Northern Virginia FREE MLS Access. Does it exist?

Hidden addresses, no price, limited access!!! Is there really free MLS access out there? The very simple answer for our area is YES! Some areas don't actually allow it without some cost and I think I remember a rumor a year or two ago that our area was considering making the public pay for it. That would, and please excuse me here, but that would suck! Some Realtors want to hide this information. I think that is just the stupidest thing in the world. We are adults here. There's no reason in this Internet age to hide access to this information. That is why any web site where we have control over what it shown to our visitors we choose to show all the detail we can.


For example Homesdatabase.com is our public MLS placed on the Internet by our MLS company. Now I understand them not showing the address because their 'clients' are the Realtors that pay to support all of this. But as local agents we are allowed to purchase a subscription to this site and the subscription allows us at no cost to use to show the address. I am amazed that so many agents choose to keep this hidden. In some cases non-Internet savy agents may not even know they can click a little button and turn this feature on. (Our subscription site is located at www.Homesdatabase.net, you'll see the addresses show there because we have turned them on.

As I surf the 'Net' and check out the competition and seeing what's new and cool it never fails to amaze me how many sites advertise free mls access but don't really. They offer limited results until you sign up. We will always offer the Northern Virginia MLS access without limitation (unless our market changes that rule and takes that choice from us).

If you are looking for a home in the area take you time and when you are ready contact a local Realtor to the area you are looking. Having an agent from the same area you wish to purchase can save you a lot of headaches down the road as they will know the are market and trends intimately. Good luck.

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Wonderful Web Site Layout - John Mayer's Web Site (non Real Estate Related :)

I thought I would take a moment to share a web site that I really enjoyed recently. Coming from a web development and search engine optimization background I just can't help myself but to review our site logs and check out different sites on the web. It's always a good idea to look outside your own industry to keep your mind fresh but especially to avoid becoming complacent.

SO . . . recently while reviewing our web logs I noticed the referring web site JohnMayer.com, from a blog page on the site. I followed the referral link but did not see how the visitor on that site came through to ours (web gremlins maybe). But I have to say the site applies some basic rules all web site owners should try to apply better and that is actually the use of more 'white space' or open area without text and links as it were. Of course many of you may have heard of John as he is a popular singer and you would except an artist to have a site that is attractive in an 'artsy' way. But I wanted to give some kudos to John and his designer for a great site that is easy to navigate and doesn't come anywhere near overwhelming the visitor. Wonderfully enough as you navigate around you find there really is a lot of information and detail but the layout pulls it all off in a wonderful manner.

Check out John Mayer's web site over at www.JohnMayer.com.

(Good work out of you John's web guy/gal (maybe it's even you John - U Rock (pun intended)).

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Short Sales In Prince William County Virginia - Doing Something Good

Just recently I added a post comparing the advantages of purchasing a short sale to that of purchasing a bank owned home. A few days later I was speaking with a fellow Realtor about the awful situation local homeowners are going through. Most home owners I speak with are just like you and me, they shop at the local stores, work long hours and are trying to make the best of a difficult situation. Adjusting ARMs, Divorce, loss of a job, so many issues that you and I may not even be able to guess all come into play.

Quickly in case you did not read the post I am mentioning a Short Sale is when an owner sells their home for less then what they owe on the mortgage(s) and with the banks approval the home will sell to the buyer(s) making the offer.

I would like to suggest that if you are in the market to purchase a new home think about helping those around you. Think about purchasing a home that is being sold as a Short Sale. I know it might not be as public a deed as donating for disease research, which is of course very important to all of us. You most likely will not know the owners personally but does that really matter? The stress, loss of sleep and strain on a person or family in this situation is not easy to explain if you have not been through it.

Your offering to purchase their home may in fact be the first sign of light for the owner(s) of the home you are trying to buy. Sometimes all they need is a little sign of hope at the end of the tunnel. Your choosing to purchase their home may bring enough relief of stress to help the owner(s) make it through the next few months. And you know they say that we all have to take it just one day at a time when times are hard. So your offer to purchase may get them through some of the tougher times ahead.

It is true that in the end it is the bank that will say yes or no to the offer. These purchases absolutely require some patience from your part. Is that really so much to ask in this situation? Try to imagine owning a home and being in the same position and maybe you'll see just a bit of what so many owners in our area are going through.

