Applecrest Farm | A  Seacoast Gem

There is more to living in the seacoast area of New Hampshire than beach combing, seafood festivals, building sandcastles, and working on your tan.  In fact some say the fun really starts after Labor Day weekend when the summer tourists leave and fall settles in along the coast.  It’s a beautiful and majestic time, one when full moons and sunsets bring out wonderful fall colors all along our beautiful coast. When quiet afternoons at the beach is shared with a handful of people or on horseback.

 Apple Picking and Fall Harvest Celebrations

With that special season comes apple picking time and wonderful fall harvest events.  There is nothing better than biting into a crisp local grown apple from a Honey Crisp to a McIntosh and all the apples in between.  One of my favorite places to pick your own apples in the seacoast area is Applecrest Farm in Hampton Falls.

 A Seacoast Way of Life

Applecrest is more than a pick your own apple orchard…it has become a way of life for many.  From Strawberry and Peach Festivals to the very popular Fall Festival season starting the first weekend in September and running through the end of October. Applecrest hosts petting zoos, hayrides, pie eating contests, and even live music to entertain you. You can check out their full schedule on their website:  applecrest.com/festival-schedule

If you’re looking for something fun to do in the seacoast area…why not take a walk on the beach and head over to Applecrest Orchard in Hampton Falls. Be prepared to be enchanted!

Monika McGillicuddy is a REALTOR® with 26 years of experience, located in the Verani Realty, Portsmouth office. She specializes in Waterfront Homes, Relocation, and Fine Homes. Monika works the real estate market in the Hamptons, Sandown, Kingston, Rye, Danville, Atkinson, and occasionally inland in Salem and Derry.

Sue is a heavily decorated real estate agent, with a strong 25-year history working with homes around the Seacoast region of New Hampshire. Prior to coming to Verani Realty, Sue received accolades from RE/MAX, her former employer, as an inductee into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame and the 100% Club. She was also a recipient of the Five Star Professional Real Estate Award in 2011.

Sue brings her strong history of success to Verani with the mindset that she is “not selling houses, but rather acting as a residential marketing specialist, outlining clients’ needs and developing a strategy to achieve their goals.” She will be specializing at Verani in waterfront, fine homes, and new construction. She also has specialties in investment and marketing.

Sue attended college at UNH, receiving Bachelors in Marketing and Finance from the Whittemore School of Business and Economics. From there, to further her expertise in the real estate industry, Sue earned the designation of Graduate, REALTOR® Institute from the National Association of REALTORS®. On top of all that, Sue went the extra mile and obtained the title of Certified Residential Specialist, and Certified Investor Agent Specialist. Throughout her 25-year career, Sue has been a member of the Seacoast Board of REALTORS® and National Association of REALTORS®.

A 20-year resident of New Castle, NH, Sue knows the area inside and out. In her free time she loves to spend time traveling, especially in the White Mountains where she enjoys skiing and hiking. When she’s not traveling, she enjoys spending time with her “partner in crime,” fellow Verani family member, Paul Hamblett and her yellow lab, Millie at home.

Sue is based out of the Prudential Verani Portsmouth Office, located at 111A Maplewood Avenue in Portsmouth, NH. She can be reached at p: (603) 501-3822, m: (603) 661-0022 or e: sue.haberstroh@verani.com.

Diane has spent 26 years in real estate, with licenses in both New Hampshire and Maine. Before her move into real estate, she worked with the New Hampshire Business Review in marketing and advertising. It is here that Diane began building an expansive network in New Hampshire. She is involved in countless community service and volunteering programs throughout the state including the Salvation Army, Rotary Club of Portsmouth where she served as president, Positive Pathways, and a myriad of others.

Diane began her real estate career in 1986 and a year later partnered to own and operate her own brokerage firm. Since then she has worked for RE/MAX Coast to Coast and Coldwell Banker Residential. Now, with Verani Realty, she will be specializing in New Homes, 55+ Communities, Relocation, Real Estate-Owned, and all residential services. Diane will be serving clients primarily on the New Hampshire Seacoast, as well as areas of Southern Maine’s seacoast. Diane is a lifelong resident of New Hampshire and enjoys spending time with her son John, and wife Thea who live in Portsmouth with the family dog, Norm.

