The 2009 Basic Allowance for Housing Rates (BAH) have been published for active duty military members.  For military families moving to Fort Belvoir, Quantico, Pentagon or other duty stations in the Northern Virginia, DC and MD areas the new rates are an increase of an over last year's rates.

For those who are not familiar with BAH, the rates are based on the median rental rates in the area and may not cover what a service member pays in a monthly mortgage if they decide to buy a home while stationed in the area.  The median rental rate includes not only the rent but average utilities and the cost of rental insurance. 

It is not uncommon in our area to have military members stationed at the Pentagon choose to live in Prince William or even Stafford County where home prices or rental rates may be lower.  However they still will receive the BAH rate for the Pentagon.  DC is one the 350 Military Housing Areas (MHA) that looks at the rental market data within one hour's commuting distance in rush hour traffic.

If you have orders to any of the local military installations in Northern Virginia, DC or MD give me a call.  I can help you find a home that will give you the maximum use of your 2009 BAH rate, whether it is buying or renting!  I've walked in your shoes all around the world and know how difficult the transition to a new area can be. 

How fast can you put a home on the market?  Can you do it in an hour?  Can you do it in a day?   On a recent listing appointment a seller indicated that a previous agent suggested if they signed the listing agreement right then they could have the house on the market tomorrow.  Gasp!

Sure I can run home and put the basic data in the MLS.  I don't have to fill in all the data fields or at least not correctly and certainly I don't care if you clean your house or we take any photos to give buyers an idea of how great your home is.  We can slap that puppy on the market and sit back and wait and wait and wait for a buyer to show up at the door.

Or perhaps we could do some prep work and make sure that your home is ready the moment the first buyer walks in the front door.  In our current market in Northern Virginia the adage "you only get one chance to make a good first impression" is alive and well.  Photos, color brochures, websites and complete MLS data are just a few of the up front activities that need to take place before your home hits the market. 

Then there are the things you need to do.  De-cluttering, cleaning and touch-ups don't happen over-night unless you happen to have a crew of worker bees on call.  Northern Virginia buyers are picky and want your home to be close to perfect before they will put it on the short list. 

If an agent suggests to you that if you sign the listing agreement right away they can put your home on the market overnight stop and think about it. Unless your home is already picture perfect then you might want to do a reality check. A well prepared home and listing are the best way to put the SOLD sign in your yard!

© Cindy Jones.  All Rights Reserved.  "Marketing a New Listing-It Doesn't Happen Overnight"

For more information on listing your home give me a call at 703-346-2213.  I'd be glad to meet you to discuss the right way to get your home marketing and sold in 2009.

 

Unfortunately the current real estate market in Northern Virginia has proved a rude awakening for some renting military families.  Landlords who decided NOT to pay their mortgages have left the tenants holding the bag when the sheriff comes to the door.

Military familes who are forced to make a local move due to a foreclosure may find some relief from the Servicemrmbers Civil Relief Act.  Not many servicemembers know that under section 531 in the SCRA anyone looking to evict an active duty servicemember from a rental property that is their primary residence must have a court order.  This applies to rent that is less than $2831.113 per month.  Servicemembers can apply to the court to stay their eviction or reduce their rent until their case works it's way through the legal process.

As of July 2008 servicemembers who are being forced to leave their rental property due to foreclosure can apply to their base legal services and transportation office to seek financial assistance with their move.  In addition to the assistance you may find through your base you can also seek "cash for keys" from the lender who is foreclosing on the property.

Recently a family that I had helped find a home last year and signed a multiple year lease found themselves forced to move.  I spoke with the agent who had contacted the renters about the impending foreclosure and was able to assist them with a "cash for keys" opportunity that provided them $1500 to move.  They are currently working with their transportation office to see about assistance with additional moving expenses.  If you are a renter and have been notified of your landlords impending foreclosure RUN to your local legal office to talk about the options that the SRCA may provide for you.

A few lenders are forestalling foreclosure procedures for properties with renters who are current on their rental payments.  Hopefully these lenders will realize a property with a paying tenant is better than an empty home during the winter months.

Military Legal Services Locations

During the holiday season it is easy to become overwhelmed. With the music, decorations, shopping, crowds and business it can make us cranky and short tempered.  You can see it everywhere with pushing, shoving in stores and fighting for parking spaces.

Yet just across the interstate from one of the largest shopping malls in Northern Virginia you find hundreds of volunteers gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor a serviceman or woman.  For the last 16 years Worcester Wreath Company has donated 5000 wreaths to be placed on the headstones of our fallen hero's at Arlington National Cemetery.  This past weekend was the annual laying of the wreaths and there are no words to describe the reverence that each volunteer shows as they place a wreath, bow in prayer or salute the veteran they are honoring. 

