Tips for Buying Bristow Homes and Condos

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

Tips for Buying Bristow Homes and Condos

Preparing to Sell Your Bristow Home


Experienced agents know what puts prospective buyers off when they view a home, especially Bristow. For example, when buyers find dirty dishes in the sink, notice offensive pet odors or spot obvious stains suggesting a leaking roof they begin to devalue the property. Some buyers may decide to pass on the house completely while others may think about making an offer way below the asking price. So, a good agent’s first step is to help the homeowner see the house as others will see it and take care of problems.


Bristow Homeownsers Insurance


Bundle your Bristow insurance policies. Some companies that sell homeowners, auto and liability coverage will take 5 to 15% off your premium if you buy two or more policies from them.

Reduce Your Risk. Find out from your insurance company what steps you can take to make your Bristow more resistant to natural disasters. If you live in an older home, look into modernizing your heating, plumbing and electrical systems to reduce the risk of fire and water damage.


Guidelines for Buying Bristow


Let’s say everything is a GO! You have found the perfect Bristow home. You know you can afford it and it is actually priced below what you expected to pay. What a bargain! Yes there are bargains to be found in Bristow. At this point it is fine to put in an offer on the property but only with a well-planned contingency. Of course, it the home is going to be financed, the lender will want a Home Inspection before agreeing to lend money on the property. However, you need to protect yourself by making an offer SUBJECT TO a clean bill of health from the Home Inspector of your choice. This kind of a contingency gives you an out if the inspector finds a problem with the roof, or foundation or other structural problem that was not apparent to the seller or to your agent. This does not mean you will not buy the house but you will have a good reason to renegotiate the price with the seller.


Before You Buy Your Bristow Home


Whether you are a first time buyer or someone who is moving up to a more expensive home it’s a good idea to start by cleaning up your credit report. Let’s say you apply for a loan to purchase an Bristow condo, town home, single-family home or any type of Bristow. The lender will check out your monthly income and outgo to determine if you can afford to repay the loan. Therefore, it is to your advantage to pay off as many high-interest consumer loans as possible. If you are planning on buying a car, a boat or other major purchase, put it off until after you have bought your selected Bristow real estate. Lenders look for certain patterns they consider red flags. These are: late payments, overextension, liens, garnishments and, of course, bankruptcy. Remember, debts reduce the amount of cash you can spend on the Bristow you want to buy, so clear the decks as much as possible before applying for a loan


The Benefits of Selling Bristow


If your Bristow holdings consist of both a personal residence and a rental, you can sell your personal residence and exclude up to $250,000 ($500,000 for a married couple) on the gain. Then you move into your rental, live in it as your personal residence for two years and then sell it, again benefiting from the $250,000 or $500,000 exclusion. This is true even though most or all of the increase in value occurred before you converted the property to your personal residence.

What Makes Bristow Sell?


Books have been written about this topic but to be concise, successful sale depends on six factors: Price; Terms; Location; The Home's Condition; The Home’s Accessibility and the Marketing exposure the Bristow receives.

Price is what a willing seller and a willing buyer agree on. Price is determined by the current market, which fluctuates causing home values and prices to fluctuate. Often Bristow that does not sell is over-priced for the current market. Terms can vary as well. Some owners want payment in full, some are willing to carry a second.

Location is a major consideration in pricing and desirability for Bristow. Has the neighborhood gone to pot or does it look like a street at Disneyland? Are there open spaces nearby or is the home located in the middle of commercial district?