Alexandria is an independent city. Alexandria is not part of any county and the city government performs the functions of the county government.
The George Washington Masonic Memorial at night
Many homes with an Alexandria address are not in Alexandria at all. A large number of homes with Alexandria addresses are found in Southern Fairfax County.
Alexandria is a historical city with roots reaching back to the colonial era. Many historical figures (like George Washington and Robert E. Lee) lived, worked and played in Alexandria.
Alexandria VA is served by the Yellow and Blue Lines of the Metro and by Amtrak and the Virginia Railway Express.
Depending on whether the home is inside or outside the City of Alexandria, Alexandria homes are served by either the Alexandria City public schools or the Fairfax County public school system.
Nesbitt Realty is a family-operated brokerage serving Alexandria and Northern VA.
Step 1: Defining What You WantInside the Consultation Room at Nesbitt Realty
Start by creating a prioritized list of features you want in your home and the reasons why. Use it as your search guide, but remember that depending on your budget and funding, you will probably need to make some compromises.
Your Nesbitt Realty real estate professional can you information about communities which fit your criteria. Of course, location is a huge part of any move. If you're new to the area, keep in mind the distance traveled during your commute is not so important as the time traveled. Traffic patterns favor some neighborhoods while some areas regularly suffer with gridlock. You Nesbitt Realty real estate professional can tell you about area amenities, culture and shopping.
Step 2: Figuring Out What You Can Afford
Now that you have an idea what you'd like, it's time to see how that marries up to what you can afford.Often the preapproval process takes less than an hour, and can be handled over the phone.
Your mortgage professional can tell you how much condo you can afford and what your monthly payments would be. Additionally, a pre-approval letter demonstrates to the seller that you can afford to buy their home. When the seller knows you can move quickly, this often gives you more negotiating power. By definition, a pre-approved buyer has an approved mortgage subject to an appraisal of the property.
Step 3: Shopping For Homes
Once you know what community you'd like to live in and have an idea of how much house you can afford, it's time to start checking out some actual communities. You can beginning this search online and save time since it can help you target homes that meet your search criteria. You can view virtually every property listed by all real estate companies in the area on this web site. It's one way Nesbitt Realty makes home shopping easier for you. We will even notify you by email when properties come on the market that meet your search criteria.
Next, begin visiting homes in person. Ask your Nesbitt Realty real estate professional to arrange home showings that are in your target area and price range. If you are not currently working with one of our agents contact Nesbitt Realty at 1 703 765 0300 . We will arrange to have a knowledgeable agent assist you.
Step 4: Making An Offer
Once you find the home you want, you need to complete a purchase agreement for the house. Typically this is a very difficult and trying time since both buyers and sellers have totally different goals. In most cases it is better to have a third party, such as a Nesbitt Realty real estate professional, negotiate the offer.
If you have any personal interaction with the homeowner, don't give out any information about your move, your current housing status, financial status or your feelings about their property - positive or negative. This could hurt you in future negotiations.
Step 5: Closing
In most cases you will also have the option of a "walk through" within 3 days of the closing. This is your chance to make sure that all of the items that you and the seller have agreed upon meet your satisfaction.
Before you arrive at the closing, make sure all the necessary paper work and deposits have been completed. If the mortgage, title work, homeowners insurance and other items necessary are not completed and brought to the closing table, the closing may not happen on time. Once you close, it's official - you own the home.
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…
Young couples are more often choosing the mortgage before the marriage, according to a new survey from Coldwell Banker.
Twenty-four percent of married couples surveyed aged 18-to-34 said they had purchased a home before they were married. Of married couples aged 45 and up, only 14 percent said they had purchased a house before marriage.
Unmarried couples who live in the Northeast are the most likely to buy a home together prior to marriage, according to the survey.
In the Northeast, 60 percent of those surveyed said they waited until marriage to buy a home together, compared to 72 percent in the South.
For some young couples, buying a home together has become “the new engagement ring,” says Dr. Robi Ludwig, a psychotherapist and Coldwell Banker’s “lifestyle correspondent.” Millennials “know that they have an opportunity here, with low mortgage rates and low housing prices. And they think, ‘We’re moving toward marriage anyway, so let’s buy.’”
Some are even choosing to bypass the fancy wedding and honeymoon and save up for a downpayment instead, Ludwig says.
Couples are finding they can learn a lot about their future spouse when buying a home first, including about one another’s finances and even how many kids the other wants one day, since that often comes into play in finding a suitable size and style of home.
