June 29th, 2007 Categories: Buying, Keller Williams
She’s here- Its finally happened. Of course we knew this!
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June 29th, 2007 Categories: Keller Williams, Selling
Sometimes a little lube helps before someone sticks it to you! Let me explain, so I am out there, on the web. My presence is starting to benefit my business in so many ways however I’m also starting to get calls soliciting me for services. Here’s what has happened over the last 24 hours.
Yesterday afternoon I get a call to my cell phone from http://www.replyrealestate.com/- apparently a reputable lead generator of which I have never considered. An absolutely lovely saleswomen talks me into trying this service for a subscription fee of $49.99 (prorated for June) and only $44 per lead- I could even specify buyer or seller leads! So I jumped on the service and said to myself this may be the ticket! I’m certain my business mentor and coach would have disagreed with my impulse buy but I knew what I was doing….. I needed to surprise everyone with my new found method to growing my business…….I was going to strike it rich the smart way!……I’m sure you’ve all been there!
My first lead came in today……I was so excited I jumped right into action and called the number no longer in service, emailed the first email address that rejected due to system no longer active and emailed the alternate address only to get his response…”Scott, I am not really interested in anything. I was testing the system to see what happened when someone put in a request. Sorry about that.” Connie Chillemi XXXX Realty Principal Broker.
While feeling somewhat discouraged and wondering now what was it the sales lady said about getting credit for bogus leads, the second lead showed up in my mailbox…Ignoring my concerns from the first prospect I jumped right back into action and called the contact number right away. This was my response, “This is not Michael, I don’t want to buy anything and I wish you people would stop calling!” I cut it short and got off the line! That would be $44 please!
As you would imagine I requested http://www.replyrealestate.com/ stop all charges and credit me for any incurred charges and stop all services for the future, “my time is worth more than this hassle.” My ego bruised and my exciting prospecting having come to an end I sit here tonight and wondering……
…..Was I hasty in my decision to bag it? Do other agent buy lead-generating services and actually have success? Is lead generation a good service to round out my marketing strategy? Surely someone out there has THE ONLY correct answer ;-)
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June 29th, 2007 Categories: Just for Fun, Keller Williams
The Missed Fortune True Wealth Transformation lays out principles that will free you from common money traps and empower your future, such as:
Developed by author and financial services expert Douglas R. Andrew, the Missed Fortune True Wealth Transformation is by no means a get-rich-quick method. The strategies are proven, yet not common knowledge. The ideas are not novel, but the approach is.
I have told so many people about this book and I myself have tried to maintain some of the philosophies and feel these strategies have helped me start on the path to financial freedom. Why cant they help you too!
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June 24th, 2007 Categories: Entertainment & Lifestyle, Keller Williams, Reston
Below is a synopsis of what Wikipedia says about Reston Virginia. There is an abundance of history and while I am affiliated with Keller Williams Arlington- I undoubtedly support the growth associated with Reston Virginia too. To learn more feel free to contact me!
“Reston was conceived as a planned community by Robert E. Simon. Founded on April 20, 1964, Simon’s 50th birthday, and named for his initials, it was the first modern postwar planned community in America, sparking a revival of the new town concept. Simon’s family had recently sold Carnegie Hall, and Simon used the funds to create Reston. Simon hired Conklin + Rossant as master planners to incorporate higher density housing to conserve open space, as well as mixed use areas for industry, business, recreation, education, and housing.
The first section of the community to be built, Lake Anne Plaza, was designed by James Rossant (who studied under Walter Gropius at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design) to emulate the Italian coastal town of Portofino. Lake Anne village was designed with modern architectural themes that extend to a nearby elementary school, a gasoline station, and two churches. Lake Anne also has an art gallery, several restaurants, the Reston Historic Trust Museum, shops, and a senior citizens’ fellowship house. All are local businesses, as there are no chain stores or restaurants allowed in Lake Anne. Close by are the cubist townhouses at Hickory Cluster that were designed by the noted modernist architect, Charles M. Goodman, in the International Style. Other sections of the town, such as Hunters Woods, South Lakes, and North Point, were developed later, each with a neighborhood shopping center and supermarket.”