When asked what she would be bringing to the Verani Family, Diane responded: “As a lifelong resident, I have extensive knowledge of the Greater Portsmouth area, and all of its highways and byways. My community involvement has afforded me a wide area network, to keep me well-informed.” Diane has received many awards for both her professional accomplishments and community services, but she says “the award I wear most proudly is my clients’ continued trust and support.”

Diane has always found homes and architecture fascinating, which is why she turned her hobby into a profession. In her free time now, she participates in a lot of outdoor recreation including kayaking, wilderness walks, and meditation. She also participates in music, with a concentration in singing and saxophone lessons.

Diane is based out of the Prudential Verani Portsmouth Office, located at 111A Maplewood Avenue in Portsmouth, NH. She can be reached at p: (603) 501-3808 m: (603) 765-7848 e: dmfoley@worldpath.net or diane.foley@verani.com

Darlene has been a Real Estate Agent for over 25 years and specializes in Residential & Condominium Sales, Luxury Homes, Re-location and Investment Properties in the Seacoast of New Hampshire and Maine. Previous to coming to Prudential Verani Realty, Darlene was with RE/MAX Coast to Coast. Darlene has also worked at Century 21 Syphers, Ringer and Syphers Realty, and The Gosselin Group.

She holds a NH Brokers license and is an Associate Broker in Maine.

In 2011, Darlene became the exclusive rental agent for Strawbery Banke and their Heritage House program, renting out renovated office and residential spaces on the grounds of Strawbery Banke Museum.

Previous to getting her Real Estate licenses, Darlene worked in the engineering field for various companies. Her positions included design/drafting and technical illustrating for different companies in Southern NH and Northern MA who had contracts with General Electric, Bell Laboratories, and Camp, Dresser, and McKee to name a few. Working with engineers gives Darlene a great attention to detail from start to finish!

With her 25+ years of experience Darlene has perfected the ability to listen to her clients’ needs and help execute a successful home sale in a timely manner. Negotiations have been at the forefront of her clients’ needs and she has helped her clients capitalize on the past few years moving markets.

When Darlene is not out selling real estate she enjoys many different outdoor activities including golfing, skiing, boating, music and sports events. She also enjoys traveling, cooking and entertaining. She has volunteered at the Cape Neddick Center for Wildlife, feeding and taking care of injured birds and animals that have been brought there for rehabilitation. These include hawks, owls, seagulls, ducks, turtles, mice and porcupines! Darlene supports many different animal shelters and has 2 adopted cats from the Cocheco Valley Humane Society. She has lived in most of the seacoast towns and currently resides in Eliot, Maine.

Darlene is based out of the Prudential Verani Portsmouth Office located at 111A Maplewood Avenue in Portsmouth, NH. She can be reached at p: (603) 501-3847, c: (603) 490-7652 or e: darlene.olson@verani.com.

Prudential Verani Realty (PVR) is excited to announce that Diane Foley, Sue Haberstroh, Paul Hamblett, Cathy McCauley and Darlene Olson formerly of RE/MAX Coast to Coast and Diane Silva formerly of RE/MAX Connection have joined the PVR Portsmouth Office located at 111 Maplewood Avenue, in Portsmouth NH.

Over the past several years PVR has expanded its presence within the New Hampshire Seacoast area and is thrilled to have these Top Producers join the team! “Together, we can increase our presence on the Seacoast.” said Margherita Verani, President, PVR. “As the number one agency in all of Rockingham County, Prudential Verani Realty provides the tools and training our agents need to take their business, and the service they provide to their buyers and sellers, to the next level.”

“In today’s marketplace the most successful agents need the resources, strength and depth of assistance that we offer. We’ve been here since 1967 and continue to innovate every day!” added in Giovanni Verani, Senior VP, PVR.

Cindy Winthrop, Portsmouth Regional Manager concluded, “At the end of the day, it’s the individual agents and the attention they give to their clientele that determines the success of our company. These agents are the best of the best, and we are proud to have them join our team.”

