Virginia and Maryland Real Estate Journal

DC Area Foreclosure Assistance Mobile Text Service by CAFN

2011-11-30T07:58:00.004-05:00

Regional Community Service Announcement

TEXT HOME or CASA to 877-877

The Capital Area Foreclosure Network (CAFN) very recently announced the launch of a new foreclosure prevention text messaging service. The service will provide those in or worried about foreclosure with access to advice, reminders, and alerts through their mobile phones in either Spanish or English. The goals of the campaign are to increase the number of homeowners and renters that get help from a nonprofit housing counselor, and decrease the number of people who drop out of counseling.

TEXT HOME or CASA to 877-877

Parties can opt-in to the service by using their mobile device to text message HOME or CASA to 877-877, and will then immediately receive critical information and a hotline number to use when they are ready to connect to a counselor at a HUD approved counseling organization.

After opting in, mobile subscribers will receive periodic reminders, information about foreclosure prevention programs available in their jurisdiction, such as the new mediation programs in D.C. and Maryland, follow-up instructions, alerts to scams, financial literacy tips, and much more.

Read more at Gateway to Loudoun County Business - Foreclosure Assistance Mobile Text Service...

Recent Prince William County and Northern Virginia Real Estate Special Listings!

2009-10-21T08:49:00.005-04:00

Following are some of my very special listings available right now for tour and/or sale.

Retire to North Carolina's High Country - North Carolina Mountain Land Available Now

2009-10-05T20:39:00.002-04:00

Time to get away from the DC area altogether? Florida too hot, New York too cold?

North Carolina Mountain Land, Mountain Property & Mountain Lots are now for sale via the Laurels, "North Carolina High Country's Best Kept Secret". The Laurels offers uniquely accessible, affordable beautiful natural vistas and real estate for North Carolina retirement, retreats, vacation living, and magnificent, mountain-top custom homes.

Nowhere is the healthy living, the natural open space or the breathtaking vistas more prevalent than in the very temperate, mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern US - North Carolina's High Country. Situated among the majesty of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, wildlife preserves and state parks mesh with private communities and rustic towns to produce the absolute perfect mix of outdoors recreation, natural scenery and fantastic seasonal events and activities. It's the most highly sought-after area for year-round outdoor sports and recreation, and a hotspot for private, custom dream homes of retirees, families or simply outdoor enthusiasts.

The Laurels is one of the most unique and readily available 132 acres of mountaintop estate lots available now for purchase and homebuilding. A private gated reserve of 15 equestrian and North Carolina mountain estate lots from five to ten acres, with elevations up to and exceeding 4000 feet, it includes panoramic 50 mile vistas, prolific wildlife, cascading mountain brooks and springs, and dense glens of mountain laurel and rhododendron. It's an exclusive and relaxing area surrounded by a wealth of regional activities, events, parks, resorts, spas, skiing and world class dining - The Laurels is impossibly unique yet amazingly accessible.

Painstakingly developed to offer North Carolina mountain property owners the exclusivity of a gated private park with underground utilities, estate sized lots, broad, safe asphalt roadways, state of the art erosion control planning, pre-approved four bedroom septic approvals, and thoughtful protective covenants, The Laurels sets the foundations of a close-knit and respectable community while protecting the spirit of seclusion, privacy and natural environmental protection. Read more at Washington DC Business News for more information....

Prince William, Loudoun and Northern Virginia Foreclosure Real Estate Update

2009-09-22T06:51:00.002-04:00

While a majority of this year's business so far has been carried by foreclosure activity, particularly in Prince William County areas of Northern Virginia, there has been a shift developing in the availability and attractiveness (in price) of the homes available on the market.

Some may see the slowdown and "stabilization" of the Northern Virginia foreclosure market as a positive trend in the housing market - while this is true to some degree, it's mostly an inventory release slowdown driven by banks who do see opportunities to improve their returns. Major holders of foreclosed assets including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have significantly slowed their release of foreclosures onto the Northern Virginia market, thereby driving demand up a bit among first-time buyers and investors, and therefore prices.

We don't anticipate a significant surge in prices for foreclosures; there are thousands more to be released, along with many homeowners wishing to sell still waiting on the sidelines. This means while the inventory is being somewhat artificially constrained, it nonetheless remains a large inventory and therefore still a supply-driven (with depressed pricing) market.

What does this mean to you? Don't rush to buy - choose your home or investment wisely, for long-term gains (which will eventually come); it's still a buyer's market out there, and there are many great deals to come!

For more information about the Northern Virginia, Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun or Prince William foreclosure market, contact me at http://www.ingridmyers.com.

Fall business and homeowner's tip - clean and install new home security alarm screens on your windows - let the fresh air in, but keep out unwanted quests!

Interested in moving your home or business to Loudoun County, VA? Read all about Loudoun County's business climate, community news and other information "Made in Loudoun", from Loudoun's #1 resident-owned blog, "Gateway to Loudoun"!

Looking for Waterfront Property in Southern Maryland, near PAX River NAS?

2009-08-05T11:33:00.003-04:00

If you're in the market for waterfront property in Southern Maryland, check out this prominent Southern Maryland (PAX River area) blog for information about the local area, culture, events and businesses. Give me a call or email to arrange a consultation and/or referral regarding areas of Southern Maryland.

If you're seeking short-term rental for the PAX River Naval Air Station area, waiting for on-base housing or otherwise - here's a sample listing.

Online Web Real Estate Appraisals - Just Like Offline!

2009-04-18T20:01:00.002-04:00

I now recommend, as a service through our business partners at KME Internet Marketing in Northern Virginia, online web real estate appraisals. This does NOT mean appraisals of your physical real estate, your "brick and mortar" business, your home or land...this means appraisal of your actual website, blog or other digital assets for buying or selling.

Sounds a bit strange, and probably not what you're typically looking for in a Realtor - but a website, especially one that helps create income, needs to be appraised, updated, maintained, staged and basically treated just like "offline" physical real estate - especially if you're getting ready to buy or sell. AND if the website is actually associated with your home or business, in fact a "virtual" extension of it.

Therefore, though you may be thinking and planning a real estate transaction in the "real world", for example buying a new home - think a bit also about your online digital assets, and whether there are also steps that need to be taken to get ready to sell, or consider a new "property". I'll suspect that if you're reading this blog, you live and work not only in your neighborhood and at your business, but online as well.

Read more about appraising websites, buying and selling online real estate...

Spring revitalization, remodeling, renovation - you and your home or business!

2009-04-06T11:43:00.001-04:00

Spring is Here!

