loudoun county: Selling: What To Expect When You're Showing - 01/21/15 05:57 AM
So you’re putting your house on the market, and you’re not really sure what it will be like to live in a home that is for sale.  Here are some guidelines I give to my clients, I call it “What to expect when you’re showing”.
When you’re on the market:
PEEPING TOM, AND MARY, AND JANE: Don’t be alarmed if someone is parked in front of your home or drives by several times.  It means they are thinking about buying it!   If they are peering over the fence or walking in your yard, it’s fine to step outside and suggest … (6 comments)

loudoun county: Match Maker, Match Maker, Make Me A Match - 07/27/13 02:01 AM
“Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match”… Sometimes I sing this song in my head when I am trying to figure out how to find the “right” home for a particular buyer or the “right” buyer for a particular home.  Some buyers are really looking for a needle in a haystack.  Some properties are… really… um, needles.
Anyone who has been a real estate professional for very long has been faced with the issue of having to sell a property that they could not conceive of buying – ever.  Maybe the agent would never spend that much, or never be willing to … (0 comments)

loudoun county: Applying for a Rental with a Section 8 Voucher - 05/31/13 12:03 AM
Applying for a rental with a section 8 voucher… There are strategies that can help increase your chances of being accepted.
I just completed a post on FINDING A RENTAL WITH A SECTION 8 VOUCHER - click on the link to see it, but now I want to focus on how to get your application approved.
SCREENING
I am assuming you’ve done this first step: You have asked “Will you consider tenants with Section 8 Vouchers?” before ever going to see the property.  If not, back up and refer to the above referenced post.  Otherwise, you’re wasting your time.
UNDERSTAND QUALIFYING CRITERIA
So … (1 comments)

loudoun county: SOLD: Single Family Home, Fox Ridge Neighborhood, Leesburg, VA - 05/23/13 10:41 AM
 
Home for sale, Foxridge Neighborhood, Leesburg, VA
Congratulations to Todd & Janetta who purchased this lovely home in Foxridge neighborhood today (located in SW Leesburg VA).
It’s a beautiful single family home in the town limits of Leesburg, walking distance to old town with easy access to the W&OD bike trail.
It features 3 bedrooms, two and a half baths, and a one car garage.  Homes in Foxridge are known for their small lots – great for those that don’t want a lot of yard maintenance but do want a little of their own “outside space”.  The 6 foot privacy … (0 comments)

loudoun county: In Search Of: Homes Wanted in the Northern Virginia Area - 05/17/13 03:45 AM
“IN SEARCH OF… Buyer Needs” is a weekly post listing the types of properties my clients are looking for…. If you own property like this, please reach out to me.
Today is Friday, May 17th, and I have clients in search of the following types of properties….
Rental Investment Properties: I am working with multiple investors who are looking to purchase homes in the Dulles region (Fairfax/Loudoun Counties) to be used as long term rentals. They would find homes that are already occupied with great tenants to be of particular interest. Any property where the “numbers work” would be considered, but … (0 comments)

loudoun county: Building Wealth By Owning Real Estate: Five Lessons for Us All - 05/06/13 03:02 AM
"Building Wealth By Owning Real Estate: Five Lessons for Us All" is the blog series I just completed.   These tidbits and antecdotal stories are the stories of my life, but they have served me well, and I am on the way to where I want to be financially; despite enduring some trying times financially as a family (which we've done without too much suffering).  I hope you'll read the short stories, and commit the lessons to memory.  Let them guide you in your real estate decisions.  You won't be sorry.
Lesson #1: Real Estate Always Has Value:  It was 1975, … (0 comments)

loudoun county: Storm Preparedness: Frankenstorm Is Headed To Northern Virginia - 10/26/12 12:28 PM
FRANKENSTORM is what the media has begun calling a storm that is predicted to hit our area early next week. Well, actually, I think it is 2 storms that may converge, right before Halloween… thus the name.
I don’t know what will really happen, nor do the forecasters, but the media hype is creating a great deal of anxiety, especially among people who aren’t use to this area and have no idea what to expect. To those of you who are freaking out, I say: “Relax”. Pretty often these things change course or fizzle out. Very often it is much ado … (0 comments)

loudoun county: Types of Real Estate Investments - 09/17/12 11:34 PM
There are lots of different “types” of real estate investments. You can invest in land for long term hold, commercial property and so on. However, since I am primarily a residential REALTOR, this post is about different types of residential real estate investing.
The first time I learned about real estate investing I was 4. My dad had built 4 houses for a developer on Vale Road in Oakton. The market was terrible and when he was done, the builder owed him about $70,000. But he could not pay because he could not sell the houses. Eventually, he came to my … (0 comments)

loudoun county: Open Houses, Loudoun County, August 5, 2012 - 08/04/12 05:24 AM
Looking for the list of open houses in Loudoun County for Sunday August 5, 2012?  Just click here - I'll show you all 76, plus two of my favorites.
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loudoun county: Lookin' For Land (Loudoun County) - 06/22/12 11:19 AM
I have clients that are lookin’ for land… building lots of 3+ acres in the Loudoun area… Hamilton, Leesburg, and Purcellville.
Do you have land you’d like to sell? I sure would like to hear from you!
Vicky Chrisner, REALTOR
Selling Homes and Land in Loudoun County and the Dulles Area
703.669.3142
MyAgentVicky@Gmail.com
… (0 comments)

loudoun county: SOLD! Carriage Home in Loudoun Valley Estates, Ashburn, VA - 06/21/12 11:21 AM
SOLD!

