How do I hang my skateboard deck?

That was the question that launched Modock Millworks of Madison, NH into the skateboard world just a few months ago.

For those of you who don’t even understand the question (like this real estate blogger who hasn’t been on a skateboard for over 30 years…), skateboarders who have collector skateboards (“decks”) or just have a deck that means something to them, like to display them. Okay, that makes sense…we display lots of stuff we are into, why not a skateboard? This task isn’t as simple as it sounds though-the boards are large and curved and you don’t want to damage the board (or the wall!) so using a picture frame holder or a big nail just isn’t going to cut it. So what CAN you use? It turns out the options were pretty limited.

Enter Modock Millworks and the craftsmanship of woodworker extraordinaire Lincoln Graves and…the “Skate Puck” was born.

The beauty is in it’s simplicity. It is small with a low profile (thus the reference to a “hockey puck”) but designed to mount the skateboard at a variety of angles–all without being shown. The skate puck is also eco-friendly and made from sustainably harvested wood in earth friendly packaging and the company is dedicated to recycling in all aspects of the process-from manufacturing to shipping.

The price is very reasonable, less than a movie on iTunes-starting at just $10.99. Wholesale orders are also available. Check out the Skate Puck Store or visit their blog.

For more Skate Puck information check out the video below:

Entrepreneurship is alive and well in the North Conway NH area! Start your own small business in the Mt. Washington Valley or just move here and enjoy all the White Mountains of New Hampshire have to offer!

The staff at Coldwell Banker Wright Realty writes select articles about important topics related to real estate, local events and area news. For more information about buying a home or selling your current property, visit WrightRealty.com today!

The Official North Conway NH Real Estate Website!

For more than 30 years we have served the real estate needs
of our neighbors and customers in:

Albany NH | Bartlett, NH | Brownfield Maine | Conway NH | Denmark Maine
Eaton NH | Effingham NH | Freedom NH | Fryeburg Maine | Gorham NH
Hales Location NH | Harts Location NH | Jackson NH | Madison NH
Ossipee NH | Conway NH | North Conway NH

Today May 4th, Coldwell Banker^® will again change the face of the real estate home buying/selling experience with the launch of Coldwell Banker On Location.  By partnering with YouTube, Coldwell Banker will ultimately allow consumers to access 1000′s of videos covering a wide range of topics including home listings, neighborhood features, local market conditions and trends, tips for homebuyers and sellers and much, much more.

Consumers are looking for more in their real estate search:

Coldwell Banker has been ahead of the video curve in real estate for years.  The brand was the first to feature streaming video on www.coldwellbanker.com and is still the leader today.  Since 2005 when the Coldwell Banker video engine was launched, consumers have become more and more accepting of video.  In fact, today, video is a staple on the Web.  YouTube is now the second largest search engine in the world behind its parent Google.  Yahoo is third.  Consumers are using YouTube for much more than entertainment.  They are looking for content to assist with their home buying/selling needs and we have the expertise to assist them.

Go to www.youtube.com/coldwellbanker to visit our NEW channel!

Protecting Your Privacy While Your Home is on The Market

If your home is on the market, you have probably already taken great care in cleaning the interior and making necessary renovations that could help attract prospective buyers. However, before your home is shown to any buyers or agents, you should consider performing a few tasks to help protect your privacy. Not only should you try to remove personal items from tabletops or counters, but it is also wise to remember that potential buyers will open closets, cabinets and built-in drawers as they assess the property. To protect your privacy and prevent prospective buyers from forming any biases against you, you may want to follow these four simple steps before showing your home.

1. Hide your mail

When dealing with your mail, you should either remove it from your home or place it where it cannot be found. If prospective homebuyers spot collection notices or excessive credit card bills in plain sight, they might immediately assume that you are in debt and need to sell your home quickly. Furthermore, as no one wants strangers to read any of their personal materials, you should try to conceal all of your mail – down to the last furniture catalog.

2. Take down photos and diplomas

While some home sellers feel that such personal documents could add an atmosphere of coziness to their property, you may want to consider clearing the walls. Following this simple step could help prevent any type of bias from prospective homebuyers. For instance, home sellers with recent diplomas might be perceived as deep in debt and willing to sell at any price. Likewise, wedding photos can reveal the homeowner’s religion, which could influence certain buyers.

