Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR, Northern Virginia Real Estate Blog. Virginia Homes, Sales, Real Estate Services!

Greater Atlantic Bank in Reston VA Fails!

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:01:46 -0600

Sonabank, McLean Virginia, Assumes All of the Deposits of Greater Atlantic Bank, Reston VA.

It looks like hte night is young for bank failures. A bank failure finally hits close to home in Reston VA! This news story just brook within the last 15 minures. The FDIC Spokesman said - Sonabank in McLean, VA will assume Greater Atlantic's $179 million in deposits, and will purchase "essentially all" of Greater Atlantic Banks's $203 million in assets. Sonabank entered a loss-share agreement with the FDIC on $145 million of the failed bank's assets. 4 branches of Greater Atlantic Bank will reopen as branches of Sonabank.

FDIC:

"The five branches of Greater Atlantic Bank will reopen during normal business hours as branches of Sonabank. Depositors of Greater Atlantic Bank will automatically become depositors of Sonabank. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship to retain their deposit insurance coverage. Customers should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from Sonabank that it has completed systems changes to allow other Sonabank branches to process their accounts as well."

Acorrding to the FDIC Press Release:

"The transaction also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers. For more information on loss share, please visit: http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/lossshare/index.html.

Customers who have questions about today's transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at 1-800-830-6698. The phone number will be operational this evening until 9:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST); on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., EST; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EST. Interested parties also can visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/atlantic-va.html."

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Leesburg VA Homes for Sale Report November 27, 2009

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:17:27 -0600

Leesburg VA Homes for Sale - Leesburg VA Homes Market Report Single Family Detached Homes November 27, 2009. There are over Active Listings 207 homes for sale in Leesburg VA as of today November 27, 2009. (These are single family detached homes for sale and are fee simple home owner ship.) This high price of actively listed Leesburg homes for sale is $4,650,000 in Creighton Farms and the low price of a Leesburg VA home for sale is $215,000 in the Silver Oaks subdivision.

207 'Active' - Leesburg VA Homes $4,650,000 / $215,000 (HI/LOW)
16 'Cntg/KO' - Leesburg VA Homes
76 'Cntg/NO KO' - Leesburg VA Homes
40 'Contract' - Leesburg VA Homes

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Sterling VA Homes November 27, 2009

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:01:10 -0600

Sterling Virginia Homes for Sale

This is a Sterling VA real estate update for Friday November 27, 2009.

As of today Friday November 27, 2009 there are currently 66 Sterling VA homes for sale in our MRIS MLS System. These are fee simple Sterling VA homes for sale - detached single family homes. Sterling VA is located west of Washington DC in the easternmost portion of Loudoun County VA and it has a great location to Dulles International Airport, and the entire Washington DC area. Sterling Virginia has great homes, neighborhoods, and some great subdivisions with reasonably priced single family detached fee simple homes for sale. Below is a current list of activity on single family homes for sale in Sterling Virginia.

66 'Active' - Sterling VA Homes $1,700,000 / $215,000 (HI/LOW)
15 'Cntg/KO' - Sterling VA Homes
102 'Cntg/NO KO' - Sterling Virginia Homes
34 'Contract' - Sterling VA Homes

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Alexandria VA Homes | Alexandria VA Homes Report

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:56:58 -0600

As of today Friday November 27, 2009 there are currently 293 single family detached Alexandria VA homes for sale, 109 Alexandria VA condos for sale, which are attached homes Alexandria VA town homes for sale. With mortgage rates at historic lows this is an incredible time to buy a home in Alexandria VA. There are great prices, sellers are willing to look at offers and negotiate, and there is a lot more to choose from than in recent memory, but a lot less than last year. The other item that makes Alexandria such a sought after location is the rising cost of fuel and gas. Since Alexandria Virginia has access to WMATA and buses, it is a money saver in the long run! It's time to buy your next home in Alexandria VA.