Congratulations to Mike and Grace on the purchase of their new home in Loudoun Valley Estates (Ashburn, VA).
Mike was transferred to the area nearly two years ago for work, but has been sharing a rental while his wife stayed in Chicago getting their children through school. They are very excited, as this is the first step toward being reunited and finally getting to live under one roof again.
I wish them many, many happy years ahead. It’s been my pleasure to work with them on this purchase.
 
SOLD BY VICKY CHRISNER, FIELDSTONE REAL ESTATE 703.669.3142
Are you … (0 comments)

loudoun county: As the Market Recovers, Appraisals Lag Behind - 06/02/12 12:27 PM
Today as I was discussing an appraisal issue with a couple of fellow practioners, I learned that appraisals are suddenly becoming more of an issue.  And, unlike a year ago, it's not really because appraisers that don't know the market place, but more because of the market changes.  A year ago, 6 months ago, we had a lot more distress sales in the market....and the "traditional" sellers had to compete with the distress sales in order to be able to sell.  But for the past 6 months things have been absolutely ROCKING and there has been upward pressure on sales prices... … (1 comments)

loudoun county: Can I Have More Than One Agent? - 06/01/12 01:52 PM
A Consumer Asked: Can I have more than one agent?
Hmm... The short answer: Maybe, but not if you're *my* client.
But let's back up a bit. When you begin working with an agent, there's an important discussion that should be had - right up front. It's about the difference between being a client and a customer. (Yes, there is a legal difference.) If it's determined that you will hire that agent to be your agent, then you will likely be asked to hire them exclusively. This means you will be asked to pledge your loyalty (in writing via a contract … (1 comments)

loudoun county: Breaking News: RESPA, NAR, Quicken and Brokerage Admin Fees - 05/31/12 01:06 PM
RESPA, RESPA, RESPA...What is it anyway? The web site www.HUD.gov explains: " The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) insures that consumers throughout the nation are provided with more helpful information about the cost of the mortgage settlement and protected from unnecessarily high settlement charges caused by certain abusive practices. "
Among other things, this law has a prohibition against "unearned fees" being charged by settlement service providers to the consumer. Settlement service providers are real estate brokers, lenders, closing companies, surveyors, pest control companies, home warranty companies and almost any party whose charges show up on the HUD-1 Settlement Statement.
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loudoun county: SOLD! Subdivision in Leesburg, VA - 05/29/12 10:24 AM
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loudoun county: Hidden Costs in Home Buying - New vs. Resale - 05/28/12 08:35 AM
Today I received an email from Toll Brothers linking to a blog about why you should buy a new home rather than a resale.... and they make a few points; but they miss a lot of points. "A" for effort! Hopefully the consumers reading the blog don't actually think about what it says - or doesn't say.
In this sheet, Toll Brothers gives you expected life expectancies of varying systems in homes, and their approximation of replacement cost. Generally speaking, they are right on about the average life expectancies. According to the estimate, over a 25 year span you could be … (6 comments)

loudoun county: 31 Lot Subdivision For Sale, Round Hill (Loudoun County VA) - 05/22/12 12:53 AM
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loudoun county: Real Estate Pricing Trends (Loudoun County) - 05/16/12 11:57 AM
MEDIAN PRICE HISTORY This chart reflects a 5 year history of median price levels in Loudoun County. The blue line is for all housing types; but as you see, detached homes (purple), attached homes - i.e. townhomes (pink) and condos (red) have all followed a very similar pattern. For those wondering "Are we at the bottom of the market yet?" I'd say there is clear and convincing evidence that in Loudoun, the prices in our market place bottomed out in the first quarter of 2009, and prices have been moderately climbing since.

ARE PRICES BEING NEGOTIATED? Buyers and sellers both … (0 comments)

loudoun county: Challenging Your Tax Assessment Gets A Little Easier - 06/18/11 12:27 PM
Aha! An interesting little legal change going into effect July 1 (which will impact local real estate tax assessments beginning Jan 1 of next year):  The burden of proof in Assessment Appeals will be lower.  After January 1st, localities will have specific burdens to provide you with evidence of their reason for reassessment of your VA properties.  Further, if you appeal an assessment you no longer have to provide "clear and convincing" evidence (80%+ convincing) of a lower valuation... you only need to provide a "preponderance" of evidence (51% convincing).  If you've ever challenged your assessment you probably know it wasn't too … (1 comments)

loudoun county: Loudoun County Tax Auction Scheduled May 2011 - 04/08/11 09:45 AM
A tax sale auction of certain properties with delinquent real estate taxes has been scheduled by the Loudoun County Treasurer's office.   The sale will be Wednesday, May 11, 2011 . Properties for sale include: 44075 PIPELINE PLAZA #305,in Ashburn; PIN 087-29-4881-014 1.63 acres near Bluemont; PIN 653-37-5970-000 17550 FORT JOHNSTON RD,in Leesburg; PIN 269-17-5171-000 2.54 acres SYCOLIN,PARCEL A; PIN 192-16-6161-000 576 EDMONTON TE NE in Leesburg; PIN 148-37-0881-000 For more information, please contact: Vicky Chrisner Selling Homes and Land in Loudoun County 703.669.3142 VChrisner@KW.com … (0 comments)