Hickory Cluster townhouses, Reston, Virginia, designed by Charles M. Goodman, circa 1964. A variety of residential architectural styles can be found in Reston.The careful planning and zoning within Reston allows for common grounds, several parks, large swathes of wooded areas with picturesque streams (called runs in Northern Virginia), wild flower meadows, two golf courses, nearly 20 public swimming pools, bridle paths, a bike path, four lakes, tennis courts, and extensive foot pathways. These pathways, combined with bridges and tunnels, help to separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic and increase safety at certain street crossings. Reston was built in wooded areas of oak, maple, sycamore, and Virginia pine.
The growth and development of Reston has been monitored by newspaper articles, national magazines, and scholarly journals on architecture and land use. In 1967 the First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, came to Reston to take a walking tour along its pathways, as part of her interest in beautification projects. Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have visited Reston elementary schools that were named in their honor. The Washington Post featured a road trip to Reston in January 2006 and a relatively new website “Beyond DC” has a page devoted to Reston with almost 150 photos.
Reston is the location for a regional government center serving citizens in the northern part of Fairfax County. The Reston Regional Library, Reston Hospital Center, and a modern homeless shelter are located nearby. The Reston police station is also the office headquarters of the locally elected supervisor of the Hunter Mill District within the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
The Paramount Condominiums, a residential building at the Reston Town Center.Reston experienced increasing traffic congestion as it grew in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This was a time when Reston’s population was growing but the Dulles Toll Road had not been built. Commuter traffic between Reston and Washington created serious traffic congestion on the roads that connected Reston to Washington DC. In 1984 the toll road opened and in 1986 the West Falls Church Washington Metro station opened. Most recently the Fairfax County Parkway, a major north-south artery, was opened.
Reston is one of just a handful of communities in the U.S. that has been designated a backyard wildlife habitat community. Usually this designation is for single homes.
Reston has grown to a point where it now fits the definition of an edge city. While Reston takes on the statistical properties of an edge city, its tightly controlled design averted several problems they typically face, such as hostile pedestrian situations and lack of mass transit. Many of the homes in Reston were designed to be medium density, which again is atypical of an edge city. In other ways it is a textbook example, with a majority of medium rise office buildings, and some citizens opposed to the expansion of its high density core.
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June 24th, 2007 Categories: Arlington, Keller Williams
Keller Williams Arlington has made arrangements to set up our new office in a neighborhood in Northern Virginia known as Courthouse. This neighborhood is best described by commuterpage.com so I have taken liberty to share. I hope you will stay tuned as we get closer to our move date later this summer. I look forward to hearing from any of you out there interested in buying selling or looking for informatiuon on the Northern Virginia Real Estate market. Check out the properties search for local listings.
First, let’s clear up some confusion about the name of this urban village. The name of the Metro station at the center of the neighborhood is, and has always been, Court House (two words). Next to the Metro station, but built long after it, is a pedestrian mall surrounded by shops, offices, and apartments, which was named Courthouse (one word) Plaza. We’re sticking with the older name, largely because the presence of the Metro station is so important to the urban village.
In the Urban Village of Court House, you begin to feel the pulse of our nation’s capital, only two Metro stops away. Not that this area is merely a commuter’s suburb. After all, as you may have guessed from the name, Court House is the center of Arlington County government. And, as you might also expect, the neighborhood immediately surrounding the Metro is defined by a feeling of stateliness - a little slice of Washington on this side of the river. The Arlington County courts, police department, and administrative offices are all right here, and a large Verizon office building ensures that the private sector is also well represented. Several new apartment buildings that house young professionals complete the grand cityscape.
