Woodbridge Virginia Real Estate News

Real Estate News About Buying Or Selling Homes In Woodbridge Virginia

You Can Make Your Home Burglar-Proof With A Few Easy Steps

I Know Lots Of Folks Here In Woodbridge And They Know Me

None Of The Folks I Know Have Mentioned Burglaries In Their Neighborhood, But It Could Happen

I moved to Lake Ridge And The Western Side Of Prince William County In 1983.

Over the past 27 years, I've felt safe from crime, surrounded by neighbors who watch out for each other.

I've taken plenty of 11 PM walks around the neighborhood wearing my "Neighborhood Watch" vest, carrying a flashlight.

In my personal experience as a Woodbridge/Westridge/Lake Ridge resident, I have enjoyed feeling safe any time, day or night.

The few crimes, about which I have heard, have been daytime burglaries, by crooks snatching jewels, cash, credit card statements, and other valuables that may fit in a pouch when they exit the house; your 63" flat screen TV will likely be left untouched.    

There are some really great tips here:
THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU: I am particularly interested in the part about the wasp spray...

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
  
2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
  
3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
  
4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..
  
5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway. 
  
6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.
  
7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
  
8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door - understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.
  
9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)
  
10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
  
11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.
  
12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.
  
13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system . If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at http://www.faketv.com/)
  
  
8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
  
1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook. 
  
2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
  
3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.
  
4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
   
5. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.
  
6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.
  
7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.
  
8. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in. 
    
Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs http://www.crimedoctor.com/ and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job
  
Protection for you and your home:
If you don't have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's evil plans for you.  (I guess I can get rid of the baseball bat.):
  
WASP SPRAY   
A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into theoffice on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead.
  
The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection. Thought this was interesting and might be of use. 
  
FROM ANOTHER SOURCE
  
On the heels of a break in and beating that left an elderly woman in Toledo dead, self defense experts have a tip that could save your life.
  
Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School . For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door or bed.
  
Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."
  
Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says, "spray the culprit in the eyes". It's a tip he's given to students for decades. It's also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for protection, Glinka says look to the spray.
  
"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out."
  
Maybe even save a life.
Please share this with all the people in your life. 

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

Equal Housing Opportunity

Bars and clubs around the region offer local musicians a venue to play and sing, just for the fun of it, at what are called "Open Mic(rophone) Nights".

Lake Ridge had NO open mic nights.... until now.

Brittany's Sports Bar now offers open mic night every Monday evening, 8 PM - 11:45 PM.

I played and sang there last night to a lively crowd that was hungry for live music.

Now that I can get my "fix" of open night night singin' and playin' in Lake Ridge at Brittany's on Mondays, I don't need to go up to Alexandria to Tiffany Tavern.

The ringmaster, Jason Masi, plays and sings songs you know by heart with joy and enthusiasm that will get you boots tapping along with the beat.

My open mic song list focuses on humor; fun and funny songs about current events, drinkin', and sailing away to the Caribbean.

Open mic at Brittany's is a new offering at Brittany's.

So if you play and sing, tune-up your guitar and come on over.

If you want to relax and chat with friends over a cold beverage, come to Brittany's where the music is good, but not so loud as to drown out coverstation; you won't have to YELL across the table whilst chatting with your pals.

Also, no post about Brittany's is complete without mentioning their world-famous chicken wings.

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

2009 Sales In Woodbridge Make Real Estate News Across The State

Real Estate News For Woodbridge About Homes Listed And Sold

Foreclosure And Short Sales In Woodbridge Virginia

Howdy Folks, and welcome to a new year, and a new decade.

My crack team of skilled staffers assembles a snapshot of numbers for the previous year.

My top-notch staff of seasoned veterans pulled the numbers are pulled from our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) that is, in fact, the Metropolitan Realtors Information Service (MRIS).

What a good lookin' bunch of folks.

Why do we pull numbers from MRIS?

Every home listed for sale by any Realtor, at every office, for every company in the region, MUST enter the information about all homes for sale under "ACTIVE" status in MRIS.

When the home sells, Realtors MUST record the actual SOLD price in the listing, along with the contract date, the closing date, seller-paid buyer closing costs, and move the listing from "UNDER CONTRACT" to "SOLD" status.

When an ACTIVE listing is taken off the market at the seller's request, those listings are moved to "WITHDRAWN" status.  In other words, the owners gave-up, quit, and chose to stay in their homes until the market meets their price.