"If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies." By Nadine Stair

During this time of new growth and fresh starts, it's a fantastic time to organize and reinvigorate yourself. Spring home cleaning, yard and garden preparation, important document organization and tax filing, winter clothes and decoration changeovers, home repair and remodeling, window replacement and energy-efficient upgrades, personal business coaching- these are all opportunities to nurture your life into a year of fresh opportunity and success!

Both spring and fall are commonly chosen times for devoting extra attention to cleansing and renewal, though any time of year is a good time to reorganize. Spring, however, is a particularly motivating and exciting time of year to fulfill your sense of accomplishment and engage new-found initiatives.

Here's a quick list over at the Northern Virginia and Washington DC Business Blog of recommended home repair, remodeling, renovation and handyman service providers in our extended region, from Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington, Loudoun counties) to the Piedmont areas of western Loudoun, Prince William and counties south and west. The list also includes a few other nuggets of spring revitalization resources - for you or your homeowners/home sellers!

South Florida commercial real estate tax advice - does it translate to Northern Virginia?

2009-03-22T10:20:00.005-04:00

It turns out that the real estate investment climate "bottom" might not be so far off, especially for tax-savvy investors in commercial real estate markets...for example, now's a great time for commercial real estate investors in South Florida to leverage Florida commercial real estate tax advisors for maximizing commercial real estate tax refunds, asset recovery returns or otherwise get more value from existing commercial real estate, or brand new, "trophy" properties. While obviously it's been a very tough South Florida market - there's some ripeness in opportunity, especially through tax assessment reduction and challenge actions. For example, SVN Palm Beach (http://www.svnpalmbeach.com) is a very respected leader in this tax advisory area, especially in South Florida.

Here's some direct advice on approaching the South Florida commercial real estate market in 2009, compliments of the Sperry Van Ness Palm Beach Brokerage (Edward Kearney, CCIM, Managing Director):

He says:

"1. "Off-market" transactions: I routinely help my buy-side clients seek out assets that are not listed by retail brokerage firms. Going the extra mile in approaching principal owners on a direct basis negotiating with them on assets that are not publicly for sale pay big dividends for clients.

2. Change Market Focus: Both buyers and sellers alike are benefiting from focusing on secondary and tertiary markets where there will be less competition for assets. Many of the South Florida sub-markets have particular appeal during economic downturns.

3. Change Asset Class Focus: Be open to asset class rotation to take advantage of market opportunities as they arise. Diversification has never been more important than it is in today’s market. Look across multifamily, retail, office, industrial, hospitality, self-storage, net-leased, and raw-land asset classes.

4. Think Trophy Assets: Only a few years ago, many trophy assets were simply not affordable. Take advantage of higher vacancies, lease roll-over risks, and financing issues to acquire a trophy property at less than premium pricing.

5. Look for Joint Venture or Recapitalization Opportunities: Many of the best opportunities in today's market are not found in out-right acquisitions. Explore joint ventures that will allow you to co-invest with existing owners of assets in a fashion that will allow them to free up trapped equity or fund new developments.

6. Renegotiate with your Lenders: If your debt is non-CMBS debt, but is portfolio debt still on the balance sheet of your lender, don’t hesitate to inquire about buying the debt out at a steep discount. It is sometimes possible in today’s market to buy-out the debt for only a fraction of the outstanding loan balance. This not only improves your balance sheet and your cash flow, but it frees you up to acquire other assets.

7. Change Your Acquisition Process: Traditional acquisition time frames that were competitive 12 months ago will leave you on the outside looking in with today's bottom feeding environment. Be willing to make unsolicited offers, put up meaningful earnest money deposits and close quickly where it make sense to do so."

Why South Florida? It appears to be a bit of a bellweather in terms of a likely rebound in the very soft commercial real estate market, especially with respect to foreign investment. While South Florida isn't quite the same as the Northern Virginia/Washington DC market - it always pays for Real Estate Agents and Brokers, working with their investors and property owners, to keep an eye out on other national and international markets plus commercial real estate investment advice and methods that seem to work well, and may very well translate into opportunities and profits in our Northern Virginia and Prince William real estate market.

All Real Estate Agents/Brokers - Step up to Help Your Community Nonprofits

2009-03-21T18:17:00.001-04:00

One way to truly help your communities, your local buyers and sellers, and the overall real estate market in your area is to help the local nonprofits. Without nonprofit, charitable organizations, communities and therefore the associated real estate markets would suffer - even more than they're suffering now, with additional hardship to come in light of the rapid drop-off in philanthropic contributions across the nation.

Here's something you can do today, to support and leverage a very unique, collaborative nonprofit fundraising mechanism that leverages the power of Internet Marketing and Social Media. This will help your community, and your business.

Choose your favorite nonprofit organization (local, national, global). Let them know you'd like to help them raise money, help their cause, and improve the community (your community, and your market).

Together, review the "Nonprofit Funding Solutions for Charitable Organizations" program, at http://www.npofs.org. This is a very quickly-growing, worldwide consortium of nonprofits, brought together under a program run by the Virginia-based Paws4People Foundation, who together leverage online Charitable Raffles to raise money (and provide many attractive cash prizes to the ever dwindling donor base!).

Sign up as a Corporate Sponsor of your nonprofit (termed a "Referral Organization", i.e. PTAs, community groups, churches, etc.) - and loads of benefits accrue:

Your nonprofit gets badly-needed legitimate cash help, fast

Donors and communities benefit

Paws4People and all the charities of the nonprofit consortium benefit, with very little overhead taken out and away from direct community support

The local market and community profile improves, as does hopefully your business

You get FREE online marketing/social media exposure for this support, and for your business

It's pretty simple and straightforward, but a brilliant concept. A PTA raffle on steroids.

Collaborative support of local communities between nonprofit organizations and local realtors/brokers. Get involved. Or just buy an online charitable raffle ticket yourself, to support and win.

Northern Virginia Energy Efficient Tax Credits for Home Renovation and Repairs

2009-03-02T20:21:00.002-05:00

(From Northern Virginia and Washington DC Businesses)

A “perfect storm” is brewing for all US and Northern Virginia homeowners this spring, interested in saving money on energy costs, saving money on taxes, and promoting a healthy, clean, environmentally-friendly lifestyle for themselves and their families. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed a stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) that made some significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. More Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency are available for consumers and home builders, at a much higher percentage of cost (up to 30%), with very few upper limits or exceptions. Tax deductions are available as well for businesses.

The highlights are:

The tax credits that were previously effective for 2009, have been extended to 2010 as well.

