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Keene, NH Real Estate News

By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
I found this site www.debbief.com which provides daily updates on interest rates through TDBanknorth in Keene, NH. Check it out after 11:00 each weekday for an idea on what the rates are doing at that time. We all know there are several factors involved in setting the rate. This site is just a good way to see daily changes based on a standard, great credit buyer, and offers a few different options. I recently had a sale in Keene, NH where Deb Furlone pulled it together from the single string it was hanging by, so I have confidence in her ability to service a client.  She offered him an extremely competitive rate and closed the sale in no time. There are a number of great lenders in our region, and each buyer's unique situation, personality, and buying position makes them a better match ...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
In May I will finish up my masters degree and will suddenly find at least 15 hours more of free time each week to rewrite my life.  Here are the top 5 things I have most missed while attending grad school during the past 18 months: 1. First and foremost, horseback riding! I think the horses are getting used to this easy life, but it will be over soon enough, come May, when I will begin my training for a competition at Southmowing Stables. 2. Normal evenings with my husband. We haven't watched The Bachelor or Survivor at all these past 18 months. People talk to me about new programs and I look at them with a glazed, studious glare. 3. Entertaining guests at our home. Some of our friends probably think we have disowned them. We love them and will return to spending time with them after I ...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
If there is one place that really meets all of my family's needs in the Monadnock Region, it's MoCo Arts.  Originally known as "The Moving Company," MoCo Arts is where you will find my family weekly for a Creative Dance class led by Miss Danielle- the region's well known theater and creative dance instructor...well loved by ALL under the age of 8 (though not exclusively for those under 8)!! Miss Danielle has a way of making all little ones, boys and girls, feel successful as a young dancer exploring creative movement through music and imagination.  My favorite MoCo Arts offering for our little ones is their well known Theater Camp.  "Fancy Nancy" is coming up in February of 2009 and you can guarentee my little one will once again be dreaming of, dancing to, and singing about her week at...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Ten days ago, my home was affected by the ice storm we had in New England. Never before have I experienced the hardship of having to vacate my home with my family due to one of Mother Nature's moods. I can sympathize with Hurricane Katrina victims and anyone else affected by natural disasters in whatever shape they come, fires, earthquakes, tornados, etc.. We had to find someone with a generator to wire to our furnace, since the Home Depot line for generators extended from front to back of the store, awaiting the next shipment.  We have two little children who were dealing with a stomach bug during this time, I came down with it when our house dropped down to 51 degrees and we decided it was time to go. I have many people to thank for everything they've done in the past week. I'd like t...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
To see how varied New England home heating oil prices are... Compare Them!  You'll be suprised by the range of prices you see here.  But each oil company is managed differently, and each services their clients somewhat differently.  During the pre-buy season, I've called around to several companies and not only asked them what price their pre-buy rate was, but what the terms of their contract were. Cheapest isn't always best... Don't we all have an example of a time when we'd wished we hadn't gone "cheap" because it ended up costing us so much more?  Roy Bros. Oil added an addendum to their pre-buy contract this year.  For a reasonable fee, our rate would drop in the event oil rates dropped below our pre-buy rate.  This made sense.  I paid $3.949 for my fuel, and figured it would have t...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
I know that using keywords in our posts will help generation more traffic. The key, after that, is in keeping people's attention, offering them something of value, and keeping them as readers in the future. One way to target a social audience is by using keywords in your blog, and not just using it once, but using it at least three times. Google Adwords is a great resource for this. Anyone interested in finding out how many times a word has been googled, or interested in finding better ways of wording something you are posting, should do a little homework first. Yes, blogging can be a bit of a mental game, too! I hope this is helpful. Google Adwords is easy to use and offers you information on the number of times/year the word was googled, as well as the highest month the words was goog...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
