Recently I responded to the above question on a local neighborhood website. Why a person was asking a bunch of neighbors a legal question, I have no idea. Far be it from me to get into the legal weeds regarding general reasons one should or should not set up a trust. However, having helped dozens […]
You finally have the home of your dreams under contract. You and the seller have agreed on home inspection repairs. Even the appraisal is done and acceptable to all parties. The lender says your credit is great and the loan is sailing through processing. You think you are home free. Not so fast…… I’ve seen […]
As you may have surmised from reading my blogs, I believe in investment real estate. I have personally invested in Northern Virginia and in markets outside this area. When I went to new markets it took me quite a bit of work to find an investor-friendly Realtor in that town. I thought others may be […]
Below is an updated sales price history for Northern Virginia from 1975 to the present. The chart shows the overall stability and strength of the Northern Virginia market. (These numbers cover Fairfax County, Arlington County and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Fall Church.) The chart show the price change year over year, over the […]
Losing a loved one is difficult on many fronts – emotionally, physically and legally. People grieve differently. However long it takes, after the tears are mostly gone, there is the business part of things. A frequent question is whether or not there will be any capital gains on the sale. In most situations, the answer […]
Recently I was speaking with a women who had inherited a Reston condo from her mother. The condo was in a high rise very close to the soon to open Silver Line Metro stop at the Reston Town Center. She was trying to decide whether she should sell the home now or rent it and […]
In this hot market, if you are trying to buy, getting a home under contract takes hard work, great strategy and, often, a bit of luck. Inventory remains low and demand far exceeds supply. Yet, I sense that more contracts then ever are falling apart before they get to settlement. How can that be? Well, […]
Frequently the decision to buy or sell a home is driven by an event or timeline. Perhaps you have taken a new job in another city and need to relocate now. Or a baby is due and your current housing situation will quickly become inadequate. Or you need to make a move between school years. Other […]
I was recently reading Michael Lewis’ book, “The Undoing Project” which is about two Israeli psychologists who developed several innovative decision making theories. Some suggested that perhaps we are not as rational as we think we are. In chapter 9 there is a long discussion on the theory of regret. They discovered that people did […]
We have all received emails from foreign “dignitaries” who need our help transferring millions of dollars into the US. Or we get an email from a “relative” who was robbed while on vacation and needs money to get back home. These are easy to spot as frauds. But now hackers are getting more sophisticated. They […]
You are not going to like me. I am about to ruin your day. Here is a link to the classic theme song for that famous 70’s sitcom that inspired the title to this post. (“…Movin on up to the East Side, A Deluxe Apartment in the Sky…” Now it will be stuck in your head […]
Of course the right answer is to price right. But most of the time “right” involves a range. Should a seller price at the upper end or the lower end of that range? As with most questions, the answer is it depends. This where an experienced Realtor adds value. Let me explain. PRICING BASICS When […]
