Portsmouth NH Real Estate Homes Condos >> Your Seacoast NH & Maine Homes Resource

Five Ways To Be Better Than You Are Now

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:18:30 -0500

I just read Clint's post on "5 Ways To Be Better Than You Are Now" and thought it was full of great tips for all of us. So I thought I'd reblog it so even more people could read it!

I got some great tips and reminders from his post, and i hope you do as well.

Via Clint Miller (Real Estate Client Referrals, LLC (RECR)):

I recently read an article that really sparked my interest. The article was simply a basic list of the ways that someone could re-invent themselves by investing time and effort into the one asset that all agents have - Themselves.

The key principle to this article was the fact that, despite this uncertain market, there are people that appear to be striving to make their own abilities better and five ways to do so. Below is the list that was in the article...and a good healthy dose of my own explanations as to why this is so important in this uncertain market.

IMAGE: You chose a career in real estate to be an independent business person. So, do you carry yourself in a professional manner? Do you "look the part"? Do you have your business cards on you? Are you showing that you are proud of whom you work for or what you do? Whether you want to believe it or not, your image IS your first impression. Make sure that the impression you are making is the on that you actually want to make. There are some places where you can get away with blue jeans and a nice shirt. There are other places where a suit is more appropriate. Dress the part! Maintain your personal image. Get your hair cut or styled. Ladies...get your nails done. Guys...shave every day. (Believe me, I realize that sucks ...I'm a guy...I understand. But, its 2 or 3 minutes...and it makes a ton of difference to those around you.) I actually know of one agent that wears a tuxedo to all of his closings. That is part of his image. It is what sets him apart from the rest. (His name is Todd Waller out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and he works for RealEstateOne. But, you can get more info on him and his Team366 at www.blog.team366.net.)

TRAINING: Aside from the mandatory requirements involved, you should try to find as many different options to better your ability as you can. Take the time to sit down with your broker to discuss some in-house training options. If you know of any free options for training, jump on it. Any training you involve yourself in will only re-emphasize the skill set you already have developed. So, it will not be wasted time or effort. You never know, you may learn something. (Also, anything that you can learn about social networking...that is a must! Trust me on this...this is a skill that does require some time to master, but you will not regret it!)

NETWORKING: Making yourself known in the community by getting involved with community events is a great way of networking with some of the more influential people in your market. Get involved with the community. Start working with the Chamber of Commerce. Go to PTA meetings. Join Toastmasters. Get involved in your local neighborhood activities. Surrounding yourself with such innovative, like-minded people will help you with both your image and your over-all success. Most people do business with people that they know on a social level. So, networking like this is a key to success in a troubled market.

MENTORING: They say that the teacher will always learn something from the student. Become a mentor for younger agents. Help them be successful. This will cause you to make sure that what you are doing is what you SHOULD be doing. It will help you cross your ‘T's and dot your ‘I's, as it were. Besides...there are times when you can actually team up and work together for the success of each.

YOU: Seems weird that I have to add this since this entire post is about you. But, if you are not taking good care of yourself, you will not have the energy or the will to commit to the rest of this list. Take care of your own body and mind. Get sleep. It is probably more important than anything else you can do for yourself. Make sure you get some exercise. (In this industry with showing property and running from one location to another, that usually isn't hard...but you should do 30 minutes of cardio every day.) Eat right. (Did you know that eating an apple will actually wake you up better than a cup of coffee??) Bring fresh fruits with you on your appointments and eat them when you can. Avoid the drive-thrus. If you don't know where else to start in your investments in you...look in the mirror and start there.

If you would like information on how to get more clients, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058. Or, visit www.recr.com. Or, follow Clint on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheRealClint.

Exeter NH Homes | Stratham NH Homes - Real Estate Market Report - 2008 Recap

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:47:49 -0600

Exeter NH Homes | Stratham NH Homes - 2008 Market Report Homes Sold

Real Estate is also a topic of great interest for almost everyone, and especially these days. With media outlets continually highlighting their perceptions of the real estate markets across the country, it makes is imperative to consult with a local professional REALTOR to get the real straight facts about your local real estate markets.

Here in the NH Seacoast real estate markets, some of our towns have fared better than the media would have you believe, while other towns haven't fared as well.

Thie market report deals with the Exeter New Hampshire and Stratham NH homes sold and homes that came on the market for sale during the year 2008.

Exeter New Hampshire Homes Activity - 2008:

During 2008, we saw 201 homes in Exeter NH come on the real estate market for sale, with an average asking price of $420,595.
Of those homes that were for sale in Exeter last year, 96 homes sold during 2008.
The average selling price of those homes was $358,555, and the average amount of time it took to sell those homes was 160 days.
Sellers, on average, received 95% of their last asking price.

Stratham NH Homes Activity - 2008:

During 2008, 132 homes in Stratham came on the market for sale, with an average asking price of $519.451.
Fifty-four Stratham homes sold during 2008, and those homes sold had an average asking price of $404,951.
The average days on the market to get those homes sold was 141 days.
Sellers in Stratham, on average, received 98% of their last asking price.

To read more about the real estate markets in the Seacoast NH and Maine towns:
Seacoast NH and Maine Real Estate Market Reports

Are you thinking about buying or selling homes or condos in the Portsmouth NH area?
Buying Real Estate in the NH Seacoast Areas
Selling Real Estate in the NH Seacoast Areas

Do you want more information on the New Hampshire or Maine real estate market? Have questions about the buying or selling process? Give me a call or send me an email and let's talk real estate!

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
ann@anncummings.com
888-349-5678x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine
New Hampshire and Maine Real Estate

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington, Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery, Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

NH Real Estate - Rye, North Hampton, Newcastle - 2008 Year Recap

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:04:12 -0600

Newcastle NH Homes | Rye NH Homes | North Hampton NH Homes - 2008 Real Estate Market Recap

Real estate markets and the local activity have varied greatly all across the country. All real estate is local, super local, and no matter how hard the medie tries to portray a national real estate market, there really is no such thing.

The various regions of New Hampshire are all quite varied, and even here in the Seacoast areas of NH and southern Maine, real estate activity varies from town to town.

This real estate market report focuses on the NH Seacoast towns of Rye, North Hampton and Newcastle:

New Castle New Hampshire Homes - 2008 Real Estate Market Recap:

During the year (2008), 33 homes came on the market for sale, with an average asking price of $1,221,542. We saw 15 homes sell in New Castle during 2008. Those homes had an average selling price of $1,064,957, and it took an average of 182 days for those homes to sell. Sellers realized, on average, 92% of their last asking price.

Rye New Hampshire Homes - 2008 Real Estate Market Recap:

2008 saw 130 homes in Rye NH come on the market, with an average asking price of $949,368. Seventy Rye homes sold in 2008, and the average sold price was $656,333. The average days on the market for those homes that sold in Rye last year was 136 days, and sellers in Rye received an average of 92% of their last asking prices.

North Hampton New Hampshire Homes - 2008 Real Estate Market Recap:

North Hampton NH homes for sale during 2008 totalled 91 homes, with an averaga asking price of $802,908. We saw only 35 homes in North Hampton sell last year, with an average selling price $726,320. Those homes that sold last year took an average of 202 days, and those sellers received an average of 90% of their last asking price.

To read more about the real estate markets in the Seacoast NH and Maine towns:
Seacoast NH and Maine Real Estate Market Reports

Are you thinking about buying or selling homes or condos in the Portsmouth NH area?
Buying Real Estate in the NH Seacoast Areas
Selling Real Estate in the NH Seacoast Areas

Want more information on the New Hampshire or Maine real estate market? Have questions about the buying or selling process? Give me a call or send me an email and let's talk real estate!

