The owners contacted me after reading a number of blog articles I had written about DoD HAP benefits and we discussed their eligibility for the program and next steps.  The tenants who live in the property are also military and were helpful in working with us on showings. 

This is our 36th closing on homes in the Northern Virginia area since the HAP program was approved.  We’ve been fortunate to work with so many families who had the option to use the benefits offered by the program in our down market.  For all of these families it would have meant holding on to their homes for many years or face a short sale or VA Compromise sale.

The tenants have a new landlord for a short period of time while they pack up for their move.  We look forward to our next DoD HAP settlement next week just a few miles up the road in Springfield VA.

If you are a military family in the Northern Virginia area give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call at 703-346-2213 to talk about your options.  The deadline for DoD HAP applications is quickly approaching.

One of the reasons is lower inventory.  For example in Fairfax County VA the inventory is down 20.5% over April of last year.  This of course means more competition for the homes that are priced right and ready to go.  Total sales volume is up 17.34% and the average sale price is up 2.21%.

If you are a buyer in today’s Northern Virginia market you need to plan ahead.  The first step is to make sure you have gotten yourself pre-approved for a loan.  It isn’t difficult to do and often can be done with major lenders on-line or in one simple meeting.  Understanding what you can afford can save you a great deal of heartache and since the market is competitive it may put you one step ahead.

Make sure you have your down payment money ready.  If you are first time buyer getting a gift from a parent go ahead and get the money in the bank along with the gift letter for your lender.  Look at all of the contingencies in your offer and determine which ones you can tighten up and which ones you can avoid.  Though I would never recommend to a client to pass on a home inspection there are ways to make it seem less of a hurdle to a seller by considering qualifying the inspection for major issues only.

Make your earnest money deposit a serious one.  Sellers want to know you have some skin in the game.  A $500 deposit on a $400,000 house doesn’t say to a seller you are serious.  Even if you are getting a 100% VA loan you need to make your deposit one that will catch the sellers attention.  Forget what you’ve heard from your friends that all sellers are going to give you 3% of the sales price towards closing costs.  In a competitive situation asking for the seller to help you buy the house may not work to your advantage.

Finally make sure your offer is complete.  Check and recheck all of the pages and make sure they are filled out.  Many offers end up in the shredder because they are poorly written.  The seller and the listing agent are interested in having to make multiple corrections in order to get an offer ratified.

House hunting doesn’t have to be frustrating and with a little planning you will be ready to make an offer on the home of your dreams.

Fairfax County Farmers Market Location and Schedule
Smart Market Locations

Some county residents are lucky to have garden plots to grow their own produce offered through the Fairfax County Park Authority.  The waiting list for a garden plot can be a couple of years so while you are waiting for the chance to grow your own you can buy from the local vendors who come to the area 5 days a week.

Another alternative is to have fresh produce and meats delivered through Community Shared Agriculture (CSA).  There are a number of growers who deliver to the Northern Virginia area.  You buy a “share” in the farm and for your purchase of the share you are treated to a year round supply of fresh food.

Virginia CSA Farms

Video by Fairfax County Government

In comparing the ad to a listing I sold on Kempton Drive it struck me how 50 years since the Kings Park neighborhood was built many of the homes still look the same.

Most of the homes have been updated but occasionally you still run across one of the blue, green or yellow original bathrooms. Prices in the neighborhood have changed since the 1960′s but the nice sized treed lots are the same.   Kings Park is close to multiple shopping centers and there are a variety  commuting options for owners to get to DC, Fairfax City, George Mason University, Fort Belvoir or just about anywhere in the nations capitol region.

Check out what’s for sale now in Kings Park.  If you are interested in learning more about the options in the neighborhood or any of the Kings Park properties currently for sale just hit the contact us button and we’ll get back to you.

