Of course as a homeowner you'll be responsible for maintenance and repairs on the house. As a condo owner, many of these responsibilities are handled by the condo association. Either way, you're the type of person who has taken charge of his or her life. You can paint your wall any color you want. You don't need your landlord's permission to get a pet.
Fred
As a homeowner you're more likely to be a part of the neighborhood watch and the garden club. According to some studies, home owners are more likely to vote, and more likely to participate in local government activities. As a condominium owner you have become one of America's landed gentry. According to the Rossi and Weber National Survey of Families, home owners possess significantly higher levels of self-confidence than renters.
Tax advantages are one of the biggest financial benefits of home ownership. The typical home owner that pays a $1,000 house payment will realize tax savings of about $120 each month. (As a general rule, most homeowners can deduct most or all of their interest payments on their home loan, property taxes and loan points, but check with your tax advisor about your situation.) What this means is that next year your rent won't go up, but your liability will go down. Generally if you can afford the cash flow, it's cheaper to buy than to rent. Because you're a homeowner, you know what this means.
This increase confidence and wealth will have an impact on your family life as well. According to Boehm & Schlottmann, University of Tennessee, "Children of home owners are 59% more likely to become homeowners. Their children are also 25% more likely to graduate from high school and 116% more likely to graduate from college."
As an owner, you'll stop paying rent and you'll start building ownership equity. A survey of consumer finance by the Federal Reserve Board found that the median net worth of most modest-income owners is almost $60,000 compared to less than $10,000 for renters in the same income group.
In many cases, your home will provide you with more privacy than rental living. For some, this means a quieter living environment, for others it's the ability to have a grow garden, have a backyard barbecue or a build a garage. You'll have the freedom to make whatever changes or improvements you like. Now that you control your living environment, you can make adjustments as your family changes or just as your personal taste dictates.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Julie at (703)765-0300.
Tower at Reagan National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, formerly Washington National Airport, is on the Potomac across the river from Washington DC. Along with Baltimore Washington International and Dulles International, Reagan National is one of three major airports serving the Washington Metro area. Reagan National is easily my favorite of the three airports for a number of reasons.
Dulles and BWI are massive sprawling airports with shuttle buses and mobile lounges. Reagan National barely has enough room for the runway. I always like smaller airports. They feel like they are scaled to human beings. There is plenty of security at National, but it seems to move along more smoothly than Dulles or BWI.
Dulles and BWI are outside the Beltway at the periphery of the Washington Capitol Area. Reagan National is at the heart of everything, wedged at the confluence of DC, Alexandria and Arlington. For me, it's a long drive just to get to BWI or Dulles, but Reagan National is here, and it's accessible by Metro. Reagan National is a
station on both the Yellow and Blue lines.
Main concourse of Reagan National Airport
Extended parking is available at Dulles or BWI, but on the shuttle bus, the ride from the parking lot to the terminal seems like a mile or more. At Reagan National, extended parking is at my house. Because instead of taking a shuttle, I can take the Metro to the airport.The runway is a short at Reagan National and it launches planes up over GW Parkway and at the Washington Monument, requiring a steep climb and a hard left on take off. Some folks find this terrifying, but I have to admit I love it. I know it's a safe path, because planes take-off here day and night, so I sit back and enjoy the abrupt take-off and turn.
Reagan National is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week, although many ticket counters and restaurants in the airport close during off-hours. Reagan National is located within the Commonwealth of Virginia, but it has a Washington DC address to identify the airport's location more easily for travelers.
The Perimeter Rule and the High Density Rule affect flights at Reagan National. Under the Perimeter Rule, nonstop aircraft flights are limited to a range of 1,250 miles or less. In 2000, Congress permitted the FAA to allow six round-trip flights to points outside the perimeter. The High Density Rule (or "Slot" rule) limits the number of landings or takeoffs allowed in an hour. The rule affects Reagan National because of the Airport's limited airfield capacity.
Reagan National is located in Arlington County near/in Crystal City. It is most easily accessed from the George Washington Parkway. There are a good many condos and homes in the Crystal City area and they're all just a metro stop away from Reagan National. The take-off and approach to Reagan National is down the Potomac, so that area residents get very little noise or fly-over from the jets at Reagan National.
Across the country, first-time home buyers have been putting in offers on homes, but many of them keep losing out.
First-time home buyers contact Nesbitt Realty!
