Lake Ridge VA Real Estate News

How unfortunate for the home buyer(s) who fall in love with a home, wants to write an offer and doesn't because they feel there are better deals out there.  When a home buyer is interested in a home, typically a good  Buyers Agent will look at and go over all the homes that have sold nearby in the past three to six months with the prospective home buyer. In the case of the home I listed a few weeks ago at 12496 Sulky Ct in Lake Ridge VA much of the Buyers Agents feedback was, nice house, great condition, however the buyers felt it was overpriced.

We can't blame the Buyers Agents, they are powerless and have no way of showing the buyer how the home looked when it was a foreclosure compared to the house they see today.  Buyers do not trust and believe sellers are just being greedy. "It doesn't help that the information on the previous MLS Listing has no photo's and very little written in the description. This is where Listing Agents do a huge disservice to their clients and the community and the real estate market as a whole.  Let me go on record to say I hate lazy listing agents!"

When I  listed this house, I knew I was faced with a huge challenge. The homeowners had only purchased the home about six months earlier as a bank foreclosure. They were asking $345,000 when it was advertised as For Sale By Owner. I knew that was too much, however I was impressed with the quality of workmanship and how much the homeowner had done in six months. The only reason they were moving is because they needed to relocate. They were heart broken knowing they had sunk more that $70,000 into renovations. The tricky part was they had only purchased the home for $237,000 a few months before. 

I met with them and I agreed to list the home. We listed in MLS for $330,000. 

Traffic was good, the marketing brought several dozen buyers into the house within the first two weeks. "That said, even though many buyers loved the home, but passed thinking they would find a better deal and that just maybe the seller would come down in price over time. WRONG!"

In the end two smart home buyers who saw the value of buying a home in Lake Ridge Virginia made offers. The homeowners accepted one and the home went under contract.

Now comes the nerve racking part. The  Appraisal Process. As the sellers agent it is my job to coach them on their options and to help them get their price.

• I asked the seller to place Before and After Photo's on the dining room table for the appriaser
• I pulled the most recent comparable homes sold with interior photo's on the table as well.
• I asked the seller to draft up an expense breakdown of all of the improvements he had made in the home since they bought the home.
• Then we all kept our fingers crossed.

This weekend I was able to call the sellers to tell them the good news! The  home appraised for $330,000! Exactly what I listed if for. So yesterday I was able to change the status of the home in MLS to Contract and now they are heading to settlement at the end of the month! 

The Moral Of The Story. 

Buyers: if you like the house and it fits your lifestyle and you can see yourself living there for the long haul. Put in an offer. Don't pass on your dream home just because you think it is overpriced. Let the appraisal process do what it is suppose to do. Determine the Fair Market Value.

Homeowners:If you are thinking of selling your home, give me a call. I take great pride in helping homeowners get top dollar for their home.

Do You Need Help Selling or Buying A Home? I'm Only A Phone Call Away,

Call or Contact Peggy James- Realtor® - Exit 1st Choice Realty ... Contact Peggy Now Visit Our Website: www.erickandcompany.com Erick And Company-Exit First Choice Realty  14029 Crossing Place, Woodbridge, VA 22192 My Direct #(703) 851-3085 or Office # (703)590-2252 Get directions  Write a review More information »

Two weeks ago, I received a call from frustrated homeowners who were attempting to sell their home For Sale By Owner.  They were successful in getting a few people to visit the home from a Craigslist posting they did and that resulted in a home buyer making an offer on their home. However, on the way to settlement, they got a call and the buyer wanted out of the contract. Because the homeowners did not have the skill and the tools to hold that buyer in place they not only lost time on the market they lost the contract deposit as well. I'm sure you can imagine their frustration.

"What all sellers need to realize is. Getting someone to make an offer on your home is not the hard part. Ask any Realtor and they will tell you keeping that offer glued together and moving forward and getting the purchasers to closing is the hard part! Realtors have the tools and the skills to get the job done!"

How did the homeowners find me?They found me on the Internet by looking for someone who could sell their home fast in the Woodbridge Virginia area. When they landed on my real estate blog and read about me and our successful sales in the area, they called me. When I arrive at their home, they said " Thank you for coming over. Actually we feel like we know you already,I love your blog."