The tax credit has been raised from 10% to 30%, with no upper limit through 2016 (for existing homes only).

The tax credits that were for a specific dollar amount have been converted to 30% of the cost.

The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 for the two years (2009–2010). However, some improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum.

The $200 cap on windows has been removed.

These tax credits convert into significant savings for consumers interested in Northern Virginia home renovations and remodeling, or consumers simply interested in lowering energy costs through use of new energy-efficient home features like vinyl windows and HVAC units, solar panels and hot water heaters, or simply additional, updated insulation, roofing or caulking projects. This is the absolute best time of year, as well, to begin planning home renovation, repair and remodeling projects that require warmer weather to implement – and require longer lead times from service providers as the spring orders increase.

Here are some very good examples I know of, of Virginia home improvement, construction or handyman firms capable of handling your energy-efficiency projects this spring.

For large, custom Northern Virginia home renovation and construction projects that include significant home energy improvements or features, Architectural Construction of McLean, VA offers services that easily provide significant return on investment, via these stimulus bill energy efficiency tax credits. Constructive Solutions of Leesburg VA offers many routine home maintenance, repair, remodeling and handyman services including installation or retrofitting home energy features to take advantage of the tax credits. Vinyl-Lite Window Factory of Lorton, VA already provides the very best and most energy-efficient Northern Virginia windows and replacement vinyl windows – acting now to order and install replacement windows takes full advantage of the tax credits, resulting in significant savings in addition to the reduced energy costs. (Don't forget to include window security screens or alarm screens for maximum security and privacy). For “Piedmont” area (including Fauquier, Clarke, Culpeper, Frederick, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Prince William counties) handyman, home repair and renovation services, Handyman Matters will quickly and efficiently replace old, energy-inefficient features of your home with new ones that take complete advantage of the new tax credits.

Contact Ingrid Myers, Prince William realtor, as well to discuss spring home renovation and remodeling plans, especially if the goal is to get a head start on the spring real estate season, fix your home up for resell, or simply find an easy and now very cost-effective way to improve the value of your home.

Northern Virginia Home Renovation - Examples from Leesburg Historic District and Great Falls

2009-01-27T06:54:00.004-05:00

Home Sweet Home...Home Improvement is one of the smartest investments a homeowner can make - and is many times overlooked. Yes there is dust, dirt but the end result will be well worth the inconvenience. With real estate in Northern Virginia in such turmoil many are choosing to remodel and renovate Northern Virginia homes - their own homes. Give your home a ”facelift” or makeover that provides an updated or new look, while not uprooting your family to a new location (i.e. no need to move!).

Here's a truly inspiring example of a home renovation in the Leesburg Historic district and Great Falls - both the "before" and "after" pictures. The "Miles Carriage House" in Leesburg received a commendation from the Town of Leesburg for outstanding adherence to historical design standards.

Architectural Construction provides home renovation and remodeling services throughout Northern Virginia, including Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William counties.

Read more about Virginia Home Renovation at Dulles South Online.

Northern Virginia Real Estate Investing - It's Prime Time

2009-01-04T09:34:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year 2009!

Prime time for Northern Virginia Real Estate Investing is here, as we enter 2009 scraping and bumping our keel on the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay watershed housing market. All the indicators and news items are there, along with solid examples here at Ingrid Myers Northern Virginia Real Estate.

Today's Washington Post article "Cash Glut Could Take Markets on a Ride" puts the scenario solidly in perspective - that "the mountain of cash...on the sidelines represent dry powder" ready to light this coming year. While the article focuses on the tremendous buildup of investor cash available to buy corporate shares in the stock market, the implications of cash available for real estate investing are clear. It's time to buy residential properties, especially for investment purposes.

Other indicators point to the Washington DC Real Estate market and Northern Virginia real estate market in particular as very strong candidates for real estate investment rebound - and we can confirm at ground-level it's begun. This article from Yahoo points to Washington DC as one of the top 5 Real Esate markets most likely to rebound the quickest, driven first by the snap-up of commercial real estate, and the residential follow-on. Part of the investment growth is International; with a weak dollar, and the Northern Virginia Dulles Airport area being such a strong, growing commercial presence as the gateway to international business and travel, foreign investment in the area is rising quickly.

Just in the past week, we've come across townhouses in the Prince William real estate market, Western Prince William real estate market, and several other properties in Fairfax and Loudoun counties that have come on the market and sold quickly, to investors, with at least 20% down. What's to appreciate, is that that pricing is considerably below market values of the past 8 years (for example an $89K townhouse and $303K single family in nice neighborhoods of Prince William county), and the transactions were very quick after listings, even with the significant downpayments. Northern Virginia foreclosures in particular are accounting for significantly-accelerating buy-up by the investor community - though the foreclosure inventory (i.e. bank-owned properties) is expected to slow as the national market stabilizes a bit and banks and homeowners are able to reach better agreements.

It's been said that the opportunities for building wealth are greatest as the markets approach their bottom - that time is rapidly approaching, from all indicators. Donald Trump said back in August "now is the best time in years to purchase real estate...especially in the next 12 months to get the best deal". While the market crash this fall stalled much investment activity, it appears to have picked up again, and fast - the "next 12 months" starts now.

Contact us today to discuss Northern Virginia real estate investing opportunities and scenarios, including farm investments, land investments, commercial real estate investments, and Maryland real estate investments.

One more thing to consider - investing in real estate isn't limited to whole-property purchases. Now is the time to plan and execute your Northern Virginia home renovation, remodeling and reconstruction plans. Many Northern Virginia home construction firms are at the bottom of their pricing cycles; add this to the dramatic uptick in expected Northern Virginia home remodeling and renovation for this Spring (outpacing and replacing new home construction activity), and now's the time to lock in low prices with your Northern Virginia home contractor for 2009 delivery of very important home renovation investments. These should range from Virginia energy-efficient replacement windows with window alarm security screens, to full-on home renovation projects. Have a Southern Maryland home renovation|construction project? Try Cherry Cove Hospitality, in Lexington Park, MD.

Happy New Year, and Happy 375th Maryland!

2009-01-02T11:57:00.001-05:00

I wish you and your families a very happy new year 2009 - and if you're in Maryland, also a happy 375th! Maryland celebrates its 375th year, this year - read more over at PAX River Southern Maryland Online.

Northern Virginia Window Condensation

2009-01-02T11:30:00.002-05:00

Whether you're in a new or older home, you're likely to experience some degree of window condensation issues - especially if you've got older windows, patio doors and other glass entrances. Northern Virginia replacement windows from Vinyl-Lite Northern Virginia window factory can really help - offering Triple-Glazing options that truly improve your home's overall energy-efficiency ratios, and eliminate window condensation.

