The Braemar Property Value Report for the Courtyard homes built by Brookfield is in!  The news isn't that bad. In the last two months, only one courtyard home has sold.  These courtyard homes are near zero lot line homes...five to a single pipe steam or driveway.  They include the Clarendon, Ballston & Arlington models. The only sale this report was for $300,000.  It was a Ballston model with a fully finished basement.  The seller gave the buyer $9,000 in closing cost assistance.  And the home was only listed for twelve days.  This compares to last report in that the average sales price has dropped only $7,450 and the number of days on the market is down from 137. You can check online for average sales prices for past reports at www.nvarealestate.net.  Click the link for Braemar Propert... 09/01/2008

Another two months of home sales in Braemar is giving us the opportunity to once again reflect on property values in the neighborhood.  This particular post will focus on the Carriage Series homes built by Brookfield.  That includes the following models:  Maplewood, Norwood, Oakdale & Parkdale.  They are the detached garage homes built by Brookfield in Braemar. As the market has declined, the Carriage Series homes have been in consistent demand by buyers.  These smaller single family homes are a great alternative for first time home buyers that may otherwise buy a townhouse.  The average sale price this report, after three resales in the past two months, is now $320,000.  That's up from $318,563 in May and June this year!  A small increase, but an increase the same.  The average closing... 08/31/2008

Another two months of home sales in Braemar is giving us the opportunity to once again reflect on property values in the neighborhood.  This particular post will focus on the Heritage Series homes built by Brookfield.  That includes the following models:  Yardley, Waverly, Zachary & Exeter.  They are what I like to call the "Mama Bear" homes built by Brookfield in Braemar. As the market has declined, the Heritage Series homes have seen no slow down in the number of their resales being snatched up by anxious buyers.  The price point for these single family homes seems to be just what the buyers are looking for.  The average sale price this report, after four resales in the past two months, is now $371,750.  That's down from $404,475 from May and June this year.  The average closing cost ... 08/30/2008

Another two months of home sales in Braemar is giving us the opportunity to once again reflect on property values in the neighborhood.  This particular post will focus on the Arista Series homes built by Brookfield.  That includes the following models:  Canterbury, Allister and Buckingham.  They are the largest single family homes built by Brookfield in Braemar. As the market has declined, the Arista Series homes have experienced a resale drought.  One or two might sell in a six month period.  This Braemar Property Value Report indicates that the drought may be over.  In the last two months, three Canterbury models sold in Braemar.  The average sale price is now $444,167.  That's down from $455,000 from May and June this year.  The average closing cost contribution was $13,516 this repo... 08/30/2008

I took a ride through Dunbarton in Bristow, VA the other day.  A nice attaction caught my eye.  In addition to their putting green,in front of their lovely clubhouse, is a fountain. As with everything in Dunbarton, it is nothing extravagant, but tasteful and just perfect for the surroundings.  It has been there, but this is the first time I recall seeing it in action.  Made me want to stop and take in some fresh air on the bench.  There are still homes available from the builder in Dunbarton.  Just remember, Dunbarton is an Active Adult community.  You need to be age 55 or older to live in the community.  Aging does have its benefits.  Enjoy the indoor pool, billiards room, exercise room, library and party room....all in the Dunbarton clubhouse.  And there are a calendar full of events ... 08/29/2008

The Braemar Community Pools will only be open through September 1st.  However, the fun doesn't stop then.  On September 7th, Braemar is opening the Iona Sound pool for a first-time ever event---Doggie Paddle!  The purpose is to raise money to support the Prince William SPCA.  Dogs only will be allowed in the pool.  The entrance fee is $8 per dog, with a two dog limit per family.   Tennis balls will be provided, but other water toys are welcome. All dogs that you plan to bring must have their County and Rabies Tags...so don't forget to pack them.  Also, donations of old, clean and good condition bedding, towels, blankets and leashes will be taken.  You can even donate cat litter, pet treats or pet food.  I have no dogs and would love to sponsor a few.  Call me and let's get your dog spon... 08/17/2008

BRAEMAR TOWNHOMES There are 22 "ACTIVE" Single Family Townhomes for sale in the Braemar community of Bristow. These townhomes are priced from $193,900 up to $314,999. The Average Days on Market for these properties is 112 days. Currently, there are 15 Single Family Townhomes in the Braemar community "UNDER CONTRACT". In addition, there are 5 Single Family Townhomes available for rent ranging in price from $1,525 up to $1,800 per month. For SOLD statistics please contact me directly. SINGLE FAMILY HOMES There are 35 "ACTIVE" Single Family Homes for sale in the Braemar community of Bristow. These homes are priced from $249,000 up to $575,000. The Average Days on Market for these properties is 110 days. Currently, there are 12 Single Family Homes in the Braemar community "UNDER CONTRACT". ... 08/09/2008

