Denise's Blog

Tax credit coming to an end

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:29:46 -0500

The latest report shows that housing prices were up again in August. I know in our housing market buyer activity was up. First time home buyers were trying to buy a home before the tax credit ends the end of November. The tax credit was the most impportant to my first time buyers. The Virginia Housing Development Authority added a mortgage loan where the buyer can use the tax credit as part of their loan so that they did not have to have alot of money to buy a home.

The tax credit is coming to an end the end of November. For most first time home buyers the end of the tax break is the end of their owning a home dreams. The requirements on credit are getting tougher all the time also. Between the 2 things first time home buyer sales will fall because the buyers will find it harder to qualify and they do not have the funds needed to buy.

I really hope the government will extend the tax credit until spring. Home sales seasonaly drop in the winter months. With the tax credit extension it will help keep the housing market moving and give the economy more time to work on recovering.

Sales in homes increase in April

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Mon, 18 May 2009 10:44:04 -0500

The latest reports show that sales of homes went up in Apri in Hampton Roadsl. Buyers are starting to buy homes. The prices also had a slight increase in April. Generally prices and sales do go up in the spring. Hopefully this trend will continue and we are starting to see an upswing in real estate. The only way to know if we hit the bottom is to see an increase.

The report also stated that first time homebuyers make up the largest increase in buyers. The federal tax credit has been a factor in first time homebuyers buying now.

Only time will tell us for sure if real estate in Hampton Roads is starting to recover. The next couple of months will give us a good idea where we are headed.

credit scores and buying a home

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:36:02 -0500

I do not believe there is anyone that has perfect credit scores. With the mortgage companies raising the credit scores for buying a home it sometimes take some work to get the credit scores up high enough to qualify for a mortgage loan.

The first step is to get your credit report. You can either get this on your own or through a mortgage loan officer. The first thing is to look for credit fraud. I have seen credit fraud becoming more of an issue. You will need to get the fraud cleared up as soon as possible. Talking with a local lender or a lawyer can help you with this process.

If you have collections or judgements on your credit report you will need to get them paid off in order to buy a home. To help you work on this it is best to sit down with a mortgage lender to go through each account. The loan officer will be able to set you up on a plan to help raise your scores. They can tell you which accounts to work on first that will raise your score the fastest. If you follow the plan you will be able to buy the home you want.

Getting your credit scores higher does not only help you buy a home. When you buy a vehicle you will be able to get better interest rates on the auto loan the higher your credit score is. Even homeowners insurance is linked to your credit report. Even if you are only looking to rent a home your credit score plays a major role in being able to get the home you want.

Do not let your credit report hold you back. Take action today.

low interest rates

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 11:00:06 -0600

The interest rates dipped below 5% this week for a home mortgage. There is no telling how long this will last. Lenders have been busy doing refinance loans in the last couple of months. It is beginning to change to new mortgages. This might be the first indication that the market is starting to improve.

If you are thinking of buying a new home this really is the time to do it. Prices are low and there are plenty of homes to choose from. As the market improves there will be less homes to choose from. If you are planning on staying in your home for at least five years you will probably see it appreciate in value. I do not believe that we will see the values rise as quickly they did during the housing boom when prices skyrocketed and there was a shortage of homes on the market for sale.

This really is the time to buy your dream home. If you have any questions about the buying or selling a home just let me know and I will assist you.

Understanding Builders'

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:42:44 -0600

I was reading a blog about what co-broke agents do not like about going to new home sites. I am not going to talk about all the items, but I want to try and help everyone understand a little bit of the builder's side of the story.

When a builder starts a community there are alot of expenses that the buyer and there agents never think about. Just a couple of things are clearing the land and laying out the community. The roads need to be started so that people can get into the site. Most of the time there are road improvements that are required by the city that the builder is building in. Water and sewage lines have to be run. Surveys have to be done for the whole community. These are some of the expenses a builder faces before he even starts building.

Most builders' build at least one model. If it is decorated you are talking about $20,000 plus per home. The builder has to pay for everything just like a regular home owner, including a mortgage. Builders have to be able to get a loan from a bank in order to even start to build.

