View Bristow Real Estate News / Buy and Sell Wisely

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

View Bristow Real Estate News / Buy and Sell Wisely

Bristow Homeownsers Insurance


Bundle your Bristow insurance policies. Some companies that sell homeowners, auto and liability coverage will take 5 to 15% off your premium if you buy two or more policies from them.

Reduce Your Risk. Find out from your insurance company what steps you can take to make your Bristow more resistant to natural disasters. If you live in an older home, look into modernizing your heating, plumbing and electrical systems to reduce the risk of fire and water damage.


Bristow Disclosure Rule


Tell All is definitely the rule for anyone who is selling Bristow real estate in today’s market. Let the Buyer Beware can easily come back and bite you in a delicate spot—your pocketbook.

Today, those selling a home or any Bristow are expected to disclose all known material defects that are not readily apparent to the buyer. A Material Defect is usually a physical condition that would affect a buyer’s decision to purchase the home or what price to pay for the home. A leaky roof is definitely a Material Defect. If a Bristow seller tries to disguise the leak by painting the interior ceiling and walls without fixing the leak, the truth will come out the next time it rains. Chances are the first call the buyer makes will be to his attorney.

Bristow: Art and Science


Buying a piece of Bristow real estate is a science but buying your Bristow home is an art. The science part involves getting the legal and financial parts down while the art is finding the Bristow property that you’ll be happy with.

The total universe of possibilities within the universe of Bristow real estate is quite diverse but narrowing your search ahead of time will help keep things in perspective.

In general there are two phases to any Bristow real estate search. In the first phase, you get a feel for the different areas and an idea of what is being offered at what price. In the second phase, you search for the Bristow real estate that meets all or most of your specifications.


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.


When Bristow Does Not Sell


Here is where your agent’s expertise and diligence comes into play. A top agent will consider what similar Bristow have sold for within the last 3 to 6 months and compare those homes condition, features and location with your home. If there are no comparable sales in the area, which is often the case with custom or one-of-a-kind properties, the agent may suggest that you obtain a formal appraisal.

A homeowner who must sell and sell quickly needs to price their Bristow at or slightly below market to ensure a quick sale. A different homeowner may want to sell but has time and wants to get the top market price. These homeowners will often price the home slightly above current market prices and expect interested buyers to offer a lower amount to start the negotiation.