Relatively, though, prices are roughly double in Massachusetts. Inventory, or the lack thereof, isn't the only culprit affecting increasing prices. The shortage of subcontractors and building materials like steel, lumber and sheetrock have played a role, as well. Coupled with ever increasing development requirements, costs are becoming prohibitive factors to an increasing percentage of residential and commercial consumers. Other factors such as higher interest rates, employment availability, Wall Street volatility and brewing world conflicts are hard to predict, but all could conceivably play a defining role in 2001, as well.
Speculative development is almost non-existent.
Lenders, appraisers and users are still cautious. Among a broad mix of other industries, NH is also retaining and attracting pure technology companies versus only dot com startups. The bottom line is tracking job growth and productivity indicators in 2001, you'll know how vibrant the real estate industry is. Whatever the barometer, the professional marketing agents of NH's real estate community will continue delivering their best sales pitch based on NH's overall quality of life. Finding available and affordable inventory, though, will be the tougher task.