At home with Nicole : November 2014

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

October 2014 Northern Virginia Housing Market Update

The median sales price DC Metro area is on the rise - October 2014 saw a 5.3% increase from last year. The number of closed sales fell slightly, but the reduction was from the distressed properties section of the market.

What that means for DC metro homeowners is a pretty balanced and stable market. Active listings are on the rise and have been increasing since the lows of the recession. This is good news as more homeowners find their property values sufficient to pay off their mortgages, and more houses for sale means more choices for buyers.

The median sales price of a home in Fairfax County was up 2.3% in October from last year.
October 2013 $440,000
October 2014 $450,000

If you've not been tracking the housing market since the recession (and who could blame you) we are back to a stable and more "normal" market. The foreclosures, short sales and bank owned properties are more or less gone (back down to pre-recession levels) and so the inventory we have is mostly healthy "normal" home owners selling and buying. The balancing has caused some investors to back out of the market for now, which is great news for more traditional home buyers who won't be as likely to compete with cash offers from investors.

Monthly Reminder: Real Estate is always a LOCAL market. Just because your home (or your dream home) is in the DC Metro area doesn't mean that this analysis will apply to that property in particular. If you'd like a detailed analysis of a particular neighborhood because you're thinking of buying or selling then give me a call or send me an email - I'm happy to help.

nicole.duffey@gmail.com

703-303-2889

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

3 Great Reasons You Need a Realtor - Explained with memes

As a Realtor I serve as an expert adviser for people looking to buy or sell a home.

It sounds simple, and in some ways it is:

Step 1. Know all the things!
Step 2. Tell people about all the things!

With the introduction of the internet to the real estate space, it is absolutely true that anyone who wants to can become educated about how real property is bought and sold, best practices for each step of the process, and what is for sale at any given time. There are books, and classes and websites and YouTube videos... the info is out there.

but

My guess is that if you can afford to own a home, you likely have something taking up most of your time already, something other than becoming an expert in real estate - much less a expert in the local market where you want to buy or sell.

That's why I'm here.

I work full time to stay current on all aspects of the Northern Virginia market and you have access to my time and expertise when I become your Realtor®. Whether buying or selling, my job is to protect your interests and save you money as I walk you through the process making sure you know everything you need to, each step of the way: decreasing your stress through what is a very complex and stressful process, while increasing the success of your end result.

There are a ton of articles online explaining why my job is a thing that still exists in the age of the internet. Here are a few for your consideration. Below I've summed their points up in meme fashion because this is my blog and I can. Enjoy!