Woodbridge Virginia Real Estate News

Real Estate News About Woodbridge Virginia "Hey Erick, How's The Market?"

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:04:03 -0600

Real Estate News About Woodbridge

"Hey Erick, How's The Market? I Hear It's Pretty Bad."

Stunned Looks On Faces When They Find Out The Market Is Boiling HOT!

It happened again yesterday during conversation over a fine, premium cigar, in the lounge at our local stogee store

One of the lads asked me about the real estate market in Woodbridge. He prefaced his question with, "It must still be pretty bad."

I replied, "Yeah, it's bad if you're a buyer in competition, among 8, 12, 15, even 22 bidders for the same home.

Each home under $400,000 is getting multiple offers, no matter whether it's a pit or a palace.

(The gentleman's jaw hit his chair)

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

Real Estate News About Home Pricing For Sellers And Buyers

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:57:50 -0600

Real Estate News About Home Pricing For Buyers

Sellers ask, "How Much Money Can I Get When I Sell My House?"

Buyers ask, "How Can I Get A Home At The Lowest Price?"

Compare Similar Homes That Have SOLD In The Previous 90 Days

Video Clip Shows You How To Get The Best Value No Matter Whether You Sell Or Buy

You want to sell or buy a home in Northern Virginia.

Sellers typically want to know how high to price their home to get the most money. Their agent shows them a list of similar homes that have successfully SOLD using a computerized market analysis (CMA).

Buyers typically want to know how low could they buy the home, what is the seller's rock-bottom price. Buyers get to see the same CMA because their Buyer Agent shows them recent sale prices of homes sold, and concessions the seller paid toward the Buyer closing costs.

All the cards are on the table for both parties, just waiting to be used in negotiations.

Watch this short video to find out how you can use a computerized report, showing the recent sales in a neighborhood where you wish to buy a home.

A few agents allow Sellers to price their homes too high above the market, and their homes don't sell. The Seller is fishing for a Win-Lose sale, with the Seller winning, and the buyer losing.

A few agents allow Buyers to insult Sellers by tossing out low-ball offers. Buyers are fishing for rock-bottom prices to get the best value. A low-ball is a Win-Lose.

Karma does not smile on Win-Lose.

Successful transactions for a Seller and a Buyer are always a win-win for both parties.

Tell Me More Now!

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

Equal Housing Opportunity

Get Your FREE List Of This Weeks Active Foreclosure and Approved Short Sale Homes For Sale In Fairfax County Virginia.

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:02:18 -0600

Get Your Free List Of Foreclosrure Homes and Approved Short Sales In Fairfax County

Find Out Which Homes Are Easy To Buy In Fairfax County

You Can Stumble Through A Zillion Websites Searching For Homes Or You May Click A Link Below

Are you frustrated because other home buyers in Fairfax County Virginia are finding and negotiating on foreclosed homes before you even see them?

Have you noticed that the cable TV news reporters are still saying "It's a buyer's market", but our area is back to a seller's market?

What if you could find out which homes are for sale, before most Realtors even know they are listed?

What if you could get The LISTS of homes for sale, by email, the day they hit the market?

What if you had time to sift and sort through the newest listings, drive by them, then see inside the good ones, without the owner's agent present to pressure you, or ask annoying questions?

Via Peggy James- "Your Neighborhood Realtor" Serving Lake Ridge VA and Woodbridge VA (Exit 1st Choice Realty):

Have you ever wondered how other home buyers in Fairfax County Virginia are finding and negotiating on Foreclosure Homes before you even see them? I know it is frustrating. The market is FAST! Don't you just wish someone would send you The LISTS so you could sift through them quickly to see if any peek your interest.

Well, get ready to smile.

Erick and Company understands the pain and frustration that Home Buyers are facing in today's real estate market. That's why we have staff members who scrub the MLS Database daily in search of the newest FORECLOSED,and REO Propertiesas well as any Short Sales that have a status change to APPROVED SHORT SALES.

Now here's the best news. You can access these lists for FREE!

