our listings under agreement, had a couple of sales, and topped it off with a nice closing.

As of today in the Portsmouth NH zip code, 03801, there are 72 active listings with a median price of $367,000 and median days on the market (DOM) of 102. New Castle’s median price for their 16 active listings is $997,000 and 168 median days on the market.

The 03870 zip code, which is Rye Beach down to North Hampton has 39 active listings at a median price of $649,900 and median DOM of 182.

That’s a snapshot of the current state of the Portsmouth area real estate market.

Happy to supply you sales or listings data for any other Portsmouth or Seacoast NH areas and also furnish you a list of current homes or condos for sale that might meet your needs.

Just call me or Ann Cummings at 603-431-1111, my extension is 3801 and Ann’s is 3839.

Looking for real estate in the Portsmouth or New Hampshire and southern Maine Seacoast area? Visit PortsmouthNewHampshireHomes.com to see all the beautiful homes for sale.