I sat down with them and showed them how  we market homes and what strategy we would use to sell their home. I explainedErick's and my goal is not to just get you one offer, our goal is to get you several offers to choose from. You may being asking, how can we do that? Erick and Company has systems in place to do a media blitz of your home. Within twenty four hours of listing your home we can have your marketing plan completed and in place. After seeing that they agreed to list the home and the next day February 15th,2010 I took photo's.  I worked for hours on a marketing plan, created a personal webpage for the home and I published two different blog posts about the home 12496 Sulky Ct in Lake Ridge VA Is For Sale and this one .  Are You Looking For A Single Family Home In Lake Ridge VA Under $350,000?. Uploaded the home into the Multiple Listing Service as well as mutilpe real estate websites.  The marketing was in place, now we wait.

"The result in in less than 10 days that home is now Under Contract!"

The seller had more than fifteen Realtors with buyers cross the threshold in the first five days and that produced two ready and willing pre-approved buyers who wanted the home!

                          Do you need help selling your home?

Call or Contact Peggy James- Realtor® - Exit 1st Choice Realty ...                             Contact Peggy Now       Visit Our Website: www.erickandcompany.com Erick And Company 14029 Crossing Place, Woodbridge, VA 22192 My Direct #(703) 851-3085 or Office # (703)590-2252 Get directions  Write a review More information »

If I told you that 83 Single Family Homes Sold and Settled in Lake Ridge Virginia over the winter months would that surprise you?  Well they did, and I am not one who is surprised! Most homeowners do not even think about selling a home until they experience a lifestyle change. That can be anything from PCS Orders, to a new baby, loss of a job, or you've just had enough of this winter weather and it is time to move South.

So what does this information mean to you and your family? Well below is a Market Snapshot of Lake Ridge Single Family Sales and Successful Closings between September 2009 and February 2010. Learn about homes For Sale, Under Contract and what they Sold for.

 Current Market Snapshot of Lake Ridge Virginia Single Family Homes Sales in the past six months.

"It is time to learn the facts about your local Lake Ridge Virginia Real Estate Market. It is a fantastic time to sell your home." If you have owned your home for seven years of more, chances are very good that you can sell your home and begin that new chapter in life that you've been dreaming of. Have you been dreaming of downsizing, relocating to a new area, or maybe you are ready to move-up to a larger home. Erick and I can help you sell your home fast.  Even if your home is upside down, refinancing is not an option, and you think you need to sell by Short Sale.  I have help many homeowners successfully get short sale approval from their bank. Final Note: Most home that are priced under $350,000 are experiencing multiple offer situations in our area.  Imagine that. So forget you've heard. I hear to tell you. The market not good, it is great for sellers!

Do you have a question? Just ask. Call me direct at 703-851-3085 or  contact me by email . 

Curious What Your Home Would Sell For?

Tell Me About Your Home ( Fill In This Form), I Will Prepare A Personalized Snapshot For You.

Or call me direct at 703-851-3085 or  contact me by email . Contact Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder  of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty,14029 Crossing Place,  Woodbridge VA. 22192. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office) to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's. 

Learn what homes are currently For Sale, Under Contract as well as what homes have SOLD for in between September 2009 and February 2010. You might be surprised to know that  twenty four homeowners have SOLD their homes in the Winter Months. Now let me share the great news!  The average home in Westridge goes under contract in less than 30 days. If you have a larger single family home in Westridge priced about $500,000 chances are it could take as long as forty days.

"So forget what you hear about how bad the market is. The  Real Estate Market is not BAD...it is Fantastic For Sellers!" If you have owned your home for seven years of more, chances are very good that you can sell your home and begin that new chapter in life that you've been dreaming of. Have you been dreaming of downsizing, relocating to a new area, or maybe you are ready to move-up to a larger home. I can help you do that.  Learn what's happening in your neighborhood.

Current Market Snapshot- Westridge Subdivision Resale Activity Over The Past Six Months.

 Do you have a question? Just ask. Call me direct at 703-851-3085 or  contact me by email . 

Curious What Your Home Would Sell For?

Tell Me About Your Home ( Fill In This Form), I Will Prepare A Personalized Snapshot For You.

Or call me direct at 703-851-3085 or  contact me by email . Contact Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder  of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty,14029 Crossing Place,  Woodbridge VA. 22192. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office) to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's. 

.

   Who has had it with all this snow and bad weather? Is is time to consider relocating to a warmer climate?

Spring market is just around the corner. Let's talk...

• Search Homes For Sale In Myrtle Beach
• Search Homes For Sale In Austin Texas
• Search Homes For Sale In Sarasota Flordia
• Search Homes For Sale In San Diego California
• Search Homes For Sale In The Flordia Keys

 Give me a call, let's talk about your options. 

 What are you waiting for?  Spring Market Is Almost Here. Let's Turn That Dream Into A Reality!

