We all want to be DEBT-FREE, and here are some tips to help you do just that

We all know how hard it can be to manage our own finances.  Been there, done that!  I just didn’t know how, until someone showed me the way, and I’ve never looked back since that turning point. 

These tips may just help you find your way to being debt-free, if that’s your goal:

1)      Pay your bills when they’re due every month – this is so hard to do at times, but it’s so very important to not pay your bills late & rack up late fees and credit blemishes.

2)      Learn to live on less than you make – you must learn to put some money aside in order to have money in the bank.

3)      Think twice before whipping out that credit card – if you use credit, have a plan for paying off your balance(s).  It took me a LONG time to pay off my balances that I had built up, but I did, and I now pay my balance off every single month.

4)      Have a plan for where and what you’ll spend your money – you need to know how much you make and how much you need to live on.  You may need to make a change in your spending habits if you want to be debt-free.

5)      Set up a savings account for emergencies – 3 to 6 months’ of basic living expenses is what is recommended.  You never know when you’ll need to replace an appliance or when you might be out of work.  Start small and build this account up.

6)      Have financial goals – if you don’t have goals, you’ll never get where you want to be.  You should consider setting both short-term and long-term goals to help you achieve not only debt-free status, but those goals will also help you go forward toward building that nest-egg for your retirement.

7)      Learn how to make your money grow and work for you – take classes, read books and investing magazines, find a great financial planner – make your money earn more money!

I’ve walked in the same shoes as those looking to be debt-free – and I can very proudly say I am DEBT-FREE, except for my mortgage!  I pay my credit card balance off every month, I learned to live under my means, and I can tell you it’s a very satisfying feeling to know I have money in the bank.

Here’s to your success in achieving the same satisfying feelings!!

Ann Cummings
1-888-349-5678 x 3839

WELCOME to the quaint little town of Exeter New Hampshire!  A drive through the center of Exeter will make you feel like you're right smack dab in the middle of a Norman Rockwell painting!  Exeter is part of the Seacoast area of New Hampshire, and has a wonderful welcoming community spirit.

Located just minutes from commuter routes - 5-7 minutes to I-95, right off Route 101 (the major east-west highway) - this is a perfect spot for those looking for the great quality of life New Hampshire offers and are working out of the area.  Not only does Exeter have terrific access for highways, you can hop on the Amtrak Downeaster and head south to Boston or north to Portland Maine.  Commuting north, east, south, or west just doesn't get much easier than it is from Exeter!  The University of New Hampshire is just about 15-20 minutes away, in Durham.  Exeter is just minutes away from area beaches along the ocean.  And it's just 15 minutes from all that Portsmouth has to offer!!

Exeter is just loaded with all kinds of history!  Did you know that Exeter used to be the state capital of New Hampshire?  It was indeed, during the Revolutionary War!  Exeter was incorporated in 1638, and was at one time quite a ship-building center and West Indies trading port.  Exeter was also where the modern Republican Party as we know it was founded back in 1853 by Amos Tuck.

The first time the census was taken, Exeter recorded 1,722 residents.  It's grown a little over time, with a year-round population of just about 14,700 now.

        
    These are just some of the beautiful historic homes and buildings that can be found all around Exeter!

Real estate in Exeter is pretty diverse, from mobile homes to condos to single family homes to multi-family homes, as well as land and commercial properties.  There are presently 74 single family homes offered for sale, ranging in price from $229,900 to $2,250,000.  Days on market for these homes is averaging 167 days.  There are presently 11 homes under agreement, and those range from $269,000 to $575,000.  The average sold price for the last year on single family homes in Exeter was $433,313, and the average days on market was 104 days.

There are 84 condos presently for sale, and those range in value from $89,000 to $635,000, average days on market 162.  There are currently 9 condos under agreement, and those range in price from $114,900 t0 $389,900.  The average sold price of condos in Exeter for the last year was $199,908, and the average days on market was 116 days. 

Exeter is home to the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy, founded in 1781 by Colonel John Phillips.  This private secondary school serves students in grades 9 through 12, with the students coming from all over the world.  In addition to the campus being an absolutely beautiful addition to the beauty of Exeter itself, Exeter residents enjoy great benefits from the Academy.  As a resident of Exeter, you're able to use a number of the Academy facilities for free - library, tennis courts, musicals & plays, and much more. 

Exeter Hospital is a leading healthcare hospital offering a full range of comprehensive services, including a health and fitness facility.  And as if that weren't enough, the cafeteria in Exeter Hospital has been written about as offering food so good that locals go out to eat there!  They were even written up in the paper awhile back because their food was so good!

Downtown Exeter is just as quaint as it can be - lots of cute shops and great locally-owned restaurants, as well as one of the few remaining old-fashioned theaters with a soda fountain in it!  All of this is located right along the banks of the Exeter River.  The Bandstand, right in the heart of downtown, is the site of many community-centered events - concerts, fundraising, and more. 

