Like new, Lake Winnisquam Water Access Four Bedroom Home!

Here’s a chance to enjoy Lakes Region living at its best at an affordable price.

MLS # 2815301

11 Wakeman Rd, Belmont NH

Offered at just $249,900

It is to be expected that showings and sales on waterfront properties in the Lakes Region of NH would be slower in the winter months than in the summer. We always see tire kickers, dreamers, and wanna-be’s in the summer months but we also get most of the buyers in the warmer months. But, the buyers that are out scouting and viewing homes during the winter are probably a little more serious. They are the ones that would like to buy now and be into their waterfront retreat by ice out so they can be there to enjoy the entire boating season. That would definitely be my plan!

In January 2010 there were six properties on Winnipesaukee that changed hands at an average sales price of $1.45 million. That may not seem like a lot, but in January 2009 there was only one sale for $700,000, in Jan. 2008 only four at an (more…)

We are through an almost snowless January and half of February with but  4-6”  or so and I’m thinking this is pretty great as I haven’t had to plow my driveway much and I haven’t sanded it once! However, the lack of snow in the Lakes Region of NH definitely has a negative impact on the local businesses and is certainly not good for the local economy. Although January residential home sales weren’t really stellar we had an avalanche of activity compared to last year. You may recall, last February I reported that January of ’09 had to be just about the bottom of the market with only 28 sales with an average of sales price of $217,283. It was pretty bad! Well, last month we had 44 residential sales at an average price of $377,781. That may not sound like much, but that is a 57% increase in sales over January 2009.

More importantly, on a rolling 12 month basis we posted 736 residential home sales for the period ending 1/31/10 compared to 669 sales for the 12 month period ending 1/31/09. That is a 10% increase in sales over a 12 month period which might not be as exciting as a blizzard to Gunstock  Ski Area but it certainly is better than the downward trend we had been experiencing. The average sales price is down from the $336,088 posted in 2009 to $298,879 as of 1/31/2010 but that is to be expected with the large number of low end sales and foreclosures.

Again, half the sales in January 2010 were below the $200,000 mark which seems to be the case just about (more…)

It is time to take another look around the MLS system to see what kind of potential deals can be found in the Lakes Region of NH. There is certainly enough inventory out there to choose from. Some of the older homes on the market are offered at prices that would seem to make them pretty good values particularly if you can fix them up yourself. There are always some repairs, system upgrades, or cosmetic issues to deal with in older homes but many of these homes are well built and have charm and character that is difficult to replicate in newer construction..

For example, If you’d like a stately, turn of the century home on one of the nicest streets in Laconia, the property at 229 Pleasant Street just might satisfy the “This Old House” urge in you. This home has 3,878 square feet of living space (more…)

February is here and the days may be getting longer but the home inventory in the Lakes Region of NH is getting larger. We edged up from 869 homes on the market last month to 926 homes listed as of February 1 with a current average asking price of $590,214. That is on par with last February when the inventory stood at 923 homes, but the average price was lower at $548,470. Currently, we have a 15 month supply of homes on the market based on sales numbers over the past year. That is still about three times what is considered a normal or good inventory level.

As reported previously, the average sales price of homes is definitely down in the Lakes Region as well as the rest of the country. I thought it would be an interesting exercise to break the numbers down a little further and see how the (more…)

My favorite Lakes Region Real Estate Market Report of the whole year is definitely the year end waterfront report. It is exciting to see what homes sold, where they were located, and how much they went for. I focus only on the sales on Winnipesaukee and Winnisquam because they have the bulk of the sales and therefore they are a pretty good barometer as to how well the market is doing. Waterfront sales are a big part of the local real estate market as well as being important to our local economy is so many ways. So how did 2009 stack up to years past?

