If you have been looking at North Carolina’s Outer Banks for real estate investment,  part-time or full-time living, or a second home for future retirement,  this series on “The Communities of the Outer Banks” will add to your knowledge of OBX real estate and lifestyle.

This video describes real estate investment possibilities in Roanoke Island and the town of Manteo, along with giving you a sense of the lifestyle in these communities.

If you have an interest in other parts of the Outer Banks, check out our  Video Series of Outer Banks communities.

In our brief profiles of Outer Banks communities, we take you on location to talk about the distinctive features of these locations with special emphasis on helping  real estate investors interested in OBX property.

Also, if you are seriously considering a real estate investment in the Outer Banks, do listen to our 6 Part Series on the realities of OBX investment.  It can be a great investment move, but don’t go into it without due diligence.  We help you separate reality from hype so that your OBX move is based on solid research and good sense.

And of course we invite your follow-up questions if you want details on properties for sale in the Roanoke Island or Manteo area, or elsewhere in OBX.   And…if you are a Northern Virginia resident wanting to know more about the OBX, please know that you have a highly experienced team with Kathy O’Neal right here is Northern Virginia and our strategic partner in the Outer Banks, Barb Connery.

We are here for you!

Thinking about a remodel  project to get your Northern Virginia home ready for sale?

If you are remodeling for that purpose, you do need to think it through.  Start by taking a look at the latest report from Remodeling Magazine.

They took a look at average costs for 35 projects with an eye toward how much value the project adds to resale.  Interesting findings that are worth knowing about.

For example, kitchens projects and custom vanities are giving back less value to homeowners in Chantilly – and elsewhere -  on a percentage basis, than energy-efficient doors and windows, as one example.

Here is a sample of what they found regarding cost recovery:

• Attic Bedroom Remodel : 79.90 percent cost recovery
• Bathroom Addition : 74.90 percent cost recovery
• Bathroom Addition (Upscale) : 72.80 percent cost recovery
• Home Office Remodel : 63.40 percent cost recovery
• Minor Kitchen Remodel : 85.20 percent cost recovery
• Major Kitchen Remodel : 75.90 percent cost recovery
• Roofing Replacement : 73.90 percent cost recovery
• Window Replacement (Wood) : 85.30 percent cost recovery

You can see that “green” projects do pretty well.

CNNMoney.com has a “Will This Renovation Pay Off?” calculator on its website, using data from this study.

If you are in the Northern Virginia area, and you are thinking about a project for this purpose, don’t hesitate to call me and I will be glad to give you some feedback on what we are seeing in this area regarding home improvements that are worth considering.  Keep in mind that you should be taking a number of factors into consideration before you plan the project. and I am happy to give you insights on a few minefields as well as what is working for resale purposes.

Even though Northern Virginia home owners  spend a lot of time commuting, like most people, they also spend a lot of their in-home time in the kitchen.

That’s why I thought this two-part, 6-minute video from NBC’s The Today Show is worth your time.  There are lots of great health reasons to be aware of the tips and techniques covered in this video.

Also, you may find these ideas will help keep an environment where the movement of flu bugs and infections is more controlled.

The techniques are not complicated, they just require being aware of some of the things we do routinely.  Take a look and see what you think.

Want to get your credit card interest rate down in preparation for buying your Chantilly or Northern Virginia home?

Take a few minutes to listen to David Bach’s practical suggestions.

In this 4-minute video from NBC’s The Today Show, you will get quick advise on things you can do pretty easily.  And it may well result in more money in your pocket each month.

Some of the ideas covered in the video include:

• Compare your current rate to the rate offered to new customers. Ask the lender for “new customer rate” if it’s lower.
• If your credit score has improved since application, ask for an interest rate more reflective of your current credit score.
• Be very considerate to the person you talk to….it may make all the difference, and it certainly won’t hurt.

It may take some persistence.  Don’t be put off if you don’t succeed on the first try.  Stay with it and you may very well get this done.

And if you are among the Northern Virginia area home buyers who are starting their search, we’d love for you to use any of the many resources on our other real estate web site, as well as this one.

When you have a garbage disposal problem, calling a plumber in Chantilly will cost you the service charge along with whatever the “remedy” was to get things fixed.

You can avoid many problems just by knowing what you should not put in the disposal.  It does have it limitations.

Most clogs are the result of how certain food waste reacts with water and there’s some items you should never flush down your sink. This is because everything sent through the disposal eventually must make its way down the waste line and that can include a trap.

Over time, the trap can get blocked.

Keep that in mind as you remember to avoid the things in this list:

• Rice and pasta : Small particles can never be completely pulverized, and will swell in the presence of water. This can clog pipes and traps.
• Egg shells : Tiny, granular waste can get “bound” with pipe sludge, creating a thick clog.
• Coffee grounds : same comment as egg shells.
• Grease : Liquid fats turn to solid when in contact with cold water. Over time, this creates a clog…think of it as plaque on an artery.
• Potato peels : Once ground, peels turn starchy like mashed potatoes. This can clog a drain pipe immediately.

A good rule is to not put anything down the disposal that you have doubts about.  It has its limitations and knowing them can save money.

ARM home loans are definitely not for everyone.  Approach them with lots of awareness and caution.

That said, there may be some situations where they should be at least considered.

Compared to a fixed rate mortgages, current ARM pricing is very attractive.  Freddie Mac’s weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey places the 5-year ARM mortgage rate lower than the 30-year fixed rate mortgage by 1.02 percent.

For a $250,000 home loan, a 1.02 difference means a payment savings of about $149 monthly.

Here are a few situations where it may be smart to at least look at ARM options::

1. Buying a new home with the intent to sell within 5 years
2. Currently financed with a 30-year fixed mortgage with plans to sell within 5 years
3. Interested in low payments; comfortable with longer-term rate and payment uncertainty

Also to consider, if you are a homeowners with an existing ARM that is due for adjustment, you may want to refinance into a new ARM, if only to push the first adjustment date farther into the future.

We always recommend you confer with your loan officer about your options.  If you need a few referrals, we always have a few loan professionals that have served our clients well, and will be happy to give you their contact information.  Let me know if this would be of any help.

My team and I focus on our clients and they always have the last word on how well we do.

But I will make a quick exception to our rare mention of awards by sharing that we recently received two honors from RE/MAX International:  The Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the REMAX Hall of Fame.

These citations are reserved for a relatively small number within the REMAX system who have achieved significant production milestones.

From a purely consumer point of view, I think the awards make a statement about the level of experience of the agent.  When your real estate professional is working full-time within the profession, and is doing business in all markets, they typically are seasoned pros, not inexperienced, and not learning at your expense.  They have the resources to invest in the systems that deliver high value to their clients.  I know we are forever working on enhancing our systems in order to bring our buyers and sellers the best technology and personal service possible.

To all of the past, present, and future clients we are privileged to serve, thank you sincerely for allowing us to serve you.

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!

Our prime podcast hosting service, Podbean, has been experiencing technical difficulties.  It has caused some “breaking up” in the sound of our podcasts.

If you experienced any difficulties in listening to any of the shows, please know it is being addressed and we will let you know as soon as the issue is resolved.

Prayer is a core foundation of most faith traditions.  And if you will permit us a very personal reference, it is a vital part of my family’s life.

Our business approach derives directly from our faith.  We see the trust people place in us as a sacred responsibility.

So we are happy to see today as a recognition of how critical prayer is for people of faith.   Our prayers are with this nation, and for  all of the people in the many parts of the world where there is great need.