Click Here Access All Fairfax County Virginia Active/Available Foreclosures This Week

Click Here
Access All Fairfax County Virginia Approved Short Sales Available This Week! There are over 64 Approved Short Sales...

Erick Blackwelder and I work as Buyer Agents. Tell us what you are looking for and we will find it. Let's get started today.

***********************************************************************************

Call or Contact Peggy James- Realtor® - Exit 1st Choice Realty ...

Contact Peggy Now

Visit Our Website: www.erickandcompany.com

Erick And Company
14029 Crossing Place, Woodbridge, VA 22192
My Direct #(703) 851-3085 or Office # (703)590-2252

Get directions

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Note from Peggy: you do not have to be a member of Active Rain to comment. Please feel free to comment. Ask questions, share your experience on the topic.

Real Estate News About Woodbridge VA Rising Home Values And Buyers With Their Heads In The Sand

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:16:59 -0600

Real Estate News About Woodbridge Virginia And Buyers Who Are Refusing To Accept Market Change

Woodbridge Home Values Up 20% Since 2008 And Nobody Believes It

Facts Are Stubborn Things

Home Buyers Get Your Heads Out Of The Sand And Change Your Perspective

I've got fifteen (15) files, associated with fifteen ready-to-buy buyers. All have made offers on more than one house, and all (eventually) have come around to the fact that multiple bidders are pushing prices up.

Folks, sticking to your price limit, and holding fast to your "wish list" isn't working.

It just isn't working.

Folks who qualify for $550,000 homes, who want to be CONSERVATIVE by limiting their price point to $400,000 for the sake of frugality is noble.

If you can, in fact, get the home that matches your wish list, at or below your self-imposed price ceiling, that's great.

But the fact is, I've got fifteen folders, holding the hopes and dreams of fifteen families, and the sad news they ARE NOT GETTING IS THE MARKET HAS PASSED YOU BY.

Those fifteen folks are telling us, "Golly, the rooms are smaller than the homes we bid on last summer."

That's because the homes they bid on last summer, are now listing, AND SELLING 20% higher than last summer.

So, If you want to get that fits your wish list, with the size that you want, you have three choices:
1. Let go of your self-imposed low price, and let your loan officer help you move to a higher price range.
2. Move farther away from the city.
3. Lower your standards.

Insanity is doing the same thing over, and expecting a different result.

Tell Me More Now!

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

Equal Housing Opportunity

Real Estate News About Homes For Sale Under $300K In Woodbridge Virginia

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:45:01 -0600

Real Estate News About Homes For Sale Under $300K In Woodbridge Virginia

Plus News About Homes For Sale And Sold In Woodbridge, Manassas, and Prince William County

I GOTTA GET THIS OFF MY CHEST BEFORE I EXPLODE!!

Frustration.

Insanity: doing the same thing over, and over, and over again, expecting a different result.

If you qualify to buy a home for more than $300,000, but you are compeled to buy a home under $300,000... or under $250,000... keep your expectations low.

Tell Me More Now!

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

Equal Housing Opportunity

Appraisal Fraud Sends Former California Appraiser To Federal Prison For 3 Years Plus $46Million In Restitution

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:52:45 -0600

Appraisal Fraud Sends Former California Appraiser To Federal Prison For 3 Years

Convicted Appraiser Must Pay $46Million In Restitution For Inflating Property Values

Real Estate In Woodbridge Not Immune To Appraisal Fraud

Expect More Convictions Across The Entire Mortgage Industry

Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.

Those are the three words that describe the way the ENTIRE mortgage industry operated in the early 2000's.

