Fairfax County VA Home Search Website Blog

There’s a lot of competition in the current market for Fairfax County VA homes for sale.  If you’re thinking about adding your home to the list, this checklist is for you.

#1.  Set your goals.  What do you expect from your sale?  Do you just want to get rid of the home, or do you want the highest price possible?  Will you be ready if a buyer wants to close quickly?  The answers to these questions factor into how much time it takes for a house to come off the market.

#2.  Decide whether to use an agent or not.  Although many Fairfax County VA homes for sale go faster and at better prices with a real estate agent, it’s still possible to get a decent price doing it yourself.  If you decide to use an agent, interview them and talk to their past clients to make sure you feel confident in their services.

#3.  Set your home price.  This is tricky, because if you don’t set the right price, your house can sit on the market for a long time and sell for much less than it’s worth.  If you hire an agent, they’ll analyze comparable homes and find a good price.  If you don’t hire an agent, make sure you look at recent sales on comparable homes, as well as neighborhood demographics to find the right price. 

#4.  Find the problems and get serious issues fixed.  Although you aren’t obligated to hire a home inspector, a professional home inspection can help head off serious issues that can delay the sale.  If you can fix the serious issues, do so.  If you can’t, you can still sell the house “as is,” as a fixer-upper.  Keep records of everything you do fix.

#5.  Consider staging your home.  From curb appeal to inside style, home stagers can help your house look its best.  Studies show that, in general, staged homes sell faster and for better prices than those that haven’t been staged.

Adding your house to the list of Fairfax County VA homes for sale will be an exercise in patience, but following this checklist can help make the exercise a much shorter one. 

If you’re thinking of selling your home, please allow me to interview for the job.  Click to learn more about Steve Hawkins.  

Call me today at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com for more information or to schedule an interview.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939

Sometimes, just sometimes, it seems that people don’t really want to sell their home.  They put the “Fairfax County VA Home for Sale” sign up in the yard and then steadily push potential buyers away.  If you don’t want to sell your home, here are a few ways to get rid of the nosy buyers:

1. Open houses – Especially if you’re using a real estate agent, your home will be open to the public (i.e. buyers).  The best way to discourage these buyers is by making sure you’re there to point out all the flaws and issues you’ve had while living there.  They’ll eat it up and walk away.

2. Curb appeal – Weeds can cover up a beautiful lawn like nobody’s business.  Putting away the lawnmower, garden sheers and weed eater is an excellent way to ditch potential buyers.

3. Painting the house – Every article written by a real estate guru on “how to market Fairfax County VA homes for sale” will tell you to paint your house in neutral colors if it needs to be repainted.  Therefore, it stands to reason that if you’re playing “ditch the buyer,” the best thing to do is pick a color that screams, “Here I am!”  No worries.  Once you know for sure your house won’t sell, you can always repaint.

4. Clearing the house – It’s a known fact that buyers like to be able to see themselves living in the house.  Your job is to go around and put up as many knick-knacks and pictures as possible to let them know it’s YOUR house.

Of course, if you’ve put up your Fairfax County VA home for sale, chances are you do want to sell it.  Pay attention to the above and make sure you aren’t pushing clients away.  If need be, ask your real estate agent to go over the house with you and provide suggestions on how you can improve your home’s buyer appeal.

If you’re trying to sell your home and want it to be marketable, I can help.  Call me at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com for more information.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939

Driving down the streets of the city, you’ll see a lot of Alexandria VA homes for sale.  What you’ll also see, however, are homes for rent.  What’s the difference?  Why did these people decide to rent out their home?  Why did that homeowner become a landlord? 

There are a lot of reasons for renting out your home, rather than adding it to the list of Alexandria VA homes for sale:

1.  The competitive factor – The current housing market is great for homebuyers, but not so great for home sellers.  With so many homes to choose from, your property has to stand out from the rest to get sold.  Sometimes, it could take months, or even years, to sell your house.  During that time, renting can be a good way to make the house profitable.

2.  Belief that the area will grow – Many people need to move out of their first house because it doesn’t have enough room for their growing family.  However, they think the area has a lot of potential and will be growing.  It then becomes a real estate investment. They may want to sell later, but not during the real estate slump.