293 'Active' - Alexandria,VA Homes

29 'Cntg/KO' - Alexandria,VA Homes

126 'Cntg/NO KO' - Alexandria,VA Homes

75 'Contract' - Alexandria,VA Homes

High Price Listed $9,500,000

Low Price Listed $158,700

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Virginia - No Smoking in Public Restaurants │ Virginia - New "No Smoking Law" Takes Effect December 1, 2009

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:06:27 -0600

Starting next month on December 1, 2009 our once famous - now infamous tobacco state will join the ranks of other states as a new anti-smoking law takes hold in Virginia. The Old Dominion will finally join the growing ranks of states that banned smoking in restaurants. The new ban will allow restaurants in Virginia to have a smoking area only if they separate the smokers into rooms into rooms that have their owned contained ventilation systems separate from those that heat and cool those of non-smoking patrons. Due to the expense of retrofitting a restaurant or eateries in this lackluster economy, it is expected that less than 10% of restaurants will accommodate this segregated smoking arrangement provision. Most restaurants will just comply, and forego the conversion. So for the most part, forget smoking in public eateries starting December 1, 2009. For those of us that do not smoke, this law is long overdue!

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Manassas VA Homes - Manassas VA MLS Listings Update

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:19:12 -0600

Manassas VA Homes for Sale, Manassas VA Active Listings - Manassas Real Estate Market Report November 25 2009*. As of today November 25 2009 there are currently 134 Manassas VA Homes for Sale in Prince William County VA. These are single family detached homes - fee simple ownership. homes in Manassas VA that are in the status of 'Contract' denotes contingencies have been removed and they are procceding towards a closing. It is a great time to buy homes in Manassas VA, there are many Manassas homes and fine properties to choose from and the sellers will negotiate. Mortgage rates are still low!

Active - 134 Properties Found Manassas VA Homes for Sale Detached Fee Simple
24 Manassas VA Homes for Sale that are in 'Cntg/KO' Status
124 Manassas VA homes are 'Cntg/NO KO' Status
79 Manassas VA Homes for Sale are listed as in 'Contract'

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Fairfax VA Home Sales October 2009 - What Did Fairfax VA Home Buyers Buy in Fairfax VA October 2009?

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:17:56 -0600

Are you interested in buying or selling Fairfax real estate or Fairfax VA homes for sale? Do you want to know what other persons are buying? Before you buy a home, condo or town home in Fairfax VA perhaps it is wise to first understand what is in demand - that means what are other home buyers are buying in Fairfax VA!

When buying a home Fairfax VA the most interesting to note the current Fairfax real estate trends. Since real estate is local... it is important to identify the type of homes in Fairfax VA that are selling. It is a smart thing to do especially if you want to protect your investment. The homes that are selling in Fairfax VA County far faster than anything else are 4+ bedroom homes. They are the most sought after, and then followed by the 3 bedroom units. Over the years in real estate a Fairfax VA real estate professional has to notice that 4 bedroom homes are more sought after than a 3 bedroom home. In October 2009 there there 470 Single Family Detached homes sold in Fairfax VA. Single family homes are also more sought after than condos etc. I created this Fairfax VA graph just to allow you to see what type of Fairfax VA homes buyers looking for and buying! This graph is created from October 2009 Fairfax VA real estate statistics of MRIS released November 10 2009. Since it is a visual, it is pretty much self explanatory.

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Fairfax VA Home Prices Leveling Out After Long Slide!

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:17:05 -0600

Fairfax VA Real Estate Report - November Home Sales in Fairfax Virginia - Average Home Sales Prices Drop of -25.6% Compared to Same Sale Period in October 2005. Fairfax VA Homes Price Average of Home Sale Price Trend seems to have leveled out in this Fairfax Virginia Real Estate Market Report.

This 5 year comparison of average Fairfax Virginia homes sales price chart based on MRIS Data* was created to allow better comprehension of Fairfax Virginia Homes sales price trends. The Fairfax Real Estate market has changed and we all need to know what is occurring.

Fairfax's average price of sold homes in October 2009 - compared to previous Octobers goin gback 5 years to 2005 when the Average sold price in November was $557,701. In October of 2009 the Average Sold price for homes in Fairfax VA was $410,339 a 25.6% drop in the average sales price as compared to November 2009. This is primarily due to the fact many of the home sales are still distressed sales, the home buyers that are in the market are still basically first time home buyers. Fairfax VA home sellers must also keep in mind that to get the deal done there are more concessions on the seller side due to buyer incentives offered to move the home sales forward.

*MRIS Real Estate Trend Indicator - <$100K to >$5M Format

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Thanksgiving Day Parade - Thank You Mr Macy!

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:15:52 -0600

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade!