When an ACTIVE listing agreement between owner and broker reaches the end of the period to which seller and agent agreed, the listing automatically moves itself to "EXPIRED" status in MRIS.

Homes that are temporarily taken off the market for a few days or a couple of weeks, the listing is moved from ACTIVE to "TO" status.  For example seller asks the broker to move his house to TO status include a wide array of personal seller situations: the end-of-year holiday season when the house may be full of house guests, or gift wrap and baking cookies make a mess; a burst pipe summons a batallion of contractors to repair the damage; Mom & Dad want two weeks of uninterrupted peace and quiet when a new baby comes home.

Home builders typically pay an agent a flat fee to list homes "UNDER CONTRACT" while the builder is in the process of constructing their homes on behalf of folks who have contracted for a new home.

Finally, 2009 was the first year that MRIS tracked a full year of homes sold after foreclosure, plus homes that are sold by short-sale. 

So without further fanfare, let's see those numbers for Prince William County

12,723 homes were put up for sale between January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2009.

In 2009, 6,831 homes SOLD and settled in Prince William County.  So roughly 50% of all homes that were listed as ACTIVE at some time in 2009 actually sold and settled. 

On December 31, 2009 2141 UNDER CONTRACT, pending settlement.

We add the 6,381 SOLD homes to the 2,141 homes that were UNDER CONTRACT pending settlement on December 31, 2009, and we see that the market ABSORBED 8,522 ACTIVE listings.  

That yields an Annual Absorption Rate of 67% throughout the year 2009, meaning that 67% of homes listed ACTIVE in 2009 were chosen by ready-to-buy home buyers.

When we spread all 8,522 homes absorbed by the market across all 12 months in 2009, we see that, on average, 710 SOLD each month.  You and I know that some months are fast, others are slow, but the monthly average of homes SOLD in 2009 was 710 homes.

Conversely, 33% of Prince William County homes listed For Sale, in ACTIVE status in 2009 did not sell. 

For example, in 2009, 2,294  homes were WITHDRAWN from the market at the Seller's request.

On December 31, 2009, MRIS reported 87 homes as TO, temporarily off the market.

Over all 12 months of 2009, only 678 MRIS listings in Prince William County EXPIRED at the end of the listing period to which seller and agent agreed.

    Turning to the home builders, there are 191 new homes under construction on behalf of buyers who have contracted to have those homes built, chunked down hefty deposits, and who are looking forward to when their homes are complete.

Homes that were FORECLOSED by banks, then SOLD by the bank to the next owner add up to 2,866.  

Among the 8,522 that were absorbed by the market in 2009, roughly 33% of homes sold were bank sales of foreclosed properties. 

Homes SOLD by SHORT SALE in 2009 added up to 3187.   

Last, but not least, here is a HUGE bright spot of good news for potential home sellers in 2010.

1,084 homes are FOR SALE as ACTIVE listings across Prince William County as I tap this post on my keys.

That means we have roughly a-month-and-a-half of ACTIVE inventory FOR SALE in the County today.

It's a Seller's market.

Newly listed homes in tip-top conditions create an auction that attracts multiple bids from teeming hordes of ready-to-buy buyers withe FULLY APPROVED FINANCING.  No kidding.

I can point to sold homes in MRIS that attracted 5, 12, even 22 offers.

There are more buyers right now than homes for sale in Prince William County.

So if you have been thinking about moving at some time in 2010, call your Family Realtor today to get detailed facts about your specific neighborhood.

Did this post tickle your curiosity?  CLICK HERE to send your question.  Answers shall be sent by email ONLY, unless you specifically ask for phone call.

You can get computerized, automatic, customized FREE ALERTS by email when new listings of homes that fit your wish-list are posted on the Realtor's MLS.  You'll find out about the newest listings before most Realtors know about them.

That way you'll know when your dream home hits the market.

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

President Lyndon Johnson lead a vigorous campaign through the halls of Congress that lead to Fair Housing legislation.  The Republican Party members in Congress backed Fair Housing, while most of the congressional Democrat Party members opposed Fair Housing.  Johnson, a Democrat, worked the phones day and night, calling congressional Democrats, calling in favors that persuaded enough Democrats to cross party lines and vote for Fair Housing, and against their party leaders.  

Real Estate News About Woodbridge Virginia

Homes For Sale In Woodbridge VA

Foreclosure Fraud And Fake Foreclosures Are Popping Up All Around

When you buy a home with a home loan from a mortgage banking company, your loan will be sold by your lender to another bank.

