Halloween Events Through October 2015. Get spooked at a haunted house, romp around a pumpkin patch or go on a haunted city tour. Pumpkin Festivals Through October. Some of the region’s pumpkin patches open at the end of September. Find out where the best pumpkin patches and fall festivals are… read more →
Do you want to pay an extra one or two months’ rent? Of course not!. But your security deposit probably represents one to two month’s rent, and countless renters never see that money again. Here are six tips to avoid losing thousands to lost security deposits. Take Photos or Video… read more →
Ralph Waldo Emerson once described a weed as, “a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” Might we not consider garbage in the same way? One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, after all. To the non-recycler, an empty bottle is garbage. To the reuse enthusiast, that empty bottle could… read more →
Buying a flipped home is like negotiating a Cold War treaty: Trust, but verify. Flippers often make just a few cosmetic changes before they resell a house. With fresh paint and new appliances, what’s not to love? Frequently, flippers target projects the next buyer would have had to tackle anyway.… read more →
Your Glossary to Mortgage Lending Adjustable Rate Mortgage A mortgage loan were the interest rate adjusts periodically based on the changes of a specified index such as the one-year Treasury Bill or the LIBOR. Amortization The calculation of the amount of the installment payment it takes to pay off the… read more →
There’s more that goes into buying a home for the first time besides shopping online for mortgage rates. To find the perfect home, you have to log off of the computer, get in your car and see homes for yourself. One way to do that is visiting open houses. First-time… read more →
The latest study from Harvard University found that half of the 43 million renter households in the U.S. spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent payments. A shortage of affordable housing units combined with increased housing costs means it’s more important than ever for low-income, elderly and disabled… read more →
Festivals are one of the main themes of the fall season in Virginia, and they’re the perfect places to sample authentic Virginia flavors. From fresh pies to seasonally-flavored craft beer, the tastes alone will set you on an every-weekend course to the next festival. Cox Farms Fall Festival Centreville, Va… read more →
No for-sale house is ever perfect. But some houses are in better shape and consequently easier to sell than others. If yours isn’t one of the stars, but you still need to sell it for the highest possibly price, it’s going to take more than low mortgage rates to attract a… read more →
Location is a huge factor in successful homeownership. Just a mile—in some cases just a city block—can make a difference in home values, health risks, crime and the general quality of life for you and your family. Everyone has different priorities, but neighborhoods that are more likely to cause trouble for… read more →