Archive for the 'Relocating' Category
It’s More Than a Matter of Inches
September 13th, 2008 categories: Military Installations, Relocating
“Why aren’t there any room sizes on the listing?”
I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve been asked this question by prospective home buyers, whether calling to inquire about a property for sale, or after I’ve handed them a copy of the property listing. Buyers are consumers. And, in most cases, consumers want to know exactly what they’re spending their cold hard cash on. Predictably, they’re interested in knowing whether or not the property suits their needs.
Home ownership is not a “one size fits all” business. For those of us who’ve picked up a “super-sized” dining or bedroom room suite during one of our duty tours abroad (does Germany ring a bell?), room size is a vital consideration when looking at a possible next home. Not being able to fit furniture in a particular room is not an option.
Many property listings include the total finished living space, but far fewer mention or provide the size of each of the rooms inside the property. For many prospective buyers, this is information that is sorely needed when making the decision on whether a home might be suitable for occupancy.
Room sizes are included in a property listing to provide buyers with an accurate picture of the property. These sizes are normally not included for one of three reasons:
1) The seller has requested they not be included.
2) The agent has chosen not to include them.
3) The listing agent has not taken the time or made the effort to determine what the room sizes are.
Do any of these reasons make sense? Of course, the seller has the right to do whatever they choose. However, the listing agent has no excuse for not including room sizes in the property listing. Their duty is to act in the best interest of their client.
Providing information about a property, through words, pictures, or virtual tours, is the primary means of informing the viewing/shopping, or buying public what you is being sold. In selling a home, less is not more. On the contrary, home buyers want more information. The Stafford & Fredericksburg areas aren’t lacking when it comes to informed consumers. As far as our clientele is concerned, the more informative and specific a listing agent is in describing a property in the Multiple Listing Service(MLS), the better.
Fortunately, if room sizes are not included, there are a couple of ways to determine what the actual room sizes are.
First, the property made have been listed previously. If so, the room sizes may be included in the previous listing. Secondly, the listing agent, or seller, may actually have a blueprint or house plan indicating room sizes. Finally, when all else fails, you can always take measures (literally) into your own hands. When viewing the house, pull out the tape measure and measure the room sizes yourself. Believe it or not, most homeowners won’t mind. Remember, they want the home to sell! If you measuring rooms will help accomplish that, then they’ll be more than happy to oblige.
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When Karaoke Just Won’t Do
September 10th, 2008 categories: Entertainment, Relocating
One of the many pleasures in life is being entertained. For some of us, the convenience of the family room and big screen T.V. on a Sunday afternoon is about as good as it gets. I mean, how many armchair quarterbacks have ever been wrong?
But, hopefully, other than your daily back and forth to work, you get out every now and then to enjoy the people, places and things your community has to offer. Our Stafford & Fredericksburg area offers a variety of entertainment outlets for both young and old. One of the attractions that suits just about any taste is the Bella Cafe which sits on Route 1, just North of Stafford, VA.
The Cafe is not your everyday attraction. While it’s been called a restaurant or eatery, it’s anything but. Known for its Tuesday and Thursday Chess nights, the pieces and chess boards are actually in use whenever there’s table space and players ready to play. While the chess nights seem to attract an older crowd, it’s the Open Mic nights on Friday and Saturday that really draws the twenty-something and younger crowd. The “open mic” is just that.
While there is the line-up of regular performers, the microphone is open for all comers. As a matter of fact, it’s the ideal place for any and all beginners to get some experience. Whether its an instrument you play, or you just like to sing, there’s no better place to get your feet wet. For those with a bit more experience, what better place to hone their skills? Most of us do our best singing in the shower. For us, Bella offers us a comfortable place just to sit back and enjoy the entertainment. You won’t be disappointed. Of course, what’s a Cafe without food?
Bella is an all day affair. In other words, it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. While open, food is served. Hours are:
Monday - Thursday 9:00AM - 10:00PM
Friday 9:00AM - 10:30PM
Saturday 9:00AM - 11:00PM
Sunday 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Menu items include many different offerings of various types of sandwiches, wraps, bagels, & soups, among other things. Drinks available include expresso drinks, gourmet coffees, smoothies, custard shakes, and the regular lineup of soft drinks. Teens stand in line for the 21 oz custard Brainfreeze which comes in an assortment of flavors. While I have yet to have one, the numbers don’t lie. The Brainfrreze must be tasty! But, it’s their Shrimp and Roasted Corn Bisque that I find hard to pass up. If a soup can be labeled gourmet, then it is gourmet.
The Bella Cafe isn’t you’re everday hangout. Not only is the food very good and the entertainment enjoyable, but, what keeps the faithful coming back is its charm and sense of community. So, next time you decide to turn off the big screen T.V. and head out for a bite to eat, by yourself or with friends and family, stop by the Bella Cafe. If you’re lucky, you may have the chance to listen to the next star of “America’s Got Talent.”
