Archive for March, 2010
CNNMoney.com Predictions of Best and Worst Real Estate Markets
March 31st, 2010 categories: Buyer Strategies, Seller Strategies
CNNMoney.com publishes a forecast of home prices among large US metro areas.
We share it as a curiosity, but not as an analytical tool to use if you are making your own real estate decisions.
As we “preach” here at Realestateinchantilly.com, real estate markets are highly distinctive and localized when it comes to actually buying or selling a home.
Here is the 2010’s home appreciation list if you’d like to get more detail on the CNNMoney stats.
The 10 cities projected for highest home appreciation in 2010 are:
- Santa Rosa, CA : +6.0%
- Cheyenne, WY : +4.7%
- Kennewick, WA : +4.6%
- Merced, CA : +4.4%
- Bremerton, WA : +4.2%
- Fairbanks, AK : +4.2%
- Corvallis, OR : +4.1%
- Tacoma, WA : +3.9%
- Anchorage, AK : +3.8%
- Bend, OR : +3.3%
The national stats certainly have their place for seeing the big picture, but when you are buying or selling a home you need to be well grounded in the reality of your local community. Publicly available websites and local real estate professionals are prime sources of information.
In that same vein, we have a terrific resource in Market Snapshot which will give you the actual selling price of homes in your community of interest in Northern Virginia.
And of course, we are always here to directly answer your questions about the local market. Let us know how we can help!
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How to best use your tax refund
March 29th, 2010 categories: Home Life, Mortgage & Finance
Chantilly area home buyers and home sellers, like everyone else, see the upcoming deadline of April 15 for taxes. If you’d like a few ideas on how to make the most of any tax refund, this 4-minute video from NBC’s The Today Show is worth checking out It has some great ideas on how to use refunds to pay down credit card debt, or how to fund retirement plans. Also good to know is how wage earners can take advantage of their “Making Work Pay” tax credit
There are lots of good reasons to get those taxes done now. Why not assume that April 7 is the deadline and avoid the stress of waiting till the last minute.
And, if you have plans to possibly use that refund to buy your first or next home, take advantage of the many buyer resources at our other website and if you are a first-time home buyer, or have not been in the market for awhile, definitely watch our How to Buy a Home video (scroll down to “Buying Your First or Next Home”). You will be much better equipped to go through the process successfully, if you watch this video.
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Outer Banks Investor Video Series: Southern Shores
March 25th, 2010 categories: Outer Banks Focus
Thinking about buying an investment property or second home in the Outer Banks?
Are you wondering where to begin your research so that you can be a truly informed consumer?
Do you want to make sure you are well grounded in the basics, so that you make wise and careful decisions based on your goals?
If any or all of these are concerns, you have found a very valuable resource.
In this podcast and video series we equip you with answers to the kinds of questions potential buyers should be asking, but do not necessarily do so, because the not knowing where to begin.
Start with any of the previous videos such as Four Wheel Drive Area, Corolla, Investment vs Full-time Living, among others. Go to Outer Banks Focus to see all in the video series.
After that, listen to our 6 part series on “Investing in the Outer Banks” on Chantilly Radio. You will get information you really should have before you start the home search process.
The Kathy O’Neal Team of REMAX Premier in Fairfax and our Outer Banks strategic partner, Barb Connery of REMAX Ocean Realty, are a dynamic team to help you first get all the information you need in a very relaxed and deliberate manner. Their decades of combined experience will give you an immediate sense that you are getting the “straight scoop” on Outer Banks real estate.
Let us know how we can help!
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Low Interest Rate and Best Mortgage Program: Making Smart Choices
March 23rd, 2010 categories: Buyer Strategies, Mortgage & Finance, PODCASTS, Seller Strategies
EPISODE 33 -REAL ESTATE IN CHANTILLY
If you are a Chantilly or Northern Virginia area home buyer, and you are shopping for the right mortgage loan program, interest rates are one of your primary concerns.
But it is not the only factor that determines how good a program you end up with.
In this episode we briefly discuss the role of interest rates in the larger context of getting the right mortgage loan for your needs. Should you focus only on the interest rate? What other factors do you need to consider? What about getting your loan online? How important is the quality of the organization providing the loan?
We do a quick reality check on these and other issues in this current series on getting the right mortgage for your needs. If you are looking for a mortgage program, give this series a listen to better arm yourself with good information before you jump into the search for the best mortgage program. Unless you are paying cash, you can’t get your first or next home without a mortgage. This is a decision you want to get right.
By the way, if you are shopping for a mortgage loan program, feel free to contact Kathy for several referrals.
Download this episode (right click and save)
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Easy Fixes Before You Sell Your Home
March 19th, 2010 categories: Home Life, Seller Strategies
If you are a Chantilly or Northern Virginia area home owner, and you are starting to get your house in shape for an upcoming sale, these three easy DIY projects will be good to know about.
Better to save your money for the big stuff that you can’t do on your own, and do many of the small things yourself, as you are able.
If you have granite counter-tops you will especially want to see the sealant demo.
And if you are giving serious thought to a home sale, you will want to start becoming aware of what homes have actually sold for in your community. You can get that info simply by going to our Market Snapshot page.
