Fairfax County VA Home Search Website Blog

The “Fairfax County VA Home for Sale” sign in your yard has been up for quite awhile. Are you somehow missing Morse code signals floating through the air that might give you the magic equation? Are you afraid the house won’t sell until hell freezes over? Are you looking desperately for signs of frost?

Well, even with the ever-pervasive issues currently making a mess of the economy in general and the real estate industry specifically, it’s still possible to replace that “Fairfax County VA Home for Sale” sign with a “SOLD” sign. You just have to figure out why it’s not selling, and fix it.

I know; it’s easier said than done.  If you knew what the problem was, you’d already have fixed it. So here, you’ll find the top three reasons a house won’t sell until pigs fly:

1. Price is the number one deal breaker.
Price and value are the two things you need to wrap your thoughts around. As well, it’s not about what you consider good price and value for a home, but what the buyer considers a good deal.

You can’t beat the competition by simply lowering the price. You have to compel the buyer with the “Goldilocks” price. This price says, “It’s not cheap, so you aren’t getting a fixer-upper. It’s not expensive, because it’s less than others are. It’s just right, because you can afford it and it’s beautiful.”

2. Home selling is a beauty contest.
Real estate agents say curb appeal and many potential clients roll their eyes. It’s as if we’ve said it so much that it’s become a myth of epical proportions. I assure you, curb appeal is very, very real.

Let a buyer pull up to a house with chipped paint and rusted hardware, and that’s one less buyer to worry about. The first impression is everything, and a poor impression never goes away.

3. People don’t want to see your stuff.
Whether your “stuff” is an old, favorite easy chair with rips and springs poking out or a closet full to bursting, it’s a turn off to buyers. They don’t want to see what the home looks like with your footprint on it; they want to see what it would look like with their footprint on it.

Cut down on your furniture, keeping the best (though not necessarily more comfortable) pieces for show. Pack up your knick-knacks, bric-a-brac and family photos. Take half your clothes out of the closets and pack them away in moving boxes. Less is more!

If you’re having problems with getting your Fairfax County VA home for sale off the market, don’t panic. Clear your head and see what you’ve missed!

If you’re ready to sell your 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

As soon as you decide to buy one of the Alexandria VA homes for sale you’ll be looking at loans, if not before. You’ll see balloon loans, fixed-rate mortgages, adjustable-rate mortgages and a few others. Fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages are the most common, but why and what’s the difference?

The biggest differences are in cost and security. Fixed-rate mortgages can cost more, but have a measure of security. Adjustable rate mortgages, or ARMs, can cost less, but have less security.

As with all things, ARMs and fixed-rate mortgages have pros and cons. Here are just a few:

The Pros and Cons of ARMs
When you buy a Alexandria VA home for sale with an ARM, your payments will be lower than a loan with a fixed-rate mortgage. Because the payments are lower, you can afford to buy a more expensive home. As well, ARM payments are based, in part, on interest rates. When interest rates fall, your payments go down.

The cons of adjustable-rate mortgages are just as big as the pros. For example, due to the basis of interest rates, you can end up having a higher mortgage payment, if interest rates rise. If rates rise sharply, a 6% ARM can turn into an 11% ARM within four years. Another negative is that borrowers can be confused because ARMs aren’t easy to understand. A shady mortgage company could neatly trap them.

The Pros and Cons of Fixed-Rate Mortgages
With fixed-rate mortgages, your payment stays the same whether interest rates rise or drop. This makes budgeting easier and is a plus when interest rates rise. However, homeowners with fixed-rate mortgages have to refinance if they want to take advantage of dropping interest rates.

Likewise, because the payment never changes, fixed-rate mortgages cost more. Mortgage lenders don’t offer rate breaks on fixed-rate mortgages. The other con, which may be a big one to some, is that fixed-rate mortgages don’t vary from lender to lender. With adjustable-rate mortgages, the lenders are flexible and can customize the loan to your needs; this isn’t true with fixed-rate mortgages.

The biggest question to ask yourself when considering an ARM or fixed-rate mortgage is, “Can I afford my home if interest rates spike?” You could start paying $875 a month, and, with a quick rate rise, end up paying $1,514 within four years.

