Ways to Make Homes with Stairs Safer
As large numbers of people age, an increasing percentage finds stairs a challenge.
Housing safety experts say climbing stairs can be good exercise for older people, but the stairs should be safe. Among the things that need to be done to increase the safety factor are:
- Add lighting at both the top and the bottom.
- Put stair railings on both sides.
- Make sure it is easy to see individual treads by adding visual contrast.
- Consider an elevator or a lift.
- Consider remodeling in order to live on one floor only.
Demand Strong for Well-Prices Homes
Yes, houses will sell as long as they are priced right. In many — but not all places — that means they’re priced low.
"People who price their homes to the market are selling them in a reasonable amount of time, but people who cling to 2004 or 2005 prices aren't," says Richard Smith, president and CEO of Realogy, the parent company of Century 21, ERA, Coldwell Banker and Sotheby's International Realty.
In some areas, pent-up demand has exploded. "It's crazy," says Brendon DeSimone, an associate with Paragon Real Estate in the Noe Valley near San Francisco. "I had one house with five offers, and it went from $1.4 million to $1.7 million. The valley has just popped. It's not uncommon for one open house to have 200 people come through."
Source: USA Today, Stephanie Armour (07/28/2010)
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Home Prices In Arlington Continue To Hike
The housing market in Arlington County is getting more and more expensive as potential buyers continue to have fewer homes and condos to choose from. -
Inlet Cove is near Fort Belvoir and Potomac Mills
Inlet Cove is alongside Route 1 This neighborhood of townhouses is near grocers and eateries Inlet Cove is close to Fort Belvoir, Alexandria, and Potomac Mills shops, in the city of Woodbridge Interior to these properties are multilevel Inlet Cove is serene -
Pending Home Sales on an Upswing
Pending home sales increased again in March, affirming that a surge of home sales is unfolding for the spring home buying season, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in March, rose 5.3 percent to 102.9 from 97.7 in February, and is 21.1… -
A Good Time to Buy a High-End Home
Some of the best housing deals are on high-end homes, many over $1 million. Some of them need TLC or they aren’t in the most-coveted locations. But there are plenty of desirable properties and lots of sellers who are getting impatient. Buyers with cash have the best opportunities. Buyers who need a mortgage should move… -
Who is today’s homebuyer and why are they buying?
The National Association of Realtors recently did a study about the characteristics of home buyers. Some of the findings might surprise you. Thirteen percent of buyers purchased a home with one or more parents and grandparents together with adult children. There were several reasons given for purchasing a multi-generational home. Cost savings; Children over the…
It’s Great Time for Housing Deals
Paying off an underwater mortgage and buying a better home could be the best tactic in this troubled market.
"If you are trading up, what better time than when interest rates are at record lows and the cost of the trade-up is much less than it used to be?" says Christopher J. Mayer, a Columbia Business School economist.
With 15-year fixed-rate mortgages at about 4.5 percent, it also makes sense to pay off the mortgage and keep the house. "At this point," says Jay Brinkmann, chief economist of the Mortgage Bankers Association in Washington, D.C., "if they don't have anything else that is bringing a tremendous return, then they are buying themselves an annuity by paying their house off sooner than they needed to."
Source: The Wall Street Journal, M.P. McQueen (07/24/2010)
Pending Home Sales Drop as Expected
Following a surge driven by the home buyer tax credit, pending home sales fell with the expiration of the deadline for qualified buyers to sign a purchase contract, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator, dropped 30.0 percent to 77.6 based on contracts signed in May from a reading of 110.9 in April, and is 15.9 percent below May 2009 when it was 92.3. The falloff comes on the heels of three strong monthly gains as home buyers rushed to take advantage of the tax credit.
The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months. However, many closings have been delayed recently from a rush of buyers into the system and slow processing of short sales, in addition to the heavy volume and a more thorough loan underwriting process. As many as 180,000 buyers who signed contracts by April 30 may have missed the June 30 closing deadline for the tax credit. However, Congress passed legislation yesterday to extend the deadline for delayed contracts and President Obama is expected to sign.
NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said, “Consumers are rational and they rushed to meet the tax credit eligibility deadline in April. The sharp decline in contract signings in May is a natural result with similar low levels of sales activity anticipated in June,” he said. “Surprisingly, though, some local markets such as Portland, Maine, and Jacksonville, Fla., actually experienced an increase in contract signings from a year ago without the tax credit."
