If you have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for a GREAT deal, you  might consider getting in the game quickly.  The Northern Virginia area bargains are quickly drying up.  Inventory is very scarce, and homes don't sit on the market for too long.  Bargain priced homes are getting scooped up quicklyl and frequently there are multiple offers for each home offered.  It is still a good time to buy, but the market is changing and the number of real deals out there, are getting harder and harder to capture.