“It’s easy for couples to not think or talk about these things, but they’re forced to once mortgages and banks are involved,” Ludwig says.
Source: “More Young Couples Commit — To Homeownership Before Marriage,” TIME (April 17, 2013)
Help With Down-Payment For First-Time Buyers For A Residence In 22304 In Alexandria
Are you planning to buy a modest nice condo like this condo at 4862 Eisenhower Ave #164? Considering purchasing a home? Okay. Please rely on a professional like Nesbitt Realty to help.
First-Time Home Buyer Credit In The City Of Falls Church
Do you want a little help to purchase a $1,250,000 5-bedroom home in 22046? Has the time come to buy a your first home? Good. Nesbitt Realty am a resource that can assist.
Does Nesbitt Realty Offer A Down-Payment Assistance For First-Time Home Buyers Of $28,428 On 8417 Brookewood Ct McLean VA 22102?
Attaining your first home is an exciting milestone, and it's likely the biggest purchase you'll ever make. So don’t jump into it without doing your homework. You can count on a personable ace like me to assist.
Can A First-Time Buyer Get A Rebate On A Luxury Detached Home Like 2510 N Columbus St?
Attaining your first home is an exciting milestone, and it's likely the biggest purchase you'll ever make. So don’t jump into it without doing your homework. It's Nesbitt Realty's job to help. Do you want a very large luxury place in 22207 in Arlington County?
Help With Down-Payment For First-Time Buyers In 22015 In Fairfax County
Has the time come to purchase a a home? Alright! Nesbitt Realty is available help. Are you planning to buy a sprawling mid-market interior row/townhouse like this striking interior row/townhouse at 9514 Draycott Ct?
Single women make up the second largest segment of home purchases, with one out of every five homes purchases by a single woman, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. With more than 25 million single women over the age of 45 -- whether never married, divorced, or widowed -- it is making up a growing demographic, according to a recent report by FOX News.
“Single women see homes as more than just a place to live, it’s a symbol of success, and provides roots and security,” says author Jan Cullinance, author of the AARP book The Single Woman’s Guide to Retirement.
These single buyers tend to look for a home that is low-maintenance, with a sizable kitchen, walk-in closets, laundry near the master bedroom, and universal design principles to allow aging in place, Cullinance says.
Some builders are reportedly adding two master bedrooms to help accommodate the 40 percent of single women who choose to have non-romantic roommates, according to AARP.
Some single boomer women are also choosing cohousing communities, which are known as CCRCs or continuing care retirement communities. These communities allow you to progress from independent living to assisted living to skilled nursing care on the same campus, Cullinance says.
Source: “Single Female Boomers: Choose Your Castle Carefully,” FOX News (April 11, 2013)
With shrinking inventories and more competition, buyers are finding they have less negotiating power in today’s market. CNNMoney recently highlighted some of the following tips to help home buyers be more successful in their purchases this spring:
1. Lowball offers are a waste of time: “The days when you could scoop up a house for 20 percent less than the list price are long gone,” the article notes. Homes are selling much closer to their asking price nowadays, surveys show. Michael Murphree, a real estate professional in Birmingham, Ala., says he advises his clients that if homes are selling below the list price in an area but are still being sold in less than two months to make an offer that is no more than 2 to 3 percent below the asking price. If homes are selling above the listing price, Murphree advises clients to make their first offer at the full asking price.
2. How to win a bidding war: To do that, agents say come with a higher price and fewer contingencies, and be flexible with when you can move in. In some transactions, the sellers could be left trying to find new housing for themselves, so some real estate professionals suggest leaving the closing date blank on the contract and allow the seller to fill it in, or be willing to negotiate a leaseback if the seller needs more time to vacate.
3. Shop around for financing: Credit unions and small banks tend to offer the lowest rates and may even be less strict about their underwriting, Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance, told CNNMoney. Cecala recommends getting a good-faith estimate from one lender and then showing it to other lenders to see if they can beat it.
Source: “Housing Is Back! Best Moves for Home Buyers,” CNNMoney (April 8, 2013)
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…
With tighter inventories of homes for sale, buyers are finding increased competition through bidding wars. But the bidding may not be between only one or two other buyers -- more bidding wars are popping up where dozens or even hundreds of other buyers are all competing for the same property.
"The only question is not whether a new listing will get multiple bids but how many it will get," Kris Vogt, who manages Coldwell Banker offices in the Sacramento area, told CNNMoney.