Read more here about Northern Virginia replacement window condensation improvement...

Fabulous, Custom New Bethesda Homes - Amazing Value!

2008-09-29T17:07:00.004-04:00

Here are a couple of my newest, most interesting Bethesda MD (Montgomery County) New Homes. Browse these great webpages and find out more about the Bethesda MD community altogether!

Update - no longer available

10 Best Places to Get Ahead - Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland Represent

2008-09-13T13:16:00.000-04:00

According to this Forbes.com article, the 10 "Best Places To Get Ahead" are heavily represented by Northern Virginia (NOVA) Real Estate and Southern Maryland (SOMD) Real Estate - two of our very core areas serviced for Real Estate business.

The article details sustained job growth and median income growth since 2000, outlining "secondary economic centers" with the best growth and opportunities for those looking for jobs, great communities, and fair housing. The top 10 include:

1. Stafford County, VA (NOVA!)
2. Forsythe County, GA
3. Calvert County, MD (SOMD!)
4. Loudoun County, VA (NOVA!)
5. Charles County, MD (SOMD!)
6. Prince William County, VA (NOVA!)
7. Anne Arundel County, MD
8. Delaware County, OH
9. Sussex County, NJ
10. Williamson County, TN

Check with me for the most up to date information and news regarding Northern Virginia Real Estate and Southern Maryland Real Estate.

Check also these sites for the Best Information About Northern Virginia and Loudoun County, and the Best Information About Southern Maryland and the PAX River area.

Better than expected July home sales Northern Virginia

2008-08-26T07:34:00.000-04:00

According to this FOX 5 Northern Virginia Real Estate News report, "There's a glimmer of hope for the housing market mess that's hit millions of Americans. Sales of existing homes did better than expected in the month of July, and experts say that's fueled in part by a hot foreclosure market" - reports Melanie Alnwick, of Fox 5's News.

One of the Northern Virginia Real Estate Market experts they spoke with was yours truly, and Lawrence Yu, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors.

Loudoun County First to Offer Online Local Law Enforcement Reports from Neighborhoods

2008-08-13T23:24:00.000-04:00

Following is a Loudoun County official announcement, from the Loudoun Sheriff's Office...

"Loudoun County, Virginia- The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is now offering residents the ability to find why, where and when deputies were called to their neighborhood. The agency is the first in the state of Virginia to join forces with crimereports.com to allow residents to go online and view recent crimes in their community. Residents can now access local crime incident data in near real-time on the http://www.loudoun.gov/crimereports website or by clicking on the link located on the Loudoun Sheriff’s Office website at http://www.loudoun.gov/sheriff.

“One of the goals of the agency is to inform the public regarding safety issues in their communities. As Loudoun County continues to grow, it becomes more and more difficult to reach out to every community,” said Loudoun County Sheriff Steve Simpson. “This system will help us keep the community better informed without affecting manpower. It is our opinion that a well-informed community is a safer community,” he added.

The information is presented on Google Maps where users can review up-to-date crime information for any location under the jurisdiction of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Residents can also receive free e-mail crime alerts that are sent when crimes occur close to home or near any other address of interest. Users control the e-mail crime alerts they receive by specifying the address, the crime types, and the distance from the address from which they wish to receive alerts. The CrimeReports service is free to the public, allowing them easy access to neighborhood crime data in near-real time, however, it is important to understand that due to the timeliness of the reporting, investigations will not yet have been completed, and the information will be preliminary and subject to change during the course of the investigation. Crime incident data will be updated nightly by the Sheriff’s Office.

Northern Virginia Gang Activity - is it near your home?

2008-06-11T18:47:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder whether you're moving to an area that's infested with Gangs? What is the gang situation in Northern Virginia?

Read at least about Loudoun County Gang Awareness information here, compliments of Dulles South Online.

Now's the time to replace or repair those Northern Virginia windows.

2008-06-01T20:25:00.000-04:00

Here's a timely article, from our friends at Vinyl-Lite Northern Virginia Window Factory..

The Northern Virginia and Metropolitan Washington DC area is a region of significant temperature and weather variations, though not typically to utterly unreasonable extremes. Springtime weather may change from very hot and humid to cold and rainy in a single day, while mid-winter temperatures in the 70’s (for January!) tend to occur every few years. Therefore, your choice and options for replacement windows in Northern Virginia should take into account the rapid changes and variations of weather, without necessarily focusing solely on seasonal averages. Your new or replacement windows should assist your overall energy conservation goals by effectively separating warm from cold air at all times, whether the cold air is outside the window, or inside the home. These objectives are relevant for any kind of window, from vinyl windows to wooden, from double-hung to single-pane patio doors or enclosures, and from home windows to commercial siding.

This time of year (late spring) is an especially good time to have your Northern Virginia windows examined, repaired and/or replaced. (Note that window repair should be considered for any type of window scratch, crack, stain or other factor that would decrease the effectiveness of heat transfer or reflectivity). Long rain events occur with decreasing frequency, thunderstorms are not yet into their summer cycle, temperatures are moderate and both heating and air conditioners are likely not being utilized as much. Installing during the time will allow you to set a baseline from which your energy cost savings resulting from installation of new, energy-efficient windows can be more accurately measured over the coming years.

Energy Advantage Low-E Glass is a high performance, energy efficient window glass made with an invisible coating that blocks heat flow. It was invented by Roy Gordon, a Harvard University “Thomas Dudley Cabot Professor of Chemistry”, in the 1970’s, with full-scale manufacturing and production started in 1989 by Libbey-Owens Ford, a company with more than a century of experience making glass. Low-E glass is manufactured with a microscopically thin and transparent layer of metal or metal oxide that reflects infrared “heat” energy back into the home, greatly enhancing the thermal performance of the window. “Low-E” refers to “emissivity”, which is a measure of the ability of a surface to absorb or reflect heat. As an energy efficient glazing technology, Low Emissivity (or Low-E) glass is a poor absorber of heat.

Read more here...

PAX River - Patuxent River Naval Air Station Homes and Apartments - SOMD

2008-05-10T09:15:00.000-04:00

Searching for temporary or permanent accommodations in Southern Maryland (SOMD - Calvert and St. Mary's County, MD)? In particular, if you need real estate, rental or other housing assistance or information about the areas near "PAX NAS" (the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, in Lexington Park, MD) - we've got great information and services for you.