Thankfully, Court House isn’t just about majestic architecture, as the people who live and work in this area are also well served for shopping and fun things to do. An escalator from the Metro station leads to Courthouse Plaza, a lovely pedestrian mall with 19 shops and restaurants, where outdoor concerts are often held summer evenings among the trees and bubbling fountains. There is also a six-screen movie theatre here, and a farmers market on Saturday mornings when the weather allows. The Arlington campus of Strayer University will also soon provide an educational outlet for people in the area.
From another exit of the Metro station, you can find yourself between Clarendon and Wilson boulevards, and the atmosphere is similar to that of Clarendon, one Metro stop away. Restaurants, from fast food chains to local favorites like Summers Restaurant and Pines of Florence, keep the residents and visitors well fed at good prices. Bars, like the Irish pub Ireland’s Four Courts, or the newly opened Gua Rapo lounge (which also serves tapas) make sure that Clarendon doesn’t have all the fun. And the coffee-house crowd can buy books or music and sip lattes at Olsson’s Books and Records and the Matisse Café (one of at least five cafes are within sight of the Metro station) contained within.
As we get farther from Metro, Court House becomes more village and less urban. Rocky Run Park and Key Elementary School are the focal points of the quiet residential communities on either side of Wilson and Clarendon boulevards, and families of all shapes and sizes call this part of Court House their home.
Perhaps the most obvious advantage to this area is simply its convenience. The five-minute train ride to Washington, DC, proximity to the vastly different Urban Villages of Ballston, Clarendon, and Rosslyn, and immediate access to two major highways connecting Northern Virginia and DC make for easy traveling in just about any direction. Suzanne Bick, who has lived in the neighborhood for about a year, concurs: “With so many of the perks of city life right here in the Court House area, I rarely feel like I’m missing anything, but if I do want to go to DC or wherever, it’s extremely easy to do so.”
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June 24th, 2007 Categories: Arlington, Entertainment & Lifestyle, Keller Williams
Northern Vrginia has one of the hottest Real Estate Marklets in the country- I thought it was appropriate to share (from commuterpage.com) the different neighborhoods that make up this “happening” area. Check it out for yourself. Anyone interested in learning more feel free to contact me!
When you’re in Ballston, you can’t help but feel like you’re “downtown.” Ballston-MU Metrorail station is a major transportation hub, connecting Metrobus and ART buses with Metrorail’s Orange Line.
Upon exiting the Metro, you’ll notice taller buildings here than in most parts of Arlington. Ballston is indeed a very busy place, as more than a few nationally-known organizations, both public and private, are major employers within blocks of the Metro station. The National Science Foundation, Qwest, and the Nature Conservancy are among some of the more prominent. Other signs of a big-city downtown are apparent here as well: multiple bus routes, designer coffee shops, and delicatessens that cater to the 9 to 5 crowd, to name a few.
But Ballston is more than a few big office buildings. A few blocks from the Metro is a 4-level shopping center, the Ballston Common Mall, complete with 12 cinema movie theatre. Stylish restaurants within walking distance are abundant, offering varied fare from Lebanese to Tex-Mex to Thai. Apartment buildings and condominiums complement the skyline. Add to that a few churches, Arlington Central Library, and Marymount University Business School - all within a quarter mile of the Metro station.
Stacy Arshadi, owner of the Eat’n'Run Deli, has seen a lot of development in the area since she and her husband opened shop across from the Metro station 12 years ago. And though the bulk of the changes have been the construction of the large office and apartment buildings, she says that they do a fair amount of business for dinner as well, noting that the area “stays pretty happening at night”, with some lively nightlife. She adds that it is an area that feels very safe, with people always out and about, even late at night.
And it really should come as no surprise - once you get away from the few blocks where Ballston resembles a busy little metropolis, the area blends into a nice little hamlet, as the high density growth tapers off to residential neighborhoods with parks, schools, and single-family homes. This community feeling is also evident in such local activities as tai chi classes and community garage sales.
John Wilcox and Lora Strine lived in the Ballston area for three years before they decided to buy a house here last year. The neighborhood appeals to the married couple because of its proximity to public transportation and the shopping and other perks of the Ballston “downtown”. Yet their home is in an area that’s “like a little oasis” where “you can’t hear anything” of the bustle only a few blocks away. With two large parks within walking distance and activities like outdoor theater in the summer, “It’s a fun area.”
