Quote of the Day: Earl Nightingale

We become what we think about. - Earl Nightingale
A game in progress at Lee District
A game in progress at Lee District

What do buyer's agents do?

In {Location_Name} whаt does thе buуеr'ѕ аgеnt dо fоr you? Will thеу find homes for уоu tо look at or wіll уоu be dоіng your own ѕеаrсh? Or bоth? Wіll thеу hаndlе things lіkе аррrаіѕаlѕ, іnѕресtіоnѕ and insurance? Will they bе there at the closing? Your аgеnt ѕhоuld be interested іn уоur unіԛuе hоuѕіng needs. Thеу should еnсоurаgе you to dіѕсuѕѕ the ideal home уоu wаnt аnd саtеgоrіzе уоur wаntѕ and nееdѕ. Aѕk whаt рrісе range thеу normally sell in; a rеаltоr dеаlіng in $500,000 hоmеѕ may nоt be аѕ еxреrіеnсеd with thе needs of реорlе whо can оnlу аffоrd a $200,000 home. Contact Nesbitt Realty to learn more about  your choices in {Location_Name}. Learn more about buying a home
If you want to sell your home in {Location_Name}, Nesbitt Realty can help you reach your goal. Our Realtors are experienced and familiar with the real estate market in Northern Virginia. A Realtor can help you determine the best listing price for your property. We know how to market your home to get the best price as quickly as possibly. Nesbitt Realty knows how the home selling process works, so we are ready to assist you every step of the way. Nesbitt Realty has access to the MRIS (our local multiple listing service). MRIS is the MLS database that agents use to find homes for sale in the area. Our agent will add your property to it. Working with a Realtor will make the home selling process run smoothly and much simpler than if you attempt to do it on your own. We're a local family-run business and we appreciate the opportunity to serve your needs in {Location_Name}. Learn more about selling your home
Buying your own home is on most people's bucket list but there are time when renting might be the better choice.

Try before you buy

Not sure if a neighborhood in {Location_Name} is really right for you or perhaps you need time to assess an area before making a long term commitment. If that's the case, then renting could be a good option for you. Renting gives you the opportunity to see if  a neighborhood lives up to your expectations and  suits your needs before you buy. For example, you can sign a one year lease for a two bedroom condo in Shirlington, with the option to extend the lease if you like the neighborhood.  If you don’t like it and say for example, a 4 bedroom, 2 story home in Lorton is more your style, then you can always relocate.

Pay as You Go

Many Americans live from pay check to pay check and renting a property can help you draw up a realistic budget and live within your means. Before you sign a lease you know what your rent will be and you can work this amount into your monthly budget. When you do your calculations remember that you will need to pay a security deposit upfront and the rate depends on your credit score. If you have a good credit score your property manager might only charge one months’ rent. On the other hand if you have a poor credit score your security deposit could be two months rent. But keep in mind that the security deposit can be refunded if you meet the requirements of the move out inspection. Because rent is a fixed monthly cost, you will know exactly what portion of your income to allocate to rent and what portion remains for bills and other necessities. If you are realistic about the property you can afford to rent then you will have money left over every month for fun expenditures, nightlife and personal hobbies.

Short Term Commitment

Not sure if, as a Washington DC commuting, GS-5, you want to live in {Location_Name}? Do you dream of relocating to California and exploring Napa Valley, Los Angeles and San Francisco? Are you an active duty member of the military with no idea of where your next assignment might take you? There are many reasons why people don't want to make a long term property commitment and renting means that you won't be tied down and makes it easier to move at a moments notice. Or perhaps  you just have no interest in the responsibility of becoming a homeowner? Then renting, as opposed to buying, could be the right choice for you. As a renter you won’t have to worry about footing the bill to repair a leaky roof, paying monthly condo fees, or paying for garden services to pick up the leaves from your Mount Vernon home. Renting a property can enable you to live the lifestyle you want without the responsibility and financial commitment of owning your own home.

Build Your Credit and Save for a Down Payment

Buying a house is a huge financial commitment. It is usually the biggest single purchase most people make in their lives. Renting a property and being a responsible tenant can help you achieve your ultimate goal of owning your own home. Paying your rent on time is an excellent way to build your credit score and  show lenders that you can manage your money. If you are realistic about the rent you can afford, and you are frugal with your money, you can build up your savings for buying a home in the future. Renting will also make you aware of the true costs of owning a property and prepare you for the financial commitment and accountability of home ownership.

Roommates

Not everyone wants to live alone and sharing a house with friends can be fun and lead to priceless memories, but it also has the added advantage of being cheaper than going solo. However, it is worth remembering that choosing good roommates can be challenging. Just because you are good friends doesn't mean that you will be good roommates. Nobody is perfect, and some of your friends might have annoying habits that you just won't be able to live with, so think  carefully before asking someone to move in with you. There are many different neighborhoods in Northern Virginia that will meet your specific requirements for a neighborhood, such as easy access to the metro, a main street vibe or proximity to good school, and your needs in a property, like a certain architectural style, luxury features and affordability.  With so many options to choose from it is worth asking an experienced Nesbitt Realty Realtor, like Stuart Nesbitt, to help you find the perfect rental property.

Do you really need a property manager?

Although hiring a property management company has many advantages, there is an expense associated with hiring a property manager. In addition to the cost of property management, there are other reasons why property management might not be for you. Consider the following factors to determine if hiring a property management company would be a good decision for your property. Ask yourself these questions:
  • Will you live and work near your rental property? Northern Virginia is a very transient area. We have more than our share of military, diplomats, State Department, political appointees and academia.  If you're getting transferred across the country or around the world, it might be a good idea to let a professional manage your rental. Even simple tasks can get complicated very quickly when you aren't around to manage the details.
  • Do you want to handle the details of property management? Some landlords look forward to the challenge of finding good tenants. Some landlords find that maintaining a property and managing details is rewarding and enjoy taking late night calls. On the other hand, if you think rental property ownership is a chore and want little or nothing to do with the day-to-day management of your properties, you should probably consider hiring help to manage your property.
  • How busy are you? Even if you find hands-on management rewarding, you may not have much time to devote to your property management business.  If you've already got a full-plate, then the last thing you need is more to worry about, thus hiring a management company may be a good way to spend your money.
  • Can you afford the cost? Let's face it. Hiring a property management company is much more attractive option if you can afford it.  If monthly cash-flow is not an issue, you'll likely save money by paying a property manager and writing off the expense.  But if at the end of every month cash is tight, you might not want to hire a property manager.
  • Can you afford the risk? Do you understand the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act? Do you know the tenant's rights? Do you know your responsibilities?  The more you know about property management in today's litigious culture the more you'll understand the value of having a professional in your corner.
  • Do you have access to a network of maintenance people? All properties require maintenance. When your tenant calls you in need of repair will you know who to call and what to do in a timely fashion?  If not, yo might want to consider hiring a property manager.
Learn more about our rental property management services in Northern VA Due to our ability to deliver outcomes that satisfy our clients, Nesbitt Realty has won numerous honors and accolades for customer satisfaction.  
Real Estate

Aubrey Nesbitt

View posts by Aubrey Nesbitt
Aubrey Nesbitt is a native of Northern Virginia who attended Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a veteran of the US Army and helps his family business by providing informational articles like this one. In addition to photography and blogging, Aubrey provides administrative support for the office. Aubrey is a service-disabled retired veteran and a part of our family. We give him the opportunity to work at the office and on the web as part of his recovery. The opinions and statements presented by Aubrey are his own and we don't necessarily agree with them.