So if you are looking for a new home at a great price and can just have a little patience with the process, please consider purchasing a Short Sale home. Doing this can relieve a lot of financial stress for the current owner(s) and a successful sale keeps the home from going to 'Foreclosure'.

I want to thank you in advance for even considering this option for your home purchase. Helping our neighbors, friends and family is never a bad idea. We all have challenging times in our lives and helping those around us is the right thing to do.

If you are a home owner needing to sell as a short sale please contact a local Realtor that has experience with these challenging and unique sales. Of course we would always be happy to speak with you and explain the process. And if you choose to move forward we are happy to help you take care of this.

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Short Sale: Townhome For Sale in Gainesville VA - Piedmont South - $294.2K

Wow this large town house is located in Gainesville, Virginia in the newer subdivision of Piedmont South. With plenty of upgrades and lots of interior space you won't be disappointed with this home in Prince William County.
Enjoy the 2-sided fireplace in your Living Room and large, bright windows to bring in the morning sun. Fully finished on all levels there is plenty of space to live and grow in this wonderful home.



Room / Dimensions
Living Room / 16 x 12
Dining Room / 12 x 11
BDRM-Master / 16 x 12
BDRM-2nd / 10 x 10
BDRM-3rd / 10 x 10
Recreation Rm / 27 x 15
Other Room / 14 x 11
Breakfast Room / 13 x 11

View The Property Photos and Virtual Tour (Click Here)

Come check out this property at 6903 Stanwick Square, Gainesville, VA 20155. For a Private Showing call us at 703.330.7683 ext 3. We look forward to showing you this

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My Favorite - 404 - Page Missing, Page :)

For today I thought I would share something completely non-related to real estate. We've all clicked a link on a site only to find the infamous '404 - Page Missing' page. Well some sites out there do it just a bit different and often in a very entertaining way.

Check out my Favorite locate at - http://www.homestarrunner.com/systemisdown.html. You will want your volume on for this one.

Enjoy, and take a moment not to stress too much about this difficult market.

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Manassas Va Home Buyers: Purchasing Short Sale vs. Bank Owned

With all of the area home sales that are Short Sales and with all of the Foreclosed homes on the market buyers in Manassas Virginia and the surrounding areas have a lot to think about.

First let's start with making sure everyone understands the differences in these types of properties.

During a Short Sale the owner still owns the home and may or may not be occupying it at the time. The home value is higher then the total mortgages currently held on the property. The owner is trying to avoid foreclosure from the bank by receiving an offer to purchase. If the sale goes through the final approval is needed by the bank to accept the offer for less then the amount owed on the loan. It's a bit more involved but you get the idea.

A Bank Owned home has already been foreclosed by the bank and was not purchased at auction. So the home now reverts back to ownership by the bank. Banks want to sell these as they are not in the business of owning homes.

So which is best to buy? Which one gets you the best deal? How flexible is your time line?

If you purchase a Short Sale property you MUST be prepared for two things. The first is that it may take 30-60 days, maybe longer for the bank to approve the sale. And the second thing is that when that 30 or 60 day decision arrives they may say 'no'. If they say no you are out any expenses up until then and you have to start the home search again. Sure you will get your earnest deposit back but the cost for the home inspection, the appraisal or other inspections are gone. Now you need to start looking again. The challenge is putting an offer together that in the long run, the bank will like. The seller's will almost accept anything sometimes which is good and bad. For you it seems good but when the bank finally reviews the offer if it is out of line with a) what they owe the bank and b) what the general market value is the bank is likely to say NO.

The good thing you are doing if this does go through is you are actually helping the sellers save themselves from an otherwise disastrous situation - foreclosure. A Short Sale has less impact on the seller's credit rating and may help them to get themselves back on track that much sooner. And I have to say there is something nice in knowing that you got a great home, at a great price and where able to help someone else along the way.