3. Clean the closets and drawers

If you have ever been to an open house or toured a home for sale, you can probably understand the desire to dig around. In most cases, prospective homebuyers simply open closets and cabinets to inspect the space or make judgments about the construction of the home. While most people who view your home will not try to snoop in your personal belongings, try to pack away anything that could tell an unwanted story about your life.

You may want to clear out all drawers and closets entirely before the home is shown to buyers. After your personal belongings have been removed from the home or carefully packed away, work with your agent to stage closets and large cabinets. By replacing your own belongings with examples of how the home can be utilized, you will take the focus off yourself and help prospective buyers visualize themselves in your home.

4. Turn down the answering machine

This final step is probably the most overlooked by home sellers. Just as you can not anticipate what arrives in the mail each day, you cannot predict when you might receive an unwanted phone call. If you are engaged in an open house or private viewing, you certainly don’t want a prospective buyer to overhear a message from a collection agency or credit card company. Furthermore, as you are in the process of selling a home (and possibly buying another), you don’t want buyers to know anything about your personal business. Hence, before any prospective buyers enter your home, you may want to mute your answering machine to prevent any uncomfortable exchanges.

In conclusion, when you are ready to show your home to prospective buyers, try to remove anything that might drive a buyer away or create an unwanted bias. Whether it’s as simple as removing your personal mail or staging the closets of your home’s bedrooms, a bit of work can not only protect your privacy but can potentially help sell your home.

The staff at Coldwell Banker Wright Realty writes select articles about important topics related to real estate. For more information about buying a home or selling your current property, visit WrightRealty.com today!

The Official North Conway NH Real Estate Website!

For more than 30 years we have served the real estate needs
of our neighbors and customers in:

Albany NH | Bartlett, NH | Brownfield Maine | Conway NH | Denmark Maine
Eaton NH | Effingham NH | Freedom NH | Fryeburg Maine | Gorham NH
Hales Location NH | Harts Location NH | Jackson NH | Madison NH
Ossipee NH | Conway NH | North Conway NH

We were somewhat surprised that sales of existing homes fell 5.3% to an annual rate of 4.49 million in January, from 4.74 million in December. Much media lamenting was made of the fact that 45% of homes resold in January were short sales or foreclosures. But real estate is local. According to the NAR, these distressed sales accounted for four in five transactions in Santa Ana, Calif., but only one in five in Chicago. Short shrift was also given to the fact that the number of unsold homes on the market fell almost 3% last month to 3.6 million, the lowest inventory level in two years. A reduction in inventory of homes for sale will eventually result in rising property values – a very good thing.

As for new home sales, we weren’t the least bit surprised. We knew sales would post lower, and they did, falling 10% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000 in January from a revised 344,000 in December. It was the lowest level since the Census Bureau began keeping records in 1963. The decline in new home sales comes as builders continue to scale back construction and work off inventory. They appear to be making headway on the inventory front, given that inventory levels have fallen to 340,000 units, down from 357,000 at the end of December. And, as stated above, a reduction in inventory of homes for sale (whether new or resale) will eventually result in rising property values – and that’s something we all want.

Looking ahead, economists predict that consumers and businesses may continue cutting back on purchases, which could make the first six months of this year rocky. How do they know that? Many are basing their prognostications on fourth-quarter gross domestic product numbers, which one media outlet noted “contracted at a staggering 6.2% pace at the end of 2008.” We don’t know if the contraction in GDP was “staggering,” but it’s worth remembering that last quarter’s numbers have no predictive power for this quarter, much less this year.

We’re all familiar with the bromide “talk is cheap.” Maybe it’s not so cheap, if we are talking ourselves into a state of despair. People everywhere are likening the current economic environment to the Great Depression, which followed the October 1929 stock market crash and lasted until the United States entered World War II.

Revisiting the Great Depression might seem a logical consequence of our economic situation, but the constant comparison is contributing to current pessimism because too many of us are latching onto the Great Depression as a model of expectations. This latching on, in turn, is reducing consumers’ willingness to spend and businesses’ willingness to expand.

