tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653536918549301352024-03-05T16:07:55.087-08:00The John Gargasz Blogjohn gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65353691854930135.post-33974516062771268102016-07-06T11:31:00.000-07:002016-07-06T11:31:38.645-07:00The Boston Commute - how much is convenience worth? A comparison of commute time versus home pricesIn this housing recovery cycle, I remain amazed at how much millennials are willing to pay for convenience. I wonder if they realize the costs and their options. I have blogged at length about our housing project in Pelham NH, <a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/">Skyview Estates</a>, and how it fits into the larger greater Boston real estate market.<div>
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I was curious to take another look at price vs convenience. For someone living in or near the city, they may think that Southern NH is a world away. But that's simply not the case as you can see in this infographic. For the last 50 years, the typical pattern is for 30 somethings to move out of </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPb8hplo9mU-3qN__zA-DCf9yPR39gCypZF6b0ETXc5E4TTDuUoEJWmnqozxHvtGHmFIVgsmLRNfr-3u9Bn0EIyqKz4Cqeu0T2R-ty-Fxgrsi-e9ZBFy89nYFAzi2tQD08P6BMknnh-P4/s1600/commute+time+vs+home+price.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPb8hplo9mU-3qN__zA-DCf9yPR39gCypZF6b0ETXc5E4TTDuUoEJWmnqozxHvtGHmFIVgsmLRNfr-3u9Bn0EIyqKz4Cqeu0T2R-ty-Fxgrsi-e9ZBFy89nYFAzi2tQD08P6BMknnh-P4/s640/commute+time+vs+home+price.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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the city, come north of the border to enjoy all the <a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/top-20-reasons-to-live-in-new-hampshire.html">benefits of New Hampshire living</a>, and still excel in their chosen professions. </div>
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Are you willing to drive another 30 minutes to save half a million dollars? Or 10 minutes to save $300k?</div>
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Food for thought. Comments most welcome.</div>
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(This data was collected on Google maps simultaneously at 8am using the same end point in Cambridge, MA and various start points for the commute. Thus traffic was taken into account. Home pricing was taken from available listings on Zillow. Note - there was very little comparable inventory in Massachusetts to even analyze).</div>
john gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.com02 Majestic Ave, Pelham, NH 03076, USA42.710545 -71.37603999999998917.188510500000003 -112.68463399999999 68.2325795 -30.06744599999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65353691854930135.post-73246493749193414322015-02-19T11:10:00.000-08:002016-07-06T11:04:02.092-07:00Relocating to the Boston area? See why you should check out Southern New Hampshire. <div class="MsoNormal">
Are you relocating to the Boston area and trying to decide
which community to settle in? You owe
it to yourself to check out Southern NH especially if you are working in Boston/Cambridge
North (Burlington, Bedford, Andover, Lowell and surrounding communities).<o:p></o:p></div>
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The price of homes in the immediate Boston area has
skyrocketed– making affordability a real challenge. You can buy a home on the Mass border in NH
for hundreds of thousands of dollars less than an equivalent home in
Massachusetts. And you get all the
advantages of living in NH! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Check out these blog posts and compare for yourself:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/top-20-reasons-to-live-in-new-hampshire.html"><span style="color: blue;">Top 20 Reasons to Live in NH</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/can-you-save-half-million-dollars-by.html">Can you save half a million dollarsby living in NH?</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/rightsizing-your-home-for-happier-life.html"><span style="color: blue;">The rightsizing equation</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2015/02/should-you-buy-new-construction-or.html">Buying new construction versus resale</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/06/are-you-afraid-to-buy-house.html"><span style="color: blue;">Are you afraid to buy a house? How about increasing your retirement yearsby 50%?</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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If you like the NH story, come check out our development at
<a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span></a>. You’ll be amazed how close we
are to Boston and local amenities and yet how stunning our hill top setting
is. <o:p></o:p></div>
john gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.com02 Majestic Ave, Pelham, NH 03076, USA42.710545 -71.37603999999998917.188510500000003 -112.68463399999999 68.2325795 -30.06744599999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65353691854930135.post-78120228663596095832015-02-19T11:07:00.001-08:002015-02-19T11:13:27.653-08:00Should you buy new construction or a resale home?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.9pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Think back 10 years
ago to 2005. Did you have a smart
phone? The first iphone wasn't released for another two years in June 2007!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just as consumer
technology has transformed over the past decade, so too has home building
technology. Today’s homes are much more
energy efficient due to both stricter ‘green’ building codes and advances in
energy efficient insulation, windows and other building materials. And the major components that make up a home
