There seems to be a rumor flying around that you can't use a VA loan to buy a foreclosure property. THIS IS NOT TRUE! Buyers all over Northern Virginia are successfully closing on a foreclosure property using their VA loans. It is funny how rumor becomes fact by just one person saying they didn't get the house they wanted because the VA required repairs.

If you want to by a property that falls into the "wreck" category then you might be better off with an FHA 203 (k) loan so you can get the money you need for repairs in your loan but you can use a VA loan for a foreclosure which is decent condition. The biggest issue my buyers have come up against is that VA does require that the electricity be turned on for the appraisal and I always make sure that the home has the water on as well.

VA provides one of the few 100% financing programs currently available in a declining market area.  Conventional VA loan limits are still set at $625,500 and in today's Northern Virginia market that limit goes a long way.   VA does provide jumbo loans for eligible active duty and retired personnel who may be looking for something just a bit bigger.

Not sure whether you are eligible for a VA loan?

VA Loan Eligibility Requirements

Need to request your VA Certificate of Eligibility?

VA Form 26-1880

In 2008 I had multiple buyers purchase a home in foreclosure using VA loans.  From a condominiumin Belmont Bay, a townhouse in Lake Ridge and a detached home in Springfield the buyers were able to purchase the home they wanted and get to closing without delay. 

If you are thinking about using your VA loan to buy your next home in Northern Virginia give me a call.  We can meet to talk about the options and opportunities in today's real estate market.  Take a sneak peak at some popular Fort Belvoir neighborhoods and read more details on Military Relocation before you start your on-line home search.   I've walked in your shoes from the Far East to Europe and know what it is like to make a military move. I work with multiple lenders who understand today's Northern Virginia market and are successful in getting VA loans to closing.

© Cindy Jones-"VA Loans and Northern Virginia Foreclosures -Putting the Rumors to Rest"

If you are looking for a "forest" to live in and you still want to be able to commute to work at Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon or any installation in the Military District of Washington then you might want to check out the "forests" in Springfield.

Okay that might have been a bit cheesy but the developers who built the numerous neighborhoods with "Forest" in their name did leave plenty of trees.  Over the years they have continued to grow and provide each neighborhood a leafy canopy and beautiful displays of colors in our changing seasons. 

 

Is it Cardinal Forest, Newington Forest or Rolling Forest that catches your attention?  Or perhaps you would prefer Danbury Forest, Leewood Forest or Monticello Forest?  I'm sure you can see where this is going.  In fact you can find at least 16 communities with "forest" in their name and there is a chance that I've missed one or two.  What I haven't missed is watching most of these neighborhoods mature over the years and having owned a home in every zip code in Springfield, I've lived in my share of them too.

From the smallest community of Park Forest with only 13 townhouses to the largest condominium community of Cardinal Forest with over 1000 units you can find communities of just about any size that you like.  If you are looking for amenities you will find most neighborhoods have pools and tennis courts available. 

As a Fairfax County resident you can also enjoy South Run Recreation Center, Burke Lake Park, Lake Accotink, Hidden Pond and dozens of community parks scatterd throughout the area.  Commuting options abound with the metro, VRE, commuter lots, bus lines and slug routes scattered throughout the area. 




If you are thinking you might be interested in living in a "forest" this year give me a call.  We can meet to talk over your options and see if this year is the right time for you to buy a new home.  And if living in a "forest" isn't for you, don't worry Springfield has plenty of "woods" and other great neighborhoods as well.

Beverly Forest	Forest View	Newington Forest	South Run Forest
Burgoyne Forest	Leewood Forest	Park Forest	Spring Forest
Cardinal Forest	Meadowood Forest	Pohick Forest	Springfield Forest
Danbury Forest	Monticello Forest	Rolling Forest	Forest at South Run

 

© Cindy Jones "If You Live in Springfield You Can't See the Forest for the Trees"

Belmont Bay is the premier waterfront community in Prince William County.  Townhouses in the "town center" with spectacular golf course views don't come on the market often.  This weekend I'll be bringing on the market a wonderful three level end unit property with plenty of light and one of the great views that Belmont Bay is known for.

Enjoy an early morning cup of coffee or late evening beverage on the private master bedroom balcony and or an evening with friends and family in front of the gas fireplace in the living room.    This townhouse offers close to 2500 square feet of finished space and will be priced at $445,000.

Enjoy all that Belmont Bay has to offer including an 18 hole championship golf course, marina, community pool, tennis courts, waterfront walking paths and of course the Osprey Restaurant.  With a commuter train station and nearby commuter lots access to the Pentagon is a snap.  Only 10 miles to the main gate of Fort Belvoir and Belmont Bay offers a reasonable reverse commute to Quantico, FBI or DEA Academies.

For more information on this great listing give me a call at 703-346-2213.  Let me show you all that Belmont Bay has to offer and why seven of my buyers decided to call Belmont Bay home in 2008.