Congress also reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program. Many lenders were hesitant to approve mortgages on homes needing flood insurance without congressional action and numerous sales have been on hold. The action is retroactive to a temporary authorization that expired May 31, and also is expected to be signed by the president.
Yun noted the tax credit has broadly stabilized home prices. “Without the tax credit, there will be more aggressive price negotiations between buyers and sellers. The key test on whether the housing market can stand on its own without stimulus medicine will depend critically on private sector job creation in the second half of the year. We’ll also keep a close eye on market conditions on the Gulf Coast.”
Through May of this year 495,000 net private sector jobs have been created; NAR’s forecast for employment growth is about 1 million additional net new jobs over the balance of the year and another 2 million in 2011.
“If jobs come back as expected, the pace of home sales should pick up later this year and reach a sustainable level of activity given very favorable affordability conditions,” Yun said.
“In most areas of the country there will be no sharp snap back in home prices in the upcoming years, although some local markets have experienced double-digit gains this year,” Yun said. NAR forecasts the national median home price to rise only 4 percent cumulatively over the next two years.
“One factor that could lead to price acceleration in upcoming years for some markets is if the very low levels of new-home construction were to persist for another year or two,” he added.
The PHSI in the Northeast fell 31.6 percent to 67.0 in May and is 14.8 percent lower than May 2009. In the Midwest the index dropped 32.1 percent to 70.8 and is 20.2 percent below a year ago. Pending home sales in the South fell 33.3 percent to an index of 82.5, and are 14.4 percent lower than May 2009. In the West the index declined 20.9 percent to 85.3 and is 15.1 percent below a year ago.
Source: NAR
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Julie Nesbitt
Julie Nesbitt knows the back trails and by-ways of Northern Virginia real estate. -
Enjoying Winkler Botanical Preserve
We had a great time walking the trails. -
Don’t take chances with real estate.
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REDUCED: 7202 Churchill Rd, McLean
Open House, Sunday, 1-4 BIG PRICE DROP! 7202 CHURCHILL ROADMcLean, VA 221016 Bedrooms5.5 Bathrooms6,752 SF $1,695,000 -
Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services
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…
Elementary Schools of Northern VA
Find homes for sale by school district in Northern Virginia
One of the most import decisions you'll ever make for your child is where they will attend school. Northern Virginia prides itself on many fine public schools and our website empowers parents to find homes . If you need help finding a home or would like suggestions that will fit with your commute, please feel free to call us at any time.- City of Alexandria Elementary Schools
- Charles Barrett Elementary School
- Cora Kelly Magnet Elementary School
- Douglas MacArthur Elementary School
- George Mason Elementary School
- John Adams Elementary School
- Lyles-Crouch Elementary School
- Maury Elementary School
- Patrick Henry Elementary School
- Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School
- T.C. Williams High School
- William Ramsay Elementary School
- Arlington County Elementary Schools
- Abingdon Elementary School
- Arlington Science Focus
- Ashlawn Elementary School
- Bacrcoft Elementary School
- Barrett Elementary School
- Campbell Elementary School
- Carlin Springs Elementary School
- Drew Model Elementary School
- Francis Scott Key Elementary School
- Glebe Elementary School
- Henry Elementary School
- Hoffman-Boston Elementary School
- Jamestown Elementary School
- Long Branch Elementary School
- McKinley Elementary School
- Nottingham Elementary School
- Oakridge Elementary School
- Randolph Elementary School
- Taylor Elementary School
- Tuckahoe Elementary School
- Fairfax County Elementary Schools
- Aldrin Elementary School
- Annandale Terrace Elementary School
- Armstrong Elementary School
- Baileys Elementary School
- Beech Tree Elementary School
- Belle View
- Belvedere Elementary School
- Bonnie Brae Elementary School
- Homes for sale in Braddock Elementary School District
- Bren Mar Park Elementary School
- Brookfield Elementary School
