Bristow, VA

Bristow Virginia - Homes for Sale or Rent

This home for Rent in Bristow Virginia with a large fenced in back yard is ready for you. Come home and relax on your spacious Deck or unwind in the furnished and equipped Media Room or unwind with company at the wet bar.   Well maintained Single Family Home with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths.  Fully Finished walkout basement.

• 3930 sq ft. finished
• 4 bedroom - 3.5 bath
• 2 Decks
• Fenced in Back Yard 
• Gourmet Kitchen
• Separate Dining Area
• Fully Finished Basement
• Fully Furnished & Equipped Media Room
• Deck with View of the Bull Run Mountains & Views to DC on a clear Day!
• Wet Bar for Entertaining
• Schools:  Cedar Point ES - Marsteller MS - Brentsville HS

Linda Coffey, Realtor®
Long & Foster Realtors

7526 Limestone Drive
Gainesville, VA  20155

Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia

(703) 973-2676

LCoffey@LNF.com

Has the Market Stabilized in Your Area? Get a Free Market Report to find out!

Bristow VA MLS Free Search Online for info about Bristow VA homes

"Must See the Newly Renovated Basement!"

So said the marketing info on the kitchen counter in the house I arrived to inspect.

I could hardly wait! OK, when I see things like that, lately anyway, I kind of cringe.

When I enter houses for inspections, I begin by turning things on. The dishwasher, washer, dryer, AC or furnace, and so forth. Obviously I test 'em!

The house was kind of cold. Not unusual, sometimes the listing agents leave the heat low, especially after the house has a contract on it. So I found the thermostat and turned on the heat.

No reaction.

No sound.

No click, grind, buzz. Or heat.

No nothing.

Maybe it's turned off at the panel box? I checked. Nope, the breaker was on. So what could it be?

I found the heat pump.

And this is what I saw.

The label states that this heat pump was manufactured a mere three years ago. Already it doesn't work.

Can you tell me why? It's OK, I'll wait.

Hint: the old heat pump was of a different era and configuration. They took the white AC condensate line off that old one and used it on this one. I guess to save time and money.

I'm still waiting...

THAT'S RIGHT! Ding, ding, ding!! The condensate line blocks the filter's ability to come out for washing or replacement. This filter is a washable, high efficiency filter. It captures everything. And it really should be washed every month! If not, it will clog quickly.

This one was so clogged it had the density of a brick. I think that broke the unit. So much for saving time and money...

My recommendation: If you see or hear that a house you will be showing your clients is newly remodeled, ask a couple of questions. A good question to start would be: "Gee, was it done professionally?" and/or "Was there a permit pulled to do the work?" If not, caveat emptor!

Bristow, VA - Homes for Sale in Bristow, Virginia - Homebuyer Tax Credit

For buyers who have been looking at homes for sale in Bristow, VA here is the status of the Homebuyer Tax Credit:

Homebuyer Tax Credit has not only been extended, but it has also been expanded to include current homeowners. The following are features of the new bill

Deadline for current credit is November 30, 2009

New Deadline for Homebuyer Tax Credit is April 30, 2010, as long as the home is under contract by that date. Must close within 60 days

Eligibility and amount of new credit:

$8,000 for first-time homebuyers (those who have not owned a home in the last three years).

Up to $6,500 credit for homeowners who have lived in the home they are selling, or have sold, as a principal residence for five consecutive years in the past eight.

Buyers with income exceeding $125,000 for single and $225,000 for married couples are not eligible.

Homes valued at more than $800,000 are also ineligible.

Linda Coffey, Realtor®
Long & Foster Realtors

7526 Limestone Drive
Gainesville, VA 20155

Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia

(703) 973-2676

LCoffey@LNF.com

Has the Market Stabilized in Your Area? Get a Free Market Report to Find Out!

Bristow VA MLS Free Search Online for info about Bristow VA homes

Bristow Virginia - Homes for Sale - Short Sales

This home for Sale in Bristow Virginia in desirable Kingsbrooke ready for you. Come home and relax on your spacious Deck or patio and enjoy relax after a long day. Well maintained Brick Colonial Single Family Home with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. Short sale with one lender, two loans, preoccupancy available.

• Brick Colonial Home
• 4479 sq feet
• 4 bedroom - 3.5 bath
• Wood Floors
• Crown Molding
• Home office/library
• Spacious kitchen with Double Wall Ovens
• Spacious Deck for Relaxing and entertaining plus Patio
• 2 Story Family Room with Gas Fireplace
• Formal Dining Room
• Master Bedroom with Walk in Closet
• Master Bath with separate Tub and Shower
• Fully finished basement with Level Walkout
• 2 Car Garage
• HOA Amenities - Basketball Courts, Community Center, Pool, Tennis Courts, Tot Lot/Playground
• Schools: Bristow Run Elementary, Gainesville Middle School, Brentsville High School

Linda Coffey, Realtor®
Long & Foster Realtors

7526 Limestone Drive
Gainesville, VA 20155

Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia

(703) 973-2676

LCoffey@LNF.com

Has the Market Stabilized in Your Area? Get a Free Market Report to find out!

Bristow VA MLS Free Search Online for info about Bristow VA homes

I was called to do a One Year Inspection prior to the expiration of the builder's warranty. I do a lot of them.

Looking at this deck and door from the rear yard everything seemed normal enough.

Until I got closer.

You might not notice it from this photo.

I'm talking about what you see in the photo below.

That's it, right there. Water.

Now, it had not rained in the past month. There is a bedroom window above this door, but it could not have been opened during a recent rain storm. There is no plumbing in the wall, service or drain. There is a typical soffit overhang with a gutter, but all that was dry.

Coming inside, the floor around the door was dry according to my moisture meter. I had my IR camera with me and looked at the wall above and around the door inside and out. Nothing visible. Similarly, inside, nothing thermal was visible in the floor or ceiling above.

Neither upstairs bathroom is anywhere nearby. The closest, the Jack and Jill bath, is 20 feet above and to the left of this photo. I had not tested the bathroom yet, it was dry, and this water is fresh, the puddle even growing slightly during the inspection. The plumbing penetration to vent the kitchen and that bathroom is 30 feet or so to the left of this photo. He had not used the hose or watered the lawn that day.

I have to admit, I was stumped.

I NEVER DID FIGURE IT OUT!

My client had never noticed this puddle before. I advised him to call me if it continued or grew. He never did.

Sometimes things remain a mystery. Any ideas as to this water's source?

My recommendation: when you notice something out of the ordinary, and you cannot figure out a reason, watch it to see if it changes. Maybe then you will find a change that leads you to the cause. And then maybe you won't...