According to CNNMONEY in a July industry report, home prices have not only reached their bottom but are bouncing back upward. Across the country, home values rose 0.2 percent when figures are compared year-over-year. Nationally, the median home price was $149,300 during the second quarter, which provides the very first annual increase since 2007. (First quarter prices rose 2.1 percent.)

This has real estate experts across the county saying, “The worst is over … really!”

Foreclosures remain and will continue to come onto the market, but experts predict that buyers’ increasing demand will absorb these listings and things will eventually balance out.

Locally, the state’s year-over-year median price points are increasing in many New Hampshire communities. Stratham currently ranks in the top position with an increase of 33.08 percent in its median price for single-family homes. Following that remarkable increase are the beautiful oceanside towns of Rye with an increase of 13.40 percent and Hampton at 12.6 percent. Holding on to a solid price increase is Portsmouth at 10.40 percent and Derry coming in at 10.01 percent.

So what does this mean? Well, though not all N.H. communities are experiencing the increases in home prices yet, a trend is being seen throughout the state and around the country for home prices to continue to rise.

This means that now is an excellent time to buy! The smart buyer looks to purchase a home at a great price but also in a period where that home will continue to slowly increase in value. It is also financially wise to purchase before prices rise so that you actually obtain the best price. This is a point in time where waiting to purchase could cost you because that home you dream of will likely cost more a year from now.

For homeowners weighing their options on whether to sell and move, you need to remember that though you may get slightly more money for your home if you put off listing the property, you will also pay more for your next home if you wait.  In other words, your home’s sale price may increase but so will the home you wish to purchase. On the bright side, the latest market trends indicate a healthy recovery so it is a great time to sell your house and find that perfect new home.  Interest rates are at a record low, so you will probably be able to afford more home!

What should you do first? The first step is choosing a REALTOR® you can trust to make the process as easy as possible while looking out for all your financial concerns. The next step is getting pre-approved for a loan, so you know how much house you can really afford and so you can prove to any seller that when you make an offer on their home, you are a serious buyer with buying power.

Next you need to decide what it is you are looking for in a new home and what communities you wish to consider. Prudential Verani offers town profile websites, like this one for Portsmouth, NH, that assist buyers who wish to check out current market conditions as well as get a feel for what each community is like, details about their school system and even travel-commuting distances.

Once you know what you are looking for and what communities you wish to look in, the next step is viewing a few homes on the market. Your REALTOR® can make this an exciting and fairly easy process, so listen to their advice and get started now to get the best value.

According to a national market analysis completed in May, national home values rose for the third month in a row, climbing 0.5% from April to May. And that trend continues at a much more impressive pace at the local level, with home values either holding relatively steady or on the rise in many areas of New Hampshire. In fact, real estate in the Granite State is truly on the move.

In May, Portsmouth real estate sales experienced:

• Unit sales are up 58.3% to 19.
• Median price in May was $315,000. This is up 19.2% from $264,250 in May of 2011.
• Price per square foot is up by 5.1%.

No other town in Rockingham County performed better. And as far as communities go, Portsmouth offers a lot in terms of a safe, walkable friendly city for a family to settle in and call home.

In the city of Manchester, real estate news includes:

• New listings in May up 9.9% from May of 2011.
• YTD sales/list price ratio is up 1.2% to 97.1%.

And in Other Towns In Hillsborough County:

• Unit sales in Pelham are up by 62.5%.
• Average days on market in Goffstown are down 45.1% to 62.

This means more and more people are becoming home buyers. Want to learn more about Portsmouth, Manchester or other N.H. communities before you begin your own search for a new home?

Prudential Verani has taken the initiative to make “community shopping” simple and interesting for today’s buyer who wants to make an educated decision about where to shop for a home. Town profiles are a part of Verani real estate websites including: portsmouth.verani.com, exeter.verani.com, manchester.verani.com, nashua.verani.com and many, many other towns and cities throughout the state. There you will find not only listings of homes for sale in the community, but you will get a feel for the history and cultural attractions, how many people live there, and the structure of their school system. You will learn where it is nestled within the state and how long your commute to work, neighboring communities and the airport will be.

