Dover, NH

Dover is the town I grew up in and I have an enduring fondest for it. We have definitely seen some changes when reviewing the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2008. In 2007 there were 94 single family homes & condos sold and in 2008 that number has dropped to 61. That computes to a 35% drop in total units sold. Granted we did just live through the snowiest winter on record. Not an easy time to look at houses let alone move in.

The first three months of 2008 did see a slight decline in average sales price to $270,079 vs. $281,254 for the same period in 2007. A 4% decrease is more than acceptable but 102 homes came on the market during this time. That is quite a bit of unsold inventory. The average days on market have also increased. In 2007 it took an average of 122.33 days to sell a home in Dover - we are currently looking at 151 days on market average.

There are currently 262 homes for sale in Dover ranging in asking price from $129,500 to $2,500,000. If you are interested in living in Dover there are a lot of homes to choose from. Now would be the time to offer realistic values for the homes available. In order to reduce the inventory, Sellers may have to become even more resilent about their pricing. We are currently looking at over 12 months of inventory to be sold. Reasonably priced homes will sell no matter the general market.

Search MLS 24/7

Visit The Seacoast Sold Report for more information about Dover and surrounding towns

Real Estate Market Update 20 For March 20-26, 2008

Strafford County, New Hampshire

Single Family Homes

• Total Listings Available 800 (Last Week 801)
• Price Range $39,900-$2,750,000
• Total New Listings This Week 31 (Last Week 76)
• Price Range $109,900-$535,000
• Total Pending This Week 14 (Last Week 31)
• Total Withdrawn This Week 6 (Last Week 16)
• Total Expired This Week 13 (Last Week 29)
• Total Sold This Week 17 (Last Week 16)

Condos

• Total Listings Available 208 (Last Week 213)
• Price Range $84,900-$489,900
• Total New Listings This Week 12 (Last Week 13)
• Price Range $84,900-$489,900
• Total Pending This Week 5 (Last Week 6)
• Total Withdrawn This Week 0 (Last Week 2)
• Total Expired This Week 2 (Last Week 8 )
• Total Sold This Week 0 (Last Week 9)

Shannon Aldrich, Keller Williams Coastal Realty Portsmouth, NH

Join the monthly e-newsletter for featured listings, area happenings and updated real estate information at saldrich@kw.com I respect your privacy and will never share your email address.

This information for Rockingham and Strafford counties is compiled through NNEREN, Northern New England Real Estate Network for the period listed. Information is deemed reliable but not infallible.

Before showing your home, take the time to work with your professional real estate agent to complete a quality listing and fact sheet. I am constantly amazed at the amount of information left off. From total square footage (found on the tax card) to the color of the house. Help yourself and your agent by sitting down to write out a list of improvements made to the home and when. Give as many details as possible.

The listing sheet is an essential marketing tool that drives internet information. Leaving off the total square footage means that if a potential Buyer is searching for homes between 1,500 and 2,000 square feet is doesn't matter if your home is 1,800 square feet of living space if that number was never entered. You have just been left out of the hunt for a home. Add the room dimensions so that Buyer's can see just how big your rooms are. Emphasize the unique aspects of your home along with the basic facts.

Important Items for a Listing Sheet

• Total square footage
• Dimensions of all rooms
• Proper directions
• Amenities such as central air, central vac, basement, fireplace, usable or walk up attic, walk in closets, sun or screened porch, hardwood floors, irrigation, security, pool or jacuzzi
• A list of all the appliances that will stay with the property and what is negotiable
• Names of the schools (Not just the school district - which elementary, middle and high school)
• Neighborhood or condo amenities - Field House, Club House, Biking Trails, Conservation land etc.
• Description of garage or parking spaces
• Current Tax Information
• Color

Pictures are also a key factor in selling today. Ask your professional real estate agent how many pictures can be accepted by your local MLS. If your system accepts 12 and you only have 1 of the outside - your property is going to be overlooked on the internet. Six photos minimum - exterior and interior shots. Help your agent get the best shots of your home by increasing the wattage in all your light bulbs, cleaning the windows inside and out, remove play toys from the yard, cars from the driveway and everything off the kitchen counter.

After looking at 6-12 houses in a day making sure the details are taken care of can mean the difference between your house being remembered and in the running or just another one in the crowd. Simple tips to help your home stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Join the e-newsletter for updated real estate information and local area happenings in New Hampshire and Maine at saldrich@kw.com

Real Estate Market Update 19 For March 5-19, 2008

Strafford County, New Hampshire

Single Family Homes

• Total Listings Available 801 (Last Week 767)
• Price Range $39,900-$2,750,000
• Total New Listings This Week 76 (Last Week 39)
• Price Range $50,000-$724,900
• Total Pending This Week 31 (Last Week 13)
• Total Withdrawn This Week 16 (Last Week 3)
• Total Expired This Week 29 (Last Week 27)
• Total Sold This Week 16 (Last Week 15)

Condos

• Total Listings Available 213 (Last Week 194)
• Price Range $69,900-$378,000
• Total New Listings This Week 13 (Last Week 5)
• Price Range $129.900-$304,900
• Total Pending This Week 6 (Last Week 1)
• Total Withdrawn This Week 2 (Last Week 2)
• Total Expired This Week 8 (Last Week 3)
• Total Sold This Week 9 (Last Week 8 )

Shannon Aldrich, Keller Williams Coastal Realty Portsmouth, NH

Join the monthly e-newsletter for featured listings, area happenings and updated real estate information at saldrich@kw.com I respect your privacy and will never share your email address.

This information for Rockingham and Strafford counties is compiled through NNEREN, Northern New England Real Estate Network for the period listed. Information is deemed reliable but not infallible.

What a week it has been. Today being Thursday, I have several more appointments lined up for Friday. Many of you know, last week was great for me also. I ran into a developer who is working on a new project, 128 residential lots! I've done a ton of work trying to get the exclusive on that, marketing plans, etc... I've had several calls last week, and this week, from past and new clients, all wanting me to do CMA's on homes, some wanting to look at new homes, and some wanting to buy investments!

So what gives? Am I doing something new? Are my marketing plans finally working and coming to fruition? I can honestly say, I think a lot of it has to do with Active Rain. Sure the placement is great, the added traffic to my website is spectacular. But above all of that, I think the knowledge and confidence I gain here goes far beyond all of the rest.

So, next week, the blogs will be about all of the new listings. I can't wait to tell you about them. Most of the homes I sell are in either Dover New Hampshire or Somersworth New Hampshireand their surrounding communities.

Feel free to contact me anytime and I would be happy to prepare a CMA for you!

Bill Somerset, Century 21 Central Falls Realty, Dover New Hampshire 03820

Phone: 603-742-2121 Email: info@billsomerset.com Web: www.billsomerset.com