If you have a friend who is looking for easy metro access, a 3 bedroom home and only wants to spend about $300k to $350k it will be tough. But here are my best suggestions:
The Huntington Metro is also an option at with homes at Bucknell Manor and the Fort Hunt area. This is a traditional 1950’s neighborhood with lots of trees and good schools. Huntington Metro has 4500 parking spaces, so it’s a great metro to live close to because you can park and ride.
I also like parts of Franconia near Van Dorn but there is no parking at the Van Dorn Metro. Springfield and Burke are quite suburban but there is parking at the Franconia Springfield Metro.
I doubt you can find anything in Alexandria or Arlington that comes close to fitting in your budget. It’s possible to find home not far from the Vienna Metro. If you head further out towards Centreville and Oakton you can might find a home that suits you and you can drive to park at the Vienna Metro.
snow at Belle View condos
I met a potential client who told me that she had been looking for two years for a condo. She called me because she wanted to see a particular property in Belle View. After establishing that she didn't have an agent, I showed her Belle View I practically had to drag here to see a property I thought she would like based upon her input. That property was Montebello, and she absolutely loved it and was amazed because she wouldn't have had a clue that Montebello existed if it wasn't for me.
A few days later, she wanted me to tag along to another property that she had found at my property search site. That prompted me to "set the record straight" with some frank talk.
Obviously, I would love the opportunity to be of service to her. I appreciate and value each client and always need one more client. But there are limits to what I can and will do and this is for the protection of both the client and myself.
Living room at Montebello
When I take on a client it is because I know I can add value to my client's end of the transaction. I add value by finding right property at the right price. As I have demonstrated to her and others, I know the condos of Northern Virginia very well. Additionally, I can be a pretty tough negotiator when the time calls.
Thus, if a client allows me to represent him or her, I think it's important that I go with the client whenever the client views properties (with the possible exception of open houses). So, to answer her first question, of course I want to go with a client when a client has interest in a property. But, when I see someone who has been looking for two years, three years, and has probably burned through a couple of agents who threw their hands up in frustration, I think it is important establish a few facts.
There are two primary reasons why a buyer takes a long time to select a property:
The buyer either has unrealistic expectations; or
The buyer does not have clearly defined goals.
When expectations are unrealistic the best thing that I can do as an agent is to apprise the buyer of reality and wish them well in their search. This is not because I'm a tough guy, but rather because it would ruin me a professional to chase the impossible. To use a metaphor, maybe bigfoot exists. I've heard that people saw
him. But if I made my living as a game hunter, I'm not going to spend my time (the only thing I really have) trying to catch bigfoot. I'll wish you well if you are looking for bigfoot, but I'll stick to game that I pull from the forest every single day.
In this case, the buyer had a reasonable assessment of reality but she didn't really know what she was looking for. In other words, she didn't have clearly defined goals.
The client's method for finding a condo was simple: she randomly searched the Internet and other media to identify prospects. She then visited the potential location and then moved on to something else. That method will use up a lot of time and energy. I'm not saying the random selection method NEVER works, but in this case the client had already spent two years and hadn't found the right property.
Obviously, a buyer needs to see some properties to get an idea of what is available. But what doesn't make sense is to randomly shop units to find what you want. Northern Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County) is a huge metropolitan market. There are so many condominiums in Northern Virginia that a person won't be able to see them all. (Unless like me, the only thing you do is look at condos all day.)
I told this client gently but firmly, what I thought made the most sense. I told her the truth. That is, instead of the client leading me around and letting me open doors so she could find a condo, I would play the part of the expert.
As an expert, I would asked pointed questions and listen carefully to her replies. In this way, we can define exactly what it is that the buyer is looking for. Then, after we have established the goals, then it makes sense to begin touring the selections that I recommend.
With each condominium we visit, I'll learn more about her needs and we'll get closer to the property that this client will eventually buy.
Define goals.
Refine goals.
Buy.
Simple, effective and good for the client and the agent.
Across the country, first-time home buyers have been putting in offers on homes, but many of them keep losing out.
First-time home buyers contact Nesbitt Realty!
One working mother says she’s put in 30 offers on homes in the $100,000 range in the Atlanta area, bidding $2,500 to $3,000 above the asking price, but each time she’s been outbid. “We have to be on top of the game and be able to drop everything and check out a house or it will be gone,” says another couple in Alexandria, Va.
Tight housing inventories are playing a role. For example, in Boston home listings are down 57 percent and in Atlanta area home listings have dropped nearly 40 percent in the past year.
Also, “investors have been pushing home prices higher faster than expected,” Diana Olick reports for NBC. “But the higher prices get, the more investors may get out, because they won’t be able to find such great bargains any more. That in turn will let regular buyers back in, even if they do have to pay a little more to own.”
Julie Nesbitt
Julie Nesbitt knows the back trails and by-ways of Northern Virginia real estate.
Established in 1974 with a mission to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self sufficiency, the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is operated by a multi-denominational board of directors and staff managing over 70 housing units. Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is located in the Mount Zephyr Business Center at 8305 Richmond…
Buying a home should be fun, not stressful. As you look for your dream home, keep in mind these tips for making the process as peaceful as possible.
Julie Nesbitt1. Find a real estate agent who you connect with. Home buying is not only a big financial commitment, but also an emotional one. It’s critical that the REALTOR® you chose is both highly skilled and a good fit with your personality.
2. Remember, there’s no “right” time to buy, just as there’s no perfect time to sell. If you find a home now, don’t try to second-guess interest rates or the housing market by waiting longer — you risk losing out on the home of your dreams. The housing market usually doesn’t change fast enough to make that much difference in price, and a good home won’t stay on the market long.
3. Don’t ask for too many opinions. It’s natural to want reassurance for such a big decision, but too many ideas from too many people will make it much harder to make a decision. Focus on the wants and needs of your immediate family — the people who will be living in the home.
4. Accept that no house is ever perfect. If it’s in the right location, the yard may be a bit smaller than you had hoped. The kitchen may be perfect, but the roof needs repair. Make a list of your top priorities and focus in on things that are most important to you. Let the minor ones go.
Decks5. Don’t try to be a killer negotiator. Negotiation is definitely a part of the real estate process, but trying to “win” by getting an extra-low price or by refusing to budge on your offer may cost you the home you love. Negotiation is give and take.
6. Remember your home doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Don’t get so caught up in the physical aspects of the house itself — room size, kitchen, etc. — that you forget about important issues as noise level, location to amenities, and other aspects that also have a big impact on your quality of life.
7. Plan ahead. Don’t wait until you’ve found a home and made an offer to get approved for a mortgage, investigate home insurance, and consider a schedule for moving. Presenting an offer contingent on a lot of unresolved issues will make your bid much less attractive to sellers.
8. Factor in maintenance and repair costs in your post-home buying budget. Even if you buy a new home, there will be costs. Don’t leave yourself short and let your home deteriorate.
9. Accept that a little buyer’s remorse is inevitable and will probably pass. Buying a home, especially for the first time, is a big financial commitment. But it also yields big benefits. Don’t lose sight of why you wanted to buy a home and what made you fall in love with the property you purchased.
10. Choose a home first because you love it; then think about appreciation. While U.S. homes have appreciated an average of 5.4 percent annually over from 1998 to 2002, a home’s most important role is to serve as a comfortable, safe place to live.
Julie Nesbitt
Julie Nesbitt knows the back trails and by-ways of Northern Virginia real estate.
Established in 1974 with a mission to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self sufficiency, the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is operated by a multi-denominational board of directors and staff managing over 70 housing units. Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is located in the Mount Zephyr Business Center at 8305 Richmond…