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June 23rd, 2007 Categories: Keller Williams, Property Values
I don’t know what the deal is but lately I have been through several homes that “BOAST” cedar closets. Is this really something worth promoting or an outdated extra for those in the 70’s who used to BOAST their fur coats? Apparently cedar closets keep the moths away?
I am curious what the verdict on cedar closets is ….. worth while mention or who cares????
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June 14th, 2007 Categories: Keller Williams
I have recently placed my www.sellingnva.com ad with google adwords.
The first day it was published I got two cold leads from people looking for a Keller Williams Agent. These customers proudly verified they found me on their google searches and decided that I looked like I had my act together because of my adword campaign so they called. These customers are ‘clients’ yet…..
I pay a decent monthly amount for google adword and its quite a gamble on when, where and if the CPC (cost per click) rate will have it appear regularly. That said I have not heard a peep from anyone in over a month and I just paid $250 for last months impressions.
Have any of you guys had good experiences with google ad words? Do you recommend I stop what some might consider, the bleeding or continue another few months? It’s only money yes?…no?
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June 14th, 2007 Categories: Keller Williams
Well ladies and gentlemen it is that time again. I’m unplugging from it all for my annual family vacation- I am taking my wife and child off to the Smokey Mountain National Park for a week of roughin it!
We are living in a cabin with no web or internet access, limited phone service, a fire, a lake and some one on one time with these people I normally only pass in the bathroom every morning…. My parents are coming, my brother and cousins are expected and I’m hoping to have a great time renewing our friendships and solidifying the paternal Montgomery family roots.
I have scheduled some golf-I am planning a day at the Biltmore Estates and I will undoubtedly spend a day kicking around in Asheville North Carolina. We will see if it all comes together because in addition I don’t expect to follow any kind of schedule. I will come and go as I please. My sons nap schedule will willingly drive mine as well. I am SO looking forward.
I will miss the comments and reading through so many wonderful ideas being shared about real estate. I specifically enjoy blogs pertaining to the Arlington and Reston corridor of Northern Virginia but I will be back in the saddle in no time to pick up the slack for those who are due their time away. I’m sure I’ll have lots to share! I hope you’ll want to read.
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June 11th, 2007 Categories: Keller Williams, Property Values
Sorry this is long- I couldnt figure out a way to condense the facts….Hope it helps!
Northern Virginia will see a large infusion of transportation funding, but with some of those revenues coming from a grantor’s tax increase. The condominium and property owner’s association (POA) resale process will be streamlined, but with the potential for increased document fees. Overcrowding penalties and eminent domain reforms were passed, but not without months of discussion and maneuvering by Realtors®
Real Estate Licensing:
Agent Services (2006, Realtor® Bill): HB 316 defines a “limited service agent” and requires those agents to (i) disclose to their clients that the licensee is acting as a limited service representative, (ii) provide a list of the specific services that the licensee will perform, and (iii) provide a list of the specific duties of a standard agent that the limited service representative will not provide to the client.
Real Estate Transactions:
Disclosures of Zoning Violations: SB 1114 requires a property owner to give notice to the purchaser that there are no pending violations of any local zoning ordinances that the owner has not abated or remedied.
Conservator; Requirements for Sale of Real Estate: HB 3177 states that when disposing of the real estate of an incapacitated person, a court may require the conservator of the incapacitated person to list the property for sale in a multiple listing service.
Felons as Settlement Agents: SB 745 prohibits any person who has been convicted of a felony from acting as a settlement agent. Persons convicted of a felony involving fraud may not work for settlement agents in a capacity involving funds from settlements.
Freedom of Information Act; Land Records: HB 2062/SB 824 provides that beginning July 1, 2010, social security numbers shall not be contained in electronic land records. The bill allows the clerk to charge $0.50 per electronic image transmitted.
