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Stafford, VA Real Estate News

By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
    "We're all going to earn a little bit more money, but none of us is going to get any more time." Art Moody For many of us, the warm afternoons and cool mornings that accompany Spring also bring with them a new beginning.  In the real estate market, we've just stepped into our prime time, or most active buying and marketing period of the year.  And, thus far, it only comes around once a year.  The question we have to ask is, "Are we ready"? As we, as Realtors, meet with our clients, are we prepared to assist them, cousel them, advise them, encourage them, and lead them to a positive solution?  While many things have remained the same in the past year, many aspects have also changed.  With the abundance of Foreclosed and Short Sale properties entering the market, the ground has certai...
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By Ginger Walker, Realtor e-PRO,CSP
(Keller Williams Realty)
I just wanted to let everyone know that Stafford, VA had a winter wonderland and just a beautiful day.  We usually get one or two good snow storms a year and this really is the second time this season we have had any snow.  Today we got alot of it for us here...about 8 inches mounted up on top of my table on the deck.  The trees are so full of snow they are bending over and the deer that came up to feed on the lawn were "knee high".  Do deer have knees?  Anyway, today was just one of those fun days that the kids off from school and were all outside bundled up like Pillsbury Doughboys with red little noses making snowmen and on zooming on sleds.  I just read that the Stafford County Schools are closed again on Tuesday....they want to ensure that the roads are safe for not only the buses ...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  When dealing with someone whose got something you'd like, have you ever been asked the question, "What's it worth to you"?   If you haven't, you will some day.  While that question may seem more rhetorical than actual, in the real estate business, often, the answer comes in the form of an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD).    What is an Earnest Money Deposit and why is it necessary when purchasing real estate? First, sometimes as little as a dollar may suffice as the EMD, and sometimes, nothing at all.  While it is customary, it is not essential in all states.  Why?  Since it is a show of commitment of "good faith" by the buyer, normally, it serves to demonstrate the buyer's seriousness of intent to purchase through the deposit of earnest money into an escrow account.  Is it ususally part o...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  The stimulus package recently signed into law has met with praise and criticism.  For some, there's too many billions being directed at the wrong programs.  For others, there isn't enough, and besides, isn't it too late for anything to work?  Like most legislation that's passed, there's plenty of criticism from both sides of the political aisle.  While determining the success of the initiative is perhaps better seen in hindsight, there appear to be a number of bright spots that look promising.  One of those is the first time home buyers tax credit. To begin with, to qualify for "first time" status, you only need to have not owned a principal residence for three years before buying a house.  So, do you qualify if you've purchased homes before?  Well, according to Uncle Sam's definition...
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By Konnie Mac McCarthy, Broker/Owner - VA & MD "Time To Get A Move On!"
(MacNificent Properties, LLC)
Market Report for homes for sale in Hampton Oaks, in Stafford Virginia There are currently 15 single family homes on the market in Hampton Oaks.  The price range for these homes is $139,000.00 to $470,000.00 There are currently 7 homes under contract.  The price range of these homes is $139,900 to $300,000.00 There have been no sales in this community in the last 30 days. If you are looking for more information on Homes for Sale in Stafford, Virginia... Call me...Konnie McKee 703 407 7088 or visit my website www.KonnieMac.com for a free, no strings MLS search..     Your Northern Virginia Realtor 703 407 7088 Konnie Mac FREE No Strings attached...search MLS to to www.KonnieMac.com Homes for sale in Manassas Virginia Homes for Sale in Haymarket Virginia Homes for Sale in Bristow Virginia ...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
    Have you ever wondered whether those daily vitamins people take make a difference?  Years ago I ran across a New York Times article  indicating seventy percent of Americans took daily vitamins or supplements, convinced that these would make them healthier, and, as a result, add years to their lives.  Would imagine, in today's health conscious, image driven society, those numbers have only increased.  But, is that money well spent? In a report published last week by the U.K's Daily Mail, researchers found "no benefits from vitamin pills against cancers or heart disease, and they did not protect against dying prematurely."  However, the good news is the same article indicated the study's results may have been skewed "by the type of people habitually taking vitamins."  Those being the ...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