One of the things agents do not like is that the builder contracts seem to be one sided. Once the builder has a contract to build a home he has to go to the bank and get a loan to build that home. He is building a home for one person with the items the buyer puts into the home. The builder is taking a large risk everytime he builds a home. If the buyer does not close on the home when it is finished, the builder has to try to sell the home to someone else. It is not very often that you find a buyer that is going to like what the other buyer put into the home. Alot of time the builder has to discount the price in order to sell the home. If that is not bad enough, once the home is built the builder has to pay a regular mortgage on the home. These are some of the reasons the contracts are designed more toward the builder. The builder has alot to lose if the buyer does not close.

I know that when agents bring their buyers to a new home site it is there job to protect their buyer and get them the best deal. Just remember the site agent is there to protect the seller. The seller is the site agent's client. If we all work together we can make the buying process easier for the buyer. If agents educate the buyers on the process of having a home built it makes a smooth transaction for all parties.

I hope this helps give you an idea of what a builder has to lose.

New Home site in Newport News Virginia

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:54:59 -0600

I have just started working at Jefferson Estates in Newport News, VA. It is a townhouse style condominium located near 3 military bases. You can walk to historic Newport News City Park. Yorktown and Historic Williamsburg are a short drive away. The interstate 64 is only 2 blocks away.

The homes are 2 and 3 bedrooms. They are loaded with great standard features. Some of the standard features include granite countertops in the kitchen, tile flooring, stainless steel appliances, double bowl vanities, and balcony off the master bedroom. These are just some of what you will find at Jefferson Estates.

The best part is that you get these great homes at the low price of $183,990. The builder will pay the closing costs and the prepaids. This is a great deal and is for a limited time. We have two 2 bedroom homes that are available for quick closings.

Contact me soon for all the details.

Differences in buying new or used homes

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:11:38 -0600

I recently read an article that talked about the differences in buying an older home over a new home. There are pluses to both.

The article talked about the fact that you can usually get an older home that has the wallpaper and paint already done. Sometimes you can actually negotiate to have the window treatments included with the home. The closing can occur in a short period of time. On the down side you are buying a property that has used carpet, appliances, heating, and cooling systems to mention just some of the items in the home that have already been used since the home was built.

When you buy a new home you are buying a home that is under warranty for the minimum of 1 year. Nothing in the home has been used prior to the buyer moving in. The buyer can select the items that go into the home if they are building from the ground up. If the buyer does buy an inventory home they can usually get the best incentives from the builder. Even if the buyer does not get to pick out everything for the home, most builders put neutral flooring in the home and sometimes they actually put upgrades into the home. Right now builders are offering allot of incentives to buy their homes. There is a down side to buying a new homes. The main down side is that it normally takes 4 to 5 months to build a new home. If their is an inventory home you like you can close as quickly as a resale home. Allot of time there is going to be construction going on in the neighborhood after you close.

I have been previewing resale homes lately. Most of the homes I have looked at clearly needed some TLC. I was surprised that with the market as slow as it has been that the sellers have not put more into the staging their homes to sale. I know that there are homeowners that do take allot of pride in their homes also. After looking at older homes I have to say that I believe buyers are going to get allot more for their money in a new home. One of the big things that I noticed is that new homes are brighter and have more windows to let natural light into the home. I would recommend that buyers whenever possible buy a new home over buying someone else's headaches.

Higher unemployment and the housing market

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:12:12 -0500

Higher unemployment obviously has a negative effect on housing in Chesapeake. Job losses prevent twentysomethings from finding their first jobs. As they find jobs the baby boomer parents are thrown out of their jobs. It throws them into a job market that's unreceptive to both younger unskilled people and older workers alike. Unemployment prevents otherwise well-qualified people from buying homesand pushes more homeowners into foreclosure. It keeps prospective home buyers who feel insecure about their paychecks on the fence. The real estate sector, which has lost plenty of jobs in construction, brokerage, lending and affiliated businesses, could shrink further.

