Would you like to have roommates? Do you have a wife and plan to start a family? These are questions to consider before taking the step towards home ownership. Depending on your circumstances you might prefer a 2 bedroom condo in Courthouse, instead of a 1,000,000 home in Mount Vernon.
Location and Atmosphere
Northern Virginia has a vast array of neighborhoods. For example, Arlington has a bustling metropolitan scene that is just a few metro stops away from DC. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is Woodbridge, which is a quieter small town type of area, which attracts commuters. Alexandria is a nice middle ground in between the two aforementioned neighborhoods. Alexandria has plenty of nightlife, restaurants, and shopping in a variety of neighborhoods like Old Town, West End, and Fairfax County.
Type
Condo? Townhome? Single family home? Each of these homes has their own advantages and disadvantages. Condos are nice because some include amenities, like a pool, fitness center, or dry cleaner, all conveniently located in the condo community. Some may prefer a home, because there aren’t any condominium fees.
Commitment
The Consultation Room at Nesbitt Realty
A mortgage is a long term commitment. It is important to factor in job security when preparing to purchase a home. For those who end up having to leave the area, whether it is temporary or permanent, there is the option of hiring a property manager so that you can rent out your home and collect rent on it while you’re gone.
Credit Score
To be considered a serious buyer, the first step to buying a home is to get pre approved. Getting pre approved can speed up the home buying process. One way to improve your credit score is to always pay your bills on time. Another way to build your credit is to open a credit card and use it monthly and pay it on time.
Here's a typical Craftsman home in Del Ray Alexandria VA
Rising home prices have created a market that favors sellers. Under these current market conditions, little
wiggle room for buyers on a budget is provided. In the previous year buyers in the market voiced that their top Real Estate sales stressor was a limited selection of inventory of homes for sale to choose from. Additionally, the year leading up to this year had notated that other top home buyer stressors were prices, competition, rising mortgage rates, and home shopping fatigue.
Here are the 2015 top home buyer stressors:
Affordability, prices jumped too quickly
Competition, other buyers want the same property
Circumstance, need to sell current property first
Down payment, didn't squirrel away enough to prepare
Unreasonable mortgage rates, can't make the move into home ownership just yet
Old Town is home to restaurants, nightlife, jobs, entertainment, arts and crafts, etc. Even on a winter day in the end of January it can be pleasant to people watch and see what is going on during an afternoon lunch break. Historically, Old Town is a diverse and unique city that is close to Del Ray, Fairfax County, Crystal City, and Arlington. Old Town has a waterfront that is the Potomac River.
Will and Julie Nesbitt drive into Old Town
For buying, selling, renting, and managing property in Old Town Alexandria, call Nesbitt Realty at 7037650300
King Street in Old Town
For buying, selling, renting, and managing property in Old Town, call Nesbitt Realty at 7037650300
Nesbitt Realty can help you buy and sell real estate in Old Town.
A couple stand outside of Austin Grill in Old Town, Alexandria
Old Town in late January
Outside the Light Horse
Porto Vecchio has views of the Potomac River
Old Town
homes and condos for sale in the Old Town area of Alexandria VA
How much you can 
