Archive for the 'Lakes Region Real Estate' Category

Should I list my Lakes Region, NH home for sale over the winter or should I wait till summer? This is the million dollar question. Well, you can certainly argue the properties around here look a lot better in the spring and summer, but what do the numbers say. You have to go with my logic here. If we look at properties that sell from April 1st to June 30th, we can assume that most of them were on the market and went under contract during the winter. We can use the same logic for summer, August 1st to September 30th. So, here are the number of closed residential sales in both Carroll and Belknap Counties.

I  have to admit, even I am surprise, I was thinking the winter numbers were going to be smaller but close. I guess people do look for Lakes Region Real Estate over the winter, to be in for summer!

Local and well respected builder, Joe Skiffington, just provided this helpful summary of what was passed in the Senate.

March 20, 2011 UPDATE
New Hampshire Senate Bill 154, passed by the Full Senate on March 16, 2011 and is now off to
the NH House.

The following items are addressed by the reform:

1. The Act will rename CSPA as the Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act.  By including “water
   quality” in the title, the Act will emphasize the purpose of regulating shore-land development to
   protect the quality of New Hampshire’s lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.
2. The standards applicable to the redevelopment of existing, nonconforming structures is rewritten
   to allow greater flexibility for landowners.  Under the reform language, existing structures can be
   repaired, replaced in kind, and reconstructed in place.  The alteration and expansion of
   nonconforming structures is also permitted, provided the structure is changed in a manner that
   makes it more nearly conforming to the standards of the Act.
3. The existing tiered requirement to preserve up to 50% of buildable areas as unaltered would be
   replaced.  Instead, the Bill establishes a uniform 25% requirement for all shorefront properties
   regardless of lot size.
4. The tree scoring system applicable within the waterfront buffer (the area within 50’ of the water)
   would be revised to increase credit for larger, more mature trees and to encourage the planting of
   shrubs and groundcover.
5. Limitations on the percentage of impervious coverage is relaxed, provided storm-water
   management systems are designed (and implemented) to encourage storm-water infiltration and
   to control runoff and erosion.
6. The review periods afforded to the Department are shortened for faster decision making.
7. The Department will establish a permit by notification (PBN) process for approving smaller
   projects that propose minimal upland impacts or the restoration of previously disturbed areas.

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Joe Skiffington