- Homes for sale Bull Run Elementary School District
- Bush Hill Elementary School
- Homes for sale at Camelot Elementary School District
- Cameron Elementary School
- Canterbury Woods Elementary School
- Cardinal Forest Elementary School
- Carson Middle School
- Centre Ridge Elementary School
- Centreville Elementary School
- Cherry Run Elementary School
- Chesterbrook Elementary School
- Churchill Road Elementary School
- Clearview Elementary School
- Clermont Elementary School
- Clifton Elementary School
- Columbia Elementary School
- Colvin Run Elementary School
- Crestwood Elementary School
- Crossfield Elementary School
- Cub Run Elementary School
- Cunningham Park Elementary School
- Daniels Run Elementary School
- Deer Park Elementary School
- Dogwood Elementary School
- Dranesville Elementary School
- Eagle View Elementary School
- Fairfax Villa Elementary School
- Fairhill Elementary School
- Fairview Elementary School
- Flint Hill Elementary School
- Floris Elementary School
- Forest Edge Elementary School
- Forestdale Elementary School
- Forestville Elementary School
- Fort Belvoir Elementary School
- Fort Hunt Elementary School
- Fox Mill Elementary School
- Franconia Elementary School
- Freedom Hill Elementary School
- Garfield Elementary School
- Glen Forest Elementary School
- Graham Road Elementary School
- Greenbriar East Elementary School
- Greenbriar West Elementary School
- Groveton Elementary School
- Gunston Elementary School
- Halley Elementary School
- Haycock Elementary School
- Hayfield Elementary School
- Herndon Elementary School
- Hollin Meadows Elementary School
- Hunt Valley Elementary School
- Hutchison Elementary School
- Hybla Valley Elementary School
- Island Creek Elementary School
- Keene Mill Elementary School
- Kent Gardens Elementary School
- Kings Glen Elementary School
- Kings Park Elementary School
- Lake Anne Elementary School
- Lane Elementary School
- Laurel Ridge Elementary School
- Lees Corner Elementary School
- Lees Corner Elementary School
- Lemon Road Elementary School
- Little Run Elementary School
- London Towne Elementary School
- Lorton Station Elementary School
- Lorton Station Elementary School
- Louise Archer Elementary School
- Louise Archer Elementary School
- Lynbrook Elementary School
- Lynbrook Elementary School
- Mantua Elementary School
- Mantua Elementary School
- Marshall Road Elementary School
- Marshall Road Elementary School
- McNair Elementary School
- McNair Elementary School
- Mosby Woods Elementary School
- Mosby Woods Elementary School
- Mount Eagle Elementary School
- Mount Eagle Elementary School
- Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School
- Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School
- Navy Elementary School
- Navy Elementary School
- Newington Forest Elementary School
- Newington Forest Elementary School
- North Springfield Elementary School
- North Springfield Elementary School
- Oak Hill Elementary School
- Oak Hill Elementary School
- Oak View Elementary School
- Oak View Elementary School
- Oakton Elementary School
- Oakton Elementary School
- Olde Creek Elementary School
- Olde Creek Elementary School
- Orange Hunt Elementary School
- Orange Hunt Elementary School
- Parklawn Elementary School
- Pine Spring Elementary School
- Poplar Tree Elementary School
- Powell Elementary School
- Providence Elementary School
- Ravensworth Elementary School
- Riverside Elementary School
- Robinson Secondary
- Rolling Valley Elementary School
- Rose Hill Elementary School
- Sangster Elementary School
- Saratoga Elementary School
- Sherman Elementary School
- Shrevewood Elementary School
- Silverbrook Elementary School
- Sleepy Hollow Elementary School
- South County Secondary
- Spring Hill Elementary School
- Springfield Estates Elementary School
- Stenwood Elementary School
- Stratford Landing Elementary School
- Sunrise Valley Elementary School
- Terra Centre Elementary School
- Terraset Elementary School
- Timber Lane Elementary School
- Union Mill Elementary School
- Vienna Elementary School
- Virginia Run Elementary School
- Wakefield Forest Elementary School
- Waples Mill Elementary School
- Washington Mill Elementary School
- Waynewood Elementary School
- West Springfield Elementary School
- Westbriar Elementary School
- Westgate Elementary School
- Westlawn Elementary School
- Weyanoke Elementary School
- White Oaks Elementary School
- Willow Springs Elementary School
- Wolftrap Elementary School
- Woodburn Elementary School
- Woodlawn Elementary School
- Woodley Hills Elementary School