Posts made by author 'Debbie Anderson'

Realtors discuss impact of COVID-19 pandemic

The Cabinet Press – April 17, 2020

As stay-at-home orders remain in effect, the question for real estate brokers is will people stay in their homes or sell while there are few offerings on the market?

Marc Drapeau, president of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors moderated a panel discussion and press conference recently with several members of the New Hampshire realty community to discuss trends amid the pandemic.

Chris Masiello, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and the Masiello Group, with 34 offices in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, said in general, people are

optimistic.

"There are people who are for sure waiting, putting their decisions off," he said. "There certainly is a sense of wanting to get back to whatever normal looks like at the other end of this. We're just very focused on helping our agents and our customers work their way th...

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Badger Realty's Leavitt urges businesses to keep their lights on to raise spirits

NH Business Review Staff - March 25, 2020 

As businesses throughout New England struggle to find ways to cope and help others as the economic issues created by the coronavirus pandemic continue to move up the curve, Brenda Leavitt of Badger Realty in North Conway had a simple idea that's catching on in other communities.

"Let there be light to offer hope," she suggested to the Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce.

From that suggestion, a movement is now underway for Mt. Washington Valley businesses to join other communities in encouraging businesses to leave their lights on at night to continuing offering hope to all.
Leavitt explained her revelation through a story about the late Dick Badger, owner and founder of Badger Realty.

"Our former leader, Dick Badger, deserves the credit for this idea. When we opened Badger Realty in Jackson many years ago, Dick would stop in after the office was closed and turn the lights on in the lobby. He always said, "We will leave the lights on for you!," she said. "There is nothing more concerning to me than darkness. Since our office is closed to the public traffic at present, I did not want the office to be dark. This is our way of lighting the way to hope."

As a result, wrote Janice Crawford, executive director of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce, in a letter to members, "We are suggesting that you keep your front door light and/or storefront lights on throughout the night to offer optimism and raise spirits.

In addition, she suggested "changing your light bulb to green is one more additional step you could make to add to the feeling. Green is the color of hope. If you still have your Christmas lights in your windows, consider changing the bulb to green and keeping them on."

Twinkling white lights in trees and hedges or around roof lines have also been encouraged to stay on or added – a phenomenon that's happening in communities around the country.

Already in North Conway Village, Badger Realty, Toy Chest, Spruce Hurricane and a growing number of additional businesses are leaving outside lights on all night to send a message of optimism to residents of Mt. Washington Valley and visitors.

Photo Credit Aerial  - Dan Houde

Photo Credit Storefronts - Debbie Anderson

It's a Dog E. Dog World. I know you're reading that and saying to yourself "He's a nut job, it's supposed to be 'dog eat dog'." And you're right. It's also true that, although more formal and professional, Kermit the Frog's name is not Kermit E. Frog (But don't tell my sister-in-law that!). I truly have no smooth transition from that to our topic today but here goes. Pets are a fantastic part of being human and offer loads of benefits beyond just companionship and loyalty. But housing a pet is another story. I lived with a couple housemates for a while and one of them had a dog. I learned quickly that although it was the dog's abhorrent behavior that was beyond annoying and leaned me towards never wanting one for myself, it was the owner's poor training (or complete lack thereof) that was the issue. But I digres...

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I think my calling was to be a grandparent. I enjoy kids, as long as they are someone else's. I'm happy to spend time with them and enjoy hearing their perspective on the world (which is almost always adorable!). I'm just happy I don't have to deal with them once their behavior inevitably implodes. As a parent, you know that you need to keep your family in mind when you're home shopping. After chatting with a few parent-friends of mine, I picked up a few pointers they wished they had known before they hit the closing table. Let's review a few of those and perhaps save you the same missteps when evaluating a new home.

First and foremost, especially for toddlers and under, is bedroom placement. My good friends just moved to New Hampshire and just had their first child. At the time, it did...

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It was a sunny 4^th of July and another gorgeous summer day. My friend waited for his 2 young daughters to finish up in their upstairs bathroom and the family of four exited the house and walked across the street for a neighborhood barbeque. What better way to spend a holiday than with friends, food and fun. When they returned home, the fun immediately stopped. While they were enjoying the neighbor's Slip-N-Slide in the back yard, they had their very own being created down the main stairs of the house. 

It was a simple little thing. After the toilet flushed, something went askew with the inner workings and something got plugged. The second my friend and his family walked out the door, the water began over-flowing and continued to do so for the entire day while they were a mere 50 y...

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