As far as I know there isn’t a formal buyer’s guide for the Department of Defense HAP program.  Recent conversations with a couple of other agents in the Northern Virginia area revealed that other agents do have a different approach to writing an offer for their buyers on a home being sold with HAP benefits than I do.

However that being said here are the basics of what a buyer can expect. 

HAP isn’t signing your contract.  The owner of the property will negotiate the terms and conditions that are acceptable to them just as in regular seller would.  They do have guidelines from HAP regarding selling their home at Fair Market Value (FMV) and there is a limit on the amount of closing cost assistance that HAP will help agree to pay for the buyer.  The sellers usual and customary closing costs are covered.

The sellers lender is not involved in approving the sale.

HAP will be the final determinate of your closing date.   Do not expect to close in less than 60 days.   Put a closing date in your contract but either an addendum or in Paragraph 34 of your contract should include language showing you agree to a potential longer settlement due to HAP processing.

EMD is deposited upon contract ratification by the seller.

 
Contingencies are removed according to the dates outlined in the contract NOT after HAP provides the seller the updated letter approving their application.   Here is the reason why this makes sense.   If you have a home inspection and there are issues you may be negotiating either a credit or repairs.  The owner needs to be able to take care of those repairs right away.  They could be packing to move and once they are gone getting any repairs done is going to be difficult.

Having the appraisal completed is key.   If there is an issue with the appraisal and the sales price needs to be adjusted HAP has to rework the benefits for the seller.  If you wait and benefits have been calculated it may delay the process to have them recalculated. 

Removing your financial contingency is important as well.  The seller needs to know you are fully qualified to move forward with your part of the transaction.  HAP will ask for an updated letter or verification of your financing when the file is moved to benefits.

Meanwhile while you are working through your part of the transaction behind the scenes work is going on at HAP.  The file is being reviewed to make sure all of the required documents are in place.  The price you offered for the home is going through an internal appraisal process to make sure it meets the FMV standard. 

Then the title work is ordered to make sure the owner can convey clear and marketable title to you.  At this point generally about 30 days into the process the seller is given an updated letter from HAP stating they are fully approved for the program and the file moves to the benefits department.

Once the file moves to benefits there are other requirements however for the purpose of this post we will stop here.

Again this is how I’ve worked with buyers and buyer’s agents with the HAP listings I’ve handled.   It has been 100% successful with both parties to the contract and has never causes any issues with the Realty Specialists at HAP.

If you live in the Northern Virginia area and are eligible for the DoD HAP program give me a call at 703-346-2213.   Let my success with getting HAP deals to closing work for you.

If you are a criminal looking for a community to rob then Prince William County VA has one for you to consider.  But only if you want to spend the rest of your life behind bars. 

Tucked away on Quantico MCB is the little hamlet of Hogan’s Alley.  If you could drive down the street you would find a town that resembles any town US.  Houses, post office and yes a bank line the street.  Yet at any moment a robbery or shooting can take place.

Hogan’s Alley is part of the 10 acre training facility for new FBI agents located at the FBI Academy on the grounds of Quantico MCB in Triangle VA.  Having a father who was an FBI agent for 35 years meant tales of the crime sprees in Hogan’s Alley were always good for a story at dinner.

Hogan’s Alley was designed with the help of Hollywood set designers.  In case you think there wasn’t a little inside humor in the creation of Hogan’s Alley you would be wrong  The theater in town is called the Biograph Theater after the theater made famous during the shooting of John Dillinger in 1934 led by Melvin Purvis of the Chicago FBI office.

So the next time you hear about a bank robbery in Hogan’s Alley in Prince William County don’t worry.   It is just a new class of FBI recruits preparing to help keep the rest of the streets in the US crime free.

(Photo by Casimir from Flickr)

This morning as an estimator for a local moving company opened drawers and peeked in closets at my clients house it reminded me of a few tips to consider when you are getting ready to move.

The #1 Tip is PURGE. Start with all of those magazines that are lying around. If there is one article that you want to keep out of the entire magazine cut it out and scan it to your computer or a disc. Go through the closets and clean out the clothes, shoes, coats that you know you won't need at your new location or haven't worn in a long time.