Recordation of Deeds: HB 1909 states the party who prepares the writing for recordation is responsible for removing social security numbers from the document.
Bills with Delayed Implementation:
Educational Requirements for Salespersons and Brokers (Realtor® Bill): Beginning July 1, 2008, HB 2064 increases broker continuing education from 16 to 24 hours every two years. It also requires that agents receiving their licenses after July 1, 2008, complete the 30-hour post-licensing requirement within one year, rather than the current two-year allowance.
Disclosure/Disclaimer Form (Realtor® Bill): HB 2011 eliminates the current property disclosure form beginning January 1, 2008. The existing disclaimer form will be renamed as a limited disclosure form and will contain only those disclosures mandated by the General Assembly. The Virginia Real Estate Board will develop the form prior to the effective date.
Transportation:
Transportation Funding: HB 3202 creates a Northern Virginia regional funding authority to raise approximately $400 million per year for area road projects. The fees include: a $.40 per $100 (or $4 per $1000) increase in the real estate grantor’s tax, a 2% rental car tax, a 2% hotel tax, a 1% initial vehicle registration fee, a 5% tax on auto repairs, and $10 increases in safety inspection and car registration fees.
Overcrowding/Code Violations:
Zoning Violations; Overcrowding: HB 2261 provides for enhanced fines of up to $2,000 for the overcrowding of residential dwellings.
Building Code Violations: HB 2789 provides that violations of the Building Code relating to occupancy limits may be punished by increased fines of up to $2,500 and confinement in jail for not more than 10 days.
Authority of Zoning Administrator: SB 1412 allows that, when a property owner is not cooperative to requests for information on a dwelling’s occupancy, a zoning administrator may request a subpoena to determine if an occupancy violation has occurred.
Abatement of Building Code Violations: HB 2469 allows a locality and a violator to agree on abatement or remediation of the violation in lieu of trial.
Real Estate Taxation:
Real Property Tax Exemptions: HB 1744 increases the income limit to $75,000 for elderly and disabled property tax exemptions in Northern Virginia localities.
Real Estate Tax Relief: SB 1265 authorizes local governments to extend prorated real estate tax relief to dwellings jointly held, not all of whom are elderly or permanently and totally disabled.
Taxation of Energy-Efficient Buildings: HB 2618 permits localities to tax certified energy-efficient buildings at a lower tax rate than that imposed on the general class of real property.
Recordation Tax: HB 2059 clarifies that the recordation tax rate is applied to the greater of the consideration paid or the value of the interest conveyed.
Eminent Domain:
Public Uses; Eminent Domain: SB 1296 states that property can only be taken when the public interest dominates the private gain. The primary purpose of a taking may not be private financial gain, private benefit, an increase in tax base or revenues, or an increase in employment. A property owner may challenge that a taking is for an unauthorized use, and a former property owner may request to repurchase the taken property upon the completion or abandonment of the stated public use.
Condominium and Property Owners’ Association:
Resale Certificates/ Disclosure Packets: HB 2016 allows professionally-managed associations to collect a market-rate fee for preparation of a resale disclosure packet; associations that are not professionally managed would retain the current $100 fee. Realtor® initiative HB 1871 was included in the final bill and allows buyers to electronically deliver notice of cancellation under the POA and Condo Act.
Display of Flags: HB 1836 provides that associations may not prohibit the display of a United States flag but may establish reasonable restrictions as to the size, place, and manner of the display.
Escrow of Deposits: HB 1850 allows a condominium project of 50 units or more to file a surety bond or letter of credit with the Real Estate Board in lieu of escrowing deposits.
Commercial Condominiums; Escrow of Deposits: HB 2015 eliminates the requirement for escrowing deposits in a commercial condominium.
Condominium Conversions: HB 2727 allows any tenant who is disabled or elderly to assign the exclusive right to purchase his unit to a housing authority.
Landlord/Tenant:
Lead-Based Paint Report (Realtor® Bill): HB 1841 requires a landlord or property owner to provide to a tenant a summary of the lead-based paint report. The landlord shall keep a copy of the full report available for tenant inspection.