Patuxent River Apartments, Homes and Hotel Accommodations can be located with the help of Cherry Cove Hospitality Services of Southern Maryland. Cherry Cove offers event planning and accommodations at local hotels (in Waldorf, Solomons Island and Lexington Park), apartment rentals (at Four River Community Apartments and Indian Bridge Apartments), Business Conference and Event Services (at the J.T. Daugherty Conference Center, Lexington Park), Pax River Executive Office Suites, Storage Rentals, and all the services you need to design and build a Southern Maryland Custom or Modular Home!

Cherry Cove's Mission is to "provide distinctive quality and unparalleled service to exceed expectations with Southern Maryland hospitality, development and property management services". This mission is in fact delivered, as I've personally experienced, at all times in Calvert and St. Mary's counties, MD.

Spring Activity is Up in Northern Virginia

2008-05-10T08:58:00.000-04:00

We've not seen this level of buyer activity seeking housing and land for some time in the Northern Virginia area - combined with the Northern Virginia foreclosures "land rush" going on, the real estate business is very brisk this Spring. The pendulum seems very much to be at the bottom part of its swing, coming down over several years to begin regaining strength and momentum with respect to sales of existing housing, with some renewed activity and movement in new housing.

Therefore, while this is absolutely still a buyer's market, the market is quickly getting much more active and crowded, with prices beginning to turn the corner in some areas to favor the seller. We don't see a region-wide escape from the "bottom", however, still through most of this year - but the rebound is happening in very desirable and popular locations. It's time to buy - get out, and get your deals on.

Check out our rapidly-growing inventory of fantastic Maryland and Northern Virginia Real Estate Listings, including rentals, land, farms and business properties!

Mother's Day note to all Northern Virginia Women and Moms - if you'd like to get a fresh view and perspective into what makes Northern Virginia "tick", and begin establishing (especially if you're new to the area) some great contacts, friends and other social contacts who are likewise interested in "all things for the modern mom" - check out the Summer Issue of the I Am Modern Magazine for Moms. It's a very local publication, distributed currently to many Eastern Loudoun County retailers and family-friendly stores - very soon the Fairfax edition will be released as well.

Northern Virginia Real Estate Services

2008-04-23T22:47:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick list of some of my preferred local Maryland and Northern Virginia Real Estate Service providers and information sources; everything from Northern Virginia Insurance, to Landscaping and Handyman services.

Loudoun Insurance, for Home, Life, Auto and more.

Northern Virginia Handyman and Remodeling Services - by Housedoctors of Ashburn.

Northern Virginia Landscaping, Gardening - by Growlandscapes in Falls Church.

Northern Virginia Internet Marketing (to help sell your house!) - out of South Riding.

Dulles South Online - great local resource about Loudoun County.

Cherry Cove Southern Maryland Construction, Hospitality, Conference Center - housing, rental and other resources in St. Mary's, Calvert and other Southern Maryland areas.

Northern Virginia Home Security and Alarm Screens - especially helpful for businesses!

(Just for Fun!)
San Diego Limo Events

Modern Moms of Northern Virginia, Magazine, Forum, Meetup Groups!

Northern Virginia Foreclosures and Prince William Foreclosures

2008-04-15T21:08:00.000-04:00

Northern Virginia Foreclosures and Prince William Foreclosures
"Foreclosure" is the process where, after a buyer has failed to make the lender payments as agreed, and has been served with a notice of default, the property is sold by auction. The borrower still owns the property until the auctioneer actually says "sold", and may stop the sale at any time up until this point by paying what is owed plus applicable costs and/or interest. After the auction, if no one bids successfully on the property, the foreclosing lender (usually a bank), becomes the new owner. Property owned by the lender/bank after a foreclosure is called "Real Estate Owned".

Typically, foreclosures can be very reasonable values, with pricing at or below market value. Banks or other lenders are usually motivated to unload the property as quickly as possible, to avoid carrying costs (i.e. mortgage payments on an unoccupied dwelling). Banks will work hard with auctioneers, buyers and their representatives, including Real Estate Agents, to reach a quick and satisfactory deal.

The current difficulties in the housing market have led to a rapid increase in foreclosed properties in the Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland real estate inventories. Check my updated Northern Virginia foreclosure listings, and Greater Washington DC foreclosure properties.

Current Virginia and Maryland Real Estate Listings

2008-04-13T10:33:00.000-04:00

Listing are current only as of the posting date of this Blog entry - Click here for more information and links to current listings

Get your Landscaping ready for Spring!

2008-04-13T09:52:00.000-04:00

Here's a tip from our Northern Virginia Landscaping friends at Grow Landscapes, of Falls Church, VA:

To prep your home for quick sale this Spring, Virginia Landscaping planning is underway for this year's growing season - now's the time to begin surveying and planning your Spring design and cleanup activities, including Lawn Care, Mowing, Aeration, Weed Control, Maintenance, Stacked Stone & Block Retaining Walls, Flagstone, Masonry & Brick Paver Patios, tree and shrubbery plantings, perennial culling and many other elements of your VA landscaping design strategy.

Call Grow Landscapes at 703-536-0412 BEFORE the weather gets too warm!

Current preferred property listings in Northern Virginia - 12_28_2007

2007-12-28T16:14:00.000-05:00

Listing are current only as of the posting date of this Blog entry - for today's current listings, Click here for more information

1303 LAKEVIEW PKWY $345,000 LAKE OF THE WOODS Rambler Detached
7075 YATES FORD RD $349,900 YATES FORD ROAD Colonial Detached
269 4TH AVE 750 TOWN OF QUANTICO Farm House Dwellingw/Rental
16150 HENDERSON LN $289,900 MONTCLAIR Colonial Townhouse
15548 WINDWARD CT $414,900 SOUTHLAKE AT MONTCLAIR Colonial Detached
1303 LAKEVIEW PKWY $1,800/month LAKE OF THE WOODS Rambler Detached
2811 FOSTER PL $1,699/month PHILLIPS ADDN Raised Rambler Detached
57216 302 OAKRIDGE DR $274,900 OAKRIDGE / COUNTRY RIDGE Rambler Detached
4134 WAYNESBORO CT $574,900 HEATHFIELD MA Colonial Detached
12163 OLD SALEM CT $269,900 LAKE RIDGE Colonial Townhouse
7479 ZANUCK CT $398,000 CAVALCADE Colonial Townhouse
10145 FOREST HILL CIR $309,900 BALDWIN OAKS Split Level Detached

Shore up your financial house, as a Buyer

2007-08-27T08:26:00.000-04:00

Recently, the Federal Reserve cut the Discount Rate from 6.25% to 5.75%, which is positive news for home mortgage customers - a drop of .25 basis points in the Fed Funds Rate is now anticipated in September and another .25 basis points in October. The overall trend is down (though rates do bump up and down weekly), and brings additional relief at least to the "buyer" side of the real estate business - which obviously already is a buyer's market with drastically reduced pricing, available incentives, and a still strong inventory available to choose from.

