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How to Choose a Home Here are some tips to help determine which house is best for you. Once you've settled on a couple of preferred neighborhoods for your home search, it's time to pick out a few homes to view. Having a house features "wish list" keeps you focused on which features are most important to you. When narrowing down your home search, consider the following: Determine What Type of Home You Want to Buy There are several forms of home ownership: single-family homes, multiple-family homes, condominiums and co-ops. Single-family homes: One home per lot. Multiple-family homes: Some buyers, particularly first-timers, start with multiple-family dwellings, so they'll have rental income to help with their costs. Many mortgage plans, including VA and FHA loans, can be used for buildings with up to four units, if the buyer intends to occupy one of them. Condominiums: With a condo, you own "from the plaster in." You also own a certain percentage of the "common elements" - staircases, sidewalks, roofs, etc. Monthly charges pay your share of taxes and insurance on those elements, as well as repairs and maintenance. A homeowner's association administers the development. Co-ops: In some cities, cooperative apartments are common. With co-ops, you purchase shares in a corporation that owns the whole building, and you receive a lease to your own unit. A board of directors, comprised of owners and elected by owners, supervises the building management. Monthly charges include your share of an overall mortgage on the building. Decide What Age and Condition of Home You Want to Purchase Weigh your needs, budget and personal tastes in deciding whether you want to buy a newly constructed home, an older home or a "fixer-upper" that requires some work. Consider Resale Potential As you look at homes, you may want to keep in mind these resale considerations. Use a Features Wish List to Keep Your Search Focused Make a features wish list to clarify which features are most and least important to you when looking for a home. Using this features wish list will keep your house hunt focused and effective. Use a Home Comparison Chart to Keep Your Observations Organized While house hunting, it's a good idea to make notes about what you see because viewing several houses at a time can be confusing. Use a home comparison chart to help you keep track of your search, organize your thoughts and record your impressions. Act Decisively When You Find the Right Home Before you begin the home buying process, resolve to act promptly when you do find the right house. Every REALTOR® has stories to tell about a couple who looked far and wide for their dream home, finally found it, and then said, "We always promised my Dad we'd sleep on it, so we'll make an offer tomorrow." Many times the story had a sad ending - someone else came in that evening with an offer that was accepted. Resolve that you will act decisively when you find the house that's clearly right for you. This is particularly important after a long search or if the house is newly listed and/or underpriced. *from my website www.dmsamson.com
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Low Rates, Plenty of Buyers and Low Inventory Most Markets in Northern Virginia are now Tips for our Sellers: Foreclosures and short sales are not your competition: We do not take their sales into account when pricing your home. Many buyers need to find a quality home and a seller who can make a decision and deliver the home within 60 days. Foreclosure and short sale buyers eventually get tired of losing contracts. Tips for our Short Sellers: Obama backs short sales: On May 14 the Obama administration urged banks to do more short sales and less foreclosures. This has led to new policies and procedures and turned short sales into a much more expedient process. Interest Rates: Higher rates will slow refinancing, but not buyers: Rates have ticked up over the last two weeks. This was caused by all of the refinance bubble of homeowners taking advantage of lower rates. Rates still hover in the low 5% range and has not deterred buyers. The Fed is working to drop rates, but this is a more than acceptable range for buyers. 5 Year ARMS are available for 4% with 2 points. Rates are subject to change.
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ASHBURN VIRGINIA IS AN ACTIVE REAL ESTATE MARKET with new homes and resale homes selling.
HOMES CLOSED IN ASHBURN MAY 2009, NEW AND RESALE.
| Status: SOLD (46) | ||||||||||
| List Price | Bedrooms | Baths | FB | HB | DOMM | DOMP | Lot Sqft | Yr Built | ||
| Min | $323,585 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Z | 1988 | |
| Max | $1,295,000 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 252 | 1,220 | 41,818 | 2009 | |
| Avg | $581,585 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 55 | 89 | 13,212 | 2001 |
Ashburn is a major employment center for Northern Virginia. High tech employment has seen steady growth in Ashburn Virginia since the early 1990s as the attraction of Dulles Airport, smart tax incentives to employers and major road improvement to manage traffic has made this area a target for national and international companies.
Home buyers have benefited from this growth as major builders were attracted to the area. Prices are far lower than Fairfax County real estate and the public schools in Loudoun County are popular and scholastic achievement is high.
Homes closed in Ashburn in May, 2009, including new and resale.
| City | Builder | ListPrice | ClosePrice | BR | FB | HB | # Gar | Lot Acres | YrBlt |
| Ashburn | Centex | $323,585 | $323,585 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2009 |
| Ashburn | $367,900 | $376,000 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.15 | 1996 | |
| Ashburn | $379,000 | $379,000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.16 | 1996 | |
| Ashburn | $384,900 | $380,000 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.15 | 1999 | |
| Ashburn | $384,900 | $382,000 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.09 | 2003 | |
| Ashburn | $400,000 | $420,000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.16 | 1997 | |
| Ashburn | $427,500 | $402,000 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.24 | 1989 | |
| Ashburn | $429,900 | $425,000 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.26 | 1989 | |
| Ashburn | $449,900 | $475,000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.19 | 2005 | |
| Ashburn | $450,000 | $450,000 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.1 | 2002 | |
| Ashburn | $450,000 | $450,000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.15 | 1988 | |
| Ashburn | $489,900 | $482,000 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.21 | 2000 | |
| Ashburn | $499,000 | $467,000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.18 | 2005 | |
| Ashburn | $499,900 | $432,000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.26 | 1993 | |
| Ashburn | SMC | $499,990 | $485,000 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.257 | 2009 |
| Ashburn | $500,000 | $485,000 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.17 | 1995 | |
| Ashburn | $504,900 | $494,900 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.21 | 1995 | |
| Ashburn | $508,900 | $525,000 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.27 | 2005 | |
| Ashburn | $515,000 | $511,000 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.33 | 1990 | |
| Ashburn | $515,000 | $507,000 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.23 | 1996 | |
| Ashburn | $522,500 | $500,000 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.23 | 2006 | |
| Ashburn | $525,000 | $525,000 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.2 | 2005 | |
| Ashburn | $525,000 | $520,000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.22 | 1995 | |
| Ashburn | Winchester | $542,596 | $542,596 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.16 | 2009 |
| Ashburn | $545,900 | $575,026 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.8 | 1998 | |
| Ashburn | $550,000 | $529,000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.19 | 1996 | |
| Ashburn | $559,000 | $552,000 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.18 | 2002 | |
| Ashburn | $599,990 | $560,000 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.19 | 2004 | |
| Ashburn | $607,900 | $635,000 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0.61 | 2001 | |
| Ashburn | $620,000 | $565,000 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0.96 | 2003 | |
| Ashburn | TollBros. | $620,886 | $620,886 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.102 | 2009 |
| Ashburn | $624,900 | $629,900 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.29 | 1998 | |
| Ashburn | $625,000 | $625,000 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.46 | 1997 | |
| Ashburn | $629,900 | $630,000 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.46 | 2003 | |
| Ashburn | $634,000 | $643,000 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.32 | 2004 | |
| Ashburn | $634,999 | $634,999 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.23 | 1996 | |
| Ashburn | $649,900 | $650,000 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.28 | 2006 | |
| Ashburn | Winchester | $660,991 | $660,991 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.16 | 2009 |
| Ashburn | $689,900 | $679,900 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.36 | 2003 | |
| Ashburn | $699,500 | $680,000 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.49 | 2002 | |
| Ashburn | $739,995 | $697,750 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0.293 | 2007 | |
| Ashburn | $799,900 | $775,000 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0.59 | 2003 | |
| Ashburn | $850,000 | $815,000 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0.71 | 2004 | |
| Ashburn | $970,000 | $970,000 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0.68 | 2000 | |
| Ashburn | $1,050,000 | $1,002,500 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0.31 | 2003 | |
| Ashburn | $1,295,000 | $1,175,000 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0.71 | 2002 | |
Demographics for Loudoun County, Virginia
--Average Income Families
W/Children $ 101,594
--Average Age 33.5
--Percent Married 65.3
--Percent With Children 43
--Percent High School Graduates 94.9
--Percent College Graduates 56.5
--Average SAT Scores 1036
--Expenditures Per-Student $ 9,255
--Land Area Square Miles 519.9
--County Population 169,599
--Population Density Per Sq. Mile 326
--Population Growth Rate (5 yrs) 7.9 %
Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988, E-mail.


