More positive news for the state of New Hampshire…
On April 17, 2011, CNBC.com reported on the states with the healthiest housing market in the USA. Lending Tree compiled the statistics for all of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to find the healthiest housing markets which were evaluated on 6 key criteria: debt as percent of income, unemployment rate, home ownership percentage, negative equity percentage, average home price, and the average loan to value ratio.
Frank Roche commented:
“It’s very positive two of the top ten states in the country were from New England. New Hampshire was 3rd in the country and Maine was 4th. NH placed behind Minnesota, which was second, and North Dakota, which was ranked the healthiest real estate market in the USA. When you look at all of the accolades that NH has garnered during the past year, we really have something to be proud of and this third place ranking just adds more fire power to our attraction as one of the most desirable states in the country in which to live.”
According to Roche, New Hampshire showed debt as a percent of income at 18%, an unemployment rate of 5.4%, a homeownership rate of 74.9%, negative equity rate of 25.2%, average home price of $243,000, and a loan as a percent of home value at 69.8%. Granted, the New Hampshire market is only a small percent (.42%) of the overall entire US market, however that is what makes our state so unique (considering that NH was named “the most liveable state in the country” for the fifth straight year and “the best place in the country to raise children” by the National Kids Count Survey). New Hampshire also had the lowest crime rate in the country according to FBI statistics, as well as the lowest poverty rate. To top it off, NH was picked the #1 state for retirement according to moneyrates.com.
Roche indicated, “with interest rates at the lowest in 35 years and values and real estate prices which have been reduced in many cases by 20-30%, it’s certainly a great time to move forward with a real estate investment in the Granite State of NH”.
Posted by Roche Realty Group, Inc.
