So you are relocating to the Fort Belvior or Quantico Virginia area and you want a home that you can move into right away. A door to door move. Well, that is possible, however your choices are limted.

Currently in the Northern Virginia, Prince William County Virginia and Stafford Virginia area, most new home builder are quoating deliveries of June, July and August. So if you have plans to come in for a house hunt this spring to buy a new home, and move in by the time school is getting out, that ship has sailed!

No...I'm not kidding.

Homes are selling like hotcakes and builders are having to raise prices, because they cannot build as fast as the market has taken off. Then we get into the issue of being able to pull new home permits. The process can get bottle necked quickly which is why most builders contracts here in Virginia allow for a two year build time. Yes, two yes. It's always been that way, ever since I was a new home sales person. They do this in case there is a strike, or wood prices spike, or bad weather strikes.

If you are looking for a sure thing, then you need to look at Immediate Delivery Homes, Builder Spec Homes, Vacant Homes, and homes where owners are ready to move in the next thirty to sixty days.

Take a look at your options right now. View Immediate Delivery Homes For Sale

This is one I have right now, located between Fort Belvior and Quantico Virginia.

For more information and to veiw photos of the five bedroom home with three finished levels View Here

Lake Ridge Virginia Market Update - "Learn What's Happening In The Local Real Estate Market." I don't know about you, however when I go shopping at the local TJ Maxx or Marshalls, I know when the new stock comes in, that I have the best selection. I am thrilled when I get to look at the newest products  first, and I am not looking at left overs or things that have been past up by others over and over.

Well, if you are thinking of buying or selling a home. Did you know that you can position yourself to know what homes just came on the market? Well you can. Take a look at what is happening.

Currently there are:

• 116 Properties listed for sale in Lake Ridge Virginia area
•  47  Homes in Lake Ridge Virginia went Under Contract in January 2012!
•   8 were Short Sales
•  11 were Forecloure Homes.
•  21 Short Sale Opporunities are still Active For Sale
•   9 Foreclosures are still Active For Sale

Price ranges are from $84,000 up $845,000. The average single family home is priced in the $340,000 price point. Even homes that have been sitting for months are now going Under Contract.

For me personally, I listed two homes in the past two weeks in Lake Ridge Virginia. Both were in the Westridge Subdivision. One home was a starter single family home priced at $400,000 ( shown on right) and that home received mutiple offers within 48 hours of being listed.

The other was a $845,000 luxury acreage home in Westridge Subsivision and that home went under contract in less than two weeks! Take a look

If you would like to know "what's happening in the Lake Ridge Virginia real estate market" you have a few choices.

1. One sign up to get automatic alerts on what homes are coming on the market. Simply do a Seach For Homes on this website  LakeRidgeVAHomesForSale.Com and Save Your Search. It is that easy.
2. Call me and let's talk about what you are hoping to find call 703-851-3085.
3. Or if you are thinking of selling your home. You can learn more about how we are helping Lake Ridge homeowners time the market for a quick sale. Watch Video Now

If  you have been dreaming of owning a single family home on a cul-de-sac lot backing to tree's in the Lake Ridge Virginia area, then you may want to look at this beautiful home in Westridge Subdivision.

You decide....if you want to come take a look.

As you can see this is a goregous home that has been well cared for by the current owners. This home is avaialble for immediate delivery. Homeowners are moving up to a larger home within Westridge. They absolutely love the neighborhood. ( That should speak volumes to anyone thinking of buying a home in Westridge)

The house has three finished levels, a walkout basement. In the basement there is a nanny suite complete with full bath and a gas fireplace. On the upper level you will be find hardwood floors, a wonderful custom breakfast bar for those everyday pull up a chair and let's talk moments! ( Love it)

You will find a formal living room, formal dining room with views of the surrounding woods, a family room with woodburning fireplace ( that's rare these days) and a well appointed kitchen. Walk out to the deck overlooking the fenced back yard.

Upstairs you will find remodeled baths and four bedrooms ( one is being used as an office right now)

This home has seen many,many upgrades over the most recent years such as new windows, new HVAC Unit, new roof, and new patio. You even get to keep the Hot Tub

This home is priced at $400,000.

Let us know when you would like to see it. Call 703-590-2252

It was back in November when I received the phone call from the homeowner at 15000 Alaska Rd in Woodbridge Virginia. The homeowner was frustrated. He explained that he had previously entered into a loan modification with his Chase Bank only to fall behind once again. His bank suggested he do a short sale.

Below you can begin to see the problem. His home value dropped from $399,900 to less than $135,000.

This time he did his research online and decided...that just maybe he'd been going at this wrong. When he called he had a lot of questions. He looked for a local real estate agent that he thought could sell his home.  When I arrived at the home, I first asked what information had his bank sent him. There were many unopened packages. In those federal express packages was the answer to his problems.

