Category Archives: Sellers



Lions and Tigers and Escalation Clauses. Oh My!! The Wild 2013 Northern VA Market Part 1 – What Sellers Want

It’s a jungle out there as anyone looking for a home will tell you.   With limited inventory and scores of buyers,  multiple contract scenarios are common place.  Escalation clauses, appraisal waivers and more more are being  included in contracts.   How does one increase the odds of a successful bid?  Well, the simple answer is […]







My Real Estate Tax Assessment Changed. What Does It Mean?

From Centreville to Vienna to Arlington and points in between, homeowners have already received (Arlington) or will shortly have their new real estate tax assessment in the mail. (Fairfax County assessments will be available 2/28) I am guessing most will be higher than last year since we had an overall 3% increase in prices in 2011.

I am often asked if the assessment is reflective of market value and the answer is


Sales and Inventory In Northern Virginia By Month

I must admit, I am a bit of a stat nut. I have detailed sales and inventory data for the Northern Virginia market for the last 15 years and additional sales data going back to 1975. (Using baseball parlance, I might border on being called a seamhead) Don’t worry, it is safe to read on. My blogs will never get too deep into a statistical interpretation of the market. I will leave that to others. Under the Market Stats tab above are several good resources for those interested in viewing a stunning array of charts and graphs. Here we will just review very simple data that can help a buyer or seller in deciding what time of year may be best to act.