While the turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy (which is a beverage in our house) are all worth the long day in the kitchen, what I get up for on Thanksgiving Day morning is The Parade. It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it.

I remember as a little girl my Dad took me and my brother Thomas to his office to view the parade in 1956. My brother was probably four at the time and the subways were jammed coming and going with all the other parade attendees. Dad's office building in Manhattan looked down on the parade route. It was a cold, windy day because Dad carried my brother and I walked behind him, holding on to his coat trying to cut our way through the crowds.

My Mom dressed us as though we were visiting the White House. We had on our finest outfits, and I proudly wore my favorite white faux fur muff to keep my hands warm. My hair was curled in ringlets like Shirley Temple. It was such a big deal in those days to go to the parade I can remember what I wore to this day: a wool red and gray plaid pleated skirt that had straps that attached with buttons at the back of the skirt, crossed over the opposite shoulder and then buttoned at the inside front of the skirt. It had a white blouse with matching plaid piping at the Peter Pan collar and the french cuffs were closed via two ruby red crystal studs attached to each other via a small metal chain. Eat your heart out Audrey Hepburn.

I remember Dad hoisting me up by the large office windows near his desk so I could see everything. It truly was magic. Clowns, floats, balloons, horses, police, firemen, soldiers, bands; the whole world was there waiting for Santa which marked the end of the festivities. In those days, kids were wrapped tighter than mummies with thermal underwear in addition to their clothes, sweaters, scarves, hats, mufflers, and boots. I bet it took Dad longer to dress us than it did to watch the entire parade. I'm sure it's the very reason we watched the 1957 parade at our grandparent's house in front of their 9 inch black and white TV.

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade!

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Loudoun Home Sales are Up and Loudoun Home Prices are Up! October 2009

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:59:37 -0600

Loudoun VA Real Estate Report for October 2009.

Sales of homes in Loudoun VA saw an increase of 8.64% in price compared to same period in October 2008. The average price of Loudoun VA homes sold has moved higher. This tells us that the Loudoun VA Real Estate Market may have hit bottom and increased slightly. We will still have to wait and see the trends in the next few months. Rates are low and stimulus money are keeping things up right now especially in the DC area.

This real estate report shows a YTD comparison of average Loudoun VA homes sold chart based on MRIS Data*. The Loudoun Real Estate market has changed and we all need to know what is occurring.

There is a .95% increase in the number of homes in Loudoun VA that sold as compared to October 2008. In the sales of homes in Loudoun, the List price / Sales Price ratio of 94.49% shows us we are still clearly in a buyers market. Sellers are not still not getting what they are asking for in their original list price., but it has improved greatly. So there is give and take in what a home actually is selling for.

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Fairfax VA Home Sales October | Fairfax VA Home Sales Trends for October 2005-2009

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:58:48 -0600

Fairfax VA Real Estate Market Report - October 2009 for Fairfax Virginia Real Estate. MRIS our MLS was just realeased the mosst recent data for Fairfax VA Homes sales on November 10, 2009 and it includes statistics for Fairfax Homes Sold in October 2009. I created a trends graph from that data and compared it to same time frames in October 2005-2009. These Fairfax VA homes sales reports are always very insightful to determine sales and marketing trends. It deals with only homes sold in October.

This is a better way to explain what is happening in our Fairfax VA real estate market. Instead of looking month to month, more often than not we need to take a step back and view the trends for the same time period. In October 2009 there were 1203 home sold in Fairfax Virginia. Again this is a sharp contrast to the peak in home sales in October of 2005 in Fairfax when the sold homes in Fairfax were 1422 homes sold. So in comparison to that peak, that is a 15.4% drop in homes in Fairfax sold from the peak sales in 2005. That isn't too bad for Fairfax Homes sales. The good news is that Fairfax real estate sales have held steady and risen since October of 2007, and Active inventory is down. Believe it or not it is really good news for a recovery.

*MRIS Real Estate Trend Indicator - <$100K to >$5M Format

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Loudoun VA Home Prices October 09| Loudoun VA Home Price Trends for October 2005-2009

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:57:59 -0600

The most recent statistics for our MLS (MRIS*) were just released on November 10 for all October 2009 sales of homes in Loudoun Virginia. Though Loudoun homes prices rose over .38% over last years average sales price, prices as a whole are still way off their peaks. If we compare the average Loudoun homes sale price of $550,974 in October of 2005 to the Loudoun homes average sales price of $375,575 in October of 2009 it shows us several things. First of all the average home sales price of a single family Loudoun homes has fallen 31.83%. It is not that the prices have dropped that much, but the number does show you where the action is...in much lower priced homes, and distressed Loudoun homes and properties. Please keep in mind that sellers are also contributing more to make the sales happen.

