Bedford housing market booming
Remembering Alex - A family's
pain, a community's loss
Residents raising
$30,000 to upgrade Riddle Brook School gymnasium floor
Bob's Stores to
open April 11 in Bedford Mall
By AMY J. VELLUCCI
Staff Writer
Want to buy a home in Bedford? Or maybe you're looking to build a house in town?
Good luck. You'll probably have to wait at least five months to begin construction on your dream house. If you're looking to purchase, you may not find what you want or spend what you want.
It's a seller's market and Bedford continues to be a hot spot, so much so that area builders can't keep up with the demand and realtors don't have enough homes to show potential buyers.
"There's a lack of inventory," said Peggy Knoettner, of ERA, the Masiello Group, in Bedford.
For the most part, new homes are spoken for. Most new subdivisions have long waiting lists.
Referring to one new development in town, Knoettner said, "Two months ago it was (an eight-month wait). So, I stopped taking buyers. Even spec houses are getting sold ... anything under $300,000."
The average sale price for a home in Bedford is $250,386, according to the Northern New England Real Estate Network. It stays on the market an average of 133 days, or a little more than four months. Not long. Many homes sell even faster.
Gary Shakra, a real estate broker and owner of Century 21, Shakra Realty Group, said, "We just can't keep up with the demand."
Like Knoettner, he said buyers have at least a six-month wait to get into a new subdivision in town.
"Even resales ... we're back to getting multiple offers on property again, which basically turns into an (auction-like atmosphere)," said Shakra.
Bedford is particularly attractive due to its low taxes, its excellent school system, and its location proximity to highways. Routes 101, 3 and 93 are all easily accessed, making the town a good choice for commuters.
Additionally, interest rates remain low and Bedford's home resale value is high.
The community tends to have a transient population, with professionals moving in and staying for a few years and then selling their homes.
Bedford has had a strong planning department and a stricter building code, according to Knoettner. A well-planned, well-thought-out community is usually more attractive to buyers, she added.
Sellers are getting more money for their homes and buyers are spending more and settling for less.
One woman told ERA she was looking for a home in the $275,000-to-$350,000 range. She was able to see three homes, all listed in the $399,000 range, according to Knoettner.
Folks looking to relocate to Bedford from another town often become frustrated because of the wait. Some wind up having to rent an apartment in neighboring Manchester until they can build or purchase a home, said Shakra.
Even commercial construction is booming.
Bill Weidman, president of Engelberth Construction in Bedford, said a solid economy and low interest rates make for a strong commercial building market, too.
The company has recently finished several projects, including work on PC Connection in Merrimack.
Spring typically means more building, so if you're having trouble finding
a house now ...
Alex, at Space Camp when he
was 8 years old in 1994.By COLIN MANNING
Staff Writer
The life of Alex Higgins has touched so many.
The joy of knowing this young man has been expressed in numerous cards and poems the Higgins family has received since the child's accidental death last month.
"The response from the community has been overwhelming," said Rachel Higgins, Alex's mother.
Alex was injured while climbing a tree with some friends after a snow storm on March 7 and succumbed to those injuries in the early morning hours of Monday, March 8.
He was a well-liked seventh grader at McKelvie School and would have celebrated his 13th birthday on Saturday, April 10. He left behind two loving parents, Paul and Rachel Higgins, and a younger brother, Eric, who was born on the exact same day, just five years later.
When news of Alex's death was announced at McKelvie on that sad Monday morning, counselors were on hand to help students cope with the tragedy of the loss of their friend and classmate.
Principal Arnold MacDonald said Higgins had friends from "across the spectrum" and always had a smile on his face.
A funeral mass was held at St. Elizabeth Seton on Thursday, March 11. After the mass, the Bedford Parent-Teacher Group hosted a luncheon to accommodate the large crowd that attended the funeral.
While the Higginses have been coping with Alex's death for the past month, they have received countless cards, notes, gifts and food. They say that they have received an immeasurable amount of support.
"People have been great to Eric. He got an Easter basket from one of the parishioners of our church who we don't even know," Rachel said.
The Higginses have felt the generosity of friends, neighbors and complete strangers in their time of need.
For that, they are grateful.
"Everyone has been unbelievable," Rachel said. "We're still getting baked goods and food. We want everyone to know how much we appreciate it."
His parents say that from the earliest times, Alex was "a happy and content baby."
"People used to remark ... even people who didn't want kids ... used to remark that they would have kids if they were like Alex," Paul Higgins said. "And he was always well-behaved. There was never any need for any real punishment."
Since Paul is a teacher at New Hampshire Technical College in Nashua, his having the summer off enabled the Higgins family to travel in the summer months.
"We tried to travel to places where there would be a lot of learning experiences," Paul said.
A trip to Colorado was one of the first trips Alex made with the family. It was at a show in Silverton, Colo., that Alex publicly displayed his good nature and zest for life.
"Every night they would have a fake gun fight and they looked for volunteers from the audience. Anytime anyone asked for a volunteer, Alex's hand would always go up," Paul said. "They needed someone to play a deputy and keep the crowd back, so they gave him a badge and there was this 3-year-old kid saying, 'Get back, get back' to the crowd."
In the summer of '94, the family drove from Bedford to Alaska. It is there that the family did a lot of hiking, which is a favorite leisure activity of the Higgins family. Alex also got to know his cousin, Hank, on that trip, who flew across the country for the funeral last month.