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HOME BUILDERS in LOUDOUN COUNTY ARE TRYING TO LEVERAGE THEIR LAND HOLDINGS INTO HOME SALES.
NEW HOMES SALES IN ASHBURN VIRGINIA ARE VIGOROUS and buyers are out looking and buying.
While we see some builders closing communities and not finishing construction, others are reviving previously closed communities. Of course, they've sited the lots with smaller floor plans and lower prices to meet the market of today. What would sell in 2005 will not necessarily sell today.
The homes below are what this builder sold in 2006/2007 for prices in the high $600,000 for 4,000 square feet homes. Today the homes have been redesigned to about 3,200 square feet and offered starting in the mid to high $500,000 range.
Fortunately, the amenities in this community were finished when the builder was selling in 2006-2007.
The community center and pool is completed and in full swing.

Style for homes in the 3,000 and 3,200 square feet offered today.
We're glad to see major builders taking land out of retirement and responding to the invigorated new homes market in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Courtesy Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988, E-mail. Ask about the Homefinders.com, New Home REBATE.

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TOURING NEW HOMES FOR SALE IS FUN. WE GET TO VISIT BEAUTIFUL SPECTACULARLY DECORATED MODELS, MEET BUILDERS' REPRESENTATIVES WHO WELCOME OUR INTEREST IN THEIR COMMUNITY. While I'm previewing and compiling a list of homes in inventory for a specific relocating home buyer, I'm also visiting luxury homes, town homes and villas for sale. This is one of the more enjoyable things on my schedule. Buyer Brokers who focus on new home sales want to stay on top of communities, styles, amenities, upgrades, prices and inventory.
LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME STYLE. Planned for an August delivery, this home represents the luxury market in Ashburn Virginia.
This is the model to be delivered in August 2009.
Base Price . . . . . . . . . $794,900
Total Options . . . . . . . $222,765
Full Built Out Price . . . $1,017,665
Discount . . . . . . . . . . . $182,765
INVENTORY SALE PRICE $849,900
Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988, e-mail
For more detailed information and descriptions, see here.
ASK about the Homefinders.com New Homes REBATE for all of our new home buyers.
Ashburn Virginia in Loudoun County, Virginia MAP.

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