The mission of the Wreaths Across America Project

Remember the fallen;

Honor those who serve;

Teach our children the value of freedom

Reverence evident as soon as the process of laying the wreaths begins. You can feel a change in the air.   Where there was a noisy and boisterous group of students there is now a quiet group reading the headstone where they have just placed a wreath.  Where there are families who have lost loved ones kneeling by a headstone, those walking by bow their heads to join them in a moment of silence.

It is during these quiet moments that you gain a perspective on the true meaning of the holidays

As the holidays come roaring now is a great time to lend a hand to a military family "left behind" while their loved one is deployed overseas.

If you live near a military family with a loved one deployed this holiday season stop by and volunteer to help them out for a few minutes or a few hours. You can put up their outside holiday lights or help get the Christmas tree in that pesky stand.  Volunteer to stand in line at the post office or UPS store for them.  Have a video camera?  Help the family make a holiday video to post for mom or dad to see.

It is the little things that we do during the holiday season that can have the biggest impact.  Lending a helping hand is a precious gift that will be appreciated by not only the family left behind but by their loved one far away.

Share of yourself this holiday season and feel the joy!

In conjunction with my new listing at 4948 Gainsborough Drive in Kings Park West I have updated my original Kings Park post from Feb 2008. 

It isn't hard to figure out what the developer of the first Kings Park was planning when they laid out the plan for the community and the homes. With one look at the street names Thames, Victoria, Trafalgar and Cromwell among others you might think you have made a trip back to England. Then when you add the names of the five original models; King, Queen, Princess, Duke and Duchess, you realize absolutely there is a royal connection!

 

 

My family bought our very first home in Kings Park in 1981. Having just returned from five years overseas we were anxious to settle down for awhile and having grown up in Springfield it was an easy choice to make the original Kings Park our first "real home." We were attracted to the neighborhood due to the mature trees, green space parks, community pools and easy commuting to our jobs. With the gentle slope of our 1/3 acre lot we were able to set up a zip line between the top of the back yard and the back fence which became a neighborhood hangout for the under 5 age group!

 

Since Kings Park was first built over 40 years ago it has been popular with military families looking for easy access to the Pentagon and for families with children who want to attend schools in the Lake Braddock School Pyramid. You can walk or ride your bike through two different "back" entrances to Lake Accotink or stay in the neighborhood and play at the community park. This year the community is starting the redesign process with the Fairfax County Park Authority to revitalize the community park to bring it up to date with the activities of today's family. One of the original pools in the community was closed (Royal Pool) and the land will now be incorporated into the expanded park.

 

At the same time that the original homes in Kings Park were going up at "end of Braddock Road" the developer also had their sights set on land just a little further west. In 1967 the deed to the land that would then become Kings Park West was approved by the county and in 1968 the first homes were completed. The theme continued with more names right out of the history books of England and with the addition of five new models; Essex, Regent, Baron, Cromwell and York, larger than in the original Kings Park neighborhood. Just as the first neighborhood had access to community parks Kings Park West also has Royal Lake and four community pools.

During the summer both Lake Accotink Park and Royal Lake host free Friday night summertime concerts which are an absolute hit with everyone. Music ranges through swing, jazz, pop and rock. If you haven't seen your neighbors for a few days chances are you will find them there with a picnic basket and folding chairs. So if you are looking for two neighborhoods with royal lineage then take a look at Kings Park and Kings Park West. You may find your next home among the mature trees.

If you are interested in learning more about Kings Park and Kings Park West or other local Northern Virginia neighborhoods give me a call.  We can meet for a cup of coffee and talk about your real estate needs.   As a native of the area I can give you a tour not only a new place to call home but other areas of interest for you and your family.

©2008 Cindy Jones "Two Royal Communities in Fairfax County-Kings Park & Kings Park West"

Not often when families are looking for a new place to call home can they find two neighborhoods that have it all. Location, multiple commuting options, recreation, shopping and good schools. If you find yourself with orders to the Pentagon or Fort Belvoir you may find yourself drawn to Cardinal Forest and Charlestown two neighborhoods that sit side by side in West Springfield.

 

The tree lined streets of Charlestown, combined with the brick townhouses remind anyone driving through the area of Colonial Williamsburg.  With primarily three level townhouses ranging from 1700 to a supersized 2700 square foot model, the townhomes feature curved staircases, hardwood floors (some under carpet) and brick walls surrounding the backyards.  The HOA takes care of all of the exterior maintenance including a three year painting cycle and a new roof when needed. 

