There’s a new Bean in town… and everybody’s talking about the new Bean in town. So I decided to go visit the new bean in town called Bean Towne. To say it is a coffees shop like none other which Hampstead and surrounding communities has seen before is an understatement. Admittedly, I have always considered myself a coffee snob…but truly I had no idea. For months I’ve been reading the cute little signs on Rte. 111 with clever sayings like “Friends don’t let friends dunk” and I’d always chuckle and think there’s a coffee war going on.   I mean for years Dunkin Donuts has had a monopoly on coffee in the area. Hampstead alone has 2 Dunkin Donuts and further down on 111 in Atkinson there is another Dunkin Donuts.Seeing the signs “Friends don’t let friends dunk”  really cracked me up.Be sure... 12/07/2007

Jay and I are pretty excited about the fact that the company we work for, Prudential Verani Realty recognizes the power of the Internet. While the company is not totally into web 2.0 yet it is taking some big steps in that direction. They’ve announced some cool changes that will make our job much easier…I’m lovin these changes. One of the most important changes taking place is regarding the distribution of our listings to various real estate websites. One of the latest surveys indicates that a whooping 88% ( I really think higher) of potential home-buyers start their search on the web. Not news to us, as Jay and I have known this for long time, which is why a year ago we started blogging and stepped up our efforts to increase our Internet presence. At that time we were the ONLY real es... 12/05/2007

 It’s mighty cold outside in New Hampshire and our 6th annual coat drive is well underway BUT we need more coats, hats and mittens to reach our goal. So far we’ve collected 6144 but we need to collect 10,000 and have a scant 11 days to pull it off!Look at those totals...my office in Hampstead is really about 150 higher as we picked up some donations this weekend but we are sadly lacking. Even the Epping office is doing better than Hampstead. Ouch!  We can do it but with only your help!!!  Help us make our goal a reality!            Monika McGillicuddy,REALTORServing Southern New Hampshire and Rockingham County Monika McGillicuddy Real Estate Training NewHampshireRealEstateBlog.com Prudential Verani Realty2 Main StreetHampstead NH Hampstead NH Real Estate603-548-7728    12/04/2007

IS ROARING TO GO!!! The weather outside is cold and snowy and winter is definitely coming, just in time for the holidays and New Hampshire's Ski season. Skiers are all rejoicing and most of New Hampshire's Ski resorts are open and waiting for you.New Hampshire  offers a wide variety of outdoor activities and pursuits..from coastal beaches to the White Mountains...there is a little bit of everything and something for everyone!Traveling to New England don't forget to pack your skis...don't have any skis? Don't worry there are plenty of rental shops and ski shops that will gladly fit you with the perfect pair. Explore Ski NH... it is a jam packed website full of ski and snow boarding information.While my children were growing up, we spent many weekends skiing in New Hampshire and Maine.  ... 12/03/2007

 Recently our company Prudential Verani Realty participated in the  Extreme Makeover of a home for a Manchester New Hampshire family. Jay and I had volunteered to help out in whatever way we could but then a family accident kept us away. Prudential Verani and many of our agents, including fellow Active Rain member Judy Tuscano, worked the phones and whatever else needed to be done so that the contractor, R.J.Moreau and over 1,400 volunteers could work their magic.Many of the Volunteers were REALTORS, not only from my company Prudential Verani but from all over the state!  New Hampshire REALTORS love volunteering and it's a shame REALTORS get such a bad rap in the press because there is so much good that we do.   The Contractor and builder volunteers worked around the clock to create ma... 11/27/2007

This time of year it’s hard to think of sad things and death but we must all be reminded of parade safety. It’s a tradition at least in NH to have Holiday parades and Hampstead NH has long had an annual parade that the whole town seems to participate in. Colorful holiday characters march along side the floats all throwing candy to eager children, young and old, lining the road ways. It’s a fun time and there is nothing as enjoyable as seeing those eager faces as they try to catch all the candy being tossed.  My children used to jump with excitement trying to get as much candy as possible. After all …It is a tradition. According to The Lawrence Eagle Tribune, this year Hampstead NH along with Salem, Derry and Londonderry are all putting safety before candy.  There may be other towns as ... 11/25/2007

