Talking about the Charlottesville - Albemarle real estate market with Matt Hodges & Rick Moore has become an annual tradition, and is a great way for Matt and me to start the year. We each research and prepare for way more than we are able to get through. This year, as always, we covered an awful lot of ground in a fast 60 minutes, and candidly, it's a great conversation with information and insight for buyers and sellers in the Charlottesville Albemarle area. Listen to the Podcast here. Some of the topics covered The … [Read more...] about Real Estate Radio with Matt & Jim – 2019 Edition
General Real Estate
Sellers – Pretend You’re Seeing Your House for the First Time
Does your doorbell work? Are you sure? How often do you ring your own doorbell? I remember visiting an unrepresented seller many years ago to discuss marketing her home She was surprised when I noted that she ought to fix her doorbell as it wasn't working. She never rang it, as she was one of the rare homeowners who parked her car in her garage. Pretending you're seeing your home for the first time is one of the best things you can do. Stand on the front porch. Look around for a minute or two, as if the Realtor is opening the … [Read more...] about Sellers – Pretend You’re Seeing Your House for the First Time
January 2019 Monthly Note | Stories, Offers, HOAs, the Charlottesville Market
Here we go. Another year begins of representing clients, helping to grow Nest Realty, and producing the best, most relevant, and interesting content possible that I can. This Month's Note Charlottesville area market update/thoughts on 2019's market, incorporating some of my thoughts here. Hiring professional HOA management (it's a good thing) Never say an offer is coming (and why) Life is a series of stories Round up of RealCrozetVA & RealCentralVA posts from December Subscribe here; I'd truly appreciate your doing … [Read more...] about January 2019 Monthly Note | Stories, Offers, HOAs, the Charlottesville Market
Conventional Loan Limits Jump in 2019; Good for Real Estate or Difficult for Consumers’ Budget?
From Matt Hodges with Presidential Mortgage. (Bolding is mine) This is a story from Matt discussing things buyers need to be doing as they prepare to buy a home. The Federal Housing Finance Authority (FHFA) raised the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (collectively conventional loans) loan limit to $484,350 on Tuesday, November 27th. For our brave soldiers and sailors – retired or active duty – who qualify for VA loans, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs follows the conventional loans’ lead. Borrowers need to continue to make sure they stay … [Read more...] about Conventional Loan Limits Jump in 2019; Good for Real Estate or Difficult for Consumers’ Budget?
Be Kind. It Matters
Reupping this story from April. This encounter has stuck with me. In early January I was returning a gift, and tried to get it put back on my wife’s credit card, which I didn’t have. The young girl working at the counter tried to make it work, but could not. She sought out the manager, who tried as well, went back to try something else, while the girl at the counter kept valiantly attempting to process the return. They were understaffed and overworked, and they were exasperated, but kept trying. We’re at about the 15 minute mark of them … [Read more...] about Be Kind. It Matters
Ending 2018’s Charlottesville Real Estate Market, Looking at 2019
The Charlottesville real estate market showed signs of moderating (which is a good thing), driven by a few factors Affordability continued to be a challenge for many buyers Prices continued to rise. While I think we're going to continue to see appreciation continue (broadly), 2019 may look and feel a bit different with some properties staying on the market longer (weeks and months vs days and weeks) The "right" inventory remained a bit of a challenge for many buyers Waiting for the right home is important. I represented four or … [Read more...] about Ending 2018’s Charlottesville Real Estate Market, Looking at 2019
Real Estate Market Shift – Tips for Buyers and Sellers in Charlottesville
The Charlottesville real estate market is shifting. We've been in a sellers' market for several years, and we're transitioning (broadly, all markets are micro-local) to a balanced/buyers market. For some buyers/sellers (and agents) this is going to be a shock to the system. Tips for Sellers Be patient Price your home accordingly to the market, and price it to sell. If you price high, hoping to get an offer that you can negotiate down, you might not get that opportunity. Reduce your price aggressively. Stair-stepping down is blood in … [Read more...] about Real Estate Market Shift – Tips for Buyers and Sellers in Charlottesville