Buying a home is a significant milestone for anyone, but it can be particularly unique for an active-duty service member. Frequent moves, deployments, and the specific financial benefits available to military personnel all play a role. But don’t let those factors deter you! Homeownership is absolutely achievable for those in the military, and in many ways, it’s even more attainable thanks to programs like VA loans. With the correct information, careful planning, and a network of support, you can successfully navigate the real estate market and find a place to truly call home, even with the demands of military life. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to leverage your military benefits, make smart financial decisions, and overcome the logistical hurdles that come with your uni... 01/14/2025

Breaking News! The FHFA has announced an increase in Conforming Loan Limits for 2025! The standard balance limit has increased to $806,500 from $766,550 and the high balance limit has increased to $1,209,750 from $1,149,825.     01/14/2025

I am so looking forward to Nidhi's event this October 4th! Check out this Raas Garba event next Friday in Manassas Park Community Center. Enjoy the singing, group fun, dancing, and delicious food with us next week for the full Raas Garba experience.We’ve planned a fantastic evening of electrifying music, large and clean area for performing Raas Garba, hot and fresh food with Banjara-Manekchowk, and savory indulgence with Malai (NYC) Ice Cream!For tickets and reservation, click here for more information. Alternatively, call at (703) 589-5232 for additional group discounts and/or save on processing fees. See you there! 09/24/2024

Are you ready to embrace luxurious living in the heart of Haymarket, VA? Dominion Valley Country Club, proudly brought to you by Toll Brothers, presents an exquisite collection of new townhomes. With 5 unique options, each meticulously crafted, you're sure to find the perfect fit for your lifestyle.Townhome Features:Airlie:3+ Beds, 3 Baths, 1 Half Bath3 Stories, 3,443 sq ft2 Car Garages Nokes:4 Beds, 3 Baths, 1 Half Bath3 Stories, 3,679 sq ft2 Car Garages Airlie Brandywine:4 Beds, 3 Baths, 1 Half Bath3 Stories, 3,458 sq ft2 Car Garages Nokes Aberdeen:4 Beds, 3 Baths, 1 Half Bath3 Stories, 3,719 sq ft2 Car Garages Airlie Westbrook:4 Beds, 3 Baths, 1 Half Bath3 Stories, 3,458 sq ft2 Car Garages Education Hub:Elementry: Alvey Elementary SchoolMiddle: Ronald Wilson Reagan Middle SchoolHigh:... 01/18/2024

In this weeks mortgage tip, learn how to add up to $20,000 in buying power or significantly lower monthly payments for first time buyers in Virginia. Don’t miss this opportunity, when the funds are gone, they're gone. Schedule a time to discuss at www.chatwithmarkita.comhttp://www.queenofmortgages.com Subscribe to my channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDoNaxK0yP_cmHFrhN4Lavg Let connect on Facebook at http://facebook.com/QueenofMortgages #FHALoans #VeteranHomeLoans #FirstTimeHomebuyers #DownPaymentAssistance #WoodbridgeMortgageLender Markita Woods NMLS#196099 08/11/2022

Just one more day towards the weekend! Going to bars and to the movies is nice and all to hang out with your friends and family this coming Saturday, but why not check this beautiful city and what it has to offer for a change? I am, of course, talking about Manassas, VA!Known for its Civil War history, the city of Manassas has a lot of landmarks and places to offer when it comes to sightseeing and a bit of a teaser about what it's like in the past. For starters, you may check out these places:- Liberia House Historic Site - Ben Lomond Historic Site - Mayfield Civil War Fort - Cannon Branch Fort - Manassas National Battlefield Park - Bull Run Regional Park - Signal Hill Park There are more places to cover in this city so make sure to watch out for part 2!  05/19/2022

In this video blog, Woodbridge Mortgage Lender, Markita Woods explains what not to do when buying a home.If you have questions about buying a home we will be glad to help at www.chatwithmarkita.com  01/12/2022

