Search for Bristow Condo News / Tips for Buyers and Sellers

DC METRO REAL ESTATE

Serving the Real Estate needs of the communities of Manassas, Bristow, Haymarket, Warrenton, Gainesville and Culpeper  in Northern Virginia


Dave Scardina  
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703-829-SOLD

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Search for Bristow Condo News / Tips for Buyers and Sellers

Qualifying the Buyer for your Bristow Property


Either you or your agent will want to weed out potential buyers who cannot afford to purchase your Bristow home. Items to investigate include the buyer’s debt and credit history, current income and employment, the availability of cash for a down payment, the time the buyer needs before closing on the home and the buyer’s level of interest in your home as compared to other properties.


Bristow Real Estate or Homeowner’s Insurance


While it is necessary to have Bristow Real Estate or Homeowner’s Insurance, there are ways to reduce your premium costs.

One: Raise your deductible. Deductibles are the amount you must pay towards a loss before your insurance company starts to pay. You can save costs on your overall policy by increasing the amount of your deductible. For example, according to a Federal Government paper on lowering Bristow insurance costs, you can save up to 12% on your rate if you go with a $500.00 deductible rather than a $250.00 deductible.

Bristow HOME BUYING MORTGAGE PITFALLS TO AVOID


ALL MORTGAGES ARE NOT ALIKE. There are far too many variables—type of mortgage, term, lender and amount of points to mention a few—not to investigate all of your options in Bristow. Don’t simply accept the first plan presented to you, whether it is from a mortgage broker, an agent or on the recommendation of a friend. Spend time comparing to get the best plan for you.

HOME INSPECTION – A MUST. If you should ever think about skipping the Bristow home inspection in order to save money, stop and give yourself a good shaking. In the scheme of things, the Home Inspection fee is small potatoes but it is a very important step for any buyer to take. Going without a Home Inspection or choosing an unqualified inspector puts you at risk for not knowing about potentially expensive or even hazardous defects in the property.

Bristow Home Buying Pitfalls


Buying your Bristow home whether you are a first time buyer or an ‘Old Pro’ involves legal, financial and emotional considerations. The more you know about the most common buyer mistakes in Bristow, the more likely you are to avoid them.

Make sure that when you put in an offer on any Bristow home that you have spent time narrowing down just what you are looking for. When the sellers accept your offer, you are involved in a binding contract that could cost you your deposit and other damages should you decide to back out. The opposite scenario, waiting for the 100 % perfect home can be an exercise in futility. With the thousands of variables available in housing, including location, style, size, amenities and condition, perfection is almost always an unreasonable goal.


Bristow Real Estate Cycles


One problem with attempting to time your purchase to the business cycle is that even experts have problems accurately predicting the future economy. Even when they can, the Bristow market does not necessarily move in tandem with the stock market or the economy as a whole. Bristow is a unique situation.

When the economy is doing well, interest rates are generally higher. The result is that fewer people can afford houses, and Bristow is no exception. When the economy slows down, interest rates fall, the "affordability index" moves up and more people can afford houses. The Bristow market will take the lead.


Choosing Your Bristow Neighborhood


You’ve probably heard about the three major determinants of Bristow values are: 1) location, 2) location and 3) location. This is not only true about real estate in Bristow; it is true about real estate in general. If you cannot afford what you want where you want it, give up something inside the house rather than settling on a lesser location.