Archive for the 'Agents' Category

Leave the city behind, get to the mountains and get healthy. Click here for full story of how five agents lost a total of 65 lbs (of the stuff below) from their waist lines. Get outside and be vital today!

  Contributing author — Ryan the Realtor: svelte, lean and mean, all around good guy.
   Ryan@JtRealty.com

Personal Questions and Answers from Ryan the Realtor

 I am not talking about your bootie, but rather examining the quality of one’s life by the junk in the back of your vehicle that allows you to get outside and do your groove thing. While Ryan the Realtor at 35 years of age still asks big questions of himself, “What is the meaning of life grasshopper? Am I living to my full potential? Am I the type of man my children can admire?”

When dark days of contemplation fall I am reminded of the junk in my trunk, literally. Let me paint a scenario from Thursday of this week about the Man-Van and amazing life in Mt. Washington Valley:

The dog and I stretched our legs at early sun-up, my wife and beautiful babes slumber in the midst of morning dreams. I survey the skies of questionable weather after rain drummed the tin roof all night and filled the rusty wheelbarrow in the yard. My animal responses awake.

“If the rain cometh in dark skies after my day in the office, and my son’s Little League game is postponed relieving me of coaching duties, I will have a window of time to dance upon the rising and angry waters in my kayak, king of the waves who will surf to freedom until the sun shall bow for the evening. I must act now, for he who hesitates is lost. To the Man-Van I say!”

(My Trunk: Maya’s kite, football aka pigskin, Eli’s baseball bat, bag of gloves and batting practice balls, paddling bag with cold water gear, helmet, PFD, bag of running gear to get in my Dean Karnazes two miles per day).

While the rain did not cancel my son’s baseball game, I was prepared and will remain forever vigilant to leap at waves, climb tall mountains, drop a line for the Lake Trout of the season — breathe deeply and selfishly at my treasured surroundings.  In Mt. Washington Valley adventure awaits and can provide the penitent with all the riches one can dream.

Call Ryan today for real estate or outdoor guidance (207) 462-3874.

Specializing in lakeside and mountainside homes for sale not only as a career but also a lifestyle. A former raft guide and mountain climber, Mt. Washington Valley has provided a brilliant setting to work, play, and raise a family since 2000. This New Hampshire land provides quiet pockets of wilderness while Conway, North Conway, Bartlett, and Jackson real estate provide comfort as well as convenience. Healthy retirement in New Hampshire is too important for casual approaches — contact  Ryan@JtRealty.com

Absolutely nothing except for devotion for their home turf.

If you haven’t seen this parody “Granite State of Mind,” the spoof is hysterical. This song only goes to show that sometimes, well, stereotypes can be stereotypes for a reason. For those Jay-Z officianados who might be upset by this joke, you can find “Empire State of Mind” the original, here.

Happy 2012 and let’s make it a fun one!

Quiet anonymity is a life path some choose and fully embrace. I suppose that suit has never fit me just right and is perhaps why real estate and teaching have been my first career instincts. You know, for brief moments in my work I have a captive audience. And it’s not feeding the ego but rather the interaction that is rewarding. Figuring out what motivates a student, a buyer, a seller is all very fascinating in a world of social animals and a  smile at the end of a day keeps me on the return when this market is full of lumps, bruises, and near misses.

Do I dare say this is my art? Do I dare suggest business can be something more than the passing of paper and documents? Ryan me dear fellow I think you’ve got something here!

Because this business is gently informing a Manahatten client we lost the purchase to someone with more cash — his retirment home would have to wait.  Or sharing deep emapthy with a client who lost his wife to cancer and never sat at the table when we closed. Or connecting a client with dependable contractors after a purchase meant necessary home improvements. This is all a part of what I do and service Ryan Mahan provides. I provide service; please do not confuse what I do with sales.

A house is a house is a house but the real match making is fitting personalities with a house. A house has no spirit without people, laughter, or the natural song and pace of a human day. Being able to see a family or a couple mesh with a house is important — no worries, I don’t practice tarot cards. I recently visited this house for a client (not my listing) and felt a cabin-like quality with the full space and comfort a modern house provides, a unique combination. The home is located between Attitash and Cranmore skiing. Email Ryan@JtRealty.com with any questions and remember, we are more than the motions we go through.

