Finding your home can be an exciting adventure. But as you begin your search for your new home, soon you can find out that it can become a very time consuming and daunting task.  How can you streamline the process to make your search for your home both pleasurable and successful?

So to summarize these are the 5 Great tips are:

(1) Get your preapproval, a solid iron clad preapproval from a highly skilled, competent lender.

(2) Keep your online search broad, not to rule out that dream home you have been looking for.

(3) Check out the neighborhood, look at aerial and bird's eye views, drive by the neighborhood before booking a showing. You don't want to book a showing just to find out that once you drive into the neighborhood that it is not for you.

(4) Make sure that you consider and get updates on homes that are taking back up offers, homes that come back on the market, and homes with price reductions.

(5) Now really narrow the search as you book showings. You should see a maximum of 3-5 homes a day. This will ensure that you remember what you saw, and can really assess if you have found a home you love and that is right for you.

Whether your search is for a single family home, luxury home, condo, first time home, or a multifamily, these tips serve as a great guideline to get you that home you are looking for. I have five great tips to help you with that search and you should find that the results will bring you closer to finding that dream home.

We strive to make your home search and home purchase as smooth and pleasurable as possible. We not only provide you with proven results, but a keen sense of interest in you and your needs. We listen to you. We work on behalf of our client's best interests

I am Lisa Waller-Gage with RE/MAX Properties in Nashua, NH. I help home buyers find their dream home in New Hampshire. I work in the Greater Nashua, Merrimack, NH area and specialize in assisting buyers with the purchase of single family homes, luxury homes and luxury condos, condos, first time buyer homes, and multifamily homes. I am a Accredited Buyer's Representative, a recognized designation with the National Association of Realtors.

We specialize in Nashua, NH homes, Merrimack, NH homes, Amherst NH homes, Hollis, NH homes, Milford, NH homes, Brookline, NH homes, Mont Vernon, NH homes, New Boston, NH homes, Dunbarton, NH homes, Manchester, NH homes, Bedford, NH homes, Hudson, NH homes, Pelham, NH homes, Windham, NH homes. We serve many areas of Hillsborough County, NH and Rockingham County NH. We help buyers purchase homes, luxury homes, condos, first time homes, and multifamily homes.

 

I was thrilled to read recently that Boston was recognized as one of the top cities for staying healthy and working out.  Apparently, the Zumba craze has taken the city by storm and the Charles River has a beautiful walking and running trail. 

Let me tell you New Hampshire should be right up there, as far as I am concerned.  If you live in New Hampshire or are looking to move here, you will know that the air is a lot cleaner than the city.  We have lots of great running trails and bike trails all over the state, and a lot of really great gyms.  If your looking to exercise, the possibilities are endless in the Granite State.  Nashua has Mines Falls Park with picturesque walking and biking trails along the Nashua River and through some beautiful wooded areas.  You can also find trails similar to this along the coast and also when you visit the White Mountains.  I especially like the White Mountain trail that leads you by some of the beautiful natural attractions.  One is the Basin-Cascades Trail it starts at the Basin and ascends along beautiful Cascade Brook.  For more information on walking and biking trails go to http://www.VisitNH.gov. 

New Hampshire is also a great place to Ski or Swim, and last but not least we have a great variety of health clubs.  I personally am a member of Gold's Gym.  It is a national brand that is run by a local entrepreneur, Ten Bernson.  Ted owns several of the Nashua/Manchester area Gold's Gyms and has them all running like a well oiled machine.  I like the mobility of going to whichever gym is convenient.  They have some of the better classes like Body Pump, and great instructors. I have to admit I strayed to another gym for a year, and came right back to Gold's when my other gym membership ended.  Gold's Gym has childcare, spinning and tanning. Other gyms that are real nice in the area include: Crowne Plaza Nashua, Hampshire Hills in Milford, and the Executive Club in Manchester.  See the map below for some of the Nashua area gyms.  No matter what you prefer for a gym model, New Hampshire has it.