Especially among the "back room" workers who filed appraisals, who chopped up mortgage loans into little-bitty pieces that were spread across Mortgage Backed Securities, and mortgage banks who lost or destroyed vital loan papers.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Here is a story that broke today on the Living Lies blog about an appraiser who shall spend a dozen lifetimes paying restitution.... after a 3-year vacation in federal prison:

Living Lies Blog - February 12, 2010
Lila Rizk, 43, Rancho Santa Margarita, California, a former state-licensed real estate appraiser, was sentenced to three years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $46 million in restitution for her role in a massive mortgage fraud scheme that caused tens of millions of dollars in losses to federally insured banks. Rizk received the three-year prison term after her conviction last summer on conspiracy, bank fraud and numerous loan fraud charges.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Appraisers are independent contractors, and trust me folks when I say that they won't get rich appraising homes. The typical appraiser earns $55,000 - $89,000 per year gross income.

She shall never obtain an appraiser's license anywhere on the planet for the rest of her life.

Let's pretend for a moment that Lila is fortunate when she gets out of the slammer, and lands an $85,000 per year job scraping chiggers off of dead dogs with a cheese grater.

Uncle Sam will likely garnish 15% of her wages to pay restitution, about $12,750 per year to pay-off her $46 Million restitution.

In just 3,608 years, Ms Rizk will finish paying restitution for her crime.

"So Mr Erick, what does a convicted appraiser in California have to do with Woodbridge Virginia homes?"

The point is, Woodbridge home owners who bought homes in the Go-Go days when values were rocketing skyward may begin getting visits from Deputy Sherrifs carrying Summons' to testify on behalf of the Virgina State Attorey, against the mortgage companies that originated home loans based on inflated values.

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

Equal Housing Opportunity

Real Estate News About Woodbridge Virginia Secrets To Buying And Flipping Luxury Homes

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:17:32 -0600

Real Estate News About Woodbridge Virginia Secrets To Buying And Flipping Luxury Homes

Find Out How Realtors And Lenders Buy And Flip Luxury Homes At A Profit

Find Out How Industry Insiders Make Big Bucks Flipping Million Dollar Luxury Homes

Here's the secret industry insiders use to buy and flip luxury homes: WE DON'T DO IT!!

I received an unsoliced (SPAM) offer by email today, promoting luxury home flipping. Here is a portion of the message that sounds like a fast track to easy money:

"That means you acquire these homes well below wholesale prices and you flip them to end buyers quickly below market value and keep 10%-20% of the sale price (using none of your own cash or credit because they're short sales)."

"...wholesale prices..."??? There is no such thing as a wholesale market, unless Sam's Club or Costco just opened a new kiosk.

The industry insiders know that "flipping" houses at a profit sounds good, but the fact is, it's too good to be true.

Another quote that may sound delicious to you, but I know from a ton of experience selling short sales, that the following is total Bravo Sierra.... BS...

"(using none of your own cash or credit because they're short sales)."

That statement is false. Geez, if banks would sell me a luxury home, below market, with no cash or credit, I'd buy them.

You need 20% - 25% down because it is an investment property. That figure is standard among lenders.

Moreover, "...because they're short sales)." is total nonsense. "No down payment", has as much in common with "because it's a short sale", as a fish has in common with a bicycle.

People inside the business see and hear the sad tales of misery and sorrow from "flippers" who woke up one morning with a flipping seizure, heck-bent on making money flipping a house.

It just does not work.

If flipping $Million luxury homes was such a good idea, you could bet we insiders would be buying and flipping.

We don't.

Why? It is a fast, easy way to lose tens of thousands of dollars.

Now here comes the sales pitch for a slickee-boy salesman who wants to separate you from your money:

"This Wednesday at 9PM ET, we're going to introduce you to the EXPERT in luxury home short sales. His team of negotiators handle all of our luxury home short sales and his team will negotiate your short sales too."

Now comes the phrase that creates a sense of urgency for you to sign-up:

"But he can only work with a limited number of investors. You must be on the webinar to find out how to partner with him."

Did you notice that they intentionally left the NAME of the "EXPERT" out of the ad. Why? Because if they
mention his name, and you Google him, you'll find out he's a crook, ready to steal your money.

"This is an extremely hot topic and this webinar is filling up faster than any webinar we've ever done. Register here while we still have some seats available."

