northern virginia realtor: Putting Together the Real Estate Pieces - 10/13/11 08:45 PM
There's a lot of moving parts when it comes to a real estate transaction in Northern Virginia. There are contracts, addendums, inspections, appraisals, title searches, surveys, and a whole bunch of players. At any stage, anything and everything can fall apart. That's why it's crucial to hire an experienced REALTOR who can guide you through the sale whether you are buying or selling a home. When you hire me, you're also getting a REALTOR who worked as a real estate attorney for several years and saw all the problems that could happen with a real estate deal in Northern Virginia. After … (1 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: Mo Media Mo Advice for Homebuyers - 07/26/11 05:59 PM
Channeling the late, great, Notorious B.I.G., this past week, I've got Mo Media Mo Advice for homebuyers -- this time in a nationally syndicated article appearing on Bankrate.com. As you may recall as I reported last month in The Quoteworthy Real Estate Broker, I've gotten more than my fair share on local and national news coverage for my opinions and advice regarding real estate. Take a peek at "Brian's Press Page" to view all the articles in local and national media outlets as well as watch clips of my television appearances.
If you are thinking about buying a home, whether … (0 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: T Minus 100 or so Hours! Get Your Tax Credit - 04/26/10 01:37 PM
Here's a carrot on a stick:
The carrot, of course, is the $8000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. This tax credit is expiring in T Minus 100 or so Hours. That's right, in order to take advantage of the tax credit, it is necessary to find and have a ratified contract on a house by 11:59:59 p.m. on April 30th.
That's no trick. And after all, you're no silly rabbit,
If you were going to buy a Northern Virginia home anyways, the tax credit is a nice bonus. If you were thinking about buying a home, perhaps the tax credit … (5 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: How Much Do You Know about Real Estate? Take the Real Estate Quiz - 10/01/09 04:30 PM
Thinking about Buying or Selling a Home in Northern Virginia?
How Much Do You Know about Real Estate and Your REALTOR?
TAKE THE REAL ESTATE QUIZ
Instructions: E-mail me at brian@brianblock.com with your answers by Monday, October 5th at 12 noon. Answers and Results will be announced on Tuesday, October 6th on this blog. (With some time spent researching, you can find the answers to all these questions on prior posts on the blog.)
One participant will be chosen at random to receive a $25 Gift Card.
Note: Real estate agents, mortgage lenders, inspectors, appraisers are not eligible to participate.
… (0 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: The Prognostication of the Economists - 09/24/09 11:43 PM
Economists prognosticate. That's just what they do. There's plenty of talking heads on television that babble on and on about the national real estate market. I've got news for you. There's no such thing as the national real estate market. Sure, there's national statistics about the housing market, but there ain't no national market! (excuse my grammar) So, we're stuck with the local market. If you live in Northern Virginia or the D.C. metropolitan region, that's a good thing, since we've got the best market in the country. Sure, we've suffered some along with the rest of the country throughout this … (3 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: "We've Passed Your Name Along to Some Friends, Is That Okay?" - 07/20/09 10:57 AM
Work hard. Do a good job. Close a deal. Get referred to another buyer or seller. Repeat.
That's the way it should, can, and does happen. You can pay hundreds of dollars to hundreds of coaches who will all tell you the same thing: Try to build your business by referrals.
Last Thursday after finishing up settlement on a townhouse in Northern Virginia, my clients were thrilled. As I handed them a stack of business cards and politely asked them to please spread the word about my services to their friends and colleagues, they said:
"Sure. Oh by the way, we've … (12 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: BECOME A HOME INSPECTOR FOR JUST $49! WHAT? - 12/27/08 08:02 AM
The highlighted message screamed out to me today from the classified ad section in the back of Popular Mechanics. My wife purchased this subscription for me in an attempt to raise my home handiness quotient. You see, except for the simple lightbulb change, most repairs around the house require a call to our trusted handyman.
Among the ads for various do-it-yourself projects, machine tools, and business opportunities, was this beauty:
BECOME A HOME INSPECTORFOR JUST $49! FREE INFORMATIONCALL 24HRS
I don't know about you, but I don't want a $49 home inspector scrutinizing the biggest investment of my life. Will that … (19 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: Boy Have Times Changed! - 12/17/08 05:53 PM
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes(turn and face the strain)
-- David Bowie
There's no doubt in anyone's mind that the real estate market has changed. It's different today than it was 6 months ago. It's different from a year ago. And, oh boy, the real estate market is really different from several years ago.
As a real estate broker, a large part of my job is informing people about the realities of the real estate market. It is always up to the client to determine how much they want to offer for a property or whether they wish to have a home contingency inspection. My … (2 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: A Bigger Piece of the Pie: Selecting Someone Who Sells More than the Average - 09/11/08 07:38 PM
Several days ago, I wrote Everyone and Their Cousin is a REALTOR -- Is That Really True? It Might Be in Some States! detailing the reality about the number of REALTORS per capita around the country. In Virginia, we have one REALTOR per 213 people.
One of the most frequent questions asked on that blog post was how much business does each agent transact per year and many commenters suggested that a large number of REALTORS do very little business each year, leaving real estate sales up to the 80/20 rule. 20 percent of agents conducting 80% of the sales.
I … (14 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: "You've Got Too Much To Juggle!" or Why You Need to Hire an Experienced REALTOR - 07/18/08 07:46 PM
You have a career, a family, a daily commute, school, finances, friends, leisure time, hobbies, health & fitness, travel plans, etc. That's a lot of balls to keep in the air at once.