 

When I was in elementary school in Fairfax County Virginia a decision was made to pull a few of us out of class and sit us in front of a TV to learn French. The program only lasted for half a year but today the only French I even remotely know came from sitting in front of that TV. 

Today in  Fairfax County parents have the option of enrolling their elementary schools students in a half day language immersion program. Unlike when I was in school or even when my kids were in Fairfax County Schools students are not taught just the language at their chosen school but are actually taught all of the regular academic subjects in a second language. Currently the language immersion program is offered twelve different elementary schools throughout the county with a choice of four languages.


Research has proven that early exposure to a second language leads to a much better chance that the language will be retained and used later in life. When I lived in Japan the neighborhood children where I lived used to stop by after school so that we could all practice our language skills. It was an amusing sight to see, me trying to learn Japanese and the kids practicing English. I guarantee that they now speak much better English due to their young age than I ever did Japanese.

The programs offered in Fairfax County elementary schools today include German, Spanish, Japanese and French. When a student finishes sixth grade they have the option to continue studying their chosen language in a more traditional format in intermediate and high school. In addition to the partial immersion elementary school program the county also is offering a Two Way Kindergarten Immersion Program. Different from the half day program this program features a 50/50 split of students sharing and learning new language skills. Half of the students in the class are native Spanish speakers and half of the students are native English speakers. Instruction and interaction is in both languages to develop bi-lingual skills in both groups of native speakers.

 

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR IMMERSION PROGRAMS IS UNDERWAY.  FIRST GRADE PARTIAL IMMERSION REGISTRATION OPENS JANUARY 5th AND RUNS THROUGH FEB 17th.

REGISTRATION FOR TWO WAY (ENGLISH & SPANISH) KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION OPENS JANUARY 5th AND CLOSES MAY 11th.

For more information on these Fairfax County School programs you can check out the Fairfax County School website. It is up to each parent to decide whether these programs are right for their children. It is just one of the reasons that Fairfax County Schools are always given high ratings and Virginia Schools have been rated # 5 in the nation. 

Long before Homer Simpson made the TV town of Springfield famous, before the Springfield Mixing Bowl was created or Slug lines came to town their was a small ‘country” highway stop fifteen miles outside of DC that would come to be known as Springfield Virginia.

In 1946 the developer Edwin Carr realized that their was a huge piece of undeveloped land, close enough to DC to be appealing to government workers who worked in town and that would provide space for larger homes than were currently available in Arlington or Alexandria. My parents were one of those families who decided that Springfield provided a chance for them to buy their first home. In 1955 they bought a brand new split level home in the Yates Village neighborhood of Springfield.

When we moved in to our new home there wasn’t much around us. The only grocery store in the neighborhood was a small store called Bon Foods, there was a drug store with a soda fountain and Fischers Hardware had been open a couple of years. Across the street from our house was an old farm house with huge cherry trees to climb and plenty of space to roam. We could take off on a summer morning and not come back until evening without any worries.

We had milk delivered to the house; bought eggs from the “egg man” who lived in a small house off of Keene Mill Road and vegetables from a farm at the corner of Backlick and Braddock Roads.  Springfield even had an small local airport at one time located where the Springfield Estates neighborhood now exists.  Over the years Springfield grew and spread. The farm house came down to make way for a shopping center, the empty field first became a Babe Ruth baseball field and then gave way to an office building. 

My parents thought about a bigger house in one of the new West Springfield neighborhoods but in the end they stayed in their original home for 45 years.  When I bougt my first house in Kings Park my mother said “who would want to live all they way out there?”  Over the years my own family has  lived in Greentree Village, Springfield Oaks, and Charlestown to name a few.  My kids laugh about the fact that we have lived in every zip code in Springfield and that multiple generations of our family attended Fairfax County Schools.

The days of soda fountains, farms and wide open spaces are long gone. Springfield is a bustling area with a wide variety of neighborhoods, dining choices and commuting options.  It's central location makes it a great choice for military familes with orders to Fort Belvoir, Pentagon, or the Military District of Washington.  Civilians working from the numerous defense contractors and government agencies also like the Springfield area too.

If a move to Northern Virginia is in your future let's meet to talk about your options and whether buying a home is the right choice for you in today's market.   If you are thinking about selling your home in Northern Virginia give me a call.  With my personal knowledge of the neighborhoods and successful marketing strategies together we can get your home sold in 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even when the weather is chilly there isn't any reason not to get outside and explore all of the great parks and recreation activities that you can find in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Though your week may include commuting on crowded interstates, metro rides or slug lines, the weekend gives you the perfect opportunity to take in the solitude of many of our areas parks. Whether you are looking for one of the parks run by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, the National Park Service or the Department of the Interior you can find a park and outdoor activity to enjoy.

 

Parks on the Mason Neck Peninsula are a perfect example of both the variety of parks and the cooperation of nature conservation groups in Fairfax County. The Mason Neck area traces its history back to 1608 when it was recording by John Smith that he meet with the native Dogue Indians and charted the local area. When George Mason, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights built his home in the area in 1755 the name was changed from Doeg Neck to Mason's Neck.