One working mother says she’s put in 30 offers on homes in the $100,000 range in the Atlanta area, bidding $2,500 to $3,000 above the asking price, but each time she’s been outbid. “We have to be on top of the game and be able to drop everything and check out a house or it will be gone,” says another couple in Alexandria, Va.
Tight housing inventories are playing a role. For example, in Boston home listings are down 57 percent and in Atlanta area home listings have dropped nearly 40 percent in the past year.
Also, “investors have been pushing home prices higher faster than expected,” Diana Olick reports for NBC. “But the higher prices get, the more investors may get out, because they won’t be able to find such great bargains any more. That in turn will let regular buyers back in, even if they do have to pay a little more to own.”
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…
Fort Meyer Heights lies at the southern side of Rosslyn, along Fort Meyer and toward Arlington National Cemetery. Fort Meyer Heights is behind the Iwo Jima Memorial toward Clarendon.
But, Fort Myer Heights is just one of many communities close to military bases which Nesbitt Realty serves. For more information about homes near the base you serve, check out:
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…
I am a student interested in the field of real estate. I understand that a real estate agent makes money on the sale of a property based upon a percentage of the final sale price. I was wondering how a real estate agent makes money on a lease of a rental property?
Thanks for the help, Jim
A landlord lists his property with a real estate agent for a number of reasons. The landlord benefits from the agent's experience and connections, but also because the agent has access to the MLS (or Multiple Listing Service) and other venues for promoting the rental property.
There are many ways that a rental listing can be charged, but most usually the landlord agrees to pay a portion of the first month's rent to the listing agent. The more the rent, the higher the commission paid. Landlords are generally happy to pay this because a listing agent saves them time and money (as compared to ads in the paper plus dealing with calls from unqualified renters).
If the renter has his own agent, the listing agent will pay a predetermined portion of the commission to the selling agent (as the renter's agent is called). Please let me know if this helps.
Setting a Rental Budget
For many renters, the most important factor for consideration is how much are they willing to spend on a rental per month. For this reason, it should come as no surprise that the first step in the rental process should include establishing a budget. Renters should consider their monthly income and subtract all of their monthly expenses from this amount. Monthly expenses should include all bills which are paid regularly as well as money spent on food, entertainment, and miscellaneous items monthly. The renter may also wish to subtract an additional amount to allow for some savings each month as well as emergencies. The total left after these deductions is the amount the renter is able to spend on a rental per month. Once this amount is established, the renter will have a better understanding of the type of rental they are able to afford.
When you know your budget and you are ready to shop for a new home in {Location_Name}, contact an agent. Rental agents cost the renter nothing and they do not work for one specific building. A rental agent can see all the rentals that are available to make sure that you get the best value for your money. [Learn more.]
For more information or to set up an appointment call Stuart at (703)765-0300.
Northern Virginia has several independent cities and the City of Alexandria is one such independent city. The City of Alexandria borders Fairfax County, but the City of Alexandria is not in Fairfax County. Fairfax County is not in the City of Alexandria. However, there are large parts of Fairfax County that have an Alexandria postal address. The Alexandria area which is outside of the City of Alexandria can be roughly categorized into the following areas:
For real estate in Alexandria VA contact Nesbitt Realty
Lower Alexandria — so-called because the area south of Old Town Alexandria is downriver from Alexandria. (Lower Alexandria is sometimes called “South Alexandria”.) Lower Alexandria includes the Fairfax County Districts of Mount Vernon and Lee.
Franconia — Franconia is mostly in Lee District. Some residents of Franconia have a Franconia address but many homes in Franconia have an Alexandria address. Rose Hill is one of many communities in and around Franconia
Alexandria West — Not to be confused with West End Alexandria (which is in the City of Alexandria), Alexandria West includes many inside the Beltway but outside the City of Alexandria residences such as the homes of Bryn Mar.
Here's an interest local tidbit for newcomers. Fairfax County surrounds the City of Fairfax. Locals generally refer to the county as “Fairfax County” and the city as “Fairfax”, but Alexandria uses the opposite nomenclature. “Alexandria” generally refers to whole of the Alexandria area, while “City of Alexandria” refers to the jurisdiction of the City of Alexandria.
I couldn't help but wonder . . . what about when she is Nigerian and he is Norwegian?
The median home size most highly desired among home shoppers is 2,226 square feet, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ “What Home Buyers Really Want” survey.