Divorcing couples with a house to sell could loose valuable dollars by putting a listed price in the court order. The real estate market is constanly changing. One minute prices are going up the next they are going down. Using an appraisal or CMA from a month or so ago that values the house at say $500,000 could be out of date today when you had 3 homes in the neighborhood that sold for between $525,000-$550,000.  If you happen to be in a declining market and homes are now selling for less than $500,000 you become that over priced listing that just sits there with out showings.  Worse yet you get the bottom feeders who then low ball it. Fixed prices in court orders can not keep up with the market at that given time. Other things that can effect price is condition. Are there pet roaming ... 10/18/2021

The Impact of Credit in Divorce Finance While going through a divorce, a credit score might seem like the smallest concern, but a surprise drop can undermine all progress being made toward the resolution of the real estate side of the case. Lenders do not give divorcing spouses special treatment, so it’s vital to understand how credit can tank a buy-out or new purchase that is otherwise secure. Whether or not a divorcing spouse will be able to qualify for a mortgage and secure housing is tied to their credit score, so they will need to know how to protect it while going through a divorce. Here are five things to keep in mind as a divorcing spouse plans a new future.  Factor in Joint Debt: Mutual debt can impair future financing because both sides are impacted even though only one side m... 08/25/2021

Divorce and As-is” in Court Orders Are a ChallengeBy Laurel StarkGetting your client to agree to anything can feel like it requires an act of Congress. When your client vehemently refuses to lift a finger or spend a dime on the house in order to sell it, you may be inclined to tell them they won’t have to, as long as they just agree to sell it.  This happens by adding a clause in the court order that reads “the property is to be sold as is”. That makes complete sense - from the divorce process’s point of view. From the real estate side, it can lead the transaction directly into a brick wall. This brick wall is named the “as-is” stipulation.  This rang true in a recent case. The house was ordered to be sold “as is.” Additionally, the house payment had not been made in three years, it was... 07/19/2021

June 2021 Real Estate Market UpdateJune 2021 started out strong but we are seeing a slight slow down as buyers are getting contract fatig. After writing mulitpal offers and getting beat out, they are not as eager to do it again.  As of  June 29 2021 159 listings Coming Soon  Average sale price has dropped slightly to $471,000 from $480,000 in May 861 Solds 970 Under Contract 511 Active Days On market is on average 5 50% - 55% of all contracts seen higher than list price.   Here is a snapshot of May's Real Estate Market.   Should you have any questions about the current real estate market, or any other real estate issues, I’m here as a resource.  07/02/2021

Divorce Listings And Investors - Beware!By Laurel Stark, CEO & Founder, The Ilumni InstituteDivorcing spouses with a house to sell need to ensure they do not fall prey to unscrupulous activities that could cost them tens of thousands of dollars- sometimes more. There is a lot that goes on behind the real estate scenes with investors (especially in this hot market). We all know that the goal of the investor is to profit, and in real estate that means "buying low and selling high." In the current market where we are seeing many offer for just one property, it is hard for investors to accomplish their goal of making an acquisition at a low enough price to turn a profit.That means getting creative at the divorcing couples expense!Most investors know that most Realtors can be their ticket in... 06/30/2021

Wildlife in Bristow, VA Just Got a Little More IntimidatingSightings of wildlife in Bristow generally range from birds as large as turkeys, turkey vultures and hawks and mammals from fox, raccoons and deer.  It seems that the last few days there has been a larger fella lumbering about.  The photo above (and all photos in this post are courtesy of a Kingsbrooke resident) who spotted this young black bear on her doorstep.Sightings of young black bears in Bristow, Gainesville and Haymarket are not unusual.  What is unusual is that this one seems to be lingering around Bristow and not passing through.  When their mother mudges them away, these youngsters must find their own territory.  When they are looking for that place, that is when we see them traverse our area.  Apparently, this one ha... 06/18/2021

Cry For Help From a Blog Post ReaderYesterday, as I was walking from one end of the Gettysburg Battlefield Park with my young cousin, my phone rang.  Thankfully, the number of interruptions to my day off were minimal.  In addition to two short client calls, there was one from an unknown number.  There is always promise in an unknown number, particularly those with an area code local to my service area.On the other end of the call was a worried home seller.  He was under contract to sell his home, in the middle of trying to remediate HOA violations and unable to get a return call from his HOA.  Hmm.  Maybe a For Sale By Owner?  Nope.  He has an agent who has also not answered his call in DAYS.  That's not good.While empathizing with his situation, I expressed that I really could not get ... 06/16/2021

