virginia: 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
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virginia: 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)

virginia: Buyer Beware (Part 2: Chinese Drywall) - 06/14/11 10:55 AM
Drywall made in China and put into homes here in America between 2003 and 2009 has caused serious issues.  It erodes wiring, copper pipes and can make you sick.  You'd want to know if you were buying a home that had chinese drywall wouldn't you? Of course you would. There's a tiny bit of good news here.  A newly passed law (Senate Bill 942) addresses this exact issue.  It requires real estate agents involved in a transaction who have actual knowledge of defective Chinese drywall in a dwelling unit to disclose that information to the prospective buyer or tenant. But, would a real … (0 comments)

virginia: You Might Not Need A REALTOR IF... Reason #6 - 02/02/10 03:50 AM
You Might Not Need A REALTOR IF.... You know how to, and LIKE, negotiating.
I see people that have this WRONG more than they have this right; even some agents if I am honest.
There are some core things to keep in mind when negotiating an offer. • As a seller, you love your home. In this market, you are feeling pain and loss because the value is not as high as the perceived value a few years ago. Get over it. Your buyer is still likely spending more money than he EVER thought he would. It's likely YOU never even … (0 comments)

virginia: The Long and Short of a Short Sale, Part 2 - 08/25/09 06:32 AM
This post is a continuation of a series on Short Sales.  To see the previous posts, visit: http://therealestatewhisperer.blogspot.com/2009/07/short-sale-anything-but-short.html
Since the homeowner is the one who initiates the short sale process, let's look in more detail at the selling side.  In this post, I will talk about who should and should not consider a short sale; and WHEN they should take action.
Why consider a short sale? Anyone who thinks they may end up allowing a home to go into foreclosure should seriously consider this option.
CREDIT: With a short sale, your credit is damaged, but not nearly as badly as it … (0 comments)

virginia: The Most Unique Homes In Northern Virginia - 07/24/09 05:46 AM
Send me your photos of homes in Northern Virginia that you consider to be unusual looking.  I plan to put together a video using them.  If your photo is used, I will pay you $50, and thank you in the credits (using name and your city/state only).Northern Virginia is going to be defined by anywhere in Virginia that our local MLS covers (www.mris.com).  In other words, if you can find homes at homesdatabase.com in the same neighborhood, it will qualify.With your submission, please Include the following information:Name (must be over 18)AddressPhone numberEmailAddress of the property in the pictureTHE PICTURE - don't … (0 comments)

virginia: Use Your $8K First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit At Closing! - 06/08/09 12:16 PM
About a week and a half ago, there was a ruling allowing home buyers to use their First Time Home Buyer Credit (a max of $8000) toward closing costs. Today, VHDA (the Virginia Housing Development Authority) rolled out their plans implementing this program, and here are the highlights:
 * The buyer's primary loan must be a VHDA FHA loan. There are income limits associated with obtaining VHDA loans, but the loans are generally below market rate. The income limits are adjusted based on family size, but for a 3 person household, the maximum income is $100,000.
 * VHDA will basically "front" … (0 comments)

virginia: A Few Days Without A Cell Phone: Can It Kill You? - 05/24/09 01:31 PM
A Few Days Without A Cell Phone - Can It Kill You? I think, maybe, it can. But I survived, and I am going to buy myself a Tshirt that says "I survived 4 days without a cell phone in 2009". I deserve it. It is scarier than any roller coaster I've ever been on.
These days, my phone does more than just make and receive calls. Each morning, I plug in my appointments, and add in any phone numbers or email addresses I might need for the day. I set alarms to remind me if I am running late. I … (7 comments)

virginia: Virginia: The STATE of the Market - 11/25/08 11:10 PM
The Virginia Association of REALTORS released it's third quarter sales report. Most consumers will be shocked to hear that, overall, sales prices are UP 1% compared to last year, and sales activity (closed sales) is down only 9.2% for the state. But, as the National Association of REALTORS is constantly trying to explain, real estate is regional. And, in reviewing this report, it is clear. Some areas have found the "bottom" of the market and have stabilized, and even started recovering. I expect other areas are still in need of deflation in pricing before they will stabilize. Clearly, price is king … (0 comments)

virginia: Home Sales In Loudoun Remain Strong! - 11/14/08 02:04 PM
Since May, the number of home sales in Loudoun have been up considerably when compared to the same month in the prior year. Check out this chart, showing the number of sales (month by month) for 2007 compared to 2008 (courtesy of the Dulles Area Association of REALTORS):
As of October 31st, for homes priced under $500,000; the inventory level rose to a 5.5 month supply. For homes priced between $500,000 and $700,000, the supply level is holding steady at approximately 9 months. For homes priced above $700,000; the market continues to remain stagnant; rising to an 18 month supply. And … (0 comments)

virginia: The Neighbors You Want - 11/06/08 08:41 AM
On Halloween night, I lost my keys.  I was in the Leesburg Parade, and was convinced I had lost them somewhere along the parade route.  After days of trying to find them, I finally resolved myself to the thought that they were gone forever.  I was thinking of the hassle and money it would cost to replace those silly fobs and tokens, car remotes, changing the locks on my house...ugh.
This morning, my husband came back from taking my daughter to the bus stop, and he had a notice in his hand.  It was a posting about a set of keys that had been … (3 comments)

virginia: NEW CUSTOM HOMES UNDER $200K in No. Va? - 08/02/08 10:47 AM
It's true... you can have a semi-custom home built in Front Royal, Winchester, Strasburg or Stevens City for less than $200K... check out this builder's web site.  He'll build on his lot, or, we can help you find a suitable lot for you; all included in this price.  Amazing!
www.lvc-homes.com
 
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virginia: How to Get People To Use Your Web Site, Time and Time Again - 06/28/08 03:06 PM
Everyone on here is probably better at this than me... Nonetheless, I'll share what I've learned about getting people to use your web site; and maybe others will post some of their tricks, as well!
Know what people want & give it to them:  Your clients and friends want free information they can get anytime without explaining why they need it. 
Drive traffic to your site.... Yes, put your web address on everything, but more importantly, tell the public what's there.  I try to post almost everything on my web site, and then when people request information, I forward them a … (2 comments)