"When one door closes, another opens." - Alexander Graham Bell Breaking bad news to a client is the pits. Imagine the call from the buyer's agent saying, "after the home inspection or after reviewing the Homeowner's Association disclosure docs, that the Buyer is declaring the contract Void." Then you have to call your client with the bad Continue Reading
A Collection of Buyer Tips
Take a few minutes and scroll through this collection of tips for home buyers. Just so you know, I like to write about experiences that clients have because you may be dealing with a similar issue and it might shed a little helpful insight.
Town of Vienna Real Estate Tax Rate 2017-2018
Revised Vienna VA real estate tax rate for 2018 Town of Vienna Real Estate 2017-2018 fiscal year tax rate shall be $.2250 (or 22.5 cents) per every $100 of assessed value. This rate is unchanged from last year. Real estate taxes are paid annually in two installments, due July 28, 2018 and December 5, 2018. The town’s real estate tax rate is Continue Reading
Consider ARMs Again for Your Mortgage
Are we at an Inflection Point? Over the last decade, when home buyers were looking at mortgage rates there wasn't a big difference between fixed rate mortgages and adjustable rate mortgages (ARM). In fact, super-low 30-year fixed rates have ruled the market. Although I don't have a crystal ball, the tea leaves that I'm reading show a Continue Reading
On finding hidden new homes in Vienna
Ask anyone who lives in Vienna or McLean, and they will tell you about the impressive number of new homes being built. Many are custom homes being built for long-time owners, but more often it is an investor or builder scraping off an old house to build a new, semi-custom house to sell. What is happening here in Vienna, McLean, or Falls Continue Reading
How to pick a Settlement Agent
Selecting a Settlement Agent often comes down to a quick decision based on a recommendation from your Realtor. A quick decision? This is an interesting topic since home buyers, in Virginia, are given the option to select a Settlement Agent when they put together their offer to purchase. The idea is that they can compare fees and services, Continue Reading
Tearing Down and Recycling in Vienna
Before we tear down older ramblers or splits in Vienna, there is a period of time when contractors will take houses apart so anything of value can be recycled or donated to a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. Copper pipes HVAC systems Appliances Storm Doors But many people don't think about wood boards being recycled Continue Reading
The Equifax Hack and Buying a Home
My clients will remember when I said, "Don't go out and buy his and her BMWs until after you are finished buying the house!" Those days were so simple. Innocent really, almost charming. All that has changed after the recent hack of Equifax essentially exposed everyone's personal financial information to a remote outpost on the Dark Web... Continue Reading
Deposit Amounts and Negotiations
Sitting at their kitchen table while explaining the sales contract and putting together a competitive written offer, I was asked... "What's the earnest money deposit formula in Virginia?" this Vienna home buyer studiously asked. This really isn't an uncommon question because most buyers are reading websites written by mortgage lenders, Continue Reading
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 21
- Next Page »