It's no wonder so many people love living here and making it their HOME!!  If you're interested in exploring the charm and history of Exeter further,  ........... I'm at your service!!!

Ann Cummings
1-888-349-5678 x 3839

We've got a brand NEW Library here in Portsmouth, and it just opened this morning!!  It is just a beautiful building, both inside and out.  The landscaping still has to be done, and that will be taken care of in the spring.  Even without that, it's gorgeous!

I took this picture this weekend of the sign made by the Portsmouth Middle School, which is right next door to our new library.  I thought it was really cute to see this, and a great indication that everyone has been so looking forward to opening day!

I just got back from a very nice guided tour of the library, and there are so many really neat things that we now have that our old library just didn't have the space to offer.  It is probably one of the nicest libraries I've ever been in!

The new library is in a great location - it's right next door to the Portsmouth Middle School, and it's a really quick walk to all the downtown neighborhoods.  Sidewalks line the streets, so kids don't have to walk or ride their bikes in the street to get to it.

With 38,000 square feet of space, compared to 15,400 in the old library, there's plenty of room for all kinds of really neat features that just couldn't be accomodated before, and there's room to grow, too.  Right on the first floor, there's a cafe area with vending machines and it overlooks the courtyard area.  There's a kids department that has lower counter and bookshelves to make it really kid-friendly, along with activity rooms and story-time rooms.  The library also has a new teen section, set up just for teenagers with lots of windows and some really cool curvy seating areas for them.  There's a new section "Today's News", featuring newspapers and magazines, as well as an extensive reference and periodical section on the 2nd floor.  A large video section is now available, just as if you were in a video store, and there's a new music collection of CDs for adults.  Another new section is devoted to large print books and audio books.  One feature the staff is especially proud of is the special collections department - it now has a large room to make it much easier to see all the collections on local history.  This room is really nice as it has a beautiful view of the North Mill Pond.

There are several meeting rooms that can be used by the public, there's a multi-media room available, lots of comfy seating areas all over the building.  There are internet-access computers just about everywhere you look, and there's a copying/printing room as well.  You can use any of the library's computers, or you can bring your own laptop and use the free wireless network if you choose.  And for everyone's comfort and convenience, yes there are restrooms in very convenient locations.  We know how important those are!  This library just makes you feel welcome and at home - you walk in and you just want to stay awhile.......that's a great library!!

            

Our new library is a "green" library building, one of the first in New England.  It's referred to as a LEED Building, which is 'leadership in energy and design".  LEED is a voluntary design technique put out by the US Green Building Council.  The building uses mostly natural products - the bookshelves are ash wood, most of the trim is fir wood, there are loads of windows everywhere letting in tons of natural light, and most of the windows open so fresh air can circulate when possible and weather permits.  It does cost more to build a 'green' building, but it was worth it!  This library will serve our town well for many, many years to come.

This new 'gem' is truly a source of pride for all of us who live here in Portsmouth.  It's been a LONG time coming, but from what I saw today, it was WELL-WORTH the wait!  The search for a new location began way back in 1986, and here it is, 20 years later, a beautiful reality!! 

This library, as well as all the other area benefits, help to make my job selling homes in the area so much easier.  If you come for a visit, you'll love it!  I can safely tell you that, because I've lived here for 28 years, and I LOVE it here!  Every time I go on a trip, I enjoy where I am, but I just love coming back home!

If you're interested and would like to check out the during-construction pictures, check this link out.

I read this in today's paper, and thought it was so true - "Libraries are special places.  They need to be treasured."  No truer words could be spoken, and our new Portsmouth Public Library will be cherished and treasured by residents and visitors alike for many many years.

Ann Cummings

You've made the big decision to offer your home for sale, or it's already on the market for sale.  You've done all the things your REALTOR suggested you do to make your home show at its best.  And it looks good.........

But is it really SAFE for showings?  It's really easy for us, as we live in our  homes, to work around the idiosyncrasies of our own homes.  But can we expect strangers to do the same, especially strangers who are looking at our homes as potential buyers for it?

Take a good hard look at your stairways, if you have any.  Is the railing a little loose?  Are there stair treads that you've been meaning to replace but just haven't really noticed how frayed they are any more?   You've gotten used to the worn treads on the stairs, and know to lift you foot just a little higher on that one step to avoid that edge that's lifted up a little.  Any any of the light bulbs in the stairways burned out?  And those area rugs in the hallway are a little slippery unless you step just so on them......

If your house has kids in it, you know how easy it is to not see toys here and there because that's part of your every day world in your own home, and you know where they usually are so you just automatically step over or around them.  Potential buyers aren't aware of those nuances, and might not see that little toy car or that cute little stuffed animal that Santa brought.

When you go to hang up your coats in the closets, you know to duck just a little in case one or two of the hats up top fall out, or in case one of those games stacked up on the top shelf comes tumbling down.  Potential buyers have no clue what might be waiting for them when they innocently open a closet to check out the space they'll have if they choose your home as their next new home.