Reach me direct at 703-851-3085 or  contact me by email . 

Contact Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder  of Erick and Company - Exit 1st Choice Realty,14029 Crossing Place,  Woodbridge VA. 22192. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office) to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's. 

Over the weekend I showed homes to a couple who were considering a move-up purchase here in Prince William County Virginia. They were going to rent their current home, so they are ready, willing and able buyers! So I took them out to take a look at the homes that are currently on the market and in their price range.

One of the homes on the list was of particular interest to my buyer client since it appeared to have everything they wanted. The only issue was, it was priced significantly higher than the competition and it has been on the market for months. The first question they had was why? One step inside the door and we learned why: 

• The seller insisted on giving all us a guided tour. Sellers please remember, what is important to you may not be important to the buyer. He was over the top, boasting about all the features of his home. 
• The rooms were dated, dark, and the interior of this twenty year old home still had original fixtures and lighting.My client obviously did not like the house, however non of us wanted to be rude to the homeowner. So we listened as we walked the house with him.
• As we were trying to leave and were making small talk about utilities and the cost of running the home. The seller says, oh we don't concern ourselves with those costs to much, we make sure we are warm and cool in the summer. "We live comfortably, since we do not have a  mortgage."
•        So not only did we not get a good answer regarding the true costs of running the home
•           You can bet if my clients liked the home the offer would be a LOW BALL OFFER!

If you are considering Selling Your Home in 2010, call me, let me help you. The last thing you want to do in this market is leave thousands on the table because you are not positioned well in the market and you sit and sit and then have to deal with all the buyers concerns that something is wrong with the house. Or you say something that will be costly in negotiations.

Learn how we can Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar.

It would be my pleasure to help you pull out as much equity as possible. That's my job!

 Do you need help ?  Call 703-851-3085 or contact me by email if you need assistance.   

Contact Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder  of Erick and Company of Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office).If you are a homeowner who has a home to sell, we have  buyers ready and waiting for nice homes to come on the market. Give us a call and we can "GET YOUR HOME SOLD FAST" to list your property for sale we service  Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Manassas Park, Haymarket,Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville, Aquia Harbor, Garrisonville and Triangle area's . 
                                  
                         

Erick and Company Has Pre-approved Home Buyers Waiting For Homes In Lake Ridge Virginia.

I recently wrote a post about this exact subject a few weeks ago. Read more and view stats.

 Check out what is currently available today.. CLICK HERE

Curious What Your Home Is Worth?  Call me 703-851-3085 or or contact me by email .

Erick and Company services Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Manassas Park, Haymarket,Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville, Aquia Harbor, Garrisonville and Triangle area's . Note: if you need help selling your home by short sale we can help.
                                
                              

I was recently approached by a local homeowner who lives in Westridge Subdivision. He was toying with the idea of selling his home, however  he was under the impression the market was horrible. He said "I  dread putting my  home on the market For Sale, keeping a lockbox on forever and just the pain of having people come and go for weeks. Peggy,I have to mentally prepare myself."

I said," Oh boy do I have good news for you!"

The real estate market has been moving at a steady pace here in the Lake Ridge Virginia area. Westridge Subdivision is a very sought after community and one where detached homes tend to sell faster, than in local communities. It could be the fact the community has it's own elementary school, or five miles of running trails, or an awesome swim team however I believe it has a lot to do with location and lifestyle that Westridge offers. I suggested he take a look at my LakeRidgeVARealEstateNews Blog and sign up to receive an RSS Feed to keep up with what happening in and around the Lake Ridge Virginia area.Take a look at a post I wrote about Westridge some time ago.

I explained to him, that the average home in Westridge is selling in less than 40 days when priced at a Fair Market Price and that the average sales price is about $465,000 for a single family home. Of course he had one of the larger homes, and I said, just know that one of the custom homes on Tilney Ct just sold for $615,000!  He said, gosh thanks...I had no idea. I thought it was a horrible time to sell.

        Don't be shy, if your curious what your home would sell for. Give me a call at 703-851-3085.

 
 Detached Homes Sold and Settled 
Westridge Subdivision
Here are the statistic's for 2008 versus 2009

The main difference between 2008 and 2009 is the days it takes to sell a home. Inventory is low and that means if you are thinking of selling, now is the time to command the best price! We call that The Winter Advantage. While others are still packing up the holiday decor, you can get your home on the market and under contract, before the traditional spring market starts, Spring Market traditionally starts around March 15th and last through the end of June.