There’s no reason to go down that road. Yes, unemployment is approaching 8%. Yes, housing prices have fallen off a cliff in some parts of the country (but in fewer parts then most would expect). Yes, the economy has contracted (operative term being “has contracted”). But there are many bright spots as well: We have little inflation, a very resilient economy, rising wage rates (it’s true), 30-year fixed-rate mortgages at 5%, and unbelievable values in the housing market.

Yes, we can talk ourselves miserable, but why should we do that? This country offers too many positives and too much potential. Besides, isn’t life just a little too short to be unnecessarily miserable?

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation announced that bridge repairs are scheduled to begin Wednesday. March 11th in Conway on the River Road Bridge that runs over the Saco River.

The bridge and the rail work is expected to take four months to complete and will require single lane traffic controlled by a temporary signal.Motorists are urged to use caution when driving through the work zone and to use alternate routes if possible.

Low rates are not always what they seem to be

If you are rate-shopping, you’ll find that many mortgage lenders are quoting low rates to get your attention, and your business. But the initial rate you are quoted one day may not turn out to be the rate you end up with.  An advertised rate or a telephone quote is often the lowest possible rate available, assuming the client will pay upfront fees or “points” to acquire that low rate. If you are comparing rates, you should also compare total finance charges that accompany rates.

Understanding Points

A “point” is considered pre-paid interest; a fee equal to 1% of the loan amount. For example, if you pay one point for a $150,000 loan, the cost will be $1,500. If you pay two points, your upfront cost will be $3,000. The more points you pay, the lower your rate will be. So you can buy down a mortgage rate if you have some cash to pay at closing time.  With this in mind, you need to consider points when comparing interest rates.

Other Fees

You also should investigate other fees that may be involved, such as origination fees, application fees, closing costs, and any other fees associated with the loan. Also, find out what the APR is. The Annual Percentage Rate is higher than the interest rate because it is the total finance charge on the loan amount, spread out over the length of the loan.

Rate Shopping

If you are shopping around for rates, be sure to call all the lenders on the same day, because rates usually change daily. Ask the rate for the same type of loan, the same term, the same amount of points to be paid, and the same lock-in period. And remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Good Faith Estimate

A Good Faith Estimate is a written commitment by the lender to provide a break-down of the rates and fees associated with the loan rate you have been quoted.  Be sure the lender is willing to provide you with this, and review it carefully.

Questions to Ask

How long is the quoted rate good for?
When can you lock in, upon application or approval?
After the rate is locked-in, how long is it effective?
How many points are involved?
Is there an origination fee?
What are the closing costs?
Are there any other fees or charges involved in this loan?
What is the APR (Annual Percentage Rate) on this loan?
Could I please have a Good Faith Estimate?

Other Factors Involved

When you have a discussion with a loan officer or mortgage banker, there are other things he or she should talk with you about before a loan program and rate is determined. Here are a few of the factors that should be discussed:

• Your current financial situation
• Your credit history
• Down payment amount
• Term/ length of loan (10, 15, 30 year)
• Number of points to be paid
• Possibility of improving finances
• Type of home you desire
• Mortgage insurance
• Your personal goals, preferences. plans, and concerns.

There’s more to consider than rate alone. The programs & possibilities offered by a lender are important. And many consumers feel the most important factor is finding a loan officer they trust and believe in.

Thanks to Randy Guida of Residential Mortgage Services for providing this information to share with our visitors. Randt can be reached at 603.356.3496 ext 401 or by cell phone at 603.662.6702

If you are considering buying a home in New Hampshire, you are making the right move according to NH Business Magazine…well, and according to us too! We love the area and are proud to see the rankings simply confirm what we already knew.

Favorable Tax Climate: National Rank: #1 New England Rank: #1

Standard of Living: National Rank: #1        New England Rank: #1

Most Livable State: National Rank: #1        New England Rank: #1

Healthiest State: National Rank: #1            New England Rank: #1

Safest State: National Rank: #2                  New England Rank: #1

Visit our local North Conway NH Chamber of Commerce to learn more about all the events and activities of the area and when you are ready to start your search for real estate in the white mountains use our easy to navigate website.