Paying My Penance - GO STEELERS!!!

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:26:09 -0600

OK, so I'm not really a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, but, BUT I am keeping my end of a bet that I lost. This was my penance - to write a glowing post on how awesome the Steelers are and how they should win the Super Bowl.

The only thing, about the only thing, i know about the Steelers is that their colors are black and yellow. Who would choose those colors anyway?? Alright, I know, I got off course on that remark, Oh, and one other thing I know, the mayor of Pittsburgh changed his name from Ravenstahl to 'Steelerstahl' - I'd say he's a FAN, huh?

Back to the Steelers....I will admit that I sought help from fellow Twitter buds, and oh boy did they come through! Pictures, videos, folklore, facts, songs, and more. And I want to thank them for their help, for without that, this post would be pretty bleak. I'd have to resort to true and total fakery.

Who did I lose this bet to, and what was the bet??? Mr. Idaho, George Tallabas and I made a bet that whichever of our teams made it the furthest in the playoffs would have to write a glowing post on the other's team. Well, I'm a New England Patriots fan, and George is obviously a Picksburg (hmm) Steelers fan, and guess who lost..... ;-(

For you George!!!

I've been told that the "Steelers fans are the best in the world". None other than our very own Carnac sent that missive to me. Linda Davisis a big Steelers fan herself, even though she lives in New England, where the PATRIOTS are.

Mr. Focus on Fredrick Maryland, Bob Carney, was very kind and helped me out with some great Pittsburgh lore, explaining just what the big deal is with Steeler football.

"Being a Steeler fanmeans so much more than football. It means being from a corner of the world unlike any other. It means being from a place where the people are so tough-minded that they have survived the Homestead strikes, the Johnstown flood and most recently the Etna Floods. These people have the DNA of hard work, in mills and mines, without the necessity of complaint. They live simply, with no frills. They don't have movie stars or fancy cars."

Woo-Hoo! Look What I Just Did With Charts By Using The AR Search Feature!

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:19:16 -0600

OK, I admit I am not the most adept when it comes to software like Excel, but one of my sister's (Karen - for those of you who've met her) is awesome at teaching herself all kinds of stuff when it comes to technology, and I knew she knew how to do charts and graphs. And I wanted some of my own!

Karen and I spent a couple of hours on the phone, actually on Skype (it's FREE!), trying to get me up to speed, (okay kindergarten speed) on Excel so I could at least do the very basics for the types of charts or graphs that I'd like for some of my market reports. She's so patient, and sometimes I am and sometimes I'm not, but we finally got to where I could do and create the basics for what I want. And then I tinkered around and added color, changed some stuff up, etc. Now, how to get them into my posts - we just could not figure that part out, no matter what we did! U-G-H.........

I had read Gena Riede's post on the latest market information on Sacramento real estate, and loved how her graphs looked. I asked her how she made hers, and how she got them into her posts. I didn't know how to do what she emailed me as her steps to getting those beautiful charts into her post, so I kept thinking.

And my thinking led me to remember to use the "Search" feature here on AR.

A little while back, I had read a post that Elizabeth Nieves had written and I thought she mentioned ScreenHunter, and downloaded that program right after reading her post. But I couldn't figure out how to make it work like she had done. And out of frustration, I was going to just delete it off my computer, but hadn't gotten around to it just yet. If it wasn't something I picked up from Elizabeth, my apologies to whoever it was - I just tried to find the post or comment in a post where I learned about this, and I can't find it to link to.

So, back to the AR "Search" feature - I typed in 'excel charts in posts', and got a slew of links that came up. Most of them weren't about what I wanted, but there were a few in there. I did read and watch Jeff Turner's tutorial post on charts, using google charts, but I wanted to use the charts I'd already created with my sister in Excel.

I kept reading, and found posts by Richard Dolbeare on Excel charts and some really cool things you can do with them, but I still wasn't seeing HOW to get them into a format that I could insert into my posts. His posts on advanced excel charts are great reading for really making your charts and graphs look really cool, so check them out.

More reading....and then I found Joe Manausa's post, "How to Make Market Graphs for Your Blog". Joe's got detailed steps in a video he put together on this post. Most of that info included the steps I'd already done, and then towards the end he told how to get them into .jpg format. And guess what?? He uses the program above that I was just about to delete - ScreenHunter! I watched that part in detail, and then went to my desktop, and opened ScreenHunter up, and just stared at it again, still clueless. But I was a little more determined this time around, and through their 'help' section, I finally GOT IT!!

I can see I still need to tinker with ScreenHunter to get better with it, but I am psyched to know I can now get charts and graphs into my posts - FINALLY!!

So, thanks for all the sharing that goes on in so many posts and comments. If you're looking for some information, make sure to use the "Search" feature here on AR - you're sure to find exactly what you're looking for. I certainly did!

Portsmouth NH Homes and Condos - Market Update for Dec. 2008

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 20:54:54 -0600

Portsmouth New Hampshire Real Estate Market Update - December 2008

The real estate market in Portsmouth had ups and downs in 2008. Demand was there, inventory was there in some parts of the market and in other parts it was very lean. Some areas in town have a pent-up demand, such as the Little Harbor area, and others have an over-supply of homes or condos on the market.

Real estate in Portsmouth NH and the surrounding area is always a topic of interest for most people in this area. As the real estate market goes, so goes most other things, it seems.

So, how did Portsmouth NH homes and condos fare in December? Check out the numbers below:

Portsmouth NH Homes - December 2008 Market Recap:

49 homes are currently for sale in Portsmouth
Asking prices range from $163,900 to $1,595,000
Average asking price is $447,715
Average Days on the market - 131 days

5 homes in Portsmouth NH went sale pending/under agreement
Asking prices ranged from $176,500 to $359,000
Average asking price - $285,240
Average Days on the market - 109 days

8 Portsmouth NH homes sold during December 2008
Asking prices ranged from $79,500 to $465,000
Sold prices ranged from $72,000 to $410,000
Average sold price - $284,250
Average Days on the market - 122 days
Average List-to-Sell Ratio - 95%

24 homes in Portsmouth expired from the market during December 2008 without selling.

Portsmouth NH Condos - December 2008 Market Recap:

86 Portsmouth condos currently for sale
Asking prices range from $114,900 to $1,472,000
Average asking price is $438,192
Average Days on the market - 192 days

1 condo in Portsmouth went sale pending/under agreement
Asking price was $399,900
Days on market - 227 days

3 Portsmouth NH condos sold during December 2008
Asking prices ranged from $195,500 to $295,000
Sold prices ranged from $190,000 to $290,000
Average sold price - $235,633
Average Days on the market - 204 days
Average List-to-Sell ratio - 99%

17 condos in Portsmouth NH expired from the market without selling during December 2008.

Portsmouth New Hampshire is a beautiful coastal town, a working port, and has much to offer anyone interested in living here. If you're interested in exploring the real estate market here in Portsmouth, either as buyers or sellers, send me an email or give me a call at 1-888-349-5678 x 3839.

I'd love to help you with your real estate goals!

Pricing Your Seacoast NH Homes and Condos Correctly for Todays Market

Pricing Your Home To Sell

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
  888-349-5678x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

Eliot, Kittery, York Homes - Seacoast Maine Real Estate Update - 4th Quarter 2008

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:55:50 -0600

Kittery Maine, Eliot Maine, York Maine - Real Estate Market Recap for Oct - Dec 2008

The Seacoast areas of Maine and New Hampshire real estate markets have been up and down over 2008, with some towns being a little more positive than the previous year. And as with all things, some towns fared better than others, both in New Hampshire and in Maine coastal towns.