Bristow Homes for Sale, Bristow VA Active Listings - Bristow Real Estate Market Report August 2008*.  As of today Saturday, August 09, 2008 there are currently 152 Bristow homes for sale in Prince William County VA.  These are single family detached homes - fee simple ownership.  homes in Bristow Virginia that are in the status of 'Contract'  denotes contingencies have been removed and they are proceeding towards a closing.  It is a great time to buy homes in Bristow Virginia, there are many Bristow homes and fine properties to choose from and the sellers will negotiate.  Mortgage rates are still low! Active - 152 Properties Found Bristow Homes for Sale Detached Fee Simple 4 Bristow Homes for Sale that are in 'Cntg/KO' Status 27 Bristow homes are 'Cntg/NO KO' Status 35 Bristow Homes for... 08/09/2008

Relocating to the Washington, DC Metro Area from the Southwestern United States can be culture shock....especially when it comes to price!  My most recent homebuyers started off in a rental, then chose to buy once familiar with the area.  This Canterbury Model by Brookfield, in the community of Braeamr, was the house they chose.  Over 5400 finished square feet.  Four finished levels, including the loft (princess suite).  Five bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, hardwood floors, finished basement with bar, two car garage, trex deck and backing to a nicely wooded, tree save area.  The buyers got a great deal.  They purchased the home (a bank owned property) for over $100,000 BELOW the 2008 Tax Assessed Value.  They got ALL OF THEIR CLOSING COSTS PAID, to include 18 MONTHS of PREPAID MONT... 07/25/2008

Early this week we published an update on foreclosure good buys in the Woodbridge area of Prince William County.  Today we are going to take a look at newer homes in the Bristow area of Prince William County.  Just as before these are all homes that were built from 2004 forward so in many cases the homes are move-in ready.With the proposed changes to FHA financing raising the required down payment for 3 to 3.5% and the elimination of the down payment assistance programs buyers who have been sitting on the fence for awhile should feel a new sense of urgency to purchase and close on their new home before September 30, 2008. These properties are fully available and ready for a buyer to snap them up.  A few of them are new listings at great prices so if you are thinking of make a move to t... 07/25/2008

I love helping first time home buyers become first time home OWNERS.  There is such a feeling of satisfaction helping someone through the process of buying their very first home.  It's the start of their financial future.  Yesterday I had the pleasure of handing the keys to my buyer client, a first time home buyer.  We found this great townhouse in the community of Braemar.  Three finished levels, end unit, one car garage and a three level bumpout.  And it even had a deck!  It was in excellent condition. The home inspection revealed no problems. We negotiated a sales price that was 21% below the 2008 Tax Assessed Value.  We also negotiated that the seller pay 90% of his closing costs.  So, all said and done, my buyer needed well under $1,000 to cover his portion of closing costs....and ... 07/17/2008

   Limited Marketing There are two obvious marketing tools that nearly every seller uses: open houses and classified ads. Unfortunately, these two tools are rather ineffective. Less than 1% of homes are sold at open houses, and less than 3% are sold because of classified ads. In fact, Realtors® often use open houses solely to attract future prospects, not to sell that particular house.  Does your Realtor® have a website?  There are very few successful real estate professionals who don’t, and for good reason. A Realtor® should employ a wide variety of marketing techniques and should be committed to selling your property; he or she should be available for every phone call from a prospective buyer. Most calls are received, and open houses are scheduled, during business hours, so make sure ... 07/16/2008

Welcome to Braemar's Clareybrook Park, located just off the intersection of Rob Roy Way and Sudley Manor Drive.   This is one of two official parks in Bristow, VA's Community of Braemar, Braemar Park being the other.    Clareybrook Park is most well-known as "the park next to the pool."  This area in the newer, or more recent built section of Braemar was carved out for recreation for kids twelve and below, but has some aurrounding attractions that serve residents of all ages.  For the purpose of this article, we won't focus on the pools in Braemar.  This is to acquaint you with the fun you can have virtually year round in and around Clareybrook Park and it's surrounding amenities. What grabs your attention first, is the brightly colored playground.  Complete with the slide and swings yo... 07/16/2008

