Lake Ridge VA Real Estate News

                                                          Believe it or not, there are just not enough homes For Sale in the Prince William County Virginia real estate market. Resale inventory is moving quite quickly. New home construction deliveries are now quoting early fall and winter deliveries. Homes priced at Fair Market Value that show well sell fast and for top dollar.

To give you an example. Just this weekend, I was house hunting with a relocating couple heading in from Colorado. On Saturday we saw several homes, took a second look at one,  and that home was lovely. Our clients were ready to write, and before we even put pen to paper the home status changed to Under Contract. That $500+ home was only on the market two days and I was told by the listing agent the seller had two wonderful offers!

Here is a quick snapshot of the

 Prince William County VA Market Trends right now.

So what does this mean to you?

Well if you thinking it is time to move, your timing couldn't be better. However remember, it is critical to price your home right. Price it to high it will sit, price it to low and you stand to loose a lot of money. How do you know how to price it? Interview three Realtors, and then make your decision based on what you learned. And by the way, I'd like to be one of those agents. Listen to how I can help you. Watch video now

Now if you are a home buyer hoping to purchase a home, listen up. It is critical to have a full time Realtor who has their finger on the pulse of the market. Good homes are selling quickly. This is a highly concentrated area for military buyers. So many military folks transferring in, still have the $8000 tax incentive driving them to purchase. This is your competition. You need a Realtor who understands that and can help you negotiate your way to a success bid on a home. Erick Blackwelder is a master negotiator and he can help you. Listed to what Erick has to say.

                 Have a question? Call us at 703-590-2252 or simply click here to contact me now.

• Check out available homes  in the 22192- Woodbridge Virginia area right now. CLICK HERE
• Check out  available homes in the 22193 -Dale City Virginia area right now  Click Here
• Check out available homes in 20112 - between Liberia and Hoadly Rd Click Here
• To access this weeks FREE lists of Foreclosures, Approved Short Sales and Immediate Delivery Homes  just visit Erick and Company.com.

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

Currently high end home inventory is running low in the Woodbridge Area of Prince William County Virginia. I have been working with two couples who are looking for a new place to call home. Unfortunately neither couple can wait for a new home to be built. And they have discounted most of the homes currently for sale for one reason or another.( see map below)

 None have had that "this is the one!" feeling. With that said, if you are thinking of selling your high end home in the Woodbridge, Lake Ridge area, let me know. We have pre-approved purchases waiting. One family is looking for a home in River Falls, River Falls on The Occouquan, Hunter's Ridge, Laurelwood, Crestridge, or in the custom section of Westridge Subdivision. We have another family looking for a home with a main level master bedroom and a second master bedroom. They need a muti-generational home that can accomodate an extended family.

Just to give you an idea of how quickly homes are selling.  The last home we just placed on the market 12281 Tilney Ct went under contract in less than ten days! We listed it Memorial Day weekend! It was in the Westridge Subdivision of Lake Ridge Virginia and it was listed at $629,900.  Read More Here

Home Buyers. If you see a home on the map below you are interested in don't call the listing agent who ishired by the seller. Call our team leader Erick Blackwelder he works as a Buyer Agent and represents you.

You can reach Erick at 703-590-22T50 or you can email him CLICK HERE

Move your mouse over map and click on the home you like to view.

               Do a Google Search right now CLICK HERE

Other related posts

• http://activerain.com/blogsview/1567105/just-listed-by-erick-and-company-4106-cardinal-drive-woodbridge-virginia
• http://lakeridgevarealestatenews.com/post/1495158/just-listed-in-lake-ridge-virginia-stunning-remodeled-single-family-home-under-350-000-
• http://lakeridgevarealestatenews.com/post/1562518/-visual-proof-lake-ridge-virginia-home-values-are-rebounding-
• http://activerain.com/blogsview/1421848/woodbridge-virginia-real-estate-market-suffering-from-lack-of-resale-inventory-heading-into-spring-market-
• http://www.erickandcompany.com/sell-your-home-fast.asp

        Do You Questions?  You Can 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. 

"48% of the Current Available Resale Inventory in Woodbridge Virginia FOR SALE this week, is owned by  "Regular Owners!" This is the first time we have seen this happen since the days of 2005 and 2006. This is great news for everyone.