3.  Not sure if they want to sell the home – Another set of landlords have moved to a new city and job, but aren’t sure whether they’ll like it or not.  Renting is a way to cover the cost of the house.  This is a “just in case” prospect, and works well for many.

4. More money – Especially with the housing slump, some landlords have been able to make more money renting than selling their house.  Because housing prices are currently very low, many owners have found renting their home more profitable than selling it for a lower value.

If you’re trying to determine if you should sell or rent your home, I can help.  Call me today at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com for more information.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939

There’s at least one good thing about the drop in the dollar and it’s boosting the real estate market.  Many high-end Europeans are now looking toward the U.S. for a vacation home or permanent resident, and that could mean big hope for your Fairfax County VA home for sale.  However, this also means a different way of selling. 

Stage a Benefit
No open house for high-end buyers.  Host an event instead – maybe even a benefit dinner for a worthy charity.  Let people come and view the property, but give them an avenue to mix and mingle as well.  In addition, they get to see how the house handles a bunch of guests.

Showcase a Chef
If you have a gourmet kitchen (or two), check with chefs that would like to showcase their cooking abilities.  This creates an entire “house-buying” experience for your guests.  Again, they see what that featured kitchen can handles as well as being able to enjoy the culinary arts of a professional chef. 

Host a Private Tour
If your Fairfax County VA home for sale has beautiful gardens and a large landscape, add a private concert or tour of the gardens.  A wine cellar and large sitting rooms can turn the event into a stylish wine tasting event. 

The biggest trick in attracting high-end buyers is showing off the house’s best features.  If the event is hosted at night, you can show how attractive the home is with an overall “candlelight” appearance.  You might even go so far as to set the time for when the sky is at its best and frames the home just right.

First impressions are everything, so pull out all the stops.  Don’t let any great feature go undiscovered, from indoor swimming pools to music rooms and manly dens.  Let your Fairfax County VA home for sale shine!

If you’re getting ready to put a high-end home on the market, I can help.  Call me at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com for more information.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939

If you’re looking for the right price to list your Alexandria VA home for sale, you may need to call on a real estate professional.  Pricing your home to sell in this buyer’s market is part research and part experience.

You don’t want to overprice your Alexandria VA home for sale because you don’t want it to sit on the market week after week.  A home that is priced too high for the area will not attract as many buyers as a more reasonably priced home.  If you price your home below market value, you’re likely to receive several offers that will drive the sale price up, so you don’t have to worry about getting less money for your home than it’s worth.

A good way to get an idea of the current value of your home is to get the sale prices of homes that have recently sold in your area.  Your real estate agent can gather that information for you. Look for homes similar to yours in size, location and condition. 

When setting the price of your home, you may also want to take a look at the listings that have expired in your area.  You may find that the homes were overpriced for your neighborhood or that some homes remain on the market because the home wasn’t updated or in good condition.  Try to learn what caused the listing to expire and work to avoid the same mistakes.

You should not list your Alexandria VA home for sale at a price that you aren’t comfortable with.  Explain to your agent the concerns that you have about the home’s sale price and ask for his or her professional opinion about the price that you have chosen.

If you’re thinking about selling your home, order your free book or CD, and learn the selling process from beginning to a successful end.

Want help pricing your home correctly?  Let me put together an analysis of current home prices in your neighborhood.  It’s free and at absolutely no obligation.  To get your analysis, call me today at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939

Have you ever walked into one of the homes or condos in Arlington VA and looked down to see stained carpet or flooring?  It brings a little thought of “ew” sometimes, doesn’t it?  Imagine if you were a buyer looking at the same floor.

The right type of flooring, and flooring that is well taken care of, can make a big difference to buyers.  If your floor brings on the “ew” thought, here are a few fixes to help make sure your home sells:

Does your home have hardwood floors?
You’re in luck.  Buyers love hardwood floors and some will actually pay extra to get them.  In fact, it could be that final selling point.  If your hardwood floors are covered by carpet, painted over or showing anything but the natural wood grain, it’s time for an overhaul.  Pull up those carpets and get to sanding. 