Culture, Music and Community in the foothills

of North Conway NH

Stone Mountain Arts Center has done more than survive in the greater North Conway area–it has THRIVED. The founder and visionary of the local musical arts center is Carol Noonen who is also a musician having first earned acclaim as the lead singer and songwriter for the folk rock band “Knots and Crosses” and then later as the solo singer-songwriter for Rounder Records. Carol became inspired during a gig that took her six hours north to Dexter, Maine. The venue was a simple grange hall but like the movie, “Field of Dreams”, people started coming out of nowhere to fill the hall up in less than five minutes. It was at that moment that she realized her long held belief that rural people create their own worlds around them.Soon she began planning to create her own music center in Brownfield Maine.

Carol’s husband Jeff was responsible for transforming their barn into a music hall but first he had to move it. Move it? Yeah…it was too close to the road so with classic New England ingenuity and determination they built knee walls, inserted I-beams, hired a crane and moved the barn with the help of most of the residents in the sleepy town of Brownfield. By August, 2005 they had their Arts Center and the stars began lining up….Mary Chapin-Carpenter, The Indigo Girls, Jay Unger, Roy Clark, Bela Fleck and more….Music of all types were represented- folk, blues, celtic, cajun, bluegrass, country and classical. In addition to the music, Stone Mountain also offers delicious food with artisan pizza, huge salads and specialty wines.

The Arts Center is busy and filled to capacity for nearly every show and has quickly become THE place to enjoy music, community, arts and culture in the North Conway area. See the 2009 full schedule of events and plan your trip to Stone Mountain!

Live where you Play and contact us for FULL SERVICE without hassle or pressure.

The Official North Conway NH Real Estate Website!

For more than 30 years we have served the real estate needs
of our neighbors and customers in:

Albany NH | Bartlett, NH | Brownfield Maine | Conway NH | Denmark Maine
Eaton NH | Effingham NH | Freedom NH | Fryeburg Maine | Gorham NH
Hales Location NH | Harts Location NH | Jackson NH | Madison NH
Ossipee NH | Conway NH | North Conway NH

It’s Official! Black Friday in North Conway, NH has begun…

I thought I would strike out and take advantage of all the great North Conway outlet shop “early bird sales” but apparently 6:00 AM was not early enough! The stores were packed and traffic was as heavy as any mid-day weekend traffic. Some people arrived as early as 4:30 to “camp out” in front of the store before the opened!

I know the media keeps telling us that retail shopping is expected to be down this year but it sure has not seemed like that in our area. Perhaps it is is the tax free shopping or the quintessential New England experience of North Conway Village but shoppers continue to flock to the area.

If you are planning to visit the North Conway area this weekend you will find plenty of activities and shopping discounts to enjoy!

Below is the calendar of events for this weekend-Nov 28th thru the 30th.

Friday, November 28
Holiday Express. Santa’s Holiday Express trains department from Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway depart beginning at 11:30 a.m. (one hour and 45 minutes roundtrip to Bartlett). There also will be departures at 1:30 p.m. to Conway (one hour roundtrip). For more information on Santa’s Holiday Express call the Conway Scenic Railroad at 356-5251 or visit www.conwayscenic.com.
Christmas Spirit Open House. The annual Christmas spirit open house takes place from 4 to 7 p.m. in Wolfeboro. The event is hosted by numerous Wolfeboro businesses and shops to benefit L.I.F.E. Ministries Food Pantry. Many of the participating shops and businesses will have special offers or discounts when you donate food items or make a monetary contribution to the food pantry during the open house. Performing throughout the downtown will be The Dickens Singers of the Lakes Region Opera Company. For more information visit www.wolfeborochamber.com or call 569-2200.
Alumni Hockey Game. Kingswood Regional High School is presenting the second annual alumni hockey game at 7 p.m. at the Pop Whalen Arena in Wolfeboro. There will be a 50/50 raffle.
Art Exhibition. Artists Peter and Joyce Blue are opening The BluezArtz Studio at 187 Brownfield Road in Snowville (Eaton) to the public for an exhibition Thanksgiving weekend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The Blues present an eclectic and entertaining show of painting, sculpture, miniatures and restored dollhouses. This year will also include Joyce Blue’s new book “Summers on Foss: Journals of Nella Braddy Henney.” For more information call 447-8472.