On the other hand, the mortgage markets are also tightening up, due to very difficult financial pressure on the "sub-prime" industry - Banks are less likely to make the more risky loans, and therefore many more borrowers will likely have to pay higher interest rates for sub-par credit, or may not get the extended credit they need to pay the still high pricing in many suburban areas.

So - it pays to be a wise financial investor now more than ever, working with all your contacts and a really good agent, to target the opportunities for a new home investment that precisely fall within investment parameters you set. Pay attention to the details, don't settle for the easiest or most convenient property or loan - you really can find great value now, but your own financial house needs to be in good order.

Average Mortgage Rates:

Growth slowing, inventories and foreclosures up...

2007-03-22T21:08:00.000-04:00

The housing market is most certainly in a very "cooling off" pattern in Northern Virginia, according to all indicators. Reprinted from the Washington Post:

The galloping growth of Washington’s outer Virginia suburbs is slowing at last, according to Census Bureau estimates to be released today, with high housing costs beginning to dull the appeal of counties that have long been a magnet for newcomers.

Loudoun, the nation’s second-fastest-growing county in 2005, dropped to fourth place largely because only 7,506 people moved in during 2006, compared with 12,002 the previous year.

Fairfax’s growth rate also declined, but for a different reason: Ever more residents are moving out of the county.

The shift brings Northern Virginia in line with the District and Maryland, where Montgomery County’s growth rate continued to slow and growth in two other counties — Anne Arundel and Prince George’s — stagnated in 2006.

“There’s still growth in the Washington region, and there’s still migration from the inside of the doughnut to the periphery. But it’s kind of slacking,” said William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution. “From being a very fast-growing exurban place, Washington has now come down to more normal levels.”

All this leads to expectations of a very good Spring Buyer's season, and a continuing difficult Seller's market - all the more reason to examine every type of advertising, deal, selling style and outlet available to move your home, if not actually renting it....call for more ideas!

Supervisor Snow: "This is the Year of Business!"

2007-01-10T06:39:00.000-05:00

At yesterday's Dulles South Business Alliance meeting, Snow remarked that this is truly the year businesses in Northern Virginia needed to come together and apply pressure in Richmond for development and transportation solutions. Read more at Dulles South Online news.

Home Staging - Ready, Set, Sell!

2007-01-10T06:05:00.000-05:00

When selling or reselling your home (or business, for that matter), we recommend looking into a business called "Home Staging", which will help sell your home quickly at the highest possible sales price. Home staging is essentially the process of cleaning, decorating and preparing your home for maximum showcase effect.

Julie Jasper, of Ready Set Sell Home Staging in Northern Virginia, reminds us that multiple steps must be taken to achieve a showcased home, through “un-decorating” and re-design.

1. De-personalize.
2. De-clutter
3. Create focal points and balance
4. Create open spaces.
5. Packaging and presentation

In order for a home to appeal to the widest range of home seekers, your home must be transformed into a generic house. A potential buyer must be able create their idea of their home in your space. Once you begin the (sometimes emotional) un-decorating process, your home will no longer be your home but will become a house for sale and a potential home for a buyer.

As with all goods we purchase, packaging sells. Re-design will come into play in order to package your house to a mass market. Additionally, your house must be presented to the public in such a way that they will be knocking at your door for a tour. Curb appeal – the way your house presents itself – is of utmost importance. If the package doesn’t look good from the outside, most people will just drive on by.

From Wikipedia:
Home staging is the act of preparing a house, a condominium, or any private residence prior to going up for sale in the real estate marketplace. The goal of staging is to sell a home quickly, and for the most money possible. Staging focuses on improving a property to make it welcoming, appealing, and attractive to the largest generic audience of potential homebuyers. Staging often raises the value of a property by way of repairs, re-decorating, renovations, and landscaping. Properly executed staging leads the eye to attractive features while minimizing flaws.

If you're preparing to resell your home, business or other real estate investment, we'll help you through the process, which includes some degree of home staging. We also recommend Julie Jasper and Ready Set Sell Home Staging for your home staging and decorating needs in Loudoun, Prince William and Fairfax counties.

Freezing Residential Growth - Realty Effect?

2006-12-07T20:07:00.000-05:00

The recent vote by Prince William County supervisors to "freeze" residential development (by basically ensuring the full 12 months allowed to approve rezonings is fully leveraged) is quite an interesting predicament for real estate buyers and sellers. Aside from the business and real estate effects, I'd assume commuters and citizens are probably fairly comfortable in the short term with these brakes, sitting in traffic winding its way up into the equally controversial Dulles South and Braddock South, Loudoun County "Transition Area". Builders and businesses catering to homeowners certainly are neither impressed nor supportive of this seemingly "last ditch" effort to force Virginia legislature into returning local taxes for local infrastructure.

The short term ramifications for home sellers may in fact be a boon - the home inventory on the market is capped, and prices may well rise. Home buyers will likely find it more difficult to buy into the home and area they desire, but find truly motivated and otherwise rare properties becoming quickly available. In short, the real estate picture for reselling looks pretty good for both consumers and their agents.

Call me at 703-680-4420 or email to ingridmyers@aol.com for more information, and absolutely up to date information on Prince William Real Estate, including Farms, Land, Commercial and Residential investments.

Mid-Term Elections and the Northern Virginia Real Estate Market

2006-11-16T06:47:00.000-05:00

This year's mid-term elections certainly will cause overhaul in the direction of Federal Government spending and budgeting. As the Democratics take ownership of the Houses of Congress, Federal Agencies, Contractors, Integrators and Suppliers are waiting anxiously to understand how the new legislator agendas will affect the flow of money, contracts and employee hiring or transfers.

While this timeframe will likely result in actual Government slowdown, from a decision-making perspective (as the Administration changeover occurs), certain segments will anticipate increased or decreased spending plans. Defense spending directly related to the Iraq war will likely decrease, though spending on logistics, supplies and travel will likely increase, as part of the cycle of preparations to withdraw forces. Concurrently, spending on civilian programs is likely to increase, in areas like Homeland Security, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and Energy...leading to an increase in "transients" around the Nation's Capital. This is because while DoD employees, contractors and vendors tend to be co-located around DC, Civilian Agency activities and support is spread further around the region and across the Nation.