Everyone knows someone who's thinking about buying and/or selling real estate, and it's very difficult to try to time the real estate market, no matter where you are. Properties are selling, and those homes and condos that have sold have been priced properly for the market and for the condition of the condo or home.

Setting the correct price for homes and condos is so crucial in a market like the one we're in, and have been in. Buyers are internet-empowered, and they search for real estate and information on-line, many times long before they actually begin to work with an agent to see properties. If your home or condo isn't perceived to be a good value when it's being viewed on-line, you rarely get a chance for those buyers to come see it in person because they've already ruled it out.

Another key component to getting your property sold is the exposure Maine or New Hampshire homes get. The overwhelming number of buyers who begin their search on-line make it vital for you to choose an agent who understands that and utilizes the power of the internet. Buyers come from all over the world, and because of that, Maine homes or condos need that same kind of on-line exposure. Make sure the Maine REALTOR you're considering hiring to represent you and your property as a strong on-line presence. If they do, then they likely understand and use the internet to get the job done for their clients.

For those interested in keeping tabs on the real estate markets in the southeastern Maine towns of Kittery Maine, Eliot Maine, and York Maine, here is the real estate market update for the last quarter of 2008, broken down by town:

Eliot Maine Real Estate - Eliot ME Homes Update - Oct. 1, 2008 - Dec. 31, 2008

13 Eliot homes sold during the last quarter of 2008
Sold prices ranged from $158,000 to $570,000
Asking prices ranged from $179,000 to $615,000
Average days on the market - 163 days
Average list to sell ratio - 95%

51 Eliot Maine homes are currently for sale
Asking prices range from $185,000 to $3,500,000
Average days on market - 200 days
Average asking price $588,489

17 homes expired during the 4th quarter without selling.

Kittery Maine Real Estate - Kittery ME Homes Market Update - Oct. 1, 2008 - Dec. 31, 2008

39 Kittery Maine homes sold during the last quarter of 2008
Sold prices ranged from $95,000 to $674,000
Asking prices ranged from $124,900 to $674,000
Average days on the market - 175 days
Average list to sell ratio - 86%

94 Kittery homes are currently for sale
Asking prices range from $154,900 to $5,295,000
Average days on the market - 229 days
Average asking price - $763,122

22 Kittery homes expired from the market during this time period without selling

York Maine Real Estate - York ME Homes Market Update - Oct. 1, 2008 - Dec. 31, 2008

33 York ME homes sold
Sold prices ranged from $150,000 to $825,000
Asking prices ranged from $149,900 to $1,049,000
Average days on the market - 168 days
Average list to sell ratio - 92%

246 York Maine homes currently for sale
Asking prices range from $127,900 to $3,895,000
Average days on the market - 244 days
Average asking price - $788,812

53 York homes expired from the market during this time frame wtihout selling.

If you're thinking about buying or selling real estate in the southern Maine Seacoast towns - Eliot, York, Kittery, South Berwick - Send me an email or give me a call (1-888-349-5678 x 3839), and let's see how I can be of help to you with your real estate goals!

Pricing Your Seacoast NH Homes and Condos Correctly for Todays Market

Pricing Your Home To Sell

Friends. Family, Fun, A little Sadness, A Lot of Learning and 300,000 Points!!

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:29:27 -0600

Life is a journey as we've all been told our whole lives. Active Rain is a journey as well, and it becomes whatever we choose to make it for ourselves. My journey to 300,000 points has been full of all kinds of things! Sort of like the journeys the Flat Active Rain Dudes took all over the country - remember those fun posts?? ;-)

I joined Active Rain back in July 2006, and I think there were barely 4,000 members back then. I had no idea what this place was nor any notion of what it could be or what to do now that I had joined. Maybe I was lucky enough to set up a profile then, but I sure didn't write any posts back then. I remember coming back some time later on, did some reading, got up the nerve to leave a comment here and there, and finally that September, I put up my first post. I was nervous as all get-out. I got one comment from back then, and then a jokester showed up a year later and left me a comment. And then another friend stopped by....

And from then on, I began dipping into the posting and commenting waters of AR. Oh yeah, I made a few mistakes, the biggest one was leaving my website links after my comments. But I tried to rectify that by apologizing for committing the cardinal sin of 'blogging spam'. Back then, to help us figure out something to write about, someone at AR would put out topics, "Blog Topic #3, Blog Topic #5, etc.", that some of us would then write about. Guess we're all beyond that now, huh?

From July 2006 through today, I've made so many awesome friends, and you all mean so much to me. What a journey we've been on together, huh? So many fun meet-ups, all the great phone calls and emails. Celebration Gathering, Asheville Meet-Up, Portsmouth On the Docks Meet-Up, Clermont Florida Meet-Up, Cape Coral Gathering, and Orlando AR Hard Rock Party - so many terrific people that I got to meet there at NAR Convention. And I know I'll be meeting even more from this great community during this year, too. San Diego in November should be great fun, and maybe even Washington DC in May.

You know, I've said to several people I've talked with here on AR, being here and sharing as we do, you really could never go to another seminar or conference or convention for educational classes because you can learn so much right here. You can get information quicker and usually much more pertinent to our own businesses just by reading and networking with other AR members. I know the amount of things I've learned since joining here far surpasses 3 years of seminars, etc. outside AR that I might have gone to.

I've learned so much about blogging in general - remember the book reviews a group of us did a year or so ago? Those were fun and what a great learning experience we went through. Some of those posts continue to be read and commented on even today. And great friendships came about through those reviews, too.

Newspaper and magazine writers have found me on AR, and I know others have had the same types of experiences. I've even had relatives find me that I never knew I had - how cool is that??!?!?!?

We've shared lots of good times together, as well as some tearful and excruciatingly painful and sad times, too. I can't begin to convey to all of you how very much your cards, emails, phone calls, flowers, gifts and tokens of friendship have meant to me while I've been dealing with the loss of Bear, the love of my life. He was my world, my best friend and business partner and so much more than simple words can convey.

Thank you for continuing to keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

Just a few short years ago, none of us could possibly have imagined our world being full of virtual friendships that would come to mean so very much to us. As a friend to many of us penned, "friends that live in our computers" have come to be very close friends, sometimes even closer friends than friends in our 'real' worlds. Some of you I've known for years from other networks, back before there was such a thing as "Active Rain".

So, as was pointed out to me on New Year's Day, I slipped past that 300,000 point milestone on New Year's Eve, as a new year was beginning. Who knows what 2009 will bring me, what it will bring us, but I hope it's some good things, a lot more learning and sharing, and some more fun and great friendships for all of us.

Thank you all for being part of my journey for the last 2 1/2 years, and I hope we continue journeying forward together for a long time to come.

10 Things That Will Likely Disappear in 2009

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:04:37 -0600

A friend of mine sent me a link to an article by InfoWorld.com written by Mike Elgan that talked about 10 things the author felt wouldn't make it through the recession we're in.

These things are all around now, the last day of 2008, but will they still be here at the end of 2009?

Here's the list of the 10 Things That Won't Survive the Recession:

Free Tech Support - humans answering the phone and helping with tech problems will fall by the wayside, and many companies will resort to message boards for consumers to seek help from.
Wi-Fi We Pay For - public and/or free wi-fi is popping up all over the place, including many towns setting up their own wi-fi for their residents. With this happening, there won't be any need to keep paying for it.
Landline Phones - with so many dropping their landlines to go totally cellular, it's predicted landline phones will become archaic very soon.
Movie Rental Stores - downloading movies will force this to happen.
Web 2.0 Companies With No Business Plans - investors have dried up, and those with money want to see solid business plans before letting go of any money.
Silicon Valley Companies - failures and mergers of tech companies have caused this to happen, and a prediction of them to boom again during the next boom.
Palm, Inc. - iPhone, Blackberry and Google causing the demise of Palm and its investor partner, Elevation Partner.
Yahoo - not being able to compete with Google, will it go the way of Netscape, Commodore, and others?
Half of All Retail Stores - online shopping has taken over a huge chunk of shopping, and the prediction is that malls will become ghost towns, many stores will just disappear, and Amazon.com will become a monster shopping site.
Satellite Radio - the losses are too big and financial obligations can't be met. New car sales are way off, and that's where most of the satellite radios are sold. Ah, goodbye Howard Stern??

