The Thankful Thursday Group is looking for a Profile picture and I know this entry for the contest is a bit obvious, but I couldn't resist...
Now, what represents "thanks" better than the Thanksgiving turkey?
My mother-in-law, Mae, has been gone for eight years now. Family was the most important thing in the world to her, and feeding her family was something she took great pride in. She would have been very proud to have this picture entered into the contest.
If you want buyers to choose your house over the competition, show them a house that makes them giddy with excitement. Show them a house they can imagine spending Christmas morning in. Show them a house they would want to raise their kids in. Show them a house they can make dreams come true in.
In order to get what you want, you need to give them what they really want!
It is yet another rainy day here on the Seacoast of New Hampshire. If you are one of the lucky ones to have chosen this week for your vacation, you have my sympathy. At this point, what can you do but make the best of it.
With a prediction of more rain throughout the week, I thought you could use some suggestions on things to do in the area.
1. The Mall is the obvious choice, but keep in mind that others will have the same idea. Malls and movie theaters will be crowded. That said, there are three malls in the area, The Fox Run Mall, The Mall of NH, and The Maine Mall.
3.Barrington For less traditional (and less crowded) shopping, visit The Christmas Dove in Barrington. A Christmas wonderland, it is one of the largest Christmas stores in the country. Across the street is Calef's Country Store, famous for their cheese, maple sugar products, gift shop, and country deli.
8. Kittery, Maine. In addition to all the outlet shopping, the granddaddy of shopping experiences on the Seacoast is Kittery Trading Post with three levels of the most extensive selection of outdoor recreational equipment, clothing and footwear in New England.
North Conway is also home to New England's only indoor water park, Kahuna Laguna.
10.Local beaches You can still have fun at the beach when the weather isn't cooperating. The children will enjoy hunting for shells and driftwood and the boardwalk at Hampton Beach offers great atmosphere and lots of arcade fun.
11. Weirs Beach in Laconia Home to Funspot, the largest arcade in the world. They have over 500 games, indoor golf, bowling, bingo and even a tavern.
12. Day Spa
If a day at the arcades with the kids isn't your idea of "vacation" then maybe some spa time would be appealing to you.
Eight Winds Wellness Center & Spa in Hampton offers massage therapies and body treatments that will make you forget the rainy weather outside.
Don't let the weather ruin your vacation. Get creative and do something you otherwise wouldn't have had the chance to do. If you have children, the important thing to them is quality time with you...so make some memories!
I was at a yard sale this morning and I overheard the owner of the house telling one of the bargain hunters about a site she joined online to help her with her clutter. She pays fifteen dollars a month for a membership fee and she said she loves it. She appears to be one satisfied customer. The other woman was very interested and even wrote down the name so she could look into it.
According to her, it has really made her accountable and her membership to this site is responsible for her accomplishing many tasks in her home, including organizing and preparing for her yard sale.
She also mentioned that you can pay $5 for a mini one month trial period. Interesting...
I am wondering if any of you are familiar with this site. Also, is it something you would pass on to your clients?
Selling a house is a stressful process. Preparing a house for sale is a lot of work. Living in a house for sale can be very inconvenient. You may have to rearrange the furniture or even worse, move your favorite recliner to storage.
If you are going to sell your house, here's the first question you need to answer:
What's more important to you - that you be comfortable in your favorite chair or that you sell quickly without having to reduce the price?
I find it quite amusing when sellers take a firm stand, arms crossed, a look of defiance on their face, and refuse to remove the giant TV from the master bedroom because they just can't give up watching TV from their bed. Or, they refuse to move the monster bag of dog food from the kitchen to the garage, because it would be too inconvenient to store it out there.
I actually had a seller look me in the eye and say it would be "disturbing to their routine" to have to remove their personal products from the shower on a daily basis.
If you believe that it's your right to live in your house comfortably and that buyers will just have to see past your stuff, and you have made up your mind that you will give this "staging thing" a try, but only for one month and then you are going back to living "normal" then this message is for you:
It doesn't matter to me how long your house sits on the market. I'm not making the mortgage payment or paying the taxes. I get paid for my consultation and get the same amount regardless if you sell tomorrow or a year from now.