Don't forget the basement!  Make sure the lighting down there is as bright as it can be - you don't want any buyers or their agents tripping over things, or hitting their heads on any pipes that might be a little lower than they'd expect.

If you live in areas where you enjoy the beauty of winters, then you're accustomed to snow and ice, and how carefully you have to walk on it.  BUT, potential buyers could be relocating from anywhere, and may not appreciate walking through the snow if they don't have snowshoes on.   They actually may not even know how to drive or walk on it, as they may never had lived anywhere where it did snow!  Take some extra time and make sure your walkways are shovelled and kept clear of snow and ice.  If the only way into your basement is through an outside bulkhead, make sure there's a pathway shovelled to that.

While we're talking about the outside of your home, please clean up messes left by the family dog.  You know where your dog likes to do his business, but potential buyers and their agents don't.  Most of the time when we're checking out the exterior of the house, we're not looking down, we're looking around at the house.  Then it's too late, and that really doesn't sit too well with potential buyers, and most assuredly homeowners don't want that tracked around inside their homes.  I know I sure wouldn't!

Take a walk through your home and look for little hazards like these that may be a liability for you as a homeowner.  Tighten the railings - place nonskid mats under rugs - straighten up the insides of closets - make sure toys are put away safly - change any lightbulbs needing replacing - clear drives & walkways.  We all live with little things like this, but when it comes to selling your home, you want to remove as many potential liabilities as possible. 

Safety for showings on your home is important!  If someone is injured while looking at your home, they could sue you for damages.  Fortunately, this doesn't happen often, and it's easy to take the necessary steps ahead of time to avoid potential nasty situations as much as possible.  It's so much better to be safe than sorry with just a little bit of effort ahead of time!

When selling homes here in Portsmouth New Hampshire during the winter months, I suggest to sellers that they keep a shovel near the front door, and some ice melt handy.  In the event it snows while they're at work, and I have a showing before they can get home, I'll clear out a path for us to get to the house, and having those tools handy, sure makes it a little easier to do my job for my clients.  Working together as a team helps to get the job done!

Ann Cummings
Portsmouth, NH

It's really very easy to fall in love with 
Portsmouth New Hampshire, and the  whole Seacoast area!   

We have so much to offer both residents and visitors alike.  As a matter of fact, many buyers I've worked with over time initially came here as visitors, returning again and again, and then decided to make Portsmouth their primary home.  And it's no surprise they do, if you ask me!   ;-)

 
Five GREAT reasons to make Portsmouth YOUR home:

~~  Portsmouth has a terrific location!  We are right here on the coast of New Hampshire, just 45 minutes south of Portland Maine and 45 minutes north of Boston, Mass.  The closest snow skiing is an easy 30-40 minute drive to Gunstock Ski Mountain.  The coast, with our beautiful beaches and Atlantic Ocean, is right here at our doorstep.   We've got great highway access for all major commuter routes, airports in 3 cities are less than an hour's drive and we have a small airport right here in Portsmouth, Amtrak rail service is just 15 minutes away.

~~  Portsmouth is just full of all kinds of things to do year-round!  We've got parks, multiple theaters and venues for all kinds of productions - plays, musicals, concerts, etc.  Loads of shopping abounds all over the place, and we've got just about every kind of dining right here in Portsmouth that you can think of!  Spring through Fall, our Seacoast Farmer's Market runs every Saturday - a great place to buy fresh local produce, make new friends, and meet up with old friends. 

~~  Portsmouth has great schools, including a beautifully renovated and expanded high school.  We have 3 wonderful elementary schools, serving the various neighborhoods around town.  And to add to all that our schools have to offer, we have a brand new beautiful library right next door to the Middle School.  In addition to our great schools right here, we're only a few minutes away from the University of New Hampshire, located in Durham.  UNH has one of the prettiest college campuses you'll ever see!

~~  Portsmouth offers great housing opportunities of all kinds, with a home to fit everyone's needs.  Being in New England, we have all kinds of antique homes as well as lovely new construction homes, and everything in between.  We've got great condos - both conversions as well as newly built, in all price ranges.  We have plenty of homes for buyers to choose from, and with today's interest rates what they are & prices a little lower than they were last year, it's a GREAT time to be a buyer!

~~  Portsmouth's economic environment is great!  We've got many great businesses here in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.  Over the last few years, a number of high-tech businesses have relocated to this area, causing this area to be dubbed the "e-Coast".  Our downtown area has free wireless set up, a perfect environment for businesses and business people who love being downtown.  They are looking into expanding this further to encompass more of the downtown area as well going into some of the neighborhoods close to downtown.  Plus here in New Hampshire, we have NO income tax nor do we have a sales tax!!

And as if all those reasons weren't enough to convince you Portsmouth is a great place to call home, we've got a FABULOUS Little League Team!! 

Come to visit - come to STAY because you'll want make Portsmouth New Hampshire YOUR home!  Once you're here, this area just makes you fall in love with it, and this just helps to make my job that much easier!

Ann Cummings                 

Portsmouth New Hampshire Homes