Way back in the 1970's, I remember going to friend's house and sitting in their screened-in porch eating burgers, local corn on the cob and beefy tomatoes from their garden. No one really had AC back then, and it was in here where we could feel the summer evening breeze, hear birds, and an occasional car from down the hill. Those porches Continue Reading
Locking-In, Commuting, Schools, and …
Updated in 2023 Three common questions I'm hearing in 2019 are: Locking in a mortgage rate Mortgage rates dropped unexpectedly in early 2019 providing a unique opportunity for anyone who is house hunting to lock-in a long-term mortgage rate. This is really cheap money and it can really help you financially since it is a fixed expense Continue Reading
Is the wrong school listed online?
The truth is, school reputations can make or break real estate values. And why does public school funding usually become a political hot potato when jurisdictions discuss increasing funding or adding a new 1/2 cent meals tax to help fund the schools? Honestly, good schools cement real estate values. (Of course, if that new public school funding is Continue Reading
Stormwater and New Homes
Seeing a small ditch or poorly landscaped rocky area is what home buyers are startled to see when looking at new homes in Vienna. They can become an all-consuming focal point... and not in a very good way. First off, there was a rainfall record set in 2018. Stormwater runoff has become an issue across the country as record levels of rain Continue Reading
What does Coming Soon really mean?
There really isn't any sign more confusing to consumers than a real estate sign in front of a house that says Coming Soon! It's easy to understand a movie trailer that Muppets Most Wanted is coming soon. Or that the new 2015 VW Beetle is coming soon. Or that the new iPhone 6 will be coming soon. Each of these statements can create a Continue Reading
Sellers meet Today’s Smart Buyers
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
My Read on Spring 2013
The phone rang and it was Craig in Texas who has been getting daily email updates from me, "Doug, what's going on in your market up there?" Again, my phone rang and it was Pat in L.A., "so Doug, based on our research things look a little "heated" over there in those Vienna real estate prices. What are your thoughts?" "Hey Doug, it's Mark from Continue Reading
Flash-Sales Hit Vienna Real Estate
With all the media regurgitating the stale news that "real estate inventory is low", it's time everyone understands what it is like being a home buyer these days. It can suck! For example, yesterday a new listing popped up in Vienna Woods that seemed too good to be true. So, after they finished work, I met some clients at the house for a Continue Reading