I'm inclined to agree with this list, and I'm sure we'll see more than just this list of 10 disappear. What are your thoughts on these things disappearing? What others would you include that you don't think will make it through the coming year, or that won't make it through this recession?

Change is afoot, and has been, and I think we'll see some very interesting changes during the coming year. Any predictions on what those might be? Feel free to leave your predictions in the comments.

Here's to a great and interesting 2009 for all of us!
Happy New Year,
Ann

New Hampshire Real Estate Market Updates - Newcastle, North Hampton, and Greenland - November 2008

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 13:44:37 -0600

New Hampshire Homes Real Estate Update - Newcastle, Greenland, North Hampton - Nov. 2008

The Seacoast areas of New Hampshire and Southern Maine are really very pretty areas, and we have a very diverse real estate market here. Some towns have felt the downward turn in the real estate market more than others, and some have weathered it much better than areas around the country.

We always have a strong demand for NH homes and condos here in the Seacoast because of our location - we're right here along the Atlantic Ocean, and we're 45 minutes north of Boston, 45 minutes east of Manchester, and 45 minutes south of Portland Maine - all great cities with airport transportation for those needing it. We are also just a little over an hour away from mountains for great winter snow skiing and other winter sports.

Here are Seacoast NH real estate updates for the month of November 2008:

Newcastle NH:

Homes for sale --- 12
Average Asking Price --- $1,299,750
Days on Market -- 216 days
New Listings in Nov --- 1

Homes Sold in Nov. --- 2
Average Sold Price -- $2,000,000
Average Days on Market -- 154 days
List to Sell Ratio --- 90%

Homes Sale Pending/Under Agreement --- 1
Average Asking Price --- $585,000
Days on Market -- 158 Days

2 listings expired in November

North Hampton New Hampshire:

Homes for sale ---   54
Average Asking Price   --- $686,677
Average Days on Market   --- 214 days
New Listings in Nov.   ----   6

Homes Sold in Nov ---   3
Average Sold Price --- $599,967
Average Days on Market    --- 262 days
List to Sell Ratio ----   91%

Homes Sale Pending/Under Agreement in Nov. -- 2
Average Asking Price ---- $467,000
Average Days on Market ---- 381

8 homes expired from the market without selling in North Hampton during November.

Greenland New Hampshire:

Homes for sale --- 28
Average Asking Price --- $481,743
Average Days on the Market --- 147
New Listings in Nov. --- 3

Homes Sold in Nov. --- 3
Average Sold Price --- $273,433
Average Days on the Market --- 64 days
List to Sell Ratio ---97%

Homes Sale Pending/Under Agreement in Nov. --- 3
Average Asking Price --- $354,600
Average Days on the Market --- 104 days

4 homes expired in Greenland without selling during November.

Homes generally expire from the market without selling because they weren't priced properly for the market and/or for the condition that the home or condo was in. Buyers just don't see them as a good value for the money, so they move on to the properties that are price properly.

If you're thinking about selling your home, one very important fact to know about your market is the absorption rate. The absorption rate will tell you how long it will take for the current inventory of homes in Greenland, North Hampton, and New Castle NH to be absorbed by the market if no other homes come on the market. The absorption rate for November 2008 in Newcastle NH was 6 months, North Hampton's absorption rate was 18 months, and for Greenland it was just over 9 months. If you want your home sold, you need to know this number to help you price your home accordingly.

Are you a homeowner in the New Hampshire or Maine Seacoast area you're thinking about seling your home or condo? If so, call me today at 888-349-5678 x 3839, or send me an email at ann@anncummings.com, and let's talk real estate!

Pricing Your Seacoast NH Homes and Condos Correctly for Todays Market

Pricing Your Home To Sell

Servicing homeowners and home buyers in the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington, Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery, Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

Rye New Hampshire Real Estate Market Update - November 2008 (LOCALISM FEATURED)

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:39:44 -0600

Rye NH Real Estate Market Update - Rye New Hampshire Homes for November 2008

Rye New Hampshire is a lovely slice of NH beauty right along the coastline. Rye has rocky coastline and sandy beaches, as well as beautiful inland areas. We have some gorgeouse new construction and newer homes right alongside antique farmhouses, and we have seasonal cottages, too.

The real estate market in Rye NH has been like many other NH and Maine Seacoast towns here in this area, up and down. Like everywhere else, everyone always wants to know how the real estate market is, here in Rye and all along the Seacoast areas. Real estate impacts so many facets of the local economy, and many use that as a gauge for how things are now and where they might be going in the near future.

Rye NH homes real estate market for the month of November:

Rye currently has 63 homes for sale through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and 5 of those homes were new to the market in November. The average asking price is $1,191,994, and the average days on the market for those homes for sale has been 231 days.

During the month of November, we saw 2 Rye NH homes go sale pending/under agreement. The average asking price of those homes was $342,950, and the average days on the market was 48 days for those homes.

Four homes in Rye sold/closed during November, and the average selling price of those homes that sold was $526,175, with the average total days on the market for those homes being 56 days. Those sellers who sold their homes in Rye during November received 96% of their last asking prices.

We saw 9 homes in Rye expire from the market without selling. The main reason homes don't sell during their listing period is they were priced incorrectly for the market and/or condition of the home. And most likely, these 9 homes didn't sell because they weren't priced correctly, and buyers didn't see them as a good value for the money.

If you're thinking about selling your home, one very important fact to know about your market is the absorption rate. The absorption rate will tell you how long it will take for the current inventory of homes in Rye NH to be absorbed by the market if no other homes come on the market. The absorption rate for November 2008 was just under 11 months, which is a little higher than October and a little less than September. If you want your home sold, you need to know this number to help you price your home accordingly.

Are you thinking about making Rye New Hampshire or any of the surrounding Seacoast areas your home? Call me today at 888-349-5678 x 3839, or send me an email at ann@anncummings.com, and let's talk real estate!

Pricing Your Seacoast NH Homes and Condos Correctly for Todays Market

Pricing Your Home To Sell

-- Servicing the New Hampshire Seacoast towns of - Portsmouth, Newcastle, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington, Dover, and surrounding areas.
-- Servicing the southeastern Maine towns of - Kittery, Kittery Point, Eliot, York, South Berwick, and the surrounding areas.

I Am SO VERY Thankful........

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:55:06 -0600

...for friends and family, co-workers, couches, electricity, heat, hot water, phones....

Those of us who make our homes in New Hampshire, as well as parts of Massachusetts and southern Maine have been dealing with the nasty aftermath of what's being called the worst ice storm ever to hit this area. At one point, over a million of us were without power, and were told it could be days or more than a week before it could be restored. A state of emergency was declared so that aid and federal assistance could come in.

Our power went out Thursday evening, and because we rarely have power outages here in the Portsmouth NH area, most of us just went to bed secure in the knowledge that our power would be back on well before we woke up the next morning. NOT!