But looked at more closely, the size of home most desired can vary greatly depending on the buyers’ age, race, and ethnicity, the study found.
As buyers’ ages increase, they tend to want less space, the study finds. Buyers younger than 35 said they most desire a home size of 2,494 square feet. For buyers 65 and older, they want a home that is 2,065 square feet.
The size of home preferred also showed big differences among races and ethnicities. For example, minority buyers tended to desire more space than white, non-Hispanic buyers, the study found.
White, non-Hispanic buyers said they wanted, on average, 2,197 square feet; Asian buyers wanted 2,280 square feet; Hispanic buyers say they prefer 2,347 square feet; and African American buyers say they prefer 2,664 square feet, according to the study.
Source: National Association of Home Builders
Reviving A Stale Listing In 22314 In Alexandria In 22314
Do you have a abode similar to 124 Roberts Ln #201 in Alexandria that hasn't sold? Did you know that in Fort Ellsworth:
Reviving A Stale Listing In Alexandria, Virginia In Alexandria
Do you have a property similar to 301 N Beauregard St #114 in the City of Alexandria that isn't getting any action? Did you know that in The Fountains:
Some would-be move-up home sellers are eying home prices carefully. They’re waiting to see how much home prices appreciate more before they consider selling their home. But they may be missing their perfect opportunity, some housing experts say.
The best time to move may depend on when the home owner purchased their current residence, says Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac. Blomquist says that home owners who purchased their home during the sluggish market the last two to three years may find moving up in 2013 may be their prime opportunity.
"Because they bought near the bottom, these home owners should have built up some good equity that can go toward the purchase of a new home, and waiting longer to build more equity likely won’t provide much advantage given that other homes that they might want to move up to will also be appreciating at roughly the same pace," Blomquist told HousingWire.
Home owners who wait much longer to sell their home may miss out.
"If you're selling one house just to move up to another, it does you no good to wait for prices to rise — the price of the move-up home will increase faster than the price of the place you're leaving behind," says Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman.
Plus, mortgage rates are expected to come off the 3.5 percent range and reach 4.4 percent in the next year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. That will increase the costs of financing your next home.
Source: “The Time to Sell Is a Waiting Game for Some,” HousingWire (March 21, 2013)
5 Sure Signs That Its Time To Sell Your Home
When should I sell my home? This is not always the easiest question to answer. A lot of people don't plan on living in their first, second, or even third home forever, but still knowing when to let go and move on can be tricky. It can feel like ending a long term relationship, it's…
6 Budget Tips For Staging A House To Sell In Arlington
If you are trying to land a great deal for your property in Arlington, then you can't afford to overlook home staging. You'll want to hold a terrific open house- one that leaves the attendees entranced. And the good thing is, you can do that without having to break the bank.
Staging Hints For Sellers With A Place At Stratford On The Potomac In 22308
Are you planning to list your residence? A home that isn’t staged may sell if properly prices. On the other hand, a staged place of residence will sell faster and for more money. What steps can you take now to sell your split foyers-style house in a Split Foyer-style community?
Are you considering renting in Northern Virginia? With remarkably low interest rates, perhaps you should consider buying? Here are 5 solid reasons that buying is better than renting.
Be your own landlord. The landlord picks the paint colors. The landlord decides whether pets or smoking is allowed. If you are the landlord, you make the decisions. And you decide whether to extend your lease or not.
Paying the principal is forced savings. Everyone knows that paying off a mortgage is better than paying rent forever.
Fixed-rate mortgages never rise – and eventually you pay them off. With mortgage rates at record lows, people who buy now are locking in real bargains.
Good schools. Family-sized rentals are harder to come by in areas with excellent public schools.
Spacious properties in pleasant neighborhoods. Sizable homes in attractive communities are almost always owned – not rented.
Testimonials
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Onсе you hаvе аll the іnfоrmаtіоn, іt'ѕ time tо mаkе a decision аbоut what agent you're going to сhооѕе. Confirm thаt thе аgеnt will work with уоu аnd ѕtаrt lооkіng fоr уоur hоmе. Yоu might want tо send a роlіtе nоtе to the оthеr аgеntѕ thаt уоu have gone wіth a different аgеnt аnd thanking thеm fоr their tіmе; іf the аgеnt уоu choose doesn't wоrk оut, уоu mіght bе gіvіng оnе оf thеm a call.
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