Did Your Agent Tell You???

Buying a house??….Did you know that the purchase agreement /offer to purchase is not necessarily being kept confidential?

If your answer is No…then this blog is for you because in New Hampshire it MIGHT not be.

Yes… absolutely in New Hampshire it might not be and most buyers are shocked to hear that…even some agents are shocked when they find out.

REALTORS� have an obligation Ethically to disclose to their buyer clients the fact that their offer may not be kept confidential and yes I am talking about the terms…i.e. offering price and or conditions…financing, deposit and closing date all of which MAY be released by the seller to competing buyers in hopes of getting a better/higher offer.

This is sometimes called “shopping offers” and has been done fairly routinely but secretively in New Hampshire and other states. No one will talk about it because they feel uncomfortable about it…

I wrote about The REALTOR� Code of Ethics Article 1 SOP 1-13 in detail a while back in my Blog but the summary of the Code of Ethics that all REALTORS subscribe to involving this, reads as follows….

Standard of Practice 1-13

When entering into buyer/tenant agreements, Realtors^� must advise potential clients of:

5) the possibility that sellers or sellers’ representatives may not treat the existence, terms, or conditions of offers as confidential unless confidentiality is required by law, regulation, or by any confidentiality agreement between the parties.

Make sure that your REALTOR� tells you about this and that you understand that in NH we have no requirement by law or regulation about contract confidentiality. Also understand that the REALTOR� is only obligated to tell you this if they represent you in the transaction. If the agent you are working with is not your Buyer agent…they have no obligation to tell you this. this is just another reason to consider working with a qualified educated experienced Buyer agent…like me of course !

A prior (before purchase offer is released to the other side) confidentiality agreement might work in your favor but discuss this with your REALTOR� and understand that it is subject to the seller agreeing to it as well.

Every time I try to use a confidentiality agreement I get laughed at by the other REALTORS�…I mean who in their right mind would have their seller sign this type of stipulation. So you can see that this might not work in your favor.

Some of you might wonder if this could impact you in our current market…absolutely it could!

Any home priced right and in exceptionally good market condition will attract buyers and as we go into the new year and with interest rates as low as they are…buyers could still find themselves in multiple offer situations and it could also be used as a ploy against them. Be prepared and act wisely as this is the biggest investment of your life…choose a REALTOR� who has the experience and skills necessary to protect you.

If you’re interested in searching homes for sale in New Hampshire check out our website here or drop me an e-mail .

Monika and Jay McGillicuddy

We know that you don’t care what we know ….until you know that we care!

Memed..My 5 Secrets …shhh don’t tell anyone

 Over on the ActiveRain Real  Estate Network …something called Meme’s are making the rounds. It is all about letting everyone know who you are…your secrets or things people don’t know about you.

I was memed by Carole Cohen  a good cyber friend.  My ActiveRain Meme…………………..

When I found out about being memed  I thought what in the world could I tell people about myself that would be interesting and they might not already know about. With two profiles, one as a real estate agent and one as a real estate trainer, here on ActiveRain I figure everything is pretty well out there.
I’m going to have to combine those profiles somehow because I’m starting to feel a little schizo with 2 Me’s running around.

So I dug deep.

1. I arrived in the United States when I was 5 years old after a week and half at sea…it wasn’t pleasant. I remember leaving the big ship and walking along this long drab tunnel with what seemed like thousands of other people…my mom tightly clasping my hand pulling me along.

I was afraid because I could hear crying up ahead and there were lots of people in line ahead of us.  As we got closer to the end of the line I could see this huge ugly woman dressed in white with a funny white cap on and this small guy in a wrinkly suit next to her…he held this god awful huge shiny needle in his hand and I tried to pull away when I saw it but my parents wouldn’t let me.

The big woman grabbed my arm and wiped it with this cold stuff and the little man, before I could even push at the woman, stuck the huge needle in my arm…man did it hurt and I cried..screamed is probably more like it. Welcome to the United States of America. I became a citizen in 1986 and was proudly sworn in during a huge ceremony held in Concord NH.

2. I always liked being active and helping people so in the mid 80′s I became one of the first female volunteer firefighters in my town. It was an interesting time in my life as female fire fighters were not embraced by any stretch of the imagination.  I learned a lot about people, their characters, inner strength and small town politics. I went on to become a certified EMT but eventually the things I saw became too hard to bear and that along with family demands my life took another path.

3. I married my soul mate…we met on an MLS caravan…I was standing up on the second floor open balcony of this beautiful house looking down at all the REALTORS when suddenly the new guy on the block walked through the door.  I had heard about him as his dad was a well known broker in our area…so when Joe McGillicuddy’s son Jay arrived on the REALTOR® scene everyone knew about it.  I stood there and saw him walk in and at the same time he looked up saw me and somehow our eyes locked and the rest is history.  We became good friends and still are.
4. Jack Kemp when he was the czar of housing planted a big kiss on me. He came and spoke at our state convention and I thought he was pretty hot looking for an older guy…LOL…so I made my way up to him, I was wearing a red power suit and I was hoping he’d notice me. He did and he kissed me…wow. I told every one who would listen to me, that he kissed me and that I was never going to wash my face again. LOL I thought it was a pretty big deal but no one else did!
5. Even though I am on “stage” often as I travel about teaching and conducting workshops I am very shy and struggle with it daily. I have a hard time walking into a crowded room and talking with people…or being at a party full of people..even if I know all of them I still struggle with it. Once I’m out of my shell I’m fine and most people have no clue that I am shy and wouldn’t believe it even if I told them.