Generational Impact of Covid-19 on Divorce By Laurel Stark, CEO & Founder, The Ilumni InstituteIn a recent consumer report, WGSN shared insights in to how different generations respond to stress such as COVID-19. Gen Zers are leading the way in divorce filings, according to Pew Research Center. Baby Boomers are increasing their divorce rate by 109%. The culture of these generations vary greatly. As a professional at the helm of the most stressful crisis of their lives, CDRE's - Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert, can offer customized solutions for each generation. Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964) are increasingly afraid of going out. As such, they are embracing virtual connections at higher levels. Most Boomers have smart phones, texting and talking are the common uses, but now t... 06/14/2021

Who is on title and why it matters is sometimes over looked. Facts:Husband and wife married 16 years ago. About five years in the marriage they bought a house. In March of 2017, they divorce. Husband remained living in the house, they both are on title to the house, and both remained on the mortgage. The property deed states that  the property is owned by "right of survivorship", and the the divorce decree did not address any specific terms regarding the house other than title vesting remains in place until further agreement.  In 2018 the husband remarried. His new wife moved into the house, they had a set of twin daughters in 2020. They have been paying the mortgage out of the joint income.  The husband suddenly passed away a few months ago - with out a will. The deed to the property w... 06/07/2021

Divorce & Capital Gains on Real Property Property values have skyrocketed over the last couple of years in the Gainesville, VA housing market - leaving Uncle Sam to be the fly in the ointment!  First and foremost, disclaimer: I am not an accountant and this shall not be construed as tax advice.  I had a recent divorce case where the wife was blind sited by the capital gains hit. She faced a $62,000 hit when she agreed to take the couples rental property in the divorce - a condo they bought when they first married.  In the divorce the husband keep the big house and she got the condo. She planned to sell the condo and use the equity to buy a house closer to the kids. That's when she got hit with reality! What she didn't know when she agreed to take the condo and sell it later was that she... 06/02/2021

A neighbor asked me, "Is buying a home still affordable, even with sales prices rising rapidly here in Northern Virginia (NOVA)?"The answer is YES houses are still affordable because most folks use a mortgage to finance a portion of their purchase, and interest rates are still near historic lows, 2.5%-3.25% on conventional and government backed home loans.  He asked, "Why are so many people buying, and not enough people are selling?" If you go back in time to the 1980's and 1990's, and look at a graph showing the number of babies being born, you will see an uptick above the curve, a short-term baby boom between 1986 and 1994. That demographic is what we now call Gen Y.  Gen Y folks are in their late 20's and early 30's in age, and they are buying their first homes.  Some are buying firs... 05/28/2021

VA zero down home loans typically have rates 1/2% lower than conventional loans. Maybe that doesn't much to you, but if you live in a $500,000 house, and plan to live in your house for five years, you would save almost $8,000 on your home loan. A conventional loan at $500,000 with a 3% rate gives you a payment of $2,108.02 per month, while a VA loan at 2.5% gives you a payment of $1,975.60. The difference is $132.42 per month; $1,589.04. over the course of a year; or $7,945.20 over five years. That's a significant savings.  There is an urban legend that says you can use your VA loan only once, so save it for your retirement home. That is false. You can use your VA loan over, and over again. You can even have two different houses with your VA loan, depending upon the real estate market w... 05/27/2021

Let's see what industry leaders in mortgage and realty are saying about the second half of 2021, and the first half of 2022:realtor.com“. . . homes continue to sell quickly in what’s normally the fastest-moving time of the year. This is in contrast with 2020 when homes sold slower in the spring and fastest in September and October. While we expect fall to be competitive, this year’s seasonal pattern is likely to be more normal, with homes selling fastest from roughly now until mid-summer.”National Association of Realtors (NAR)“Sellers who have been hesitant to list homes as part of their personal health safety precautions may be more encouraged to list and show their homes with a population mostly vaccinated by the mid-year.”Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com“Surveys showed t... 05/25/2021