For example, a home in Elk Grove, Calif., reportedly received 62 separate bids, with the final sales price more than $150,000 above its $129,000 asking price. In Cambridge, Mass., real estate brokers stopped accepting bids after the tally reached 250 bids for two condos listed at $800,000 each. The two condos ended up selling together for $2 million.
Seventy-five percent of real estate agents with the brokerage Redfin surveyed in March say their clients have faced multiple bid situations for properties -- up from 56 percent in late 2011.
Bidding wars appear to be most prevalent in California. Ninety percent of homes sold in San Francisco, Sacramento, and throughout Southern California saw multiple bids during the month, CNNMoney reports. What’s more, at least two-thirds of listings in Boston, Washington, D.C., Seattle, and New York had bidding wars for homes too.
Meanwhile, inventories of for-sale homes continues to be low. The National Association of REALTORS® reported a 19.2 percent drop in inventories year-over-year in February.
Source: “The home bidding wars are back!” CNNMoney (April 4, 2013)
Inlet Cove is alongside Route 1 This neighborhood of townhouses is near grocers and eateries Inlet Cove is close to Fort Belvoir, Alexandria, and Potomac Mills shops, in the city of Woodbridge Interior to these properties are multilevel Inlet Cove is serene
Pending home sales increased again in March, affirming that a surge of home sales is unfolding for the spring home buying season, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in March, rose 5.3 percent to 102.9 from 97.7 in February, and is 21.1…
Some of the best housing deals are on high-end homes, many over $1 million. Some of them need TLC or they aren’t in the most-coveted locations. But there are plenty of desirable properties and lots of sellers who are getting impatient. Buyers with cash have the best opportunities. Buyers who need a mortgage should move…
The National Association of Realtors recently did a study about the characteristics of home buyers. Some of the findings might surprise you. Thirteen percent of buyers purchased a home with one or more parents and grandparents together with adult children. There were several reasons given for purchasing a multi-generational home. Cost savings; Children over the…
snow at Belle View condos
I met a potential client who told me that she had been looking for two years for a condo. She called me because she wanted to see a particular property in Belle View. After establishing that she didn't have an agent, I showed her Belle View I practically had to drag here to see a property I thought she would like based upon her input. That property was Montebello, and she absolutely loved it and was amazed because she wouldn't have had a clue that Montebello existed if it wasn't for me.
A few days later, she wanted me to tag along to another property that she had found at my property search site. That prompted me to "set the record straight" with some frank talk.
Obviously, I would love the opportunity to be of service to her. I appreciate and value each client and always need one more client. But there are limits to what I can and will do and this is for the protection of both the client and myself.
Living room at Montebello
When I take on a client it is because I know I can add value to my client's end of the transaction. I add value by finding right property at the right price. As I have demonstrated to her and others, I know the condos of Northern Virginia very well. Additionally, I can be a pretty tough negotiator when the time calls.
Thus, if a client allows me to represent him or her, I think it's important that I go with the client whenever the client views properties (with the possible exception of open houses). So, to answer her first question, of course I want to go with a client when a client has interest in a property. But, when I see someone who has been looking for two years, three years, and has probably burned through a couple of agents who threw their hands up in frustration, I think it is important establish a few facts.
There are two primary reasons why a buyer takes a long time to select a property:
The buyer either has unrealistic expectations; or
The buyer does not have clearly defined goals.
When expectations are unrealistic the best thing that I can do as an agent is to apprise the buyer of reality and wish them well in their search. This is not because I'm a tough guy, but rather because it would ruin me a professional to chase the impossible. To use a metaphor, maybe bigfoot exists. I've heard that people saw
him. But if I made my living as a game hunter, I'm not going to spend my time (the only thing I really have) trying to catch bigfoot. I'll wish you well if you are looking for bigfoot, but I'll stick to game that I pull from the forest every single day.
In this case, the buyer had a reasonable assessment of reality but she didn't really know what she was looking for. In other words, she didn't have clearly defined goals.
The client's method for finding a condo was simple: she randomly searched the Internet and other media to identify prospects. She then visited the potential location and then moved on to something else. That method will use up a lot of time and energy. I'm not saying the random selection method NEVER works, but in this case the client had already spent two years and hadn't found the right property.
Obviously, a buyer needs to see some properties to get an idea of what is available. But what doesn't make sense is to randomly shop units to find what you want. Northern Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County) is a huge metropolitan market. There are so many condominiums in Northern Virginia that a person won't be able to see them all. (Unless like me, the only thing you do is look at condos all day.)
I told this client gently but firmly, what I thought made the most sense. I told her the truth. That is, instead of the client leading me around and letting me open doors so she could find a condo, I would play the part of the expert.