This is fun!!!

I’m tagging

Marti Garuaghty

Jennifer Fivelsdal 

Rebekah Peters 

Monika McGillicuddy

Serving Southern New Hampshire and Rockingham County

Monika McGillicuddy Real Estate Training Website

NH Real Estate Blogs

Prudential Verani Realty

Christmas 2006

We spent Christmas day at my sister Heidi and her hubby Jerry Waldron’s house in Strafford NH. We had a great time and eat way too much food. Pretty well everyone was there with the exception of my brother Billy who is pretty much a recluse anyway. Heidi and Jerry have a beautiful mini mansion which is to die for…so she gets to host Christmas mainly because she has the biggest house. Of course she also cooks pretty good and her hubby is a big help in the kitchen. My mom and dad were there and both of them look wonderful. Marty, my oldest son, was also there and that in itself was a miracle because on Columbus day he got into a horrific motorcycle accident. He is lucky to be alive and lucky that he can walk. We had a great Christmas and I treasure these pictures and hope you enjoy them as well.

Consumers’ perceptions are key to home buyer actions

The New Hampshire Association of REALTORS has just come out with their newest Market Trends

 

Consumers’ perceptions are key to home buyer actions

by Peter Francese

Have you thought about buying a flat-panel HDTV recently? If so, perhaps you experienced what we call “buyer hesitation” because you weren’t sure if the price of those cool new TVs, which have been dropping, might be even lower next year.

With regard to those television sets, millions of Americans have decided that now is the time to buy. This is in part because they have become more affordable, but also because consumers now believe that the price is not likely to go much lower.

That same phenomenon is worth noting as it relates to the housing market here in New Hampshire. Many buyers, particularly those who are not in a hurry, are hesitating because they believe that prices are likely to be lower in the near future. This represents a significant shift in the psychology of home buyers from a year or two ago, when most of them thought home prices would keep rising.

Read more

New Hampshire’s White Powder

The weather outside is delightful…winter’s coming…just in time for the Holidays and New Hampshire’s Ski season.

New Hampshire offers a wide variety of outdoor activities and pursuits..from coastal beaches to the White Mountains…there is a little bit of everything and something for everyone!

Traveling to New England don’t forget to pack your skis…don’t have any skis? not to worry there are plenty of rental shops and ski shops that will gladly fit you with the perfect pair. Explore Ski NH… it is a jam packed website full of ski and snow boarding information.

While my children were growing we spent many weekends skiing in New Hampshire and Maine. Ski clubs, ski lessons, ski meets and races…It was a great family activity, one that involved the whole family and our extended group of friends. Nothing better than being on white powder on top of a mountain on a bright sunny day…ahhh perfection! So whether your an expert skier or just beginning you’ll be delighted by our ski areas.
Personally I can tell you..I am!

Let’s take a peak at some of our fine New Hampshire Ski areas…but be sure to check out for SkiNH for complete listings and maps of all ski areas in New Hampshire.

Attitash in Bartlet NH states “We are making loads of snow!” check out the website for pricing and trail information.

Black Mountain in Jackson NH has a long ski history extending all the way back to 1935 when NH first began to make people sit up and take notice of it’s beautiful ski areas.

Bretton Woods Mount Washington Ski Resort…This is where my kids learned to Ski and I spent many weekends on the trails.

Cannon Mountain Franconia Notch State Park…the views here are phenomenal!!!

Cranmore Mountain in North Conway, When you tire of skiing this is the home of New Hampshire premiere shopping outlets…bling-bling-bling!

Crotched Mountain located in Bennington NH, they claim that snow making is currently active on about 90% of the mountain and they’re not kidding around.

Gunstock Located in Gilford NH, will be open for skiing and riding on December 19th.

Loon Mountain in Lincoln NH, has had a Santa spotting-Santa is a skier and he likes to relax before the holiday by skiing at Loon Mountain. So you better be good and look for Santa on the slopes!!!

Mount Sunapee in Newbury NH, is open with terrain for all abilities including top-to-bottom skiing and riding from the Summit and South Peak.

Pats Peak in Henniker NH, claim they’ve fired up the snow guns and plan on keeping them going to bring you even more open terrain as soon as possible!

Waterville Valley in Waterville Valley NH…This place is a legend in my household as my boys ski raced here most winters.

Wildcat Mountain in Pinkham Notch NH, ride NH’s highest 4 passenger Gondola for awesome scenery.

Looking for some wonderful places to rest while skiing check out the offerings at Ski NH’s Lodging Guide

For your learning pleasure…Some Snow Surface Terminology

I’m sure there are more but these are the most common;

Packed Powder – very dry natural or man-made compacted snow…fun to ski on.

Packed Snow – packed surface of natural or man-made snow…nice-nice stuff.