Cheers

Creating Transactions and Friendships that Stick

Duncan & Diane wanted a weekend home in Mt. Washington Valley badly — a situation real estate consultants live for.  And Diane was not short on stamina as we scoured the web, drove through neighborhoods, and viewed homes with potential.  Not only that, Diane was quick with a tape measure to make certain room dimensions would accommodate her furnishing tastes.

We were having fun but several items thwarted initial purchases: a soured inspection and a lakeside cottage that needed considerable monies to winterize. The emotional roller coaster was deflating for Duncan & Diane and I reminded even myself at times, “A home purchase is a process and our timing will meet opportunity soon enough.” However, the summer screamed ahead and the possibilities felt like they were shrinking.

Alas, we found a three bedroom cottage close to Conway Lake that is ultra efficient and extremely well cared for. Duncan and Diane moved forward but more tense moments played out as we found ourselves in a multiple offer situation. After successful negotiations and counter offers, Duncan & Diane purchased the home.

In the end everything felt right: a place Diane thoroughly enjoyed and a home that wouldn’t require Duncan’s tools.  My daughter Maya, who joined us for several showings, grew quite fond of Diane who had even given her a tape measure of her own, “A girl’s best friend when house hunting.” Photo of Maya and Diane during morning coffee — sweet.

Buddies: Diane & Maya End of the Fall Season

"Is the show going on?" End of the Fall Season

End of the Fall Season

 

 

 

 

 

Conway Cottages Under $175,000 Click Here:

Unsure of How to Start Your Home Search? Contact Ryan@JtRealty.com

October & November Sales Under $175,000 Click Here:

 

 

Pay Now for Good Food — Not Later for Bad Food  

Late nights at the office send me scurrying home with a sense of guilt, “Jeeze, haven’t seen my kids all day etc, etc” but after rationally and methodically hitting up McDonald’s as a means to “save time” and satisfy the gnawing hunger in the bottom of my stomach the guilt doesn’t stop.

“Ryan, McDonalds continues the operation and expansion of feed lots — an environmental and health disaster both.”

“Ryan, McDonalds adds ammonia based meat filler to their burgers to kill salmonilla.”

“Ryan, your waist line NEVER SHOULD INDUGLE IN MCDONALDS FOOD AND WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE A ROCK IS IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR STOMACH?”

So tonight I fought back and decided to leave the office for a dinner pick of Thai food and then return. My health would not suffer, my conscience can remain clear, and what’s further I would support a local restaurant in the slow season before the foliage peepers arrive. Doesn’t this meal below represent real food versus a double-quarter-pounder from McDanks?

Thai Nakonping Restaurant – Authentic Thai Cuisine – North Conway …

When the young lad exclaimed “Dad I think I’ve got the bottom,” a Bass Leviathan then launched from the depths like a missile into the air, dove, and then jumped to the moon again with even more fervor. Onlookers cheered as Liam skillfully landed the fish and the two had an understanding, one homonid and the other a vertebrate, “The only reason I’m throwing you back Leviathan is because my old-man is making me.”

Skillful as a shark, tough as a tiger, the Liam-lad is also benign. Click for full video below –

Not only does Ryan the Realtor know who to fish with and where to catch fish, he’s a good home hunter too. Call him direct today to discuss your home search in Mt. Washington Valley (207) 462-3874.

Ryan the Realtor is an Excitable Boy — Daniel Solin Book Calms Him Down

Late spring I read somewhere Dunkin’ Donuts may go public. My pulse sky-rocketed as I considered moving ALL of my mutual fund monies over to the little mustached-man who mutters “Time to make the donuts.”

Why not? In the microcosm of Mt. Washington Valley there are 5 Dunkin’ Donuts franchises each doing very well. Is there an airport in the U.S.A without a Dunkin’ Donuts? Why couldn’t my money grow on par with the manufactured, artificially flavored, ten-year-shelf-life-donuts that are trucked daily to empty calorie outposts we Americans keep funding? (I’ll avoid the social and U.S diet commentary at this time, this is about economics). This would have been a DUMB INVESTOR MOVE.