We will email you a current list of what homes have actually sold for, and keep you updated as other homes are sold. And of course, you can always contact Kathy for details on any property that you would like to know more about.
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
March 17th, 2010 categories: Uncategorized
With a name like “The Kathy O’Neal Team” how could we not give homage to St. Patrick and all things Irish on this grand day.
We honor St Patrick today. He was a magnificent man who tirelessly served his people and his faith. His sacrifices and achievements are far greater than most people realize. Do a quick Internet search for a brief history of his life and times, and you will get a sense of this.
So to all of our visitors at RealEstateinChantilly.com we wish you a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day. May the Irish spirit of humor, good will, generosity, and a love of language and thought, keep your spirits high all year long!
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Exceptional Condo for Sale at 7508 Ashby Lane in Alexandria VA
March 15th, 2010 categories: Featured Listings
If you are considering buying a condo in the Alexandria area, this very sharp property is worth a good look.
The great location in the Kingstowne area is a big plus. And, the property itself is very well-maintained. This condo community has a wonderful feeling of being well-organized and maintained. The park areas nearby are especially attractive.
- 7508 Ashby Lane #K – Alexandria, VA 22315
Please note too that this is a normal sale home…no headaches with short sale or foreclosure issues.
If this sounds interesting, take a quick Visual Tour to get a better sense of this exceptional home.
If you’d like to see the property, just contact Kathy to arrange a convenient time or if you have any further questions. We are always here for you.
Price: $285,000
MLS#: FX 7268492
More information: please click here and you will see the property on our Featured Listings page.
If I can answer any questions, please Contact Us.
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What if you are “underwater” and must refinance?
March 12th, 2010 categories: Mortgage & Finance, Seller Strategies
We have all heard about the problem of “underwater” home mortgages.
If you are dealing with this issue, I want you to be aware of the extension of the Home Affordable Refinance Program. It has been extended for another year, until June 30, 2011.
As I understand it, these are the four most basic requirements to get help from this program:
- The existing loan must be guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
- Your home must be a 1 to 4-unit property.
- You must have a perfect mortgage payment history going back 12 months.
- Your first mortgage balance must be 125% or less of your home’s market value.
Not sure if your loan is backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac? Check it out at Fannie’s website: http://www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup; or at Freddie’s: http://freddiemac.com/mymortgage. If it is not listed, you are not eligible for the program.
There are a number of other details to be aware of, but this will get you started.
You can get more info from the HARP FAQ section on the government’s official website. A next step after that would be to contact your mortgage loan professional. If you need a few references, email or call me. I can give you a few reputable options.
Don’t let fear of the bureaucracy prevent you from at least getting more information. You may find this to be a viable option, but you will have to do a little homework.
And of course you can always call upon me to help with the areas of your situation that may involve home buying or home selling.
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Painting your home’s interior as preparation for selling? Check out this tool.
March 7th, 2010 categories: Buyer Strategies, Home Life, Seller Strategies
If you are starting to get your Northern Virginia home ready to put on the market, this is a tool that may be helpful.
A little paint can go a long way toward refreshing a home’s appearance. It is one relatively cost effective way to add curb appeal
But it is a challenge to imaging how the room will look with any particular color. This is also true if you are a home buyer and are wondering how a certain color would look in your new home.
If you are in either situation, or just getting ready to do some painting on your current home because it needs to be done, there is a very helpful tool at the Better Homes and Gardens website that you should know about. You can apply various color combinations to get a sense of what the room would look like with your new color.
This could save you a lot of time and regret.
Using the Color This! product suite does require a basic registration process. But it’s worth the few seconds it will take. Exteriors and window treatments are included. This helpful tool will take some of the guess work out of your project.
We can also take the guess work out of the current market value of your home, if you are painting in preparation for selling. Visit our Market Snapshot tool and find out what homes in your Northern Virginia community have actually sold for, or just Contact Us for a quick read on the market value of your own home. We are always here for you!
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Outer Banks Investor Video Series: Boating in the Outer Banks?
March 2nd, 2010 categories: Outer Banks Focus
Do you have a dream of owning investment property in the Outer Banks? Have you ever wondered about whether this might be possible?
It is a dream that many regular folks – not millionaires – make happen all the time!
North Carolina’s Outer Banks is one of the best values you will find when it comes to vacation property, or year round living.
Your first step is to get well grounded in the basics, so that you make wise and careful decisions based on your goals?
We created “Outer Banks Focus” just for potential investors, as well as those interested in full-time living in the Outer Banks.
In this podcast and video series we equip you with answers to the kinds of questions potential buyers should be asking, but do not necessarily do so, because of not knowing where to begin.
In this episode we talk about a common question regarding boating in OBX.
Check out the previous videos such as Four Wheel Drive Area, Corolla, Duck, or Investment vs Full-time Living.
After that, listen to our 6 part series on “Investing in the Outer Banks” on Chantilly Radio.
The Kathy O’Neal Team of REMAX Premier in Fairfax and our Outer Banks strategic partner, Barb Connery of REMAX Ocean Realty, are a dynamic team to help you get all the information you need in a very relaxed and deliberate manner. Their decades of combined experience will give you an immediate sense that you are getting the “straight scoop” on Outer Banks real estate.
Let us know how we can help!
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