Showing properties 1 - 7 of 7. See more Kings Park in Springfield VA.
(all data current as of 5/17/2012)

1. $425,000 : 5227 Perth Ct, Springfield
   
   5 beds, 2 full baths

   Lot size: 13,200 sqft
2. $485,000 : 5505 Southampton Dr, Springfield
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,860 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,500 sqft
3. $465,000 : 8612 Victoria Rd, Springfield
   
   5 beds, 3 full baths

   Lot size: 15,067 sqft
4. $449,990 : 8614 London Ct, Springfield
   
   5 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 1,900 sq ft

   Lot size: 14,508 sqft
5. $454,000 : 5507 Rolling Rd, Springfield
   
   5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Lot size: 10,500 sqft
6. $335,000 : 5526 Callander Dr, Springfield
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Lot size: 11,399 sqft
7. $429,900 : 8718 Kenilworth Dr, Springfield
   
   5 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,994 sqft

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Seems hard to believe when many have the impression of Woodbridge as a the low end of the area market.

The biggest cluster of high end homes is in the Beaver Creek, River Falls and Coventry Glen neighborhoods.  This is an interesting change from previous years when the more expensive home sales were in the western part of the county in the Haymarket area.  The price range on the top 10 sales ranged between $586,000 to $815,000.  Nothing over $1 Million so far in 2012.

There is some higher price inventory lurking to be sold so expect these numbers will change as we move through the summer.  For now though it’s a little interesting tidbit for the Woodbridge VA real estate market.

Click below to see the current most expensive listings in PWC.

Top 10 most expensive active listings in Prince William County

For more information on any listings in Prince William County including the neighborhoods of River Falls, Beaver Creek and Coventry give CJ Realty Group a call at 703-346-2213.

It’s also a reminder that the deadline for applications for service-members who qualify under PCS HAP is quickly approaching.  You must have your application in the hands of the HAP office no later than September 30, 2012.  Though fall may seem like it is a long way off, it really isn’t.

Make sure if you live in the Northern Virginia area and were stationed at Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon, Quantico or any of the Military District of Washington installations that you hiring an agent experienced with DoD HAP sales to list your home.  The program has changed numerous times since it was first implemented and what is on the website is not necessarily how the program operates today.  Knowing whether you should undertake a “private sale” or follow the “government acquisition” option is critical to how your home should be marketed and contract addendum’s written.

I receive a lot of phone calls and email inquires from both agents and service-members with questions about the process.  When I hear a homeowner tell me their agent has hired a 3rd party negotiator to work with their lender or an agent say they are going to list the house at a fire sale price, I cringe.  With the next two closings we will have successful closed 37 HAP transactions without a single file returned for under value sales price or an unqualified service-member.

If you are on the fence as to whether to sell your Northern Virginia home with HAP benefits it won’t hurt to file your paperwork and then decide.  The real estate market in Northern Virginia is currently holding steady and our inventory is low.  Homes are creeping back up to 2003 values but have a long way to go to return to the value that many paid in 2005 and 2006.  Remember the cut-off date for your home purchase under HAP is still June 30, 2006.

Let me know if I can be of any help with your DoD HAP home sale here in Northern Virginia.

So are short sales the place to write the low ball offer? The data says NO. Check out the List to Sale Price Ratio in Fairfax County for the last 6 months.

Short sales are also smaller part of the market than they were a few years ago. Look at the number of active listings in Fairfax County showing the number of active short sales to non-mediated bank sales.

What does this mean for buyer’s looking at homes now in Fairfax County, VA? It means if you decide you want to make a low ball offer be prepared for rejection. Work closely with an agent to look at the data for the specific neighborhood where you want to live. Look at the details of the home you are interested in and compare apples to apples. Prices are still well below the peak of our market in 2005 to 2007 making almost any home you buy a good deal even if you have to pay 95% of the list price.

