Fairfax County VA Home Search Website Blog

Before you put your Alexandria VA home up for sale, you want to make sure it looks as attractive and modern as possible. Buyers usually walk away from a Alexandria VA home for sale with outdated color schemes and fixtures. This is especially true of bathrooms. Even if you lack the budget and space to turn your bathroom into a spa-like retreat, you can still give this room a quick facelift.

1. Get creative with color. If you don’t have the time or budget to replace dated ceramic tile, try camouflaging it with towels, rugs, and other accessories for a more modern color scheme. For example, you can pair pink with brown or bright blue with light green.

2. Replace your fixtures. Brushed aluminum and pewter bathroom fixtures are more modern than the shiny chrome fixtures from years ago. They are also easier to clean because they don’t show water marks as easily.

3. Find new lighting. A bathroom light can do more than just illuminate the space; it can create an atmosphere. Sconces placed on either side of a mirror tend to look better than harsh overhead light. Track lighting can be arranged to provide light in dark corners of the room.

4. Accessorize. Put your personal touch on your bathroom with shower curtains, soap dispensers, and scented candles. Don’t feel like you have to stick to the bath accessories aisle, either. A clear vase can display bath salts. Baskets can hold rolled-up towels. A beautiful serving bowl can be filled with potpourri.

Preparing your Alexandria VA home for sale is an important part of the process. I can help you prepare you home to sell it faster and for more money. Call me today at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com to schedule a free consultation.

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

Considering selling a home ‘by owner’ has been a fairly consistent desire in the Fairfax County Virginia real estate market over the past few decades. Everyone wants to save a buck and some think they can save a lot of money by selling their homes by themselves.  But would you really save money by doing it yourself?

To start off with it should be said that there are indeed people who can sell their homes for sale by owner (FSBO), and even save a few dollars doing it. Those are the people who have five important skills:

1. They know how to market and advertise their Fairfax County Virginia real estate both online and offline without spending a fortune.
2. They are excellent sales people.
3. They know how to pre-qualify buyers to be sure they’re actually able to afford the home.
4. They’re great at negotiating.
5. They know how to execute real estate contracts and all the other associated legal work necessary to sell a home.

Additionally, they need to have plenty of time to:

• Market and advertise their home.  A lot of time can be spent writing ads, creating flyers, taking photos, and loading everything to a wide variety of real estate websites.
• Show their home to potential buyers at times that are best for the buyer.
• Negotiate with buyers.
• Execute the real estate contract.

If you do not have those five skills or the extra time needed to perform all the necessary tasks, selling your Fairfax County Virginia real estate by owner probably isn’t a good idea for you.

Instead, you can hire a real estate agent to do it all for you.  A professional real estate agent is more than just someone who puts their name on a sign on your front lawn.

• They are the person who is your first line of defense when it comes to dealing with buyers. They know how to be sure the person coming to look at your house really has the qualifications to actually make a purchase, not just some Sunday shopper.
• They also have the marketing know-how and the advertising power of a real estate company behind them.
• They have vast connections and relationships with professionals such as home inspectors, title offices and mortgage companies.  They work with these people many times a month year in and year out.
• They’re skilled negotiators.
• They understand what legal work has to be done and how to keep it on track. 

Obviously, a professional real estate agent saves you time, but they also save you money.  Statistics show that homes sell for more money when sold by an agent, especially in today’s real estate market.  How can that be?  People who buy a FSBO know you’re saving money on commission and expect you to pass those savings on to them.

If you’d like more information on how a real estate agent can help save you time and money by selling your home, 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

Times change but not always for the best.  Consider the change we’ve seen in attitudes toward Fairfax County Virginia real estate over the last few decades. 

Owners used to love their homes because they were their safe havens.  Many now only worry about whether or not their houses will appreciate enough in value to allow them to refinance to buy luxury vacations in Hawaii or a new car.

What’s your stance on the Fairfax County Virginia real estate you own or wish to own some day?   Is it a house or a home to you?  There’s no right or wrong answer to this question, simply a varying point of view.

It’s a house if you:

• Bought it because you want to build equity 
• Value it most because of its monetary value
• Worry primarily about it because it might lose some of its value in today’s market
• Appreciate it if it gives you short term profit
• Like the neighborhood because it increases the market value of your property
• Plan to sell when you can make the biggest profit

It’s a home if you:

• Bought it because you want to build a happy life there
• Value it most because of its emotional value
• Worry primarily about it because without it you wouldn’t have a roof over your head
• Appreciate it if it gives you long term profit
• Like the neighborhood because of the people who live there
• Plan to sell when your lifestyle needs change

Personally, I’m nostalgic for the days when a house was called a home because of the love that was inside.