If you own a home, and you get notice that your home loan shall be sold to another bank, telling you where and how you will make your payments, you MUST obtain TWO letters, or you could become another victim of loan fraud.

For example, pretend you have your monthly mortgage payment East West Mortgage Company since you bought the house last year.

One day, you get a letter from North Star mortgage company saying East West sold your loan to North Star, so please send all future payments to a post office box in a city far away.

If East West truly sold your mortgage to North Star, you will also get a letter from East West Mortgage telling you that North Star Bank bought your loan, and East West will tell you to send future loan payments to the EXACT same address given in the letter from North Star Bank.

BEWARE!!

Thousands of home owners fall prey to FAKE mortgage sale letters from crooks who crank out tens of thousands of FAKE "Your loan has been sold..." letters.

Most folks have been warned about fake loan sale letters by their lender, their Realtor, and friends. 

The crooks know their scheme is a "Numbers Game".  Send out ten-thousand letters, and if just 1% of the recipients fall for the scheme, that's 100 victims sending the crooks hundreds of thousands of dollars for a month, maybe two.  By the time the FBI pounces, the crooks have already abandoned the post office box they rented under a fake name; the checks have been deposited in a bank, withdrawn, laundered, and sent to an off-short private bank. 

Most folks have been warned to obtain a loan sale letter from their current lender, in which the name and address of the new mortgage company is stated.  Next, compare the letter from the loan company that buys your loan to the letter from the company that is selling your loan.

Be sure the two letters support each other.

If you have any doubts whatsoever, just call the mortgage company that has processed your payments, and get confirmation from Customer Service.

Did this post tickle your curiosity?  CLICK HERE to send your question.  Answers shall be sent by email ONLY, unless you specifically ask for phone call.

You can get computerized, automatic, customized FREE ALERTS by email when new listings of homes that fit your wish-list are posted on the Realtor's MLS.  You'll find out about the newest listings before most Realtors know about them.

That way you'll know when your dream home hits the market.

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

President Lyndon Johnson lead a vigorous campaign through the halls of Congress that lead to Fair Housing legislation.  The Republican Party members in Congress backed Fair Housing, while most of the congressional Democrat Party members opposed Fair Housing.  Johnson, a Democrat, worked the phones day and night, calling congressional Democrats, calling in favors that persuaded enough Democrats to cross party lines and vote for Fair Housing, and against their party leaders. 

Real Estate News For Woodbridge VA

New Home Builders Offering Best Value Among Homes For Sale In Woodbridge VA

Beware: Never Buy A New Home Alone

You Are Entitled To Have A Buyer Agent Working For You When You Buy A New Home Around Woodbridge

84% Of New Home Have A Buyer Agent Negotiate, Advocate, On Behalf Of Home Buyers

Your Buyer Representation Is FREE To You    The Builder Pays Your Buyer Agent Fee

Did you know that, unlike fish, sharks do not have muscles to push water through their gills for the vital oxygen they need to stay alive?

Sharks are in constant motion, mouths wide open to push water from their mouths through their gills to stay alive.

Like sharks, home builders must keep moving forward, keep on building and selling houses that generate cash-flow to stay viable.

Northern Virginia home builders attract buyers away from the resale market by reducing prices, undercutting the resale market by giving you more home, with more features, for less money.

However, that super-low "Starting Price" can skyrocket if you buy a new home alone.  Home builders have ten (10) profit-centers they use to get more money out of you between contract and closing.

I'm one of the guys who is hired to teach advanced selling skills to new home on-site Sales Managers you find in model home sales offices. 

I've been a highly sought-after Sales Trainer for home builders and vairous other companies since 1985.

As a practicing Realtor, I also help nice folks like you buy new homes, getting the most home, at the lowest prices, with the fewest hassles.

When you get me working as you Buyer Agent, to buy a new home from a builder, you get the insider secrets about the ten (10) profit centers builders use get the most money out of you.

No, I do not teach seminars for any builder that even THINKS about asking me to sign a non-disclosure statement that takes away my power to help you.

Together, we can use my inside information to help you get the most house for your money.

You get me as an enthusiastic negotiator for you, to be your advocate, and your protector. 

History Lesson: In the Go-Go days, 2000-2005, new homes sold at premium prices because resale homes were scarce.

As the prices of homes fell 2005-2008, builders began systematically undercutting the prices of resale homes as prices fell, giving buyers incentives to buy new homes.