15218 Chula Pl, Woodbridge, VA 22193 (MLS # PW7822905)

View Virtual Tour

The main level of this brick front detached colonial features an open floor plan large kitchen, sunroom & family room w/gas fireplace. First floor office & dining room. The master suite has vaulted ceilings & sitting room w/fireplace. Lower level with large recreation room, den and full bath. Fenced backyard & deck. Enjoy the community pool and walks around the lake.

Property Type(s): Residential for Sale, Detached for Sale

Schools

Additional Details

Features

Location

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Listed with CJ Realty Group, Inc.

(view all details for MLS #PW7822905)

This morning I fielded a distressing call from a home seller who was qualified for the DoD Homeowners Assistance Program.   They were not in my area but when they were looking for answers to some questions about the process they found my blog posts on the program.  All I can say after our conversation was WOW.

The agent they hired indicated they understood the DoD HAP program butwas leading them down a path likely to cause them problems (an understatement) if they continued in the direction they were headed.  My advise…call their agents broker ASAP and make sure they put a plan into action to get themselves back on track.  I said the agent was welcome to call me so I could talk them through what they need to know.

It brought home the point Realtors® need to make sure we are  work within our area of expertise.  Article 11 of the Realtor® Code of Ethics states:   “REALTORS^® shall not undertake to provide specialized professional services concerning a type of property or service that is outside their field of competence unless they engage the assistance of one who is competent on such types of property or service, or unless the facts are fully disclosed to the client. Any persons engaged to provide such assistance shall be so identified to the client and their contribution to the assignment should be set forth.”

It takes time and knowledge to learn the basics of just regular real estate.  When you throw in the options for short sales, auctions, REO’s, DoD HAP sales and more it doesn’t take long to become overwhelmed.  Hopefully these sellers get back on track and their sale can be salvaged.   If you are a home seller make sure you ask for proof when an agent tells you they are experienced with your situation.  References are one of the best ways to start and every Realtor® should be more than willing to share them with you.

Why do I call it a hot spot?  As of today (April 17, 2012) there have been 25 listings in Rolling Valley for the year.    There have been 7 sold and settled transactions, there are 9 under contract and currently 9 active listings.

What makes Rolling Valley popular with buyers?  Location is certainly one of the factors.  Right off the Fairfax County Parkway it is easy to access the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station, as well as multiple nearby park and ride lots.  The neighborhood offers easy access to Ft. Belvoir, NGA and the Pentagon.   Rolling Valley is in the West Springfield HS Pyramid and close to multiple shopping centers for groceries and restaurants.

Prices for sold properties ranged from $379,000-$449,000.  Due to the difference in models of homes in the neighborhood prices can vary widely and can range up to just below $600,000 in the current market.

If you are interested in more information on homes for sale in Rolling Valley or any of the other West Springfield neighborhoods give us a call at 703-346-2213.

Showing properties 1 - 9 of 9. See more Rolling Valley West Springfield.
(all data current as of 5/17/2012)

1. $439,900 : 7110 Galgate Dr, Springfield
   
   4 beds, 4 full baths

   Lot size: 10,490 sqft
2. $554,900 : 8714 Arley Dr, Springfield
   
   4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Lot size: 10,743 sqft
3. $449,900 : 8310 Greeley Blvd, Springfield
   
   6 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,289 sq ft

   Lot size: 11,835 sqft
4. $524,000 : 8300 Greeley Blvd, Springfield
   
   5 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,350 sq ft

   Lot size: 13,382 sqft
5. $429,900 : 7012 Ashbury Dr, Springfield
   
   3 beds, 3 full baths

   Lot size: 11,828 sqft
6. $425,000 : 8601 Arley Dr, Springfield
   
   5 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Lot size: 11,281 sqft
7. $519,900 : 7003 Sontag Way, Springfield
   
   4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,034 sq ft

   Lot size: 12,805 sqft
8. $429,900 : 6607 Holford Ln, Springfield
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Lot size: 10,558 sqft
9. $559,900 : 7139 Sontag Way, Springfield
   
   5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,774 sq ft

   Lot size: 9,387 sqft

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.