Manassas Homes / A Guide for Buyers and Sellers

DC METRO REAL ESTATE

Serving the Real Estate needs of the communities of Manassas, Bristow, Haymarket, Warrenton, Gainesville and Culpeper  in Northern Virginia


Dave Scardina  
Broker / Owner

703-829-SOLD

866-909-0900

Manassas Homes / A Guide for Buyers and Sellers

Manassas Real Estate...Homeowners Insurance


Manassas real estate Insurance costs can vary by hundreds of dollars depending on the insurance company from which you buy your policy. There are different types of policies that differ in the amount of coverage they provide. The most popular type is called HO-3. This kind of policy offers Area property protection and liability insurance. Manassas real estate or property protection means that you will be reimbursed for losses or damages to the house and its contents. Liability Insurance protects you against personal liability, medical payments for injuries to others and damage to other people’s property. There are policies with more extensive coverage and are usually called “deluxe” or “executive” policies. If you do major remodeling to your home, make sure you upgrade your coverage. If you have an office in your home, you might want to consider special insurance for your computer equipment.

Manassas Real Estate Cycles


What makes most sense is the "buy and hold" strategy. Buy a home you expect to remain in for at least seven years or more. Manassas is no different than most, although the Manassas market does have it's own special circumstances.

Want to get a clear and up-to-date picture of the Manassas real estate market? Call me at any time. I am happy to share my knowledge of the real estate market with homeowners and prospective homeowners who want to take advantage of market trends to buy and/or sell wisely.


Manassas Homebuyers Quandry


Before you begin your next home search, make sure the Manassas you have is Market Ready. If painting or landscaping or repairs need doing, get them done. If you are going to go out house-hunting you may save yourself a lot of heartache and headache if your house is ready to be listed at a moment’s notice.

In many cases the amount you expect to realize from your existing Manassas real estate will determine the price you can afford to pay for your next home. Start with a Comparative Market Analysis so you will know about how much you can afford to spend.


Manassas Homebuyers Quandry


When you find the home you want to buy you may make an offer contingent upon the sale of your existing Manassas. In a Seller’s Market, offers with such contingencies are not well received because the seller must remove his home from the market while you sell yours. However there are times when this kind of offer is successful, even in the Manassas market. A backup strategy might be to put in your offer with a very long escrow giving yourself time to sell your home. Very few sellers will accept these kinds of contingencies or long escrows if your house is not already on the market.


Does Your Manassas Have Curb Appeal?


Good curb appeal is definitely an advantage to home sellers when prospective buyers visit your Manassas and can be an advantage in advertising in the newspaper and on the Internet. However, it is important to note that even a home with great curb appeal can look bad in an advertisement if the photographer did a bad job with the camera. A photograph of a Manassas home on a dreary day will look quite different from a photo of the same home when the sun is shining. Sometimes it is better to take a picture of a home from an angle rather than a straight on shot that may turn out to be more about the garage door than about the house itself.

Manassas DOWNTURNS


Real estate markets are affected by the economy as a whole and in turn, can affect the general economy. Of course, a buyer’s dream is to buy Manassas when prices are low and sell when prices are high. However, real estate is not exactly like other forms of investment and most people become comfortable and attached to their homes and are not interested in selling just because the market is right.