Manassas Real Estate News

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 Real Estate News

Manassas HOME BUYING MORTGAGE PITFALLS TO AVOID


ALL MORTGAGES ARE NOT ALIKE. There are far too many variables—type of mortgage, term, lender and amount of points to mention a few—not to investigate all of your options in Manassas. Don’t simply accept the first plan presented to you, whether it is from a mortgage broker, an agent or on the recommendation of a friend. Spend time comparing to get the best plan for you.

HOME INSPECTION – A MUST. If you should ever think about skipping the Manassas home inspection in order to save money, stop and give yourself a good shaking. In the scheme of things, the Home Inspection fee is small potatoes but it is a very important step for any buyer to take. Going without a Home Inspection or choosing an unqualified inspector puts you at risk for not knowing about potentially expensive or even hazardous defects in the property.

Manassas Real Estate Cycles


In the business cycle of real estate, there are buyers' markets and sellers' markets...and some markets in between. It is all based on supply and/or demand. Manassas is no exception.

There are times when the economy is brisk and everyone feels confident about his or her prospects for the future. As a result, they spend money. People eat out more, buy new cars, and... they buy houses, namely Manassas.

Then, for one reason or another, the economy slows down. Companies lay off employees and consumers are more careful about where they spend money, perhaps saving more than usual. As a result, the economy decelerates. When there are fewer people in the market to buy homes. This is true for the Manassas real estate market as it is for all markets nationwide.


Manassas Homebuyers Quandry


First time Manassas homebuyers have their issues to deal with and homeowners who want to move up, down or sideways have an entirely different set of problems. A homeowner’s first task is to counteract human nature. Humans must be genetically programmed to find their next home and then scramble to sell the one they have so they can afford the one they want. The Manassas market is no exception. Of course, this is contrary to good sense but since most people will go ahead with the Buy then Sell approach.

Manassas Homebuyers Quandry


Armed with the Comparative Marketing Analysis, it is time to approach your lender to see if you can get financing without selling your current Manassas. In most cases, financing will be contingent upon selling your home but you may be able to obtain interim financing sometimes known as a Bridge Loan.



Bitten by the Manassas Home Improvement Bug?


Before you finalize your decision regarding remodeling versus moving, it is wise to get a professional estimate of your Manassas home’s current value, the actual costs of moving to a different home and the estimated return on investment of the most common types of home improvement. I’ll be happy to provide you with a complimentary analysis of your home’s current value. Simply call or E-mail me whenever you are ready. As for improvements that traditionally bring the highest rate of return on investment, here are some statistics. Kitchen remodeling and adding a bath tends to bring rates of return with averaging anywhere from 85% to 95% return on your dollars spent. Compare that with the 64% return on investment for adding a home office.

Manassas INFORMATION


The Internet makes it easy to get Manassas information online from dozens of Websites that all have the same data. Beyond information on the Internet, experienced real estate agents and brokers who know the area well will be able to fill you in on details that usually do not show up on these online data bases.