Tips for Buying Bristow Homes and Condos

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  
Broker / Owner

703-829-SOLD

866-909-0900

Tips for Buying Bristow Homes and Condos

Bristow Homebuyers Quandry


First time Bristow homebuyers have their issues to deal with and homeowners who want to move up, down or sideways have an entirely different set of problems. A homeowner’s first task is to counteract human nature. Humans must be genetically programmed to find their next home and then scramble to sell the one they have so they can afford the one they want. The Bristow market is no exception. Of course, this is contrary to good sense but since most people will go ahead with the Buy then Sell approach.

Bitten by the Bristow Home Improvement Bug?


Unless money simply isn’t an issue, the financial implications of remodeling are definitely something to consider. When it comes time to sell your Bristow home, the new buyer will usually not pay for over-improvements. This means that if you have the smallest home in an area of larger, more expensive homes, home improvements may make very good financial sense. However, if you already have the largest, most expensive home in Bristow, more improvements may make you more comfortable but may not bring you a good financial return. You may find that it is financially wiser to sell and move to a different home that already has the features you want to add.

Buying Bristow Below Market


On most real estate Websites you can enter the parameters you want for your Bristow. Include the price, size, features and location and the technology will notify you automatically the moment a property that meets your needs comes on the market. Now if what you are looking for is a particular type of property for a price that is significantly under market, you’d better be prepared to act quickly because you aren’t the only one who’s looking for a bargain.

Often times, when a home comes on the market priced under the market there are extenuating circumstances. Maybe the house needs maintenance. Maybe the yard needs work. If you are prepared with a certain amount of knowledge about the costs of roofing, painting, landscaping and other types of deferred maintenance, you will be in a position to evaluate whether or not the Bristow is priced well enough that it truly is a bargain and not a fixer-upper nightmare.


The Benefits of Selling Bristow


In order to sell Bristow as your personal residence, you must have lived in it for two out of the five-year period ending on the date of the sale of the property. This means that you can buy a second home and live in it as your personal residence while renting out your first home. If, in a couple years you decide to sell your first Bristow personal residence you can sell it and still benefit from the $250,000 to $500,000 Capital Gain tax exclusion. The law says that the home must be your personal residence for at least two out of the past five years.



What Makes Bristow Sell?


The Condition affects its salability and possibly price. Bristow that is in move-in condition will usually sell for a higher price than a home that suffers from deferred maintenance.

The Home’s Accessibility refers to just that. Is the Bristow accessible to shopping and local transportation? For some this would be a necessity and for others, the more remote the better.

Marketing Exposure refers to how Bristow is advertised. Today the Internet is a fantastic way to market a home but it is still true that the best service a listing agent can do for sellers is to promote the home heavily with local brokers and agents. The Internet and other advertising certainly help, but it is still true that in most cases it is the agent that sells the home by making sure the right buyers know about it.


Bristow DOWNTURNS


Real estate markets are affected by the economy as a whole and in turn, can affect the general economy. Of course, a buyer’s dream is to buy Bristow when prices are low and sell when prices are high. However, real estate is not exactly like other forms of investment and most people become comfortable and attached to their homes and are not interested in selling just because the market is right.