Waterfront sales on Lake Winnipesaukee started pretty slow in 2009. There were only 30 waterfront sales (including island properties) in the first half of 2009 in the communities that border the big lake (Alton, Center Harbor, Gilford, Laconia, Meredith, Moultonborough, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro.) Sales did pick up steam in the second half of the year and we posted 46 more for a (more…)

If you are looking for a vacation property in the Lakes Region of NH that offers Winnisquam water access across the street and access to snowmobile trails nearby then the meticulously maintained four bedroom cape could be just for you!

This single owner home was built in 2002 and shows pride in ownership throughout. Two new bedrooms and a 3/4 bath were recently added on the second floor making this a great primary or vacation home option.  There is even a partial view of the lake to greet you in the morning from one of the upstairs bedrooms.  There is a bright, well appointed eat-in kitchen and ample size living room plus two bedrooms and a bath on the first floor.

This home is large enough to offer space for everyone yet it is very economical to heat with an oil fired, forced hot (more…)

Lakes Region Real Estate Year End Review

It is not only the end of the year, it is the end of the decade, so it is the perfect time to review home sales in the Lakes Region of NH!  First, a quick look at December. There were 68 residential home sales this past December compared to just 58 in December 2008. That’s a 17% increase which should make us all feel pretty good! However, the average sales price was down from $373,130 in December 2008 to $290,008 in December of 2009. That’s a huge decline, however, comparing the same month in different years doesn’t generally mean a whole lot. Statistics looking back over a year or a decade are much more meaningful but even they can be somewhat misleading.

There were 720 residential sales in the communities in this report for the calendar year 2009. That’s about a 6¾% (more…)

Which are the best towns in the Lakes Region of NH to buy property in?

Buying a home in the Lakes Region of NH can be confusing just becasue there are so many communities and neighborhhods to live in. Each community has its own character and feel. In some towns housing seems to be more affordable and tax rates vary wildly.

Lakes Region Home offers a comprehensive look at the towns in the Lakes Region and provides data on tax rates, average and median sales prices over the past several years, lake access rating, and so on.

Check out the Town Insights pages and have some fun finding out where you’d like to live…

If you are reading this ad, you must be looking for a property in the Lakes Region of NH and, like everyone else that buys a home,  you want to know that you are getting the best deal.

But how do you know what’s a good deal and what isn’t?

And if you are from out of the area and looking to move here, how do you even know one area from another, what neighborhoods or towns best fit your lifestyle,  or what is located around the property in the ad that you are looking at? Pictures on a website don’t tell you the whole story. Looking at property ads on Craigs List is pretty hit our miss in terms of finding the right property for you and your family. Utilizing a real estate website, like Lakes Region Home, which provides the latest search technology including Google based map searches can be much more efficient and effective for the serious buyer.  You have the ability to perform precise searches based on the criteria that you decide. You don’t waste your time looking at headlines of ads for homes that don’t fit your needs. Lakes Region Home can also send you email alerts for homes that become available that fit you exact criteria.

But how do you know if you are getting a good deal?

By being a smart home shopper. You need knowledge and information about the market in the area where you want to buy! You can get up to date real estate market reports on our blog www.lakesregionrealestatenews.com plus lots of tips about buying and selling, and where to find some great deals. These reports can be emailed directly to you if desired. These reports are the first step in gaining the knowledge you need to make an informed home buying decision.

On www.lakesregionhome.com you can find more critical information about tax rates, yearly average and median sale prices, and a livability index on the Town Insights pages, info about gated communities, ski areas, golf courses and much more!

The next step in getting a good deal is getting even more critical information on property sales your target area. The kind of information that most buyers don’t ever see.   My Buyer Clients receive these reports along with other critical information to ensure them that they are getting the deal and the home that they want.  Check out my Buyer Services page on Lakes Region Home .

And check me out on my personal page. You should know who your agent is and how he works before you pick one.  Contact me at rsanborn@rocherealty.com or feel free to call any of the numbers listed below. I’d be pleased to work with you…

Roy Sanborn
Roche Realty Group
97 Daniel Webster Highway
Meredith, NH 03253
Direct: 603-677-8420
Cell: 603-455-0335
Fax: 603-279-7604
Web: http://www.lakesregionhome.com