Just around the corner from the townhouses of Charlestown are the detached homes of Cardinal Forest.  With ¼ acre or larger lots the homes in Cardinal Forest show the care that owners have taken since the neighborhood was originally developed in the 1960's.  From two level ramblers to the largest 5 bedroom colonial you can find a home that fits your needs.






For those in the know Lake Accotink Park has a back entrance off of Carrleigh Parkway.  Years ago the only way to get into the park from the neighborhood was to take a dangerous walk across the railroad tracks.  Fortunately the Fairfax County Park Authority built an enclosed pedestrian bridge so now you can ride your bike or walk to the park safely.  Once at the park there is a 3.75 mile trail around the 55 acre lake for you to run, bike, walk and don't forget your fishing pole.

Commuting to the Pentagon is as simple as stepping outside your door and walking to 2-3 blocks to Forrester Blvd or Carrleigh Parkway   If you aren't picked up by a commuter looking for slugs then you can grab the 18G Metro Bus.  If you take the 7:18 bus you will be at the Pentagon at 7:50.   How great is that?  If Fort Belvoir is your destination then the commute is also 30 minutes or less depending on stoplights!

Both neighborhoods are located in the West Springfield HS Pyramid and the elementary school and HS are within walking distance.  Want to shop?  If you want you can walk to the Giant or Whole Foods Grocery Stores and while you are at the shopping center you can stop by Starbucks, Austin Grill or Chicken Out for bite to eat.  If you need a few decorating ideas then stop in Calico Corners and to find a few whimsical gifts stop next door at Wits End.

If you have orders to the area call an agent who specializes in military relocation to Northern Virginia.  Let my team put our knowledge of the area to work for you.  We've been in your shoes numerous times and know how to help you make a smooth transition to your new home. 

 

There is a lot of negative information in both the local and national press that seems to be keeping potential buyers in rentals in Northern Virginia.  This market is also a golden opportunity for buyers who have been waiting for the "right time" to buy a home.  We have seen prices in some Northern Virginia areas drop as much as 50% and now interest rates are have dropped as well.  The time to get off the fence may have arrived. 


Buying a home is NOT FOR EVERYONE and if you are looking a home purchase in today's market as a short term buy then you probably shouldn't buy now.  If you are looking for an investment property this could be a great time as rentals are in demand and if you are looking to move up or downsize even though your current home is worth less the price of the new home you want to buy is most likely lower at an equal amount.

With those thoughts in mind here are some tips on taking advantage of today's market:

If you need to sell another home before you can buy then get in on the market.  Don't wait for the mythical spring market to list your home.  Talk to an agent now about the value of your home and what you need to do to get it ready for the market.

If you are going to require financing for your new home then talk to a lender now.  Loans requirements are changing daily.  Knowing the type of loan you are qualified for, getting the documents you need in order and being comfortable with the bottom line should be a top priority.

If you have CASH use it.  Right now cash deals are at the top of the heap and can often garner the best deals.  That does not mean you should liquidate your assets.  However if you have a property to sell and you are downsizing you might be able to make a cash offer to another seller or a builder that will garner you an even better deal that the advertised price.

Be able to close quickly.  This goes hand and hand with the first three tips.  If your home is solidly under contract or if you have your loan ready to go, a quick close will appeal to just about everyone.  

If you are a first time buyer, hire an agent to work for you.  You can spend all the time you want cruising the internet for your new home but a good buyers agent can also help you find the a reputable local lender to work with, help narrow your search criteria and protect your interests when you are ready to write an offer.  It can't be said enough times that the listing agent works for the seller and not you. 

 Consider foreclosures.  Not all foreclosures are money pits or trash pits.  In fact in our area with the amount of new construction that happened over the last few years you can find condos, townhouses and detached homes that are almost as good as new. 

Ask for the property history.  Your agent should be able to provide you not only a comparative market analysis for the neighborhood but show you the listing and sales history for the home you are considering.  Knowing whether the home is currently overpriced and how long it has been on the market are key components of making the right offer.  Low ball offers are not the way to buy a home in this market.  Despite what a friend might tell you trust your Realtors advise  Don't waster your time offering pennies on the dollar.

Understand that the market may still decline in some neighborhoods.  But also remember if interest rates rise then the higher rate you pay for a loan will wipe out the difference in a small price decrease.

 And finally remember that the long term value in our area .  We have historically recovered from economic downturns in our real estate market.    Our area offers good employment, education and quality of life opportunities  not found in all areas of the US. 

If you are exploring a new home purchase in the next 6 months give me a call.  We can meet over a cup of coffee and talk about whether buying a home is the right decision for you.