– furnaces, appliances, air conditioners, and are also more
efficient and reliable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just take a look at
this new home at<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span></a></span> in New Hampshire? This picture
was taken in February 2015 (what a Winter, right?!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4R7JhgOlG3ibGv6ylav23RnfMW72BLGZBx7YoLLCphOnBx8Yc1Rv3mpf-lKCz8HtBaZbFInabjDJZARuoIEU2RHBzb8lpfMgaGWw1nUaQSAIuHwRuCYMvHGSw2-Ut8oqr8vbhYul8qk/s1600/IMAG0611_BURST002_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4R7JhgOlG3ibGv6ylav23RnfMW72BLGZBx7YoLLCphOnBx8Yc1Rv3mpf-lKCz8HtBaZbFInabjDJZARuoIEU2RHBzb8lpfMgaGWw1nUaQSAIuHwRuCYMvHGSw2-Ut8oqr8vbhYul8qk/s1600/IMAG0611_BURST002_COVER.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> after a month of record snows. Can you spot any icicles on the roof? No? That’s because these homes are so energy
efficient that you don’t have the melting/freezing cycle that occurs in an older
home when heat escapes up through the roof and joints. Compare it to this picture taken on the same
day of an older home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt;">The housing crisis
started in 2006 which means that until just recently, home construction was
effectively at a stand still.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt;">So, if
you’re looking to buy a home today, chances are most resales will be 10 years
old or older just due to the fact that not many homes have been built since the
great recession.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt;">While these homes may
have been renovated to look new, the ‘bones’ are still a certain age which
means more maintenance and a less energy efficient home.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt;">Are you up for the maintenance headaches,
expenses and cost of ownership of less efficient home?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If not, you may be
thinking about new construction. Here
is an excerpt from </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">www.Forbes.com</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> on the advantages
of new construction:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">*******************************************************************************************************</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14.5pt;">According to </span></i><a href="http://www.trulia.com/trends/2014/05/new-or-existing-home/"><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #555555; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Trulia’s latest survey</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14.5pt;">, twice as many people prefer new homes to
existing homes.<strong><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></strong>“New”
means exactly that: brand new properties that have never been lived in before,
or homes purchased in the pre-construction phase. On the flip side, “existing”
or </span></i><a href="http://www.trulia.com/"><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #555555; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">resale
homes are pre-owned properties</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14.5pt;">,
most of which were built between the 1920s and the 1970s. For the same price, 2
in 5 Americans – a sizeable 41% of the population – either somewhat or strongly
prefer a newly-built home over an existing one.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14.5pt;">While shiny and new sounds nice in theory,
what’s actually behind the allure of these properties? Let’s dive into
the advantage and disadvantages:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; font-weight: normal;">The Pros<o:p></o:p></span></i></h4>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">You’re
able to have the builder customize the home before construction is completed,
so it will be built with your personal touch and painted in your color palette
– a big bonus!</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 100.4pt; margin-top: 11.25pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">With
new construction or pre-construction purchases, the work is done for you. You
don’t have to lift a finger, a paint brush, or a hammer.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 100.4pt; margin-top: 11.25pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">New
homes come with some of the design elements that today’s lifestyle demands:
open, eat-in kitchens, walk-in closets, and large master baths to name a few.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 100.4pt; margin-top: 11.25pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">A
big financial benefit of new properties is that you won’t have to do much
maintenance. With brand new appliances, plumbing, heating, and air, you should
be repair free for at least a few years.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Utilizing
new construction materials, just-built homes are usually more energy efficient;
that means potentially lower utility bills.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://www.trulia.com/"><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #555555; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">New homes and condos</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> are often equipped with the
latest technology built right in – think alarm systems, speaker systems,
Internet wiring, and cable – saving you lots of time, money, and holes in the
walls.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 100.4pt; margin-top: 11.25pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">You’re
moving into a house that should be totally complete and absolutely perfect.
