Vanessa Saunders: NH Real Estate Expert

09/18/2026

A Fresh Start for 558 Province Road, Belmont — $449,900

558 Province Road is back on the market, and this time with an important upgrade underway.

The home was previously under contract when an inspection identified an issue with the septic system. The sellers are taking care of it, with a new septic system to be completed before the next closing.

That gives the next buyer an opportunity to take another look at a property with a significant item already being addressed.

Inside, you’ll find updated living spaces, a spacious primary bedroom and a wonderful screened porch. Outside, there’s more than an acre of property plus a barn.

OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, September 26 | 11:00 AM–1:00 PM
558 Province Road, Belmont, NH
Offered at $449,900

Come see it for yourself.

09/18/2026

There is no single version of Laconia.

Downtown, Lakeport and Weirs Beach share a city name but offer very different relationships with water, traffic, tourism, housing and daily life. Add Opechee, Winnisquam, Paugus Bay and Winnipesaukee, and an address stops being a useful substitute for understanding the place.

Laconia is beauty and grit, summer crowds and quiet winter mornings, old mills and a restored theatre. In other words, a functioning community rather than a brochure.

Town Truths: Laconia
https://tradenhomes.com/living-in-laconia-nh-2/

09/16/2026

Real estate doesn’t stop at the property line.

Property taxes, municipal budgets and decisions made at the ballot box can have very real consequences for homeowners and for the communities in which we live and work.

The Laconia Daily Sun published my letter about the proposed property-tax cap. My interest in this isn’t partisan, nor am I telling anyone how to vote.

Laconia already has a tax cap. I think homeowners deserve to understand how the proposed cap would interact with the one already in place, and what that could mean locally, before making their own decision in November.

Being involved in real estate also means paying attention to what affects the people who own the real estate.

I’d be interested to hear your thoughts after reading it.

To The Daily Sun,

09/16/2026

“It has lake access.” Lovely. But what, precisely, has access to what?

Waterfront means the property itself reaches the shoreline. Water access may mean deeded beach rights, an association beach, a shared path, a boat launch, or a right that comes with rules, fees and limits.

Same lake. Very different rights, value and day-to-day experience.

Before you mentally place the Adirondack chairs, read the document that creates the right:
https://tradenhomes.com/waterfront-vs-water-access-new-hampshire/

09/14/2026

September has apparently decided that one worthwhile event at a time is for amateurs.

This week brings dragon boats to Laconia, Old Home Day to Meredith, live raptors, a new corn maze, genuinely free local finds and the Highland Games at Loon.

I checked dates, times, prices and the irritating little details that usually reveal themselves only after you have put on proper trousers.

See what is worth leaving the house for, September 14–20:
https://tradenhomes.com/lakes-region-nh-events-september-14-20-2026/

09/14/2026

A SCHOOL PROPERTY-TAX CAP QUESTION is coming to New Hampshire’s November ballot. One important clarification: some communities, including Laconia, already have local tax caps.

Laconia voters approved a city charter tax cap in 2005 that limits increases in net spending for City, School and County budgets. The November question is different. It asks voters whether to add a specific two-year cap on growth in the local school property-tax levy, adjusted for inflation and new construction, together with a 6% cap on SAU central-office spending.

It does not cap your entire property-tax bill, and it does not guarantee that your individual bill cannot rise. State law also says the new cap does not supersede a more restrictive existing local cap. Where more than one cap applies, each applicable limit must be satisfied.

That distinction matters for homeowners, retirees, families and buyers comparing the true cost of living in different New Hampshire communities.

I updated the full article to explain the difference clearly:
https://tradenhomes.com/nh-school-property-tax-cap-november-ballot-2026/

09/13/2026

Your septic system was pumped every six months. No backups. No smells. No drama. Then the buyer’s septic inspection found significant root intrusion, and the buyer walked.

Pumping is maintenance. It is not an inspection.

Septic systems are ordinary infrastructure in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. They are not something to fear. But whether you are buying, selling, building, converting an old camp to year-round use, or looking at waterfront property, you need to know what is actually under the lawn, what it was designed to serve, and whether it can be replaced if necessary.

I wrote the guide I wish more buyers and sellers had before the offer is signed:
https://tradenhomes.com/nh-lakes-region-septic-systems/

Because a lake view should take your breath away. The infrastructure beneath it should not take your savings by surprise.

Buying a Lakes Region home? Learn how NH septic systems, leach fields, composting toilets and waterfront inspections affect your risk.

09/07/2026

What’s worth leaving the house for this week in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region? Quite a lot, actually.

This week’s WWLTHF roundup includes:
• Weirs Rendezvous
• Katie Dobbins at Beans & Greens
• John Mulaney at BankNH Pavilion
• Hampton Beach Seafood Festival
• and a much stronger Free as a Lake Breeze section for the best genuinely free local finds.

If you’re looking for something fun, local, free, ticketed, nearby or worth the drive, this week’s guide has you covered.

Read it here:
https://tradenhomes.com/lakes-region-nh-events-september-7-13-2026/

09/05/2026

Here's some history about this beautiful area that you may find interesting.

09/04/2026

When does a house stop supporting the life being lived inside it?

That is a far more useful question than simply asking, “Should we sell?”

For older homeowners and their families, the real-estate decision may involve adapting the current home, moving to something more suitable, or relocating closer to adult children. None of those choices should begin with a crisis and a moving truck already idling outside.

My new Trade Secrets article offers a practical framework for examining the property, finances, location and timing while the homeowner can still lead the conversation.

Read it here:

https://tradenhomes.com/when-the-house-becomes-part-of-the-care-plan/

Vanessa Saunders, MBA, MIMC, CCIM, SRES®
New Hampshire Associate Broker

Adapt, sell or relocate? Make the housing decision while the homeowner can still lead the conversation.