Michele came to Verani from the Shanley Realtors team, where she spent many years building strong relationships with both her clients and peers. When she found herself in a position where she needed to look for a new agency, Michele was nervous that she wouldn’t find a team that functioned the same. She ended up meeting with Cindy Winthrop, the Verani Portsmouth manager, who instantly made her feel welcomed. Her fears were immediately set aside, and Michele’s excitement about the new opportunities available to her to expand her knowledge and grow her business landed her at Verani.

After 7 years of nursing school and 18 years of working intensive care, Michele decided on a career change.  To her surprise, there were many similarities between the two professions. Both involve a dynamic work environment, clear communication skills, strong attention to detail, and solid relationships with clients based on honesty and understanding. These are all important to being a successful agent and meeting the client’s real estate goals.

Michele has a deep appreciation for New Hampshire’s seacoast community where she has called home for the past 35 years. The environment has inspired her to become actively involved with local organizations, fundraisers, and community events. Her experience in wellness has also driven her to provide volunteer services in relation to health prevention and education. In her personal time, Michele enjoys gardening, various home improvement projects, visiting local shops, and spending time with friends and family.

Michele is based in the Prudential Verani Portsmouth office, located at 111 Maplewood Ave in Portsmouth, NH. She can be reached at m: 603-475-2060 and e: michele.mccarthy@verani.com.

Eleven children of the Mila Filatova Piano Academy, aged 5 to 15 years old, will perform piano concertos of Bach, Vogler, Haydn, and Mozart, with a chamber orchestra under the direction of David Feltner in a concert at 2 pm on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at the Manchester Christian Church, 1308 Wellington Road, Manchester, NH. Admissions is free. Several of the piano concertos are very rarely performed, including a concerto Mozart composed while a child himself.

Recognizing that opportunities for very young children to play with professional musicians are very limited, Filatova organized the concerto concert as a community event where local children could perform as soloists with a chamber orchestra in a family-oriented, admission-free concert. “The idea is to inspire the children performing to achieve even higher performance standards and for the children attending to concert to see that it is possible for children to perform with an orchestra and inspire their interest in classical music,” Filatova explains. The community performance brings together soloists, chamber musicians, and a conductor from the local New Hampshire and Massachusetts communities. Even the concert grand piano for the performance is being generously provided by Darrell’s Music Hall in Nashua, NH.

The children performing have collectively won many prizes in state, national, and international piano competitions – many have performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall and across Europe. They include in alphabetical order (age, hometown): Angela Dow (13, Manchester, NH), George Kiu (9, Tyngsboro, MA), Kathryn Ly-Bishop (15, Manchester, NH), Alessandra Mariano (9, Manchester, NH), Anna Musteata (8, Hollis, NH), Maxine Park (8, Hanover, NH), Roxane Park (5, Hanover, NH), Elizabeth Rhodes (13, Concord, NH), Erin Tellier (15, Auburn, NH), Stephen Wang (11, Hanover, NH), and Annie Xu (12, Nashua, NH).

The chamber orchestra consists of area professional musicians from the Boston Classical Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Boston, Merrimack Philharmonic, Nashua Chamber Orchestra, and Springfield Symphony under the direction of David Feltner, music director of the Nashua Chamber Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Boston. Feltner has worked with young children in the past and was an enthusiastic supporter of the project.

The program includes: Haydn Concerto in F Major, H.XVIII, Vogler Concerto in C Major, Mozart Concerto #1 in F Major, K. 37, Bach Concerto in F Minor BWV 1056, and Haydn Concerto in D Major Hob. XVIII: 11.

Concert Details:

Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 2:00 pm

Manchester Christian Church | 1308 Wellington Road | Manchester, NH 03104

FREE ADMISSION

For more than 25 years Dave Lefebvre has been in every aspect of commercial real estate including leasing, development, management, consulting and financial analysis, as well as acquisition and disposition of commercial properties. Additionally, he attained an appraisal status of Certified General Appraiser for the state of NH. During his tenure, he has enjoyed success working at firms such as The Tischler Group and Shanley Realtors®, in addition to founding his own firm, Source Real Estate.

Throughout the years, Dave has established himself as a consummate professional focusing on results for the clients he has worked with, including well-known firms such as Carlisle Capital, Parkstone Properties, Urstadt-Biddle, Westaim Biomedical, Ultra Fab and many law and marketing firms to name a few. Dave has a unique perspective and understanding of the seacoast area, and is equally comfortable working with regional and local tenants and retailers, earning the proud moniker “Downtown Dave.”

