New homes are still going up in Prince William County. N.V.P. Homes has immediately delivery detached homes currently priced between from the mid.  Just a few miles from I-95 and Route 234 at Spriggs Road, the community is convenient to shopping, major commuter routes and public transportation to DC.

Ewills Mill consists of 100 quarter acre lots with no through streets in the community. With 60 acres of PW County parkland surrounding the neighborhood peace and quiet abound. Standard features include gourmet kitchens with granite counters and energy star appliances. Immediate delivery homes have a number of upgrades depending on the model. Upgrades can include oak staircases with wrought iron railings, extensions with bay windows and finished lower levels.

N.V.P. homes offers a1% discount on the base price of homes for military, teachers, police officers, firefighters and federal, state and local government employees (immediate delivery homes may not qualify.)  Add that to the 1% incentive offered by CJ Realty Group for new construction purchases and the savings begin to add up quickly.   Check out the floorplans in Ewill's Mill to see some of the options available.

If you are thinking about new construction in the Woodbridge area and Ewill's Mill is a community that appeals to you re.member to give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call at 703-346-2213 before you head out the door. 

For more information you can read my e-book New Home Construction Buying Guide. Builders don’t charge you for having your own representation and it could save you thousands by having an agent representing your interests.  Let my experience in representing buyers searching for the best deals in new construction be a benefit to you too

 

Incentives are tied to specific builder rules, can change at any time and need to be carefully reviewed to make sure they are the best deal for you.

 

 

 

Need a place to get away only a few minutes from Woodbridge VA? Then consider slipping away to the Bull Run-Occoquan Trail off of Old Yates Ford Road just across the Fairfax County line.

You can access the trail at multiple points but today we started just across the street from Bull Run Marina. This portion of the trail is just over 6 miles to reach Fountainhead Park.  If you don't want to go that far just head out along the Occoquan Reservoir for 30 minutes and then turn around and come back.

Most of the way along the trail you will be walking next to the water and can catch a glimpse of local waterfowl, a deer or two and if you are lucky an eagle may be fishing in the reservoir as well.  The Bull Run-Occoquan Trail is maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and is part of an 18 mile section of blazed trail that runs between Fountainhead Park and Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville VA.

For historians the trail passes the site of the original trestle of the Southern Railroad a critical site during the first major civil war battle and the ruins of electric generating plant for Clifton Virginia the first town in Fairfax County to have electricity.

The Bull Run-Occoquan Trail is just another reason why residents of Northern Virginia love living here.  Get out and enjoy it soon.

 

Hope Hill Crossing is a new detached home community rising rapidly in Woodbridge Virginia just off of Spriggs and Minnieville Road.  Offering a total of 200 home home sites when finished the community will feature a clubhouse with pool and exercise room  as well as connection to local Prince William County Park Authority Trails.

A variety of builders are offering homes in the community.  Stanley Martin, Ryland and Richmond American.  Each builder offers a variety of models to choice from.  If you want to build your home from the ground up, you can select your lot and expect a 4-5 month building time-frame.  Want to move in sooner?  There are also immediate delivery homes in Hope Hill Crossing and the Meadows of Hope Hill you can get into within 30-45 days.

All of the builders are offering incentives which vary depending on the home and site.  In addition CJ Realty Group offers an incentive to our new home buyers which can save you more money on a new home in the Hope Hill Crossing neighborhood.

For more information you can read my e-book New Home Construction Buying Guide.  Builders don't charge you any more for having your own representation and it could save you thousands by having an agent representing your interests.

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Hope Hill Crossing and Meadows of Hope Hill are just one of the many new home communities you will find in Prince William County Virginia. Give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call 703-346-2213 to help you buy a new home in Woodbridge Virginia.

Recently my clients sent me a listing in Northern Virginia they were interesting in seeing.  The description indicated the owners were not willing to negotiate on price or provide any closing cost assistance to the buyers.  It made me wonder, is this the reason the house has been on the market for over a year?

There aren't any sellers I know who are happy to get a "low ball" offer on their home.  However an offer is an opportunity to negotiate.  By saying you won't go any lower are you keeping potential buyer's at bay?  Your home may be competitively priced and if so then standing firm on what you are willing to accept is perfectly reasonable.  However announcing you aren't even willing to negotiate may not be the best idea.

My buyers are mulling over whether to view your house or not.  They might have been more eager to see the house if you didn't tell them before they walked in the door that their offer might be met with a REJECT stamp. 

