Posts made by author 'Badger Peabody & Smith Realty'
9
Eyes on the Prize
I'm not 100% vested in devouring all of the real estate news that's happening around the world, but rumor has it, this is a good time to buy! (Stop me if you've heard this before.) But seriously, for those of us considering purchasing a new home or even an investment property, the rates are still enticing and inventory is about to get its annual boost for spring. This past weekend I took myself out to dinner on Saturday night and then ordered pizza (and a big chocolate chip cookie!) for the "big", albeit super-boring, game on Sunday. Thankfully the pizza was better than the Pat's offense, but a win is a win. The lesson in that last sentence is I'm not doing a very good job at saving money for my real estate venture. Let's look at a few ways we (I) can do better to prep for buying a home.
8
We Recognize Our Agents and Staff!
[caption id="attachment_5434" align="alignright" width="300"]
Top agents from all our offices. From left: Mary Truell, Jerrod Mitchell, Beth Horan, Michele Penner, Nikki Barrett, Missy Sullivan with Broker/Owner Andy Smith.[/caption]
2018 was a great year for Peabody & Smith Realty, and with that, we like to take a little time to celebrate our agents and staff and their accomplishments!
This year we celebrated at the Woodstock Station & Inn in Woodstock, NH on Saturday, January 26.
We enjoy recognizing the hard work of our agents and staff and sharing some of the professional accompli...
4
Whose Mortgage Do You Want to Pay? Yours or Your Landlord's?
There are some people who haven't purchased homes because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. However, everyone should realize that unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord's.
As Entrepreneur Magazine, a premier source for small business explained in their article, "12 Practical Steps to Getting Rich":
"While renting on a temporary basis isn't terrible, you should most certainly own the roof over your head if you're serious about your finances. It won't make you rich overnight, but by renting, you're paying someone else's mortgage. In effect, you're making someone else rich."
With home prices rising, many renters are concerned about their house-buying power....
2
Taming Testy Tenants
It is a story I have told dozens of times, but it still is one of those head-scratching things that I'll never understand. Sometimes people are simply unreasonable (or just really numb). The duplex, down in Somersworth, I bought (nearly 20 years ago) had tenants in the downstairs apartment. They had lived there for 12 years without a hitch (according to the owner). He explained the property was going on the market and gave them first right of refusal. At $130K, this was not an extravagant home.
Rather than take him up on the offer (and likely pay the same for their mortgage as they were paying for rent) they abandoned the apartment (full of trash) for the 2 weeks leading up to closing. As a cherry on top, they left their Basset Hound in the unit with food and water for the e...
1
Frequently Asked Questions About Current Use
What is current use? This is one of the questions that we get almost daily. So have you ever wondered what current use is? I have a link here to the state's "A Laypersons Guide to Current Use." The very basic answer is this: It's a break on your taxes for open land that is not being used. Essentially, there is a tax lien on the property when the owners have not developed the land for use. Once the land is taken out of current use tax status there is a 10% one-time fee, of the "full and true value." Let's start with the why it was created. In the late 60s, the legislature was looking at ways to ensure that the beauty of our wonderful state was preserved and not over developed. One of the issues that faced some landowners were the taxes. And being able to afford the taxes so they did not need to break up the land to pay for taxes or reduce the tax burde...