The bottom line is that jobs are once again an issue of great importance to real estate in Chesapeake. People whose businesses and livelihoods depend on housing would do well to pay attention to the trends.

http://www.deniseallen.com/ Come and see ALL the Homes for Sale in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, as well as the rest of Hampton Roads. This site is updated daily with new real estate listings, pictures and other information vital to your home search.

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First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:38:14 -0500

For you buyers thinking of purchasing a new construction home in Chesapeake, go to this web site first, after contacting me of course. The web site is federalhousingtaxcredit.com It explains the the $7,500 tax credit you can get for purchasing a new home. The site provides links to frequently asked questions, provisions on the law and other home buyer resources. The site is courtesy of the National Association of Builders.

I am not at the site anymore but I can still sell you a home at Westchester Estates with Ashdon Builders or Graff Construction.

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Portsmouth Newest Elementary School

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:28:30 -0500

Didn't know they had one and they don't. Portsmouth school officials are trying to find funding to build a new elementary school but with the economy in the drink it won't be until 2013 and will cost millions more then if it were built today. School officials are thinking about a public-private venture so the that school can be started in 2009. One thought is to have a private company company build the school and the schoold division lease it back for 20 years. At the end of the 20 years, Portsmouth would own the school.

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Suffolk To Lower Speed Limits

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:18:02 -0500

If you don't know by now, Suffolk has reduced speed limits on five crash prone roads. The most crash zone spots are on Bennetts Pasture. The speed limit will vary from spot to spot but will be 45 mph between Nansemond Parkway and Bridge Rd. The biggest drop will be on Ferry Road from Knotts Neck Rd to the end of Fairy Rd and the speed limit will be 45 mph. Parts of Pughsville Rd, Godwing Blvd and Kenyon Rd will also see a drop in the speed limits.

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Johnson's Crab House To Stay

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:35:58 -0500

Portsmouth in its infinite wisdom has decided not to acquire Johnson's Crab House by eminent domain. Originally back in May 2007 the city passed an ordinance to take the waterfront property and family owned business in Park View. The city was going to put in a much needed park. Much debate has taken place over this. In all fairness, the Crab House was looking real bad but the owners have fixed it up and it looks much better now.

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Kings Highway Bridge A Navagation Hazard

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:30:01 -0500

Several boats have struck submerged debris where the Kings Highway Bridge, in Suffolk, once stood. The Army Corps of Engineers have done surveys but need to put divers in the water. That should happen fairly soon and the areas will be marked with buoys. The bridge was dismantled last year at a cost of $2.4 million. If the debris there is from the demolition, VDOT will foot the bill.

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Out Of Business

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:23:24 -0500

Since I broke my ankle I am pretty much out of the new homes business but will stop in to read and remark on how you all are doing. Are there any bright spots out there? My site in Chesapeake called Westchester Estates only sold one home in one year. New homes real estate is a tough way to make a living.

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Lots Of Cats

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:17:47 -0500

A townhome in the Churchland area of Portsmouth was recently entered by public officials wearing protective hazardous material gear. No not because of a biological agent but because of 40 cats and a dog. The house was rancid with urine and feces. People were actually living in the place. The Virginia Beach SPCA and Nofolk SPCA picked up some of the cats which were malnourished and dehydrated. The house itself was condemened because of its condition.

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Three Years For Three Sidewalks

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:56:33 -0500

The city was asked about three years ago to to install a missing sidewalk near Donnington Dr and Sherman Oaks Ave in Virginia Beach. The missing sidewalk caused the children walking to Castle Elementary Shool to have to cross the road and back again to get to school. The city said the sidewalk vied with other funding projects and hence the delay.

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Chesapeake Police Dept. Stepping Up

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:50:50 -0500

Chesapeake police department announced a second new deputy police chief. This position comes about because of a review that in part said the department was understaffed and needed a makeover. Maj. Mark Solesky was appointed to the post, will oversee patrol operations, special operations and community policing efforts. Other changes are coming in the future due to the review.

