 |
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
|
|
|
|
|
News About Bristow Real EstateBristow Home Improvement
Don't underestimate how much projects will cost. Expenses usually are added, not subtracted. Homeowners, even Bristow homeowners, routinely go 20% to 30% over budget. Remember, it is common to under budget cost and time.
When remodeling for resale, don't waste time with renovations that won't pay off. If you must have a pool, you still may have to lower your expectations on who will be interested in buying. The National Association of Realtors/Remodeling magazine study has identified four renovations that show the greatest return at resale: improvements to siding, windows, kitchens and bathrooms. Remember you have a lot invested in Bristow.
Bristow 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 Bristow. 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 Bristow 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.
Bitten by the Bristow Home Improvement Bug?
Before you finalize your decision regarding remodeling versus moving, it is wise to get a professional estimate of your Bristow 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.
Building Bristow Home Equity
A popular question from prospective Bristow homebuyers relates to building home equity. Buyers like to estimate how much a home may increase in value based upon past appreciation. One of the many advantages of home ownership is that appreciation is based on the home’s market value rather than on the actual dollar amount invested or the down payment so that a $100,000.00 home that appreciates 5% is now worth $105,000.00, especially in Bristow.
With a typical 30-year loan, most of your monthly payment goes toward interest payments with only small amounts going to the principle in the early years. Only half the principle is repaid in the first 23 years of the loan. You can build Bristow home equity faster by choosing a 15-year loan instead of a 30-year loan.
Choosing Your Bristow Neighborhood
You’ve probably heard about the three major determinants of Bristow values are: 1) location, 2) location and 3) location. This is not only true about real estate in Bristow; it is true about real estate in general. If you cannot afford what you want where you want it, give up something inside the house rather than settling on a lesser location.
Bristow SALES
When you are thinking of buying Bristow, it may make sense to get a clear picture of the Bristow market before you get too far into your search. It is important to know the current market’s strengths and weaknesses so that you can make wise real estate decisions accordingly.
|
|
|