As an expert, I would asked pointed questions and listen carefully to her replies. In this way, we can define exactly what it is that the buyer is looking for. Then, after we have established the goals, then it makes sense to begin touring the selections that I recommend.
With each condominium we visit, I'll learn more about her needs and we'll get closer to the property that this client will eventually buy.
Define goals.
Refine goals.
Buy.
Simple, effective and good for the client and the agent.
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…
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:
Buyer demand is rapidly rising, but the housing market is realizing they may not have the inventory to meet it.
“The housing turnaround seems to have caught almost everyone in the business by surprise,” The New York Times reports. “As desirable as the long-awaited improvement may be, the unusually low level of homes for sale is creating widespread problems for buyers and sellers alike, leading to bidding wars and bubble-like price jumps in places that not long ago were suffering from major declines.”
After years of not building, homebuilders are scrambling to ramp up production to meet demand, but they’re facing delays from the availability of lots, scarcity of qualified labor, and obtaining permits.
Meanwhile, investors have snagged foreclosures and short sales, limiting the availability of those on the market as well.
In addition, more home owners — once underwater — are seeing the return of equity again for the first time in years, but still may be reluctant to sell as they wait for home prices to rise even more. Or, they might be wary of being displaced themselves if they sell due to the sudden buying frenzy, The New York Times notes.
“You see a home go for sale and within a couple days there are three, four, six offers,” says home buyer Carrie Miskawi, who has been looking for a new home for the last six months.
Sacramento real estate agent Tom Phillips says he’s even resorted to knocking on doors of homes to see if the owners might consider selling to one of his clients.
The number of homes for sale is at its lowest level since 1999, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. But with mortgage rates still low and home prices off their peak, buyers are viewing it as an opportunity to jump in.
Source: “Sudden Rise in Home Demand Takes Builders by Surprise,” The New York Times (March 20, 2013)
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…
Twenty-four percent of married couples surveyed aged 18-to-34 said they had purchased a home before they were married. Of married couples aged 45 and up, only 14 percent said they had purchased a house before marriage.
Unmarried couples who live in the Northeast are the most likely to buy a home together prior to marriage, according to the survey.
In the Northeast, 60 percent of those surveyed said they waited until marriage to buy a home together, compared to 72 percent in the South.
For some young couples, buying a home together has become “the new engagement ring,” says Dr. Robi Ludwig, a psychotherapist and Coldwell Banker’s “lifestyle correspondent.” Millennials “know that they have an opportunity here, with low mortgage rates and low housing prices. And they think, ‘We’re moving toward marriage anyway, so let’s buy.’”
Some are even choosing to bypass the fancy wedding and honeymoon and save up for a downpayment instead, Ludwig says.
Couples are finding they can learn a lot about their future spouse when buying a home first, including about one another’s finances and even how many kids the other wants one day, since that often comes into play in finding a suitable size and style of home.
“It’s easy for couples to not think or talk about these things, but they’re forced to once mortgages and banks are involved,” Ludwig says.
Source: “More Young Couples Commit — To Homeownership Before Marriage,” TIME (April 17, 2013)
“The housing turnaround seems to have caught almost everyone in the business by surprise,” The New York Times reports. “As desirable as the long-awaited improvement may be, the unusually low level of homes for sale is creating widespread problems for buyers and sellers alike, leading to bidding wars and bubble-like price jumps in places that not long ago were suffering from major declines.”
After years of not building, homebuilders are scrambling to ramp up production to meet demand, but they’re facing delays from the availability of lots, scarcity of qualified labor, and obtaining permits.
Meanwhile, investors have snagged foreclosures and short sales, limiting the availability of those on the market as well.
In addition, more home owners — once underwater — are seeing the return of equity again for the first time in years, but still may be reluctant to sell as they wait for home prices to rise even more. Or, they might be wary of being displaced themselves if they sell due to the sudden buying frenzy, The New York Times notes.
“You see a home go for sale and within a couple days there are three, four, six offers,” says home buyer Carrie Miskawi, who has been looking for a new home for the last six months.
Sacramento real estate agent Tom Phillips says he’s even resorted to knocking on doors of homes to see if the owners might consider selling to one of his clients.
The number of homes for sale is at its lowest level since 1999, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. But with mortgage rates still low and home prices off their peak, buyers are viewing it as an opportunity to jump in.
Source: “Sudden Rise in Home Demand Takes Builders by Surprise,” The New York Times (March 20, 2013)