Regarding the townhome activity. There were approximately fourty townhomes that have sold in each calendar year. The average list price from 2008 to 2009 dropped 3.1%, so that is not great news, however townhomes are selling quickly within 24 days on average in 2009, compared to 45 days on average in 2008. Also, good news for sellers is the  Seller Contributions towards a buyers closing costs has dropped several thousands  of dollars compared to 2008 settled statistic's! So it's not all bad. 2010 should be a great year if you need to sell your home.

         * note anything with a star after the sales price is a short sale-call me for more information.

Do you have questions about the market conditions in your community?  Just give us a call, all of us at Erick and Company have  been serving Woodbridge Virginia Home Buyers and Sellers for decades. Call 703-5851-3085  or contact me by email  if you need assistance.  

Contact Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder  of Erick and Company of Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office).If you are a homeowner who has a home to sell, we have  buyers ready and waiting for nice homes to come on the market. Give us a call and we can "GET YOUR HOME SOLD FAST" to list your property for sale we service  Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Manassas Park, Haymarket,Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville, Aquia Harbor, Garrisonville and Triangle area's . 
                                
                      

When you get ready to sell your home, knowledge is power!  Many homeowners tell me the thought of selling can be overwelming. They worry about, what they have to do, how much will it cost them and how long will it take. I completely understand!  However my job is to help you. To help address your fears, decide what must be done and what area's of concerns you can let go of.  The process should not be intimidating. Learn about your options.

It's important that you know, that there are hundreds, even thousands of Realtors who work our  local area. In fact you may know someone at church, in your family or a friend who is a Realtor. Before you just decide to work with that person make sure you know what you are getting yourself into.

Here are some helpful tips from Erick and Company:     

• Ask them how many homes they have settled in 2009. ( You want to know they understand the market and can advise you and help you with your particular real estate needs)
• Ask them what they will do to market your home.This is huge, just putting a sign in the yard and  a lockbox on the front door and the house in MLS isn't enough. Your home deserves more!
• Ask them if they are a Full Time Realtor or if they just dabble and work Part Time- you need to know.
• Ask how long is the Listing Period. Can you get out the listing if you are not happy?
• Google the Realtors you are thinking of hiring. Can you find them easily? Can you get a feel for how your home would be advertised? This is what happens when you Google Peggy James
• Ask them where they advertise.
• Ask them if they know where the buyer will come from,and what kind of income it will take to buy your home, ask how do they intend to reach that buyer.
• If you need to sell by Short Sale- Make sure they know how! If not you may be forced into foreclosure. Ask them to show you successful short sale results. Not all agents know how to do these. 
• This is an article I wrote some time ago. It's about how to figure out if a Realtor is doing a good job in marketing your home.
• Now, learn how to get your home ready to sell. Read More
• Here is just one example of how we market your home For Sale. Take a look at 12726 Bombay Way and how we market a sellers home on our our website

When it's time to sell your home in and around the Woodbridge, Dale City, Lake Ridge area, I would love to meet with you and show you what I will do to get your home sold fast. Before you meet with us  Google or Bing my name, Erick Blackwelder's name or Erick and Company. You will see that I know marketing. We truly believe that in today's real estate market you need a Realtor who is a marketing expert to get your home SOLD for top $.

  Call me direct at  703-851-3085

    or contact me by email 

Contact Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder  of Erick and Company of Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office).If you are a homeowner who has a home to sell, we have  buyers ready and waiting for nice homes to come on the market. Give us a call and we can "GET YOUR HOME SOLD FAST" to list your property for sale we service  Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Manassas Park, Haymarket,Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville, Aquia Harbor, Garrisonville and Triangle area's . 
                                
                      

 Currently in Westridge there are only Four Single Family Homes for sale in the entire community. That says alot about Westridge. People like it here! What's not to like? The community has it own elementary school Westridge Elementary, a Club House to host all those Holiday Parties, and Active Social Club and five miles of running trails to get out and enjoy the weather. 

 Single Family Home Activity in Westridge Since January 01,2009

The most intersting  statistic is that homes regardless of price are selling in less than 30 days! The averge being 20 days. If you have a home to sell, there are buyers waiting. Call me let's talk about your options.  

Now take a look at Townhomes. Currently there are on three active townhomes for sale in Westridge! The stats show that on average most townhomes in Westridge are averaging a $250,000 List Price and again days on market at less than 20 days!  Several of the townhomes Sold higher than the originial listing price.

 It's A Great Time To Think About Selling! Inventory Is Low and Demand Is High!

Call Peggy James today at 703-851-3085

or contact me by email

Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder  of Erick and Company of Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office) to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's