Groomed Snow – machine groomed…not bad at all

Groomed Granular - old snow base that has been machine-groomed to provide loose granular surface…nice.

Loose Granular - old base that is loose…not bad at all.

Frozen Granular - hard-surfaced granular base that has been frozen after thaw…”Opps” type of skiing for me.

Wet Granular – loose or frozen granular snow that has been subjected to warm temperatures…mushy stuff.

Spring Skiing – my favorite…old base that has been thawed and re-frozen by cold nights and warm days so that the surface becomes heavy…I like this stuff because it keeps me slow. I’m not a speed freak!

If you want more inside information about New Hampshire real estate visit our website here or if you’d like to search NH homes for sale on or near ski areas of your choice or anywhere at all in the state of New Hampshire.

Remember even if you don’t have snow…New Hampshire’s ski areas have the finest snow making equipment available and that means you can enjoy skiing even if you see green out your window!

Need more info e-mail me at monika@monikamcgillicuddy.com

We know that you don’t care what we know ….until you know that we care!

Jay and Monika McGillicuddy

Prudential Verani Realty

Hampstead NH

603-548-7728

New Hampshire’s White Powder

The weather outside is delightful…winter’s coming…just in time for the Holidays and New Hampshire’s Ski season.

New Hampshire  offers a wide variety of outdoor activities and pursuits..from coastal beaches to the White Mountains…there is a little bit of everything and something for everyone!

Traveling to New England don’t forget to pack your skis…don’t have any skis? not to worry there are plenty of rental shops and ski shops that will gladly fit you with the perfect pair. Explore Ski NH… it is a jam packed website full of ski and snow boarding information.

While my children were growing we spent many weekends skiing in New Hampshire and Maine.  Ski clubs, ski lessons, ski meets and races…It was a great family activity, one that involved the whole family and our extended group of friends. Nothing better than being on white powder on top of a mountain on a bright sunny day…ahhh perfection!  So whether your an expert skier or just beginning you’ll be delighted by our ski areas.
Personally I can tell you..I am!

Let’s take a peak at some of our fine New Hampshire Ski areas…but be sure to check out for SkiNH for complete listings and maps of all ski areas in New Hampshire.

Attitash in Bartlet NH states “We are making loads of snow!” check out the website for pricing and trail information.

Black Mountain  in Jackson NH has a long ski history extending all the way back to 1935 when NH first began to make people sit up and take notice of it’s beautiful ski areas.

Bretton Woods Mount Washington  Ski Resort…This is where my kids learned to Ski and I spent many weekends on the trails.

Cannon Mountain  Franconia Notch State Park…the views here are phenomenal!!!

Cranmore Mountain in North Conway, When you tire of skiing this is the home of New Hampshire premiere shopping outlets…bling-bling-bling!

Crotched Mountain located in Bennington NH, they claim that snow making is currently active on about 90% of the mountain and they’re not kidding around.

Gunstock Located in Gilford NH, will  be open for skiing and riding on December 19th.

Loon Mountain in Lincoln NH, has had a Santa spotting-Santa is a skier and he likes to relax before the holiday by skiing at Loon Mountain. So you better be good and look for Santa on the slopes!!!

Mount Sunapee  in Newbury NH, is open with terrain for all abilities including top-to-bottom skiing and riding from the Summit and South Peak.

Pats Peak in Henniker NH, claim they’ve fired up the snow guns and plan on keeping them going to bring you even more open terrain as soon as possible!

Waterville Valley in Waterville Valley NH…This place is a legend in my household as my boys ski raced here most winters.

Wildcat Mountain in  Pinkham Notch NH, ride NH’s highest 4 passenger Gondola for awesome scenery.

Looking for some wonderful places to rest while skiing check out the offerings at Ski NH’s Lodging Guide

For your learning pleasure…Some Snow Surface Terminology

I’m sure there are more but these are the most common;

Packed Powder – very dry natural or man-made compacted snow…fun to ski on.

Packed Snow – packed surface of natural or man-made snow…nice-nice stuff.

Groomed Snow – machine groomed…not bad at all

Groomed Granular - old snow base that has been machine-groomed to provide loose granular surface…nice.

Loose Granular - old base that is loose…not bad at all.

Frozen Granular - hard-surfaced granular base that has been frozen after thaw…”Opps” type of skiing for me.

Wet Granular – loose or frozen granular snow that has been subjected to warm temperatures…mushy stuff.

Spring Skiing – my favorite…old base that has been thawed and re-frozen by cold nights and warm days so that the surface becomes heavy…I like this stuff because it keeps me slow. I’m not a speed freak!

If you want more inside information about New Hampshire real estate visit our website here  or if you’d like to search NH homes for sale on or near ski areas of your choice or anywhere at all in the state of New Hampshire.

Remember even if you don’t have snow…New Hampshire’s ski areas have the finest snow making equipment available and that means you can enjoy skiing even if you see green out your window!

Need more info e-mail me at monika@monikamcgillicuddy.com

 We know that you don’t care what we know ….until you know that we care!

Jay and Monika McGillicuddy

Prudential Verani Realty

Hampstead NH

603-548-7728

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