In one community, 3 homes vie for attention

HANOVER -- The flower boxes out front are brimming with silk daffodils and inside the air is fragrant with scented oil, the finishing touches to a year long cosmetic remake Matthew and Elizabeth Lavoie have done of their Whiting Street home.

"At $469,000, it's priced right and we've done so much work here," said Matthew Lavoie, 31.

Not far away, on Main Street, John and Jennifer Reid have their own ideas for setting off the three-bedroom antique Cape they are selling for $399,900. Jennifer, 31, often bakes brownies and puts out bottles of spring water for open houses. The couple also had the interior staged to show off both the charm and style of their antique, highlighting the Jenn-Air appliances and the King James wainscoting.

"Even though it's an antique, the house has been consistently maintained and updated and well taken care of," said John Reid, 32. "When we moved in, the housing inspector was impressed that a house built in 1792 was in such good shape."

Closer to Hanover Center, Peter and Priscilla DiCarli also have an updated antique Cape for sale, on Hanover Street, for $597,900. They've lived in the four-bedroom home for 16 years, but knew it would need structural improvements before putting it on the market last year.

"We did a $35,000 renovation between August and November last year," said Priscilla DiCarli, 57. "The house, which was built in 1720, was already in great shape as we've consistently modernized it, but we know that buyers -- especially younger ones -- want everything new today."

Three houses in one town, all at different points of the mid price range, but each appealing to a similar buyer. They are typically shopping for the kinds of homes they grew up in: the three-bedroom, one-and-a-half bathroom Capes, the Colonials, the split levels.

"Most of the people who are buying these kinds of homes are second-time home buyers or people with kids," said Jeff Reale of Empire Real Estate in Rockland. "These types of buyers are drawn to a town like Hanover because it's reasonably priced, has a fantastic school system, and is right off the highway."

However, that doesn't mean buyers want these types of homes to look like their parents' houses circa 1982. Indeed, mid range homes, regardless of location, can be among the most difficult to sell unless they are completely updated, Reale said.

"Most of these people have already done the starter home thing.

"They're not going to pay $400,000-plus for a fixer-upper. They want everything brand new," he said.

Finding those "brand new" mid sized home s today may seem a fruitless task. For years, most new homes in Massachusetts were sprawling McMansions, too big, too expensive, and too much work for many buyers that prefer more modest-sized homes, said Dick Stevens of Jack Conway & Co. in Pembroke.

"Still, while these buyers may be giving up some space, they will absolutely not give up the amenities; they still want the granite, the stainless steel, the central air, hardwood floors. They want move-in condition," Stevens said.

Hanover, with its reputable school system and proximity to the highway, tends to attract young, working families looking for a place to raise their children. Many are moving here from condos in Boston or are second-time home buyers on the South Shore. With a median home price of $359,000, buyers are able to find a wealth of properties in various price ranges.

To compete in such a market, the Lavoies, Reids, and DiCarlis all made sure updates on their homes were completed before they put them on the market. Aware of the many choices buyers face , each couple has been willing to remain competitive on price; they all have reduced prices to remain in the range of comparable properties in the area.

The Lavoies renovated their house as if they would raise a family there -- which they had initially planned to do when they bought it a year ago. Though in good shape, the house needed some cosmetic updates.

They stripped paneling, put in new bathroom fixtures, and painted the all-white dining room a dark raspberry color to accentuate the room's dentil moldings and bay window.

The new kitchen has the requisite stainless-steel appliances.

But now, the Lavoies have decided to downsize to a townhouse until Elizabeth, 31, finishes nursing school. They've had several well-trafficked open houses and a number of private showings during the past few weeks and are looking forward to the spring market to bring them a buyer.

The Reids are also hoping spring will bring a successful culmination to the large interest their house has garnered since they put it on the market in January: four open houses and more than two dozen private showings.

"People were coming to the open houses and requesting private showings in January and February, which are traditionally slower than spring, " said Judy Jennings, a vice president with Coldwell Banker and listing agent for the Reid's property. "In spring, the buyers tend to get serious."

The DiCarlis also have had numerous private showings since they put their house on the market in November. The couple previously replaced the lolly columns in the basement, and installed a new leeching field and new furnace. They also added fresh coats of paint to several rooms and sanded and varnished the floors.

The house includes six working fireplaces, cherry cabinets, and a brick floor in the kitchen but also has modern features.

"Usually in antique Capes, the ceilings are lower because people were smaller back then, but my husband, Peter, raised the ceilings upstairs to above 7 feet," she said.

The DiCarlis have only hosted one open house to date. Avid football fans, the couple wasn't keen on giving up Sundays during the season. Now, this spring, with the perennials starting to bloom all around the property, the couple will open the doors and hope the right buyer walks through them.