doug francis

A Quote in MSN Money

I was surprised the other day to get a Google Alert that there was a quote attributed to me on the MSN Money site in an article by Marilyn Lewis. Back in May, I wrote a post warning home buyers to refrain from adding new credit lines before they actually “closed” on their new home. Since mortgage lenders are now running a second credit report just prior to closing (did you know that?), home buyers innocently buying new furniture before “closing” may negatively impact their credit ratios, possibly defaulting on their sales agreement with the home seller.

The consequences may cost you your Earnest Money Deposit and more.

Really, the main purpose of writing my blog is to inform my real estate clients in Northern Virginia about issues that will impact them selling a home, buying a home, getting a mortgage, having a home inspection or removing an oil tank. Yes, getting mentioned on a big-time web site like MSN.com is a thrill, but also indicates to me that I am on the right track giving advice that is informative. What do you think?

If you are planning to buy or sell a home in Northern Virginia, please read through the buyer or seller tip sections and then give me a ring so we can discuss your plans.

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• Saw this on MSN Money today (mytotalmoneymakeover.com)

doug francis

Your house has an ice dam?

One of the problems of having too much snow and below freezing temperatures for a week is the gutter ice dam. This happens when the gutter stops draining due to compacted snow or a block of ice. Then, the warm air escaping from your home generates just enough heat to melt the snow pack causing the gutter to fill with water. Hopefully it flows out, and not back in…

You have probably seen how a reservoir gets filled when the dam is closed, well, this is the same type of event except that the water backs up and into your house.

Over the past two days I have had two friends in Vienna, Virginia call me about leaks inside their homes. One was at a bay window below a soffit vent, and the other was from the roof on a three story colonial. That leak flowed all the way downstairs in the family room. And in both cases, little can be done right now because the ice in the down spouts needs to melt and allow the water to drain properly.

Ice dams are uncommon in Northern Virginia and this year (2010) is unique because we are setting a historic record for annual snowfall. At my home in Vienna, VA, we measured 24″ of fresh snow on Saturday afternoon and another 8″ of snow on Wednesday afternoon. Combine that with below freezing temperatures since last weekend(at 3:38 P.M., it is only 20°)  and there really hasn’t been any natural melting.

Homeowner’s insurance was intended to cover ice dams

One of the tell-tail signs of a potential problem is when icicles form from your gutters. The ice is now firmly in place and any melting snow is now flowing right over the gutter. The melting is fine as it flows over the gutter, but when the flow backs up is when it can come through the house.

At this point,  I personally have to trust the fact that my builder and roofer did everything possible six years ago to protect my home from an ice dam.

When your roof gets repaired one day in the future, make sure there is a drip edge and sufficient roof flashing is installed to prevent water penetration. If you have really had it with asphalt roofs, then maybe you should consider a metal roof where snow slides off much more easily. A friend in Vienna had a metal roof installed recently so I will get that name for this post.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Winterize your house… before the freeze (dougfrancis.com)
• Your house has an ice dam? Part 2 (dougfrancis.com)

doug francis

A sick home seller strategy…

This is an angle that many real estate agents have yet to discuss with their seller clients because it may sound a little harsh. Some subjects like current market activity, reductions in asking or list price, keeping the house clean, proper staging, repainting, repairing, de-cluttering, re-carpeting, curb appeal, sanitizing, lighting, scenting, offering closing cost assistance or any other creative marketing idea your agent has conjured up to help you get an offer if your home is not selling quickly will seem like a walk-in-the-park compared to this sick angle.

It may add a greater sense of urgency for making any one of those changes… today!

Ready?

Starting immediately, home sellers need to have a plan in place if they come down with the flu because the house will need to be taken off the market immediately. Really, within the hour.

If you are a sick home seller in Northern Virginia…

• Notify your real estate agent ASAP (e-mail, text, voice mail, Twitter, Facebook… you pick)
• You won’t want anyone calling you on the phone…
• You won’t want anyone catching the flu from you…
• You won’t want anyone using the lock box only to discover you sick in bed, too weak to move…

I have asked before if you are a sick and tired home seller in Northern Virginia? Why? It is  because I have shown home over the past 18 years and we discovered someone sick, at home, in bed, and too weak to move. My clients have never bought any of those sick homes.

Home sellers, get this “sick-plan” in place today with your agent and consider making a refinement or two to your home if it will help get a contract… before you get too sick to sell.

doug francis

A summer vacation… and blood donation!

The dog-days of summer have arrived and I am getting things packed up for a trip to Maine and Rhode Island. Yes, mini-van life has returned and I am going to resemble many 40-something Dad’s behind the wheel pretending we are still pretty cool (think Clark Griswold). Thank goodness the kids have outgrown The Wiggles!

On a serious note, I stopped by the INOVA Health System’s Woodburn Blood Donor Center today to donate a pint of blood, a “whole blood” donation. They estimate that the Washington, DC metro area has a daily demand for 200 units. Also, studies now show that only 37% of the people in the United States are eligible to donate blood, and only 5% donate on a regular basis. It usually takes less than 45 minutes and they have donor centers all over the area. Set up an appointment  today.

They keep track of the number of pints that I have donated, and I am now in the 4+ gallon club.

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