As Northern Virginia continues to become a center for corporations to move their headquarters, relocating employees are confronted with the decision of where to live. The list of concerns includes housing prices, types of homes available, commuting time to work, access to the Metro system, proximity to shopping and recreation, schools, friends and Continue Reading
Home Seller just isn’t negotiating!
One of the hardest parts of buying a home is making an offer. Really, it isn't easy to come up with the right offer, and I always tell my Northern Virginia real estate clients that their initial offer should be their "ideal scenario" from the start. Offer price, determined after looking at recent sales and condition of the home Closing or Continue Reading
Buying a Virginia Home with a Septic System
Image via Wikipedia There are many Northern Virginia homes that have septic fields on the property designed to allow wastewater to be absorbed into the ground. Terminology is tricky here as a septic field is a septic system, and are also known as Wastewater Systems as defined in 2010 by the Virginia Department of Health. So, this year the Continue Reading
Oil Tank Concerns | Vienna Home Buyers
Some homes in Vienna VA were built with underground oil tanks to store heating oil, but have been converted over to natural gas heating systems. In cases like this, home buyers need to know if the old oil tank was removed from the property or just abandon in place. An abandon tank will have some documentation as required by the Virginia Department Continue Reading
Real Estate Contracts Require a Termite Inspection?
Image by Editor B via Flickr Editors's Note 9/2014: This post has been edited from the original article to reflect current lender requirements. The Northern Virginia real estate contract can require that a termite or "wood destroying insect" inspection be conducted. This election is made by the Purchaser in their offer. And, if Continue Reading
Two Real Estate Markets in One
Northern Virginia home buyers looking to move to Vienna are witnessing an interesting spring real estate market in May. Well, at least I find it interesting because detached homes in the $530,000 range are seeing one market while the $1,000,000 plus range is seeing another. Last weekend, a RE/MAX Presidential team colleague put a 1960’s Town Continue Reading
“Almost” Home Buyers – Restrain Yourself!
"This isn’t the right time to buy his and her BMW’s." My Northern Virginia real estate clients have heard me deliver that line for almost two decades when we discuss putting together an offer to buy a home. It's meant to be funny, but also a very serious warning. Real estate sales contracts will outline the type of mortgage financing that the Continue Reading
Vienna, VA Home Sales Stats | Hyper Local April 2010
April will be a month that most agents will want to revisit for a long time as buyers picked up the pace to buy before the April 30th tax credit deadline and home sellers rushed their homes to market to capture that demand (read: premium).These "under contract" homes will close in May and June so those numbers should be higher If you bought, Continue Reading