Then one day you find that, 10 years have got behind you... ~ Time by Pink Floyd There are moments in time such as when your car is 10-years old, your dog is 10, or your kid turns 10, that you realize time passes quickly. Today, 10 years ago, I published my first blog post right here on dougfrancis.com . Short and simple, but a lot of Continue Reading
The House Survey tells a Story
Reading over a house survey is one of the most important steps you will take when you are buying a home, but you may not see it until you are a week away from the Final Settlement. This official drawing is done by a licensed surveyor who will go to the property and create an original map. After finding the corners and taking careful Continue Reading
Town of Vienna Real Estate Tax Rate 2019-2020
Revised Vienna VA real estate tax rate for 2019 Town of Vienna Real Estate 2019-2020 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, 2019 and December 5, 2019. 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
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
iPhone Alerts and the Miracle Weekend
Anyone looking for a home to buy knows what to do when their smartphone vibrates signaling a new listing. What most home sellers can't grasp is the immediate impact a new listing has on home buyers. Tech savvy home buyers quickly open up the alert and flip through the photos, see the basic stats like which school it attends or if there is a Continue Reading
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