Whether you’re interested in buying Fairfax County Virginia real estate as an investment or a home, I can help you achieve your goals.  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

FHA loans are mortgages issued by qualified lenders, including traditional lenders like Citigroup and Wells Fargo, and insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).  The popularity of these loans are skyrocketing and for good reasons.  They feature low down payments, low closing costs and are easier to qualify for.

Despite this popularity, there are many misconceptions surrounding FHA loans.  Here are just a few myths and the facts behind them.

Myth #1: FHA only loans small amounts to buyers of Alexandria VA homes for sale. 
Fact:  To help stabilize the real estate market, the government recently raised the maximum loan amount from its original cap of $362,790 to $793,750. The FHA loan amount a buyer can borrow varies by state and county.

Myth #2:  FHA loans are exclusively for lower-income borrowers. 
Fact:  FHA loans are available to everyone. There are no maximum income restrictions.  Potential borrowers must verify income and assets to ensure they can afford the loan.

Myth #3:  FHA loans are exclusively for first-time buyers of Alexandria VA homes for sale.
Fact:  Whether buyers of Alexandria VA homes for sale are making their first home purchase or their twentieth, they can potentially qualify for an FHA loan.

Myth #4: FHA loans are affiliated with the low-income housing program.
Fact:  FHA loans have nothing to do with the Section 8 Housing Program or any other low-income or subsidized housing programs. FHA loans are simply mortgages insured by FHA.

Myth #5: FHA loans are risky. 
Fact:  FHA loans are often easier to obtain, but that does not make them riskier.  The FHA requires full documentation of borrowers’ income and assets to ensure they can afford the loan.

If you’re ready to look at Alexandria VA homes for sale, whether you’ll be using an FHA loan or a non-FHA loan, I can help you find your perfect home.  Give me a call today at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com to get started.

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

Now is a great time to get into the investment real estate market. Not only does investment property give you a real tangible asset for your portfolio, you can also get Fairfax County Virginia real estate investments at great prices right now.

Here are four ways to make money from Fairfax County Virginia real estate investments that you might want to consider:

• Rental properties.  Not everyone enjoys owning rental property, but it is one of the most profitable ways to make money from real estate.  Rental properties give you a constant residual income that lasts as long as you keep the property.
• Flipping. While the house flipping craze of the 80s and 90s cooled down with the current mortgage and housing crunch, for serious investors who take the time to know what they are doing, it is still a viable means of making money in real estate.  This is typically a shorter term method of real estate investing.
• Rehabbing. Buying a house to live in while you fix it up and resell it is similar to flipping, except that most rehabbers take longer to renovate the home, and use it as their primary residence while doing the work. There are three reasons this is a more comfortable way to flip Fairfax County Virginia real estate investments. First, you have a place to live and don’t have to pay a mortgage on another property.  Second, you don’t have to feel as pressured to sell in a short period of time the way you do a flip.  Third, you may receive all the homeowner benefits like tax breaks and no capital gain tax.
• Subdivide. This form of investment requires a little advance preparation and investigation. When you discover a sizeable piece of land at a good price, find out if it is zoned so you can subdivide it.  If it is, you can profitably sell off individual parcels to those who want to build on it.

If you would like more information on ways to invest in real estate that makes sense for you, I can help. Contact me 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

If you’re hoping to sell your Fairfax County Virginia real estate in 2011, make some New Year’s resolutions to help the process along.   Resolve to:

1. Interview and get a comparative marketing analysis (CMA) from at least three agents from three different Fairfax County Virginia real estate agencies.  Each agent has a different opinion about the value of your home and how to best market your home.  Learn from each agent and then sign a contract with the agent you decide to hire. 

2. Research the number of foreclosures and short sales in your neighborhood.  To sell your home, find out how many foreclosures and short sales you’re competing against.  This impacts the value of your property as well as the length of time it takes you to sell.  Your Fairfax County Virginia real estate agent can help you with this research.

3. Be realistic about price. After reviewing your three CMAs, talk with the agent you hired and come to an agreement on the price that can get your home sold.  Ideally, that price should be at or just below the selling price of similar houses in your neighborhood that have sold in the past 90 days.

4. Counter offers.  Be calm if a buyer suggests a lower price than you want. Don’t just snap his or her nose off. Consider your options.  Can you afford to let the house go at the offered price? If you can and still want to say no, think about it… how long did it take to get this potential buyer? Super low bids are not insults; they’re a buyer’s way of testing you.  So, even if an offer seems insulting low to you, counter it.  If the buyer wants your home, he or she will come up to a realistic price.