Bank Owned homes are a great alternative but not always the great deal you might think so take your time. Banks, just like the original owners are looking for market value. They are trying to a) recover their losses and b) make up for some of those losses. If you are in a time crunch Bank Owned homes help you stay on track a bit better then a Short Sale. Both are often sold in AS-IS condition meaning 'buyer beware'. Make certain to have a home inspection even if they sellers are stating AS-IS. Consult with your Realtor as you should be able to make an offer with using a Home Inspection as the right to 'Void the Offer'. This would simply state that if you find things during the inspection, even if the owners will not correct them, you should have full rights to void the offer and get your earnest deposit back.

Everyone wants a great home at a steal of a price. They are out there but do your homework and you just might find just what you are looking for.

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New Conforming Loan Limits - Update (Laura Triplett from SunTrust)

Thanks to Laura Triplett from Suntrust for the update on what the heck is going on out in the mortgage industry for our area. Laura is a very trusted lender in the area and if you are interested in speaking with her I have included all of her contact information at the bottom of her article. -Steve

What we know today (but things could change):

The bill sets the FHA and conforming (FNMA/FHLMC) loan limits to the leseer of $729,750 or 125% of an area’s median home sales price. If 12% of an area’s median sales price is below the current conforming loan limit of $417,00, don’t worry; the $417,000 still applies. In others words, you will not be any worse off than you ar today. The area median home price is determined by HUD and is based, in part, on the National Association of Realtors Data for each MSA.

The FHA and conforming limit changes are meant to be temporary and are set to expire on December 31, 2008 (unless extended, which could happen)

The new limits will apply to 30 year and 15 year fixed rate, fully amortizing (no interest only) and owner occupied.

ARMS are being considered, but if allowed, the increase will likely apply to one ARM type (for example 5/1 ARMS)

FNMA will have other credit overlays including LTV limitations (probably 90%)

The limits will be effective as soon as the bill is signed, FNMA determines pricing, and the lenders can update their systems.

Washington DC MSA may go up to $547,500. None of the above is official yet. More to come….

CONTACT Laura Triplett:
Vice President - Branch Manager
Suntrust Mortgage
Office: 703-492-5057
Mobile: 703-919-3679
email: Laura.Triplett@SunTrust.com
Laura's Web Site

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Behind on your Mortgage? Save Your Home.

If you are a home owner in Northern Virginia you probably know neighbors that are behind on their home payments. Possibly you are behind currently. There is hope if you tae action.
There is some wonderful information posted at the Fannie Mae site. Follow this link to read the article about how the save your home when you are getting behind on payments.

http://www.fanniemae.com/aboutfm/borrower_resource.jhtml

If you find that your only option is a Short Sale then contact us today for details on what you need to do to get started.

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FOR SALE - 3 Acres in Manassas, 5 Bedroom, 2600+/- sq ft

What would you do with a gorgeous Rambler that sits privately on just about 3 acres of pure serenity? How about enjoy it everyday you can? Why not invite your friends and family over for a relaxing dinner while gathering for conversation and great food in your screened porch off of the back of the home?

As you drive down the long, private, tree lined driveway you are magically taken away from the stress of a long day. It’s marvelous to be so close to everything but feel as though you are hidden away from the busy world.

The two-car carport was smartly designed with breezeway spacing just in case you choose later to build it out into a two-car garage.

The home and property are fully fenced and offer a second fenced area for pets. Included with the sale are FOUR outdoor sheds for plenty of storage.

The most recent updates to this home include New Flooring, Kitchen (Refrigerator, Stove & Dishwasher), Bathrooms, HVAC and Roof.

This wonderful home offers 2600 +/- finished square feet and the comfort and elegance you truly deserve. This home has 2 Full Baths as well as an additional 1/2 Bath and separate laundry room for your convenience.

The large Game Room fills with natural light as you gather to play or relax after a long day.

Move in Condition - Pack Your Bags, Call your Realtor and fill out those change of address cards, this home is waiting for you.

// ROOM SIZES //
• Master Bedroom - 16 x 13
• Bedroom #2 - 13 x 10
• Bedroom #3 - 13 x 11
• Bedroom #4 - 13 x 11
• Bedroom #5/Office - 10 x 10
• Dining Area - 13 x 12
• Kitchen - 13 x 13
• Family Room - 13 x 19
• Game Room - 24 x 22

Property Address: 7201 Token Valley Road, Manassas, VA 20112
For a Private Showing Call 703-330-7683 Ext 3.

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