"Of all things about that trip, we stopped in Edmonton, Alberta, at the world's biggest mall and that's what impressed him the most," said Paul with a smile.
The Higgins also made a trip to Utah in the summer of '97, where hiking was once again the main focus of the excursion. There were also countless trips to Florida to visit his grandparents.
Alex and Eric both loved climbing and one of the reasons they enjoyed Shorty's Restaurant in Bedford was because they liked to climb the large rock in the parking lot.
Alex was involved in karate and Cub Scouts when he was younger, as well as the Bedford Soccer League. He also enjoyed skateboarding and snowboarding.
Alex, age 5, gets in bed with his new brother, Eric. The two shared
the same birthday, April 10, five years apart.Most of all, Alex was a great big brother to Eric.
"He was real good with his brother and it was never an issue having the same birthday. Sometimes some kids get jealous with the arrival of a new baby after being alone for five years, but not Alex," Rachel said. "If he had friends over here and Eric was around, he didn't mind. He always included him."
Friends were a big part of Alex Higgins' life and he enjoyed being with them. Several friends wrote poems expressing their grief over the boy's death. (Some appear on this page.)
A performance of "Crazy for You," by the Bedford Youth Performing Company this past weekend was dedicated to Alex, as well as to another Bedford youth who recently died, James Mandeville.
One of Alex's friends, Paul Brewster, was in the production and in the program, under his biography was written, "This one's for you, Alex!"
"I just want to say thank you, Paul," Rachel said of the touching note in the program.
Although it was too short, Alex Higgins' life touched so many. Now, those he touched have reached back to the family that loved him with their kind thoughts and words.
"This has helped us out a lot, to see how many people there were who loved him," Rachel said.
By ERIC EMMERLING
Staff Writer
Two service-oriented athletic organizations are just $6,325 short of making good on a $30,000 promise to upgrade the Riddle Brook Elementary School Cafetorium.
The Friends of Recreation and the Bedford Basketball League had committed to raise the money by March 31 to have supplies purchased in time for the present school construction schedule. But they've extended the deadline a few weeks to come up with the rest of the money.
"We are so close to raising the funds that I think the school board will go ahead and order the floor," said Bob Thomas, who is spearheading the fund-raising drive and representing both service groups.
"We will commit to raise the funds even if we have to take it out of our own pockets. Hopefully, as the word spreads, we'll come up with the money."
The original budget called for a tile floor in the multi-purpose cafeteria and gym. Thomas said the tile floor could not be used for basketball, which would not have resolved the lack of places to play basketball in town.
"There is a waiting list to get floor time at McKelvie School and we were hoping this new gym would help alleviate the crunch," said Thomas.
"The school kids will play on the floor just 20 minutes a week in gym but we can have weeknight leagues and 10 hours of games scheduled every Saturday," he continued.
The Bedford Basketball League established a committee to research an alternative flooring plan. The committee, working with the school board and construction crew, came up with a composition rubber floor, which is poured onto the surface to create a seamless floor.
The floor seemed to be a good compromise between the desired hardwood floor for athletes and the tile floor suitable for cafeteria and meeting use.
A similar floor is installed at Colby Sawyer College and Pinkerton Academy in multi-purpose facilities.
The Bedford Basketball League and Friends of Recreation raised $20,075 and tallied another $3,600 in pledges in just a few months, but they remain just $6,325 shy of the goal. Thomas said the deadline has been extended a week or two.
"We have had a lot of support," Thomas revealed. "Of the 30 calls I made, 28 either made a donation or referred me to someone who did."
"It's not the best time to be asking for financial help," he acknowledged, citing the approaching April 15 tax filing deadline, and fund-raising needs for West High's weight room and athletic track. "We are so close. I hope we can step up our effort and make a difference."
Donations are still being solicited.
Contributions of any amount can be made payable to the Bedford School District. Write Riddle Brook gym floor on the memo line of the check and mail it to the attention of Polly Armstrong, Bedford School District, 103 County Road, Bedford, NH 03110.
Bob's Stores, a leading retailer of casual clothing and footwear, is opening a 45,000-square-foot store at the Bedford Mall on Sunday, April 11. The northeast chain is hiring 100 people from the Bedford area to fill a variety of roles, including sales associates, stockers, cashiers and managers.
Bob's Stores will play a significant role in the Bedford community of schools, civic groups and charitable agencies. The company is a sponsor of A+America, local youth sports and education programs.
"Our goal is to become a neighborhood store in each of our host communities. Our managers are trained to identify and recommend community projects that reflect our philanthropic spirit," said Bob's Stores President and CEO Marc Balmuth.
Renowned for selection, Bob's offers one-stop shopping and everyday values for the entire family on brands such as Nike, Adidas, Dockers, Levi's, Union Bay, JNCO, l.e.i., Skechers, and Timberland among other top manufacturers, according to a press release from the company. The chain's new store design features high-tech lighting, media presentations and matte chrome fixtures to create a focus on strong brand presentations.
A comprehensive sign system engages shoppers, encouraging them to explore the store and its wide variety of product categories and departments.
Along with its vintage and retro-inspired decor, the company is courting teens by offering trendier apparel, flashy graphics and video monitors tuned to MTV and ESPN. Interactive stations whisk shoppers to Bob's Stores' Web site where they can log on to current fashion trends, promotions, games and contests. Teen customers will be especially drawn to the store's new visual merchandising plan that showcases cutting edge displays.
Bob's Stores operates 33 stores in six northeast states, including Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.