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When Finishing 5th Isn’t So Bad
September 6th, 2008 categories: Market Trends, Military Installations, Relocating
Today’s headlines were filled with good news. We’ve got Hannah & Ike coming to visit, and Freddie and Fannie are being marched off to their rooms for a bit of “quiet time.”
Actually, Hurrican Hannah came ashore yesterday off the coast of North Carolina. Today, in the heart of Virginia, we’re feeling her rath. Fortunately, according to the Weather Channel, it looks like her stepbrother Ike, who is in trail, will miss us. It appears he’ll be visting the Bahamas before heading off into the Gulf of Mexico. But, with the arrival of the storms clouds also came news that the nation’s two largest mortgage giants are the most recent victims of the mortgage crisis that’s devasted our real estate landscape for the past three years.
On Friday, the Federal Reserve made a call on the red phone (you do remember that 3 A.M. call, don’t you?) to inform Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae of its intention to place them under federal control. They’ll be placed into “conservatorship“. Into what, you say? According to the Fed, the good news is, the companies will continue to operate with the government backing their debt. The bad news is that their boards will be replaced, and their shareholders will be left holding the bag. Well, at least, that’s what they’re saying. But, let’s hope it isn’t the shareholders that are the only ones who’ll have to pay the price for gross mismanagement. But, enough of the bad news.
For anyone that’s travelled up and down I95 in Northern Virginia, rush hour traffic is not a pretty sight. The good news is, according to the recent Urban Mobility Study, the commute to Washngton D.C. ranked as the 5th worst commute in the nation. To be honest, I guess it’s kind of human to feel a bit better, knowing you don’t have it as bad as other folks. Besides, the actual study examinedf the 10 most wasteful cities in the country for commuters, based on fuel usage. What were the top four?
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
- Atlanta
- San Diego
Gridlock on our nations highways is never enjoyable. With today’s onboard GPS systems, traffic backups can, at times, be avoided. For those of us that live here, we can always find a way around I95. The “reroute” may take us a bit out of the way, but the added time may more than make up for the aggravation avoided. Besides, when the traffic gets bad, just remember, it could be worse.
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There’s Gold In Them There Hills!
September 4th, 2008 categories: Military Installations, Relocating
“The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong.”
from Coach Pete Carril’s book, “The Smart Take From the Strong”
In today’s digital world, these words have taken on special meaning. Those of us that have been involved in any type of physical competition can attest to the strong taking from the weak, the big beating up on the small. While bigger may not necessarily mean better, when to comes to physical prowess, it goes a long way. Who didn’t grow up with a neighborhood bully?
But, with today’s technology, what kind of online assistance exists for an effective and successful home search when shopping for your next home? Clearly, there are a number of very good online sources. Some of today’s most popular web sites with national coverage include:
These “home” sites not only provide the consumer with home listings but also are meant to be a one-stop shopping location for home buyers by providing links to lenders, insurance providers, maps, agents, and other helpful resources.
Once you’ve done a “macro” look at what’s out there, perhaps now it’s time to turn to the area expert, or local real estate agent to help narrow your search and actually do that “boots on the ground” looking. Nothing takes the place of a local real estate agent’s expertise. But, please remember, like any other profession, not all practitioners are the same. Some agents are better than others. So, please do your homework before enlisting the aid of an agent. For many of us, a referral from a trusted source is always a good place to start.
Many of our clients are inbound from overseas or deployed locations. Sometimes, the closest they’ve been to their next duty station or job is an ocean away, or, in some cases, they may be PCSing from the furthest reaches of the globe. So, reaching out to online sources may be their most effective and practical approach to home shopping before they actually move. The good thing is, much of the upfront work is best done via computer and phone, or e-mail.
While the web provides a wealth of real estate information for the purchaser, local expertise can answer questions for you that you probably won’t find anywhere online. And, if the agent doesn’t know the answer, they can certainly point you in the right direction. Remember, their duty is to you! But, more importantly, make sure your Realtor knows what you want. That may sound like the proverbial “no-brainer“, but believe it or not, sometimes that simple fact is overlooked, or more often, minimized instead of emphasized.
The bottom line is: The resources to optimize your home search are at your finger tips. Use them to educate yourself on neighborhoods, schools, cultural and recreational activites, churches, traffic patterns, and anything else that might impact your choice of a home and/or location. Equipped with those resources in hand, and a professional agent to assist you, you’ll have all the smarts necessary to find the home of your dreams.
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Whose Title Is It Anyway?
August 28th, 2008 categories: Market Trends, Relocating
One of the costs, or settlement costs, borne by the buyer when purchasing real estate is title insurance. It is one of the many “Title Charges” on the HUD-1, or Settlement Statement the buyer and seller reviews at the closing table during the real estate settlement. Title insurance is further broken down into lender’s coverage and owner’s coverage. Each of these serve an important purpose, as indicated, the former for the lender, the latter, the purchaser. And, as mentioned earlier, since this cost is normally the purchaser’s, it is an expense that needs to be understood clearly.