With the ability to rent large sanders and other tools, you can either refinish the hardwood floor yourself or hire a professional.  Remember, however, that hardwood floors in homes and condos in Arlington VA have a tendency to show off scratches, dents and uneven surfaces.  If you don’t think you could do a good job, hire a professional.

Does your home have carpeting?
If you don’t have hardwood floors, take a look at your carpeting.  If it’s stained, out-dated, bright or ragged, it’s time to pull it up.  When laying the new carpet, use good carpet padding to make it comfortable to stand on.  Many buyers will lean down and touch the floor, so make sure the carpet feels soft to the touch. 

In addition, don’t go for the bright colors.  Pick a neutral carpet color that goes well with the home.

Does your home have tiles?
Although tiles are beautiful, they typically show every ounce of old grime, dirt, chips and cracks.  Go through your home and replace any that are chipped, cracked or show signs of bad wear and tear.  Make sure the grout is clean and new looking, and use cleaners (or a steam cleaner) to get rid of any stains.

Beautiful floors can go a long way towards selling homes and condos in Arlington VA.  Take a good, honest look at yours.  Show your floors some TLC.  It might just get your home sold.

If you’re ready to sell your home, order your Free Book or CD, Learn The Selling Process From Beginning to a Successful End!  I would love the opportunity to sell your home.  Call me at 703-909-3939 or email me now at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com for more information.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939

Are you thinking about putting your home on the Alexandria VA homes for sale market?  Many homeowners don’t have a lot of available cash to spruce their homes up.  While staging houses is a definite plus, it costs, as does many of the other suggested “to-dos.”  Here are a few cheap, easy ways to make your home look more inviting to buyers:

1. Put up your personal stuff
Not every buyer looking at one of the Alexandria VA homes for sale appreciates the fact that someone still lives there.  Putting away the following things can help the buyers’ see themselves in the home:

• your pet’s things (toys, litter box, bowls)
• your medications, toothbrushes and toilet accessories
• any toys
• knick-knacks and personal pictures

2. Create more space
Small, closed in spaces are major turnoffs for buyers.  Create the illusion of more space by:

• putting up out-of-season clothes or clothes you don’t wear very often to make your closets look bigger
• taking one piece of furniture out of your bedroom
• packing up the small appliances in your kitchen
• taking out all but four chairs in your dining room, as well as extra table leaves

3. Touch on the trends
Chances are that some of the buyers are paying attention to celebrity trends.  Feng shui is a big one, and you can do your part with just a few touches:

• add a fresh bowl of fruit to the kitchen
• put a comfortable couch or chair on the east side of your living room or den
• put a green welcome mat on your porch to symbolize opportunity
• get rid of reds

Whether you see or feel a difference doesn’t matter.  Keep in mind that you’re trying to appeal to potential buyers of your Alexandria VA home for sale, not make the home more livable for you.  If it helps, pretend that you’re the buyer, seeing the house for the first time.

If you’re trying to get your home ready to sell, I can help.  Call me at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com for more information.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939

If you’re looking at buying one of the condos in Arlington VA, you need to be aware that there are condominium associations that oversee condo developments just like there are homeowner’s associations that oversee subdivisions.  However, they may not work the same and can vary widely from condo to condo.  Here are a few things you need to ask the association before signing that contract: 

1. What’s the ratio of owner-occupied to tenant-occupied units?  More owner-occupied units means better marketability if you want to resell.
2. Do the assessments rise with inflation?  This doesn’t sound like a good thing, but matching assessments with the rate of inflation means the ability to build reserves for any future repairs.
3. What does the assessment cover (trash collection, condo maintenance, etc.) for condos in Arlington VA?  Some association assessments may not cover recreational facilities, for instance, while other condos’ assessments may cover a broad range of areas.
4. What is the turnover in the building?  If it’s high, that’s an indication of issues you may not be familiar with.
5. How much of the assessments do they keep in reserve and for what?  How do they invest the money?  If you’re paying fees and assessments, you want to make sure they aren’t spent frivolously.
6. Are they involved in a lawsuit?  If the condo is in litigation, those reserves can disappear quickly.
7. How reputable is the builder?  If you can, visit other projects and ask the residents how they feel about their place.  Get an engineer’s report to find out if the building is in good shape.  Any problems that are there when you buy are yours once you sign the contract.
8. What are the condominium’s bylaws, restrictions, covenants and grandfather clauses?  You want to make sure you can live with them.  In addition, you’ll want an attorney to look over the documents with you.
9. Is more than one association involved?  The larger the development, the more likely that there are umbrella associations.  Several associations can mean several assessments.