Chase Bank had sent him not once, but twice HAFA Applications.

I sat with him and helped him fill out the applications and I shared with him, that I would get it done. The thing is I am the kind of a Realtor that wants to shore up and help neighborhoods maintain home values. I believe it is critical for a real estate agent to list the home at Fair Market Value regardless of whether the home is being sold by short sale or not. Some homes need to be priced lower do to condition. But most homeowners love their home, do not want to move, they have fallen on hard times or received a transfer.  Their is still pride of ownership.

As you can see, I still use my normal marketing campaign to sell a short sale. This home received offers within 8 Days! The seller ratified an offer and he received short sale approval withing 60 days!

Even better....he will receive a $3000 check from the HAFA Program to assist him with his move and help with deposits for a rental apartment.

Do you qualify for HAFA?

• You need to live in the home or at least you did within the last twelve months
• You have a hardship
• You have not purchased another home in the last year
• Your first trust has to be under $729,750
• You closed on your home before January 2009
• Please click on the link above to learn more and then call your bank and request a HAFA Application

Just yesterday, a Lake Ridge Virginia homeowner asked me when the real estate market was going to improve enough that he could sell. Turns out his perception of the real estate market was skewed a bit. He just assumed the local real estate market conditions were bad since he keeps seeing those yellow signs in the median strip on weekends advertising Lake Ridge Foreclosures.

Imagine his surprise when I said, currently there are only 16 Foreclosures For Sale in all of the 22192 zip code area.

Turns out, I uncovered that not only could he sell, he could sell for a profit. I think is one person who slept well last night just my dog CJ.

Needless to say, he was so relieved.

That is just one more example of never assume. While you are stressing and worring, you just might  learn that home values are up enough that you can sell. Just maybe the dream you have had rolling around in the back of your mind....can be put into action.

Learn what your home is worth- contact me and I will do a quick market snapshot for you.

The local real estate market has picked up to a pace we haven't seen since early 2003.

Showings are up dramatically on our listings, my friends in the new homes arena are reporting amazing traffic and across Prince William and Northern Virginia inventory is low. So it appears spring market has arrived early this year.

Breaking News---the home located at 12280 Tilney Ct, Lake Ridge Virginia went under contract is 10 Days!

Listed for $845,000. 

For more information on this home or to search the local MLS Listings Click Here

Do you need to sell your home?

I truly believe Marketing Matters!

If you are a home buyer searching for a realtively new home, that is ready to move in turn the key ready, start your engines. We have a new listing coming on the market this morning priced at $489,900. The home is a Stanley Martin but Briley Model with luxury bath, four bedrooms, three finished.

Lockbox will be on this afternoon.

Home is located at

16409 Chattanooga Ln, Woodbridge VA, 22191

Just Listed- Lockbox goes on this morning.

End Unit Townhouse with full fenced back yard in parklike setting.

Home is being offered by Short Sale, two loans.

Interior needs an entire face lift to bring it into 2012. This is a great investor opportunity.

Showings only between 9-5 pm Monday through Friday -NO EXCEPTIONS.

Address: 14329 North Park Ct, Dale City Virginia 22193.

List Price $125,000

Home buyers searching for luxury homes priced between $500,000 and $1,000,000 is up. This past weekend I experience something I have never witnessed in my twenty year career. The open house I hosted for 12280 Tilney Ct, in Lake Ridge Virginia priced at $845,000 had more than forty visitors.

Even better, their have been she Realtor showings this week, and another couple is coming back to take a second look.

So, that might make you wonder. "What's happening in the luxury home market" Especially in area's where you own your home such as Lake Ridge, Hunter's Ridge, Meadowbrook Woods, Coventry Glen, River Falls, River Falls on The Occoquan,Deer Valley, Holleybrooke Estates,Gingerwood, River Bend, Classic Oaks, Fox Hollow, Omisol Estates, White Oak Estates, Ellis Plantation, Barrington Pointe, Westridge, and Crestridge.

Currently in the 22192,20112,and 22193 zip code area there are 32 Active Luxury resale homes For Sale.Of those five homes are being sold by Short Sale and currently there are none being sold by Foreclosure. The market is trying to correct. I have seen homes that were sitting on the market for a long time quickly go under contract in the past week. It appears if you want to buy a luxury home in any of the above mentioned neighborhoods, you may want to consider getting set up on Automatic Alerts. I can do that for, you contact me and tell me what you are looking for, and I will make sure you at least know that it is for sale.

In the past nine months or so, 56 luxury homes have SOLD! Sellers are having to pay some closing costs, however as inventory dwindles that begins to shift and you may not have to pay for the buyers closing cost. That will depend on how well your home shows, and how competitively you are priced.

