If you’ve been thinking about taking the plunge and buying a home, the last quarter of 2013 might just be the time to do it. Rates on fixed-rate loans are still appealing, and experts say it’s still cheaper to buy than rent. Some financial institutions are also a little more… read more →
What distinguishes a great neighborhood from the merely so-so? It’s a difficult question, encompassing everything from physical attributes such as good design to the right number of parks and public gathering places. Is it a charming Main Street, good schools or an abundance of interesting shops, restaurants and other diversions?… read more →
Many factors contribute to the experience and success of buying and selling homes, but even in the digital age of a more transparent real estate market, working with a good real estate agent continues to be one of biggest impacts on either side of the transaction. But how do you pick… read more →
Activity in the Washington DC Metro Region continues to be steady and strong as we enter fall. Sales increased in September as compared to this time last year. Pending contracts also increased, but at a slower rate than earlier this year. The increase in pending contracts was driven by condos… read more →
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) recently enacted a rule change allowing borrowers who have fallen into foreclosure, bankruptcy, or a short sale to become eligible for a brand new mortgage backed by the FHA in as little as one year from the date of their previous foreclosure auction, the date of closing… read more →
With the housing market heating up in many parts of the country, it can be hard to find the bargain homes that were common in the Great Recession, when many sellers were desperate to unload their homes. Today, Sellers trying to get as much money as possible. Nonetheless, it’s still possible… read more →
Beginning this week, thousands of home buyers will be unable to get approvals for their mortgages because of the government shutdown, potentially undercutting the nation’s resurgent housing market. Without paperwork from the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration and in many cases the Federal Housing Administration, banks and other… read more →
Mortgage rates crept up more than 1% from May to July. But are higher mortgage rates really so terrible? Is there a silver lining or two? Here are four benefits about rising mortgage rates. Rising Rates are Often a Sign of an Improving Economy Rising interest rates are, according to… read more →
The nation’s housing recovery continues, but the best news is that sales volume in our Northern Virginia footprint has increased by about 12 percent throughout 2013 above the number of homes sold year-to-date last year. August home sales in Northern Virginia continue to defy sequestration and interest rate increases and… read more →
Each decade has had its share of questionable home design, from the extensive wood paneling and Harvest Gold appliances of the 1970s to the next decade’s overuse of glass blocks, vertical blinds and country-style decor. Some of these serve as powerful buyer-repellant; others just ding the price, as people figure… read more →