Folks, buying and selling short sales in today's market is a horrible, miserable, time-consuming experience that sucks the air out of the room, leaving you in agony.

As Dad always said, "If it sounds too good to be true, it's false."

Don't fall for these slickee-boy snake oil salesmen.

The only folks making six-figure incomes in the short sale business are the slickee-boys who sell expensive tickets to their seminars.

If you get nothing out of this warning other than JUST ONE THING, remember... industry insiders know buy and flip does not work, otherwise we'd spend our time doing so.

Real estate investing is not for everyone.

Real estate investing is a long-term investment. The only folks who make money in real estate are educated investors who buy, rent, and hold their properties in their portfolio as cash flow instruments.

How do I know?

I am an investor in real estate, and I've seen "flippers" lose a ton of money. As we say in Texas, "That dawg don't hunt."

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

Equal Housing Opportunity

Just Listed Totally Remodeled Dale City, Virginia Single Family Home. It Can Be Yours..

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:26:17 -0600

One of our recent home buyers referred his parents to me to list their home for rent. I have to say, I was delighted when I went to the home. These folks knocked themselves out to make sure this home was perfection before we put it on the market. I know you are going to be as impressed as I was. The home is vacant and ready for you.

The home features:

A Stunning Addition On The Rear Of The Home
A Huge Master Bedroom Suite, With Full Bath And Walk-in Closet
Three Full Baths
A Extremely Large Family Room and Billiard Room With Masonry Fireplace
A Totally Renovated Kitchen With Gorgeous Breakfast Room
A Fenced Rear Yard, BBQ Pit, And Hobbyist Shed
Off-street Parking For Two Vehicles
The Home Is Located In The G Section Of Dale City, Virginia
Listed For $1700.00 A Month
Non-Smokers Preferred, Pets On A Case-By-Case Basic
Call Me For Details And To Schedule An Appointment To See The Home.

Do You Need Real Estate Help? Call Me at 703-590-2252 or Click The Blue Box To Send Me An Email

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

Real Estate News About Buying Or Selling Homes In Woodbridge VA

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:22:58 -0600

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.

Equal Housing Opportunity

Woodbridge Real Estate News About Fannie Mae Foreclosed Homes

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:30:37 -0600

Real Estate News About Homes Foreclosed By Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae Offers FREE Closing Costs When You Buy A Fannie Mae Foreclosure

Fannie Mae Home Path Program For Foreclosed Homes Offer Buyers Up To 3.5% Of The Price To Pay Buyer Closing Costs

	News Release
	Immediate Release
	January 28, 2010

	Fannie Mae Announces 3.5 Percent Seller Assistance on HomePath® Properties Incentive Part of Ongoing Effort to Stabilize Neighborhoods WASHINGTON, DC - Fannie Mae (FNM/NYSE) announced today that people purchasing a Fannie Mae-owned HomePath® property will receive up to 3.5 percent of the final sales price to be used toward closing cost assistance or their choice of appliances. The offer is available to any owner-occupant who closes on the purchase of a property listed on HomePath.com before May 1, 2010. "Attracting qualified buyers to the market and reducing the inventory of vacant homes is critical to stabilizing neighborhoods and helping the market recover. Many families are taking advantage of the federal homebuyer tax credit to buy a new home so this is a great time for Fannie Mae to offer some additional help," said Terry Edwards, Executive Vice President of Credit Portfolio Management. "Homebuyers have the option to choose between financial assistance toward closing costs or new appliances for their home." Properties eligible for this incentive are listed on HomePath.com and most listings include detailed property descriptions, photographs, community and school information and more. In addition, many Fannie Mae-owned properties are eligible for special HomePath Mortgage and HomePath Renovation Mortgage financing which offers homebuyers an opportunity to purchase with as little as 3 percent down.

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

Equal Housing Opportunity

Woodbridge Home Grown Musicians Have A New Stage To Play

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:37:46 -0600

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.