This review is an independent review and is not a paid endorsement of any kind.  As a local blogger, I enjoy getting the word out about great NH places to visit, shop, dine or attend.  I am a local Realtor, Lisa Waller-Gage with RE/MAX Properties in Nashua, NH.   I have sold hundreds of homes in Southern New Hampshire.  I love New Hampshire.  If you wish to buy or sell a home in the Greater Nashua area, I love to help people.  Email me at [email protected] or call me at 603-589-8800 x 2312.  Or you can visit my website at www.LiveinNH.com.  I promise to provide you with excellent service from today until the day you close on your new New Hampshire home.  I specialize in the New Hampshire residential real estate and can help you buy or sell a home in New Hampshire.  I can provide you with information to relocate to New Hampshire and assist you in your move.  Stay posted and subscribe to my blog www.GreatFindsNH.com for more journal and video blogs about great finds in New Hampshire

I tend to lunch out a lot.  It is a great way to visit a variety of restaurants, sample the culinary talents in the kitchen and still have plenty of time to go on about your day.   I headed out for lunch the other day, and I had waited a little too long to make my way.  I was already quite hungry.  This can be a risky move, when heading out to eat.  You may end up at a restaurant where you have to wait too long for your food as your stomach growls.  Or on the other hand, you could end up ordering a dish that you thought would be really delicious.  The dish could arrive only to disappoint you.  You’re left with an unsatisfied feeling and a bit of a belly ache.    

So, I headed down Amherst Street tying to decide where to lunch.  I found myself heading into a new Pizza Restaurant called "Crush."  It had a striking awning in the front that was sort of a burnt orange with red letters, I believe.  It said Crush Pizza with some description below that did sound enticing, but I cannot recall the exact wording.  But from what I had heard it was supposed to be super freshly made pizza with freshly crushed tomatoes for ingredients.

To begin with, I had a small caesar salad. It was made with the restaurant's own homemade dressing.  By the way it tasted, I would venture to guess that they had made the caesar dressing from scratch just for my salad.  I had never tried a caesar salad like that except for the way it was served tableside at Nashua Country Club.  I could taste the fresh olive oil, the lemon, the egg, the anchovies, the garlic and the fresh parmesan cheese.   If I was single, I would have married the chef that made it.  It was that good.  Before I tried it, I made the comment out load that it did not have croutons in it.  I said this after the waitress had already walked away.  But later, another waitress came over and brought me these crispy toasted bread slices with garlic and rosemary and cheese on them, yum!  She told me they were for me because my salad did not have croutons.

The pizza places in the top 2 of the best pizzas I ever had in my life.  The only other pizza I had that was probably a close tie was at this little brick walled restaurant I once visited in Greenwich Village, New York.  So this "Crush" Pizza had dough that was fresh and so it baked soft on the inside, the tomatoes, cheese and toppings reminded me of eating in the North End years ago before it was so commercialized.  Every ingredient was really fresh and flavorful.  The waitress, Lori, told me that the reason that my lunch was so good was because it was made of all fresh-that-day ingredients.  She pointed out the owner to me.  She told me that the owner's name is Tony and he owns two jewelry stores in New Hampshire, I believe.  She told me he was the owner of Naser Jewelers.  He looked very unpretentious with a wood pizza board in his hand that he used to push the pizza into the Italian brick oven.

So today I viewed the website and I learned that Pizza originated in Naples Italy.  According to the Crush website, "Neopolitan pizza in its purist form has been made the same way in Naples since the 17th century."  This is what they serve at Crush.  

The restaurant is simple, clean, with a nice interior and a little bar with a flat screen where business men sat and had a beer and their wine.  Surprisingly, it is sited at a strip mall.  But after I tasted the pizza, I did not care.  Besides, I would imagine that opening a restaurant is expensive enough.  But I was also happy to know that they did not skimp when it came to quality ingredients.  Typically, you have to order from local talents such as Michael Buckley or John Wyman to be guaranteed that level of culinary discretion in the selection of ingredients. 

If you're looking for a great pizza, Crush Pizza is at 449 Amherst Street in Nashua.  For more information on this Pizza Restaurant go to http://www.Crushpizza.com. 

This review is an independent review and is not a paid endorsement of any kind.  As a local blogger, I enjoy getting the word out about great NH places to visit, shop, dine or attend.  I am a local Realtor, Lisa Waller-Gage with RE/MAX Properties in Nashua, NH.   I have sold hundreds of homes in Southern New Hampshire.  I love New Hampshire.  If you wish to buy or sell a home in the Greater Nashua area, I love to help people.  Email me at [email protected] or call me at 603-589-8800 x 2312.  Or you can visit my website at www.LiveinNH.com.  I promise to provide you with excellent service from today until the day you close on your new New Hampshire home.  Stay posted and subscribe to my blog www.GreatFindsNH.com for more journal and video blogs about great finds in New Hampshire.