What does this all mean? Northern Virginia will remain a very vibrant area for Real Estate, the current inventory of housing should start to decrease and become more active, and both buyer and seller opportunities will be more attractive. Already, buyers are finding great offers and incentives from new home builders and existing home sellers. Commercial properties are beginning to sign more long-term deals. Sellers are seeing renewed interest in their properties, though we don't expect a full-on recovery in market liquidity until after the Holiday Season. Renters are having a great time, with many motivated property owners "renting out" the housing downturn.

If you're a government employee, service member, contractor or vendor, contact me now to discuss the great options and likely trends in this area, when buying or selling your property!

Alarm Screens and Home Security

2006-10-30T13:07:00.000-05:00

A very interesting product many homeowners elect to install on houses they've just bought are "Alarm Screens" (otherwise known as "Security Screens" to Security Industry professionals). Typically one changes the door locks when moving into a new home, in a new neighborhood; less typically do people change window locks or security mechanisms. Alarm screens are visibly the same as a typical window screen, however, embedded detection wires will alert you and/or your central alarm system that an intruder is beginning to break into the home, through the window. The best feature of these devices is that you're still protected against intruders even though your windows may in fact be open, with the traditional window alarm contacts disabled!

As you assess your next home purchase, or in fact prepare to sell your existing home, consider Alarm Screens as a wise investment. National Security Screens and Alarm Screens is a Virginia-based, leading national manufacturer and dealer of alarm screens, alarm screen products and other window security systems; they can be contacted for more information about how alarm screens can help protect and sell your home.

Are you a computer-savvy real estate agent?

2006-10-14T18:20:00.000-04:00

Nearly all real estate searches and transactions in this area include some element of Internet searching, computer-assisted correspondence and online advertising. Quite a lot of the expertise needed to function as a "computer-literate" agent in this Internet-driven context isn't very difficult to achieve, and will save you and your clients a whole lot of time and money. Being "computer-literate" doesn't necessarily mean performing computer-related tasks yourself, however. There's lots of help out there, but you probably need to understand how to find and evaluate the most appropriate help - including managing websites, creating email lists, printing envelopes, creating fliers, using online market evaluation and listing services, producing client letters and contracts, and using client or contractor databases.

If you are a real estate agent who needs some "fine-tuning" or other advice with respect to leveraging the computer, or you know or are working with such an agent, we can help. For example, we support a Loudoun County computer training company offering classes specifically for real estate agents, at www.WhizKids.com. We can also provide online advice and pointers - simply contact us via email at IngridMyers@aol.com, or directly to our computer support team at Dadministrator@hotmail.com.

Baby Boomers: where should we retire?

2006-10-12T08:08:00.000-04:00

Virginia is a phenomenal place to live, work and raise children. For those contemplating retirement during the upcoming “Boomer Retirement Wave”, Virginia is likewise an incredible place to retire. But would you know this? Does Virginia or particular areas within meet your retirement profile, and those of other Boomers?

I can help match your retirement planning profile to the answers Virginia has to offer. Do you like to drive a lot, or prefer a more walking-oriented lifestyle? Are you concerned that rapid community growth will eat up your fixed income in rising property taxes and fees? Would you like to stay involved with your children’s college, though they’ve moved on? Do you need to be near the intersection of major national transportation corridors or mass transit hubs? Are you looking to invest in some of our rapidly-disappearing land, on which to build a retirement home down the road a bit? Are you part of the “sandwich-generation”, and need to be co-located between your parents and children?

These are some of the questions I’ve addressed from this special group of the near-to-retirement segment of the population, which includes my own neighbors and relatives. The Baby Boomers certainly have similar concerns as everyone else, but there’s a set of very special profile attributes they bring to the table that requires very special attention and insight to fulfill.

Contact me for help in creating your retirement location profile, which I will then match against Virginia’s offerings – resulting in a very targeted set of retirement location and housing style options to further explore. IngridMyers.com is your Baby Boomer Retirement specialist in Virginia!

Glut AND Influx of new Agents?

2006-09-16T08:49:00.000-04:00

The Real Estate Market at present time is especially difficult to read, navigate and achieve success in - for both agents and their customers. "Why now the continuing surge of new agents to the market", today's Washington Post Real Estate section wonders. The article surmises that if history repeats itself, there's reason to believe that "some agents will drop out soon".

This is already happening. My recent survey of the Virginia Real Estate Testing Centers shows that agent testing and applications has dropped off considerably in the past 4 months, and membership is shrinking in the area Realtor Associations. These Associations require annual dues, so it's likely that they'll take a hit this January 1st as many of the newer and less experienced Agents find success hard to achieve for their first customers.

My business and experience stretches over 22 years in this area. I've seen new agents and agent teams come and go, interest rates rise and fall, regional home valuations shrink and expand. This is definitely the time to stick with absolute knowledge and experience in a tough market, both on the selling or buying side. Trust longevity across market cycles, as you would any major investment strategy.

If your house isn't selling....

2006-09-16T08:20:00.000-04:00

Two great articles posted recently about what to do in this very soft "selling" market...

"3 Simple Steps to Reel in Buyers" - by bankrate.com

This is great article - recognizing which improvements will provide a return on investment in YOUR neighborhood is especially important. Also, replacing flooring in lieu of offering a flooring allowance is another good tip.

"What to do if your home isn't selling" - by Sally Anderson

Great information! Tip #1 is especially relevant. Videotape your home and watch it as a prospective buyer would. How many times have you looked at a Virtual Tour and said "What were these people thinking? How would these pictures sell any house????" We also advocate viewing digital images and video on the web, whether it's your website, the MRIS listing, or material provided for posting to our site www.ingridmyers.com - sometimes the image/video quality looks good on your camera, but not at the resolutions provided by your computer. Contact us for more information.

Unique Buying Time for Commercial Office Market

2006-09-08T07:07:00.000-04:00

"A unique buying time is now emerging in certain U.S. office market locations. With demand continuing, rising rents will signal improved market conditions. Supply of new office space is constrained, at present, by soaring construction costs as well as time lags required to bring new supply physically onto the market," says ResearchWorldwide.com - The Worldwide Commercial Real Estate Information Portal.

We see this across Northern Virginia - lots of very attractive office space available for purchase or rent, though rental prices continue to increase. Contact me for a full rundown of commercial properties specifically available in the next high-growth Northern Virginia are, Prince William County.

Build-up in Dulles South News - Keep Informed!

