Archive for January, 2009
You are out searching the internet for a home and you land on a sight that says “search here” for your new home and you click the link. Immediately the site asks for your name, email address and for additional information on the home you are looking for.
As soon as you fill in those fields and click submit you may have just become a lead purchased by a real estate agent who now has all of your contact information. Not only will you get a list of homes that meet your search criteria but anything else they may have programmed into their “lead capture” system for days, weeks and months into the future.
It is happening every day to thousands who are following the trend of today’s buyers who search the internet first before contacting an agent. The leads are funneled to agents who have purchased “territories” for a set fee per month. Certainly lead capture is what a typical sales agent wants to do. If you take Sales 101 it is clear that the only way to fill your funnel is to capture as many leads as you can at the top of the funnel and hope that you are able to work those leads until they become prospects and then customers. The more leads at the top of the funnel the better chance you have of one or two customers popping out of the bottom of your funnel.
The question is do you want to be a purchased lead? Are you just looking for a site that allows you to search for available homes without having to register? Then feel free to use my search site. You don’t have to register in order to take a look around. If you want to save your searches or have searched sent to you on a regular basis then you will have to register. But I’m not going to spam you with loads of unwanted emails about buying a home. If you come back and have questions that aren’t answered on my blog or my website then you can call me to chat. If you want to sit and talk in person we can do that too. No hassle and no pressure. If I’m the agent you want to work with to buy your new home even better.
I’m not going to “purchase” your business I’m going to earn it.
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There is a lot of negative information in both the local and national press that seems to be keeping potential buyers in rentals in Northern Virginia. This market is also a golden opportunity for buyers who have been waiting for the “right time” to buy a home. We have seen prices in some Northern Virginia areas drop as much as 50% and now interest rates are have dropped as well. The time to get off the fence may have arrived.
Buying a home is NOT FOR EVERYONE and if you are looking a home purchase in today’s market as a short term buy then you probably shouldn’t buy now. If you are looking for an investment property this could be a great time as rentals are in demand and if you are looking to move up or downsize even though your current home is worth less the price of the new home you want to buy is most likely lower at an equal amount.
With those thoughts in mind here are some tips on taking advantage of today’s market:
If you need to sell another home before you can buy then get in on the market. Don’t wait for the mythical spring market to list your home. Talk to an agent now about the value of your home and what you need to do to get it ready for the market.
If you are going to require financing for your new home then talk to a lender now. Loans requirements are changing daily. Knowing the type of loan you are qualified for, getting the documents you need in order and being comfortable with the bottom line should be a top priority.
If you have CASH use it. Right now cash deals are at the top of the heap and can often garner the best deals. That does not mean you should liquidate your assets. However if you have a property to sell and you are downsizing you might be able to make a cash offer to another seller or a builder that will garner you an even better deal that the advertised price.
Be able to close quickly. This goes hand and hand with the first three tips. If your home is solidly under contract or if you have your loan ready to go, a quick close will appeal to just about everyone.
If you are a first time buyer, hire an agent to work for you. You can spend all the time you want cruising the internet for your new home but a good buyers agent can also help you find the a reputable local lender to work with, help narrow your search criteria and protect your interests when you are ready to write an offer. It can’t be said enough times that the listing agent works for the seller and not you.
Consider foreclosures. Not all foreclosures are money pits or trash pits. In fact in our area with the amount of new construction that happened over the last few years you can find condos, townhouses and detached homes that are almost as good as new.
Ask for the property history. Your agent should be able to provide you not only a comparative market analysis for the neighborhood but show you the listing and sales history for the home you are considering. Knowing whether the home is currently overpriced and how long it has been on the market are key components of making the right offer. Low ball offers are not the way to buy a home in this market. Despite what a friend might tell you trust your Realtors advise Don’t waster your time offering pennies on the dollar.
Understand that the market may still decline in some neighborhoods. But also remember if interest rates rise then the higher rate you pay for a loan will wipe out the difference in a small price decrease.
And finally remember that the long term value in our area . We have historically recovered from economic downturns in our real estate market. Our area offers good employment, education and quality of life opportunities not found in all areas of the US.
If you are exploring a new home purchase in the next 6 months give me a call. We can meet over a cup of coffee and talk about whether buying a home is the right decision for you.
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How fast can you put a home on the market? Can you do it in an hour? Can you do it in a day? On a recent listing appointment a seller indicated that a previous agent suggested if they signed the listing agreement right then they could have the house on the market tomorrow. Gasp!