August 8, 2001 (Pheasant Lane Mall, Nashua, NH) A New England based restaurant group will open Burton's Grill on August 8, 2011 at the Pheasant Lane Mall.  These restauranteurs desribe Burtons as "haven for active, discerning adults with sophisticated palates interested in high-quality food and wine," on their website.  The restaurant is set in rich color tones and will have 220 seats with indoor and  outdoor patio, featuring Contemporary American Cuisine.

On Monday, August 8th, Burton's will be offering 50% off all entrees. Mayor Donnalee Lozeau will do an official ribbon cutting at 5.pm.  Burton's is not taking reservations on opening day.  The hours of Burton's Grill are 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon - 9 p.m. on Sunday.  For more information on Burton's visit Burtonsgrill.com

This review is an independent blog is not a paid endorsement of any kind.  As a local blogger, I enjoy getting the word out about great NH places to visit, shop, dine or attend.  I am a local Realtor, Lisa Waller-Gage with RE/MAX Properties in Nashua, NH.   I have sold hundreds of homes in Southern New Hampshire.  I love New Hampshire.  If you wish to buy or sell a home in the Greater Nashua area, I love to help people.  If you want to know more about New Hampshire Homes for sale or have questions, email me at [email protected] or call me at 603-589-2312.  Or you can visit my website at www.LiveinNH.com.  I promise to provide you with excellent service from today until the day you close on your new New Hampshire home.  Stay posted and subscribe to my blog www.GreatFindsNH.com for more journal and video blogs about great finds in New Hampshire.

The Lincoln Village Shops will be the venue for this years New England Brewfest in Lincoln, New Hampshire.  Presented by the Loon Mountain Resort, the Brewfest is from 4pm to 7pm on Saturday, the 25th of June. 2011. 


The Brewfest will feature Live Entertainment, Craft Beer Education, Food, Beer and Brewery Souvenirs.   There will be 20 participating New England Breweries in attendance including The Flying Goose Brew Pub, Peak Organic Brewery, Tuckerman Brewing Company, The Woodstock Brewery and many more.

For more information on the event visit the www.NEbrewfest.com. For updates on more great journal blogs and video blogs by Great Finds NH, "Like" on our GreatFindsNH Facebook Page, or get Twitter updates by following us on our GreatFindsNH Twitter Page. 

This review is an independent review and is not a paid endorsement of any kind.  As a local blogger, I enjoy getting the word out about great NH places to visit, shop, dine or attend.  I am a local Realtor, Lisa Waller-Gage with RE/MAX Properties in Nashua, NH.   I have sold hundreds of homes in Southern New Hampshire.  I love New Hampshire.  If you wish to buy or sell a home in the Greater Nashua area, I love to help people.  Email me at [email protected] or call me at 603-589-8800 x 2312.  Or you can visit my website at www.LiveinNH.com.  I promise to provide you with excellent service from today until the day you close on your new New Hampshire home.  Stay posted and subscribe to my blog www.GreatFindsNH.com for more journal and video blogs about great finds in New Hampshire.

Great Finds New Hampshire is scheduled to visit Pig's Fly Bakery near the coast.

Pig's Fly Bread is all natural bread that is baked daily.  They currently have bakeries in Portsmouth, NH,  Freeport, ME,  Kittery, ME, York, ME ,  Somerville, MA,  Brookline, MA.  They have fresh classic and artisan breads.  Samples are available throughout the bakeries and Pig's Fly is also available through mail order at www.SendBread.com. 

Be sure to "Like" Great Finds NH on Facebook or Twitter and get alerts when our video and journal blogs have been posted on Great Finds in New Hampshire.

This blog entry is an independent entry and opinion and is not a paid endorsement of any kind.  As a local blogger, I enjoy getting the word out about great NH places to visit, shop, dine or attend.  I am a local Realtor, Lisa Waller-Gage with RE/MAX Properties in Nashua, NH.   I have sold hundreds of homes in Southern New Hampshire.  I love New Hampshire.  If you wish to buy or sell a home in the Greater Nashua area, I love to help people.  Email me at [email protected] or call me at 603-589-8800 x 2312.  Or you can visit my website at www.LiveinNH.com.  I promise to provide you with excellent service from today until the day you close on your new New Hampshire home.  Stay posted and subscribe to my blog www.GreatFindsNH.com for more journal and video blogs about great finds in New Hampshire.