Saturday, November 29
Holiday Craft Fair. The Josiah Bartlett Elementary School gym is hosting a holiday craft fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be crafters, a children’s shopping area and a luncheon. For more information call the Bartlett Recreation Department at 374-1952.
‘Children of Winter’ Film Screening. Mount Washington Resort is presenting “Jeep Presents Warren Miller’s Children of Winter” from 7 to 9 p.m. at Slopeside Pub in Bretton Woods. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 4 to 12. For each ticket purchased, you receive five raffle tickets for prizes to be awarded during the screening. Ten additional raffle tickets can be purchased for $5. Purchase tickets at the door or online at www.mountwashingtonresort.com.
Holiday Music Concert. The talented Olzerowicz family and the First Christian Church of Freedom choir will entertain with music and songs of the holiday season at 7 p.m. at the Freedom Town Hall. Carolyn Olzerowicz (musical director and producer) with her husband Paul, two daughters, Laura and Sarah, and two sons, Greg and Stephen, have considerable musical experience and talent. Coffee, homemade apple pie and ice cream will follow the concert. Free will donation to benefit the First Christian Church of Freedom.
Holiday Craft Fair. Kingswood Regional High School in Wolfeboro is presenting a holiday craft fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kingswood will open its doors to the public with over 150 crafters from New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont. There will also be a cookie walk, chili and cream of broccoli soup, day-care service along with face painting and Santa. All proceeds will benefit the Career and Technical Association and the National Honor Society.
Contra Dance. Thanksgiving weekend contra dance is at the Tamworth Town House on Main Street in Tamworth Village next to the Tamworth Inn from 8 to 11 p.m. The caller is Eric Rollnick The sponsor is Tamworth Outing Club. Beginners and families welcome. Wear non-marking shoes. The event benefits ski and baseball programs for Tamworth children. For more information call 323-8023.

Holiday Express. Santa Claus is giving the all aboard for Holiday Express trains at Conway Scenic Railroad. Trains depart from the North Conway station beginning at 11:30 a.m. (one hour and 45 minutes roundtrip to Bartlett). There also will be departures at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to Conway (one hour roundtrip). For more information, call 356-5251 or visit www.conwayscenic.com for schedules, fares, and online reservations
Great Glen Craft Fair. Great Glen Trails in Pinkham Notch is hosting the seventh annual Great Glen Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Space is still available for local artisans to displays their wares. Last year’s event sold out, so vendors should reserve space now. There will be a raffle to benefit the Androscoggin Valley Bill Koch Youth Ski League. Raffle tickets will be available for $1 each. Admission to the craft fair is free. The Glen View Café at the Great Glen Trails will be open for lunch. For more information about the Great Glen Craft Fair contact Mary Power at mary@greatglentrails.com or (603) 466-2333.

Art Exhibition. Artists Peter and Joyce Blue are opening The BluezArtz Studio at 187 Brownfield Road in Snowville (Eaton) to the public for an exhibition from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Blues present an eclectic and entertaining show of painting, sculpture, miniatures and restored dollhouses. This year will also include Joyce Blue’s new book “Summers on Foss: Journals of Nella Braddy Henney.” For more information call 447-8472.

Sunday, November 30
Holiday Express. Santa Claus is giving the all aboard for Holiday Express trains at Conway Scenic Railroad. Trains depart from the North Conway station beginning at 11:30 a.m. (one hour and 45 minutes roundtrip to Bartlett). There also will be departures at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to Conway (one hour roundtrip). For more information, call 356-5251 or visit www.conwayscenic.com for schedules, fares, and online reservations.
Benefit Concert. The Bridgton Community Center at 15 Depot Street in Bridgton, Maine is holding Jazz You Love, a benefit concert for the Terry Projects Fund at 3 p.m. Favorite standards will be performed by an uncommon group of musicians: Brad Terry, clarinet and whistler; Dan Moore, piano; William Galison, guitar and harmonica; Linda Cooper, vocals. Space is limited, tickets on sale at the Bridgton Community Center. Cost is $25 per person, which includes refreshments. For more information call 647-3116.
Christmas Fair. The Tamworth Town House in Tamworth is having a Christmas fair to benefit Bearcamp Valley School and Children’s Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be wreaths, a penny auction, chowder lunch, silver tea and kids’ crafts fair. Santa will visit at 1 p.m.