That “new house smell” is definitely a luxury!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">******************************************************************</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are downsides
to new construction. Some of the
biggest concerns cited include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 16.9pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cookie cutter
subdivisions, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Lack of
architectural detail and craftsmanship, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Postage stamp, small
lots, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Concern about the
builder reputation, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Don’t want to be the
‘first one’ in the subdivision, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 16.9pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Lack of custom
options</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All valid points. But at <a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span></a>, we like to think we offer
the best of new construction. We have
all the advantages of maintenance free, energy efficient, well designed homes. Plus, we are an established subdivision with
beautiful lots, varied home designs with craftsman flair and a long list of
satisfied home buyers who will attest to our reputation as builders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When making your
decision between resale or new construction you owe it to yourself to come by
and check out <a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span></a>. And don't rush into a resale just because it's there. A new home can be ready in a few months. Don't settle for anything less than your easy to maintain, efficient dream home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
john gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65353691854930135.post-48396857892111943402014-08-13T13:54:00.001-07:002015-03-20T08:45:59.186-07:00Are your in-laws or parents thinking about relocating to be near the grandkids?<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;">Do your kids wish their
grandparents lived nearby?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #c0504d; mso-themecolor: accent2;">Are your in-laws or parents
thinking about relocating to be near the grandkids? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br />
Over the past
10 years, my wife and I have noticed a tendency of parents of our peers to move
to NH to be closer to their adult children and grandchildren. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Does this sound like
you?</b> You’re married, with a couple
of young kids, living in the Boston area, you and your spouse have successful
careers. Birthdays and holidays often
involve a plane ride or a long drive to see extended family. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>And does this sound
like your in-laws or parents?</b>
Successful in their own right, retired or semi-retired, but definitely not
‘old’, shifting priorities, a desire to be near the grandkids to share their
love and wisdom. Maybe on a recent visit the idea came up, ‘How would you
guys feel if we moved closer to your family so we could see the grandkids more
often?’ You and your spouse thought
about it and decided that, actually, it would be great to have family
around. </div>
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<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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So what now?<o:p></o:p></div>
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As I looked back over the blogs I’ve been writing this year,
there is a storyline that speaks to your situation. Here are some themes that might help you and
your parents (or in laws) figure out the next steps.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/can-you-still-save-half-million-dollars.html">Savinghalf a million dollars by moving to New Hampshire</a></span>. This blog looks at real estate prices and
cost of ownership as a function of distance from downtown Boston. The bottom line is that Southern NH is a great
solution to get the most house for the dollar while still being a convenient
distance to Boston. And, it may provide
just enough separation so that you and the grandparents are close but not too
close.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> <a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/top-20-reasons-to-live-in-new-hampshire.html">
</a></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/top-20-reasons-to-live-in-new-hampshire.html">Top20 Reasons to live in New Hampshire</a></span>.
This is pretty self-explanatory but one thing that jumps is the tax
structure, particularly for retirees with some consulting income and
significant capital gains. New Hampshire
is a no-brainer versus Massachusetts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/rightsizing-your-home-for-happier-life.html">Rightsizingyour home</a></span>. This blog talks to
the advantages and economics of buying a house that fits your current
lifestyle. It can be extremely freeing to finally let go
of that huge house and get into something new and more manageable. And it can also free up equity and cash
flow to finally splurge on those trips and experiences your parents have been
talking about for so long.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">4)</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4f81bd; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/07/top-4-reasons-over-55-community-may-not.html">Top 5 reasons an over 55 community may not be right for you</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4f81bd; text-indent: -0.25in;">.