#2-SECURE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS. Make sure all of your important papers are secure in one location. It is amazing the number of times that you will get to your new location and not be able to find immunization records, birth certificates, bank and investment documents. I recommend that you consider making a scanned disc of all of your papers as a backup to the paper files.

#3-PACK AN EMERGENCY KIT. The first night in a new home is usually chaotic. Surrounded by boxes and trying to find that one item you really need is impossible. Pack one box and clearly label it as the EMERGENCY KIT. Inside you need toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, non perishable snacks, set of sheets and small hardware kit.

Once you know your exact moving date you can start going room by room and organizing items so that when the moving company arrives to pack that you will have like items together and can clearly label each room and the key items in each box.

Now I need to work on Tip #1 at my own house.  Even though I'm not moving a peek inside my closets reveals it's time for a purge of my own!

If you are moving to the Northern Virginia (VA) area including Alexandria, Fairfax, Prince William or Stafford Counties give the Cindy Jones team a call at 703-346-2213. Let's get together and chat about your housing needs. No hassle, no pressure just straight talk about whether now is the right time for you to buy a home.

The dog days of summer are starting to creep into Fairfax County.  When they do one of the best local places to escape is Burke Lake Park.

Burke Lake Park  is located just off of Route 123 and a few miles from the City of Fairfax. With over 850 acres including a 220 acre lake there is plenty for everyone to enjoy. For the walkers, joggers and bikers the 5 mile dirt loop around the lake is a great way to take in all of the vistas. For the youngsters the miniature train ride chugging along at 10 MPH is a hoot. Want to get in a round of golf? You can do that too at the 18 hole Par 3 course.

The Frisbee golf course is a challenge for young and old, though for the life of me the fun of trying to throw a Frisbee through a hoop eludes me! For the young and young at heart stop by and give the Carousel a whirl and don't forget to bring your stale bread to feed the ducks. Guaranteed you will be attacked without it!

For the guys who like to fish you can rent a small electric powered boat or canoe and cast your line. Make sure you have a valid fishing license. It's the law!

One of the best things about the park is that no matter what season you go you will find the park well maintained and friendly park staff around to help.

Burke Lake Park is just one example of the benefits of living in Fairfax County. With over 25,000 acres of parkland maintained by the Fairfax County Park Authority you can find a park just around the corner from almost any neighborhood in the county.

See you around the park!

Maps of Burke Lake Park Activities

Photo Credit: rla579 from Flickr

Don't miss your chance at this terrific home in the sought after Westridge Neighborhood in Woodbridge, Virginia.  Tucked away on a cul-de-sac this wonderful split level home offers plenty of privacy with a large lot backing to the woods. 

Features of 4366 Chambord Lane include:

Main Level

Living Room
Separate Dining Room
Family Room w/Fireplace
Updated Kitchen
Access to Deck
Access to 2 Car Garage

Upper Level

Master Bedroom w/private bath
2 Additional Bedrooms w/full bath
Loft Den

Lower Level
Recreation Room
Fourth Bedroom
Full Bath
Walk-out to fenced yard

Westridge in Woodbridge, VA offers owners a community club house, swimming pool and walking paths throughout the community.  With it's central location within Prince William County residents have access to multiple commuter lots, major roads and the Woodbridge VRE for commuting to DC, the Pentagon or Quantico.  Shopping centers are varied and close by and the Award of Excellence Westridge Elementary School is within the community.

This home is priced to sell at $385,000.  Call Cindy Jones at 703-346-2213 for more information and to schedule your showing of 4366 Chambord Lane in Westridge this weekend.

UNDER CONTRACT

As quickly as CJRealty Group hit the enter key to list this detached single family home in Beau Ridge Estates neighorhood in Woodbridge VA the phone began to ring.

The home featured:

• 3BR/3.5 BA
• Living Room w/Vaulted Ceiling
• Dining Room w/2 Bay Windows
• Eat in Kitchen overlooks Family Room
• Family Room w/Fireplace
• Lower Level Recreation Room
• Lower Level Den w/Full Bath
• Master Bedroom w/Cathedrial Ceilings
• Master Bath w/soaking tub
• 2 Guest Bedrooms w/Full Bath
• 2 Car Garage
• Large Fenced Yard
• Backs to Woods
  

Priced to sell at $250,000 the property garnered 7 hours within the first 24 hours it was on the market.  The owners a military family with PCS orders to South Carolina were excited to see the interest our marketing generated.