October of 2009, and Active inventory is down. Believe it or not it is really good news for a recovery.

*MRIS Real Estate Trend Indicator - <$100K to >$5M Format

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Fairfax County VA Home Sales | Where Did Home Sell in Fairfax VA? | October 2009 Fairfax VA - Home Sales Fairfax VA by City

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:53:42 -0600

Ever wonder where the detached single family homes are selling in Fairfax VA in October 2009? Most persons that are interested in buying or selling never bother to look up the Fairfax VA real estate statistics and try to make sense of them. Agents that do not understand Fairfax VA real estate statistics and the importance of the numbers try to dismiss them or ignore them. That is sad because too many persons stay uninformed and miss the big picture. I like my clients informed of the current trends.

It has been said the most important thing in real estate is "Location, Location, Location!" I think this set of Fairfax VA real estate statistics confirms a lot of this. Most of the sales are either inside the Beltway or very close or accessible to it. In this report, I used only Fairfax VA single family detached homes fee simple that sold in October of 2009.

I did not include areas with less than 6 sales...in good conscience I could not warrant factoring them into the statistics of homes sold in Fairfax VA. (Please keep in mind there are no Alexandria City entered listings. It has its own entry in MRIS and I will report them separately.)

*MRIS Real Estate Trend Indicator - <$100K to >$5M Format

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Northern VA Home Sales Listed By County | Northern Virginia Real Estate and Home Sale Trends By County - October 2009

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:51:39 -0600

Northern VA Homes Sales Trends. MRIS* (Our Regional MLS System) has just released October 2009 home sales stats for the MRIS coverage area - on November 10, 2009. Once again because of its prime location to all in the DC area for access, commute, WMATA...sales of homes in Northern Virginia Fairfax VA leads the region in home sales easily with 1203 homes sold in Fairfax VA, followed by sold homes in Prince William County with 709 sales. That is always a surprise because the average home price in Fairfax VA are so much higher on the average than adjoining counties, but the price trends are moving down even as mortgage interest rates decline to record lows. Location, location, location! Fairfax is the more deisred location because of the proximity to DC, the Pentagon, metro, the airports etc...so real estate here is considered PRIME! Homes in Prince William County are selling because the average sales price is lower!

MRIS* Real Estate Trend Indicator - <$100K to >$5M Format

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Fairfax VA Real Estate Report for October 2009 | Fairfax VA Home Sales October 2009 | Real Estate Trends - Fairfax VA

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:49:08 -0600

Fairfax VA Real Estate Report for October 2009. Our MRIS Regional statistics for our MLS were just released on November 10^th, for closed sales for the period of October 2009. Sales of homes in Fairfax VA saw a modest increase of .46% in price compared to same period in October 2008. The average sales price in Fairfax County VA is now $140,339. In the big picture the price average of Fairfax VA Homes still trending to move lower - Fairfax Real Estate Market Report, but the small increase may show we have hit bottom and are holding. We will still have to wait and see the trends in the next few months.

This real estate report shows a YTD comparison of average Fairfax VA homessold chart based on MRIS Data*. The Fairfax Real Estate market has changed and we all need to know what is occurring.

There is a 6.27% increase in the number of homes in Fairfax VA that sold as compared to October 2008. Sales of homes in Fairfax. We sold 1203 homes in October. The net sales price is trending lower due to the nature of this buyers market can easily be seen in the List price / Sales Price ratio of 94.37%. Even though there is improvement in it, it shows clearly we are still in a buyers market. Sellers are not getting what they are asking for in their original list price. Buyers are still in charge and there is some give and take in what a home actually is selling for.

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Chantilly VA Homes for Sale - Homes Update | Chantilly VA Single Family Detached Homes for Sale - Loudoun

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:46:01 -0600

This is a Chantilly Virginia real estate update for Saturday November 21, 2009.