Dave has been instrumental in the successful completion of several noteworthy transactions, including: 175 Market Street, 999 Islington Street, 30 Maplewood Avenue, 16 Market Square and 145 Heritage Avenue, all in Portsmouth. Dave is currently working on a very exciting new project in the downtown area, 233 Vaughan Street, a state of the art mixed use development that will incorporate design features not seen in this area previously, and will include both a commercial and residential component within the development as well as fine dining opportunities.

Staying active within the commercial real estate community has always been and remains a top priority for Dave. He previously served on the New Hampshire CIBOR (Commercial Investment Board of Realtors®) as the 2004 President, and was honored as the CIBOR Realtor® of the Year in 2003 and 2009. Additionally, Dave is very active in CIBOR cares – a 501c3 organization dedicated to aiding local non-profits and others with immediate financial assistance and guidance.

Dave resides in Hampton, New Hampshire, and enjoys his time away from the office participating in numerous outdoor activities such as golf, skiing, fishing, camping, boating and carpentry – as well as being an automobile enthusiast who can “fix” almost anything! Perhaps the most impressive thing people learn about Dave is that he is an Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America and is a title held for life.

Dave is based in the Prudential Verani Portsmouth office located at 111 Maplewood Avenue. Dave can be reached at the following telephone numbers: Direct: 603-294-5710 or Commercial Division: 603-845-2500. Dave can also be reached via email at: dave.lefebvre@verani.com. 

Now that school vacation is here, you’re probably looking for some fun things to do with your family. The lakes region in New Hampshire is a great place to enjoy all kinds of winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. Some of my fondest memories are of my husband and I bringing the kids up north in the winter. We would start the day with ski lessons and end the day with rosy cheeks and hot chocolate in the lodge. In addition to the mountains, there are other local programs that will make this winter a memorable one.

Over the next couple of weeks I’m planning on checking out some of the programs offered at Prescott Farms in Laconia. Snowshoeing is my favorite winter activity, so I’m excited to check out their Full Moon Snow Shoe Walk on Monday, February 25th. Continue reading “2013 February Vacation Fun with Prescott Farms” »

What is Zoning?

Under the State of New Hampshire Statutes (RSA 674:16-23 and 675:2-9 ), each city and town can publish a Zoning Ordinance and establish Zoning Districts. The Statute allows each town to define the number of districts and definition of the uses allowed in each district. As a result, there are hundreds of different districts across the state.

To assist the consumer, most town ordinances contain a Permitted Use Table. Whether buying or leasing commercial space, it is prudent to confirm that your use is allowed under the zoning regulations of the city or town before you commit to the purchase or lease. Of course it is not always as easy as just looking at one table, there are primary uses and accessory uses to consider.

What Does Zoning Mean to Commercial Prospects?

As an example, if you manufacture a product, you probably need to be located in an Industrial District. You can distribute your product from your facility, but more often than not, you cannot sell your product to consumers from this location. This accessory use of “retail sales” is typically allowed only in a commercial district. But don’t despair yet, the regulations allow the owner or business to apply for a variance from the regulations.

You only need to convince the local planning board that this restriction causes a hardship and/or isn’t in the best interest of the community. They will require an engineered site plan of the property and at least one public hearing. The property abutments will receive notice of the meeting and given the opportunity to support or object to the variance request. Often, just one objection will undermine the proposal. The cost for a site plan and public presentation usually will be in the $5,000 to $10,000 range, with no guarantee of success. This cost alone discourages most small business owners.

So, you decide to keep it simple. You check to confirm that your intended use is permitted under the local zoning ordinance, and it is. You are clear to buy the property or sign the lease. Right?

Not so fast! In addition to regulating the types of business activities that are permitted in a zone, the planning board also reserves the right to approve a “Change of Use” on the property. This means that if your proposed use is not identical to the previous occupant’s use, even though both are permitted uses, you will be required to go through the same process as if you wanted a variance to the permitted use.

If you believe that this is unfair, creates unreasonable costs for small business, or unjustly restricts the use of your property, then let your opinion be known. Write a letter to the planning board and your State Representative. But above all, do your research before you sign that document!

Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities and are used under license, with no other affiliation with Prudential.

2012 was a year filled with huge amounts of national and international news. So much, that our wonderful state of New Hampshire had some stories that were likely overlooked. Here are the top 5 New Hampshire-based stories you might have missed in 2012:

1. Dartmouth College President Nominated to Lead World Bank

Likely the most overlooked story by New Hampshirites in 2012, this was big news for the community of Dartmouth. On March 23, President Barak Obama announced that Dartmouth College President, Jim Yong Kim, was his nomination to take over as World Bank President in 2013. The position will be vacated by current president Robert Zoelick in June of 2013, and President Obama’s nomination meant that Kim would be the likeliest replacement. The full story, as written by NY Times reporter Annie Lowrey can be found here.

2. Concord High School Grad Qualifies for Olympics

In a sport whose spotlight is reserved for only a select few top-tier athletes, marathon runner Guor Marial made big news for another reason. He didn’t represent a country in his Olympic bid. As a young man, he escaped civil war and in what is now The Republic of South Sudan. After moving through Egypt, he found himself in Concord, NH where he starred in the disciplines of distance running. After attending Iowa State, where he ran track, he set a qualifying time to enter the Olympics this past year in London.

Unfortunately he was not a recognized citizen of the United States, and his 1-year-old country of South Sudan was not eligible for representation according to International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules. With some help from The U.S. Olympic Committee and NH Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Marial was granted the right to run as an independent by the IOC. Marial finished 47th in London. More on this amazing story, as written by Union Leader reporter Bill Smith, here

3. New Hampshire Elects All-Female Delegation to Congress

On the side of maybe less-surprising than the others, this story made national news before election day was technically over. It’s 5 Capitol Hill representatives will be the first all-female delegation in the history of the United States. A smaller story within this story is Maggie Hassan’s status as the only female Democratic governor elected in 2012. Joining Governor Hassan are Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte, and Representatives Carol-Shea Porter and Ann McLane Kuster. For more on this story, as written by Huffington Post reporter Laura Bassett, click here

4. New Hampshire Colleges Dominate the National Rankings

Two New Hampshire colleges made their marks on the headlines in 2012. Dartmouth College, whose presence at the top of higher education remained unwavering, was named the #10 college in the United States by U.S. News. Among other reasons , Dartmouth was ranked in the top-10 due to it’s outstanding qualification record among its teachers,freshmen retention rate of 97.8%, graduation rate of 88%, and a student:faculty ratio of 8:1 (one of the smallest for a college of it’s size). The full U.S. News report can be found here.

In what could be considered a less traditional form of recognition, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) was recognized in 2012 on an international scale. In 2012, Fast Company named SNHU the #12 Most Innovative Company in the World. That’s right, in the WORLD. A university that has made it’s name on destroying “traditional” education, SNHU was named to the list for, among other things, a massive online education network that offers over 120 programs and concentrations. The full article from Fast Company, as well as the other 49 most innovative companies, can be found here.

5. New Hampshire Residents Stand by Victims After Sandy

As New Hampshire residents helped each other recover from local damage, many were touched by the images and stories that came quickly up the coast via social media and news stations of New York in shambles. Firefighters, Red Cross  members, National Guard men and women, and every day citizens mobilized to help. Much of these stories were individual efforts with no media attention, but a few managed to get picked up. Each story, unique in its own way, can’t be summarized as a whole. Here are a few of the stories of those who came to the aid of New York:

Upper Valley Firefighters Aid Victims of Hurricane Sandy

Sandy Relief Shuttle met with Gratitude in Brooklyn

Dyn Powers Up 12/12/12 Donation Site

Dance Academy Sends Blankets to Hurricane Victims

Newmarket Company Organizes Race for Hurricane Sandy…

The students in Southside Middle School’s (Manchester) 21st Century Community Learning Program have teamed up with Prudential Verani Realty for the 2012 Verani Coat Drive. Ann Marie Hetzel runs the “21st Century” program at the school. The program offers different after school activities for students including a homework club, Zumba, wood crafts, jewelry making, instrument practice, cooking classes, and community outreach. As part of the community outreach, for the month of December, the students helped to collect coats to help people in need.

The 21st Century Community Learning Program sent students home with a newsletter asking for help. Over the next couple of weeks they decorated the collection boxes, and collected 2 boxes of coats!  Hetzel says “the kids had a great time doing the drive and really enjoy the community outreach portion of their program, and helping people in their community.”