Sure I can run home and put the basic data in the MLS. I don’t have to fill in all the data fields or at least not correctly and certainly I don’t care if you clean your house or we take any photos to give buyers an idea of how great your home is. We can slap that puppy on the market and sit back and wait and wait and wait for a buyer to show up at the door.
Or perhaps we could do some prep work and make sure that your home is ready the moment the first buyer walks in the front door. In our current market in Northern Virginia the adage “you only get one chance to make a good first impression” is alive and well. Photos, color brochures, websites and complete MLS data are just a few of the up front activities that need to take place before your home hits the market.
Then there are the things you need to do. De-cluttering, cleaning and touch-ups don’t happen over-night unless you happen to have a crew of worker bees on call. Northern Virginia buyers are picky and want your home to be close to perfect before they will put it on the short list.
If an agent suggests to you that if you sign the listing agreement right away they can put your home on the market overnight stop and think about it. Unless your home is already picture perfect then you might want to do a reality check. A well prepared home and listing are the best way to put the SOLD sign in your yard!
Check out my latest tour of a new listing in the Westridge Community in Prince WIlliam County
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Lake Ridge VA-Avoiding the Cookie Cutter House Syndrome
January 4th, 2009 Categories: Focus on Prince William
Tucked away among the trees off of Old Bridge Road in Prince William County is the community of Lake Ridge. With over 7000 detached homes, townhomes and condominiums a buyer can find just about any type of home at a price that fits their budget within Lake Ridge.
As you drive through each of the different sections of Lake Ridge you will get a true sense of “small town America.” Frequent community events including Youth Flag Football, T-Ball, Summer Camps, Yard Sales, and Holiday Parades give everyone young and old a chance to meet their neighbors.
With multiple grocery stores, plenty of places to eat and a nice mixture of small shops residents of Lake Ridge don’t have to drive far to find everyday necessities. When the need arises Lake Ridge is only a few miles from the huge Potomac Mills Outlet Mall, Ikea, Costco, Lowes and Home Depot.
If your family includes children there are 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school and 1 high school all within the community. Many children can walk to school and for the others it is a short bus ride. There are also a number of pre-schools located within the boundaries of the community as well.
Looking for recreation activities? Then Lake Ridge is the place for you. If you are a runner join the Ridge Runners Club, launch a small boat Hooes Run Boat Ramp, play tennis at one of the seven courts, swim at one of the five pools, or join one of the many other clubs that meet at one of the two community centers. If that isn’t enough for you Prince William County Park Authority also operates Lake Ridge Park with a 9 hole golf course and a small marina.
Lake Ridge has always been popular with military families who find themselves with orders to Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon or Quantico. Not only are all of the reasons listed above important to military families but the drive to Fort Belvoir is within 30 minutes or less depending on where you live in the community. There are multiple options for commuting to the Pentagon including slug lines, bus routes from commuter lots and the VRE with transfer points to the Metro. Quantico is a reverse commute on either I-95 or Route 1.
So if you are looking for a neighborhood where the developers left the cookie cutters at home then give me a call to take a tour of Lake Ridge. Let’s see if this Prince William County community is the next place you want to call home.
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The Secret Life of Bloggers-Finding Free WiFi Where You Least Expect It
January 2nd, 2009 Categories: Out and About
Anyone who finds spends a few hours a day blogging knows that you can become weary of looking at the walls in your office, either at home or elsewhere. So you venture out into the world to make connections not only with people but with the free WiFi spots around your area.
Recently I learned of a new free WiFi spot in Woodbridge, Virginia. The obvious spots are Starbucks and Panera Bread with a number of locations around the area. The not so obvious one is the second level lounge/eating area at Wegmans grocery store.
It just so happened that when I stopped in at Wegmans after dropping off brochures at a new listing in Potomac Club, my little 9 inch laptop was in my bag. Figuring I’d write myself a few notes and maybe even a blog post while I had some lunch from one of their fabulous prepared food areas I pulled out the computer and fired the mini up. Viola a wireless connection icon appeared and sure enough a live internet connection.
If you live in the Woodbridge or Dumfries area and are hungry, stopping by Wegmans for a bite to eat is an experience in itself. Discovering that you can log on to a wireless network while you eat lunch and people watch, should make Wegmans a local favorite for bloggers and anyone else who needs an escape from their home office.
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