The Weeks Act of 1911...New Hampshire Native's hand in the National Forest

We all owe a debt of gratitude to this New Hampshire born statesman.



John W.Weeks: Was born in Lancaster New Hampshire in 1860, Served as a Congressmen from 1905- 1913, a U.S. Senator from 1913-1919 ,a Member of President Harding Cabinet in 1920 and then as Secretary of War from 1921-1925.

John Weeks tenure in Politics allowed him to be a strong advocate for the creation and the foundation of the United States National Forest System. This legislation became know as the Weeks act in 1911. This preservation movement began in 1906 when Congressmen Weeks made a motion to Congress to authorize Federal purchase of private land for the purpose of forest reserve. Ultimately it was Floods, forest fires and the protection of forest land's natural watershed that help to pass this legislation. The ability to control the water flow was defined as a primary function of the formation of the management of the forest reserve.

Weeks summer home on Mount Prospect in Lancaster New Hampshire, was dedicated to the state and the more than 400 acres, buildings and fire watch tower are know as Weeks state park today. If you ever get a chance to visit it is worth the trip and the Mountain views are terrific.





For more info on Weeks State Park… 603-788-4004

• Scenic overlooks
• Nature walks
• Picnic tables
• Observation - fire tower
• Memorial building museum
• 1 1/2 mile narrow, two way traffic road to the summit.
• For autos or walking, not suitable for busses or campers.
• Historic site fee paid at the memorial building.
• Importance of Weeks law told with photos, words and art.
• Teddy Roosevelt's gift moose head.
• Mounted specimens of New England birds and animals.
• Logging history

Demand & Supply... or... Supply & Demand

Not everything in the real estate business is in abundance of supply.

Lay-offs in the manufacturing sector will catch up with our industry as well. It not just about houses and cars, it's about inventory available for renovations, repairs and new construction. Developers have mothballed many projects around the country and as they wait for the market to turn. Their traditional supplies have had to slow production or close down plants completely...for lack of orders.

The economists and prognosticators I have read have suggested the recovery is a year or two off. That may seam like a long time for the resale market, but for new construction it may mean the need for short supplies, low inventory and a finite amount of warehoused back stock.

If you are waiting for the market to get better to build, do an addition or restart a subdivision you better be prepared to pay higher prices for lumber and material. These manufacturers are some of the companies laying off workers, reducing shifts and ware housing a bare minimum of supply.

As with every economic turn, the smart money gets out early and gets back in before the rest of the conservative players. If you plan to build a home or restart a month balled project now may be the best time to begin. Your finished offering or completed home will be done before your contractor has to pass on the higher materials costs of builders competing for a limited amount of ready supply.

In my opinion this theory goes for land purchases as well, this too is raw material for a building project. Land prices will only go up as resale inventory goes down. The signal for land sellers to raise prices or withdraw the flexible consideration of price and terms is a factor of supply and demand as well. If you have had your eye on a land purchase your days of great deals are numbered.

Your success in the field of real estate requires you to act ahead of the crowd, and time your purchase correctly. The bottom of the market is visible only when looking a historic data. In other words we know when the recovery happen after it takes place.


steve@alpinelakes.com
Toll free: 800-926-5653
www.alpinelakes.com

Vacation Ownership... but shared time and ownership

Most people know how timeshares work, you buy a week and wait all year to use it (or trade it).

There is another type of fragmented ownership that works better for those that want to visit there home resort more frequently.

The Quartershare concept offer 13 weeks of deeded ownership (owned fee simple), with your week occurring every fourth week. This allows you to know all the other owners of your same week, this is your home resort where you have friends are familiar with the vacation atmosphere and can have it for short money.

The RCI exchange is a bonus, use your week, rent your week or travel the world on an exchange.



Deer Park Resort, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire...close to Loon & Cannon Ski Areas with one bedrooms ownership from $15,900 and two bedroom ownership from the mid 30's.



Nice river views from your deck…a four season resort with skiing, river, ponds and the areas best indoor recreation center...plus the chance to exchange for a St. Somewhere trip when it gets too cold.

steve@alpinelakes.com / 800-926-5653
Property search: www.alpinelakes.com

Follow Up Short Sale

Do sellers have the wrong impression of the short sale process?

A decline in current market value doesn’t qualify you for a short sale, you may have a case for a loan modification (if your ARM is about to go up) but just because you can’t sell the property for enough to pay off the note, wouldn’t in and of itself allow you to negotiate special treatment.

Here is a recent conversation I had with a seller (not a real name)

Client Keith: Hi Steve, thanks for bringing me the offer so soon after reducing the price to current market value…what do I do next?
Broker Steve: You have requested a short sale status from your lender right? And you have authorized the lender to speak with me about the transaction right? And you have a contact person I can begin to work with right?
Keith: Steve I know you told me to do all those things when we first listed the property, and I know they sent you my pay off statement. But no I have never asked them for a short sale status on the property…I was hoping you could do all that.
Steve: I can’t do anything until you request authorization for the lender to speak with me, and they will do nothing to help you without a hardship letter and full financial disclosure.
Keith: Well I’m really busy and I thought you were getting paid a commission to close the deal…why can’t you call my bank and do everything?

It’s just not that easy, you qualified for the note when you purchased the property and help isn’t given to those that have means to continue to pay.

The words “the sale is subject to the sellers lender accepting a short sale transaction” in the purchase agreement may keep you from being sued for specific performance…but it doesn’t guarantee the lender will let you off the hook.

Your Mortgage Company is going to want to review your tax returns, retirement funds, income, assets, bank accounts, stocks, bonds and any other properties you may own to determine if you have a case for hardship. And the decline in value to a level below what you owe on the note has no bearing on your ability to continue to pay or to liquidate other assets to come up with your own shortfall.

Owing more than your property is worth doesn’t qualify you for a short sale.

These transactions may be all the rage where you live but they are not a free pass to get out of paying what you agreed when you borrowed the money.

Hell if I were a stock holder in that bank I would want you to pay back the money you borrowed from "Us".

- Steve Loynd
your White Mountain N.H. real estate expert.

“I have motored through nearly every state in our country, and while opinions may vary with shifting scenes in many places, I always return to my 1st love – New Hampshire. There is no more charming or beautiful spot. I have been there some part of sixty years. Then covered bridges, old houses, white churches, rocky fields, and zigzag fences – all of them forming the backdrop against which sunshine, rain and snow play a symphony of color, light and music of mystic charm and beauty. No wonder there are fine and gracious folk in New Hampshire. It could not be otherwise in such pleasant surroundings. – Wallace Tibbetts, Wellesley, Massachusetts”

I personally love to glance out my kitchen window at the white church the sits behind my house. It gives me a peaceful feeling seeing that white steeple peering above the pine trees. While tourists are paying to come vacation in New Hampshire just to capture a week or even a weekend of the peace and harmony that our gorgeous landscaped scenes provide, there are some residence who don’t always appreciate how lucky we are to be able to have the opportunity to enjoy these beautiful portraits right in our own back yard everyday.

Some of us have lived in New Hampshire for so long that we’ve taken for granted what we need those ‘outside the box’ to remind us to be thankful for. Thank you Wallace Tibbetts for a wonderfully detailed reminder of how lucky I am to be a New Hampshire resident.
– Bobi Bigelow