Outside the Box-Sometimes You Just Need A Change

By Cindy Jones on August 31st, 2009

Sometimes you just get tired of the same old same old listing videos and need to change things around a bit.

Military Relocation-Options When You are Upside Down on Your VA Loan

By Cindy Jones on August 29th, 2009

Currently I’m working with a number of families in Northern Virginia who are qualified for the Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) but there is another option for military families who have received orders and are upside down on their home value.
If you have a VA Loan you may be eligible for a VA [...]

Buying a House for Pennies on the Dollar-Oh Really?

By Cindy Jones on August 23rd, 2009

As I’m driving along the highways of Northern Virginia the radio blares out an ad about a buyer who found a home for pennies on the dollar. They are estatic about the half price home they are now living in. But what does that really mean?
The property originally sold for $500,000 in [...]

Multiple Offers-Their Back!

By Cindy Jones on August 19th, 2009

When the market was sizzling hot in 2003-2005 buyers and their agents worked hard to come up with creative ways to get their offers noticed. Escalation clauses, waiving contingencies and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies arrived with hand delivered offers.
During 2006-2008 the market changed and the buyers had the upper hand. Lowball offers, [...]

Homeowners Assistance Progam (HAP) More Funding Proposed

By Cindy Jones on August 18th, 2009

As families currently eligible for the Department of Defense HAP program await updated guidelines to be published, additional funding is being proposed in the US Senate by Virginia Senator Jim Webb for Fiscal Year 2010.
Senate bill (S 1309) proposes an additional $350 million dollars to enhance the funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment [...]

Northern Virginia Short Sales-Not a Short Term Issue

By Cindy Jones on August 16th, 2009

It is a thought that has been rattling around in my head for awhile. How many years into the future will homeonwers and Realtors ® be dealing with short sales in Northern Virginia?
We hear officials (lenders, economists, etc) speak as if they think the short sale phenomena will run its course in the near [...]

Northern Virginia Housing Numbers Are In

By Cindy Jones on August 12th, 2009

NVAR has released the mid-year housing report for Northern Virginia. For anyone who is considering buying a home in Northern Virginia you have discovered that inventory is down and multiple offers are back in vogue. Take a look at the numbers as reported by Delta Associates and MRIS.

Should a Distressed Homeowner Get to Rent Their Home Back from the Lender?

By Cindy Jones on August 5th, 2009

A proposal being discussed in lender financial circles is whether an owner who has lost their home to foreclosure should be allowed to stay in the home, for up to 5 years at market rent. This proposal is a significant change from the current Freddie Mac REO Rental Initiative that allows current owners to [...]