So let me repeat that " Right now the Woodbridge Virginia Real Estate Market has more "Regular Owner" homes for sale than Short Sales and Foreclosures! "

What is a Regular Owner Listing: these are homes that are not being sold by short sale, they are not in foreclosure and in most cased they are occupied homes that smell good, look good and where Realtors are once again back to good old fashion real estate. We list a sellers home for sale, buyer agent brings the listing agent an offer, then we go into negotiations, then ratfication, then inspections and then settlement. The process of buying and selling a home in a normal market is between 30 and 45 days from start to finish.

Take a look, here is snapshot of the Woodbridge Virginia real estate market today:

• 227  Homes have gone Under Contract in the past 30 days!
• 16 Homes Have Settled in the past 30 days!
• There are only 279 Active Homes For Sale in Woodbridge today.
  • 48% of those are Regular Owner Resale Homes!
  • 32% of the Homes Currently For Sale are Short Sales
  • 15% of the current inventory are Foreclosed/Bank Owned Homes.

"Ahh...I feel a wonderful sense of calm thinking that the market may be heading back into a normal market soon."

For the past few years the Woodbridge Virginia real estate market had been driven by abandoned foreclosure and sellers needing to sell by Short Sale because they owed more on their home than it was worth.

 All I can say is "it's about time! It has been a long grueling three years for all the homeowners who did not want to compete against foreclosures and short sales. We're not totally out of the woods yet, however we are heading in the right direction.

This is awesome news, not only for sellers but for buyers as well. 

• Sellers will not be competing against as many foreclosed and distress sales.I recently wrote a post about how the Prince William County Virginia real estate market is suffering from a lack of inventory.
• And home buyers in the market right now have a very good chance of finding a home that can settle by Jun3 30th, 2009. Just remember you must be Under Contract by 4/30/2010 in order to secure the Home Buyer Tax Credit.

Are  you curious what homes are available right now in the market place? Well at Erick and Company we break it down on our website to Regular Owner Sales, Approved Short Sales and Foreclosure Opportunities. You pick which list you want, just click on the blue box below.

If you are thinking or Buying or Selling A Home give me a call, I will be delighted to my knowledge to work for you and help you with all your real estate needs. 

Don't hesitate to give me a call 703-851-3085 or contact me by email .

Erick and Company is a local real estate company that 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 Virginia area's . No matter whether you are relocating to the area, or transferring out we can help. Contact us for all your real estate questions and needs. Note: if you need help selling your home by short sale don't be shy we have helped many local homeowner get short sale approval from their mortgage company. We are Realtors...we can help.
                                
                              

If you've been searching for a home priced under $500,000 in the Woodbridge Virginia area, you may have missed this one. Especially if you have been selecting four bedrooms in your search criteria. the reason? This stunning home would never show up in your search because the home only has three bedrooms!

Now, let me ask you would you be willing to compromise on an extra bedroom to be able to afford the lifestyle you have been dreaming about?  If so, this may be your lucky day!

This particular home is located in the sought after community of Westridge in Lake Ridge, Virginia. Homes in Westridge where this home is located all feature half acre lots or larger. This home is located at the very end of Marquis Place off the cul-de-sac. For those of us who live in Westridge we know how special it is. Westridge Subdivision has five miles of walking trails, it's own community elementary school, club house with two pools, and benefits from all the ammenities Lake Ridge, Virginia has to offer. It's a great place to live! So for those of you who are looking for a large single family home in a quiet neighborhood, on a cul-de-sac lot  backing to tree's under $500,000...wait until you see what this home has to offer!

The home features:

2964 Finished Square Feet

Two Story Foyer

Library On Main Level

Luxurious Master Bedroom Suite Upstairs

Hardwood Floors

Vaulted Ceilings

Ceramic Tile Floors

Sun room Adjacent To Family Room

Luxury Bath

Warm Gas Heat

Skylights

Wooded Lot

Unfinished Basement

Community Elementary School

Here take a look at what Westridge Subdivision is all about.

I was talking to Teresa Maloney the listing agent the other day as she was walking in the community and I asked  if the home was still fully available, and she said" it is!". So I asked her if I could share this listing with my readers and she said "sure, I would love for you to blog about my listing." 

Now, remember I do not work for the seller, I work as a  Buyer Agent  for you. Remember it doesn't cost you a penny more to have an experience Realtor to assist you finding the right home for you. Would  you like my help? My direct line is 703-851-3085.