 

 

Relocation is always stressful.  It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve made a move the minute you get the word to pack your bags you need to learn the “language” of a new area.

In Northern Virginia part of that new language is deciphering the difference between our cities and our counties.  Northern Virginia has a mixture that often leads to confusion.  For example we have:

Fairfax County and Fairfax City
Alexandria City and Alexandria (postal address) in Fairfax County
Falls Church City and Falls Church (postal address) in Fairfax County

Once you have figured that out then you need to realize that the schools may be different depending on whether you live in a city of county.  Falls Church City runs its own school district.  But if your mailing address is Falls Church it doesn’t mean your children will attend a Falls Church City school.  Using the school boundary locator provided by the various counties and cities will help you sort it all out as you look for a place to live.

Alexandria City Schools Schools
Fairfax County Schools
Falls Church City Schools

 

As you search through the MLS for potential places to live you will notice a code in front of all of the letters.  Each of those codes can also help you decipher where a home is located.  FA is Falls Church City, FX is Fairfax County, AX is Alexandria City and FC is Fairfax City.

Each locale may also offer a different set of services for their residents and have different tax requirements as well.  In Fairfax City for example the city offers curbside leaf pickup for residents but in Fairfax County you will need to bag and dispose of your leaves through your own trash service.  Fairfax City has it’s own CUE bus service that takes residents to the metro, George Mason University and various points in the Fairfax City area.  Fairfax County offers the Connector bus which has different bus routes that run throughout the county and Alexandria has the Dash bus which runs through Alexandria City.

When you get ready to plan your house hunting trip to Northern Virginia remember that the area has some of its own language when it comes to understanding where you might be living.  Oh and don’t forget we also have slugs which have nothing to do with slimy garden pests.

If you are relocating to Northern Virginia in 2010 give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call 703-346-2213.  As a native of the area and a survivor of many relocation moves,  I can help you understand our language and help you find the best home to meet your needs while living in the area.

 

Ever wonder what to do with all of the great blogs you write for Active Rain contests? 

Active Rain offers all of us an opportunity to create a great deal of content.  A few years ago one of the contests gave me an "AH-HA" moment.  We were challenged to right a series on one subject.  As I worked through the series I realized it would be one that I could use over and over again.  But how to put it together for prospective customers and clients to use?

After some research and some experimentation I came across ISSUU not to be confused with ISUZU the car.  The site allows you to create and store a  publication which you can later download or send as a link to a propsect.  After one Active Rain contest I created a publication entitled "New Home Construction Buying Guide"  Since the publication went "live" it has over 9900 views and over 2500 readers.  

Last week I went out with a couple read the guide, called me and we wrote and offer on a new home in Woodbridge, VA.  

If you're wondering what to do with all your Active Rain posts, especially those that could make up a series then look at creating an e-book.  I have my buyer's guide, a seller's guide, a relocation guide, listing brochures and of course this guide published.  At the moment the New Home Construction Buying Guide is the only one that is public.  The rest are being updated this spring and then I'll share them with the search engines as well.

The Fisher House Foundation was established in to provide a "comfort home" for military families who need a place to stay while a loved one is being treated for injury or illness at a military hosptial.  Started as a public-private partnership in 1990, Fisher Houses around the country provided a home away from home for over 12,000 families.

Now Fort Belvoir will be the site of the newest Fisher House in Virginia.  The other two Virginia properties are located at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, VA and the Hunter Holmes McGuire house in Richmond Virginia.  The new home at Fort Belvoir will feature 12 family suites, a kitchen, dining sitting rooms and den.  The house is being built across the street from the new Fort Belvoir Community Hospital which opened in Fal 2011.

The 10,000 square foot home is scheduled to be completed in April 2012.   It is a compliment to not only the new Fort Belvoir hospital but the Wounded Warrior Transition Unit on post as well.  Fisher House is supported by not only the Department of Defense but also by a private foundation.  It is a cause that I've personally been involved in, touched by and contributed to for years.

If you are interested in learning more about Fisher House you can check out their website.  In addtion to the Fisher House the foundation also supports Hero Miles and Scholarships for Military Children.

 

                No Hassle-No Pressure-Just Straight Talk About The Northern Virginia Real Estate Market

If you are interested in learning more about the Northern Virginia Real Estate market including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William Counties give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group, Inc a call at 703-346-2213. 