</span><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">Your parents may be over 55 but they aren’t ‘old’. And the last thing they want is to be
surrounded by a monoculture in an adult community. Our subdivision, Skyview Estates in Pelham,
NH provides many of the advantages your parents would be looking for –
luxurious single story living, smaller lots, gorgeous views, and other
community benefits while still being an unrestricted, diverse neighborhood. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; margin: 9pt 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
john gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65353691854930135.post-60382062455264719472014-07-02T04:40:00.001-07:002015-01-25T17:31:27.327-08:00Top 5 reasons an over 55 community may not be right for you<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Over 55 communities are a great solution for many retirees but they are not for
everyone. In this blog post, we take a
look at the top 5 reasons an over 55 development may not be right for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background: white; color: red; line-height: 115%;">Variety (of ages) is still the spice of life</span></b><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">. According to Deborah Diane, <a href="http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com/2013/03/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-over-55.html"><span style="color: blue;">Baby
Boomer Retirement</span></a> blogger, “</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">some people like living in a community where there are mixed ages.
They enjoy seeing children in their neighborhood, as well as young couples who
are just starting out.” There is a
vitality that comes with a diverse neighborhood. </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;">For some, living among “Seniors only” just
doesn’t feel right.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background: white; color: red; line-height: 115%;">Kids and
grandkids not welcome</span></b><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">. Many adult communities have strict covenants
particularly on grandchildren. For some
families, it may be a necessity to have grown children and/or grandchildren live with them for an extended time. Who can
predict life’s turns – sickness, divorce, unemployment? And what greater joy is there than for a
grandparent to spend time with their grandkids and help nurture them into
successful adults? In our case, my wife
and I made a conscious decision to settle close to our parents, so that our
children could enjoy the influence of their grandparent’s love and wisdom.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background: white; color: red; line-height: 115%;">High fees.</span></b><span style="background: white; color: red; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Many over 55 communities have great amenities – golf, swimming, tennis,
clubhouse</span><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">s – but these all cost money.
It is not uncommon to pay hundreds of dollars per month in fees. D</span><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">o you really want to be paying for a community
pool that you seldom, if ever, use? It’s
important to evaluate how much those amenities mean to you and whether you want
the long term liability of maintenance and capital improvements.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background: white; color: red; line-height: 115%;">Cookie-cutter
homes on postage stamp lots</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white;">. You’ve worked long and hard to
reach this point in life and achieve success.
Sure it makes sense to rightsize, (</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/rightsizing-your-home-for-happier-life.html">see my blog post on rightsizing your home for a happylife</a>)</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">, but do you really want to be living in a row of identical homes
where you can reach out the window and touch your neighbor? There are many well designed adult developments,
but there is something to be said for the elbow room and custom home feel of an
elegant </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">single family home community</span></a></span><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Tougher resale</b>.</span> E</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">ven if this is the last home you intend to buy, future resale value should still play a role in your decision making. In an adult community, the rules and regulations imposed by the Condo Association inherently limit your market of potential buyers. Age restrictions, pet restrictions, fencing/landscaping rules, parking, long term guest bans, etc. are all potential negatives. Consumer's want choice and flexibility. </span></span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">At ou</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: white;">r <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span></a> project</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> in Pelham,
we attempt to strike the balance between the simplicity and benefits of an over
55 community while keeping fees to a minimum and offering a diverse, vibrant single-family home community in a phenomenal location.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">We offer gazebo
areas with sunset views over the mountains, community gardens, open space and
hiking trails. Our lots are smaller than a conventional subdivision, averaging 0.7 acres, but large
enough for privacy. And our ranch model, The Currier, has all the convenience of luxury single story living with an open
concept floor plan and the craftsmanship of a true custom home. Here in New Hampshire we say – “Live free
and thrive!”</span></div>
john gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.com436 Spaulding Hill Road, Pelham, NH 03076, USA42.7117693 -71.375859817.1897348 -112.6844538 68.2338038 -30.0672658tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65353691854930135.post-49719616432135562242014-06-25T11:36:00.001-07:002015-03-20T09:45:54.305-07:00Are you afraid to buy a house?<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently, for the nth time, I was listening to a housing
economist discuss
the Millennial generation – again predicting that they will be a generation of
renters. I heard the well-worn litany of arguments: this
generation witnessed their parents get burned on their homes during the
recession, Millenials don’t believe that
homes are an investment, they have difficulty getting mortgages, they are forming
relationships later in life, etc., etc.