Title insurance is protection, plain and simple. Protection against what? Simply put, it protects those covered against claims against the property, or, more accurately, against the title to the property. These claims can range from unpaid real estate taxes, liens due to unpaid work done to the property, to a forged signature during the tranferrence of title. So, as you can see, the coverage can be characterized as an ”umbrella of sorts” insuring against many title problems. If there are any claims against the title, the insurance insures against the claims and any legal fees that arise.
Is title insurance required? Well, unless you’re paying cash, lenders want protection too. In this case, they want to protect the amount of the loan. So, yes, you’ll be required by your lender to get title insurance coverage. As a purchaser, it’s important to remember that this protection covers the lender but doesn’t protect your equity in the property. That’s where the owner’s coverage comes in.
Remember, the insurer has searched the title. But, nothing is 100% fool proof. That’s why insurance is needed.
Lastly, title insurance exists for both the property owner and the lender. The owner’s policy lasts as long as the insured owns the property, and is typically the purchase price paid. On the other hand, the lender’s policy is issued to lenders, and follows the assignment of the mortgage loan, thus facilitating the sale of mortgages in the secondary market to high volume purachers like Fannie Mae and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation(Freddie Mac).
The “closing table” is a welcome sight for all involved in the sale of a home transaction. After weeks or months of hard work, it is a “finish line” of sorts. For many, it represents a destination finally arrived at. The Settlement Statement or HUD-1 is used to explain who pays what, and is used by the Settlement Agent to itemize all charges to buyer and seller. Additionally, the agent is charged with clearly explaining to all parties involved who pays what, and why. One of those expenses paid by the purchaser is title insurance. Hopefully, the next time you’re sitting on the buyer’s side of the settlement table, you’ll know exactly what your title insurance is paying for. If not, please ask!
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Wanted: Leaders With Good Judgment
August 25th, 2008 categories: Market Trends, Relocating
“Judgment is absolutely the most essential element in presidential decision making…I cannot emphasize enough how important that elusive quality is; far more important than organization, structure, procedures, and machinery. These are all important, yes, but nothing compared to judgment”
These words, spoken by President Kennedy’s friend and longtime advisor Ted Sorensen, were in response to a question about Kennedy’s exercise of judgment during the Cuban Missile Crisis. As you can see, Mr. Sorensen emphasizes the importance of proper judgment in times of crisis. He goes on to include decisiveness as another necessary leadership trait. While Sorensen was focusing on Presidential Leadership, these traits, and judgment specifically, are “must haves” for any leader. Recent words and deeds from Stafford County’s Supervisors makes one wonder if the word “judgment” was absent from their job application.
First, we had the Business, Professional, and Occupational License (BPOL) tax approval by the Supervisors, despite overwhelming opposition (reported to be 9 to 1 against) from their constituents. Following this vote, most of the county’s residents were asking themselves, “Did we really elect this group?” The BPOL is a tax on gross receipts with no deductions and must be paid even if the business is losing money. Advocates see BPOL as an untapped source of revenue. Those opposed regard it as grossly unfair. The public hearing on the tax was long and heated, but at the end of the day (actually, the meeting ended about 3:00AM), the supervisors voted 4-3 in favor of the measure. While innocent observers may wonder how occurred, a simple viewing of this short video of the meeting speaks volumes. In other words, it kind of says it all…and, it ain’t pretty!
Last week another public forum discussion took place, another Supervisor’s public hearing, to discuss a controversial proposal to shrink the Urban Services Area (USA), portions of the county where public sewer lines can be extended and high density development is recommended. Current USA boundaries encompass about 46,000 acres. The new boundaries would remove over half - 26,000 acres - from the USA, and phase in another 5,000 acres by 2019.
A recent study by George Mason economist Stephen Fuller found if the boundary changes are adopted, Stafford County could potentially lose around $100 million in net revenue from business. While real estate taxes could rise to make up for the loss, it would essentially make the county a “high-cost location” from resident and businesses. Instead of attractive new residents and businesses, higher costs would have the opposite effect. Fuller’s study was paid for the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce who want supervisors to review it closely. Supervisors indicated they plan on evaluating the boundary proposal during next month’s work session.
For many Stafford County residents, there’s still plenty of room to grow. For others, any growth is bad growth. With any prospective venture, before we jump to conclusions, let’s try and make this a Win-Win resolution.
One of the first steps in getting there might be by making a stop at Smart Growth, the site of some of the best and brightest ideas for smart community growth. As they indicate, “In general, smart growth invests time, attention, and resources in restoring community and vitality to center cities and older suburbs. New smart growth is more town-centered, is transit and pedestrian oriented, and has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail uses. It also preserves open space and many other environmental amenities.” So, as you can see, it attempts to use the strengths and objectives of both sides of the argument to improve and expand communities.
It might be a good idea if that and other useful sources of information were “required reading” before next month’s Stafford County Supervisors get together. Judgment may be important, but it sure makes decision making a lot easier when you have the information you need before making a decision.
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