Being the early riser that I am, I woke up while it was still dark. My power was still off, my heat was off, and my phone wasn't working. So, I decided to get dressed and go see what I could see, never expecting to see my whole town in total darkness. I drove through neighborhood after neighhood, seeing total darkness, not a light to be found in any home or down any street where street lamps always lead the way home. One section in the heart of downtown Portsmouth had power, about a 2 block stretch, and only one side of that street, which struck me as really odd. All the coffee drinkers seemed to have some kind of honing sense, as they all converged on that small area downtown where there were 2 coffee shops open. I have never seen so many people walking around in one area holding coffee cups ever. Coffee drinkers must possess some kind of sixth sense to have known to flock to that one spot in town where there was still electricity!

I continued driving around, in total astonishment at a totally dark town and to try to get warm as my house had been getting a little chilly. I went back home, walked around a bit trying to figure out what to do. My office finally got power on late morning on Friday, so I went there to hang out awhile and stay warm. All day Saturday, no power, no heat, very sketchy phone service in many areas. I drove 3 towns away before I could get cell service so I could check on one of my sisters who lives about an hour away. Their power was out, too, and they'd had a tree crash into their house. Her power came back on late Friday afternoon, and I was glad since she has 2 kids.

I ended up spending Friday night on one of the couches in my office, not fitful sleeping, but warm and happy to have someplace to lay down on. Eventually other agents made their way into the office Saturday morning when word started spreading that we had power. I suspect some spent the night there last night, when their power had still not come on.

My power finally came back on late Saturday, just as I was making my final stop back home to put anti-freeze in the drains and head to a room I finally was able to get at one of our local hotels. Every hotel was booked solid, with all them being booked up for Sunday and into Monday as well.

Anyway, as I was walking up to my house on that last stop, I realized I was seeing every light in my house shining brightly. I stopped in my tracks, looked around, closed my eyes tightly then opened them again, and the lights really were shining. I came inside, with my eyes watering with sheer joy, and then looked across the street and down the street, making sure I wasn't just seeing things, or that I had been hoping so hard for this that I was dillusional. And I wasn't!! The tears were running down my face at this point, I was so happy for the things we just take for granted every day. I didn't even notice that my house was warming up, oh how nice that felt when I realized it!

I quickly called the hotel to let them know I now had power back on, and they told me not to worry, that they could sell that room a hundred times over. I went back to my office to move my things back here to my house, and then I just sat down and cried. At times, during this whole ordeal, I felt so alone in the dark. Bear wasn't here with me to help us get through this, to tell me everything would be okay, that we would get through this just fine....

I am very thankful for my friends who called to check on me, even though they were also without electricity and heat themselves.
I am so thankful for my family who continued to check on me and give me encouragement. I am very thankful for co-workers who made sure I knew I could call on them if I needed anything, and they were all in the same boat I was in but knew I was alone at my house.
I am thankful for the beautiful office I work in, for the couches we have, and for it being located where it is because it had power and heat long before most of the area did. Power there came on mid-morning on Friday, and most of us were without power until Saturday night. Some are still without power and heat, and it may be days before they get it back.

And I am especially thankful for the crews who live and work here in New Hampshire, and for all those crews who traveled from other states to come up here and get us back up and running, some of whom had no power and no heat in their own homes here in NH.

While we were going through this, I told my dad at one point I felt like I was in the twilight zone. One of the agents I work with said as she was driving around in her car trying to keep warm on Friday that she felt like a refugee. So many feelings of displacement, and being totally out of sorts - it was very disconcerting to all of us. We are so used to the basics, and not-so-basic things, just always being there. When they're not, we don't know what to do at first. But we soon banded together, began checking on each other, looking out for each other to make sure we had things to get through this as best we could.

I will always be grateful for those who took time to do the simple things like checking in on me, offering me shelter in their homes even though they, too, had no heat or power, for those friends who live in my computer who checked in as well. And I will be thankful when all who were impacted by this storm get their power and heat back, too. I called friends who don't have power back up yet and offered my guest room and couches to them, and offered warm showers as well.

I got to sleep in my own bed last night and be warm. This morning, I woke up and realized I was in my own home where it really was warm, and I silently rejoiced. I took the longest warm shower today that I think I've ever taken, just because I could......

Yep, I am SO thankful for so many things......

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
  1-888-349-5678 x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

My Christmas Meme - What to Ask For??

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:18:01 -0600

We can all tell it's "Meme" time around here! This is the 3rd time I've been tagged for different memes within the last week or so. Each of them were different, asking me to do something different - friendship ball, books, and now this one - a gift.

This time around for this Christmas meme, I was tagged by the lovely Linda Scanlan of "A Consumer's View". Guess what Linda wants?? She wants SNOW! Can you believe that?!!! Well, several of us from New England have offered to ship her all that we get this year....get ready Linda!!

So, back to this particular meme..... here are the rules for what we need to do on this one:

"Now for a little surprise--I want you to name one gift you would like to have on Christmas. It has to be an object. We all want happiness for Christmas. If you could pick one single gift out for yourself-what would it be? Remember-it has to be something you can touch and hold.... Once you have done this, name five people or more and send this to them for them to name the one special gift they would like to have.

This gift cannot be money either."

It has taken me until today to come up with an 'object' that I wanted. I really don't want anything that would be considered an object. But, in yesterday's mail came something I had forgotten I ordered, and when it arrived, I knew instantly what I could ask for in this meme........
a silver chain, either 18 or 20 inches long.

Bear, my honey of 17 years loved kaliedoscopes, and we have several kaleidoscopes that are real pieces of art, signed by the artist who created them. Bear enjoyed them so much, and we took several trips to Stowe Vermont for their annual Kaleidoscope Festivals. We collected them together, and every time I see one, I always think of him and his love of them.

Anyway, I was flipping through one of the many catalogs that keep being delivered this season, and I found this beautiful pewter miniature kaleidoscope pendant. It's about an inch long and is beautiful and has Swarovski crystals on the outside of it, and it is a real kaleidoscope, too. I ordered that because of Bear and his love of them.

It arrived and now I would love to have a silver chain so I can wear it in his honor.

So that's my wish with this Christmas meme, and now I get to tag 5 people. Those 5 are:

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
  1-888-349-5678 x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

Active Rain TWO Weeks in Review 11/16/2008 - 11/30/2008

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:50:51 -0600

Active Rain Week-in-Review - Two Weeks, 11-16-2008 to 11-30-2008

WHEW - I am GLAD Sunday is here!!

I've done the Week-in-Review several times in the past, and no matter how many members we've had each time I've done one, it's always been A LOT of reading. But wow, now with over 122,000 members, there is SO MUCH reading to do to put together one of these Week-in-Review posts.

And to do a TWO week review??? Holy cow, there were some days/nights when I am certain my eyes were crossing on me and wanting to close and say ENOUGH!!

So, with all that, here are my picks for the last 2 weeks in review:

"Gentle Tips and Reminders" - for our professional lives as well as our personal lives:

Integrity is Not A Bargaining Chip - by Rebecca Levinson - this is a great not-so-gentle reminder to keep ourselves grounded and not lose what we stand for no matter how badly a sale is needed.
Managing Meltdowns - by Kelle Sparta - helping others and helping ourselves with stress-loads and managing the meltdowns that may come along with all that stress.
It's Report Card Time - by Ann Marie Malfi - what a great post to make us think about the service we provide our clients - what grade would they give you?
Don't Be Afraid to Make An Offer....Please Insult Me! - by Margaret Rome - this is a MUST read reminder for agents who think they're doing their sellers a favor by telling buyer's agents not to bother with offers they think are low....

"Planning and Preparing" - great tips for helping us have a better year ahead:

Tina Merritt Has A Plan - Do You? Here Are Some Steps to Put "your" Plan into Action - by Anne Marie Malfi - this is a very well-laid out post for creating a great business plan that can't help but work, if you work it.
Game On - by Ralph Odierna - a sure-fire way to plan and succeed in the coming year.
Being in the Right Place at the Right Time - by Cedric Reynolds - a short sweet post about preparation and opportunities paying off, people make their own luck!

