Calling All First Time Home Buyers in NH: What You Should Know About Buying Your First Home

Ready to start the process of buying your first home here in New Hampshire? 

There’s a lot to know and digest when it comes to being a first-time home buyer in NH. For one, New Hampshire is smack in the middle of the often discussed “Northeast.” We have a vast set of unique challenges associated with our four-season environmental experience when it comes to the dealing with the four unique times of year we’re faced with in New Hampshire.

Spring is damp.

Summer is hot and humid.

Fall is cool and dry.

Winter is cold, dark, and full of environmental curiosities – from snow to, to ice, to sleet, and everything surrounding the weather that gets thrown at you and your home during the winter months.

Outside of the seasons, New Hampshire is full of different landscapes. There are flat areas, mountainous areas, damp areas, dry areas, and more. There are also different “regions.” There’s, again, the mountains, the lakes region, the seacoast and modes of settling into your first home in a rural area, or a more urban setting. You can literally get lost in the remote location of northern New Hampshire or be close to bustling cities such as Boston and Portland.

In short, there’s a vast pool of things to consider as a first-time home buyer in New Hampshire – the good ol’ Granite State. Here are a few questions to keep in mind.

What can you expect when buying your first home in NH?

Here are a few tips when choosing your ideal living situation:

Where do you work?

This seems like an obvious one, but in some cases, people don’t place this first and foremost. Sure, jobs change, but for the time being, focus on where you’re at while keeping an eye on where you hope to go with your profession. Commutes can be draining, so place yourself in a geographically appropriate location in New Hampshire to cut down on the time spent getting to and from your place of employment. You’ll thank us for this in the long run. Because you can “deal with it” now, doesn’t necessarily mean you want to stick to a long commute for a long period of time.

Where do you want to be when you’re at home?

We touched on this above. New Hampshire has a lot to offer. Do you want to be in a wooded, remote area that allows you the ability to walk into your back yard and hit the hiking trails? Perhaps you enjoy the water. There’s a lot of that at your disposal as a home owner in NH. The secondary question is, do you like fresh, or salt water? As you likely understand, both are quite different, and there are a lot of waterfront properties available in NH. Do you desire to be in a location that offers vast retail options, or do you lean more towards fewer options oriented more towards the “mom and pop” kind of shops? Do you want your own yard, or would you rather not be bothered by landscaping duties and/or expenditures?

What kind of home to you wish to buy?

 Small or large? Stand alone, duplex, or condo? The property choices in New Hampshire are endless. With an assortment of new builds and historic properties throughout the state, you need to keep in mind that the older the property, the more upkeep will be needed. Are you handy? If so, the luxury and appeal of an old, historic NH property might be the perfect fit for you. On the flipside, if you’re looking for modern, efficiency minded builds, let’s discuss new homes that are popping up routinely in communal urban style neighborhoods or off the beaten path in a rural setting.

What can you expect in terms of paperwork, loans, open houses, inspections?

This is a loaded question. There’s lot to consider. And, in many ways, this is not all on you. This is why it’s important to choose a realtor that not only knows the ins and outs of New Hampshire as a home buyer’s destination, but also knows the local, state, and federal guidelines and regulations that need to be met in order to bring your “first time home buyer in New Hampshire” tag to fruition. All of the paperwork, loan options, and open house scheduling are important, but even more unique to New Hampshire is the inspection process. Due to the different environmental “agitations” outlined above, properties in NH need to be closely inspected to make sure they’re not weathering poorly in any facet. Not to mention the tests you should be considering from air to water quality. These items are not always the first thing on people’s minds but given the large degree of minerals found in New Hampshire’s soil (hello, we’re called “the Granite State” after all…) you need to be sure you’re not subjecting yourself to harmful minerals and gasses such as lead, arsenic, or radon.

These are just a few considerations to be mindful of. Again, finding an agent that is knowledgeable, and personable is a huge asset to have. We here at Verani Realty offer just that, and we strive to leave you feeling like the entire first-time home buying process is positive and seamless. We work for you, assuring you that your best interests are met, and that you first home is your favorite place to be for a long time to come.

Being a new home buyer in New Hampshire can be stressful. But it doesn’t have to be. Contact us today and we’ll get you on the right path to your first property acquisition!