For example, a new homes community around Woodbridge that was selling homes in 2005 for $550,000 - $650,000 base prices, is now selling the exact same homes, with same blueprints, same number of sticks-and-bricks, with base prices $399,000 - $450,000.

I was waiting to check-out at the Wal-Mart just down the street when I overheard a whiny lady with an annoying attitude tell her friend, "My builder soaked me for $200,000 extra profit with we bought in 2004. That @#%* builder sells my exact same home I paid $650,000 for in 2004 for just $450,000 now.  The builder ripped us all off for obscene profits."

No.

That's not the case.

Builders typically earn a gross profit of 7% on each house sold.  The net profit after paying operating expenses is mighty slim.

So how did the builder lower the base prices $200,000?

The land developer lowered the price of ready-to-build building lots $200,000 to keep the builders from leaving.

In our area, builders DO NOT develop land into ready building lots.  Land development companies specialize in buying land, zoning changes, designing streets, lots and common area, gain County approval, clear the land, dig trenches for storm drains, electric lines, sewer lines, water lines, phone lines, run curb and gutters to define streets, then pave those streets, thus creating finished building lots for home builders.

In 2004, a finished, 1/5 acre building lot around Woodbridge in a planned community sold to the builders for $250,000 - $300,000.  Builders building homes in the $400,000-$500,000 often paid more for the land than the cost of constructing a finished home.

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

Real Estate News Woodbridge VA   The BEST Website You Can Search For Homes For Sale

Woodbridge Home Buyers Like You Can Get Easy Access To All Homes For Sale On Beta MLS Database

Traditional Real Estate Salespersons Have Blocked Consumer Access To MLS By Controling Realtor Board

Young Computer Savvy Agents Convince Old Fogies To Allow Consumers Access To MLS Beta Website

Countless agent websites promise you, "Full access to MLS" but cannot deliver on their promise.

Consumers ASSUME Realtor.com has ALL homes listed for sale.  WRONG!! 

Realtor.com is advertising-based.

Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR) has refused to allow full consumer access to our MLS.

Why?

Here comes the truthful answer that shall likely dump lots of hate-mail in my email inbox from traditional, old school real estate sales people...

Traditional old-timers who have time to serve as officers of NVAR typically don't like computers, the internet, fax machines... they FEAR empowering YOU, the consumer with full access to MLS.

The old-timers don't "get it".

When I say old-timers, I mean folks whose definition of high-tech real estate tools are typewriters, carbon papaer, snail mail, and one-page contracts.

Their knee-jerk reaction to new ideas is "No!!". 

They suffer from FUD...
Fear
Uncertainty
Doubt

Especially when tons of positive data from cities across the fruited plains that have given full consumer access to MLS proves that Realtors and consumers both benefit when all have full access.

(Okay Erick, get to the point!)

Our dear colleague, Frank Llosa (Handsome guy in photo below), convinced the old-timers to test the concept of full consumer access to MLS with the The First Wiki MLS beta called FranklyMLS. 

FranklyMLS gives you more than just homes for sale.

FranklyMLS tells you which listings are short-sales, foreclosures, bank sales, and normal sales.

FranklyMLS also shows you listings of homes that recently SOLD so you can see the list price, plus the actual SOLD price.

Go to FranklyMLS RIGHT HOW and find out how easy your home search can be.

Did this post tickle your curiosity?  CLICK HERE to send your question.  Answers shall be sent by email ONLY, unless you specifically ask for phone call.

You can get computerized, automatic, customized FREE ALERTS by email when new listings of homes that fit your wish-list are posted on the Realtor's MLS.  You'll find out about the newest listings before most Realtors know about them.

That way you'll know when your dream home hits the market.

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

President Lyndon Johnson lead a vigorous campaign through the halls of Congress that lead to Fair Housing legislation.  The Republican Party members in Congress backed Fair Housing, while most of the congressional Democrat Party members opposed Fair Housing.  Johnson, a Democrat, worked the phones day and night, calling congressional Democrats, calling in favors that persuaded enough Democrats to cross party lines and vote for Fair Housing, and against their party leaders.

Home Buyer Tax Credit At A Glance For Woodbridge First Time Buyers And Tax Credit For Move-Up Buyers

Found A Web Page About Tax Credits That Gives You A Better Overview Of The Topics Than Could I

One Mouse CLICK Gives You The 411 About Tax Credits For Home Buyers In Woodbridge Virginia

CLICK HERE NOW

Did this post tickle your curiosity?  CLICK HERE to send your question.  Answers shall be sent by email ONLY, unless you specifically ask for phone call.