If you have a home to sell in Beau Ridge Estates in Woodbridge,VA or anywhere in Woodbridge, Prince William County or the Northern Virginia area give Call Cindy Jones at 703-346-2213.  Let's talk about how our marketing strategies can put the sold sign in your yard too.

Recently an email arrived that piqued my interest.  A buyer wanted to concentrate their home hunting search on Department of Defense HAP homes.  When I found out more my heart sank.  The inquirer wanted to concentrate on HAP homes because the government allowed them to be sold at 10% off Fair Market Value and “the seller faces less risk since HAP partially offsets their loss based on the original purchase price."

The biggest part of the email that bothered me was the "seller faces less risk" by accepting a lower offer. In fact accepting an offer 10% list price does hurt the seller.  It hurts them in the wallet.  Unlike a short sale where many buyers are able to walk away without paying a dime out of their pocket, military families using HAP benefits DO pay a percentage on the differential between original purchase price and the current sales price.

This is without taking into consideration money the family has put into improvements in the home, money they have lost from their down payment and a number of other factors.  So even though in the grand scheme of things the extra 10% may not seem like much to a buyer, it is a big difference to a seller.

If you are thinking a HAP home is a home waiting for a lowball offer please think again.  Military families using DoD HAP benefits deserve an offer at Fair Market Value just like every other seller in the Northern Virginia market.   If you are a military family in Northern Virginia who qualifies for DoD HAP benefits give me a call at 703-346-2213.  Let my success in closing HAP sales for families like yours work for you.

On Saturday, June 12, the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) hosts the new Crossroads 17.75K, taking runners through Prince William County.  Starting in Dumfries, VA at 7 a.m. running through Prince William Forest Park and finishing at National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, VA.

It is fitting that the race will end at the Marine Corps Museum just outside the gates of Quantico Marine Corps Base known as the “Crossroads of the Corps.”  The Marine Corps Museum design was inspired by the raising of the flags on Iwo Jima in World War 11.  The  Crossroad Marathon is an11-mile (17.75K) distance,  It is unique to the MCM Event Series and commemorates the year in which the USMC was founded.

After you have finished cheering on your favorite runner make sure that you explore the Marine Corps Museum and the three new exhibits that just opened.  Then go back to Prince William Forest Park and enjoy a leisure picnic and stroll through the 17,000 acre park.

If you live nearby the race route come out and cheer on the runners and honor the men and women who serve our country.

Marathon Map:   Marine Corp Marathon

MCM Photo credit:  Ani Od

As my second client of the year packs their bags for a move to Okinawa I reminded them that they needed to make sure that they didn't miss the Churaumi Aquarium located on the north eastern part of the island. The Aquarium is the second largest in the world and is a must for families who find themselves with PCS orders to Okinawa.

If you are a military family with PCS orders taking you away from Northern Virginia give me a call to talk about whether you are eligible for the Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program. This year I've helped numerous families get their home SOLD using HAP assistance. Call Cindy Jones at 703-346-2213 to talk over your options.

There is little doubt that one of the first questions that a family relocating to the Northern Virginia area asks is "what about the schools?" As real estate agents we can't answer the question directly but can help point prospective buyers to a number of places to research local Northern Virginia schools. Schools often dictate the choice of neighborhood that families will consider. Living in a "good" school district could mean that parents sacrifice their commute or other community amenities in order to find the right school.

Looking at the different county and city schools sites for test scores, absentee rates, teacher turnover, graduation rates and extracurricular activities are part of what a buyer can use to make a school decision. If you are relocating to Northern Virginia you can check out the following local school sites for more information:

Alexandria City Public Schools
Arlington County Public Schools
Fairfax County Public Schools
Falls Church City Public Schools
Loudoun County Public Schools
Prince William County Public Schools
Stafford County Public Schools

Check out the Virginia Department of Education site and the independent Great Schools site as well.

Search for your new home by school district using our Northern Virginia Home search engine.  (Just click the link labeled Schools/Districts)

If a move to the Northern Virginia area is in your future give Cindy Jones a call at 703-346-2213. Let me help you find the information you need to make the best decision for your families reclocation to the area. No hassle, no pressure just straight talk about lliving in Northern Virginia.