Continue reading “New Hampshire Home Sales Rising!” »

We’re Excited To Welcome Mo Seiler To The Verani Family!

Mo Seiler returned to her native New Hampshire after many years in the Florida marketplace. Not only are her roots here, but she has always felt connected to this area and New England’s four seasons. Originally from Berlin, NH Mo has lived in the Seacoast area since 2008 and currently lives in Rye – where the ocean is steps away!

While in Florida, Mo owned a catering company as well as an upscale bistro on Bonita Beach. As her friends and customers would say, “You will never go hungry as Mo loves testing new recipes and is a wonderful gourmet cook! When you meet her, you will feel like you have known her forever!”

Licensed since 2000, Mo began her career in real estate at Remax Action First in Florida. She then continued on with her career after moving back to NH working for Rye Beach Real Estate. Now, as a new associate with Prudential Verani in the Portsmouth Office, Mo continues to specialize in Condos and Residential real estate and serve her Seacoast clients in Rye, Portsmouth, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newton and Kingston. Plus, with her first-hand knowledge of the Florida real estate market, she can assist snowbirds with their relocation needs.

Mo is known for offering a stress-free, smooth transaction for her buyers and sellers. She understands their needs and never backs away from a challenge, only embraces it! She also never sits still. She is very active and has been a hospice volunteer since 1994 and was a member of the BNI Chapter in Palm Harbor, FL.

Continue reading “Prudential Verani Realty Welcomes Mo Seiler” »

Article by real estate agent Robert Lemelin

NH is the only state that you can walk its entire coastline without major effort.

Driving or bicycling from MA to ME along the NH coast may take about an hour with a few stops to enjoy the views. In Hampton you always see a lot of tourists strolling the strip. The state is in the process of constructing a new stage and multiple rest facilities along the beach. Continuing along the shore you pass Boars Head, the North Beach wall, then past the mansions of North Hampton. Into Rye you curve around the harbor, large stone protective berms block your view of the ocean in some areas. There are many pull offs along the ride to enjoy the majesty of the ocean and the Isles of Shoals. New Castle and South end Portsmouth offer antique homes built in the early days of settlement.

The idea of walking the westies (Rose and Angus) along the entire New Hampshire coast came after many different walks on the Rye beaches. When asked “Who wants to go for a walk”, their excitement always rises to a frenzy. With their enthusiasm I decided the entire NH coastline was actually a walkable feat. Driving from home, some heads out the window, we select the next leg of the trip.

Continue reading “Walking the NH Coastline” »

We’re Excited To Welcome David Costenbader To The Verani Family!

David began his career in real estate as a Business Specialist in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. He is a PGA Golf Professional and has been a Country Club Manager / Membership Director for over twenty years. Knowledgeable with both Florida and New Hampshire Country Club Communities, he has a keen ability to assist buyers and sellers with their real estate needs.

David originally moved from Florida to Nashua, NH in 1993 and in 2004 married his wife Melody and relocated to Stratham, NH. Melody has been doing hair on the seacoast for fifteen years and works at Ciccolini Salon & Day Spa in Greenland, NH. “We both love the coastal shoreline, the quality schools, restaurants and local businesses, but most of all it’s the community that makes it so special.” said David. “The change of seasons and outdoor activities of hiking, skiing, golfing, boating and fishing offers a little something for everyone. The New Hampshire Seacoast is ideally situated between Boston, MA, the White Mountains and the scenic Maine Coastline.”

David’s primary focus will be servicing buyers and sellers in Stratham, Portsmouth, Rye, Exeter, Greenland, North Hampton, Hampton and nearby neighboring towns. He also belongs to the Seacoast Board of Realtors® and the National Association of Realtors.®

”After interviewing with most of the other brand name real estate
companies in the area, I selected Prudential Verani because of their cutting edge technology, training and the professionalism of their agents and managers. Prudential Verani is large enough to provide a wide range of support to our buyers, sellers and agents, yet small enough to care about each one.”