5. Remain flexible.  Make concessions where you can.  The buyer wants you to pay part of the closing costs?  That’s a great way to sweeten the deal.  Fix those small problems found in the home inspection.  Add on a home warranty.  A successful sale means everyone walks away happy. 

Put these resolutions into action, and your new year may turn out to be even happier than you expected!

If you’d like a proven marketing plan to get your Fairfax County Virginia real estate sold, give me a call today at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com.  Ask me about your free competitive marketing analysis. 

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

From national and Fairfax County Virginia real estate to the U.S. economy, the predictions for 2011 are in.  Like any predictions, they vary from gloomy to cheery.  Overall, the U.S. forecasts for national and Fairfax County Virginia real estate are more positive than negative for 2011.

1. Real Estate Economy Watch predicts:  People are interested in buying a foreclosure.  Nearly half (49 percent) of U.S. adults are at least somewhat likely to consider purchasing a foreclosed property, up from 45 percent in May, 2010. Despite the rising interest in buying a foreclosed home, an increasing number of U.S. adults also recognize negative aspects to buying a foreclosure.

2. Bill Redfern, CEO of A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections says:  Presale inspections are on the rise.  Sellers, and particularly banks, have become far more interested than in the past in having presale inspections conducted to help attract buyers. This business, which helped sustain inspectors during the downturn, is expected to grow in 2011 even as regular inspections come back. I might be optimistic, but I think in five to 10 years every listing coming to market will have a presale inspection done.

3. The National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) Chief Economist Lawrence Yun is projecting:

•  Once businesses pick up spending, job gains will quicken and home sales—fueled by strong affordability and plenty of pent-up demand—will rise.
• 5.2 million existing-home sales in 2011, up from 4.8 million last year.
• Modest improvement in prices—a rise of about 1 percent this year on a national basis. That would be the first in what Yun says will be a series of small but steady gains in the years ahead that will eventually bring home sales back to a period of normalcy.
• Yun says all of the price excesses from the housing bubble have been squeezed out of the market and interest rates remain at historically low levels, making buying attractive now. 

4. The Joint Center for Housing Studies says:

• If the past is any guide, the strength and sustainability of the housing recovery will depend most on the bounce back in employment growth.  Unfortunately, most economists predict that the unemployment rate will remain elevated as discouraged workers reenter the labor force amid slow gains in jobs.
• The oldest baby boomers are just turning 64, with millions soon to follow. Despite their losses in wealth caused by the correction in home and stock prices, the baby boomers will drive demand for senior housing suited to active lifestyles as well as for assisted living facilities.

5. According to the Standard and Poor / Case-Schiller index:  Home prices are expected to rise 12 percent in the next five years. And, according to a survey of economists, that upturn should begin in 2011.

6. WalletPop.com’s prediction for renters in 2011:  The American Dream will include both renting and owning:

• Lifelong renters will begin to buy.  As jobs grow, prices hit bottom or move past their bottom in the handful of appreciating markets, and interest rates start what is likely to be a long, volatile climb up from the all-time lows of 2010, extreme affordability will push even some lifelong renters off the fence and into the market.
• Lifelong owners will begin to rent.  Baby Boomers who have owned homes for decades and lost them at the trough of the job and housing markets will become renters-by-choice.  Retirees will rent their current homes, rather than selling them, move to warmer climes and rent instead of own their retirement homes, at least until the housing market stabilizes and the mortgage market relaxes.

Although no one can be certain what will happen in 2011 – especially for the struggling national and Fairfax County Virginia real estate markets – we can all gain a little hope from these 2011 forecasts.

If you’d like to buy or sell a home in 2011, 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

Trends for national and Alexandria VA homes for sale come and go depending on many factors including the needs and desires of buyers, changes in technology and economic issues.
Here are some 2011 design trends predicted for national and Alexandria VA homes for sale.

Kitchens Continue to be the Heart of the Home
People still love kitchens that are open and airy.  Popular kitchen countertops will embrace the green movement switching from granite to crushed recyclable glass under a solid, smooth surface.

Energy Efficiency Remains Important
According to The Joint Center for Housing Studies, homeowners and builders alike continue to make homes more energy efficient.  This is led by regional certification programs as well as national green building standards.

Vintage is Hot
Reproductions from the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s will be a hot design trend in home furnishings.  Think of the furniture in the hit TV show “Mad Men.”

Bold Lighting Touches are Added
In addition to functional lighting, bathrooms will boast chandeliers.  Ooh, la la!

Ceilings Become a Focal Point
Ceilings will no longer fade into the background with the addition of architectural enhancements such as domes and bold paint options including metallic colors.