    A landmark settlement was reached earlier this week between Florida and Countrywide Financial Corp.  The agreement establishes the country's most comprehensive mortgage-modification program, resolving allegations of predatory lending that Florida and ten other states have made against Countrywide.  Those states participating in the agreement with Florida are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Washington. The agreement calls for Countrywide to provide as much as $8.7 billion in loan relief, assisting some 400,000 borrowers across the country.  The program is aimed at borrowers who had secured what are termed as "the most risky loans."  Those include adjustable rate mortgages (ARM) that feature what's been characterized as a te...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  Sitting in front of your High Definition (HD) big screen television, watching somebody else live their life can be awfully tempting at times.  I mean, you're in that controlled environment.  Better yet, YOUR controlled environment!  But, most of us, sooner or later, hopefully, wake up from watching other's lives, and decide to get out and experience the many activities our communities have to offer for ourselves.  But, once we decide to get out and find out what's happening, where do we go to discover what's taking place in our cities or neighborhoods?  For many of us, we depend on that weekly newspaper insert.  In this area, the local newspaper, the Free Lance Star, has its weekely Weekender section that does a splendid job of providing a rundown of local things that are happening.  ...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
    Each year, between the end of summer and the Columbus Day Weekend, we try to do a little house cleaning.  And, apparently, so do others.  While a garage sale regular I'm not, plenty of my neighbors are.  And, for all of us the intent is the same; get rid of stuff we no longer need.   But, what do we do with that left over toxic or hazardous material we have sitting around?  You know, those old paint cans, cleaning solvents, fertilizer, and other chemicals that have been sitting in the garage or shed for years. Both local area counties, Stafford & Spotsylvania, set aside dedicated time each year for its residents to get rid of this kind of waste.  Stafford's hazardous waste collection is scheduled for the weekend of October 17-18.  Spotylvania's is September 27th.  In both each cases...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
    "Facts don't cease to exist because they are ignored" Aldous Huxley   Have you ever heard the "boiled frog" story?.  You know, the frog who starts out in a cold pan of water, and sits there while the temperature slowly rises, and before it realizes it, it has been boiled to death.  It is one story I've often used in my attempts to teach my sons a lesson or two.   The use of this anecdote or object lesson serves as a warning of the perils of complacency or false sense of security.  By the time you've realized the perilous state you're in, you're past the point of rescue or return.  In other words, you're doomed!   How real estate is bought and sold has changed tremendously since the development of the web and the digital age.  The capabilities of the internet have revolutionized how ...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
   "Why aren't there any room sizes on the listing?"  I can't begin to count the number of times I've been asked this question by prospective home buyers, whether calling to inquire about a property for sale, or after I've handed them a copy of the property listing.  Buyers are consumers.  And, in most cases, consumers want to know exactly what they're spending their cold hard cash on.  Predictably, they're interested in knowing whether or not the property suits their needs.      Home ownership is not a "one size fits all" business.   For those of us who've picked up a "super-sized" dining or bedroom room suite during one of our duty tours abroad (does Germany ring a bell?), room size is a vital consideration when looking at a possible next home.  Not being able to fit furniture in a pa...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
    One of the many pleasures in life is being entertained.  For some of us, the convenience of the family room and big screen T.V. on a Sunday afternoon is about as good as it gets.  I mean, how many armchair quarterbacks have ever been wrong?     But, hopefully, other than your daily back and forth to work, you get out every now and then to enjoy the people, places and things your community has to offer.  Our Stafford & Fredericksburg area offers a variety of entertainment outlets for both young and old.  One of the attractions that suits just about any taste is the Bella Cafe which sits on Route 1, just North of Stafford, VA.    The Cafe is not your everyday attraction.  While it's been called a restaurant or eatery, it's anything but.  Known for its Tuesday and Thursday Chess nights...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  Today's headlines were filled with good news.  We've got Hannah & Ike coming to visit, and Freddie and Fannie are being marched off to their rooms for a bit of "quiet time."   Actually, Hurrican Hannah came ashore yesterday off the coast of North Carolina.  Today, in the heart of Virginia, we're feeling her rath.  Fortunately, according to the Weather Channel, it looks like her stepbrother Ike, who is in trail, will miss us.  It appears he'll be visting the Bahamas before heading off into the Gulf of Mexico.   But, with the arrival of the storms clouds also came news that the nation's two largest mortgage giants are the most recent victims of the mortgage crisis that's devasted our real estate landscape for the past three years. On Friday, the Federal Reserve made a call on the red ph...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