Early Termination by Military Personnel: HB 1816 conforms Virginia law to the federal regulations on early termination by military personnel contained in the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act.
Noncompliance with Rental Agreement: HB 2174 provides that the failure of the court to hold a hearing where there is breach by the tenant shall not be a basis for dismissal of the case.
Termination of Lease for Rehabilitation: HB 2188 allows termination of a lease upon 120 days’ notice for substantial rehabilitation of a building with four or more rental units, regardless of the terms of the lease.
Housing:
Grants for Home Ownership (Realtor® Bill): HB 2834 allows localities to provide up to $25,000 in home ownership grants for certain local government employees.
Housing Assistance: HB 2446 allows Prince William County to provide assistance for county and school board employees to purchase or rent residences within the county.
Other:
Fiscal Impact Statement Legislation (Realtor® Bill): SB 1012 will require the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget to conduct a fiscal analysis of every proposed regulation to determine if it has a financial impact on the development of real property and to estimate the cost of that impact.
FEMA Floodplain Map: HB 2729 provides that when any locality learns of a change in the FEMA floodplain map, the locality shall provide affected properties written notification of such change and information for the National Flood Insurance Program.
Validation of certain plats. HB 2265 (Rust) changes the date from 1953 to 1975 for purposes of validating subdivision plats that failed to comply with the technical requirements for recordation existing at the time such plat was recorded.
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June 8th, 2007 Categories: Buying, Great Falls, Keller Williams
Keller Williams Realty is made up of top fulltime sales associates and supporting staff that are carefully selected to be part of our firm. Keller Williams agents convey the following attributes.
Knowledgeable: In addition to required education for licensing, our sales associates attend numerous courses through Keller Williams University to keep them up-to-date on current real estate trends and information. Our training is the most comprehensive in the industry.
Professional Standards: Our standards for performance are for the benefit of our clients and they are the highest standards in the industry. Our policy manual guarantees our professional standards.
Financing Power: Our sales associates and staff maintain a day-to-day contact with preferred lending institutions in their business area. This helps our buyers find the best possible financing.
Prequalified Buyers: At Keller Williams Realty, we work to protect buyers and sellers by obtaining pre-qualifying information on all potential buyers. This service helps buyers know if they might be qualified to purchase a new home and it helps sellers know if their purchaser may be qualified to purchase a home.
Inventory Knowledge: In order to be successful in working with buyers, each Keller Williams Realty office maintains a large inventory of brokerage and new homes for sale. Our associates are always aware of all the available properties within their market.
Total Commitment: Our commitment to you is this- We will always strive to provide professional real estate services to the very best of our ability.
Consider the possibilities in Keller Williams Realty! Why not you? Why not now!
Keller Williams Realty is the most innovative company in real estate today. Find out how you can be a part of it. The entrepreneurs we empower today will shape the real estate industry tomorrow.
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June 8th, 2007 Categories: Buying, Keller Williams
CMA is real estate shorthand for “Comparative Market Analysis.” A CMA is a report prepared by a real estate agent providing data comparing your property to similar properties in the marketplace.
The first thing an agent will need to do to provide you with, is a CMA to inspect your property. Generally, this inspection won’t be overly detailed (she or he is not going to crawl under the house to examine the foundation), nor does the house need to be totally cleaned up and ready for an open house. It should be in such a condition that the agent will be able to make an accurate assessment of its condition and worth. If you plan to make changes before selling, inform the agent at this time.
The next step is for the agent to obtain data on comparable properties. This data is usually available through MLS (Multiple Listing Service), but a qualified agent will also know of properties that are on the market or have sold without being part of the MLS. This will give the agent an idea how much your property is worth in the current market. Please note that the CMA is not an appraisal. An appraisal must be performed by a licensed appraiser.
The CMA process takes place before your home is listed for sale. This is a good assessment of what your house could potentially sell for.
