Depending on who you listen to in discussing the local economy, one will get different opinions based on that persons perceived view on the economy of Derry. Last week, I had a few e-mails and phone calls about the recently approved TIF bonding the council unanimously approved and how crazy the council must be to approve such a bond in such a down economy.
I usually start with the fact the if you buy into the national media outlets, one would start to see all the negative aspects of day to day living, such as the unemployment figures, more foreclosed home coming etc etc.. and would leave some to believe that the sky is falling and we must hunker down.
For those that feel this way, I can respect that under some circumstances that is a true reality. Some even go as far as blaming all the foreclosed homes issue on the town council themselves...and in one case a person claims that a bank is telling people not to come to Derry because of the property taxes. Very interesting and I highly doubt that a bank would "red line" a community because that would be illegal!
Yes illegal! So when someone tells you this, consider the source and re-think about it.
Anyway, Lets look at the real data. We all know that New Hampshire fairs much better than the rest of the country as far as the economy goes..not perfect but not gloom and doom as some want you to believe.
Next, many of you know that Real Estate is my profession.
Take a look at these facts about Derry Housing. The facts are based on MLS readings of today. I took Single family homes only. Not Condos, Not commercial or Land listings.
Number of Houses currently on the market in Derry: 132 properties
Number of home Pending: 22 properties
That's a six months supply! Six months supply! Way down from the high of 10-12 month supply.
Now out of those that are pending: 1 is 300K or over, 10 are 200K to 300K and 11 are under 200K.
Now for the people who are complaining about the TIF and commercial development in Town... I see Tractor Supply come in to Hood Plaza, The completion of the Goddard school on Tsienneto Rd as well that Tire Warehouse began building on the same road. The new butcher shop on 28 and the news that the Fire Hall pub has new owners..
Lets start focusing on the positives in our town instead of the negative. Seems the same negative messages come from the same people over and over..
Lets look at the facts when we talk folks.. and make em positive ones for a change please!
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24 comments:
Bravo Brian!
The news cycle is a trailing indicator of the economy. Everyone knows that 2 things sell: sex and misery.
In Derry the ‘Grapevine” feeds on both.
The best investors make their best plays at the floor of the cycle. Few if any have a crystal ball to time the market. But most can sense when the upside is greater than the down. We may well be at that point.
I would feel better if we had aggressive marketing underway with development in Derry since the demise of the relationship with the DEDC. To have made the investment in infrastructure is good and timely but filling up the acreage will take someone aggressively finding and following up on opportunities.
Now is the time to be active and aggressive.
How is the Derry Town Council going to use the Rt. 28 widening to our benefit and who is going to be responsible to execute?
anon 2:48,
We are working on marketing piece as well. Council budgeted $75K for the marketing and you will begin to see discussion on this very quickly!
Thanks for the positive comments!
"anon 2:48" "Now is the time to be active and aggressive." You said it.
Coming out of the Town Forum an economic development group was formed. I think there are 3 or 4 of us left. We would welcome your participation. Our next meeting is on the 14th at the municipal center at 7pm. See you there.
Doug Newell
BC, I am in favor of positive thinking but attracting Walmart is not the answer to our problems. Its shortsighted to think that business taxes can bail us out. We need to accept what kind of town we are instead of continuously trying to reinvent ourselves.
I'm sorry BC but the housing market, Tractor Supply and the rest of your facts have nothing to do with whether spending about $10Million of taxpayer money on widening that road is the best use of the money. Even if houses were being gobbled up faster than you can close on them how does that make that investment a wise one? Derry is not growing... and we all know why.
You also continue to equate development with low-paying retail locations. (Do you want to swap your job for one at Tractor Supply? I don't.)
If you want some really positive news, we are less than 6 months until the March elections. "Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, (we'll be) free at last."
This is a little out of context for this particular blog posting, but I have to say it when the iron is hot.
It was an honor to see the number of town councilors and townsfolk who took the time out of their "busy" schedules to make an appearance at the Derry Fire Department's 9/11 Memorial Ceremony that took place for the entirety of all of 15 minutes this morning at Derry Central Fire Station.
Out of the 7 sitting Derry Town Councilors, guess how many managed to make an appearance???
Heartfelt "Thank You" to Gary Stenhouse and Frank Childs for taking time this morning to come down to Central for a few minutes of rememberance for all those who were lost 8 years ago. Your presence and your willingness to spare your time to pay homage to those who gave everything to save innocent lives did not go unnoticed. Again, I thank you.
For those who could not make it, I say this. 24/7/365.
For all those who didn't make it home that day 8 years ago... We will NEVER forget.
anon 10:29,
We were not invited. Unless you did, we did not get the message.
BC:
Sorry excuse, "We were not invited."
It was advertised in the Derry News, Eagle Tribune, Union Leader, USA Today, and on WMUR.
We all live busy lives and obviously cannot be expected to be at every ceremony or town gathering but please don't use the excuse that you weren't invited. As in years past, it was an open invitation to the entire community.
Anon 10:29, you were 240 miles away from the towers.
If you really want to honor those that lost their lives on 9/11/01 stop wrapping yourselves 24/7/365 around their sacrifice as justification for your higher wages.
To accept the funds you extorted from your town this year is disgraceful. Especially while your brothers are taking cuts all around you.
You make us all look bad.
132 EXISTING homes for sale. Thats not growth!!
There would be many more houses on the market if the values were up where they should be.