You can get computerized, automatic, customized FREE ALERTS by email when new listings of homes that fit your wish-list are posted on the Realtor's MLS.  You'll find out about the newest listings before most Realtors know about them.

That way you'll know when your dre

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

am home hits the market.

President Lyndon Johnson lead a vigorous campaign through the halls of Congress that lead to Fair Housing legislation.  The Republican Party members in Congress backed Fair Housing, while most of the congressional Democrat Party members opposed Fair Housing.  Johnson, a Democrat, worked the phones day and night, calling congressional Democrats, calling in favors that persuaded enough Democrats to cross party lines and vote for Fair Housing, and against their party leaders. 

Woodbridge Virginia Foreclosures Purchase Process Video Shows Exactly How It Works

Video Shows You What Agents And Consumers Must Do To Make An Offer On A Foreclosure in Woodbridge

Funny, Funny Three (3) Minute Video Takes You Behind The Scenes To See How Foreclosure Offers Work

Foreclosures attract multiple bids from folks who believe deep in their heart that ALL foreclosures are a "Good Deal".

The video features Joe Citizen posing questions he would be asking his Buyer Agent.

Next, the "Foreclosure Specialist" listing agent is giving answers that are, on the one hand exagerations of real world answers, that are based in fact on truth.

Did this post tickle your curiosity?  CLICK HERE to send your question.  Answers shall be sent by email ONLY, unless you specifically ask for phone call.

You can get computerized, automatic, customized FREE ALERTS by email when new listings of homes that fit your wish-list are posted on the Realtor's MLS.  You'll find out about the newest listings before most Realtors know about them.

That way you'll know when your dream home hits the market.

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

Equal Housing Opportunity

President Lyndon Johnson lead a vigorous campaign through the halls of Congress that lead to Fair Housing legislation.  The Republican Party members in Congress backed Fair Housing, while most of the congressional Democrat Party members opposed Fair Housing.  Johnson, a Democrat, worked the phones day and night, calling congressional Democrats, calling in favors that persuaded enough Democrats to cross party lines and vote for Fair Housing, and against their party leaders. 

Real Estate News You Can Use In Woodbridge Virginia

"Charlie" Asks About The Dreaded Black Mold In A Woodbridge Home For Sale

Banks Will Not Give You A Home Loan To Buy A Home With Active Black Mold Infestation

Owner Must Decontaminate Mold-Infected Homes Or Else Buyers Cannot Get The Money To Buy It

Charlie Wants To Buy A Woodbridge Home That Has Black Mold

Seller Has Arranged Black Mold Remediation Next Week By EPA Approved Environmental Contractor

Charlie Asked Me How He Can Protect Himself From Mold Returning To The House After He Owns It

Hey, you visitors to my blog who check back here often to see Mr Erick's updates, have you noticed that Mr Erick can give long, long, long answers to simple questions?

Look, I'm from Texas.  We Texans tend to talk very slowly, and we tend to talk on, and on, and on...

Charlie,
Black mold mitigation companies follow three steps when a house has black mold that must go.

1. Find out where water is entering the space, then plug/patch/divert/cap the source. Black mold thrives in cool, dark places where lots of water raises the humidity. Typically a buried basement.

2. Demolish and scrap-out any studs, drywall, and insulation that is infected with mold. Some houses just need the carpet ripped out of a rec room, and a circular saw for cutting away the bottom 3' of drywall; I am helping a couple buy a home that has mold on the drywall from floor to ceiling, so ALL of the carpet, studs, drywall, insulation will be removed.

3. Spray a series of EPA-mandated chemicals on any remaining mold on concrete walls and floors, to kill it, then rinse the mold and spores away and remove the liquid that flushed away the mold from the house. The infected areas are now sanitized. A final coat of chemicals that create a hostile environment for mold is sprayed to prevent future mold growth.

All three steps above are the most effective way to stop the water source, remove infected finish material, then kill the mold on the foundation, slab, and joists.

Your long-term insurance against future mold infection in that space will be Step 1. Do whatever it takes to stop water from entering that space.

My parent's 43 year-old house in Mt Vernon got black mold in the basement last year. Mid-Atlantic inspected the space. The problem they found was the foundation's interior perimeter of old clay pipes buried in a bed of gravel under the concrete slab does what all of that old clay pipe does over 40+ years... it softens and it collapsed.