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Waterside To Be Spruced Up

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:43:55 -0500

A while back I wrote a post on whether Waterside would stay or go. Recently Norfolk city council decided Waterside would stay for a while. The 25 year building will be getting a minor makeover costing several million dollars over the next few years. When first built Waterside sparked a rebirth of downtown but now has seemingly outlived its usefulness.

There will be town hall meetings this fall and spring into 2010 to decide what to do with the building. It belongs to the city and there have been talks of building condos on the water there. It is quite a nice view for sure.

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New Disability Rules Coming

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:12:21 -0500

Disabled people make up 18% of the population in the nation and if you haven't looked the proposed new rules for the disabled you may want to to see how it may affect your business. For instance, if you were building a miniature golf course in Virginia Beach you would have to have 50% of the holes accessible to the disabled. It looks like businessess would also have to remove "readily achievable" barriers. Barriers that don't cost a lot and can be easily removed. The rules will go into effect some time next year and are in the public comment phase now.

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Half Price Crepe Myrtle Sale

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 13:40:28 -0500

Here is something to think about as you bring your buyers along and they ask a a seemingly innocent question about what to do about the big tree down by the street. Be careful how you answer because this is a true story.

A family on Melrose Parkway in Norfolk, Va recently decided to put a driveway in. Sounded easy enough but when they went to get a permit they found out that they needed a permit from the Department of Forestry. Why on earth did they need that. Because the trees that line Melrose Parkway are owned by the city. The residents then found that they couldn't cut in the drip line of the tree or cut a root more then 2 inches in diameter. The only option left was to remove a tree. The cities tree assessor told the residents that they were in luck as there were plenty of crepe myrtles in the city and the permit would be half price. That would come to $4,000 please. Did you hear me, $4,000 just for the permit. That was half off. Needless to say, the tree is still there.

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Bilinguel Pay

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 13:10:49 -0500

Sheriffs' in Virginia Beach are receiving $100 a month if they are proficient in Spanish. The jail population here is growing larger every year and there are over 100 inmates who don't speak English. The police department is looking at implementing a similiar program but need to find a source of funds.

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Is There A Need For AN Eighth High School

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:04:32 -0500

Chesapeake school board officials are thinking about delayng the building of an eighth high school. Why? Because of the economy and and slower growth. The money may be better spent renovating and updating schools. There are several schools now with that have several hundred students more then they were built for but it looks like the trend is going down. The forecast for the school district was for no growth in students for the year. There are many thoughts on the process but when you think about one school costing $100 million you really need to put a lot of thought into the process. This school is one of the reasons people like my new home site at Westchester Estates. They are planning ahead and so should the city.

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When is a pool a driveway?

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:51:31 -0500

When it is being counted by the Chesapeake Preservation Act. Most cities around here count a pool as a hard surface, the same as a driveway or shed. Virginia Beach does not count pools as a hard surface. That affects how a homeowner landscapes and how the city pays for runoff. The city says the pools retain the water and don't let run off before being treated. The Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department sees it differently. The city of Virginia Beach is in trouble because of this and could lead to a lawsuit. City officials and regulators are trying to work out a compromise.

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Please Help the Virginia Beach SPCA

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:35:45 -0500

The Virginia Beach SPCA recently reached out and took in 100 dogs from the Whispering Oaks Kennel in Parkersburg, West Virginia. There were over 1,000 dogs from Whispering Oaks that were spread out around the country. The SPCA needs volunteers and money. Please call (757) 427-0070 to volunteer or visit www.vbspca.com to donate.

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West Nile In Norfolk

Denise Allen Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads (RealEstate.com. Realtors) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:07:26 -0500

Recently mosquitos in the Glenrock and Stoney Point area of Norfolk tested positive for the West Nile virus. Both areas have been treated by the mosquito control division but as always the public should be careful. People over 50 are at a greater risk then younger people. What can you do to reduce your risk?

* Repair windows and screens

*Wear long, loose, light colored clothing

*Limit time outdoors between dusk and dawn

* Use insect repellent

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