Woodbridge Real Estate News Western Bypass Will Reduce I-95 Congestion

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:44:53 -0600

Woodbridge Real Estate News About Western Bypass That Will Reduce I-95 Congestion

You'll Get To The Pentagon, Crystal City, Fort Belvoir, And Downtown From Woodbridge, with less traffic.

Western Bypass Will Be A Win-Win For Travelers And You Commuters

North/South Long-Distance Trucks And Travelers Get Speedy Route Past The Region On The Bypass

Separating North/South Travelers From I-95 Commuters Means Less Congestion For Commuters

I-95 is "Main Street" for highway travelers up and down the east coast, from Miami to Maine.

Vacationers from Cape Cod driving to Myrtle Beach for a week of golf mix with locals getting to and from work.

Folks from Myrtle Beach travel north in summer to vacation on Cape Cod, mingling with commuters just trying to get home after a tough day at the office.

You want less time on the road, and save fuel.

The need for a western regional bypass was established in 1950.

Numerous state and regional studies over the past 60 years have reaffirmed that need.

THAT'S RIGHT!! 60 YEARS OF NUMEROUS STUDIES, BUT NO ACTION!! WE NEED ACTION RIGHT NOW!!

Washington Post, "An Ambitious Gridlock Remedy", from May 5, 1990. The sub-heading says, "As Beltway Groans Under Traffic Burden, Bypass Plan Dusted Off". It is about the proposals for an eastern bypass and a western bypass of the D.C. area.

SEE!! A 20 YEAR-OLD STUDY AND NO ACTION, NO CONSTRUCTION, NO ROAD, NO RELIEF FOR YOU!

EACH STUDY IS EXPENSIVE!! BY THE TIME THE BYPASS GETS BUILT, THE PRICE TAG FOR ALL THE STUDIES COMBINED WILL LIKELY BE GREATER THAN THE PRICE TO BUILD THE DOG-GONE ROAD!!

CALL, FAX, AND EMAIL YOUR DELEGATE RIGHT NOW AND TELL THEM TO BUILD THE ROAD!!
"Dear Delegate, here are two options for building the bypass... pick one and go".

House of Delegates Bill 2019 (HB 2019) enacted last year required the CTB (Commonwealth Transportation Board) to identify and develop improvement plans for Corridors of Statewide Significance.

The recently CTB-approved Virginia Transportation 2035 (VTrans2035), a statewide transportation plan providing additional capacity to move traffic around the Washington area and connect Dulles Airport with I-95 and other parts of the Commonwealth by the year 2035.

Fairfax Delegate David Albo has introduced legislation directing the CTB to move a Western Bypass closer to reality.

Bill Number: HB 277 Will Get The Western Bypass Started, Your Support Is Needed To Pass The Bill

Chief Patron: Delegate Dave Albo

Co-Patron: Delegate Tom Rust

Description: Requires the Commonwealth Transportation Board to establish a Washington Bypass transportation corridor.

Text: to read the complete text, click here.

Committee Assignment: House Transportation Committee

Act Now:

YOU... YES YOU... Click the links below to send your email to support for HB 277 to your legislators working for you in Richmond.
Pick up the phone, call your delegate's office and register your support for HB 277.
Print the email you just sent to your delegate, and fax it to your delegate's office.
For House Transportation Committee contact info, click here. (Includes a link to send an email to all House Transportation Committee members.)

For a sample message, click here.

The House Transportation Committee is expected to consider this bill soon.
A Washington Bypass is Critical to Regional Mobility, Prosperity, and Dulles Airport's Future.
Urge House Transportation Committee Members
To Vote "Yes" for HB 277

The Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance is the only organization focused solely on making better transportation a reality for Northern Virginia citizens and businesses.

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

Exit 1st Choice Realty Woodbridge Helps Habitat For Humanity Blitz-Build

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:33:24 -0600

Exit Realty Internation Is An Active Participant In Habitat for Humanity

Erick Blackwelder Is An Active Participant In Habitat For Humanity

Exit 1st Choice Realty Woodbridge Will Help Blitz-Build An Entire One In A Day In Orlando Florida

Exit 1st Choice Realty Volunteers Will Help Build FOUR (4) Homes Each Day With Habitat Orlando

Exit 1st Choice Realty Volunteers Will Fly Down For Blitz-Builds Jan 28, Feb 25, Mar 20, Apr 24

Have You Promised The Family A Trip To Disney World?

