Moving to a condo has different risks from moving into a single family home. Movers working in common areas need liability and workman's compensation insurance. Often, casual labor type movers do not have insurance--exposing the association to nearly unlimited risk from personal injury claims either from owners, tenants or the movers!
The only way to protect the condo association is to make sure each and every mover provides a Certificate of Insurance. Licensed legitimate moving companies provide these document frequently--they are provided by their insurance carrier free of charge. Associations, LLC's, Corporations and REIT's can be named as additional insured on the Certificate. It should take no more than a few hours for a professional moving company to provide this document.
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Julie Nesbitt
Julie Nesbitt knows the back trails and by-ways of Northern Virginia real estate.
Established in 1974 with a mission to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self sufficiency, the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is operated by a multi-denominational board of directors and staff managing over 70 housing units. Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is located in the Mount Zephyr Business Center at 8305 Richmond…
Luxury upgrades: Avoid trendy and frivolous renovation expenditures. Simple and relevant renovations are more likely to pay off in the long haul.
Amin & Will in Lowes
Garage conversion: Converting a garage to a family room can turn off potential home buyers. Some people want a garage and not a family room. Consider if you plan on selling in the future before you make the change.
Adding a swimming pool: Unless you live in a place that is warm year round, a pool might not the the best idea. Pool maintenance can prove to be very costly. Some home buyers will factor in this cost and decide to pass on your home. Also a pool runs the risk of being a liability for small children.
Bedroom conversion: Converting an office or master closet can deter a home-buyer. Some people prefer the home as it was built, without changes to the layout. If you are considering putting you home on the market, you might want to consider undoing these changes.
Making it too personal: Personalized fixtures, colors, finishes, and paint jobs might not be what the person considering buying your home likes. Neutral finishes, colors, and fixtures are a safe bet. Potential buyers might think your home needs renovation if your personalization is not to their liking.
Taylor, Jim. "Five Home Renovations That Negative Affect Resale Value." Five Home Renovations That Negative Affect Resale Value. Version 1. Realty Times, 25 Nov. 2013. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. <http://jimtaylor.realtytimes.com/advicefromagents1/item/26717-five-home-renovations-that-negative-affect-resale-value>.
Contact Nesbitt Realty to buy or sell real estate in Northern VA
Obtaining pre-approval from a bank is a daunting process. It is time consuming both due to the delay and because of the amount of paperwork required to satisfy a lender of your credit status.
It is, without a doubt, the most pressing matter before beginning your home search. Proceeding without this step can lead to angst and lost time, energy and opportunities. Without pre-approval you'll be facing the following pitfalls very quickly:
Offers will be rejected in favor of lower offers by pre-approved buyers.
Delays can result as you await approval by your bank.
Too late you may find the home you are looking at is beyond your budget
or
A better home could have been yours if you'd known what you could afford
Time can disappear into looking at homes that disappear from the market before you're ready to make an offer and
Effort invested into your search can be wasted as you await pre-approval to have an effective offer.
While condition of the unit is critical, a common mistake is to confuse the age of the building with the current state. There can be no substitute for an on-site examination.
Condominiums are found in all shapes, sizes, prices and types. Are you looking for a high-rise condo, a mid-rise or a garden-style condo? Maybe you'd prefer a townhouse?
The term "garden-style" condo usually refers to a condominium residence in a building that has less than three stories. Most garden-style condos have balconies or patios for each residence. Many garden-style condos have a main entrance that opens to a common-area hallway. Additional common areas include the green space and "gardens" surrounding the structures. If you're interested in garden-style condos you'll have a lot of options in Northern Virginia.
From the suburban feel of Kingstowne to the central location of Bolling Brook from the vintage charm of Belle View to the chic feel of Carlyle Square, are just some of the many Northern Virginia condominium communities we feature.
Mid-rise condos are taller than garden-style condos, but smaller than high-rise condos. Mid-rise condos in Northern Virginia are 5 to 8 stories tall and are generally found close to or inside the Beltway.
High-rise condos have more than 9 floors. They are generally found inside the Beltway and are often located near Metro stations, public transportation, or major commuter traffic arteries like I-395.
drawing of a Cape Cod style home
Some of the first houses built in the United States were Cape Cods. The original colonial Cape Cod homes were shingle-sided, one-story cottages with no dormers. During the mid-20th century, the small, uncomplicated Cape Cod shape became popular in suburban developments. A 20th-century Cape Cod is square or rectangular with one or one-and-a-half stories and steeply pitched, gabled roofs. It may have dormers and shutters. The siding is usually clapboard or brick.
