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DC
METRO REAL ESTATE
Serving
the Real Estate needs of the communities of
Manassas, Bristow, Haymarket, Warrenton, Gainesville
and Culpeper in Northern Virginia
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Dave
Scardina
Broker
/ Owner
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703-829-SOLD
866-909-0900
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Manassas Homes for Sale / How to Shop for a HomeManassas HOME BUYING PITFALLS TO AVOID
Sellers usually rely on sales of Manassas homes of comparable value to determine a fair and realistic price to set for their home but many sellers feel their home is worth much more and price their home accordingly. Buyers must also be tuned into sales for comparable homes in Manassas in order to judge the price of any home that is under consideration.
Being “House Poor” gets to be “Old New” real fast. A large and beautiful home with little or no furniture tends to be empty and cold. A life where almost every dime of income goes to the support of the Manassas house wears thin very quickly and is a frequent cause of family stress. Pushing yourself right up to your limit leaves you highly exposed when the inevitable changes to the national or your personal economy occurs.
Guidelines for Buying Manassas
Let’s say everything is a GO! You have found the perfect Manassas home. You know you can afford it and it is actually priced below what you expected to pay. What a bargain! Yes there are bargains to be found in Manassas. At this point it is fine to put in an offer on the property but only with a well-planned contingency. Of course, it the home is going to be financed, the lender will want a Home Inspection before agreeing to lend money on the property. However, you need to protect yourself by making an offer SUBJECT TO a clean bill of health from the Home Inspector of your choice. This kind of a contingency gives you an out if the inspector finds a problem with the roof, or foundation or other structural problem that was not apparent to the seller or to your agent. This does not mean you will not buy the house but you will have a good reason to renegotiate the price with the seller.
Bitten by the Manassas Home Improvement Bug?
Money isn’t everything however so that if the most important consideration for remaining in your Manassas home happens to be the school where your children attend or the proximity to your work or to a particularly attractive recreational opportunity then remodeling may be the best option. On the other hand, if the idea of having your Manassas house torn up for weeks at a time makes your blood run cold, it really doesn’t matter how much money you might make turning a fixer-upper into a model home. You will be far better off selling the home you have and moving to a home that better fits your needs.
Taking Title to Your Manassas
Each owner has a separate title to an undivided interest in the entire property. Each owner is allowed to sell, mortgage or give away his/her interest. Any number of people can take Tenancy in Common ownership of Manassasand husband and wife may choose this option as well. When an owner dies, his/her interest passes by will to his/her heirs. In other words, there is no survivorship right.
Each owner has an equal interest in the Manassas. If one owner dies, that person’s share of the property passes automatically to the other without going through probate. Any number of people can take ownership under Joint Tenancy and husband and wife may choose this option as well.
Community Property. Only husband and wife can take title to Manassas in this way. Title is in the community
What Makes Manassas Sell?
Books have been written about this topic but to be concise, successful sale depends on six factors: Price; Terms; Location; The Home's Condition; The Home’s Accessibility and the Marketing exposure the Manassas receives.
Price is what a willing seller and a willing buyer agree on. Price is determined by the current market, which fluctuates causing home values and prices to fluctuate. Often Manassas that does not sell is over-priced for the current market. Terms can vary as well. Some owners want payment in full, some are willing to carry a second.
Location is a major consideration in pricing and desirability for Manassas. Has the neighborhood gone to pot or does it look like a street at Disneyland? Are there open spaces nearby or is the home located in the middle of commercial district?
What Makes Manassas Sell?
People often ask me when is the best time to sell my Manassas? I usually reply that if you want to get the best price for your home, it is wise to give yourself as much time as possible to sell it. However peak selling seasons vary in different areas of the country, and Manassas is no exception, and weather has a lot to do with an area’s peak season. For example, late spring and early fall are the prime listing seasons in many areas because houses tend to show better in those months than they do in the heat of summer. Having said that, houses sell in every season in areas where there is a demand. By demand, I mean a significant number of prospective buyers moving to the area for a variety of reasons.
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