Plan Your Trip To The Land Of The Mouse Around One Of The Build Dates And Let The Family Participate

Your Family Will Have Fun, Build A Life-Long Memory, And Give A Deserving Family A Dream-Come-True

Don't miss your chance to have a life-changing experience while contributing to the local community by participating in EXIT Realty's Orlando, Florida Habitat Build!

Log onto the ERC and click on the Habitat sign up link to register.

For more information, please email habitat@exitrealty.com

Blitz dates: January 28, February 25, March 20 and April 24

*Complimentary t-shirts will be provided onsite.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL

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

Woodbridge VA Real Estate News About Faster FHA Foreclosure Sales For You

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:40:57 -0600

Woodbridge VA Real Estate News About Faster FHA Foreclosure Sales For You

You Can Buy FHA Foreclosures Without The Wait In Woodbridge VA

Woodbridge Home Buyers Get Easy Foreclosure Homes For Sale

Woodbridge Home Loan Expert Explains How You Can Get A Foreclosure In Woodbridge Fast & Easy

Howdy Folks,

Take three minutes out of your day to read a quick, power-packed explanation of new FHA guidelines that I got today from Tom Halfpap at Suntrust Mortgage.

Tom was already among the most sought-after loan officers in Woodbridge, 20+ years ago, when I left Fortune 500 America to start my own real estate company.

You must remember, not all loan officers are alike, they are not cookie-cutter stamped out of one mold.

The ordinary loan officer has, on average, just three (3) years experience.

The mortgage business is demanding. The business is fast-paced, over-regulated, complex, and often quite complicated.

Only smart and tough people like Tom Halfpap, with superior math skills, plus good "people" skills to THRIVE over 25 years in mortgage banking.

Tom got the early scoop on new rules from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that shall make it easier to buy an FHA foreclosed home.

So I did a copy/paste of Tom's inside scoop into my blog.

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New HUD Policy Created to Allow Quicker Foreclosure Re-sales!

Effective February 1, 2010 the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will relax FHA rules that prohibit insuring mortgages on homes that are owned by the seller for less than 90 days - a move that could help expedite the rehabilitation and resale of foreclosure properties.

In a housing market where tighter lending requirements have made FHA financing the only option for some buyers, this 90-day policy has (1) kept some homebuyers from being able to purchase affordable homes and (2) prevented the quick resale of foreclosed properties, which affects the ability of communities to stabilize and rebuild.

Research has shown that the buying, fixing, and reselling of foreclosed properties is often achieved in less than three months time.

The temporary waiver, which will expand access to FHA mortgage insurance to many, will be in effect for a period of one year, unless extended or withdrawn by the FHA.

With this in mind, now may be an excellent time to contact clients who have recently purchased a foreclosed property and those who may be on the fence about purchasing a foreclosure as a short-term investment.

"FHA borrowers, because of the restrictions we are now lifting, have often been shut out from buying affordable properties," said FHA Commissioner David H. Stevens. "This action will enable our borrowers, especially first-time buyers, to take advantage of this opportunity."

To ensure FHA borrowers are protected from inflated prices, the policy has certain restrictions, including:

All transactions must be arms-length and there can be no identity of interest between the buyer and seller.
If the sales price of the property is 20 percent or more above the seller's acquisition cost, the lender must meet specific conditions for the waiver to apply.
The waiver is limited to forward mortgages, and cannot be used under the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) purchase program.

You can read the full text of the waiver on HUD.gov.

Sincerely,

Tom Halfpap
SunTrust
(202) 716-6052
thomas.halfpap@suntrust.com

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

Equal Housing Opportunity

Real Estate News For Woodbridge With 2009 Sales Record

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:15:34 -0600

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.

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.

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