Merrimack New Hampshire, is a sprawling bedroom community, located between the state's two largest cities, Nashua and Manchester. Merrimack is home to about 23,000 people, with some commercial development as well as residential subdivisions and a rural feel remaining in some of the lightly populated residential areas. The Merrimack River is the town's eastern border, and the Souhegan River runs through the middle of the town. Farming and forestry were the original occupations of most of the town, but it has since become the site of industry, including high-tech companies and the Anheuser-Busch brewery.

Merrimack is experiencing steady economic growth, led by Fidelity Investments' arrival in 1996 with the promise of expanding to bring at least 2,500 employees to town. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration has built the Boston Consolidated Approach Control facility which houses Boston and Manchester Approach Control. The town celebrated its 250th anniversary in 1996, and a committee of local volunteers raised money to fund the construction of a bandstand and small park adjoining Town Hall in the center of town.

Brookline New Hampshire, is home to about 2,900 residents. Brookline is located on the Massachusetts border, just west of Hollis. About 8,000 of Brookline?s 13,000 acres remain undeveloped. This is despite a recent growth spurt that prompted the Planning Board to introduce an ordinance limiting the number of building permits given out each year. That ordinance has been in place since 1994 and will likely remain on the books as a way to help Brookline preserve its rural character.

A number of historical homes and buildings are located in the Brookline town center, including the Florence Barnaby house, which is now the headquarters of the Brookline Historical Society. The former Brookline Railroad Station, now a private home, is another historical landmark. The Talbot-Taylor Wildlife Sanctuary, Nissitissit River and Lake Potanipo are popular sites for outdoor enthusiasts.

Quiet country roads and homes tucked away on wooded lots define Brookline. It is this small-town appeal that has brought many new residents to the town in recent years. To accommodate the larger number of school enrollments, the Brookline school system has been expanding. In recent years the town has approved construction of a new Hollis/Brookline High School, (opened in 1997), the expansion of Brookline Elementary School, and construction of a Brookline upper elementary school.

With the holiday season comes parties and socializing with friends and neighbors. This year the topic of interest seems to be the economy and more specific the housing market. People are asking me, "Scott, the market is really bad, what are people going to do?"  I reply, "What do you mean?"  They then proceed to say that they heard on the news or read in the paper that the market is down 20-30% and that homes are not selling.  There lies the problem.  The media makes statements that are general or based on the whole country. 

Here in NH we have it a little better. Our economy and real estate conditions are much better than other parts of the country. We have a solid workforce that is educated and diverse. We also have people relocating to our state every day for what I and others call, "The New Hampshire Advantage"; low crime, healthy lifestyle, good schools, and recreational activities. This has helped us to date, however, the market over the next few years will be complex and require that the consumer has a trusted and experienced agent who has seen both types of markets.

Now for the proof that the market here is not as bad as the media portrays.

January-November 2007 NH residential (non-condominium) sales

Source:  Northern New England Real Estate Network (NNEREN) and NHAR.  Statistics are based on information from NNEREN for the respective periods shown for the respective regions in the State of New Hampshire or all towns in the State of New Hampshire. All analysis and commentary related to the statistics is that of Scott Beard and not that of NNEREN.

 The charts states that the number of units sold is off almost 10% statewide, but theat the median price is only off 1.1% and the average sales price is only off .4%. 

What does this mean to you as a seller?  It means that there is a lot of competition and that buyers have choices.  Your house must be in tip top condition to win that buyer over.  No longer can you sell a house that is dated, dirty, or in need of repairs.  Buyers will walk into your home and turn right around and go onto the next house.  However, if your home is in good condition, decorated well and shows like "model" home, then you have a good chance of selling it.

What if I am a buyer? If you are a buyer, now is a great time to buy because interest rates are down around 6% and there is a lot of inventory for you to look at.  Buyers can be choosy and when a buyer finds a home, they can use their contract strengths and agent's negotiating skills to strike a good deal.

So don't let the headlines scare you away from buying or selling. Instead find yourself a great agent who understands the market and can help you to succesfully navigate it.