I just stumbled upon a place to post a review or add a blog that could help you establish better connectivity to local area vendors.  Since building relationships is what social media is all about, why not network in a way that will benefit someone you know locally. With Americantowns.com you can do that! Accessible by anyone using the white pages online, writing a blog review on a local area vendor or business can not only help us network, but it can help the business develop a more well rounded web presence. Did you know that writing reviews for businesses and products is also free advertising for you? Give it a try and make it a point to review a new local business weekly, leaving your name and business information in the signature.  You never know where your next client will come fr...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Who hasn't been given "the look" from our parents, or given that very same look to our own children to show dissatisfaction with something... Without word, that child knows what mom or dad is expressing! I learned today that 50-55% of communication is through non verbal cues. 35-38% is from tone. 7-12% is from words used. What does that tell us about communicating to clients through email?   Some pointers for communicating through email: 1. Reread your email to be sure the interpretation is precisely what you want to convey. 2. Don't use all caps OR IT WILL SEEM LIKE YOU'RE YELLING! 3. Be conscious of how you use (!) exclamation marks and don't overuse them. 4. Smiley faces are cute, but when you're writing a letter to a client, or to a business associate, keep it clean and simple witho...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Each year my daughter and I spend an hour at the Keene Community Kitchen. We stand behind a table and she counts off a certain number of oranges to hand out, depending on the size of the family on the other side of the table. We also bring non-perishable items to donate to their food bank. We've done this since she was one. Although handing out food at the Keene Community Kitchen for one hour each year isn't much, I'm always surprised by the impression it makes on my daughter. Now four, she remembers details about the people who passed through the line last year, and will likely recognize some of them this year. With a 3% unemployment rate in 2006 and an ever growing rate this year, there are more and more families in need of shelter and food. If everyone contributes a little more this ...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Remember to send a special card of thanks to an American soldier this holiday season. Here's the address:   A recovering American Soldier C/O Walter Reed Army Medical Center 6900 Georgia Ave., NW Washington, DC 20307-5007 Click to read an article about sending mail to a recovering American soldier. Stephanie Jacques Associate Broker The Masiello Group 603-283-1948  
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
When I looked at my roll of toilet paper this morning, I realized my daughter was onto something.  She was saying, "Mom, once you get through the loops and mess, there is something really clear on the other end. " That led me to think about our economy...will this chaos and frenzy and "glass-half-full" feeling we are experiencing lead us to a state of clarity? Because, I think the outcome will be much better for those of us who can stay positive, work harder to get through the loops, and see the chaos as a path to something much greater, more positive, and stronger than what we can only dream of today. What's left if we bail out now?  How dirty are you willing to get? STAY FOCUSED SEE A PROJECT THROUGH ITS END KEEP POSITIVE ASSURE YOURSELF IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD TAKE SOME TIME TO...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
I have been doing research on social media, interactive technologies, and communication (aka: the new rules of marketing) and attended a workshop about social medial that could particularly benefit all of us in the professional world. It's about www.Linkedin.com... What is www.LinkedIn.com?Simply, it's the  www.Facebook.com for professionals' social networking. Using www.linkedin.com  regularly and strategically will:1. Help us all connect to one another professionally, to each other's 1st and 2nd degree professional resources, and open up a pool of knowlege each of us can use in our business lives. 2. Drive traffic to you and your site indirectly, using soft selling strategies which take place when you share a more personal side of yourself in Linkedin. Keywords about your industry wil...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
                            We attended the annual pumpkinfest in Keene, NH during the day this year. I had a wedding to attend and we now have a baby. During the day it's much easier event to maneuver through the thousands of people who attend each year!    This was the largest pumpkin any of us had ever seen! Some people used great creativity with their jacks!      At noontime there was a costume parade. There was over 22K happy jacks, making it a GREAT day! Brought to you by: Stephanie Jacques Associate Broker The Masiello Group 603-283-1948 stephaniejacques@masiello.com
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Start Here:Right click on the address bar of a site address you want to link into your post.Copy the http address (beginning with http://) of the site you want to reference in your link.In your blog:Type a word you want to use to reference your link (do this in your blog post.)Highlight it.Above your post you will see a little picture of a linkage/or chainlink. Click on that.Paste the http address on the top line.Insert it.When you preview your blog, make sure the link works and takes you to where you want to link readers to.Hope it's helpful! Stephanie Jacques Associate Broker The Masiello Group 603-283-1948