Buying one of the condos in Arlington VA can be a dream come true if you choose well.  Make sure you do your homework! 

If you’re looking for a condo that perfectly fits your lifestyle and needs, I can help.  Call me at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com for more information.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939

If you’re thinking about buying Alexandria VA homes for sale, you might start worrying about your credit score.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths about that score, and many individuals actually end up making things worse by following them. 

Read this list of common credit score myths and be in the know before talking to a lender:

1. Close out your credit cards.  This is a big no-no, especially when you want to buy one of the Alexandria VA homes for sale.  Closing out your older credit cards, especially, can actually make your credit score drop. 
2. Lower your credit limits.  Lowering your credit limits can hurt your credit score.  Part of your credit score is based on how much credit you have available.
3. Get good credit by paying all your cards in full.  If you’re buying a home, part, if not most of the cost will be credited.  What lenders want to see is that you know how to handle credit, not that you don’t have any debt.  Instead, use 10% to 20% of your available credit and pay your bills on time.
4. Comparison shopping for the best credit rates is a no-no.  Not true.  However, if you’re comparison shopping, do so in a short period of time.  That way, all queries hit around the same time and get lumped into one “hard” inquiry.
5. Checking your score can hurt you.  You’re entitled to one free credit inquiry from each of the three top credit agencies per year.  Just make sure you’re the one who asks for your credit scores instead of having a friend at a financial institution do it for you.
6. The more you make, the better your score.  This is only true if you use the extra income to pay off your debts.  Making more money, by itself, will not increase your credit score.

Of course, you want to make sure you have the best credit score you can if you’re buying Alexandria VA homes for sale.  However, before you listen to the hype and myths, make sure you know the facts! 

If you’re looking for a new home, I can help.  Call me at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com for more information.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939

If you’re looking to get a good deal by buying one of the foreclosures in Fairfax County VA, keep in mind that many of the homeowners not only didn’t have money for the mortgage, they probably didn’t have money for the upkeep of the house either.  If you’ve found a home you’re interested in, here’s a short checklist to follow even before you decide to contact a home inspector. 

Structure
For some buyers of foreclosures in Fairfax County VA, structure is a definite issue.  Pay close attention to the following, as they may indicate more severe problems:

• Are the interior walls in good condition?  Any cracks and stains?
• Are the floors in good condition?  What are they made of?  Some floors are made of substandard materials, unsafe for more than casual use.
• Is the roof in good repair or are there missing/curled up shingles?
• Are the gutters, downspouts and flashing in good condition?
• Do the doors and windows stick or glide freely?  When closed, do they block out weather or is there a draft?

Water
Look for these potential water caused problems:

• Is there mold and mildew on the basement walls or a dark, scaly surface?  This can indicate too much moisture, and can mean a leak in the foundation.
• Is the ceiling bubbling, have brown spots, patches or new paint?  New paint might be a sign of covering up stains from water leaks.
• Are there drainpipes around the foundation?  Do they lead away from the foundation?  Are there cracks or a lot of weeds around the area? 

Inside Hazards
Many older houses haven’t been updated or may not be up to code.  Here are some of the more common issues:

• Is there asbestos around exposed pipes for the furnace, heating system or water heater?
• Can you see any signs of vermin or insects?  Mice, termites, cockroaches and bats all leave signs of habitation behind.

If everything else is good, have the house tested for radon, carbon monoxide and lead-based paint.

Although there are many other things to consider when looking to purchase one of the foreclosures in Fairfax County VA, these three are essential to a healthy living environment.  Most importantly, make sure you’re an informed buyer. 

If you’re looking to buy a foreclosed home, I can help.  Call me today at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com for more information.

Steve Hawkins
Long and Foster REALTORS®
Springfield, Virginia
www.HomeSearchWebsite.com
Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com
703-909-3939