When considering which type of home loan to use for buying a Alexandria VA home for sale, don’t be afraid to ask a lender to explain the pros and cons of each type in depth. Don’t ever consider signing the contract if you aren’t sure what you’re signing.

If you’re looking for a great home to buy, 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

One of the more frustrating aspects of buying Fairfax County Virginia real estate is qualifying for a mortgage that will allow you to buy the home of your dreams. Lenders use terms to describe your loan status that may be confusing.

For example, what is the difference between being pre-qualified, pre-approved or approved for a mortgage on your Fairfax County Virginia real estate?

• Pre-Qualified – This just means that the lender may approve you for a loan if everything checks out. Pre-qualification is based solely on information you give the lender about your income and debts. This is no guarantee that you will get a loan. People do lie about their finances, so the lender won’t even be able to give you a possible loan amount at this point.

• Pre-Approved – Once your lender pulls your credit report, they can give you an idea of what kind of loan you may get. When you’re pre-approved, you still have no guarantee that you will get a loan, but you have a better idea of your price range. Sellers like working with people who are pre-approved because it shows that their credit has been verified, and they are more likely to qualify for a loan.

• Approved – When you are approved for a loan, your financial records have been verified, and the lender can say for sure how much they are willing to lend you for a particular home. You can be approved for a mortgage only after the lender has approved both you and the home. Once you have approval, you can move forward with the purchase.

For more information about the mortgage approval process for purchasing Fairfax County Virginia real estate, 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

You know you’re going to pay a mortgage for however many years once you sign the paper on a home or condo in Arlington VA. You know your agent is going to get paid for the absolutely wonderful, fantabulous, superior job he or she did to help you find the home of your dreams. What you may not be expecting, however, are the closing costs. 

The saying goes “nothing’s guaranteed except death and taxes,” but you can add “closing costs” in there. Now, I’m sure the mortgage was expected, and you don’t mind your agent earning a bit, but what the heck is this “closing cost” business? While the government forms explain them, they might as well have been written in chicken scratches; government lingo has never been exactly easy to understand.

Be Prepared to Pay
“Closing costs” is a catch all term for all the expenses that wouldn’t fit under a convenient title like “mortgage.” Be prepared, because they can range anywhere from 3% to 8% of your total loan. For example, if you have a $150,000 loan, your closing costs could be anywhere from an additional $4,500 to $12,000.

What are you paying for?
Aren’t you already paying for the home or condo in Arlington VA? What’s with these closing costs? It probably feels like hidden fees, but they aren’t. Here are just a few of the fees you might end up paying, depending on the lender and the circumstances:

• Prorations – The allocation of property taxes, interest, Home Owner Association dues, insurance premiums or rental income between buyer and seller proportionate to time of use.  For example, if the property tax is paid up to a period after you close on the house, the seller might be entitled to reimbursement.

• Appraisal Fee – The fee charged for a written appraisal by a qualified person setting forth an opinion of a property’s fair market value.

• Fire Insurance – Just in case you burn the house down after you buy it, lenders might require you to have a fire insurance policy.

• Purchase Points – These are known as “discount points,” or just “points,” but it’s more like “pay the lender less now or pay the lender more later.” Each point costs 1% of your loan amount and reduces your interest rate for the life of your loan (usually by fractions of percentages). Since it can take a few years for the lower payment difference to offset the initial closing cost, paying for points is probably only a good idea if you plan to live in the house for five years or longer.  With interest rates as low as they are now, it may not be a good use of your hard earned income.

If you have questions closing costs or any other real estate related questions, I’m happy to help. 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

Buying a new home takes a lot of preparation. Without knowing what you are walking in to, you are bound to run into road blocks. A good Fairfax County Virginia real estate agent can help you understand the intricacies involved in purchasing your new home. Some of the most common problems that buyers run into are avoidable.

Buying the Best is Nice… but

If you’re looking at the most expensive house in the neighborhood, in the city or in the state, you’re asking for problems.  The chance that it will go down in value, be difficult to make payments on if anything changes in your lifestyle, or be hard to sell in the event of a foreclosure is high, which makes it tough to get a mortgage.
 
If you must have the most expensive home, pay the most you can as a down payment.  That will lower the risk and make it more likely your loan will be approved.  If you can’t afford a big down payment, you’re probably looking at a formidable roadblock to a loan. 

