Image by wallyg via Flickr Almost every real estate sale involves an appraisal contingency designed to protect the home buyer and mortgage lender from paying too much for the property. Appraisals are generated by licensed appraisers who are contracted to generate a third party's opinion, using established criteria, to determine and document Continue Reading
6702 Melrose Drive McLean, Virginia | Sold
Updated: Home was SOLD 2/28/11 Located in the heart of McLean, VA in an attractive community that is so convenient to everything. In fact you will probably walk up to the McLean Family Restaurant (a local institution) for breakfast every Saturday! This town home is one of the larger floorplans in the community with oak hardwood floors on the main Continue Reading
Will Your Real Estate Offer Make the Cut?
Every home buyer tries to figure out what it will take to buy the home that they have decided to make an offer on. Determining the right price, or how much wiggle room there is, is the bottom line here for everyone from the first time buyer to the savvy investor. If you are sitting at your kitchen table pondering this question, then it is time Continue Reading
How to Get Your Home Ready to Sell in 30 Days
Let's get started! As another new year arrives, so should a flurry of homes that have been waiting out the traditionally slow holiday season. If your home is one of them, I hope you took advantage of the last thirty days to get your home ready to sell. But, if you are just now starting to plan to put your home on the market in 2021, then bank-in Continue Reading
Loan Limits for Northern Virginia
UPDATE Loan limits for Northern Virginia in 2022 ~ Original Article: Relocation home buyers are typically surprised to learn that Northern Virginia has maximum conforming mortgage loan limits that are higher than most regions of the United States. Northern Virginia real estate ranks as "expensive" considering the region has some of the wealthiest Continue Reading
Building the Metro to Dulles
UPDATE: Watch the Silver Line run in Tysons ~ Vienna real estate values increase Yes, back in 2010 I was giving my clients advice that the Metro was going to add significant value to their homes especially in Vienna and Reston. The number of properties being torn down and replaced with homes now (in 2014) priced above $1.3 million is evidence of Continue Reading
Some Home Selling Tips
Northern Virginia home sellers need to understand how current home buyers are searching and finding their next home. In fact, anyone preparing their home to sell can achieve a lot over the next month or two to get their house prepared for those "picky buyers" who will emerge from the "holiday season trance" come 12:01 a.m. on 1/1. A blog post on Continue Reading
Estimating Title Insurance Costs
When I review estimated closing costs with home buyers, we always spend time looking at Title Insurance because it is typically one of the largest expenses on the worksheet. Since most people buying real estate are going to have a mortgage, title insurance is going to be a requirement of the lender if you want them to provide the loan. Title Continue Reading
