Happy New Year! With 2012 right around the corner (just a few hours away)! I thought it time to think about some of the best ways to engage with the real estate market this coming year.  I came up with 8 great ideas to inspire you to action!

Buy your first home

If you are ready to buy your first home now is the time.  I would even go so far as to say that if you are ready stop reading this article right now and start searching or contact us.  Great prices and record low interest rates combine to make this the very best time to get started on home ownership.  The Buyers section of our website has some great resources.  And searching on JtRealty.com is simple and easy.  Don’t forget to register so you can save your searches and receive the notifications you choose with no obligation.

Become a real estate agent

For the go-getter, there is always money to be made in real estate!  Start now building your contacts and be in position to capitalize on any market changes. For more information on how to start your real estate career head over to the Careers section of JtRealty.com.

Take advantage of a 1031 Tax-deferred exchange

If you have been maintaining your rental property for some time now you may be losing margin.  Put the tax advantages of a 1031 exchange to work for you to acquire a more valuable rental property. Interested?  Check out these NH multifamily units for sale right now.  If you want to learn more about the advantages of a 1031 exchange you can connect with one of our preferred 1031 exchange vendors.

Buy your first investment property

So the 1031 exchange doesn’t apply to you because you don’t own a rental property? Make 2012 the year to change that.  With great prices and a selection of available income properties you can get started letting someone else pay for your investment!

Buy that lakefront property you have always dreamed of

Living in a lakefront home is a goal for many.  Start early and you could be enjoying the lake by summer, just dive in!  Or if you prefer rivers you might try a riverfront property.  With much to choose from you are sure to satisfy that dream.

Buy a ski condo

We just added four Attitash Mountain condos to our best buy page!  There are so many good deals on ski condos right now you have an amazing selection.  Make this the year you can simply ski home at the end of the day! On top of the great real estate available at the local ski areas Trip Advisor just ranked the North Conway as the most affordable ski destination in the Northeast and second in the US overall! Search for Attitash Condos or Mount Cranmore condos right here.

Trade up

With so many properties on the market right now, many people feel it is the wrong time to sell their home.  This may not be true at all.  While many properties are available, the right property at the right price will always move quickly.  If you have been in your home for a few years you may be able to take advantage of all that is available on the market right now.  At the very least it can’t hurt to look! Start your search today.

Renovate

This is the approach I often take.  Renovations add not only financial value to your home, they also add enjoyment value.  No matter how long you have been in your home, there is always something on the wish list.  In my house right now the wish is new countertops.  Whatever your wish, if you put a plan together now, you can start sooner.  Winter is a great time for many renovations as contractors can be less busy, giving you more attention and possibly a better price.  If you are the handy sort then break out the tools while the weather is cold. You can check our preferred contractors for a start on your project or look into other JtRealty preferred vendors under the About Us section above.

Ski homes, trailside homes…  With prices down like this the timing is great!

While we New Englanders are finally enjoying August weather in September, some people are planning ahead to ski season. Did you know that August and
September are the busiest months for ski home sales in the Mt Washington Valley? Well that might explain why a wonderful family from Massachusetts
are buying a trailside townhouse at Mountainside on Attitash, and a couple from Rhode Island are in the process of buying a home in Jackson
(with amazing views). And why I got an offer last week on a condo at Partridge Woods, and an offer today on this amazing 8+ acres in Jackson . Not to mention a closing last week for a house in Bartlett, and another closing next week on a view lot in Jackson. Where are all these buyers coming from? Yep — the realization that the market is down down down and the prices are too, has brought buyers out of the woodwork. After all, you can’t always time the bottom of the market perfectly, but how close do you have to get to pick up a bargain?

To get you in the mood for ski season, here’s a video of my son Ace on a training run in Chile yesterday. He’s down there with the rest of the Dartmouth Ski Team and getting some great snow time!

Bargain of the Week: 44 Alpine Village, an adorable 3 bedroom 2 bath home ski home within walking distance to the Base Lodge at Bear Peak and a fantastic deck. Its only $219,000 and we had 7 showings last week, so if you are interested hurry up and see it!

Until next week, your ski and lake home specialist,
Joy Tarbell

By Rona Ahearn     

Hanging off of a cliff, suspended by a rope? Sounds like fun doesn’t it!  Perhaps not for all, but there are tons of rock climbers in the Mt. Washington Valley and they are obsessed with it.

In fact, there’s so much rock climbing in the White Mountains that people travel from all over the world to scale the classic routes at Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledges in North Conway. There’s such a rich history in this area for climbing, just check Ed Webster’s Rock Climbs in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. They go back to 1910.

You’ll find all types of routes, from beginner routes, like the one I did with my husband, Bob, at Square Ledge in Pinkham Notch, right across from Mt. Washington, and the coolest rock formation in Crawford Notch, Elephant Head to the serious routes in Huntington Ravine on Mt. Washington. Bob has to do those climbs without me.

Rock climbing and ice climbing is a sport that just about anyone can do. To do it correctly, it’s best to learn from the pros. Go with a guide and they’ll not only outfit you with instructions, but also with all the equipment you’ll need. There are tons of great guides in the area too.

Take a ride to Cathedral Ledge in the center of North Conway any day and you’ll find a nice place to sit and relax and watch the climbers on a popular route, Thin Air.

Check online with a web site that will keep you updated with area climbs, weather, and when summer approaches, the bug count, plus so much more info. It’s a must for all climbers in the area www.neclimbs.com.

Of course, when the snow falls and winter sports start up, we become an ice climbing mecca. It’s a great alternative to keep you going all winter long.