Up or Down? How will our real estate market be in 2016?

Did you know that several Redskins players are amazingly frugal?

Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins, the Redskins’ quarterback, drives an old van because he likes to be frugal.

Kirk Cousins, the quarterback, drives an old van that used to belong to his grandparents.

Other players who make millions of dollars per year share 2-bedroom apartments with friends, ride their bikes to practice or drive their 1990’s college cars to work.

These players say that it makes sense to be frugal because while they are making pretty good money now, they never know when their income is going to change and they are going to go from enjoying the good times to dealing with the bad times.

The real estate market also reminds us that there are good times and bad times.

At the moment, we are enjoying a good time in Fairfax County

Not so long ago, in 2008, we went through a bit of a rough patch. Thankfully, it didn’t last very long and now we have been on a good patch for a while.

How long will this good patch last?

Nobody really knows, but so far, the last few months and the current market status point to a continuation of a strong market.

Let’s quantify this strong market…

Where are we in relation to the “market crash” of 2008?

Continue Reading…

How is the 2015 Real Estate Market (and what’s coming up)?

Have you heard?

The Fairfax County Real Estate Market is HOT!

Have you heard? The Fairfax County Real Estate Market is HOT!

The Real Estate Market in Fairfax County (and all of Northern Virginia) is H.O.T!

This year, we have been busier than we’ve ever been in the 13 years that we’ve been selling Real Estate in Northern Virginia.

So before writing this update, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the official statistics from our Multiple Listing Service to confirm my suspicions.

And WOW! The stats knocked my socks off.

Let me show you why the market is steaming hot:
Continue Reading…

When NOT to buy a home by school boundary

Sometimes it’s hard to fit a square peg into a round hole.   When you can’t find what you’re looking for, it’s time to think outside the box.

square peg round hole

Can’t find the right home by school?

The Vees are moving to Northern Virginia

A few weeks ago, I met a lovely family, the Vees, who are transferring to Northern Virginia in the near future.

Mr. and Mrs. Vee have 3 young children ranging from Kindergarten-age to a few months old.

Something that they were discussing was the possibility of buying a home using only one of their incomes since Mom would like to stay home more with the kids.

The Vees want a nice home

Like many of us, the Vees want a home with enough space for their growing family, a yard, and a remodeled kitchen.

The homes they liked weren’t in the boundaries they liked

Once we started looking at the homes for sale, they found that the homes that met their needs and their budget weren’t in the school boundaries that they liked.

And when they looked at the homes available in their favorite school boundaries, the homes didn’t meet their needs or their budget.

What to do, then?

Time to start thinking outside the school boundary “box”

Continue Reading…

The real estate market in Fairfax County is up 2.8%

We are well into the Spring season in 2015, and even tough we had an extended cold spell well into March, the real estate market in Fairfax County is warming up nicely.

The median sold price is up to $461,000

According to our local MLS, the median house price at the end of March of 2015 is $461K, up from $448.5K last March.  This represents an increase of 2.8% in the median sold price* for homes in Fairfax County.

Fairfax County Median Home Sold Price - March 2015

Fairfax County Median Home Sold Price – March 2015

But remember that these numbers represent the prices at which homes went under contract sometime earlier in the year (typically about 30-45 days earlier).

This means that buyers were willing to pay these prices in about mid to end of February 2015, when prices are usually still somewhat lower due to the the typical market cycle.

If prices are already up, what will happen for the rest of the year?

What can we expect for the rest of 2015?

Continue Reading…

Where are the shops and restaurants?

Marsha moved to her dream home last year. She loved the neighborhood, she loved the schools, she loved that it was close to her work.

She thought that she loved everything about it.

True craftsman home

Marsha’s dream home

Marsha loved *almost* everything about her new home

The one thing she didn’t consider before she moved was where the nearest shops and restaurants were.

Before she moved, she didn’t realize that she’d have to drive almost 20 minutes to pick up eggs and milk at the grocery store. Dropping a package off at the post office took 22 minutes each way. And, strangely, there wasn’t a coffee place anywhere in sight.

If you are planning on moving, you’ll want to know where the closest shops and restaurants are to your future new home. One way to do that is to drive around before you buy the home.

You could drive to find amenities near a home

Driving around would be a good way to find the nearest shops and restaurants to a home.

Or, you could “let your fingers do the walking” and start here.

You can find amenities here, at Home by School

You could also start by finding shops and restaurants here, at Home by School, on our Home Search App*.  By looking first at the general layout on the map, you will save yourself from doing lots of driving.

Home by School Home Search App

Home by School – Home Search App*

Our Home Search App* can help you select a home that is as close to the amenities as you would like it to be.

Find shops and restaurants on the Home Search App*

Continue Reading…

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