Are the Stratham/Exeter areas trending up or down from a real-estate perspective? (real estate)

[movingover]

Curious to know if it's an up or down market there. Does anyone have a feel for this, compared to the rest of the country?

[dognh]

Like anywhere, the market is soft, but this are took nowhere the hit as other parts of the country. Prices have dropped, but I would say to more reasonable levels rather than below market. This is still the most expensive area of NH and if you look at listings across S. NH you'll still find more for your money elsewhere.

However, there are plenty of listings in Exeter/Stratham, it is a desirable place to live, good schools, good communities and if you compare prices from 2005-2007, you'll find some decent deals.

[Valerie C]

DogNH is correct--the market is soft and prices have dropped to more reasonable levels than we saw in 2004 through 2007, but remember that real estate is as local as the weather forecast, and while some towns had very little activity in over a year (finding comps was a nightmare!) the most desirable communities saw the market slow but not completely fall apart.

We are seeing quite a bit of pent-up demand for reasonably priced homes, and between the $8,000 tax credit, the extremely low interest rates available (especially for those with good credit!) and the higher-than-usual number of homes available, many are deciding not to wait for "rock bottom prices" that may or may not materialize. Especially in a highly desirable area such as Exeter/Stratham & coastal areas, this is the opportunity to buy into an area that might have been beyond reach just a few years ago.

[movingover]

Is one of these two towns considered more "desirable" than the other? Or does it really depend on which part of each town you buy in?

[dognh]

I'd say it's more personal preference. Exeter has a quaint and walkable downtown, Stratham does not. Stratham borders slightly Great Bay. Exeter has the river running through the center of town. Taxes are high in both. Both towns share the same school district. Both have easy access to 101 & 95. Both towns have nice neighborhoods

[Valerie C]

Yeah... what dog said

Originally Posted by dognh

I'd say it's more personal preference. Exeter has a quaint and walkable downtown, Stratham does not. Stratham borders slightly Great Bay. Exeter has the river running through the center of town. Taxes are high in both. Both towns share the same school district. Both have easy access to 101 & 95. Both towns have nice neighborhoods

[buck naked]

neither town has a shopping district, does it? I haven't been out that way in a long while. Are there grocery stores and chain stores in either place?

[movingover]

There is a small strip of shopping in Stratham, very close to Exeter.

[dognh]

Outside of downtown Exeter, Route 108 which runs through both towns and crosses 101 is the shopping district.

There are three grocery stores there - a new Stop & Shop, a new Shaw's and a Market Basket, plus an On the Vine which is a upscale butcher organic food type shop.

Beyond groceries, there are multiple car dealerships, pharmacies, a few restaurants, etc. No larger retailers though

[nycu1979]

I personally prefer Exeter because it has a walkable downtown area with great historic architecture. It's relatively diverse (compared to Stratham and other small NH towns) with public and private schools, both large and small single family homes, senior and multifamily housing, and trailer parks. There are quite a few public parks, a lot of churches, and cute shops downtown. Stratham is also nice--pretty quiet and peaceful--but more spread out into communities of subdivisions. The stretch of 108 that runs through the core of town does offer a lot of essential business services but it's a very stripmall-type area.