Here's a Cape Cod made of stone.
There are many neighborhoods filled with Cape Cods in Northern Virginia. Often these homes were built just after WW2 for soldiers returning from the war, but many were built as late as 1960 and some continue to be built today. If you'd like to see a neighborhood of mature Cape Cods, many with additions, you might want to explore Bucknell Manor.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.
Rules and regulations vary depending on whether you are in Belle View, Montebello, the Royalton, etc.
These days, if the unit does not already have a washer and dryer, then these appliances are most likely in the building. If you choose to install a washer and dryer then you will be facing additional insurance requirements at the least. Often, condo covenants do not allow owners to install a washer/dryer if the community has one or more laundry rooms. If you're buying, it's
important to check your condo documents to make sure that this will be
allowed.
Always keep in mind that living in a condo is a balance. Conveniences such as pools, gyms, in building stores and other amenities will balance with a need to protect your neighbors from, in this case, water damage.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Stuart at (703)765-0300.
Contact a Realtor to write your contract.
When you've finally picked out the condo, house or townhouse that interests you, it's time to write the offer. Together with proof of Earnest Money, and lender approval, I'll present the offer to the selling agent.
Presenting an offer is a little bit more involved than simply faxing paperwork to the listing agent and then waiting for a response. It is important to get the offer over as quickly as possible. Bargains (in any market) don't last long. Then I call the listing agent to let them know the offer has been sent.
When appropriate, I follow up in the conversation by sharing appropriate details with the listing agent. For example:
I can give the selling agent some personal background about my clients and what they are looking for. I can explain why they are qualified to buy or how many homes my client has looked at. In some cases, it's appropriate to tell seller what the buyers appreciate about the home.
I sometimes provide the sellers with a comparative market analysis to show the sellers the rationale behind the offer we are making.
Of course, it's my job to explain and review all of the major details of the offer;
Wooster Mercer Lofts
contingent or non-contingent,
inspections,
date of closing,etc.
and of course, price.
When necessary I discuss a brief timeline outlining the expected milestones between the offer and settlement.
Your аgеnt ѕhоuld be interested іn уоur unіquе hоuѕіng needs in {Location_Name}. 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 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?
For answers to the questions call (703)765-0300 or read more.
Did you know your Nesbitt Realty agent can save you THOUSANDS? Phone Nesbitt Realty to learn more.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Julie at (703)765-0300.
Principal Broker Will Nesbitt and his wife Julie are joining local nonprofit Our Kidz First advisory committee. The head of the advisory committee is Dr. Camille McGann M.D. Our Kidz First is a a registered 501(C) 3 public charity that offers early career exposure to kids via a variety of events including: Annual Career Fair, Monthly Career Meeting and Mentoring Groups.
Our Kids First mission is to expose, engage, and inspire youth to discover the career of their dreams. Our Kidz First's target audience is 7th and 8th grade students. Without guidance, studies have shown that this middle school age group is at the highest risk of becoming High School drop outs. Our Kidz First provides an outline for success in 16 different career clusters.
Painting: A tasteful paint job to a home can do wonders. Painting is very simple and can be done with minimal supplies. Also painting doesn’t take too much time to complete.
Replace flooring: An upgrade to hardwood floors from carpet or linoleum can really make a difference. You don’t necessarily have to hire a professional for this job either; you can choose press-on tiles or faux hardwood flooring that snaps together easily.
Replace appliances: Upgrading the washer, dryer, stove, or refrigerator can make your house much more energy efficient.
Deep cleaning: Paying attention to detail and cleaning your home from top to bottom can improve your homes appearance. Don’t forget to clean exterior windows and power wash the outside of your home.
Fixing up Furniture: Rundown and outdated furniture can make your home look bad. Easy fixes include getting a slipcover for your sofa or adding a few throw pillows and blankets. If you upgrade the furniture all at once you can get great deals on sets. On the other hand you can get items individually and slowly improve your furnishings.
Lawn and garden maintenance: It is important to keep control of your lawn and garden. You don’t have to hire a lawn service either; you can mow your own lawn, pick your own weeds, and trim your hedges.