Today, 12 Luxury Resale homes are Under Contract pending settlement!

So, if you've been thinking, it is time to scale down or downsize to a smaller home, you may have a very good chance of doing that. Give me a call or simply contact me and let's look at the numbers. Then we can sit down and craft a road map on how to go about making your move a successful one. I look forward to hearing from you.

This past weekend our main Exit 1st Choice Realty office moved from the Prince William Parkway office over the the Golansky Blvd area in Woodbridge Virginia. The new  office is wonderful, with lots of space for all of the REALTORS we have at Exit 1st Choice Realty. We also have a Satellite Office off the Prince William Parkway by the County Complex.  For directions to both offices click here

To say the Exit 1st Choice Realty has grown leaps and bounds in an understatement. I remember when we had a tiny space a few years back. Now there agents are joining left and right. Recently Ron and Gray Bryan joined us from Long and Foster, as well as Bob Swartz and his wife Krista Star who came over from Re/Max.  I love seeing what happens when they begin to see what Exit Realty has to offer agents. The  digital tools is just the tip of the iceberg or tools, and training, and help and  information that  Exit Realty has for agents. Exit Realty makes it easy for real estate agent to have the latest technology to  to serve meet the needs of buyers and sellers in today's challenging real estate market. 

Check out our new space. These were taken the day after moving, I will post more as we go. The great news is we are up and running without a glitch. Miracles happen everyday...I am so thankful! Because I'm busy early this year. The 2012 Spring Market is heating up here in Prince William County Virginia.

The photo above was taken on moving day. Soon this area will be filled with cubicles for agents. Erick and myself have an office on the lower level of the sixty six hundred square foot office space. I love having a place to go to work everyday.

Why are real estate agents moving over to Exit Realty?  Watch this video, this will explain it to you.

Have questions...just call me 703-851-3085

I've seen a lot of homes in my day and very few surprise me.  Well let's just say " my jaw dropped when  the homeowners gave me a tour." The home is nothing like the homes we've sold in the neighborhood in the past two years. 

The only thing that came out of my mouth was " Oh My!" Especially when I saw the expansive addition, the back staircase, the stunning master bedroom additions, all the remodeled baths, the landscape, the patio, the detached garage with lift and who can forget the dog wash station in the two story mud room! 

Have I peaked you're interest? This home will be Open Sunday January 15th, 2012 from 1-4pm. Come see it.

MLS# PW7754284

To view more photo's of this home simply click here

Or just use your iPhone and scan this with your QR Reader

You can also read what Erick Blackwelder has to say about this home.

He walked it the other day with his camera in hand. Read more..

People ask me all the time "how do I find real estate foreclosure homes in the Woodbridge, Lake Ridge Virginia area." My answer is simple, we can sign you up to receive automatic alerts. Then every time a new foreclosure MLS Listing is entered into the Realtors multiple listing service, you get notified even before I do. It's that simple. So share with me what you are looking for and I will immediately set up your custom search.

Currently today 1/12/2012 the Woodbridge Virginia area has over fifty(50) active foreclosure homes for sale.  The lowest price condo townhouse at $63,000 and the highest is a brick front NVR built single family home in Dawson Landing with over 3200 finished square feet and a three car garage offered at $449,000! So there are some deals out there. 

Things you need to know:

• All foreclosures, bank owned homes are sold "as is"
• In some cases utilities are not on and further damage is being done- "Sumps not on, pipes freeze, vandalism" It's happens.
• Buying a foreclosure home is not for the faint at heart. Many will require at minimum new flooring, a fresh coat of paint, sometimes new appliances and drywall repair. ( many are missing appliances and wall speakers)
• Banks typically have done the appraisal process and know the fair market value of the property. In many cases we see homes that were previously under contract pending short sale approval at a lower price, only to learn that sale fell apart, the bank foreclosed and now the home is being sold for more.

So that brings me to the next point. If you are a flexible patient buyer, making an offer on a short sale home may be the way to go. Short Sales handled by experienced short sale agents typically go to settlement. A short sale can take up to six months for the homeowner/seller to acquire short sale approval from their bank. That said, these homes in many cases have someone still living in the homes. The homes are still sold "as is", you are less likely to run into catastrophic issues after settlement. ( at least that has been my experience.)

Now, if you are relocating the area, or you want a move-in ready home you will need to start early this year. Why? Resale inventory is very low here in the Woodbridge, Lake Ridge and Manassas Virginia area. In fact it is worse in Alexandria. This week I have been assisting buyers who are looking for a single family home priced between $350,000 and $500,000 and let me tell you the selection is dismal at best. They are in shock! Worse, they put an offer in on a property and another buyer won the bid. It happens.