The Devil is in the Details - 04/30/08 08:26 AM
Real estate contracts are all about terms and conditions.  Each paragraph represents an item that needs to be reviewed and understood by both parties to the transaction. In Virginia our contracts are long and complicated.  Different localities in Virginia also have addendums to the contract which create and additional layer of complexity.As agents we need to make sure that we have dotted our i's and crossed our t's.  We need to explain to our clients all of the various contingencies that the contract provides.  The simplest of mistakes can cost clients thousands of dollars and perhaps even worse the home of … (11 comments)

The Tale of the Short-Short Sale - 04/29/08 10:36 AM
The debate will continue to rage among agents and industry experts as to whether short-sale listings should be allowed in the MLS or have additional disclaimers attached to them to warn buyers about the issues related to them.
Dealing with short sales does require a different type of agent and a different type of buyer.  Both need patience and perseverance to work through the issues that come with dealing with the banks, lenders and settlement companies.  Sometimes the process can resemble a dog chasing its tale.  Going round and round until you are finally exhausted and you either give up or … (6 comments)

Listing Photos-Are you Turning Off Potential Buyers? - 04/29/08 10:20 AM
Buyers in today's market have a lot of choices among properties.  It has been said over and over that a home needs photos in the MLS to help bring buyers to the door.  We mentioned on numerous occassions that the endless photos of toliets (seat up) don't add any value to the photo array.  However there are also those photos that you might not have thought of that will keep the prospective buyers away from your door as well.  The photo of your pet.  You may have a nice clean home and we could open the door and never know about your pet(s) espcecially if you took them out … (36 comments)

Come Out To Play In Belmont Bay-Prince William Counties Premier Waterfront Community - 04/26/08 07:36 PM
Hidden just across the Prince William County line is the waterfront community of Belmont Bay.  As you cross the Occoquan River take a glance to your left and you will be surprised at what you will see.  A community Washingtonian Magazine has twice picked as one of the "best communities" to live in the DC area sits right on the Occoquan River.  
With a variety of choices from detached homes, townhouses, and condos buyers can find just about anything they are looking for.  What makes it even more unusual is the VRE station at the entrance to the community making the commute … (4 comments)

Enjoying a Day on the Water in Belmont Bay - 04/24/08 09:46 PM
One of the great things about living in the Belmont Bay community in Prince William County is the number of ways you can find to enjoy an hour or a day by or on the Occoquan River.For land lovers you can spend hours sitting in the gazebo by the river walk reading a book and watching the boats go by.  You can also walk for miles along trails at the 400 acre nature reserve watching osprey's and eagles fly.
 
If getting out on the water is your thing then consider launching your kayak and paddling across the river to Mason … (10 comments)

Foreclosure Scammers-The Snake Oil Salesman of Today - 04/23/08 05:58 PM
Are you a homeowner facing foreclosure?  If so you need to watch out for companies that are calling and writing you claiming that they can help you beat foreclosure.  Unfortunately most of them are scams and they are looking for ways to try and make you part with what may be left of your savings or even worse the title to your home.
With foreclosure still rising in our area the scammers are working over time.   How do they find out about the potential foreclosures?  The easiest way is to read the Friday paper which lists pending trustee sales and courthouse auction … (14 comments)

The Odd Couple-Real Estate Agents and Asset Managers - 04/21/08 07:15 AM
Just as Felix and Oscar had to learn to live together despite their different styles so do real estate agents and asset managers.  Thrown together by a real estate market in turmoil agents and asset managers seem to have total different work styles and yet here we are both trying to service customers and trying to sell houses.Many agents are used to working long hours and often during busy times 7 days a week.  When we list either a short sale or foreclosure we quickly learn that asset managers don't work the same hours we do.  In fact asset managers don't … (7 comments)

Where is Northern Virginia Exactly? - 04/14/08 08:20 AM
It seemed like a crazy question and then I laughed.  The buyer was headed to Fort Belvoir from Arizona they had checked and they couldn't find Northern Virginia anywhere on the map.  It just wasn't there.
 Oh well actually there isn't a Northern Virginia like there is a North or South Carolina it is just a local term.  Why do you make the distinction?
 Ahhhh we just do.  It is more about a difference in economics and politics than anything.  So where are the boundaries?
 Hmmm, good question.  Before housing developments pushed west to the Shenandoah Valley and south through … (27 comments)