Being Unprepared

Walking into a mortgage lender unprepared is like shooting yourself in the foot. Have your financial information in hand. If there are any problems with your credit, be prepared to explain them. Have a good budget including the estimated new mortgage to show you can handle the loan.  Think like a Boy Scout and be prepared.

Not Taking All Costs into Consideration

A big mistake many prospective home buyers make is not realizing there are many costs associated with buying Fairfax County Virginia real estate besides just a new mortgage. There are closing costs, legal costs, insurance costs, property taxes and deed and recording fees.   All of these have an impact on your wallet and most need to be paid at closing.

Want to know more about how to prepare to purchase Fairfax County Virginia real estate?  I’d be happy to walk you through the entire process.  Give me a call 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

Searching for the right home takes time and patience. Before you start looking at Fairfax County VA homes for sale, you need to know exactly what you want in your new home.

Create a list of the features you want in your new home, so you make the most of your time by looking only at Fairfax County VA homes for sale that meet your criteria. Here is a quick guide to help you create a checklist:

1. Must Have. These are deal breakers; features that you cannot live without. Do you need a certain number of bedrooms? Do you work from home and need an office, or maybe even an outside entrance to your home office? Perhaps you have small children or large dogs and need a fenced yard. Decide now what you must have in your new home.

2. Like to Have. Features you would “like to have” are those you prefer but are willing to sacrifice if the home is perfect otherwise. Maybe you’ve always dreamed of having your own swimming pool or cathedral ceilings or an oversized garage. Include on this list whatever you would like to have in your new home, as long as it doesn’t take away something from the “must have” list or go over your price range for Fairfax County VA homes for sale.

3. Can live without. Some features just aren’t as important as others. Knowing what you don’t really care about can help you stay focused on what really matters to you. Add to this list home features that aren’t important. If no one in your home ever takes a bath, you may not care if you have a whirlpool tub. Perhaps you don’t really want to take care of an oversized yard, so lot size many not be important to you.

Once you have your checklist compiled, share it with your real estate agent.  It’ll speed up your home buying process, reduce time and frustration and get you in a home you’ll adore.

Let me help you find your dream home. 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

If you’ve thought about buying one of the Alexandria VA homes for sale, you have to be wondering, “Is it ever going to be a good idea?” I understand; there’s an endless stream of media pouring out bad housing news. It’s discouraging to say the least if you’re a homebuyer or a home seller.

Yet, the problem with the news from the home buying standpoint is that it focuses on profit. The media says, “You can’t make a profit from buying a home.” They talk about prices dropping and more homes hitting the market, among other things. What they miss, however, are the real reasons most people buy a Alexandria VA home for sale.

It’s your home. Period.
You can do what you want with it. You don’t have to worry about whether painting a mural on the wall will get you an increase in rent. You don’t have to deal with the noisy people who just moved into the apartment above you, who obviously brought a zoo because something’s pounding on your ceiling all the time. You can paint the walls black and nobody can say “Boo” about it, because it’s your home.

Fixed-rate mortgages stay put.
Unlike rent, which can go up and up and up, fixed-rate mortgage loans stay the same. They work exactly like they sound; the rate you start at when you buy your Alexandria VA home for sale is the rate you end at when you finish paying off your mortgage.

You can eventually stop paying out.
Rent will always be owed. At no time in the future will your landlord say, “You’ve paid enough rent. You don’t have to pay anymore.” Mortgages, however, will eventually be paid off. Therefore, while renters pay for 15 years and then must continue to pay, homeowners, who have a 15-year mortgage, can pay for 15 years and then stop.

It’s your castle.
Nobody owns it but you. There’s a certain pride to owning a home that far outweighs profit. The excitement from making a profit, however small or large, is a fleeting, momentary thing. When you buy a Alexandria VA home for sale, you’re buying a castle – a safe haven where you can get away from the world; a place where you can relax and be comfortable.

If you’re ready to find your castle, 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

The national and Fairfax County Virginia real estate markets are constantly fluctuating, falling somewhere between more inventory and lower prices and less inventory and higher prices. People are often frightened when the home inventory rises, but a declining real estate market may just be the perfect time to find your next home.

Here are 4 reasons why you should consider buying Fairfax County Virginia real estate in a down market. 