CMAs are not only for prospective sellers. Buyers should consider requesting a CMA for properties they are seriously looking at to determine whether the asking price is a true reflection of the current market. Owners who are upgrading or remodeling can benefit from a CMA when it’s used to see if the intended changes will “over-improve” their property compared to others in the neighborhood.
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June 8th, 2007 Categories: Buying, Keller Williams
Ready to close the deal? Maybe not.
Sometimes unforeseeable issues arise just prior to closing the sale. Hopefully, with negotiation, most of these have a workable solution. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. But don’t panic. Another buyer might still be found who is willing to accept the house as is.
Imagine that your prospective buyers are a couple with young children. They envision your unused attic as the perfect playroom for the kids but, before closing the deal, they request an inspection to see if it’s safe and also if they will be able to install a skylight to provide natural light to the new space.
This inspection reveals that under the shingles that are in good condition is a roof that will only last another year or two. The prospective buyers immediately balk, not wanting to incur the time and cost of replacing the roof. Their plans were to move in and only have to spend time and money renovating the attic. The additional cost of the new roof, they say, is just too much.
At this point, you sit down with the prospective buyers and calmly discuss the situation and how it can be solved to the benefit of all. First, you agree to get another professional opinion on what really needs to be done. Inspectors are only human, and are not infallible. Once the extent of the damage is agreed upon, you can jointly decide what to do about it. While the buyers hadn’t planned on that expense, you show them that instead of a limited roof life that they would get with most existing homes, they’ll have a new worry-free roof that won’t cost them in repairs for the next decade or so. Since the roof wasn’t in as good shape as you had thought, you agree to lower the purchase price to help offset the cost of the new roof.
By negotiating calmly and looking at all possibilities, what could have been a “deal breaker” can be turned into a win-win situation for both the buying and selling parties. In other cases, the most workable agreement for both parties might be for the deal to be called off. The seller can always find another buyer and the buyer can always find another home.
To protect yourself against last minute “buyer’s remorse,” make sure the purchase contract anticipates and closes as many loopholes as possible after all known defects have been fully disclosed.
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June 7th, 2007 Categories: Keller Williams, Selling
The current state of the Northern Virginia housing market should be considered a deceleration or a return to normalcy, and not the start of a bubble bursting. The key to this conclusion rests on market fundamentals-demand for housing in the region continues to be strong as a result of robust job growth. Between June 2005 and June 2006, the Washington, D.C. region added 76,800 jobs, with the wider Northern Virginia area accounting for 40,800. It is anticipated that the region will add about 60,000 jobs each year for the next several years, which will keep the demand for housing stable.
Recent data from MRIS indicates that Northern Virginia home prices were up 4.7 percent in June (All homes sales data comes from the MRIS database. Please note that figures reported here may differ somewhat from market statistics posted on the MRIS and NVAR sites. Data used in this report may be accessed at a different time and may use slightly different definitions). The month-over-the-year price data for June continues a trend of price deceleration in the region. These trends do not imply a bubble burst. Instead, the single-digit price increases Northern Virginia has experienced during the past few months are indicative of a return to a more normal market, where the long-term average annual percent price increase is about 7 percent.
Since late 2005, the Northern Virginia housing market has shifted notably. The overall trends mask important subtleties. Understanding these subtleties-such as which market segments are more susceptible to deceleration-is important for real estate professionals to gauge the local housing market. There is some evidence that the market remains strongest for larger single-family homes in the closer-in jurisdictions and is becoming increasingly weaker for smaller units, particularly condominiums, in further- out neighborhoods.
Chart 1 shows the month-over-the-year price changes for sales of existing housing by housing type-single-family detached homes (SFD), townhouses (TH), and condominiums and cooperatives (Condos). All product types have been experiencing slowdowns in price appreciation since July 2005. Condominiums had stronger price appreciation in the summer of 2005 compared with single-family detached and attached homes. However, in 2006, increases in prices of condominiums slowed more dramatically. In fact, in June, when overall home price appreciation ticked up a bit over May, prices of condominiums continued to grow more slowly.
