cindy jones: Building a New Community on an Old Prison Ground
- 12/10/07 05:57 AM
For over 100 years Lorton was an area that most residents of Northern Virginia went out of their way to avoid. As a prison complex the 3,200 acre site was huge and when the facility was ordered closed in 1998, Fairfax County began planning in earnest with what to do with the land and buildings that made up the infamous prison. In 2002 Fairfax County officials received title to 2400 acres and the re-development of the property began.
Besides the Lorton Workhouse Arts Foundation which is in the process of refurbishing a number of the old prison buildings as studio and … (3 comments)
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cindy jones: Northern Virginia Foreclosures-Make Them Easy to Find
- 12/07/07 05:39 AM
With the increasing press emphasis on Foreclosure and REO properties trying to get a handle on how many there are in a neighborhood can sometimes be a daunting task for agents.
In Northern Virginia our MLS has a field labeled “Current Financing” that agents can check to note whether the property is an REO, Foreclosure, Pre-Foreclosure, HUD Owned and other related financing terms. For those of us who have clients looking for opportunities in the foreclosure market we use this field as a search option to help us locate properties.
Unfortunately not all listing agents are taking the time to … (12 comments)
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cindy jones: *GET RICH QUICK*PURCHASE FORECLOSURE PROPERTIES TODAY*
- 12/02/07 02:56 AM
FIND IT*FUND IT* FLIP IT*
I’s that easy. At least that is what the speaker said at the “How to Make Money in Foreclosures” seminar offered in Northern Virginia this weekend. Whipping out a twenty dollar bill and asking for a ten in exchange he began to explain if you are decisive you can make money in today’s foreclosure market. Of course to understand how to do that you need to part with your own hard earned money and come to the BIG THREE DAY seminar that would give you all the details of their great program. Today we will tell … (31 comments)
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cindy jones: Newlyweds & New House Equal Big Smiles
- 11/30/07 11:40 PM
After an unusually large pile of paperwork Eric and Jessica have settled on their new home in the Virginia Run Community in Fairfax County. I was fortunate enough to meet this nice couple a little over a year ago during an open house at a condo in Alexandria. We looked at a few houses in Fall 2006 and then they decided that they would like to wait until after their wedding to get serious about the process.
Ring on the fingers and ring on the phone and there they were. They found a house they liked while out driving around on a … (6 comments)
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cindy jones: Beautiful Belmont Bay Waterview Condo
- 11/30/07 02:03 PM
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cindy jones: SEO, Keywords & Consumers- The Internet Trinity
- 11/30/07 08:16 AM
If you are looking for hardcore SEO information this isn't the post for you to read. Skip over to Karen George or Brad Andersohn or just do a search for SEO on Active Rain and you will learn what the experts have to say on the subject. I read them all and have implemented some of their sage advice on my traditional website and on my blogsite.
However, if you are like me with a good working knowledge of the internet and still puzzled about the keywords that consumers use to find you then might be interested in what I've picked … (7 comments)
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cindy jones: A Tale of Three Houses in Northern Virginia
- 11/29/07 12:54 PM
This isn't a story about the three little pigs and since all of the houses are brick you don't have to worry about them being blown over. Instead it is a story about choices that buyers in today's market have to consider every day. All of the houses are in the same Northern Virginia neighborhood.The first house is new construction. When you walk in the door of the model you can't help but be impressed. With granite counters, hardwood floors, soaring ceilings and much more it is everything today's homebuyer could ask for. The builder is offering the "deal of … (5 comments)
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cindy jones: Don't Forget the Families Left Behind over the Holidays
- 11/29/07 12:33 AM
This post was inspired this morning by Margaret Woda's call for everyone to Send a Card to the Troops post. I hope everyone will head over to her post and hit the link!
I would also like to add if you live near a family who has a loved oner overseas this holiday season stop by and volunteer to help them out. You can put up holiday lights, set up a Christmas tree or watch the children while they shop. If they have packages to mail volunteer to stand in line at the post office for them and if they don't have anyone else … (6 comments)
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cindy jones: Home Equity-Real or Imagined
- 11/28/07 07:02 AM
Yesterday while talking to a prospective client the discussion turned to the "equity" they had in their home. They had purchased their current home in Northern Virginia in 2002 and over the five years the value of their home has of course appreciated from their original purchase price.
They were however distraught that they had not sold their house last year when they could have walked away with $250,000 but now the best they could hope for might be $175,000. Since they are interested in buying a larger home the prospects of a higher mortgage due to the loss of equity was … (16 comments)
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cindy jones: There is No Home Buyer Lemon Law
- 11/18/07 09:29 AM
In Virginia there is a Lemon Law on the books to protect consumers who purchase a car which is later found to have serious defects. However, there is no such law when it comes to protecting buyers when they are purchasing a home. When the market was hot in Northern Virginia many buyers had to pass up the opportunity to have a thorough home inspection in order to "win" their first choice home.
For some of those buyers the movie the Money Pit went from being an amusing comedy to a real life nightmare. Recently I wrote a contract on … (10 comments)
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cindy jones: The Unintended Consequences from an AR Blog
- 11/15/07 11:23 AM
When I joined the AR community last spring it wasn’t my first blog but it was the beginning of taking the idea of blogging seriously. As a result setting aside time to scribble and scratch ideas has become part of my daily routine. My digital camera is always with me to snap pictures of neighborhoods or interesting sites in Northern Virginia to help make my posts more personal.