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
There's just no way around it. To all children near and far under the age of 5, I've become known as "McKenna's Mom". When my preschooler was in childcare, it began with the young 2 year olds, "McKenna's Mom...." When she started preschool, again "McKenna's Mom..." At her new school, a little girl peeped out of the car window this morning, "Hey, McKenna's Mom..." How cute. I think in 20 years I'll change my real estate image to "McKenna's Mom" and grow my new nitch business as the real estate agent who identifies herself through a title given to her by 2 year olds. All of the little children, grown then, will unconsiously associate the name to a fun woman who took them on field trips and taught them how to twist an apple off a branch, hopefully. Or maybe not. But this morning, I'm final...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
  October 24, 2008 Dear Residents of the Monadnock Region, In the coming weeks you will see a new yard sign around town.  Effective November 15th, our buyers, sellers, and customers will be receiving significant additionaly marketing exposure and services through our new relationship with Better Homes and Garden, a well known media outlet.  The www.BH&G.com offers buyers and sellers much valuable information and services relating to home, lifestyle and now real estate.  Our current website will be upgraded and you will still be able to access all MLS listings through www.masiello.com with the benefits of using "Homescout" to send you the daily listings within your search criteria.  NOT ON HOMESCOUT?? Looking for real estate? Here's how to register for Homescout: 1. Go to www.masiello.co...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
How's the market? I'm often asked that as conversation opener. Well, it's doing swell.  WE ARE THE 3RD LEAST VULNERABLE MARKET IN THE COUNTRY!  What are the figures for residential sales in Cheshire County, NH? From 1/1/08-10/24/08, Realtors closed on 533 in Cheshire County, just slightly lower than the 586 sold during the same time period in 2007. From 1/1/08-10-24-08, 485 residential homes expired from the market, just slightly great than the 437 homes that expired during the same period frame in 2007. During the past 90 days, 218 residential homes closed in Cheshire County, almost exactly the same as last year during that same time period.  
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
Click Here for the Entertainment Schedule for this Year's Pumpkinfest! Keene started this event 18 years ago. Several cities across the country have joined in on the challenge, and we were actually beat by Boston, with 30K+ jack-ol-anterns decorated and lit during their annual pumpkinfestival. This is a great event, and really unites our community. There is a children's tent with free activities, games, and prizes. At noontime there is a children's costume parade. The event in it's entirety lasts from 10am on Saturday October 25th to 9pm, ending with fireworks. Fall foliage here in southwestern New Hampshire peaked two weeks ago and more than half of the leaves have already fallen. No matter what it looks like outside, you can't beat an evening out on a crisp, cold fall evening with wel...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
I've been in the region since 1994, with a brief leave from 1998-2000, though I've come back to stay with my growing family...and my horses! Our region has become more and more diverse and I believe that is partially due to the wonderful Cheshire Horse Tack Shop in Keene, NH.  They sell everything you need for your pets, not just for horses. Their staff is very knowlegable, and can help you with most all of your equine questions related to feeding, care, and riding. Miracles in Motion is a therapeutic horseback riding facility, also located in Keene. Though they don't have a website, they provide horseback riding lessons for individuals with disabilities.  They need volunteers to help with horse handling, leading and sidewalking. This photo was taken at Southmowing.  Southmowing Stables...
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By Stephanie Jacques, Stephanie Jacques Kleine
(Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group)
New stats I just came across from our office meeting. A RealtyTrends newsletter provided us with some insights on where people first saw the house they now own. Here are some interesting findings:   2007: From their agent-34% Internet 29% Yard Sign 14% Home builder 8% Friend/Relative 8% Newspaper Ad 3% Directly from Sellers 3% Book or Magazine 1% Other - How many of your offices have greatly reduced paper print ads? Has this reduced your business?! It goes to show that satisfying a seller's request to advertise in all local papers is a great waste of resources. These statistics come from homeowners who are actually giving the locations of WHERE they found the home they actually ended up BUYING. I see this as an important trend to follow, and wonder, now, if there is an increase in the n...
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