Nothing makes living in Hampstead New Hampshire as special as being here during the holidays. The community shines during this time of year and everyone participates and supports some very special town wide events.December 1st The Hampstead Mothers’ Club will put on their annual Breakfast with Santa. This is a wonderful Pancake Breakfast served from 8AM – 11AM at the Hampstead Central School. Enjoy yummy pancakes, sausages, juice and coffee. Cookie decorating and craft making will also be available. Santa will be there to visit with the little ones so be sure to bring your camera and take pictures. Dec 2nd 12:30  The Hampstead Recreation Department will host the Town's annual Senior Citizens' Holiday dinner at the Hampstead Middle School. Dinner, entertainment and raffles all to enjoy. ... 11/19/2007

A blogaholic I am! I've learned so much from blogging and reading all the posts...especially since the day Ann Cummings turned us on to AR...Thank you Ann! My much better half Jay wrote a post today about our one year anniversary of blogging. Poor Jay he had no idea what he was getting into the day he uploaded that photo for me.I remember writing that first post over on Realtown blogs...no one read it but my sweet husband Jay.  Today I decided to go find it to see how my writing has changed over the year. I couldn't remember what I wrote about but when I saw it I knew I had to post it here.So here is my very first feeble attempt at blogging about a topic near to my heart as posted on RealTown Blogs back in Oct of 2006. Oct. 30, 2006 - New member ethics class today Today I taught the new... 11/03/2007

$11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church  .... Some of you may remember my blog post about when Hate came to my town of Hampstead New Hampshire and the impact that had on me and on my community.To watch first hand as hate was directed to my community and it's people, in particular the family of one of our fallen war heroes captain Jonathan Grassbaugh was devastating. I could not believe these people from a so called church in Kansas would come to my town and stand on my street corner carrying such hate filled signs and chanting such sick phrases.  But they did. I couldn't believe they had the right to...but they did.Along with them came something else...a man with a flag, a group of people known as the Patriot Guard Riders and a community and then an entire ... 10/31/2007

We need you! Help us meet our goal this year!!! Last year we exceeded 8,000 coats thanks to your help! So of course we’ve increased our goal this year…so we really need your help. Drop your coats, hats and mittens off at Prudential Verani Realty- 2 Main Street- Hampstead NH If you can’t get there call me and I’ll come get them.Prudential Verani has many other locations for convenient drop off...BUT this is a contest and the Hampstead office really wants to win...last year the Salem office beat us out! History will not repeat itself!  So please dig through your closets, tell your neighbors and help us spread the word so we can make it a warm winter for the needy.  10,000 coats is a goal we can meet! Thank you so much!      Monika McGillicuddy Serving Southern New Hampshire and Rockingha... 10/19/2007

This is a contest entry to the Active Rain Buyer Challenge:copyright Monika McGillicuddy 2007  Hello Michelle and Tom,Thank you so much for contacting me and most importantly Welcome to New Hampshire.I think once you see what we have to offer, you'll fall in love with New Hampshire and Hampstead in particular. I hope that I can help you "see and feel" a little of what I see and feel about Hampstead. I've included in this e-mail some links to articles that I have written about Hampstead and the surrounding areas, a short video and 2 virtual tours of the town. One is a fall/winter tour and the other is one I made especially for you. As we discussed on the phone today I have gone ahead and set you up to receive automatic listing alerts so that when anything new enters the market that meets... 09/21/2007

With September 11 th right around the corner, it got me thinking of patriotism, of strength and courage. Then I saw this video and knew that right now was the time to write this long over due post.  This post is a tribute to the Patriot Guard Riders. Back in April I wrote a blog post about Hate, some of you may recall it. The New Hampshire Blog post itself took on a life of it's own and exposed me to a whole world that I had no clue existed. The Patriot Guard Riders. I found out that my little town of Hampstead NH had members that belonged to the Patriot Guard Riders and that one of them a woman documents and takes photographs of their mission rides. This is not a group of guys and gals who are out simply to have fun and tear up the roads riding wildly on their motorcycles. These are pe... 09/08/2007

Sometimes I have to wonder what our society is becoming! What is it with people today? Recently I went to a small farm stand to buy some fresh produce. When I entered, there was a young woman sitting on a tall stool behind the counter. She neither looked up nor acknowledged my presence in any way.  I was the only customer she had and I had never been there before. We're camping at the beach and traveling back and forth to work each day. This place is right on my way...a place I can conveniently stop in daily to pick up fresh veggies. I carefully selected 6 ears of fresh local corn...already imagining how they would taste after soaking in water for a few hours and then grilling them with the husks still on!  Simply yummy.Satisfied with my corn, I glanced over at the girl, she still didn'... 08/16/2007