"Social Networking" - great advice for those thinking of taking the plunge:

Battling Skepticism and Fear - Take a Deep Breath and PUSH THAT BUTTON - by Valerie Spaulding - what a great post for those a little leery of taking the plunge in any of the social networks, in particular Facebook. This post is funny and encouraging - check it out.
Twitter Tips from ProBlogger - by John Novak - John's post has some great links it for those not sure about whether to participate in Twitter or not. His posts are full of great instructional info on a variety of social networking and technology tools - check out his other posts while reading this one.
What if Twitter Disappeared? Top 40 Alternatives - by Ray Castellum - so many more social networks in this post than one probably knew existed!

"A Little Humor Can Do Us All Good!" - we all need laughter in our lives and these posts provide just that:

A Contest So Easy A Consumer Could Win - by Margaret Woda - you just can't help but smile and laugh at some of these pictures and their captions! Go on, check out this post - I promise you'll smile!
When Your Toaster Starts Ringing, You Know You Are In Trouble - by Carolyn Tann-Starr - you just won't believe this story! Laughing still over this one - poor little 'minion'!
The Home Sellers Twelve Days of Christmas - by Kristen Wahl - you HAVE to go read this, VERY creative and clever 12 days of Christmas in real estate!
A Naked Hunchback Man Tries to Show Us His Property - by Marty Remo - you just have to go read this one for yourself, you won't believe it!

"Inspirational With Words and/or Pictures" - inspiration of all types come from so many sources:

Monday Morning Gifts: What Do Eagles and Seagulls Have To Do With You? - by Kathy McGraw - just so you know, Kathy so kindly mentioned me in this post, but that's NOT the reason I chose this for the week-in-review. Her message in this post is awesome and the pictures, well, you have to check these out for yourself to see their beauty. Stunning!
Some Unpopular Things to be Thankful For - by Ron Brown - don't let the title fool you on this one. This post is a terrific reminder that some of the very things we complain about are things we really should be most thankful for.
You Are Never Too Old to Play in the Rain Or To Be a REALTOR - by Kate Elim - I loved this post because neither real estate nor AR are only for the 'younger' generations, not at all as Kate shows us here!
The Mystery and Beauty of the Waikiki Aquarium - by Sally Cheeseman - more fabulous eye-candy in Sally's gorgeous marine life pictures. I always just drool over Sally's incredible pictures of life in Hawaii!

Despite the amount of time it took to do this two week review, I thoroughly enjoyed all the reading I did. I found some great reading material from a lot members I had not have the privilege to have read before, and added some new writers to my subscribed-to reading because of it.

Thank you all for the all the posts I read, and special thanks to those whom I've highlighted here for the posts that inspired me to include them in this Week-in-Review. I hope you enjoy them as much as I didI

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
  1-888-349-5678 x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

Portsmouth NH Homes Condos - Real Estate Market Update November 2008

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:54:17 -0600

Portsmouth New Hampshire Real Estate Market Update - November 2008

Everyone, it seems, is always interested in how the local Portsmouth real estate market is doing, even if they aren't in the market, either buying or selling homes or condos. How the real estate market is doing seems to have great impact on many other aspects of local economies, and we all care about that.

Someone is always looking to buy or sell real estate, and/or they know someone who is thinking about buying or selling real estate. I get asked about real estate and the local real estate market all the time. I love helping people achieve their real estate goals, so I never tire of these conversations!

So, how did the real estate market for homes in Portsmouth NH do for the month of November 2008?

Currently, we have 69 homes offered for sale through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and 7 of those homes were new listings this month. The average asking price was $326,150, and the average days on the market for these homes has been 112 days.
During the month of November, we saw 9 Portsmouth homes go under agreement/sale pending. The average asking price of those homes was $302,978, and the average days on the market for those homes was 138 days.
We saw 11 homes in Portsmouth sell/close during November, and the average sold price of those homes was $384,491. The average days on the market for those homes was 78 days. Those sellers who sold their homes in November received, on average, 96% of their last asking prices.
During the month of November, the listings on 7 Portsmouth NH homes expired without selling. The number one reason most homes don't sell during their listing period is they were priced incorrectly for the market and/or condition of the home. And most likely, these 7 homes didn't sell because they weren't priced correctly, and buyers didn't see them as a good value for the money.

When thinking about selling your home, one very important fact to know about your market is the absorption rate. The absorption rate will tell you how long it will take for the current inventory of homes in Portsmouth NH to be absorbed by the market if no other homes come on the market. The absorption rate for November 2008 was just over 6 months, which is a little higher than last month and a little less than the month before. If you want your home sold, you need to know this number to help you price your home accordingly.

Thinking about making Portsmouth New Hampshire your home? Call me today at 603-431-1111 x 3839, or send me an email at ann@anncummings.com, and let's talk real estate!

Pricing Your Portsmouth NH Homes and Condos Correctly for Todays Market

Pricing Your Home To Sell

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
  1-888-349-5678 x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

Are You Ready for Some SHOPPING ??!!?

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:39:24 -0600

Think, "Are You Ready for Some FOOTBALL?!", and then sing "Are You Ready for Some SHOPPING?!?!?"

I bet all the hard-core shoppers probably already have their plans and lists ready for all those stores that open at 4am, 5am, 6am, etc!

I even saw signs here in the Kittery Maine area that there are whole shopping areas that are planning to open at midnight on Thanksgiving night! I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I read that - who on earth needs to shop at midnight on a holiday night? And what about the poor employees that have to be there to work? Jeez.....

Anyway, I found out about a website that tells you what stores are having what specials going on on "Black Friday", that most notorious shopping day of the year. Twitter pal @JackLeblond twittered about it a couple of days ago, and naturally I had to check it out.

It really does give you all the details on "Black Friday" sales all over the country. And, get this, you can take advantage of a lot of these while not even leaving your own home - shop online and get some of the same deals.

Check out this site for "Black Friday" sales and more ---> Black Friday Shopping Info

And if you want to make those deals even sweeter, check out what coupons might be available for items on your shopping list by checking out these website that a friend sent me last week:

www.RetailMeNot.com www.CurrentCodes.com

If anyone has other favorite websites coupons, shopping codes for savings, etc, please feel free to leave them in your comments.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving tomorrow, and then rest well for all that "Black Friday" shopping!!

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
  1-888-349-5678 x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

The Friendship Ball - Here's to GOOD Friends!!

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:20:11 -0600

The Friendship Ball - who doesn't love to know they have friends all over the place??

Being part of AR and other online networks and communities really does give you extended family when you embrace social networking. Some people you meet online and just fall in love with them, and you can't wait to meet them. And that's just what it's like when you get the chance to meet some of the people you grow close to online. And those bonds just grow stronger after you meet!

I was passed this very special "Friendship Ball" by someone I had been so looking forward to meeting, Mizzzz Miami Shores herself, Ines Hegedus-Garcia. I got to meet her in person in Orlando and she is one heck of a special lady for sure. Ines, who was tagged by "Bawld is Beautiful" Jeff Turner, chose as her victims (aka friends) Monika McGillicuddy and me. Ines said it was because she "loves us".... Hmmmm

Anyway, this lovely Friendship Ball is a meme in disguise, the "I Hate Memes" meme. And here are her reasons she hates memes:

they are time sucking time bombs
they make people feel uncomfortable and obligated
they can be very impersonal and personal at the same time
they remind me of useless chain letters

If you've been passed the Friendship Ball, you then have to turn around and pick two, ONLY two, friends victims to pass it on to.