Whether you’re looking for trendy or traditional Alexandria VA homes for sale, I can help you find your perfect fit.  Call me today at 703-909-3939 or email me at Steve@HomeSearchWebsite.com to get started.

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

Most people make New Year’s resolutions to improve themselves.  This year, consider making a few New Year’s Resolutions to improve your Alexandria VA home.  Here are 6 ideas to choose from:

1. Renovate.  Choose one project you really want to do, and get it done this year.  Add on a deck, make minor kitchen renovations or install a new bathroom floor.

2. Practice Alexandria VA home safety.  Practice fire safety by ensuring your smoke alarms work and holding fire drills. Prevent poisoning by keeping cleaners, medications and beauty products in a place where children can’t reach them and using child safety locks.  Avoid falls by having bright lights over stairs and steps and on landings. Also, keep stairs clear of clutter.

3. Test for radon.  Radon is a significant contaminant that affects indoor air quality worldwide. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Even if you live in an area that typically doesn’t have radon problems, the US EPA recommends testing your home for radon because testing is the only way to know your Alexandria VA home’s radon levels.

4. Do one thing to go green.  Change to Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL), install a low-flow shower head, use green cleaning products or start recycling.

5. Check water quality. Drinking water quality varies from location to location, depending on the condition of the source water from which it is drawn and the treatment it receives. Every community water supplier must provide an annual report to its customers. Read your report to find out what your water contains. 

6. Private wells and homes drawing water from other sources such as lakes and rivers are not regulated. If your drinking water does not come from a public water system, you alone are responsible for assuring that it is safe. Routine water testing is essential.

7. Reduce your utility bills.  Review your electric and gas expenses for the previous 12 months and make a plan to reduce them. There are many ways to save on energy bills:  increase your insulation, weather strip windows and doors, purchase energy efficient appliances, install energy efficient windows and adjust home temperatures.

Automatically receive home owner tips like these in your email inbox when you subscribe to my blog.  It’s free and fast.  Just click to subscribe.

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

This winter has already brought most areas of the U.S. major snow storms, and we have many more months of winter weather to deal with.  Whether you live in a city that gets snow or you vacation in snowy communities, you need to know how to stay safe and warm in the snow.

1.  Dress in layers.  Ideally, the layer against your skin should be made of a synthetic microfiber that wicks moisture away from your body.  Avoid cotton, which gets wet and stays wet. Top the wicking layer with something warm like fleece and finish with a jacket that’s windproof.

2.  Wear boots with good traction.  Make sure they aren’t too tight, either because they’re too small or because you have on bulky socks.

3.  Wear sunglasses and sunscreen.  A sunny day in winter is often brighter and more dangerous to your eyes and skin than summer sun.  That’s because of the reflection off the snow.  So before leaving your Alexandria VA home, slip on sunglasses and generously apply sunscreen.

4.  Shovel with care or hire it done.  If you’re not in tip-top shape to shovel the snow from your Alexandria VA home’s driveway, hire a neighborhood teen to do it.  You’ll give that teen some much wanted income, and save yourself from strained muscles at the least and a heart attack at the worst.  If you do not have a history of heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure or any other ailment that could result in injury or death, you may decide to shovel the snow yourself. 

Here are a few tips for safe snow shoveling:

• Stay well hydrated.  Don’t drink caffeine or alcohol during or immediately before shoveling.
• Take frequent breaks.  Do not remove deep snow all at once; take off an inch or two at a time.  Preferably, start when the snow is not yet heavily packed, and shovel periodically if the snow continues to fall.
• Pick a shovel with a smaller blade.  This puts less strain on your body because you lift less snow at once.
• Use a back-friendly shoveling technique.  Keep the shovel close to your body.  Bend from your knees, not your back.  Tighten your stomach muscles.  Do not twist. Instead, move your body so your feet face the direction in which you’re shoveling.  Do not throw the snow over your shoulder; throw it in front of you.
• Check your body.  Are you experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness or chest pains?  Stop immediately and seek medical help.

5.  Prepare your car for snowy conditions.  Clean all the snow off your car before leaving your Alexandria VA home.   Make sure your windshield wipers and headlights are cleaned off and working.  Stock your car with a shovel, extra clothes, a blanket, a flashlight, snacks, water, an ice scraper and wood ashes or sand for traction in case you get stuck in the snow.

6.  Go slowly.  Whether walking or driving, give yourself additional time to get to your destination.  The roads, driveways and sidewalks get slick, and even a generous amount of salt can leave behind spots of ice and snow.

Stay safe and warm this winter!  If you’d like to buy one of the safe, warm Alexandria VA homes, I can help.  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