I agree that in the immediate aftermath of the housing crisis, these
factors were true and valid. But these
issues are temporal and rapidly fading – and certainly not a permanent
condition of the Millennials.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My experience is this:
young people have recovered confidence, want to own a home, can now get a
mortgage and, most importantly, are smart enough to know that buying a house is
a no-brainer. I also believe they have acquired
wisdom from observing their parents: they want smaller, greener, lower
maintenance homes - a home that works
for their lifestyles and priorities. (<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/rightsizing-your-home-for-happier-life.html"><span style="color: blue;">see my post on rightsizing your home for a happier life</span></a></span>) <o:p></o:p></div>
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With the proliferation of rent-versus-buy calculators, I was
curious to check the numbers for myself.
I took a look at buying a house in our project, <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span></a></span>, as compared to renting a similar
home in the area. In my analysis, I
took the ‘no investment’ perspective of the young buyer and assumed zero
appreciation over 15 years. At first
glance it appears that home ownership is more costly than renting -- by about
$4k per year. (check out the numbers
below) But when you compute the
interest tax deduction and the equity from your mortgage principal, <span style="color: red;"><b>you save $22k per year versus renting</b>! <b>Over
15 years, that’s $332,000</b>.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, let's be a little bit optimistic on home appreciation. Even taking the recent housing crisis into
account, long term home price appreciation roughly matches the rate of
inflation. Three percent per year seems
to be a generally accepted long term housing appreciation rate. If you add this appreciation into the
analysis, your home value increases from $429,000 to $668,000 in fifteen
years. The overall difference between
buying versus renting with 3% appreciation exceeds $572,000! So Millenials out there, consider this: <span style="color: red;">i<b>f you earn $90,000 a year, that equates to 6.4 years
of working</b></span>. If you value your time and life balance, 6+ years is a lot
of time to sacrifice. Even more striking, according to a recent <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/168707/average-retirement-age-rises.aspx"><span style="color: blue;">Gallup Poll</span></a></span>,
the average retirement age is 62 and the life expectancy of someone born in
1985 is just under 75 years which equates to 13 years of retirement. <b><span style="color: red;">By
this analysis, if you own a house for 15 years, you could potentially increase
your retirement years by almost 50% from 13 to 19+ years</span>.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WNsgDxIKFnAfechflTRgbs2ozSbSC6MNpgcZ2grvtvwE_pvnqqFi8VzsO6vYiTUbIoOCo9FxB-C5gVfhH-NoqaMaonk4_M8HD-LzVJ3Mp18bz2y7KSK3qQbaso0Baa3_937islhmCAQ/s1600/years+of+retirement.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WNsgDxIKFnAfechflTRgbs2ozSbSC6MNpgcZ2grvtvwE_pvnqqFi8VzsO6vYiTUbIoOCo9FxB-C5gVfhH-NoqaMaonk4_M8HD-LzVJ3Mp18bz2y7KSK3qQbaso0Baa3_937islhmCAQ/s1600/years+of+retirement.png" height="320" width="303" /></a></div>
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So don’t be afraid to buy a house
– be more afraid not to! </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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In this analysis, I only looked at a 15 year period and did
not take into account the incremental investment income that can be derived
from the savings. As you take these
additional variables into account, the argument for home ownership only gets
stronger.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t pretend to have a crystal ball for the future. We could have another housing crisis and
homeowners may be under water again.
Or, we may high inflation due to all the government spending since 2008
and owning a house may become all the more important as a hedge. Nobody knows and each person has to make
their own decision and risk calculation.