I am choosing two very special gentlemen that I like very much. One, despite the fact that he's a dreaded Yankees fan, really is a very nice guy, a fellow New Englander, and he's good-looking, too - George Souto, CT mortgage man. And my other choice is the ever-viligant soft-spoken southern gentleman from Knoxville Tennessee - Jim Lee. Jim has a special fondness for 'cupcakes'.....

OK, here's what ya do:

The rules... This Friendship Ball has been passed from coast to coast and knows no end. It is to be passed along to those who have touched your life with that special thing, called friendship. The rules indicate that you can only choose 2 people to receive this Forever Friendship ball.

And no fair not playing - you MUST play. Don't make me come looking for either of you....

Oh and, Ines, I love you, too!! ;-)

Here We Go AGAIN ~ An Easy Bookworm Meme!

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:19:49 -0600

Have you ever been tagged by a 'meme'? I've been tagged numerous times here in the Rain, and a couple of times outside as well. Some are fun, some cause me to struggle to think about just what to write that any one would care to read.

This week must be my 'lucky' week for some reason. I was tagged twice for 2 different memes, once for this 'bookworm meme' by our sweet Texas friend Linda Scanlan, and for the "friendship ball - I hate memes' meme by our Miami Shores dynamo, Ines. I still have to put that one together - I promise I will!

Anyway, this one is a book worm meme, and it's got 6 very simple rules:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 56.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next two to five sentences.
5. Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book or the intellectual one. Pick the Closest.
6. Tag five people to do the same

Easy enough, right? Well, when I saw what the closest books were to me when I read this post, I quickly thought I should get up and go find another one. And then I thought that's not really right, so I'll stick to the rules and give you the info on the closest book to me. It's actually from 2 books because they were both on top of each other and both fell in my lap when I reached for one.

The first book is from my grief counseling group that I go to once a week. Many of you know I lost my honey this summer, and I had that book nearby because we have homework each week we're supposed to do. This book is called "Your Journey From Mourning to Joy". Here is what is on page 56, that is the 5th sentence:

"I feel like no one truly understands my loneliness. I feel off balance and falling without the support of my lost loved one. But You have called me to be part of a community and to see life from a greater, eternal perspective. I have to get out there and accept the support that's available."

The other book that fell into my lap as I reached was "I Love You, Ronnie". It's interesting as Bear gave me this book for Christmas a couple of years ago. This is a book of love letters from Ronald Reagan to his wife Nancy. Here's what is on page 56 of this book:

"Each time he passed through there (Albuquerque NM), whether heading east or going west, he'd send me a telegram: POWDER DOWN YOUR LIPSTICK. I AM ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE OF ALBUQUERQUE. I LOVE YOU. DID YOU EVER GET THE FEELING YOU'VE BEEN SOMEWHERE BEFORE? I AM GOING IN A CIRCLE. I AM ALSO IN LOVE..."

So, now comes the fun part - tagging FIVE others to play along with this bookworm meme! Here they are:

Midori Miller - Daytona FL
janeAnne "Green-O-Lina" - Asheville NC
Margaret Rome - Baltimore MD
Gena Riede - Sacramento CA
Bill Gassett - Hopkinton MA

Have fun!! Post a link to your meme here in the comments so we don't miss reading it!

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
         888-349-5678       x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

NAR, Realtor.com, ForSaleByOwner.com - Too Much Misinformation!

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:38:02 -0600

Over the last couple of days, I've read so many posts here on Active Rain and on other blogs outside AR talking about the brazeness of NAR and REALTOR.com seling out to ForSaleByOwner.com by allowing for-sale-by-owners listings into REALTOR.com. How dare they do that to REALTORS, etc., etc.

ForSaleByOwner.com put out a press release stating they'd worked out a deal to get the first ever access to put listings up on REALTOR.com without having those listings go through any local MLS. Apparently that press release was not based on any facts nor any such agreement with REALTOR.com or Move.com, which operates REALTOR.com.

The press release put out by NAR can be read here ---> "ForSaleByOwner.com Statement Misleading"

The bullets from NAR, per a response Saul Klein of Internet Crusade received from NAR and published on RealTalk are these:

This announcement was issued without REALTOR.com's knowledge or participation and unfortunately is misleading to both consumers and the REALTOR community. We've asked ForSaleByOwner.com to issue a retraction today.
There is no formal relationship between ForSaleByOwner.com and REALTOR.com.
While there are many perspectives regarding the DOJ-NAR settlement, it is our opinion that the settlement agreement made no provision to allow unlisted properties, such as "for-sale-by-owner," to be posted on REALTOR.com.
In order for a listing to appear on REALTOR.com, it needs to be placed in an MLS. As a result, every property on REALTOR.com must be listed by a licensed real estate broker.
From what we understand, ForSaleByOwner.com is using the following process: ForSaleByOwner.com is working with licensed Brokers who enter the listings on an MLS. In turn, the MLS sends the listings to REALTOR.com and we display them on the site. Thus, such ForSaleByOwner.com listings are no longer "For Sale By Owner" listings, but in fact Broker represented.

Hillary Marsh, the Managing Director of REALTOR.org, wrote a post refuting what ForSaleByOwner.com put. Her article is here ---> "What ForSaleByOwner.com Said is SO Not True!"

Hillary's bullets in her article are:

They are NOT in a partnership with REALTOR.com
The settlement between NAR and the DOJ did NOT force REALTOR.com to accept FSBO property listings
Properties from sellers not represented by REALTORS will NOT appear on REALTOR.com
MLS's still get to decide which listings to distribute to REALTOR.com

There's an abundance of misinformation out there on all kinds of things, and many are far too quick to buy into it because they read it online and/or because it's written by certain people or showed up on certain blogs so it must be true. I just wanted to get the real information out there in the hopes that those who've read the posts with the incorrect information in it will see that what ForSaleByOwner.com put out there is NOT the truth at all. And that despite many shortcomings, REALTOR.com or Move.com did not sell us out on this one.......... not yet anyway.

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
      888-349-5678     x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

Add Pizzazz to Your Listings Online - GoGoPin!

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:30:36 -0600

If you're like me, I tend to get bored easily with the way listings look online. I use Craigslist, more frequently now than I used to, and I put my listings up here on Active Rain from time to time as well. We all know about vflyer and postelets, and using html (if you're gifted enough to use that) to jazz up listings to post them for consumers.

I was doing my morning reading of the blogs I subscribe to outside AR, and something on one of them really caught my eye. "How to Create Custom Graphic Ads for Craigslist, eBay: GoGoPin" This article showed up this morning on Sellsius' real estate marketing blog, and it's a great new tool to use. Check out the article and see how easy GoGoPin really is!

I followed the link over, and decided to give it a whirl because I want my ads on Craigslist to stand out, and I am getting a little tired of the way I post them. To see how my latest ads on Craigslist now look, click on these links:

Springbrook Circle in Portsmouth NH - Condo For Rent
South End Portsmouth NH - Large Studio For Rent

I was also curious how it would work with posting here on Active Rain, so I gave it a whirl here, too. The links to those posts using GoGoPin are below:

Springbrook Circle Condo For Rent - Portsmouth NH Condos
Downtown Portsmouth NH - Studio Apartment For Rent

When I did the 2 posts here on AR, I embedded the GoGoPin flyer into the center of my post. There are no frames or borders, so it just looks like it's part of your post.

I like it because you can be as creative as you care to be, or as creative as your imagination will let you be. I did these 2 ads pretty quickly just to see how easy it would be to use, and it's super easy. If I can use it, you can, too!! I'm sure of it! And you can be far more creative than I was on these ads.

Thanks Sellsius for sharing this tip, and thanks to the guys at GoGoPin for such an easy-to-use tool to give ordinary ads and flyers new looks!