As of today Saturday Saturday November 21, 2009 there are currently 34 homes for sale in Chantilly VA in our MRIS MLS System. These are fee simple Chantilly VA homes for sale and detached single family homes. Chantilly Virginia is located west of Washington DC in close in Loudoun Virginia just over the Fairfax county line, and has great proximity to Dulles International Airport, and the whole of the Washington DC area. Chantilly Virginia has great homes, neighborhoods, and some great subdivisions with reasonably priced single family detached fee simple homes for sale. Below is a current list of activity on single family homes for sale in Chantilly VA.

34 'Active' - Chantilly VA Homes
2 'Cntg/KO' - Chantilly VA Homes
30 'Cntg/NO KO' - Chantilly VA Homes
6 'Contract' - Chantilly VA Homes

Homes for sale in Chantilly VA

[BUY A HOME IN CHANTILLY] [SELL A HOME IN CHANTILLY]

Chantilly VA Subdivisions

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Centreville VA Homes for Sale Update | Centreville VA Real Estate Report

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:35:45 -0600

This is a Centreville Virginia real estate update for Saturday November 21, 2009.

As of today Saturday November 21, 2009 there are currently 44 homes for sale in Centreville Virginia in our MRIS MLS System. These are fee simple Centreville VA homes for sale and detached single family homes. Centreville Virginia is located west of Washington DC in Fairfax Virginia and has a great location in the Washington DC area. Centreville Virginia has great homes, neighborhoods, and some great subdivisions with reasonably priced single family detached fee simple homes for sale. Below is a current list of activity on single family homes for sale in Centreville VA.

44 'Active' - Centreville VA Homes (Hi /Low List Price) $1,400,000 / $170000
7 'Cntg/KO' - Centreville VA Homes
38 'Cntg/NO KO' - Centreville VA Homes
21 'Contract' - Centreville VA Homes

Find homes for sale in Centreville Virginia

[BUY A HOME IN CENTREVILLE] [SELL A HOME IN CENTREVILLE]

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Chantilly VA Photos

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:19:44 -0600

I mentioned in my drecent Blog Posts that I was going to be posting some photos from around town. This post will be a few recent photos I took in Chantilly VA off Route 50 East heading towards DC on Route 50. In this photo I'm sharing a VA Historic Marker B11 which is a market commemorates the Campaign of Second Manassas. The second Chantilly VA photo is one taken directly in front of the landmark Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church UMC in Chantilly VA (Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church was founded in 1894). For anyone traversing Route 50 east or west these are town there are well know Chantilly VA Icons!

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Centreville VA Photos

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:42:58 -0600

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year in Centreville VA! Fall in Centreville VA is followed by my other favorite seasons of Winter, Spring and Summer! The seasons are all great here! We have loads of colors to please the fussiest of eyes year round! Even the Commercial real estate is lovely in this area to look at this time of the year. Crisp nights and pleasant days makes for wonderful colors in our fall foliage! It is a delight to behold as you smeel teh fresh air coming in off the Blue Ridge Mountians to our west. It only gets better in the months to come!

In the last few weeks I've driven about town and takes some Centreville VA photos I would like to share! I hope you like them they are just scenes around Centreville VA and around town in Northern VA!

Click Centreville VA Homes For Sale

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Centreville VA Grand Mart International Food Market

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:18:24 -0600

Centreville Virginia is known as a major crossroads in Northern VA. Route 66, Route 29 and Route 28 all converge there! It puts the 'Centre' in the name "Centre"Ville! What most persons do not realize is that Centreville VA is also a cultural crossroads of the world. It is located by Dulles International Airport to the north and more recently the Centreville area has grown also in a culturally diverse population. I think that is a great thing.

Well even in Centreville VA with different cultures comes different ideas, needs, foods and traditions. For those of different cultures in the past it has been difficult to find food items, and ethnic specialties nearby. Well all of that has ended these days! Centreville is home to a wonderful International food market called Grand Mart! Grand Mart is one of my favorite international grocery stores.

The Grand Mart store is more than a supermarket with groceries, pots, and pans, fresh produce, meats, poultry, fowl, fish, bakery, and so much more. There are little shops with in the Grand Mart supermarket that makes it feel like a truly international food bazaar!

Click Centreville VA Homes For Sale

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Centreville VA Fall Colors

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:51:26 -0600

Centreville VA is great this time of year! In the last few weeks the fall colors around Northern VA have been stunning. Yes we have had some wet weather, but all in all the weather has been great during the day, cool at night and the colors of the fall foliage in Northern VA has been stunning. I decided to share some photos I took around town. This photo of fall color was I took at a shopping center in Centreville VA just off route 28, and 29 near the Grand Mart on Centerwod Drive. The crimson colors were so neat that I just had to share the photo!