Do you really want to take on the monumental task of trying to sell your home on your own? Can you separate your emotions from your home purchase and negotiate effectively? Are you familiar with all the contract language and disclosures required to purchase a home in Virginia or D.C.? Have you kept up with all the latest trends and market data for the areas that interest you? … (120 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: Ask Yourself One Question: Are You Ready? - 05/29/08 07:16 AM
You've prepared yourself for your home search and think you know what you want. You've been watching the market for some time now and following prices, trends, and available homes. You've done your research by reading Blog Articles for Buyers.
Taking the next step, you've outlined your criteria for your next home. Not just your price range, location, beds and baths, but much, much more. Down to the nitty-gritty. You have your specific list of wants and needs. Whether it's abundant closet space, cathedral ceilings, granite counters, hardwood floors, or proximity to your favorite restaurant, you've got it … (18 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: Which Homes Are Selling the Fastest and With the Least Discount? The Answer May Surprise You - 04/29/08 04:32 PM
Whether you are in the market to buy a home or to sell your current home, it is important to keep abreast of market statistics (or at least to work with a knowledgeable REALTOR who does). Newspapers, national magazines, and television news report on regional and national trends, but don't do a very good job of explaining the local real estate market.
The number of new housing starts nationwide or the percentage increase in foreclosures in the entire state have very little, if any, bearing on how quickly your Arlington condo will sell, or how much negotiating room there is with the … (35 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: The REALTOR for Attorneys -- Helping Lawyers Buy & Sell Houses - 04/29/08 01:52 AM
You've heard all the lawyer jokes and so have I.
In fact, let me let you in on a little secret: There's only one lawyer joke. All the rest are true stories.
There's a lot of law involved in a real estate transaction. There's agency law, contract law, property law, tax law, condominium regulations, homeowner's association rules, escrow accounts, and more. Some states like New York require attorneys to write the real estate purchase contract. In Virginia & D.C., real estate agents fill in the blanks on a form contract provided by the local associations.
In the D.C. metropolitan area, I've heard it … (61 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: Is the Northern Virginia Housing Market Ramping Up? - 04/15/08 08:04 AM
There's no doubt that home sales in Northern Virginia have slowed significantly in the early part of 2008 compared to sales for the same time period in 2007. The first quarter of 2008 saw far fewer sales than first quarter 2007 -- approximately a 36% decrease in the number of sales from over 4,500 in 1st Quarter 2007 to under 3,000 in 1st Quarter 2008.
Despite these numbers, there are some indications that the 2008 Northern Virginia housing market may be ramping up.
Consider the following:
For Northern Virginia (which for these purposes includes Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Alexandria City, … (12 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: So...Where do You Sell Homes? - 04/14/08 08:09 PM
When you choose a REALTOR to help you buy or sell a home, the most important criteria is finding someone with the necessary education, marketing expertise, and negotiating skills to help represent you in the best manner possible. You also want someone whose personality jives with your own. Are you analytical and just want to see the numbers? Do you get emotional and sentimental about your home? How's your sense of humor?
During the next 45 to 60 days, or longer, you very likely will have more contact with your chosen REALTOR than you will with your mother (shame on … (34 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: See it Before You Sign It -- The Sales Contract - 04/02/08 09:09 PM
Remember walking up to the counter to rent a car while you are on vacation?
You know that before they hand you the keys and walk you out to the lot to inspect the car you'll be driving around in for the weekend, the clerk behind the desk presents you with a multiple page small print contract.
"Please initial here, here, and here. Sign and date on the bottom
right hand corner on Page 3. We need 5 initials on this page and
make sure you put a check mark in this box. By the … (29 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: Real Estate is a Process of Elimination - 04/01/08 08:01 AM
Do you select the home that you like or do you eliminate the ones that you don't?
People often ask me "How many homes will we have to look at to find the right one?" There's no standard answer to this question since it varies from client to client. I've had several clients look at just 2 or 3 homes and find the one that they ultimately purchased. One of my clients went to see a single home, placed an offer and moved in within a month. (Granted she had looked at dozens and dozens of homes online, but only physically … (44 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: Spring Sale: 4-12% Off the Listed Price for Arlington Virginia Homes - 03/31/08 03:23 PM
Everybody loves a sale! Whether it's a holiday sale, a post-holiday sale, a clearance sale, a white sale, a red tag sale, a seasonal sale, or just a plain old sale, shoppers look for and want a bargain.
How about a house sale?
Homes in Arlington, Virginia are on sale for the Spring.
Excuse me, what do you mean, Brian?
Homes are selling for an average of between 4% to 13% off the seller's asking price in Arlington depending upon which area of town you consider. In today's buyer's market, almost all homes in Northern Virginia are selling for somewhat under … (8 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: Numbers Tell a Story about the Market in Northern Virginia - 03/31/08 01:28 PM
What a difference a year can make... sometimes.
Examining some numbers for the month of February in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, make it exceedingly clear that Northern Virginia's real estate market has indeed changed. For sellers wondering why their home has not yet sold, there is one number that explains the frustration. In February 2008, the average home sale took 5 TIMES longer than the average sale in February 2005, and almost 2 TIMES longer than in February 2006.
Prices have dropped too, though not significantly. Average prices in Northern Virginia increased from February 2005 through February 2007 by an almost … (2 comments)
|
northern virginia realtor: My 8 Seconds of Fame on CBS National News This Morning - 03/29/08 03:32 PM
Since I got interviewed a week ago by CBS News, I've been highly anticipating watching the segment on national t.v. which kept getting pushed back. I watched The Early Show on CBS every day this past week. Well, today, I finally made my debut. The story about foreclosures and foreclosure bus tours aired this morning.
In case you missed it, here's a quick recap:
From Blog to Newspaper to National TV in Just One Month! (UPDATED)
CBS News Segment to Air Tuesday NOT MONDAY
I'm Sorry I Woke You Up -- Okay, One More Time
Bright and Early on Saturday Morning: … (87 comments)
|
|
|
|
;)
;)
;)
