Too many home sellers have no idea what today's real estate buyers already know. Really. What has changed is access to a ton of information on the Internet. Most county governments allow public access to tax information, there are hundreds of real estate home search websites, and there are virtually millions of people giving real estate Continue Reading
Local Stories
The following is an archive of my articles about builders, strategies, home inspections, financing, painting, staging, tips, and skills. Start reading and you can search the archive anytime.
Framing the first floor in Vienna
Fifth in the 2014 Vienna House Project Series Most people can't believe how quickly a new house gets built, but often what they are seeing is work performed by the framers. These carpenters measure wood and build walls exactly as it is written on the architect's drawings. If you like to work from an exact plan, then you might want to Continue Reading
Shutting off outside water
When an agent in my office asked me to check on a vacant house in Arlington Virginia that she had on the market a few years ago, I opened the front door and knew something was incredibly wrong. I heard water gushing downstairs. There must have been six inches of water on the floor, and I could see water shooting out of a burst water pipe. Continue Reading
A Tip on CFPB’s Tips for Homebuyers
By the time most of my Northern Virginia real estate clients reach me, I know that they have been doing plenty of research on the web. Most sites are designed to cover general topics and do a good job, but a real powerhouse site has hit the Internet and it is going to get every home buyer's attention. That hot site is ConsumerFinance.gov , set Continue Reading
The Steel I-Beam Arrives
Fourth in the 2014 Vienna House Project Series It is exciting when the steel arrives at a new house. This is typical construction here in Vienna VA real estate construction to have a series of I-beams (some may say a W-beam) carry the load of the joists in the house. The steel fits into designed pockets in the concrete foundation and are Continue Reading
Lurking Trouble after a Refinance
Hopefully you were able to take advantage of the low interest rate decade with a mortgage refinance. With many people going from 6% down to 4% APR, they were able to restructure their financial position which gave a boost to personal wealth. But, there is a lurking issue for many of you. A sneaky problem that might derail your future home Continue Reading
The Concrete Foundation of a Custom Home
Third in the 2014 Vienna House Project Series Building the concrete foundation walls of any custom home starts with a crew setting up the metal forms that hold the concrete as it dries. The metal forms rest on top of the original concrete footers that also had the steel rebar rods. The concrete is pumped into the molds and the workers Continue Reading
Let’s Dig this Hole
Second in the 2014 Vienna House Project Series House construction starts really fast, so it is always an adventure for me when I turn down the street to see how the new house project is coming along. With the 1950's house removed and the building site staked out, it is time to call in the loader and excavator to dig a basement. Typical Continue Reading
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