For folks who have a 40+ year-old house with a sump pump in a sump crock buried into the soil under the basement concrete slab, the perimeter of clay pipe in gravel that runs in a loop around the foundation footers beneath the slab is there to collect water that collects beneath the slab, channels the water to the sump crock, where the pump flushes the water up to a pipe that dumps the water out into your yard.

Builders switched from clay pipe to black plastic corrugated pipe that has 4-6 holes 1/2 inch diameter holes to collect water that weeps under the slab, divert it to the sump crock to be pumped up and out int the yard. That black plastic lasts forever, maintenance-free, until the end of time.

Did this post tickle your curiosity?  CLICK HERE to send your question.  Answers shall be sent by email ONLY, unless you specifically ask for phone call.

You can get computerized, automatic, customized FREE ALERTS by email when new listings of homes that fit your wish-list are posted on the Realtor's MLS.  You'll find out about the newest listings before most Realtors know about them.

That way you'll know when your dream home hits the market.

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

Equal Housing Opportunity

President Lyndon Johnson lead a vigorous campaign through the halls of Congress that lead to Fair Housing legislation.  The Republican Party members in Congress backed Fair Housing, while most of the congressional Democrat Party members opposed Fair Housing.  Johnson, a Democrat, worked the phones day and night, calling congressional Democrats, calling in favors that persuaded enough Democrats to cross party lines and vote for Fair Housing, and against their party leaders. 

Real Estate News For Woodbridge VA, Congress Extends $8,000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit And Adds New $6,500 Tax Credit For Move-Up Homebuyers

Legislation Gives A Homebuyer Tax Credit Up To $6,500 To Move-Up Homebuyers In Time For Christmas

First Time Homebuyer $8,000 Tax Credit Extended To April 30,2010

Homebuyer Credits For Military Deployed Outside US Now Through April 2010 Qualify To Get Tax Credits Through April 2011

Move-up homebuyers around the Woodbridge area got an early Christmas present from Congress today in the form of a $6,500 tax credit that was added to the extension of the $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit, through April, 2010.

The House action follows the Senate's approval on Wednesday and we anticipate President Obama will sign the bill in very short order.

The bill extends the current $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit (which was due to expire at the end of November) through April, 2010. 

But wait... the story gets better.

Move-up buyers will, for the first time, also get a move-up homebuyer tax credit up to $6,500.

Congress added a tax credit for move-up buyers, up to $6,500 for qualified buyers.

Move-up buyers were given a homebuyer tax credit under the previous bill.

The new tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified move up buyers, and the $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers also come with higher borrower income limits, so more homebuyers will qualify to participate.

The bill increases the borrower income limits for both credits up to $125,000 for individuals, and $225,000 for couples.  

Homebuyers will qualify for the full credit as long as they have entered a binding contract by April 30, 2010 and, they close the transaction by June 30, 2009. 

The tax credit is limited to homes with a purchase price of $800,000 and below.  The bill also includes anti-fraud language that gives the IRS the authority to do greater oversight during the processing of the return.

Members of our military and uniformed services, who are out of the country for at least 90 days between now and April 2010 won't be left out in the cold.

Folks in the military who are deployed outside the country past the April 30 sunset date will qualify to use the tax credit upon their return, through April 30, 2011.

Did this post tickle your curiosity?  CLICK HERE to send your question.  Answers shall be sent by email ONLY, unless you specifically ask for phone call.

You can get computerized, automatic, customized FREE ALERTS by email when new listings of homes that fit your wish-list are posted on the Realtor's MLS.  You'll find out about the newest listings before most Realtors know about them.

That way you'll know when your dream home hits the market.

.

Opportunities Are Everywhere...We Can Help You Find Your Dream Home.

Erick Blackwelder or Peggy James of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-590-2252  list your property for sale or to  purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Cannon Bluff, Meadowbrook Woods, Blooms Crossing, Manassas Park, Beaver Creek, Hunter's Ridge, Brittany,  Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Nokesville, or anywhere in Prince William County.

Equal Housing Opportunity

President Lyndon Johnson lead a vigorous campaign through the halls of Congress that lead to Fair Housing legislation.  The Republican Party members in Congress backed Fair Housing, while most of the congressional Democrat Party members opposed Fair Housing.  Johnson, a Democrat, worked the phones day and night, calling congressional Democrats, calling in favors that persuaded enough Democrats to cross party lines and vote for Fair Housing, and against their party leaders.