House sales are through the roof in northern NH.

[graywarrior]

My best friend, a realtor, tells me it's partly due to Obama being sworn in (according to her bosses).

[SheilaT]

1. Why would Obama's being sworn in

motivate people in northern NH to buy?

I have a cousin who lives up that way, and I visited him there back in May. Lovely part of the country, but too many bugs for me to be willing to live there.

[graywarrior]

2. The buyers are mostly from southern New England states.

I believe it's confidence that things will take a turn for the better.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Maybe it's to escape MA taxes?

Northern NH is lovely country, but there's a different kind of price to be paid. (Loooooong snowy winters, mud season, black fly season - yuck)

We looked to build/buy/retire up there, but decided against it.

Great people, open spaces north of Concord, but it's not for everyone.

I really think the realtor is yanking your chain.

[graywarrior]

6. I doubt she is.

I've known her for a long time and she was considering finding a new career but held on and now she is happy she did. One of her co-workers just got three properties under contract this weekend.

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. Condos, I presume? (Ski country)

Or else bargain-basement prices so low they're being scooped.

[graywarrior]

10. No, expensive stuff

Farm houses, heating monsters.

[customerserviceguy]

4. Sorry if this looks like dissing your friend

but I used to be a title officer, and realtors are notorious for stretching the truth. I mean, they use the word 'cozy' to describe 'tiny'!

[SoCalDem]

5. and "starter home, needs TLC "..a euphemism for

[laugle]

9. That's called marketing..........

The real sharks are the mortgage brokers, some not all, but of course the whole industry gets blamed.......

I could blame title officers for not fully explaining to clients at closing, all the details of their loans, but I won't...........you see how this goes...........

[laugle]

8. Housing is picking up due to the lowest interest

rates ever, in the 4.5 range. Also, prices have come down substantially, some as much as 45-50 percent.

If the credit markets loosen-up, it will be a great time to buy. If you have a good job/fico score, and can qualify for a mortgage, people should go for it! Right now, it seems to be mostly speculators, but hopefully in the spring people will start buying again. That will go a long way in bringing us out of this recession.

I hope Obama can do something about the banks that are holding onto the money, and free up the credit markets, without that, we are all screwed...............our equity will be gone...............