I am here for one reason only, to tell you how you can make your house more appealing to buyers, which will help you sell faster and increase your odds of making more money. You can follow my advice or choose not to.
We are on the same team. We both want the same end result.
I'm not the one who is going to lose or gain depending on the outcome, you are!
If you don't have that natual eye for trend setting and style that Steven has, and you need assistance in the preparation of your home for sale, consider hiring a professional home stager to give you the advice you need to make your home more emotionally appealing to buyers.
Having the right look to attract buyers is the key to a fast and profitable sale!
As many of you know, I'm expecting my first grandchild, Jack, due in two weeks. Even though I've had three children of my own, it's been a long time since I've cared for a baby. I'm hoping those motherly instincts haven't totally dried up and at least some of it will come back to me.
My parents were here visiting for Father's Day weekend. My mother is very excited about becoming a Great Grandmother. We went to some yard sales on Saturday and we had lots of fun finding things for our new grandbaby. We got a great deal on two Baby Bjorn carriers.
The real fun came after we got home and had a "grandmother's in training" practice session using two baby dolls.
The good news: We now totally understand how to use these contraptions. We are grandma, hear us roar!
The bad news: Little Jack just might not be as cooperative as our test models were.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is more than a wonderful place to live, great place to shop, and fabulous place to dine...it's a seacoast city rich in culture and history...a great place to visit and vacation.
In 2008 Portsmouth was named by Prevention Magazine as one of the Top 100 Walking Cities. That same year, Portsmouth was added to the list of "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" by the National Trust For Historic Preservation who called it "one of the most culturally rich destinations in the country with a stimulating mix of historic buildings, sidewalk cafes, great restaurants, art galleries, jazz clubs and distinctive artisans' boutiques."
My first born, Jaime, is expecting her first baby, and yesterday she found out that it is a boy. He is due to arrive the end of October. He will be our second grandbaby. My son's baby boy, Jack, is due any time now.
After having three of my own, it's wonderful to experience this amazing miracle from a different perspective.
Seeing my daughter about to become a mother is a true blessing. She has no idea just how much her life is about to change.
I don't know how I did it, I was clueless when they sent me home with her. I had no experience, no idea what to expect, and no idea that I could possibly love someone so much.
They placed her in my arms and sent me home - scared to death.
No manual, no directions...her precious life in my hands...somehow we both survived.
We survived pneumonia, sleepless nights, scrapes and falls, braces, the first day of school, endless school plays. We survived attitude and emotion, the "terrible two's" and the "terrible teen" years.
We celebrated holidays, birthdays, and felt pride at every accomplishment and milestone along the way.
Now it's Jaime's turn to be a mother to her son and experience first hand the love, pride, and fears that only a parent can feel.
I know she will be a wonderful Mom, and I will do my best to help her when she needs it.
I hope it all comes back, like riding a bike...it's been a very long time. I am a little rusty at taking care of babies!
As I pass the torch of motherhood down to my daughter and daughter-in-law, my mother is handing down the torch of grandmotherhood to me...and she says Jaime isn't the only one who has no idea how much her life is going to change!
I'm told, there is nothing like a grandchild to make your life complete.
If you are looking for a place to eat on the Seacoast, then Portsmouth is the place to go. Fine dining or casual...gourmet, organic, or sweet treats...Portsmouth has it all.
For more information on the Portsmouth establishments featured in my video:
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
It is yet another rainy day here on the Seacoast of New Hampshire. If you are one of the lucky ones to have chosen this week for your vacation, you have my sympathy. At this point, what can you do but make the best of it. 
I find it quite amusing when sellers take a firm stand, arms crossed, a look of defiance on their face, and refuse to remove the giant TV from the master bedroom because they just can't give up watching TV from their bed. Or, they refuse to move the monster bag of dog food from the kitchen to the garage, because it would be too inconvenient to store it out there.
;)
;)