Click Centreville VA Homes For Sale

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Yeild Spread Premiums & New HUD-1 Disclosures!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:24:03 -0600

I first entered real estate in 1988 (See bumper sticker from that era which read: "If you bought in '88, I CAN'T HELP YOU!") I was with Merrill Lynch at the time in the Fair Oaks office and I promise you they turned a pumpkin into a real brain. I remember going to several mortgage corporations for intense training as though I were becoming not a REALTOR but a loan officer. I knew just about everything the 10% of my working brain could hold. The Scarecrow and Dorothy were so proud of me! Subsequent to the 1980's blip in real estate, I was only too thrilled to hand the mortgage planning over to trusted loan officers with whom I work as the programs became more complex and personalized for each client's needs. Scroll down to the other day. I was in a continuing education course about the (GASP, NOT AGAIN) new regulations coming out in 2010 regarding good faith estimates and HUD-1 disclosures. The attorney who was teaching the course also had a trusted partner sitting in the classroom and the air was thick with genius - except me apparently. As he discussed how the closing statement will be uniform throughout the US better clarifying itemizations, I heard the term Yield Spread Premium. I was sucked up into the Kansas tornado vortex, knocked unconscious with my little dog - you know, the one the sellers say they don't have even though you can smell him despite the heavy masking of the heated potpourri oil. Let's say a mortgage broker has a fee of 1% of the loan amount which you pay to buy the loan, plus $500 processing fee on a $100,000 loan. In this case, the 1% is $1,000. If appraisal, lender's title insurance, and other costs to close the loan are $3,000, the total costs would be $4,300. The borrower can choose a rate of 4.875% with no yield spread premium (lender pays this). The borrower comes to closing with the $1,500 plus $3,000 or $4500.

The borrower can pay a slightly higher rate, 5.25% with 1% yield spread premium, paid by the lender to the mortgage broker (or bank). The borrower's fees will be $500 plus the costs of $3,000 or $3,500. The lender will pay the mortgage broker the remaining $1,000.

At an even higher rate of 5.65% with a 2% yield spread premium, paid by the lender, the mortgage broker keeps $1,500 and credits the remaining $3,000 from the yield spread premium to the borrower for all the fees.

Won't the mortgage payment be higher? OF COURSE. Why would a borrower pay a higher monthly payment when he qualifies for a lower rate? He can keep his cash in the bank and hopefully make more money in his investment portfolio.

Here's something the new HUD-1, GFE will clarify and force direct lenders to disclose - their profits. Today your bank doesn't have to disclose that profit to the borrower, whereas a mortgage broker will give you those three comparisons in writing. Are you on the Yellow Brick Road with me?

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Aromas and Selling Homes!

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:38:55 -0600

I remember being over my grandmother's house and smelling the black, moist, mushroomy scent of her earthen basement when she'd open the cellar doors out into the yard on a breezy day. She loved to bake coconut cake and I can still smell it as she toasted the white flakes before letting them rain through her fingers all over the icing. Marcel Proust would immediately recall his aunt's home in Combray, France the moment he'd savor a morsel of madeleine cake.

The scent of pine and chalk always reminds me of my early school days as I often slapped the board erasers together in the school yard for the teacher. When I smell lavender soap, I recall the craze of days gone by when everyone doused themselves in everything English when the Beatles were in their prime.

Sorry, but the scent of those little glass bulbs filled with liquid misery people plug into their homes today just don't evoke that same psycho-sensory elation. It's just a total turn off! It's like every buyer has told me repeatedly: "they must be trying to mask the smell of the kitty litter," or "NOTHING can erase that horrible musty smell rising from the basement, GAWD!"

Keep it simple when listing your home. There's an axiom in real estate: A clean home will always sell. Truer words were never spoken. If you believe in the new green, put some vinegar and water in a spray bottle and wipe down your counters in the kitchen and bath, and while you're at it, spray the mirrors. It will be a good reflection on you, sorry for the pun. If you want people to remember your home, why not let my buyer gush, "You know, - it was the one that smelled like Ivory soap."