But I know that Millennials are more intelligent than the current
conventional wisdom reflects.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As always, comments and counterpoints welcome. If you want a copy of this spreadsheet, just
send me an email. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Check out Skyview</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></div>
john gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65353691854930135.post-5816035935580677332014-05-22T11:02:00.000-07:002015-02-19T09:32:13.698-08:00What's the right size home for you? The Rightsizing Equation<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a significant trend toward smaller homes amongst
both empty nesters and young families.
The generally used term is called downsizing--but I prefer “rightsizing.” I’ve always been a big proponent of
efficiency – sometimes to the chagrin of my wife (why cook in early December
when you can make at least 7 different meals using leftover turkey?). Our family recently moved from a 3500’
McMansion (which would be considered on the small side considering the trend of
the last 20 years) to a smaller cape which we renovated -- and the space feels larger and better utilized. (For
some great examples of this, read about architect Sarah Susanka’s concept of
the “not so big house” on her website <a href="http://www.notsobighouse.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.notsobighouse.com</span></a>.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are a number of hard facts that make rightsizing a
compelling argument. Empty nesters
moving to a smaller home can realize the economic benefits of lower mortgage,
utility, tax and maintenance expenses while at the same time not feeling
enslaved to the care of feeding of a large home. Just as importantly it improves quality of
life. Not to mention the fact that equity
from the sale of the larger home can be deployed to provide incremental
investment income.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For younger families, there has been a general shift in
sensibilities. Bigger is not
necessarily better. A well-appointed, efficient home that is green
and consumes fewer resources are the priorities. Just as with the older set, the young
families want a home that is a component of their lives but doesn’t rule their
lives. Along with this is the renewed
interest in community, common spaces and neighborhoods where people of all ages
have opportunities to interact.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In this post, I wanted to explore the hard numbers around
the generally accepted notion that rightsizing for empty nesters saves
money. After some consideration I
decided that there are really two independent scenarios to look at: 1) the cost reduction model and 2) the
investment income model.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the cost reduction model, I looked at a comparison
between the estimated costs of ownership of the 2054 sq foot “Currier” model
home at our <a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span></a> project versus a larger, 5500 sq foot home in the same area. We see this scenario playing out each day as
buyers look to move from homes within Skyview’s town of Pelham, from the Boston
area, or from other affluent communities in New Hampshire. I assumed that all other variables were
consistent between the two homes and did a rough estimate of utility cost based
on square footage. The net savings by
rightsizing is $33,000 per year.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the second scenario, I assumed that equity in the larger
home could be invested to produce
investment income. In this example, I
assumed $400,000 of equity in the home based on the current market value less
the current mortgage balance. For
capital gains tax, I assumed a 25% long term capital gains tax rate X the
difference between the sales price and original purchase price. After subtracting sales commission and down payment for the new
Currier home, more than $290,000 is left for investment. At a 7% annual return, that equates to over
$20,000 in annual investment income. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Every situation is different. If you’d like a copy of this spreadsheet,
just send me a quick email or connect
through our <a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span> </a>website. Regardless
of your particular circumstances, rightsizing your home can make a lot sense
both economically and in your quality of life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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john gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65353691854930135.post-17715551709230347972014-05-08T11:54:00.000-07:002015-03-20T08:44:33.445-07:00Can you still save half a million dollars by moving to New Hampshire?This is an update to a post I published last May. In the last 9 months, home prices in Boston have continued to rise. So, I re-ran my original analysis to see if you could still save half a million dollars buying in NH versus MA. Read on...<br />
<br />
The Boston area residential real estate market is hot -- driven in large part by the enormous resurgence in tech and life sciences companies. This infographic illustrates the variable of commuting distance from<br />
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downtown in determining home price. If you work in Boston or Cambridge, New Hampshire may seem a world away but it's only 34 miles to Kendall Square. You would be surprised at how many executives who work in Boston, Cambridge, Burlington and Waltham live in southern New Hampshire.<br />
<br />
I recently became involved in residential development in southern New Hampshire with our <a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview project</span></a>. Real estate agents kept telling me about the perception that Massachusetts buyers had about high property taxes in New Hampshire. That got me looking at property taxes and other factors that contribute to cost of living differences between NH and Mass. I came up with the following calculator that takes into account housing costs, tax rates, salaries, commute cost and a number of other factors. The results were pretty compelling - not only were <b>absolute property tax dollars LOWER in NH</b> but the <b>15 year savings were over half a million dollars</b>.<br />