I read a book collecting dust on my bed stand that allowed me to decide against moving my mutual funds. In this book I learned that over the long haul, “hyperactive trading” will simply cost me more money in transaction fees, bad stock selection, and neither I nor anyone else will beat market returns of stock and bond investments centered around broad market index funds — sorry brokers, history is against you.

Daniel Solin provides compelling argument and data in his book The Smartest Investment Book You’ll Ever Read that just may allow you to extract yourself from your broker and invest your smart money intelligently and on your own. Solin encourages taking these simple steps below so when retirement approaches you’ll have security and the ability to purchase that retirement home you’ve dreamed of in Mt. Washington Valley:

Step 1: Determine Your Asset Allocation (Solin chapters 37, 38, 39)

Stocks historically yield the highest returns but the greatest risk

Bonds significantly lower returns but lower risk

Cash short term, highly liquid investments but essentially risk free

[Solin recommends a too simple but often useful formula is to subtract your age from 100. This       represents your allocation split for stocks and bonds, i.e my formula equals 100-35 years = 65% stocks / 35% bonds and cash for Ryan the Realtor]

Step 2: Open an Account with Fidelity or Vanguard Fund Families

Fidelity and Vanguard provide the lowest annual fees attached to index funds, i.e the
S&P 500. Each firm also has individual forms that allow you to roll over 401K, 403B, IRA’s, and Roth IRA’s.

Step 3: Select Your Investments

“All we know about the stock and bond markets is that over time both will go up in value…Therefore investors should own the entire market. By ‘the entire market,’ I mean a broadly diversified portfolio of investments in domestic and international markets” (Solin, 121 -122).

Example of Four Vanguard Model Portfolios below:

Step 4: Rebalance Your Portfolio

This should happen twice a year and take 45 minutes per session according to Solin. Reasons for rebalancing could be the result of life changing events, a need to become more conservative or aggressive, or a limit on monies contributed.

There are two ways to balance your portfolio: buy more of the assets needed to hit your percentage mark, or sell some of the assets that are over represented.

Wrapping Up: Ryan the Realtor is not an accountant or stock market adviser by any means, but rather an individual who works to become educated and self-reliant in financial matters, for his family and for his clients.

Ryan’s upcoming research — a comparison between stock market and real estate investment during one’s working life. Stay tuned and email Ryan@JtRealty.com if you would like to register for his bi-monthly newsletters.

Here’s to Father’s Day & Children:

When purchasing my first home at twenty four there were many details I ignored, however, I did not ignore the school system, child care, or the surrounding neighborhood (mostly trees in my case). Whether purchasing a primary or vacation home our children are a big part of the equation — I keep this in the forefront when working with clients. Unhappy kids make for unhappy parents.

Recently, I had the pleasure of looking at homes with parents and their young toddler. In short, this lad and I became famous because we had trees and trucks to talk about. We mostly pointed and grunted but we spoke the same language.

The Remains of the Perfect Father’s Day:

The lobsters put up a good battle, but in the end the Mahan’s held their own on this Father Day surprise dinner. Here’s to Dads (while at the same time never forgetting our wonderful wives).

I think the lobster’s showed a good fight.

For families considering relocation and joining a neighborhood in Mt. Washington Valley, call Ryan direct 207-462-3874 or by email Ryan@JtRealty.com

Those of you fortunate to know this beloved bed time story by Laura Joffe Numeroff will surely understand my real estate spin on this children’s book. This tale is told in defense of men everywhere who collect stuff. A man in the north-country needs stuff.

If you give a boy-man a house…
…then there will need to be trees.

If the tall, tall trees fall as they do…
…he will surely need a chainsaw.

And to run that chainsaw he will need a file…
…and one can mixed gas, some spark plugs, a helmet and for protection some chaps.

If when he’s finished the long sun makes him hot…
… he will need a canoe and a fishing pole for the fish to be caught.

If he fishes hard and that’s the only way to fish…
… he will need a cooler, some supper, and afterwards he’ll rest for a bit.

If he wakes from a nap his boots on the floor…
…he will need to watch the Red Sox versus Yankees and follow the score.

And if after all this the boy-man has house…
…he will also need a garage!

For those men with garage or barn envy, visit these Mt. Washington Valley homes with ample storage for toys and then call Ryan the Realtor today direct (207) 462-3874 or by email Ryan@JtRealty.com