About two weeks ago I was disappointed to see the number of mailboxes in my community of Braemar that have fallen in disrepair.  You can see some of the sad examples here.  So, I am here today with solutions for many people's problems with their mailboxes.  Let's address the design flaws of the mailbox first.  You'll also need a handful of small screws and a screwdriver.  The design flaw with our numbers is that they are held in with the smallest of nails.  Screws will keep them in place come wind and rain or whatever else Mother Nature can throw at you. If your wooden structure is falling apart, it's because, it too is nailed with some sad sack nails.  Get some two inch wood screws, place them strategically to hold the newspaper receptacle togther, and in other important areas.   Once ... 07/14/2008

Some of you may recall my whining about the Fourth of July, and how I really wished my husband and I had a deck and a grill.  If you want to read the first post about this, here you go.  The summary is this: We're not accumulating any more debt and living cash only.  Needless to say, no cash for a deck, or the gas grill to put on it.  However, I finally wore  my wonderful hubby down and we spent $17 on a portable charcoal grill.  It's essentially what you would expect to see at a tailgate party for the Redskins, or in the parking lot of a Buffet concert.  It's a small piece of crap, but will likely last through the summer.  And believe me, I'll have him working that little puppy out!!! So here are the photos of our first cookout. Yes, we grilled on our front porch (hang my head in shame... 07/13/2008

Time for another Braemar Townhouse Report.   A look back at the sales of townhouses in Braemar, this time for May & June 2008.  We'll compare the average statistics (sale price, seller ssubsidy and days on the market) to the same stats in the prior report of March & April 2008 and to May & June 2007. Let's start with Townhouses with No Garage.  Average sales price is down to $224,633, from $238,467 last report.  Luckily, so are seller subsidy (closing cost assistance from seller to buyer) and day on the market (the number of days it takes to sell).  Seller subsidy is down from $7,950 last report to $4,680 this report.  And these townhouses are selling in an average time of 119 days, down from 158 days last report.  Looking back one year ago, Townhouses with No Garage, were selling for a... 07/11/2008

The Braemar Property Value Report for the Heritage Series homes, built by Brookfield, is compiled and ready to share!  Resales, and one new home sale, were averaged over the months of May & June, and will now be compared with the prior months report of March & April, and the May & June report from 2007. This report is for you if you live in, what I like to call, the Mama Bear single family homes in Braemar.  These homes have a two car attached garage, and total square footage ranging from about 2500-3500 square feet.  the floor plans include the ever popular Yardley (which seems to dominate the Mama Bear homes in Braemar), and the Exeter, Zachary and Waverly. Are you ready for some GOOD NEWS?  The average sales price for homes in the Heritage Series rose over $12,000 this report to $404... 07/06/2008

The Braemar Property Value Report for the Courtyard Series homes of Braemar has just been completed for May & June 2008.  If you live in a home accessed by a driveway shared with four other homes, you probably live in a Courtyard Series home.  The floor plans include the Ballston, Clarendon & Arlington.  Average sales price for May & June dropped to $307,450.  In our prior report (March & April 2008) the average sales price was $331,500. The number of days it took to sell a Courtyard Series home this report went up to 137.  This is not good news as it is more than a two week extension of last reports marketing time of 120 days. The good news this report, is that in the two sales that took place in the Courtyard Series homes, not one gave a Seller Subsidy (closing cost credit to buyer fr... 07/05/2008

The Braemar Property Value Report for Carriage Series homes is complete.  This includes your home if it has a detached garage, or parking, in the rear of your home.  The four floor plans in the Carriage Series single family homes are Maplewood, Norwood, Oakdale and Parkdale. Throughout the market slow down, Carriage Series homes remained in high demand.  For little more than the price of a townhome in the area, homebuyers have capitalized on the chance to have single family home privacy and space with these houses.  In May and June, there were eight sales in the Carriage Series.  The average sales price of these eight sales was $318,563.  The average seller subsidy (closing cost assistance to buyers) was $4,573.  Both of these numbers are down from March & April's respective averages of... 07/05/2008

For those of you living in a Brookfield Arista Series home, this Braemar Property Value Report is compiled for you. How do you know if you are in an Arista Series Home?  Your large, single family home, is the floor plan of a Canterbury, Buckingham or Allister.  If you're not sure, get in touch me with and I'll let you know. There was only one sale of an Arista Series home in the last two months.  As the market has slowed, so have the resales of these large home. The last sale recorded was on May 15th.  It was a Canterbury with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms.  the final list price settled at $450,000, after lowering its price several times in the 406 days it spent on the market.  It was then that the home found a buyer that paid $455,000.  The sellers gave the buyer a $15,000 closing cost cre... 07/05/2008