"On a personal note, I'm surprised this home hasn't been snapped up by a buyer yet. I live in the neighborhood and I know how wonderful this community is. You're going to love it! "This is a place where people are out and about and walking the dogs and visiting with others. I'll bet it is exactly the kind of community you've been searching for..  Take a tour right now. then call me to schedule an appointment to go see it in person!

Our Family Real Estate Team Has Been Helping Families Relocate For Decades.

When it's time to  Relocated, give us a call at 703-590-2252 or contact me by email 

    Search for homes right now...Click on the box below

e  

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 serivce  Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's  
                
                
        

 •

Just in time for Christmas! That's right, it's that time of year when we all begin to ponder "what would I like for Christmas?" Well, take a look at this little charmer. Darling homes like this do not come on the market here in Prince William County Virginia very often, however when they do we get lots of calls on them.

Question?

Did your heart just skip a beat when you saw this photo? Great! Then wait until you see the inside, this darling home offers a great lifesytle in a great community.

The home is located in Montclair Virginia, just outside of Woodbridge Virginia limits. To give you a more landmarks it is a few miles from Potomac Mills Mall and located between Quanitco Marine Base and Ft. Belvior in Lorton. This home was  built by Fairfield Homes and it's a Williamsburg Series Design. The home has three bedrooms, two and half baths, hardwood floors, wood burning fireplace,formal living spaces, a lovely screened in porch and within walkind distance to the community elementary school. Montclair Virginia is a golf course community and has it's own private Lake. Pontoon Boats, Swimming and Fishing are allowed. Montclair is a sought after established communtiy with plenty of Commuter Options  to DC. Van Pool, Car Pool, Park and Ride or Slugging to DC.

Best of all it is only $249,900! CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

VA No Money Down OK. FHA Financing Ok.

There is no reason in this price range that you have to compromise with a Condo or a Townhouse!

Not with today's rates and home prices. This is just one of the cute homes available in the under $300,000 price range in Woodbridge, Lake Ridge and Montclair area's.

Check out others

Contact Peggy James Today for more information on how you can own this home by Christmas!

If you are thinking about buying or selling your home in Prince William County Virginia.

Remember it doesn't cost you a penny more to work with an experienced Realtor who will go the extra mile to help you and coach you on all your options.

 Have a great day.

We Can Help. Call 702-590-2252

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 
      
                
                
         

This is a question that was asked of me yesterday.

Peggy, we are looking to buy a home around $400,000 and we've heard that we might be able to make a low-ball offer, since this price point in the marketplace has been slower. "My question is are Banks and Sellers accepting low ball offers in Prince William County VA?"

My answer: "I have been working in that price range all year and  tracking the sales. The answer to that question is, it depends."

I wish I had a better answer. As a Realtor,  it is my job to help you the buyer (or seller if the case may be) to coach you on all your options. When someone calls me or hires me as their agent to help them, I research the data, share with you the recent sales and comparable homes and from there help you determine what your next move should be. 

Both Buyers and Sellers are facing challenges. If you are thinking of buying a home you need to have a experienced Realtor who will take you behind the scene to help you structure an offer that is in line with market conditions. What I mean is they sit down with you at the MRIS computer and show you ( no smoke and mirrors) they show you, exactly what has happened with that property address, what neighborhood homes have recently sold for and what terms the buyers got! For those of you getting ready to Sell we do the same thing. It's vital that you the seller know what the competition is, what you neighbors sold for and what the condition of the home was like. This save everyone time, energy and a lot of stress.

Please understand, Realtors do not make the market.We interpret market conditions and help you make informed decisions based on what is available, what is under contract and what has sold and settled in the past 90 days. That's how an offer price is determined. It's heavy weighted on supply and demand. Remember, unless you present an all cash offer your lender will order an appraisal.

The appraiser is who ultimately determines what the Fair Market Value of a home is.

The chart below is a snapshot of homes that have SOLD and SETTLED in Woodbridge Virginia since January 2009 between $350,000 to $500,000 price range.Early this year things were slow in this price range and homes settled lower than list price.

As you can see from this chart below, those days have come and gone and for the most part homes are selling for ask price or just a tad lower. You must keep in mind that if a home enters the market as a Foreclosed Property, the Bank has a solid idea of what the house is worth. The home has been through a series of steps before it made it to the open market. In many cases we are seeing Foreclosed Homes go for ask price, however I speak from experience.In order to win in a bidding war, you may have to be qualified for more than list price to actually make a solid winning offer. Be willing to pay the higher price if the home appraisers. If it does not chances are good the Bank will roll the sales price back to the fair market appraised value.

If you have questions, just pick up the phone and call Erick Blackwelder or myself at 703-590-2252.

We're here to help you.

This Chart Represents Homes Sold and Settled In And Around Woodbridge Virginia Since January 2009.

Note:date taken directly from MRIS

If you are thinking about buying or selling your home in Prince William County Virginia.

Remember it doesn't cost you a penny more to work with an experienced Realtor who will go the extra mile to help you and coach you on all your options.

 Have a great day.

We Can Help. Call 702-590-2252

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 
      
                
                
         

 The Prince William County Real Estate Market is challenging at best for both Buyers and Realtors.

I am writing this post to help buyers get a feel for what is really happening in the world of real estate today. There is nothing worse that getting yourself pre-approved for a loan and getting all excited about buying a house and then go out and get your head kicked in by the market.

I want to save you the aggravation by helping you be prepared for what house hunting is like here in Prince William County Virginia right now.

Let me share this with you:

We have helped several buyers recently snag great buys in the real estate market. Just last week we ratified three offers for buyers looking at single-family homes priced in the $350,000 to $500,000 price range. We finally got two short sale buyers to the settlement table. The market is good. However the market can also be very frustrating for many.

This week we have a family looking for a home with four bedrooms, three finished levels, and a two car garage. They are approved up to $540,000. Lucky for them home prices have dropped so low that we can accomplish the task of finding they the home they are looking for in the $350K-$450K price range. There is no need for them to go up to $540,000. They begin looking in Woodbridge, Manassas and what we affectionately call middle county, In Middle County they can afford a home on an acreage lot. Needless to say they were excited by the possibilities.

Week #1.Offer #1: Bank Owned Home, They offer full price, asked for seller to pay three percent in closing costs, settlement in 30 days and understand they are buying the home "as is". No home inspection needed.

They lost the bid. A higher bidder outbid them.

Week #2- Looked at several homes they liked; however none really peaked their interest enough to write an offer. They continue to search the Internet and we continue to send them homes that come on the market each day.

Week #3 Offer 2: 'Bank Owned Home- The home is a revolving door. A sea of people in and out and it's only been on the market four days." They want it. It's perfect for them. We check the comps. The house is priced stupid low. So the client offers $400,500 on a $354,900 price home. They asked for three percent in closing costs to be paid by seller, the offer is not contingent on a home inspection and they can close in 30 days. We say goodbye and I submit the offer. We all feel good.

They the email arrives in my email box.

To: ''peggy@erickandcompany.com''
Sent: Thu Mar 12 9:44
Subject: Fwd: xxxx Ct

Thank you for the offer. Sorry to say the bank chose an offer with a higher net.   Your offer was the highest sales price, but with the closing cost it was a lower net. The other offer had a huge Down Payment.

OUCH!!!!! 

We'll begin out search again tomorrow.

This is happening everyday. Realtors all across the county are sharing similar stories. Most Foreclosure Homes and REO Properties in Prince William County are getting multiple bids. One I called on the other day had eleven offers on it. The best advice I have is align yourself with an experienced Buyer Agent who can help you find your home. We don't win them all, however we do coach you on your options and never get discouraged. It is our job as your Realtor to help you find the home you are looking for.

How to win a bid in this market:

• Don't be fooled by Low Teaser Starting Prices
• Pay close attention to the recent sold inventory
• Look well below your pre-approval limit
• Be prepared you may not get closing costs covered
• Be prepared to offer a good Earnest Money Deposit
• Just know there is an appraisal process
• Remember if you fall in love with a Bank Owned Home -submit your highest and best bit up front
• There are no second chances or counters with most bank offers.
• To search for home right now go to ERICK AND COMPANY sign up for daily alerts to better help you find the house you are searching for. Remember it's spring and the early bird catches the worm.
• SEARCH FOR HOMES NOW

                                   The Prince William County Market Is Adjusting .....

Got a question? Just type out a comment I'll be right 

      My cell 703-851-3085

Contact Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder of Erick and Company/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