We thank Ann Marie and all the kids at the 21st Century Community Learning Program for their hard work!  If you would like to find out more about the 21st Century Community Learning Program, contact Ann Marie Hetzel at amhetzel@mansd.org, 603-624-6359, or visit their website. The program is offered at many schools throughout New Hampshire.

Success in the business of real estate can be found in building and maintaining of relationships, and good communication is the foundation of any solid relationship. Methods of communication have rapidly evolved over the last few decades and though potential buyers and sellers can get information quicker, it is vital to be dealing with reliable, trusted sources that offer face-to-face, trustworthy advice.

Margherita Verani, President of Prudential Verani Real Estate and a licensed Broker since 1972, says that though she has seen communication technology change dramatically in her 40 years in the business, one thing remains top priority in forming relationships with clients. Here’s a conversation with Margherita, regarding communication in the real estate industry:

What are your initial thoughts on modern communication in your industry?

“Our ability to communicate has changed dramatically and honestly what I think still matters most is having that face to face handshake you can trust. We have come so far in communication with cell phones that do everything, email, websites, and social networking.  Clients can reach you anywhere at almost anytime, but first and foremost they have to trust you as a person working for them with knowledge, skill, and experience.”

With so many years in the business, Verani has worked with no cell phone, with a giant cell phone held in a bag, to present-day where most information, as well as phone calls, are a touch away.  Is it any easier?

“I don’t know if I’d say it was easier.  Marketing in the old days was mailing out ads and newspaper listings. There were so few venues to get the word out about your company and what you were offering. Now the MLS [Multiple Listing Service] is on the Internet and everyone has a website. So, there are more communication avenues, but those streets are lined with not just you, but with your competition.”

Prudential Verani remains very well recognized in the industry. With nearly 100,000 visitors every month, Verani.com delivers detailed home descriptions, photos, and visual & guided tours- pioneering the first online home tours in New Hampshire. The website offers the “Showing Time” program, an innovation that allows online appointment requests, “Virtual Agent”, which allows buyers to set up a profile to save searches and request e-mail updates that fit their criteria.  Other helpful information includes school system reports and community profiles. 

But what about the personal contact that every client craves and any good agent strives for?

“I think clients want instant answers to their questions nowadays.  We are so used to being connected. It is important for our agents to provide quick response but also personal attention. I think it is our duty to make that communication personal, and one that mirrors the old days of that trust-filled handshake.  With the new technology we can do both.”

How has Prudential Verani Realty been successful in helping its agents reach the goals that you’ve talked about regarding instant communication?

“Verani Realty tries to be the leader in communication technology, for example our own ‘e-lead system’ to manage potential clients. Where most REALTORS® handle Internet leads the old fashioned way, which can leave people waiting 48 hours for a response, the Verani system gives agents immediate access to buyer inquiries. Agents are often in contact with clients before they have a chance to log off.”

What does all this mean for Prudential Verani Realty agents?

“It is just one of many ways communication has moved to the ‘instantaneous’ response. Times have changed and though we have to keep it personal we also have to use the technology to give us the communication edge. With this system, we don’t lose potential buyers, instead we earn lifetime customers!”

Newmarket Elementary and Newmarket Junior/Senior High School have teamed up with Prudential Verani Realty for the 2012 Verani Coat Drive. The students of the “Linked Together” before and after school program, shared by both schools, decided that this year they wanted to run a coat drive to help people stay warm. In a perfect example of what coat drives are all about, when asked about why she wanted to do a coat drive, 4th-grader Mia Smith said “How would you feel if you didn’t have a warm coat for winter?” The students in the Linked Together program set a lofty goal to collect 100 coats in November.

The problem the students ran into was “where do we give the coats once we have them?” Enter Prudential Verani Realty’s Maureen Wade. A REALTOR® based in Exeter, Maureen was contacted by a group leader who referenced the Verani coat drive and asked for assistance. Maureen agreed to help out, and will be collecting the coats from the Linked Together students and sending them in with the rest of the Verani Coat Drive coats to various charitable partners throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Verani Realty salutes the Linked Together students for their commitment to the local community and to helping people less fortunate than themselves.

image courtesy of Lisa Tetrault-Zhe of Seacoastonline.com