As I was doing some dougfrancis.com performance maintenance over the summer, I started reading through some of the older blog posts deep inside this blog. Part of my effort was to clean up issues that Google Webmaster Tools told me were causing Crawl errors... but, anyway, it forced me to read through some of my older blog posts. This little Continue Reading
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 Continue Reading
Trimming your neighbor’s tree?
"Doug, these trees are wonderful!" exclaimed a client last fall as we drove along Miller Heights Road in Oakton, VA looking for a home to buy. For those of you from San Diego or Colorado, we have very large Oaks (hence "Oakton"), Maples, Sycamores, and Sweetgums that can give the impression we have forests amongst our manicured suburban Continue Reading
Town of Vienna VA Vehicle Tax?
Image by Haole Punk via Flickr UPDATED for 2012 If you live in the Town of Vienna, VA or anywhere in Fairfax County, then you will be paying a $33 per vehicle license tax in 2010. Motorcycles will be $18. Residents should be getting these bills sometime during November, 2011. Don't miss the payment deadline, there is a $25 penalty fee! Continue Reading
Perspective Impacts Local Real Estate
I went out of town over July 4th to enjoy the beach in Lewes, Delaware with the family, and accidentally observed the local real estate market and the way agents work there. Having been an agent in Northern Virginia for 19 years and seen behind the advertising/image personas (the curtain) of many real estate agents, I thought about how easily home Continue Reading
Home Seller just isn’t negotiating!
One of the hardest parts of buying a home is making an offer. Really, it isn't easy to come up with the right offer, and I always tell my Northern Virginia real estate clients that their initial offer should be their "ideal scenario" from the start. Offer price, determined after looking at recent sales and condition of the home Closing or Continue Reading
Oil Tank Concerns | Vienna Home Buyers
Some homes in Vienna VA were built with underground oil tanks to store heating oil, but have been converted over to natural gas heating systems. In cases like this, home buyers need to know if the old oil tank was removed from the property or just abandon in place. An abandon tank will have some documentation as required by the Virginia Department Continue Reading
Real Estate Contracts Require a Termite Inspection?
Image by Editor B via Flickr Editors's Note 9/2014: This post has been edited from the original article to reflect current lender requirements. The Northern Virginia real estate contract can require that a termite or "wood destroying insect" inspection be conducted. This election is made by the Purchaser in their offer. And, if Continue Reading