That Was the Week that Was - 04/12/08 08:22 AM
Anyone remember the David Frost show from the 1960's?  Alright the fact that a significant percentage of bloggers most likely weren't even born then should give me the answer to that question.
Real estate in Northern Virginia over the past week for me has been a whirlwind.  What makes real estate now more interesting than in the past few months is the number of buyers who have come out of the winter doldrums and started to take a serious look at whether it might be time to buy a new home.This week a total of 605 homes went from "for sale" to … (6 comments)

WATERFRONT LIVING IN BELMONT BAY-OPEN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 1-5PM - 04/11/08 03:47 PM
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Asburn Farm-Check out this terrific gargage townhouse! - 04/11/08 03:44 PM
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Realtors and Chameleons Have a Lot in Common - 04/10/08 09:44 PM
Now before anyone thinks that this is a slam on Realtors® or that it is a reference to some bad habit of lizards don't go there.   It isn't.  Today while I was trying to ignore the issues with the task at hand (moving my mom into a dementia unit at her nursing home) it occurred to me that as a Realtor® adapting to multiple changes in the course of the day is common.  Much like chameleons that have to change their color to blend into their surroundings or be eaten by something much larger, we too have to adjust constantly to … (5 comments)

Multiple Offers on Foreclosures-Why Not? - 04/08/08 07:03 AM
This isn't about the number of Northern Virginia foreclosure properties that are receiving multiple offers (they are) but about a strategy for buyers who are looking to buy foreclosure properties.  Over the last few months one of the options that I have suggested to some of my buyers is a multiple offer foreclosure strategy.
Now before anyone comes unglued the first thing to remember about making an offer on a foreclosure property is that an offer is just an offer.  It is NOT considered ratified until the bank has not only reviewed the offer but has signed the offer AND the addendums.  Until that time … (12 comments)

Spring Inspiration and Positive Views from the Tidal Basin to the Washington Monument - 04/05/08 07:58 AM
  
There just aren't enough words that can ever tell the wonder of wandering around the Tidal Basin in Washington DC when the Cherry Blossoms are in bloom.  It feels like walking under huge mounds of cotton candy.  The air is sweet with the smell of the blossoms and the waves of pink seem to go on for ever.
 
Top off the beautiful trees with the views of the Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument and you have the best of both nature and history in front of your eyes.  It doesn't matter where you are from or where you may be going; … (23 comments)

Confessions of a Non-GPS Using Agent - 04/04/08 07:07 PM
It finally happened.  I got lost.  Yep, me the native of Northern Virginia, the one who proudly gloats that they "don't need no stinkin' GPS" to find their way around.
My instincts told me when I left the house that something wasn't right.  I checked and double checked to make sure I had my supra key, my phone, my digital camera and even my car keys.  They were all there so that wasn't the problem.
 So off I went.  I followed the directions.  I took every left turn, I took every right turn.  How could I be wrong?  It was all … (27 comments)

Foreclosures-They Are Here and You Can’t Ignore Them - 04/03/08 08:27 AM
As buyers shop for a new home in Prince William County they have a choice to make.  Do they look at all available properties in their target neighborhood or do they only look at homes that are being sold by "private owners?"   If they decide to exclude foreclosures will their pocketbooks pay the price?   If you look at data from one Prince William County neighborhood you can see a clear difference in pricing between foreclosures and "private owners" and someone is getting the message.Looking through the MLS at homes under contract you see the short sales and foreclosures are moving.  You … (8 comments)

Northern Virginia Pricing Strategies in 2008-More Important Than Ever - 04/02/08 01:23 PM
 When today's buyers in Northern Virginia head out to look for a new home they have a lot of things to consider.  They also have a lot of questions about home pricing, especially when they head into one neighborhood and see a wide range of prices on similar homes.    As an agent it also raises a red flag to see a home that has been sitting on the market for 6 months or longer at a price point that doesn't reflect today's current market conditions.
Homes are selling in Northern Virginia.  Homes that are priced well and in good condition can fly … (4 comments)

 
Cindy Jones-Northern Virginia Real Estate & Military Relocation Services (CJ Realty Group, Inc.) Ambassador_large

Cindy Jones-Northern Virginia Real Estate & Military Relocation Services

Woodbridge, VA

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