2006-09-03T07:41:00.000-04:00

Today's (Sept. 3, 2006) Washington Post, Loudoun County section, is chock-full of material regarding news coming out of the Dulles South debate. In one article ("Oops!" VDOT Underestimates Dulles South Traffic), the point is made that VDOT's examination of potential gridlock coming to the area underestimates housing starts by 30,000 units. Other articles and letters to the editor examine more perspectives, including a reference to local board meetings where fully two-thirds of the "residents" attending are actually paid representatives of one interest or another.

Whether you're an existing or soon-to-be resident or business owner in Loudoun County, Fairfax County or Prince William, make sure to keep up on the very important topics around the Dulles South development planning, including the upcoming October 10th Board of Supervisors public hearing.

Dulles South and Braddock South Area News

2006-09-01T11:31:00.000-04:00

For the latest news and information regarding the Dulles South and Braddock South areas in Loudoun and Fairfax counties, check Braddock South Online on a regular basis!

Latest news: - 8/30/2006 - Loudoun's Planning Commission voted 6 to 2 to forward the Dulles South proposal to the Board of Supervisors. The panel did so after hearing from about 90 speakers, two-thirds of them in favor of opening Dulles South to development.

Real Estate "How-to" Links from Sellsius

2006-08-25T08:01:00.000-04:00

Here's a great bunch of "how-to" Real Estate and techology links compiled by Sellsius (a Real Estate information and blogging community), for buyers, sellers, agents, anyone!

Weekly Real Estate News

2006-08-24T08:37:00.000-04:00

Be sure to see sample National Real Estate News feeds at my website....note also today's Washington Post Article on the significant (!) slump this Summer in regional housing sales, and growing inventory. Paired with comments this week from the Fed on probable interest rate hikes coming back, there's right now a limited window of opportunity for buyers to (1) get a great deal and negotiate from an unprecedented supply of homes, and (2) do it before Mortgage rates rise.

Northern Virginia Community Information

2006-08-20T08:40:00.000-04:00

Here's an up to date listing of Northern Virginia Community Information, including Government Services, Education, Employment, Family & Living, Schools and Education, and lots of other great links to help plan your purchase or move. Brought to you by Avery-Hess and Ingrid Myers, Realtor.

Northern Virginia Community Information

Short-lived opportunity for Buyers?

2006-08-19T15:30:00.000-04:00

Although the Bears out there will find plenty to suggest a long Winter ahead for Home Sellers, with a lot of news swirling around regarding the "bursting housing bubble", this buyers-market opportunity (specifically in the Metropolitan Washington D.C. area) may only be a short-term correction, and short-lived at that, according to a local economist....so now's the time to buy!

- Ingrid Myers - trusted, experienced Realtor with over 20 years Northern Virginia local Real Estate market knowledge and insight.

RISMEDIA, August 11, 2006—With a few notable exceptions, homes sold in the Greater Washington, D.C. Metro Region show a slight price decline for the first time in over a decade. Economist John McClain, of George Mason University, says the July 2006 housing numbers released today by Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. (MRIS) may signify a window of opportunity for buyers, but it could be short-lived.

McClain says the fact that the Fed has stopped raising interest rates, combined with the perception that this is a buyers' market could revive flat sales in a matter of months.

"According to OFHEO records (Office of Federal Enterprise Oversight) going back as far as 1977, the longest period of time that our region experienced a flat market was from 1990-1997, but there was not much job growth during that period," said McClain. "Only two years within that timeframe -'94 and '95-showed a decline in the average selling price.

The rest of the time it was flat-no large declines."

McClain points out that, unlike 1990-1997, the Greater DC Region's current economy is extremely healthy, with 77,000 new jobs opening up in the region within the past 12 months. "The indication is that this is simply a correction," said McClain, "prices rose too far too fast over the past four years and now it's leveling out."

Areas in which homes have traditionally sold at more affordable prices, like Greater Baltimore, Prince Georges and Frederick Counties, in Maryland, and Fauquier and Warren Counties, in Virginia, still show housing prices on the rise.

Average Selling Prices for July 2006:

* Washington, DC: $530,170, down 2.31% from July 2005
* Prince George's County, MD: $338,585, up 7.15% from July 2005
* Frederick County, MD: $369,503, up 6.27% from July 2005
* Montgomery County, MD: $547,991, down 0.75% from July 2005
* Alexandria, VA: $484,552, down 6.22% from July 2005
* Fairfax County, VA: $548,087, down 2.58% from July 2005
* Loudoun, VA: $533,825, down 2.96% from July 2005
* Fauquier County, VA: $618,062, up 26.79 % from July 2005
* Warren, VA: $321,362, up 18.32% from July 2005

Military Personnel Real Estate

2006-08-18T18:35:00.000-04:00

Veterans, contractors and other government-affiliated personnel returning from the Middle East and other overseas assignments face difficult decisions regarding real estate. Rent or buy? Remodel or not? The cyclical, transient and sometimes unanticipated nature of life associated with military or foreign diplomacy activities makes it very difficult to plan and schedule major changes to your home investment strategies. Keep some things in mind, as you plan a major home change, in the midst of a likely re-stationing or deployment:

1 - It's a very much a buyer's market, here in Virginia, and with inventories up and prices falling for the past quarter, don't be afraid to commit now to buying - you'll be able to negotiate a reasonable deal, probably get some sweeteners thrown in, you'll have a great selection as others wait for more price reductions, and you'll lock in a still-decent mortgage rate before the increase start again.

2 - Conduct research on the Internet - as soon as you understand a change is imminent, get on the Internet and establish a relationship with a local realtor. There's many tools available, like Zillow.com, but you'll need someone on the ground in the U.S. to interpret results (Caution! Zillow's automated evaluations are generally inflated, unrealistic and not necessarily up-to-date in our fast-changing area, lumping newer and older home valuations together), to update you on very local news and conditions, send you local planning and construction information (like details on the upcoming transition of personnel, and therefore traffic, to Fort Belvoir!) manage necessary service providers, help survey or prep the house for your inspection or move-in, and truly act as your agent to facilitate the process.

3 - Maintain your online privacy - though you may be affiliated with security-conscious organizations, your activities and habits surfing the Internet overseas may be much more transparent, unsecure and altogether un-private than here at home. Don't sign up for emails, forums or newsletters from a source you haven't investigated, don't provide personal information to anyone (except perhaps your trusted Real Estate Agent), don't relay your move plans outside your trust network. This is another great reason to use a local Real Estate Agent who knows and understands this environment, these issues, and your particular military-related circumstances.

- Ingrid Myers - trusted, experienced Realtor for Military families and associates.