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June 7th, 2007 Categories: Arlington, Keller Williams
So what a week ….we celebrated another milestone for our new office this past week. It seems our new future location (currently we are utilizing an old bank) has been decided upon and we will be moving to more permanent quarters shortly- the office energy is picking up and I am meeting a ton of nice people I get to call co-workers or team mates. I can’t speak highly enough about Keller Williams Arlington, Va and the people that make up such a great group.
Funny story about my week in sales- I was referred to as having “2 then 1 then none” by one of my coworkers. Apparently there is humor there as that expression can relate to having girlfriends too 
Last week I went to a listings appointment (a FSBO that would certainly sell swiftly so I was glad to get the call). It was Thursday night, while driving the listing appointment I got a call from a coworker that they heard I might be getting a listing in that certain neighborhood. I confirmed and during my pitch I told the sellers that beside my tenacity to get the job done I might also have a lead on a buyer; they were definitely interested!
That night I got home without a signed listing but rather mounting suspense that the sellers wanted to sleep on it due to the potential of this place selling itself and did they really need an agent. I did however get an email from a woman wanting to list her place and would I be interested. The listing Gods were shinning down on me… the next day I called the women and she sent me over to get the key and start working my magic - I pitched to her for three days before I realized she had chased away two other agents in short order (less than 60 days) and her margins could barely afford the agent services she wanted from me. I decided on day 4, I was not interested in representing her and we would go our separate ways- “2 then 1″…..
Within the hour of telling my customer I was not interested, I got a call from the other agent in my office asking if I had got the listing from last Thursdays meeting? I explained we were finalizing but not yet- could she hold off a little longer? Seems she couldn’t……. her buyer found a FSBO…went inside…fell in love with it… and the put in an offer…. I wasn’t sure why it mattered until she mentioned the owners name….my potential client….the listing God started slamming doors…..”1 then none”…
Crazy how it happens but thought it might be fun to hear- I’m sure there are others whose week was just as volatile???
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Did you know you could find KW Mclean on ActiveRain.Com too? July 23rd, 2008
Scott Montgomery and Team can also be found participating in the ActiveRain Community. For over a year now we have been an active member of www.ActiveRain.com. In the past and even today we […]
Read MoreNorthern Virginia Real Estate Prices continue to FALL… July 23rd, 2008
Northern Virginia’s year to date average real estate sales price is down from last year.
Last years average sales price was $537,339.00 and this years grand total is $482,197.00. Thats is a […]
Keller Williams Mclean Virginia Realtor Scott Montgomery pledges…. July 23rd, 2008
We will never do this to your listing….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNSWccfdO3Y
Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help you sell your property the right way.
Scott Montgomery
703-283-4524
scottmontgomery@kw.com
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Read Moremidtown Reston Town Center July 23rd, 2008
Midtown Reston Town Center is brought to you by Kettler. Check out their video below for more information on this wonderful condo community in the heart of Reston Virginia at The […]
Read MoreReston, One of the faster growing suburbs in Virginia offers Hidden Creek Country Club! July 9th, 2008
Nestled among giant hardwoods near the growing suburb of Reston, Virginia, Hidden Creek Country Club is a privately-owned, quiet and secluded oasis that’s just minutes from downtown Washington, D.C.. This information […]
Read MoreIs it time for renters to buy? Call me at Keller Williams Mclean Virginia to discuss July 9th, 2008
NBC’s Today show had a snippet posing this very question this morning and their verdict is in. In summary, LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. Renting makes sense in areas where there is still […]
Read MoreCongratulations and Good bye to Laura Rubinchuk! July 8th, 2008
While sad for us, it is with great pleasure for her that the Real Estate Post Team announces that their very own, Laura Rubinchuk of the Keller Williams Mclean Virginia office, is […]
Read MoreREDUCED!!! Come take a look again…Vienna, 22181 July 8th, 2008
Come take another look at this magnificent Georgian Style Estate- This property boasts 6 bedrooms and 6 full baths as well as heated pool and cabana on a meticulously maintained 2 acre […]
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