 

 

 

For most of the 1800's and early into the 1900's the area was used for logging of the native hardwoods and much of the land was ripe for development due to its waterfront location. The discovery of a pair of nesting bald eagles in 1965 put a halt to most of the planned development of the area and instead a committee was formed of local citizens to purchase some of the land that now makes up the Mason Neck State Park. Eventually local, state and federal agencies stepped up with funds and over 2000 acres were set aside as both a Wildlife Refugee and State Park.

 

Today the park is a national National Wildlife Refuge with close to 2000 acres.  When you stop by the visitors center you will learn more about the variety of birds, including the bald eagles that you will find througout the area. The playground overlooking the water is a treat for children, there is a 3 mile bike path through the woods and plenty of trails to explore.

 

Just down the road is Pohick Regional Park run by the Northern Virginia Park Authority. This park is one of only three Northern Virginia public access points for the Potomac River. If a power boats aren't your thing then you can rent a canoe, kayak or paddle boat and head down one of the quiet tributaries off of the river. Pohick Park is a full service park with no only the boat launch facilities but also an 18 hole golf course, a miniature golf course, playground and numerous picnic areas

 

 

 

Pohick Park is one of the few local parks that has rustic cabins available for rent as well as campgrounds for tent campers. As part of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority residents of the county can also buy annual pool passes which can be used at any of the other NVRPA pools in the summer as well. The park shelters an abundance of wildlife, including bald eagles. As you are wandering through the numerous paths in the park you can expect to see osprey, heron, deer, beavers and occasional a rare view of a river otters.

So don't sit on the couch when the weather is chilly.  Visit the local parks when the crowds are slim and enjoy the crisp air.  You might be surprised at what you see wandering through the woods, including me!

 

 

As someone who has moved all around the world with the military the first few days after the PCS orders arrive the questions about housing, schools and shopping can lead to sleepless nights and the big question “where are we going to live?”

If the orders in your hand mean you are heading to the Pentagon then let me welcome you to the neighborhood! Most military personal headed to the base often choose to live in Northern Virginia close to public transportation and the famous "slug" lines. Whether you are going to buy or rent there are plenty of neighborhood options for you to choose from. The first thing you need to do is check the 2009 BAH rates for the Pentagon. Pentagon rates fall in the Washington District (DC053) and you can use zip code 22152 as an example.

If you are thinking of buying a home, the current Northern Virginia market provides you the chance to find a good value on a home. Many military personal are dusting off their VA Certificate of Eligibility and checking with local lenders about the options available to use their VA loans. Knowing what monthly payment you are comfortable with is important for looking at homes in neighborhoods that meet your price criteria.

Once you have determined your price range you have the option to start your search on-line to get an idea of the type of homes that are within your price range. There are a number of neighborhoods in Northern Virginia that have always been popular with military families stationed at the Pentagon including Kingstowne, Lorton and Lake Ridge. If you have school age children starting with information on local schools through the Fairfax County or Prince William County sites or the Great Schools website will also assist you in determining the right neighborhood for your family.

If you have decided to forgo a purchase on this tour of duty don't worry. I can also help you find a rental property in one of Northern Virginia's great neighborhoods as well.

The best way to get to know the area is to call on a Realtor® who not only has been through the stress of numerous military moves but is a native of the area. I’ve lived through the best and worst military moves and know how to help your family learn about Northern Virginia and find a neighborhood that you will want to call home while stationed at the Pentagon.

My military relocation network is at your fingertips through my on-line resources, on the phone and in person. Don’t lose sleep over your orders. I’m here to help you with a smooth transition!

© Cindy Jones 2008. All rights reserved. "Military Relocation News-Welcome to the Pentagon"

Homes for our Troops is one of the top ranked Military Charities by American Institute of Philanthropy.

Also on the list are:

Fisher House
Intrepid Fallen Heros Fund
National Military Family Association
Armed Services YMCA of the USA

As you plan your contributions for 2009 please consider including one or all of these top ranked charities that support our troops and their families.

 

Thanks to Lenn Harley for bringing this piece of valuable information to my attention.  If you are in a negative equity situation and facing a PCS move this may be an option for you to consider.

Please read Page 7 of the VA Compromise Agreement which outlines the requirements of a Compromise sale.  Check with your VA Regional office for additional details.

 

Belmont Bay is the premier waterfront community in Prince William County.   With a Virginia Rail Express Station (VRE) in the neighborhood, easy access to I-95 less than 5 minutes away and commuter lots just around the corner it has all the advantages for anyone who is looking for a resort lifestyle with daily convenience.

For anyone who is headed to Fort Belvoir, Pentagon or Quantico this top floor condo in Harborview is the perfect place for you to call home while you are stationed in the area.  Offered for rent at $2200 this two bedroom, two bath and a den unit also offers two garage parking spaces and extra storage as well.

If you are looking for a great place to live while you are stationed in Northern Virginia then check out this condo in Belmont Bay.  Give me a call and I'll be glad to give you a tour of the neighborhood.