1. Inventory. When the market is down, more homes are for sale. This means you have more homes to choose from, which makes it easier to find a home in your dream neighborhood or closer to work or school.

2. Negotiation. There’s a reason down markets are called “buyers’ markets.” Sellers want to sell their homes, and they are often willing to do whatever it takes. This means you have the advantage and can buy a home for a great price. You can also ask the seller for other incentives like paying all or a portion of your closing costs.

3. Mortgage Rates. When the real estate market begins falling, interest rates get cut. This can mean considerable savings for you over the course of your mortgage. You can even buy a larger home within your price range than you can when the market is booming.

4. Investment. Even though doom and gloom is forecasted in a down market, your home will still most likely go up in value or at least retain its value. Keep in mind that your home is your most personal investment. It is a place where you will create memories and maybe even raise a family.

If you’re considering buying a home, let me help you find a wonderful home at a great price. 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

As Halloween draws closer, celebrators everywhere are beginning to decorate their Arlington VA homes with pumpkins.  Unfortunately, by the time the actual holiday is here, many of the jack-o-lanterns will be rotting away – poor remnants of the original carving. 

If you’d like to keep your carved pumpkin up to par, here are 11 tips:

1. Put your pumpkin in cold water; it will soak up the water and get firm.  You can do this after it’s carved as well; just place it face down and let it fill up with water.

2. Let your pumpkin soak overnight for detailed work.  This allows for carving that is more intricate.

3. Dry your pumpkin immediately once you take it out of the water to display it in your Arlington VA home.  Otherwise, mold will take hold and grow.

4. If your pumpkin starts to shrivel, put it back in cold water for one to eight hours.

5. Put a thin coating of petroleum jelly on exposed, cut edges to keep the water from evaporating and to preserve the cuts, as well as the pumpkin.

6. Add a very small amount of unscented bleach to the water to stop premature molding.

7. Spray your pumpkin with a plant mister to keep it from shriveling.

8. Wrap the pumpkin in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator, when not in use, to keep it looking fresh.

9. Extinguish the candle inside the pumpkin whenever you’re not using it for decoration; otherwise, the heat can cook the inside.

10. Spray the pumpkin with Lysol, or another disinfectant, after you’ve finished carving, to keep off bacteria.  (Don’t do this if you used bleach in the water.)

Use a spray on pumpkin preserver, if you prefer not to use bleach or a spray disinfectant. 

Following these tips and tricks can help you stretch the lifetime of your jack-o-lanterns from a few days to a week or longer.  Decorate your Arlington VA home with all the pumpkin patterns your heart desires and have a Happy Halloween!

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

The temperature is starting to drop, leaves are beginning to fall and autumn is getting closer. For those with Fairfax County VA homes for sale, this is a good time to make sure all your t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted. Why?

Fall brings nostalgia for most people across the United States. Between Halloween,  Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve, the last part of the year brings the most family-oriented, warm thoughts. It brings memories of days gone by when families met over turkey or ham around a table, young cousins played together in the yard and, in general, everyone had a wonderful time. In other words, it brings thoughts of home.

Often, these thoughts cause a yearning in potential buyers to own one of the Fairfax County VA homes for sale. Renters often become homeowners because of these nostalgic feelings. How can this benefit you?

Go ahead and decorate.
Don’t hold off just because your house is for sale. However, be careful not to over decorate. A few pumpkin gourds can add a warm, homey touch to a porch, but a slew of snarling jack-o’-lanterns can turn a buyer off. A tasteful Christmas wreath on the door can welcome cheerful potential buyers into your home, but using enough lights on the house to cause a blackout may not be the best idea.

Run from scary decorations.
When decorating, stay away from cobwebs, fake spiders and skeletons in the closet. Use other things to enhance the “nostalgic buying” mood, such as plug-in scents in Apple Cinnamon or Pumpkin Spice. Simple bowls of potpourri add an inviting aroma without being overstated. Whatever you use, it really doesn’t take much to turn your house into a warm, inviting place that potential buyers may want to call home.

While decorating for the holidays can increase buyer appeal for Fairfax County VA homes for sale, remember “all things in moderation.”  Although it’s a little early, let me wish you happy holidays for the end of the year season, and good luck!

If you’re considering selling your home, whether this season or next, 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