A number of agents have written about “Google Juice” and how AR can help bring more consumers to our blogs, especially Localism posts. However the other power of the blog also seems to … (12 comments)
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cindy jones: Kingstowne-A Masterfully Planned Fairfax County Community
- 11/14/07 06:13 AM
Twenty years ago on a large expansive of dirt tucked behind Edison High School ground was broken for the first homes that started the 5200 residences that comprise the Kingstowne neighborhood. Designed with both commercial and residential areas the three villages that make up Kingstowne have continued to be popular with owners looking for a neighborhood that offers both easy access to public transportation, shopping and restaurants.
For owners who enjoy the outdoors and a healthy lifestyle Kingstowne offers a great variety of recreation options which include 18 tot lots, three multi-purpose courts, almost 22 miles of hiking and biking paths, … (4 comments)
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cindy jones: Welcome to Barrington-A great Fairfax County Neighborhood to Call Home
- 11/12/07 06:10 AM
Bordered by parkland and Lake Mercer the community of Barrington includes 475 homes brick and stucco executive homes on large treed lots. Located in Fairfax County the neighborhood is close to Route 123 or Ox Road to natives of the area and Silverbrook Road. Barrington is only minutes from the Fairfax County Parkway and I-95, making it an ideal community for owners who need to get to the Springfield Metro, Lorton VRE or drive to DC.
Looking for a fun way to spend some time with friends or family? Barrington residents also enjoy the proximity to Burke Lake Park, Old Town … (3 comments)
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cindy jones: Northern Virginia Real Estate-The Never Ending Remodel
- 11/03/07 11:20 AM
Two years ago my clients purchased a tired brick split level home on a ¾ acre lot in Alexandria section of Fairfax County. The home was outdated but the location a block from the Potomac River and closer to both of their jobs caught their attention. Before they decided to finalize their offer they talked with a couple of architects about some proposed changes to the house to open up the rooms and take advantage of the great views on the lot.
The house then:
As time went by it dawned on me that the simple remodel was beginning to take on a … (3 comments)
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cindy jones: Learning to Blog is Like Learning to Walk
- 11/02/07 10:38 AM
The picture is my granddaughter Alexandra aka "Alex" aka "The Wookie." Having her around has made me examine life again through the experience of a new generation. The joy of seeing her smile and reach her arms up in the morning for a hug and a snuggle has made me realize how many times we repeat the learning cycle over and over again.
Watching her during the last few months as she has learned to walk has reminded me of getting started with blogging. The first time we decided to take a chance and put our fingers to the keyboard to blog … (5 comments)
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cindy jones: Prince William County-The Future in a 58 Minute Ferry Ride
- 11/02/07 01:21 AM
This week a new twist in Northern Virginia commuting was tested on the waters of the Potomac River. On a windy day with choppy waters a twin hulled catamaran made a run between Quantico and the Navy Yard in DC in 58 minutes. Now if you think that the average driving time along Route 1 or I-95 during rush hour can run close to 1.5 hours in good weather and no accidents the thought of a ferry ride in less than an hour can be enticing.
The proposed Potomac River Express will run between Harbor Station in Woodbridge (under development) and … (4 comments)
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cindy jones: A Make You Smile Moment
- 09/28/07 08:28 AM
I was just on my way home from making sure that everything was set at my new listing in Woodbridge, VA when I heard a bit of a racket in the lane next to me. I looked over to see a school bus and hear the kids in unison singing "we will-we will-rock this bus"
and sure enough the bus was rocking. I made eye contact with the bus driver who was both rolling his eyes and laughing at the same time. Obviously it is Friday, the weather is going to be perfect in our area for the weekend and the kids … (4 comments)
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cindy jones: Apples to Apples in Fairlington
- 09/24/07 03:16 PM
As a Fairlington owner I have posted market reports over the last few months about general real estate trends in the neighborhood. Last month I wrote a blog titled "Saying No to Local Market Reports" in which I said I would no longer post generic information about the area. In keeping with that promise I decided this month for Fairlington I would focus on one popular model in the neighborhood and take a look at the prices from August 2006 and August 2007.
It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone to see prices are down 10% from the previous year. The volume … (3 comments)
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cindy jones: River Ridge-The Grandfather of Active Adult Communities
- 09/18/07 12:10 PM
With all of the new active adult communities in western Prince William County it may be easy to overlook an established community sitting above the Occoquan River in Woodbridge. River Ridge was built by Pulte Homes between 1999-2001 and features a large club house, swimming pool, tennis courts, walking trails and lakes for fishing.
One of the advantages that River Ridge has for its residents is the easy access to DC. Only minutes to two large park and ride lots, Omni buses, VRE and I-95 owners who still work or want to get into town have plenty of choices … (3 comments)
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cindy jones: When a Post Goes Arwy
- 09/10/07 07:59 AM
I'm always curious about people's reactions to various posts on AR. I learned today how quickly one of my own posts stirred up a controversy that missed most of the point of the post. In the spirit of good relations on AR I deleted the Featured Post so that I would not create any additional issues. See it isn't all about the points.
Apparently, because I mentioned the word commission in the same sentence with a number it was construed that I might be in violating the anti-trust laws. So out of curiosity I did a quick search on the word … (4 comments)
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For over 100 years Lorton was an area that most residents of Northern Virginia went out of their way to avoid. As a prison complex the 3,200 acre site was huge and when the facility was ordered closed in 1998, Fairfax County began planning in earnest with what to do with the land and buildings that made up the infamous prison. In 2002 Fairfax County officials received title to 2400 acres and the re-development of the property began.
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