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Now, my assumptions may be a bit off and not all situations are the same. I'd love to hear feedback. (If you want a copy of the actual spreadsheet to play with - send me an email.). <br />
<br />
Granted there are big differences between living in Cambridge, MA and Pelham, NH. But the difference between living in Westford and Pelham are far less dramatic. In fact, many Massachusetts and even New Hampshire residents aren't fully tuned in to the advantages of the New Hampshire living. <a href="http://johngargasz.blogspot.com/2014/05/top-20-reasons-to-live-in-new-hampshire.html"><span style="color: blue;">See my post on top 20 reasons to live in NH</span></a>. Sure, the commute is a bit longer if you are heading south but the traffic between the NH border and 495 is relatively easy as compared to downtown Boston. <br />
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So, take a look and let me know your thoughts. And if you are interested, check out our awesome homes at <a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span></a> - where by the way you can see the Prudential center from the top of the hill!<br />
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This post originally appeared on The John Gargasz blog @ blogger.com.<br />
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<br />john gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65353691854930135.post-48750490997498189492014-05-02T08:26:00.001-07:002015-02-19T09:35:20.357-08:00Top 20 Reasons to Live in New Hampshire<i>I am an avid supporter of the </i><i>burgeoning startup ecosystem in New Hampshire through <a href="http://www.10xvp.com/"><span style="color: blue;">10X Venture Partners</span></a>, the Granite Fund and Techout NH. I am also active in the local real estate market and we just launched a new residential subdivision - </i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"><a href="http://www.skyviewnh.com/" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">Skyview</span></a>. </span><span style="background-color: white;"> It strikes me that the message of everything NH has to offer doesn't get out enough. This post talks to the well known and lesser known benefits of New Hampshire living. </span> </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
New Hampshire reaches national prominence once every 4 years with the first in the nation presidential primary. While we may fade from the national consciousness between elections, New Hampshire is a phenomenal place to live with close proximity to Boston, the mountains and the ocean. The Live Free or Die state has the lowest tax burden in the nation as a percentage of gross income but that's only part of the story. Here are a number of other great reasons to consider the New Hampshire lifestyle - many of which will likely surprise you:<br />
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<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 48pt;" width="64">1 </td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">Sales Tax</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire has no general
sales tax.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.revenue.nh.gov/faq/gti-rev.htm">Source: NH Department
of Revenue Administration</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">2 </td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">Income Tax</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire has no general
personal income tax. Dividends and interest are taxed at only 5%.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/state-taxes-new-hampshire.aspx">Source: Bankrate</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">3 </td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">Capital Gains Tax</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire has no capital
gains tax.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.areadevelopment.com/stateResources/newHampshire/New-Hampshire-Basic-Business-Taxes.shtml">Source: Area
Development Online</a><br />
<br /></td></tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">4</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Small Business</td>
</tr>
<tr height="51" style="height: 38.25pt;">
<td height="51" style="height: 38.25pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire is friendly to
small businesses and entrepreneurs. New Hampshire is frequently among the top
5 in nationwide rankings of business-friendly states.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">5 </td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">Median Household Income</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire's median household
income of $62,647 is among the highest in the country.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acsbr11-02.pdf">Source: US
Census Bureau</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">6 </td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">Low Unemployment</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">As of March 2013, NH
unemployment is 5.7%; US average is 7.6%.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=z1ebjpgk2654c1_&amp%3Bctype=l&amp%3Bstrail=false&amp%3Bbcs=d&amp%3Bnselm=h&amp%3Bmet_y=unemployment_rate&amp%3Bfdim_y=seasonality%3AS&amp%3Bscale_y=lin&amp%3Bind_y=false&amp%3Brdim=country&amp%3Bidim=state%3AST330000&amp%3Bifdim=country&amp%3Bhl=en&amp%3Bdl=en&amp%3Bind=false">Source: US
Bureau of Labor Statistics</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">7</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> High-Tech Jobs</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire is ranked 9th in