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
        888-349-5678x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

Portsmouth NH Springbrook Condo For Rent

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:20:46 -0600

Springbrook Condo For Rent in Portsmouth New Hampshire!

This great 2 bedroom 2 bath condo in Springbrook Condos is being offered for rent for $1195 per month plus utilities. Recently painted and new flooring, located in a quiet rear location within Springbrook, this unit overlooks trees and yard and is on the second floor with no one living above you.

Springbrook Circle is in a great location - very easy access to shopping, dining, beaches and ocean just moments away, golfing close by, and commuter routes just minutes away for those who work elsewhere and want to make Portsmouth NH home!

Springbrook Condos has their own tennis court, in-ground pool and clubhouse - great for staying home in the summer and enjoying being outdoors without having to drive anywhere!

Portsmouth New Hampshire is just fabulous place to call home, and if you'd like to make this area your home, too, I'd like to help you do just that!

Call me today at 1-888-349-5678 ext 3839, or send me an email, to set up an appointment to see this lovely Portsmouth NH condo!

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
   888-349-5678  x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

Portsmouth NH - Walk Downtown - Large Studio Apartment For Rent!

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:57:30 -0600

Portsmouth NH is a great town to call home, and we have some great rentals available for a never-ending rental pool. Many of our older homes have been converted into apartments, and there are also some great apartments up above many of the downtown storefronts as well.

If you're looking for a rental that's within very easy walking distance to all downtown Portsmouth New Hampshire has to offer, then come check out this 800 + square foot 3rd floor studio apartment with off-street parking.

Located in a nice residential area in the South End, this apartment has a large eat-in kitchen, very spaciour front room for living/bedroom - divide it up in however many ways your creativity comes up with.

Super location - minutes to beaches and ocean, walk to shopping, dining, theaters, parks, river, and more! And it's a very easy hop onto highways for commuters, too. So much to do and see living here in Portsmouth!

Call me today at 1-888-349-5678 ext 3839, or send me an email to schedule a viewing of this great Portsmouth apartment before it's gone!

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
    888-349-5678   x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine

NAR Orlando - Bloggers, Twitterers, and a GREAT AR Party!

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 11:42:46 -0600

If you aren't attending this year's 2008 NAR Convention here in Orlando, you're missing a terrific opportunity to meet some really fabulous people. Great networking going on, lots of learning from all kinds of sessions, and of course, night-time fun galore!!

Yesterday was just jam-packed with meet-ups and more. The guys from Bloodhound Blog spoke to us in the morning at the wrap-up of the Cyber Professionals' meeting, then came meet-ups at the Web 2.0 panel where we got to hear 4 terrific folks tell us about their internet and social media strategies, and the day ended with the Active Rain party at Hard Rock Live on City Walk at Universal Studios. What fun that was!!

Some of the people I met up with yesterday were Midori Miller, Neal Bloom, Rudy @Trulia, Lane Bailey, Kristal Kraft and KK's hubby Larry, Cyndee Haydon, Missy Caulk, Katerina and Nestor, Bob Stewart, Jon Washburn, Susie Blackmon, Ginger Wilcox, Joel McDonald (@joelrunner), Randy Prothero, Marc Grossman, Russ Prothero, Matt Ruthburn, Broker Bryant and the lovely TLW, and so many others. Some of these great people I'd already met so it was seeing old friends again, and others I was just meeting for the first time, and that also was like meeting an old friend. Most were from Twitter and/or Active Rain. It is so great to be able to meet in person those whose posts you comment on, who comment on yours, and those you share twits with.

I wish everyone had been able to be here - I am SO glad I came to NAR this year!!!

Enjoy the picture show, and be sure to check out more pictures here ---> NAR Orlando - Active Rain and Social Networking.

And one other thing - the hugs you get at one of these meet-ups are just awesome! I've met some great huggers - you know who you are.... Thanks for all the awesome hugs!!

NAR Orlando - Active Rain and Social Networking - What a Blast!!

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 11:06:43 -0600

This year's NAR Convention is a very different one for me for several reasons. I've always attended governance meetings and NAR educational sessions. This year is the first where most of what I've done, and will be doing, is outside all the NAR stuff.

And what a blast this convention has been so far!! I've had the great pleasure of attending the Cyber Professionals meeting as a guest of Linda Davis, along with fellow guests Monika and Jay McGillicuddy. Chris Griffith was a guest as well. Other AR members who are part of the Cyber Professionals are Kristal Kraft, Jim Lee, Angus "Moo" Woodbury, Sharon Simms. Teresa Boardman was there as well. How great to finally get to meet some of these people that I've interacted with online for some time now, some for years at this point through other online networks and communities!

We had the great pleasure (!) of finally meeting Rich Jacobson and Brad Andersohn, @ActiveBrad and @ActiveRIch. They were our speakers yesterday morning, and Rudy from Trulia spoke to us yesterday afternoon, @Trulia. This morning we'll be hearing Brian Brady and Greg Swan speak to us at our breakfast meeting.

I've seen lots of pictures from different meet-ups, and thought I'd share some of mine as well. Put your cursor over each picture for description and/or names.

And no doubt, tonight even more pictures will be taken as the AR Orlando Party takes place - 8pm at the Hard Rock Cafe at City Walk. Now THAT should be fun!!

I am LOVING this year's convention, and to think I almost didn't come......

Stay tuned for more posts and pics - the AR party is tonight after all, and that should be ripe picture-taking grouds for sure!!

Wish you all could be here with us - it's so great to actually meet people I've been conversing with on-line for so long now!

Portsmouth NH Homes Ready For Halloween!

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:49:38 -0500

Portsmouth NH homes are getting ready for all the ghosts and goblins and tricks and treats coming up over the next few days! All over town, I see homes festively decorated for the Halloween fun.

Halloween is upon us, and with that comes all kinds of ghostly fun around the Portsmouth New Hampshire Seacoast area. Parades, parties, gatherings, and most importantly, all that fun trick-or-treating.

Portsmouth NH homeowners - get your porches and yards ready for all those fun costumed trick-or-treaters to come calling! Here are the times for local area trick-or-treating:

Portsmouth Thursday, Oct 30, 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Greenland Thursday, Oct 30, 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Hampton Friday, Oct 31, 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Exeter Thursday, Oct 30, 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Newington Thursday, Oct 30, 5:00pm to 7:00pm
North Hampton Thursday, Oct 30, 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Rye Thursday, Oct 30, 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Stratham Thursday, Oct 30, 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Eliot Thursday, Oct 30, 5:00pm to 9:00pm
Kittery Thursday, Oct 30, 5:00pm to 7:00pm

The 14th Annual Halloween Parade in Portsmouth is Friday, October 31st. The parade festivities start at 7pm at the parking lot on the Mill Pond. The parade route winds its way through downtown Portsmouth and then back to the Mill Pond area. All are welcome to dress up and take part in the parade. For more info on Portsmouth's Halloween Parade, click here ---> Portsmouth NH Halloween Parade

For information on other festivities going on around Portsmouth NH and the local Seacoast areas, be sure to check out all the spooky details here ----> Portsmouth NH Halloween Fun

Take a tour around Portsmouth homes, you'll see some fabulously decorated homes in all of the neighborhoods this year. I've seen some homes where the homeowners have gone to great effort in their decorating - we should have a Halloween Decoration Contest just like we have a Christmas Decoration Contest each year.

Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Portsmouth New Hampshire is just fabulous place to call home, and if you'd like to make this area your home, too, I'd like to help you do just that!

If you're interested buying or selling Portsmouth NH real estate, call me today at 1-888-349-5678 ext 3839, or send me an email, and let's talk real estate!

Ann Cummings, New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
     888-349-5678     x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine