Let’s Talk Real Estate!

Tuesdays in May are Especially for Sellers!

Fall Properties' FREE Seminar Series is back, and we're focusing on different topics each month. May seminars are targeting home sellers, still on Tuesday evenings from 7-8pm.

May 1 - How is fair market value determined? Appraisers and Realtors rely on specific sales information within the most recent 6 month time frame to arrive at approximate market value. Ideally, they compare apples to apples in terms of style, age and location. Please join us for an informational seminar on determining fair market value, including a discussion of hard to appraise properties such as historic and non-subdivision homes. Appraisal forms will be available for reference and we will have plenty of time for Q&A.

May 8 - Pre-Sale Projects - Getting your home 'show ready'   

May 15 - What legal documentation is required when you sell?

May 23 - Will you owe taxes? Understanding your 'basis' and capital gains

More FREE Seminars for April and May!

Our series of FREE seminars "Let's Talk Tuesdays!" continues to draw people into the  office, so we're keeping them going with some new topics and the repeat of some popular ones. Every Tuesday evening from 7-8pm we offer real estate related seminars, with time for questions afterward. You can sign up online or call 703-536-7001 to reserve your place.

• April 5 - First Time Homebuyer
• April 12 - Home Inspections - common issues
• April 19 - Empty Nester
• April 26 - Growing Pains - expand or build?
• May 3 - Staging your Home to Sell
• May 10 - Home Mortgage update (Frank/Dodd bill implementation)
• May 17 - Homeowner's Insurance - information
• May 24 - Seniors Housing Choices
• May 31 - Estate Planning

Hope to see you here this Spring! And if there's a topic you'd like to see us include in the future, please suggest it. We're always open to your ideas.

 

 

 

 

Free Seminars at Fall Properties

Our series of free seminars, "Let's Talk Tuesdays!" is back in full swing -- on Tuesday evenings from 7-8pm, we're presenting a great lineup of seminar topics. You can sign up on our website, or by calling Karen at 703-536-7001. There's always time for your questions, so come in and talk to a professional about your concerns. Here is the schedule through the end of March:

Jan. 25 - Tax Deferred Exchange - What you should know about buying and selling investment property

Feb. 1 - Home Inspections - We will explore common problems to look out for

Feb. 8 - Rent vs Buy - We will provide budget tips for first time homebuyers

Feb 15 - Build, Remodel or Move - We will discuss three options facing homeowners looking to expand

Feb. 22 - Empty Nester - What options you might consider after the kids move out

Mar. 1 - Home Staging and Decluttering - Great tips before you start your Spring cleaning

Mar. 8 - Curb Appeal - We will discuss home exterior tips and landscaping

Mar. 15 - Buying Investment Property - Tax tips and key considerations you should be aware of

Mar. 22 - Inheriting Real Estate and Estate Planning - Local professionals will present these topics

Mar. 29 - How To Choose a Realtor - What makes some Realtors better than others

Join us at our offices at 212-A N. West Street in the City of Falls Church. 

Start Your Home Ownership with this terrific Condo at Fairlington Mews

  

On Sunday,8/22, take a drive to South Fairlington and come to an Open House at our new listing - 4656 S. 34th Street, #B1, in Arlington 22206. This is a top floor 1bedroom+loft, 1bath unit with soaring cathedral ceiling with skylight and ceiling fan. It draws your eye up the spiral staircase to the enclosed loft, featuring a custom garden-style window--what a great room!

This home features a cheerful bright kitchen with recessed lighting, separate dining room, laundry, spacious bedroom, and storage space in the attic. The refinished hardwood floors, replacement windows, and decorative moldings all speak to pride of home ownership. With interest rates unbelieveably low, you should really think about buying. This home is priced at $320,000, and it will be a terrific beginning for someone -- why not you?

Stop in at the Open House from 1-4pm!

It's Spring, and New Listings are Bustin' Out All Over!

Here at Fall Properties, the business is coming fast and furious now. Each of our new listings have gone under contract within a week, and I have two new properties to share with you today.

The first is a darling rambler at 2604 N. Sycamore Street in Arlington (22207). This home is full of opportunities: 3 bedrooms and 1 bath, 1100sqft of living space, all on one level. Plenty of room to expand later, or perfect if you're downsizing. Plus it's only 1/2 mile to the East Falls Church Metro station. Replacement windows throughout, hardwood floors, wood burning fireplace, full attic, and a detached all brick garage, and the schools are Tuckahoe/Williamsburg/Yorktown -- that's a whole lot of swag for only $499,000. It's open on Sunday, April 11, from 1-4pm.

We also have a new listing in Fairlington Meadows, at 3422 S. Stafford Street, #B-1. This is a rarely available top floor 1BR 1BA Braddock model, with over $18K worth of renovations performed in the last 6 years: new thermopane windows throughout, recessed lighting, upgraded bath, and new custom blinds that convey. Again, this home is open on Sunday, April 11th, from 1-4, and it's priced to sell at $267,500. 

Hope your weekend is delightful...we'll have some more homes for you to look at next week.

Are you taking advantage of the tax credit?

Here we are in the first week of March, and the Spring real estate market is heating up -- even if the weather isn't. Since the Home Buyer Tax Credits have an April 30th contract deadline, the market is seeing a lot of very focused buyers.

The mid-Atlantic states, and Northern Virginia in particular, are seeing the return (for now) of a seller's market. With folks trying to capitalize on the credits, the still historically low interest rates, and the 30+ inches of snow we received in February that kept some houses from going on the market, we have a real shortage of listings.

As a result, newly listed homes, particularly if they're priced well, are receiving multiple offers, with escalation clauses. This is terrific for the sellers, but if you're a first time home buyer trying to beat that April 30th deadline, this can be heartbreaking. Having a professional Realtor in your corner can make the difference in whether you succeed or fail.

If you're finding your home search to be more frustrating than it is exciting, contact us at Fall Properties. We'll help you find your next home, negotiate a successful contract, and guide you to closing with a minimum of intrusion in your daily routine. 

And if you've got a home to sell that would be desirable to first time home buyers, let us help you get it on the market so you can be one of those lucky sellers that take advantage of this climate. We can coordinate cleaning, staging and repairs quickly with our list of vendors, so you can make the most of this opportunity.

Let us help you with all of your real estate needs.

Great New Listing in Fairlington Arbor!

Laura Fall and Bruce Fall have another listing in Fairlington, at 4403 S. 36th Street, Arlington, VA 22206. This is a 2 bedroom + den, 2 full bath Clarendon model with 1500sqft on 3 finished levels, priced at only $419,900.

Life in Fairlington offers a fantastic commuter location, close to I395 and just minutes from the Pentagon, Washington DC, and Crystal City. Enjoy all the nearby fun in Shirlington with theaters, restaurants and shopping. It's an easy drive into Old Town Alexandria, packed with events, art galleries, restaurants and shops, a Farmers Market, and so much more.

Do you like to bike (or skate, or jog, or walk)? Nearby Four Mile Run bike trail merges with the W&OD Trail and the Mt. Vernon Trail to give you easy access to much of Northern Virginia and Washington DC. 

This historically preserved community features stately brick Colonial townhouses with slate roofs, beautiful community landscaping, walking paths, outdoor pool, tennis courts and an active community center.

This home qualifies for the Home Buyer Tax Credit.

It's time to Stop Renting & BUY!

Rents for U.S. apartments increased 1% in the first quarter of 2008 for the 24th consecutive quarter...that means there hasn't been a decrease since early 2002. Why do so many people rent? Right now, the soft housing market combined with tougher loan terms have combined to drive potential buyers into rental units.

Are you a renter? Maybe it's time to jump into home ownership. Here's a calculator to help you look at your specific situation -- "Buy vs. Rent." Some of the reasons to invest in a home are financial: tax breaks -- you get to deduct loan interest, property taxes & some of your purchase costs; equity -- money paid for rent is money you'll never see again, but mortgage payments let you build equity ownership interest in your home; savings -- building equity is a ready-made savings plan, and you can take up to $250,000 ($500,000 for a married couple) as gain when you sell, without paying any federal income tax.

Some other reasons to buy are predictability -- unlike rents, your fixed rate mortgage payment won't increase; freedom -- your home is yours, and you can decorate as you like and improve your home to suit your needs; and stability -- living in the same neighborhood for several years allows you to make friends, participate in your community, and keep your children in the same school system.

So take a look at your finances. Speak to a lender and decide what you can afford. Make a "wish list" of features you'd like in your own home, and then prioritize them -- your must-haves, your desires, and your dreams. Choose neighborhoods that you like. Get your credit in order & start saving with purpose (it's really easier to save when you have something specific you're saving for).

If you have any questions, we are always here to help you. And we can hook you up with lenders that can clarify the numbers for you...with no obligation. Before you know it, you, too, will be on the way to home ownership, and leaving your landlord behind.

Have you made any recent Home Energy Improvements?

This could be your last chance to take advantage of tax credits for any energy-efficient home improvements you made since January 2006. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 allows for tax credits to consumers who purchase or install windows, insulation, and a number of additional products that have made their homes greener.

Tax credits are more valuable than deductions, since they reduce your tax dollar-for-dollar, so get out your receipts and follow this link to the Department of Energy's website: http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm

Tax credits for improvements to new homes were extended through the end of this year, but the cutoff date for existing homes was December 31,2007. If you've been green, the government has a little green they'll send your way. Don't miss out!