The Winnipesaukee Ballroom at Church Landing on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in Meredith will be the venue for the Sixth Annual Winnipesaukee Wine Festival on Thursday, June 23 from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.

The event is by The Common Man Restaurants and The Martignetti Companies of New Hampshire.  Tickets are $50.  The evening’s festivities will benefit CHMM Community Caregivers and White Mountain Foster & Rescue.  Ticket holders will enjoy featured wine, spirits and beer.

Some of the vintners participating include Rutherford, Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, J. Lohr, Cannonball, Duckhorn, Rombauer, Penfolds, Layer Cake, St. Supery, and Seven Deadly Zins.  There will be tapas-style hors d’oeuvres served to accompany the wine being offered.  Live Jazz will help create the ambience to the event. 

Lastly, ticket holders will enjoy the opportunity to win some great getaway prizes for the events raffle and silent auction.  Getaway prizes include: overnight at Church Landing at Mill Falls in Meredith, a seaside getaway in Nantucket, and a getaway to an Adirondack-style cabin. 

Ticket availability is limited, and advance tickets are recommended.  More information on the Sixth Annual Winnipesaukee Wine Festival can be obtained by visiting thecman.com or tickets can be ordered by calling (603) 968-9330.

It had been a long time since I had visited the Consignment Galleries.  I love them both.  One is in Amherst on 74 Route 101A.   The other Consignment Gallery is located at 294 South River Road in Bedford.  By appointment, you can have your items prequalified to become part of the gallery inventory and reap as much as 65% of the purchase price of the item!

I thought it may benefit my home decor to add some items that are unique.  So many items give you that impression that they mass produced and commercial.  In my real estate profession, I have sold hundreds of homes and walked through thousands.  What makes a home stand out is when it has a more custom decor, and gives you that experience that makes you say “wow.” 

Often a home that has made an impression on me looks like an artist went around and put live décor all around to reflect the life and personality of its owner.  So visiting the Consignment Gallery is a great opportunity to discover great finds in New Hampshire that are perhaps one-of-a-kind in your circle of friends and family who you welcome into your home.  The galleries offer many items that would allow you to create that custom appeal in your own home.  After all you are one of a kind, and whether you live alone or with a family, you have a story to tell.   You have a home and the way you make your home look and feel should be personal to you, a place that is aesthetically pleasing and feels good for the soul.

The nice thing about The Consignment Gallery is that the items showcased there are really displayed nicely.  It is easy to saunter through the aisles admiring each piece of furniture, house wares, décor, or even jewelry that appeals your senses.  The sales floor is spacious and well light in both stores.  There is a place for everything.

At the top of this blog is a great vintage style piece of art that depicts a surfer at the beach.  I love the bright classic yellow in this piece.  This was in the Bedford gallery and priced at $18.

Below is a really rare piece of furniture that you probably won't find at your local department or furniture store.  It looks like some type of wrought iron table with a shiny top that looks like mother of pearl.  The table has a glass top I believe and encases the most precious shells, and other collections from the sea in a bed of soft white beach sand.  This was priced at only $97 in the Bedford gallery.

If you have ever delved into the pages of Ballard Design Catalog, you know that you have your eye on some great pieces that have upscale, custom look and quality.  The catalog tends to be a bit pricey, so when I saw this Ballard Design Wine and Kitchen Cabinet below, I was in love.  The glass doors lock and it really is a great find, priced at $557 to the best of my recollection.  I saw it also at the Bedford Gallery.

Above is a whimsical little collection of three appetizer plates that I bought at the Amherst gallery.  The are simply marked France on the back.  I thought they were great.

Nothing conjurs up images of an upscale and streamlined kitchen like William Sonoma.  For about $4 I made these adorable little olive oil dishes part of my kitchen and dining collection.  I just love them. They are from the Amherst Gallery.

Another category of items the galleries have is the jewelry of many different styles and price ranges.  It is really a joy to look at all the eye candy glistening before you.

Well I thoroughly enjoyed my last few visits at the Consignment Galleries.  Sundays you will find many patrons admiring the many great items the galleries have to offer. It is a time when they seem unhurried and eager to discover everything that appeals to them.  Last Sunday, was my most recent visit.  I really look forward to finding time to visit again soon.  Whether you love shopping, decorating, thrifting or antiquing, I think you too will love the Consignment Gallery.