In case you missed it the New Hampshire Association of REALTORS recently released the following press release. While I agree that prices seem to have stabilized somewhat, the message has not reached the ears of home buyers yet. We need to spread the message. The message that NHAR president Bonnie Guevin is promoting is so true, New Hampshire home buyers do have choices and it is a great time to be a New Hampshire home buyer.Inventory is up big time in my little town of Hampstead NH. Hampstead alone has 95 listings currently on the market, which is a lot for Hampstead. To put it in perspective, during the last 5 to 6 years of the sellers market we had roughly 30-33 active listings on the market at any given time. 95 is more than triple! That is a HUGE increase. A big increase in inventor... 08/10/2007

We've been on vacation for the last two weeks. When I say vacation please understand that during that time we both worked every day albeit from a distance. I negotiated a contract, searched for homes, gave listing updates,e-mailed my e-leads, picked up 6 new e-leads, set up showing appointments... all while being hundreds of miles from my home and office. Thank god for E-fax, WiFi, lap tops and small printers!  While I limited my blogging time severely I did pop in and check Active Rain every-once in awhile.It was good to get away but even while away I never really got away from real estate.  Normal people take vacations and leave their work behind. Normal people clock out on Friday and don't think about work until Monday..normal people don't work nearly every weekend, normal people lea... 08/07/2007

Stage Road Junction Office Complex is getting a face lift!  New siding, new windows, new doors a whole new appearance makes this the perfect place to call home for your business.You work hard and now you need a place to showcase that hard work.  Stage Road Junction is ideally located at the junction of busy routes 111 and 121 in Hampstead NH. Hampstead is located 15 minutes east of I 93 and 15 minutes north of I 495. Boston a scant 60 minutes away and Manchester airport 25 minutes away.  Busy Salem NH with it's abundance of real estate is just a few miles down the road, you simply can not get a better professional office location.Tax free New Hampshire is a booming state and Hampstead is the ideal Southern NH location for your business and possible new home. Unit # 5, 6 Mary E Clark Dri... 07/12/2007

Beware the Scam artist...One of the agents in my company got this inquiry about one of her listings today.  The age old scam artists are now targeting real estate agents. I think our on-line marketing is reaching a much broader audience than we thought...or wanted.  Poor scam artist Sara Bissett...she just wants the extra money for an airline ticket so she can move in!  Yeah right!!!I sure hope no overly eager agent falls for this!  I know we all need sales but this is just a BIG SCAM!Thank you for sharing the e-mail.    ************************************************************ From: An agent in my offece Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 4:58 PM To: agents@ Subject: Watch out for this scam...   She 'claimed' to be interested in the property I have for rent in Derry. Can you smell Scam... 07/11/2007

I thought this was so cool, I'm not sure if anyone posted about it but if they did I missed it. I am a regular visitor to the NAR's website REALTOR.org . I like it because I usually can find lots of good information there and it's all free for me to use. Plus I really like to get as much bang as I can out of my dues dollars. Today while surfing the site I was checking out seller tips and Home staging. I think in this market staging is becoming all the more important and I wanted to see what I could find. Of course NAR has a whole section on staging. They have a ton of research available...books, articles the whole nine yards.  Imagine my surprise when under the General Tips section the first article I saw was by a fellow Active Rainer Lori Kim Polk!  NAR linked to Lori's article she pos... 06/18/2007

Hampstead New Hampshire is gearing up for a fun filled summer Starting with the Summer Music series which has it's kick off event Tuesday June 19th at 7:00 pm.  This event is free for all and offers an added bonus as classic car and motorcycle owners are encouraged to bring their cars and bikes. While this is an "Oldies" event, the band playing on the 19th is called the Reminisants and they are sure to appeal to all ages.  They have been around since 1973 and have quite a performance history. The concert will be held adjacent to the Town Meeting House on the corner of Emerson Ave and Main Street. This is an outdoor event and will be held rain or shine. I plan on attending with my camera in hand. Bring your lawn chair and blankets just in case it gets cold and don't forget your rain gear... 06/16/2007

For the time frame starting January 1st through May 31st, sales in Hampstead have been less than stellar. In the 23 years that I have been selling in Hampstead, I can't remember, if there was ever only 12 residential sales in town during this time frame.In town we have 3 major franchises, two single agent agencies, and an independent office. There are approximately 50 agents in our town which has a population of about 8500 people. We have a large inventory of single family homes on the market now and I wonder if sellers are being realistic in pricing their homes to sell. Below is a snapshot of recent residential activity in Hampstead New Hampshie. When it comes to listing your home you should price it in comparison to what is active/current. The Buyers Lender will hire an appraiser who ... 06/12/2007