•1.     Are you prequalified for that Loudoun home you love??? Don't make an offer until you know you can back it up with a qualified loan. Take the time to speak to a lender; their specific questions will help you determine the price range you can offer on this perfect home you love.

•2.     Thinking of skipping the home Inspection? Trying to save money?? It may just cost you tomorrow, especially if it is a distressed property you found on www.loudonforeclosureSOS.com .

•3.     Are you limiting your search to open houses, ads and internet? Many of these homes listed on these sites have been sold. Your best course of action is to contact a REALTOR, we would be happy to answer your questions. We can be reached at info@ask-gina.com, we will give you the most up to date information and we would love to help you find the home you want.

•4.     Are you shopping for an agent in a different area? Making a connection with an agent is very important. We can refer you to an excellent RE/MAX agent - as we are international! They will be dedicated in serving your needs - before, during and after the sale!!

•5.     Are you thinking there is only ONE perfect home out there? Buying a home is a process of elimination, NOT A SELECTION! Remember new properties come on the market everyday and just because you loved the house in Sterling doesn't mean you won't love the house in Fairfax.  Ask your realtor for a comparative market analysis. This will compare similar homes that have sold in the area or are still for sale.

•6.     Are you considering your long term needs? Will you love your Potomac Falls home for at least 3-5 years? Yes, it is close to Trump National and Dulles Airport, but will that be important for you in 5 years?

•7.     Do you have proper insurance coverage? Contact your local insurance agent who will make sure you are adequately protected.

•8.     Should you buy a home protection plan? If you don't know what this is - this is essentially a mini insurance policy that usually last one year from the close to escrow. It will cover basic repairs you encountered in that beautiful Ashburn home you loved so much and usually is purchased for a small nominal fee.

•9.     Do know the total cost involved in buying your new home? If you are early in the buying process, ask your Realtor (Ask Gina & Co) or lender for your estimated closing cost. Keep in mind that all fees should be considered, Title Company, attorney fees, homeowner's association fees and insurance.

•10.                        Are you not following through on due diligence? Be diligent!! You're new to the area and you should have concerns about your neighborhood. Do you have access to all of the Cascades pools?  What school zone is the property in?  Will the parkland really still be parkland next year? Ask all the important questions before you buy.

  

Oh, by the way.....whenever you come across people who are thinking about buying or selling a home and who would appreciate the kind of service I offer, I'd love to help them. So, as these people come to mind, just give me a call with their name and business phone number. I'll be happy to follow up and take care of them.

Oh don't forget to contact us if you have any questions.....at info@ask-gina.com or 703-574-3478.

Unlock the possibilities!

 

As we all settle down after the holidays and get back in our usual routine, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office would like to remind residents to remain alert when they are running around. In the past month there have been many instances of personal theft from vehicles, garages, and homes when doors were left unlocked and garage doors left open for extended periods of time. In some instances, residents were in the home when intruders walked right in and stole items within a short distance of the door.

Protect yourself against intruders by always closing garage doors upon exit/entry and locking the garage door. The Sheriff's office highly recommends that residents place a deadbolt on their interior garage door to keep unwanted intruders out. A neighbor of mine installed a deadbolt lock that has a combo above it to allow the kids to easily come and go as they please without worrying about a key or getting locked out. The below keyless look I found at Home Depot but other similar keyless deadbolt locks are available at your local hardware store for about $75-$100.

January 21st

• Business Watch Meeting: 6pm @ Dulles South Public Safety Center
• Gang awareness: 7pm @ Dominion HS

January 25th

• Community Meeting: 7pm @ Dulles South Public Safety Center

 

Okay, so there was a bit of sarcasm in that title if you didn't catch it. But even though tax season is not a desired time of year by many, it's a notable time of year that all US residents are fully aware of. Feelings aside, the fact is that there are many Loudoun County residents that need assistance in filing a tax return. In turn, Loudoun County is seeking volunteers for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program to help assist low income families file a tax return for 2009. Free tax certification training is provided by the IRS to all volunteers helping out in the process. Karen Velez, the Volunteer Income Tax Coordinator for the Department of Family Services and the Loudoun Community Action Program stated, “This year we need volunteers to help people find out about the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax credit changes available for the 2009 tax year. These tax credits may be available to eligible individuals and families to help them afford basic necessities such as rent or food for their families and children.”

For more information on how to volunteer, contact Karen Velez at (703) 771-5718 or karen.velez@loudoun.gov for evening opportunities or Debra Bressler at (703) 777-0505 or debra.bressler@loudoun.gov for weekday opportunities. More information about the tax program is available at http://www.nvacash.org/.

*Information from this article was quoted from http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=2949

• $5,000 for the purchase of a home located anywhere within the county
• $15,000 for the purchase of a foreclosed (bank-owned) property in the county
• $25,000 for the purchase of a property in Loudoun County’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). (For more information on the NSP program, go to www.loudoun.gov/nsp).

Freecycle is a local yahoo network group for the Cascades, Sterling, and Potomac Falls areas where residents are able to post unwanted items for pickup by other local residents. A neighbor of mine shared their success story with me about the speedy turn around time with multiple people requesting to pick up the items she was giving away. Surprisingly, there were some items that were not in working order that still generated a high demand from surrounding residents! Look around you, do you have items that you are interested in posting? Click here to join the Cascades Freecycle group and start posting those items today! This network is a great green alternative and environmentally friendly way to disposing unwanted items by preventing these items from ending up in landfills.

Searching for a new home? Concerned about the possible airport noise with the proximity to local airports? Airscene.com is a great place where you can get answers to these questions. Just choose which airport is closest to the area you are interested in and view the flight traffic information including flight patterns.

If you need any assistance searching for a new home, the office of Ask Gina & Co. would be happy to provide you with some assistance. Our office line is (703) 574-3478.