Military Relocation Specialist serving military families relocating to and from the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir, Quantico MCB and all of the Military District of Washington installations. 

Check out www.varealestatetalk.com and www.cjrealtygroup.com for more information.

 

Licensed in Virginia

 

 

Wonder if the hunters who want to use this duck blind are required to say ARRRGGG like a pirate before they walk the plank?   You'd have to good balance to make it without getting your feet wet but if ducks don't mind wet feet why should you?

 

Located in West Springfield, Greentree Village appears typical of many in the area.  Brick front townhouses backing to trees.  Well placed traffic islands slow cars down for the kids to be able to play safely.  Across the street from the neighborhood is one of the 380 parks maintained by the Fairfax County Park Authority.  A Fairfax County Connector bus stop is at the entrance to the neighborhood, within 15 minutes is the Springfield Metro, the Rolling Valley and Sydenstricker Slug Lines.  The new NGA headquarters is only a few miles away and Ft. Belvoir is close by as Multiple shopping centers add to the appeal as well as being in the West Springfield HS Pyramid.

However the neighborhood also contains a little mystery as well. Tucked behind the basketball court protected by a wrought iron fence are three gravestones from the 1800's. One has the name Addison Keen and another one with the name Clarintine V. Close by you can also see a broken headstone for W. Keen. Unlike other historic graveyards in the area there are no markers to explain how these final resting places ended up in this location.

Anyone who drives through Springfield knows the main road is called Old Keene Mill and Greentree Village lies at an "L"to Old Keene Mill and Keen Road. So what part of the history of the area did the Keen family bring to this particular area? First of all there was a mill on the Pohick Stream that runs through the area and records show it was owned by William Keen. An 1850 census of the area shows that William Keen was 35 years old, married and his occupation was miller.

In 1855 William Keene was convicted of murdering another local man. Local history reports disagrees as to whether William Keen was legally convicted of the murder but he was sentenced to death by hang. Over the following years additional information came forward that perhaps there had been jury tampering which led to his conviction. In 1858 his death sentence was commuted to 10 years in prison by the governor of Virginia. However it is unknown what actually happened to him. Prison records were lost when parts of Richmond was burned during the Civil War. It is not known whether William Keen died in prison, was released or walked out along with all of the other prisoners in 1867.

Whatever the story it makes living in one of the 124 townhouses in Greentree Village just a bit more intriguing. So as you are wandering through your neighborhood in Fairfax County take a closer look around. There is an amazing amount of history tucked in very unusual places.

If a move to Springfield VA, NGA, Ft. Belvoir or anywhere in Northern Virginia is in your future give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call at 703-346-2213. Let me help you find the neighborhood that is just right for your needs.  No hassle, no pressure just straight talk about whether now is the right time for you to buy a new home.

Fortunately my day did not end with a Ferrari crashing through the garage window but I admit I did play hooky most of the day.  In my case it was off to Burke Lake Park.

Burke Lake Park is located just off of Route 123 and a few miles from the City of Fairfax. With over 850 acres including a 220 acre lake there is plenty for everyone to enjoy. For the walkers, joggers and bikers the 5 mile dirt loop around the lake is a great way to take in all of the vistas. For the youngsters the miniature train ride chugging along at 10 MPH is a hoot. Want to get in a round of golf? You can do that too at the 18 hole Par 3 course.

The Frisbee golf course is a challenge for young and old, though for the life of me the fun of trying to throw a Frisbee through a hoop eludes me! For the young and young at heart stop by and give the Carousel a whirl and don't forget to bring your stale bread to feed the ducks. Guaranteed you will be attacked without it!

For the guys who like to fish you can rent a small electric powered boat or canoe and cast your line. Make sure you have a valid fishing license. It's the law!

 

One of the best things about the park is that no matter what season you go you will find the park well maintained and friendly park staff around to help.  Today the 4.7 mile path around the park was busy with a number of folks who looked to be having their own Ferris Bueller day off as well.

Burke Lake Park is just one example of the benefits of living in Fairfax County. With over 25,000 acres of parkland maintained by the Fairfax County Park Authority you can find a park just around the corner from almost any neighborhood in the county.

Now it's back to work finishing up the details from a settlement and 2 ratified contracts yesterday.  Don't want my clients calling my name over and over again trying to figure out where I am.

 

Photo Credit: rla579 from Flickr