Anon 2:35 it is people like you who make the rest of us Hard working citizens of Derry look bad take a good look in the mirror like I said IT IS YOU WHO THAT MAKES US LOOK REALLY BAD. You hide behind your so called patriotism but yet bash the Firefighters who protect us 24/7.
I bet if you where offered a raise at work you would take it not turn it back and say no thanks. They need to eat also. They are not overpaid they are just in the public eye 24/7 doing there job with no complaint even though they get bashed by people like you who. It is a relief the majority of the people in Derry support our Firefighters including me so please shut up I for one am sick of your negitivity
"They are not overpaid" ...you base that statement upon....what?
if they are NOT OVERPAID, then why is it there is a waiting list to get a job at the DFD?
There is no waiting list at my place of employment and I am will to bet everywhere else too.
I have to agree with Anon 2:35.
The events of 9/11 were a terrible tragedy. But for the Derry Firefighters to use that day to promote themselves is also a tragedy.
Remember it wasn’t just Firefighters who lost their lives but they seem to be the only group that feels they must try and capitalize on the loss of so many poor souls.
If you feel you need to have a ceremony then so be it. But don’t get upset when others don’t believe that the Derry Fire Department is the center of the universe.
Just a side note here since I won't be able to attend the meeting tonight. I read in the paper that bringing a farmers market to the downtown will be discussed. I'm all for livening up the downtown but am wondering what effect this will have on J&F farms. Derry is unique in that it has one of the oldest working farms in the state. Please also consider if vendors or area artisans are let in what effect this will have on the businesses that are down there. Will jewelry artists be let in to compete with Gem Jewelers, will flower vendors be let in to compete with the 2 florists, and will food vendors be let in to compete with the many restaurants. Actually I think there is an artisan shop down there that represents some local artists. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, maybe it would bring visibility to the existing businesses but I'd hate to drive out what we do have left down there. Sidewalk rent is a heck of a lot cheaper than what the businesses down there are paying. Do you know if any of the businesses down there were asked for their opinions?
If there was ever any doubt about the mean spirited nature of Mr Joel Olbrecht just check out his performance at the town council meeting tonight.
It's no wonder the DEDC experiment failed and ended up costing the community so much money and face. Joel you appear to have demons that whisper in your ear, but please, try to contain yourself when speaking in public.
You are always good for a laugh but all good things must come to an end.
Olbrecht was truthful and correct in everything he said. The truth hurts you fairbanks followers.
BC, has any real information come out of this blog? The usual post from you is followed by a 'bravo' from a groupie. Then the opposition disagrees with you. Then we devolve into name calling and character assasination. Then it begins gain with the next post. if we do not learn from our past, we are doomed to repeat it.
Anon 3:08, I could not disagree with you more.
Joel Olbrecht did make a fool out of himself. He is so embarassed by his political defeat that he is incapable of being gracious. Rather, he singled out Mrs. Fairbanks as a target. Mrs. Fairbanks is not perfect, but she deserves more respect than is accored her by those that failed for so long to reconcile Derry's long term goals.
Joel's quivering gesticulations and nasty tone confirmed nothing but his positions wobbly foudation. Joel's solo and/or joint public breakdowns with team-mate Jack Dowd in tow need to stop. They have cost the town too much as it is.
I want to go back to the 132 houses on the market. I want to point out that I am shopping for a home in the 200-300,000 range and Derry isn't on the list of possible towns despite the wealth of possible homes. I don't dislike Derry, I just would rather have more house and less taxes.
Every weekend I get stuck in a massive traffic jam at Grandview flea market.
It seems the Derry police favor those going in and out of the market and us Derry citizens have to wait for long periods of time, missing our green traffic light until it cycles several times.
Then the other night I was going down Broadway at the Adams building and got stuck in traffic there too.
Now we have been told business is good for Derry however I do not see how it has benefited me or anyone else. Just the out of state vendors at the flea market and whoever gets the profit for those plays at the Adams building.
My taxes continue to rise and there is more business in Derry than ever before.
Stop wasting more hard earned taxpayers' money trying to sucker new business to Derry, only to create more traffic jams and more taxes for the citizens of Derry.
Anon 3:28, right on!
Yours is difficult concept for a some challenged Derry residents to grasp.
They'll point to fictious gains the "superior town services" Derry offers as justification for it's unfavorable tax spreads with neighboring towns. In actuality, all we've gained is years of excessive union money grabs, administrators and politicians mailing it in, waste and middle of the road performance coming home to roost as we fall further behind the curve.
RE taxes impact home values in a big way, pro and con. To argue otherwise is living in a fools paradise.
JAPDT,
Don't get out much do you Bud? Traffic in Derry? Get real.
Obvious question is why you would go by the Flea Market on a Saturday! IF you can be assured that it is a mess why torture yourself. Everything can be gotten to using alternative routes in Derry. Traffic is 3:30pm on a Friday of a 3 day weekend on North 93. Or the Mid-Town tunnel at 7am, the Eisenhower at rush hour or anywhere in LA or Charlotte at anytime. Because of a little delay on a Saturday morning you wish Derry to revert to agrarian society?
What do you propose to do with all the people and houses?
4:19
Definition of heavy traffic depends on one's perspective.
You have the perspective of a city dweller in the country and I have the perspective of a country dweller in the country.
Unfortunately your comparison is invalid due to a poor comparison.
I have traveled allot more than most, including you and I choose the country setting and want to keep it this way.
My taxes keep going up even with more business in town so your plan does not work.
Please come up with a better plan or move to the city.
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