Maine to NC, to NH? (Greenville: fit in, homes, neighborhood)

[notdancingqueen]

Source? Many.

The NH papers. I also talk to NH friends and neighbors who are selling their homes (at *reasonable* asking prices) and to those who were in the market trying to do so a few years ago and are back in there now -- it is a world of difference. I talk to my NH realtor friends about how business is now for them vs 2 years ago. I look at how fast houses are selling in the areas through which I travel as compared to how long they sat 2 years ago.

You can't take national real estate trends and draw conclusions about NH. NH was very insulated from the crash **relatively speaking** -- much of the doom and gloom you read doesn't translate as much here.

[dictum9]

Originally Posted by gaduchman

Let me tell you something - the owners of that publication - "Where to Retire" are from the Asheville, NC area. They spent two years travelling all over the USofA and writing about all those great little towns. But, when it came time to hang it up - where did they go? Not to Kali or Fla or Tex or Colo which they gave a lot of printed space to. None of those - they decided to stay home! Do you know how aggravating that is? The "experts" stayed home.

I think personal circumstances play a huge role. Do you you already have a place, or trying to move somewhere and buy? Do you have relatives? Can you deal with the climate? Do you work or not? Do you like city activities or want solitude of the country life?

I cannot deal with the heat of the South... Lived in VA for a long time, *never* got used to the summers that require AC and days feel like you are stepping into a sauna.

[dictum9]

Originally Posted by notdancingqueen

Source? Many.


You can't take national real estate trends and draw conclusions about NH. NH was very insulated from the crash **relatively speaking** -- much of the doom and gloom you read doesn't translate as much here.

I suspect RE will drastically go down in 2011 and 2012, much deeper than the last 2 years. Lots of economic reasons why that is so. I plan to keep renting for a few years to see where things go.
Another reason to rent is to get a good feel for the area before actually buying. YMMV.

[notdancingqueen]

Originally Posted by dictum9

Another reason to rent is to get a good feel for the area before actually buying. YMMV.

On that, we agree 100%

[gaduchman]

Originally Posted by dictum9

I think personal circumstances play a huge role. Do you you already have a place, or trying to move somewhere and buy? Do you have relatives? Can you deal with the climate? Do you work or not? Do you like city activities or want solitude of the country life?

I cannot deal with the heat of the South... Lived in VA for a long time, *never* got used to the summers that require AC and days feel like you are stepping into a sauna.

Funny - I was born and grew up in North Central Wyoming (elev 9,200ft). Got my degrees in Colorado, moved to Atlanta area where I flew cargo jets for more than 28 years, before losing my job in Delta-NW merger. Lost damn near everything - was finally able to salvage a few things and sold my home which was nearly paid off (2 years left) for a pittance and moved home only to have my Dad die and leave me a coffee plantation in Guatemala. Thankfully the school system down here accepts English speaking students, which is where my three grandsons are now enrolled. They are learning Spanish, and teaching other students French and German. Guatemala - I wouldn't recommend it for everyone - just look at what we are surrounded by - three strato volcanoes (11-12,000ft). Fuego erupted in June which closed the international airport for ten days and created the giant sinkhole that swallowed an entire apartment building.

Then there's the rains and flooding this summer that put five meters of mud washing out roads completely.

[gaduchman]

photos from recent flooding last month

[madman29]

Put another one on the list!

You think its hot in NC, We moved down to Charleston a year and half ago from NY.. the heat and humidity for 6 months is like living on the surface of the sun! People come to visit and can't believe how hot it is in May!
I want to go back up to the Northeast coast so bad but the wife doesnt really want to. We also have the two kids issue with moving again.

[goat1of2]

Geez guys! And I'm another one, treading water here in NC, pining and pining to go home. But I've got you all beat: I've been here TWENTY-FOUR years! The summers have gotten much worse during that time. Used to be June/July/August was bad. Now it gets bad in May and goes straight through most of October.

But, do you remember the frustration of waiting for spring in NH? This last NH summer may have been an aberration. Sure, we may be globally warming, but don't expect Maryland-like summers up in NH just yet. (A map up at the Zealand AMC hut shows the projected northward trek of hotter summers and when they'll arrive. I bet the same map is online somewhere. Take a look sometime. God knows how accurate any projection is, but it is interesting)

As for real estate, I have watched the prices closely for almost 10 years now. House prices tripled in the north of the state during the bubble. Yet, except for some very very short sales, they seem to have only descended to about twice of what they were in 2000. Inflation will account for some of that price support. I doubt that they will descend much more simply because it costs so much to build a house from scratch now.

Even doublewides and singlewides are getting pricey because of the spiralling cost of building materials. It is still very disconcerting to see a 30 year old MH on 1 acre in Thornton going for 95K, but there you have it. Wealthy vacationers are still buying these homes and keeping the prices up. Not everyone is fiscally devastated in this depression/recession/whatever.

[3DogNight]

Originally Posted by goat1of2

Even doublewides and singlewides are getting pricey because of the spiralling cost of building materials. It is still very disconcerting to see a 30 year old MH on 1 acre in Thornton going for 95K, but there you have it. Wealthy vacationers are still buying these homes and keeping the prices up. Not everyone is fiscally devastated in this depression/recession/whatever.

I've seen this myself; and in the area I'm looking, there was actually a MH (I forget the cutesy name..."manufactured" vs. mobile? that's like saying hamburger and pot roast aren't both beef?!) for....$175K!!!! I nearly fell off my chair. And all the homes I look at on realtor.com that would even remotely interest me which are still in need of a fair amount of updating are in contingent status. That means you're absolutely right....someone is shopping for homes. It just isn't me [yet].

[madman29]

I've had a couple cold (35 degree) LOL! nights here in SC and it makes me wonder, "Do I really want to go back up north?" Sometimes we romanticise our memory's and it takes a reminder to trigger the negatives in our brain.