                          "The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong." from Coach Pete Carril's book, "The Smart Take From the Strong"   In today's digital world, these words have taken on special meaning.  Those of us that have been involved in any type of physical competition can attest to the strong taking from the weak, the big beating up on the small.   While bigger may not necessarily mean better, when to comes to physical prowess, it goes a long way.  Who didn't grow up with a neighborhood bully? But, with today's technology, what kind of online assistance exists for an effective and successful home search when shopping for your next home?  Clearly, there are a number of very good online sources.  Some of today's most popular web sites with national covera...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  Well, our holiday is over, and it's time to get back to work.  Ignore the fact that most us are employed 12 months out of the year.  But, Labor Day's goodbye isn't the only indication that the school year's about to begin.  In case you've forgotten, we'll be seeing those large yellow buses competing for road space as well! Seems that as long as I can remember, the yellow school bus has been the primary means for most students to get to and from school each day.   But, do you ever wonder where the yellow came from? While the challenge of transporting students to school has been around as long as schools have, bus transport became popular in the early 1900s.  Most of the early transport was required in order to pick up students who lived in rural areas where walking to school, due to th...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  "Judgment is absolutely the most essential element in presidential decision making...I cannot emphasize enough how important that elusive quality is; far more important than organization, structure, procedures, and machinery.  These are all important, yes, but nothing compared to judgment"   These words, spoken by President Kennedy's friend and longtime advisor Ted Sorensen, were in response to a question about Kennedy's exercise of judgment during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  As you can see, Mr. Sorensen emphasizes the importance of proper judgment in times of crisis.  He goes on to include decisiveness as another necessary leadership trait.  While Sorensen was focusing on Presidential Leadership, these traits, and judgment specifically, are "must haves" for any leader.  Recent words a...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  As many of us know, a Home Owners Association (HOA), within a neighborhood or subdivision, is made up of property owners within that subdivision, and is established to govern relations between the owners, and administer the rules, bylaws, and covenants of the complex.  These guidelines or governing rules are normally covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs - not to be mistaken for the more popular CCR!) that restrict ownership rights.  For those looking to purchase a home, the HOA covenants can be both a relief and a concern.  One of the considerations we face when purchasing a home in a particular neighborhood is, what do the HOA covanents cover?  Are there restrictions on the number of people who can live in a home?  How about the size of color of the fence?  Pool hours?  Will...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  A couple of days after my last post, I received a call from a Mayflower employee.  As a matter of fact, he happened to be one of those travelling in the subject of my last post; the Mayflower Hot Air Balloon.  He called to say he'd seen the post and was glad we'd (yes, I wasn't the only individual spying the balloon that afternoon) noticed!  Additionally, he mentioned that more information about the balloon, and its' pilot, could be found on Mayflower's home page. I'll provide a bit of that information here, just in case you aren't able to take a look at their page.  But, you ought to, you may find, as I did, some items of interest!  Here are some balloon facts (straight from Mayflower's Hot Air Balloon page) you may find interesting:      2005 marked the inaugural year of flight for ...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  One of the challenges of the military life is the moves.  For most military families, moving or a Permanent Change of Station (PCS), come every three to four years, and oftentimes even sooner.  Combine the necessity of moving, and the traffic cogestion in Northern Virginia, and something has to give, right?  Well, as you can see, it looks like someone has come up with a practical solution.  Let's move by air! Although I doubt this is an actual move of what we call "household goods", it certainly is a novel idea.  When I saw this hot air balloon floating over the Massaponax area of Fredericksburg, it was a picture too good to pass up.  But, as far as an alternative to the moving van, I doubt that Mayflower, or any other mover, is offering this as an alternative to their van fleet.    B...
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By Jim Rake
(Century 21 Adventure)
  Home buyers must feel a bit dizzy these days.  As they say, "so many homes, and so little time!"  Well, maybe that's not exactly what they say, but you know what I mean.   As the market's downturn has continued, the proverbial "seller's pain", is definitely the buyer's gain. CNNMoney's news last week of the most recent S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index told us something most of us already knew; home prices are continuing their decent.  As the article reports, the good news is, according to Mike Moran, chief economist for Daiwa Securities America, the new sales numbers may mean that the market is starting to stabilize. But, while there may be hints of market stabilization, many believe the mortgage/housing crisis is far from over.  With foreclosure numbers increasing weekly, home price...
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