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Historic Manassas VA - Photos of Downtown Old Town Manassas VA

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:14:12 -0600

There are so many great Historic Manassas VA Photos that it is hard to figure out which ones are better to post on my Blog and Prince William Homes for Sale website. On a web page as the file size of the page grows the page loads too slowly. Viewers will move on if the page takes forever to load, so I decided to post several Manassas VA Photos pictures on their own. I think it makes more sense instead of trying place them inside one Blog. As the Manassas VA Photos increase, I will expand the new web page that I have created devoted soley to Manassas VA Photos.

To see more photos of Manassas VA

Manassas VA Homes
MANASSAS VA PHOTOS

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Roy Rogers Manassas Park - The Best Fried Chicken and a Sunday Drive!

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:57:01 -0600

Roy Rogers Manassas Park is a winning combination. The Best Fried Chicken and a Sunday Drive were made for each other. I am a fan of great friend chicken, and my favorite place is Roy Rogers. I think their fried chicken is one of the best, and I am a little biased towards "Roy Rogers" since I was a fan of his for many years and I still am. There are not as many Roy Rogers Stores Open these days areound hte DC area. The number of stores from its peak years ago has dwindled to just a few. We are fortunate to have one near by in Manassas VA Manassas Park on Route 28 heading southbound towards Old Town Manassas VA. It always looks like welcome home when you see the sign come into view. One taste say's your home again. "Happy Trails Roy!"

Roy Rogers Restaurant

8502 Centreville Rd
Manassas Park, VA 20111

To see more photos of Manassas VA

Manassas VA Homes

Virginia Homes for Sale & Maryland Homes For Sale

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR

RE/MAX Distinctive Real Estate -1307 Dolley Madison BLVD, McLean VA 22101

Licensed in VA, MD, GA

Ellen Crawford CRS, GRI, ABR, Northern Virginia Real Estate Blog. Virginia Homes, Sales, Real Estate Services!

Greater Atlantic Bank in Reston VA Fails!

FDIC:

Acorrding to the FDIC Press Release:

Leesburg VA Homes for Sale Report November 27, 2009

Sterling VA Homes November 27, 2009

Sterling Virginia Homes for Sale

Alexandria VA Homes | Alexandria VA Homes Report

Virginia - No Smoking in Public Restaurants │ Virginia - New "No Smoking Law" Takes Effect December 1, 2009

Manassas VA Homes - Manassas VA MLS Listings Update

Fairfax VA Home Sales October 2009 - What Did Fairfax VA Home Buyers Buy in Fairfax VA October 2009?

Fairfax VA Home Prices Leveling Out After Long Slide!

Thanksgiving Day Parade - Thank You Mr Macy!

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade!

While the turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy (which is a beverage in our house) are all worth the long day in the kitchen, what I get up for on Thanksgiving Day morning is The Parade. It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it.

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade!

Loudoun Home Sales are Up and Loudoun Home Prices are Up! October 2009

Loudoun VA Real Estate Report for October 2009.

Fairfax VA Home Sales October | Fairfax VA Home Sales Trends for October 2005-2009

Loudoun VA Home Prices October 09| Loudoun VA Home Price Trends for October 2005-2009

Fairfax County VA Home Sales | Where Did Home Sell in Fairfax VA? | October 2009 Fairfax VA - Home Sales Fairfax VA by City

Northern VA Home Sales Listed By County | Northern Virginia Real Estate and Home Sale Trends By County - October 2009

Fairfax VA Real Estate Report for October 2009 | Fairfax VA Home Sales October 2009 | Real Estate Trends - Fairfax VA

Chantilly VA Homes for Sale - Homes Update | Chantilly VA Single Family Detached Homes for Sale - Loudoun

Centreville VA Homes for Sale Update | Centreville VA Real Estate Report

Chantilly VA Photos

Centreville VA Photos

Centreville VA Grand Mart International Food Market

Centreville VA Fall Colors

Yeild Spread Premiums & New HUD-1 Disclosures!

Aromas and Selling Homes!

Historic Manassas VA - Photos of Downtown Old Town Manassas VA

To see more photos of Manassas VA

Manassas VA Homes MANASSAS VA PHOTOS

Roy Rogers Manassas Park - The Best Fried Chicken and a Sunday Drive!

Roy Rogers Restaurant

Manassas VA Homes

Manassas VA Homes
MANASSAS VA PHOTOS