the nation for percentage of high-tech jobs.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.thefreelibrary.com/N.H.+ranks+9th+in+tech+employment+study%3A+nearly+71+of+1,000+workers...-a0198932808">Source: TechAmerica</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">8 </td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">Retail Benefits</td>
</tr>
<tr height="51" style="height: 38.25pt;">
<td height="51" style="height: 38.25pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">Retail businesses benefit from
proximity to Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Canada as
residents shop in New Hampshire to benefit from the lack of sales tax.<br />
<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">9</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Quality of Life and Livability</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire has been ranked #1
in the nation for quality of life and livability 5 years in a row.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://stayworkplay.org/stay/quality-life/">Source: StayWorkPlay.org</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">10</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Safety</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire is the safest
state in the country.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/04/07/the-15-safest-state-to-live-in-based-on-2010-crime-rankings/">Source: CQ
Press</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">11</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Health</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire is the 3rd
healthiest state in the nation.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.americashealthrankings.org/rankings">Source: America's
Health Rankings</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">12</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Health Care Quality</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire is ranked 1st for
health care quality.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">
<td height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.pressherald.com/news/state-rises-in-ranking-of-health-care-quality-_2010-11-26.html">Source: Federal
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">13</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Highway Safety</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire has the 3rd fewest
fatalities per 100 million miles driven.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://reason.org/news/show/1003049.htmlperformance_traffic.shtml">Source: Reason
Foundation</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">14 </td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">Child Well-Being</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire is ranked 1st
nationally in the index for child well-being.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/map/7288-kids-count-overall-rank?loc=1&loct=2">Source: The
Annie E. Casey Foundation</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">15</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Vehicle Ownership</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire is the least
expensive state in which to own a vehicle.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2012/09/12/where-it-costs-the-most-to-own-a-car/">Source: Forbes</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">16</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Schooling Options</td>
</tr>
<tr height="68" style="height: 51.0pt;">
<td height="68" style="height: 51.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire offers many
private/non-government schooling options, including home schools, Montessori
schools, Waldorf schools, religious schools, boarding schools, and
traditional private high schools.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.greatschools.org/new-hampshire/">Source: GreatSchools</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">17</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Standard of Living</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire has the highest
standard of living in the country (based on poverty rate, 2011)</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.prospernh.com/downloads/NH%202012%20Economic%20Review.pdf?id=4294988562&dl=t">Source: PSNH</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">18</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Quality Education</td>
</tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">
<td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire 4th graders ranked
1st place in a national science assessment test.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.wcax.com/story/13910109/nh-4th-8th-graders-lead-nation-in-science-test">Source: WCAX</a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">19</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"> Outdoor Activities</td>
</tr>
<tr height="68" style="height: 51.0pt;">
<td height="68" style="height: 51.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">New Hampshire offers outdoor
activities throughout the year, including biking, bird watching, boating,
camping, climbing, fishing, golfing, going to the beach, hiking, horseback
riding, hunting, skate boarding, skiing, and snowmobiling.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.nhoutdoors.com/">Source: NH Outdoors</a><br />
<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td align="right" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">20 </td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">Hiker's Dream</td>
</tr>
<tr height="68" style="height: 51.0pt;">
<td height="68" style="height: 51.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 278pt;" width="371">NH is a great place for hikers,
boasting 48 mountains with peaks higher than 4,000 feet, access to the
Appalachian Trail, and numerous trails of various distances and difficulties
throughout the state.</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 278pt;" width="371"><a href="http://www.nhoutdoors.com/hiking-trails-in-new-hampshire/">Source: NH
Outdoors</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<br />john gargaszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770826427882891133noreply@blogger.com0